.  L^T4 


.   A 


COMMENTARY 


ON  THE 


HOLT  SCEIPTUKES 

CRITICAL,  DOCTRIML,  AND  HOMILETICAL, 

WITH   SPECIAL   REFERENCE   TO    MINISTERS' AND   STUDENTS 


JOHjN  PETEE  LAjS-GE,  d.d. 

CONNECTION    WITH    A    NUMBER   OF   EMINENT    EUROPEAN    DIVINES. 


TRANSLATES  FROM  THE  GER3IAN,  AND  EDITED,   WITH  ADDITIONS  ORIGINAL 

AND  SELECTED, 


By  PHILIP  SCHAFF,  D.D. 

IN    CONNECTION    TTlin    AMERICAN    DIVINES    OF   VARIOUS   EVANGELICAL    DENOMINATIONS. 


VOL.  I.  OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT :    CONTAINING  A  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION, 
AND  THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


NEW   YORK: 
CHAKLES  SCRIBNEE,  124  GRAND  STREET. 

1865. 


THE 


GOSPEL 


ACCOPa^ING  TO 


MATTHEW, 


TOGETPIER    WITH    A   GENERAL    THEOLOGICAL,   AND    HOMILETICAL 
INTRODUCTION   TO  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 


JOHN  PETEK  LANGE,  D.D. 

PROFESSOS  OP  THEOLOGY   AT   THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   BONN. 


/ 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  THIRD    GERMAN  EDITION,  WITH  ADDITIONS 
ORIGINAL  AND  SELECTED, 


By  PHILIP  SCHAFF,  D.D. 


NEW   YORK: 
CHAKLES  SCPJBNER,  124  GRAND  STREET. 

1865. 


r^  » itr.  jt!!5  5CEI3533.. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  A\fFRTrA\  EDITIOy. 


if:lr  li  Tie  boci  of  2fe. 


Zkc  ti«e-]_ 
:  -::  --r^r^=IW«si«f  God 

God.    Tie  ci^tl  _  -  ri  Tifi  TffNt'  a^^ss.  &  ^nmLsr 


tie  Bide  is  i  -   — - 

Ms-   -    :- 
'  3  *rei:J"_  - 


cf  Aiaisi.  in.  ■Ei; 
it 


ter-:- 


PREFACE. 


absolute  religion  of  God,  both  in  its  preparatory  process  or  growth  under  the  dispensation  of 
the  law  and  the  promise,  and  in  its  completion  under  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  a  religion 
which  is  intended  ultimately  to  absorb  all  the  other  religions  of  the  world.  It  speaks  to  us  as 
immortal  beings  on  the  highest,  noblest,  and  most  important  themes  which  can  challenge  our 
attention,  and  with  an  authority  that  is  absolutely  irresistible  and  overwhelming.  It  can 
instruct,  edify,  warn,  terrify,  appease,  cheer,  and  encourage  as  no  other  book.  It  seizes  man 
in  the  hidden  depths  of  his  intellectual  and  moral  constitution,  and  goes  to  tLe  quick  of  the 
soul,  to  that  mysterious  point  where  it  is  connected  with  the  unseen  world  and  with  the  great 
Father  of  spirits.  It  acts  like  an  all-penetrating  and  all-transforming  leaven  upon  every  fac- 
ulty of  the  mind  and  eveiy  emotion  of  the  heart.  It  enriches  the  memory ;  it  elevates  tlie 
reason  ;  it  enlivens  the  imagination  ;  it  directs  the  judgment ;  it  moves  the  affections ;  it  con- 
trols the  passions ;  it  quickens  the  conscience  ;  it  strengthens  the  will ;  it  kindles  the  sacred 
flame  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity ;  it  purifies,  ennobles,  sanctifies  the  whole  man,  and  brings  him 
into  living  union  with  God.  It  can  not  only  enlighten,  reform,  and  improve,  but  regenerate 
and  create  anew,  and  produce  effects  which  lie  far  beyond  the  power  of  human  genius.  It 
has  light  for  the  blind,  strength  for  the  weak,  food  for  the  hungry,  drink  for  the  thirsty ;  it 
has  a  counsel  in  precej^t  or  example  for  eveiy  relation  in  life,  a  comfort  for  every  sorrow,  a 
balm  for  every  wound.  Of  all  the  books  in  the  world,  the  Bible  is  the  only  one  of  which  we 
never  tire,  but  which  we  admii-e  and  love  more  and  more  in  proportion  as  we  use  it.  Like 
the  diamond,  it  casts  its  lustre  in  every  direction ;  like  a  torch,  the  more  it  is  shaken,  the 
more  it  shines ;  like  a  healing  herb,  the  harder  it  is  pressed,  the  sweeter  is  its  fragrance. 

What  an  unsjDeakable  blessing,  that  this  inexhaustible  treasure  of  divine  truth  and  comfort 
is  now  accessible,  without  material  alteration,  to  almost  every  nation  on  earth  in  its  own 
tongue,  and,  in  Protestant  countries  at  least,  even  to  the  humblest  man  and  woman  that  can 
read !  Nevertheless  we  welcome  every  new  attempt  to  open  the  meaning  of  this  book  of 
books,  which  is  plain  enough  to  a  child,  and  yet  deep  enough  for  the  profoundest  philosopher 
and  the  most  comprehensive  scholar. 


EPOCHS    OF    EXEGESIS. 

The  Bible — and  this  is  one  of  the  many  arguments  for  its  divine  character — has  given  rise 
to  a  greater  number  of  discourses,  essays,  and  commentaries,  than  any  other  book  or  class  of 
books ;  and  yet  it  is  now  as  far  from  being  exhausted  as  ever.  The  strongest  and  noblest 
minds,  fathers,  schoolmen,  reformers,  and  modem  critics  and  scholars  of  every  nation  of  Chris- 
tendom, have  labored  in  these  mines  and  brought  forth  precious  ore,  and  yet  they  are  as  rich 
as  ever,  and  hold  out  the  same  inducements  of  plentifal  reward  to  new  miners.  The  long  line 
of  commentators  will  never  break  off  until  faith  shall  be  turned  into  vision,  and  the  churcli 
militant  transformed  into  the  church  triumphant  in  heaven. 

Biblical  exegesis,  like  every  other  branch  of  theological  science,  has  its  creative  epochs  and 
classical  periods,  followed  by  periods  of  comparative  rest,  when  the  results  gained  by  the  pro- 
ductive labor  of  the  preceding  generation  are  quietly  digested  and  appropriated  to  the  life 
of  the  church. 

There  are  especially  three  such  classical  periods :  the  patristic,  the  reformatory,  and  the 
modern.    The  exegesis  of  the  fathers,  with  the  great  names  of  Chrysostom  and  Theodoret  of 


PREFACE. 


the  Greek,  and  Jerome  and  Augustine  of  the  Latin  Church,  is  essentially  Catholic ;  the 
exegesis  of  the  reformers,  as  laid  down  in  the  immortal  biblical  works  of  Luther  and  Melanch- 
thon,  Zwingli  and  Oacolampadius,  Calvin  and  Beza,  is  Protestant ;  the  modem  exegesis  of 
Germany,  England,  and  America,  may  ])c  called,  in  its  hest  form  and  ruling  spirit.  Evangelical 
Catholic.  lb  includes,  however,  a  large  variety  of  theological  schools,  as  represented  in  the 
commentaries  of  Olshausen  and  Tholuck,  Liicke  and  Bleek,  Heugstenberg  and  Delitzsch, 
Ewald  and  Hupfelcjl,  de  Wette  and  Meyer,  Lange  and  Stier,  Alford  and  Ellicott,  Stuart  and 
Robinson,  Hodge  and  Alexander,  and  many  others  still  working  wdth  distinguished  success. 
The  modern  Anglo-German  exegesis  is  less  dogmatical,  confessional,  and  polemical  than  either 
of  its  predecessors,  but  more  critical,  free,  and  liberal,  more  thorough  and  accurate  in  all  that 
pertains  to  philological  and  antiquarian  researcli ;  and  while  it  thankfully  makes  use  of  the 
labors  of  tlie  fathers  and  reformers,  it  seems  to  ojjen  the  avenue  for  new  developments  in  the 
ever-expanding  and  deepening  history  of  Christ's  kingdom  on  earth. 

The  patristic  exegesis  is,  to  a  large  extent,  the  result  of  a  victorious  conflict  of  ancient 
Christianity  with  Ebionism,  Gnosticism,  Arianism,  Pelagianism,  and  other  radical  heresies, 
which  roused  and  stimulated  the  fathers  to  a  vigorous  investigation  and  defence  of  the  truth  as 
laid  down  in  the  Scriptures  and  believed  by  the  Church.  The  exegesis  of  the  reformers  bears 
on  every  page  the  marks  of  the  gigantic  v»'ar  with  Romanism  and  its  traditions  of  men.  So 
the  modem  evangelical  theology  of  Germany  has  grown  up  amidst  the  changing  fortunes  of 
a  more  than  thirty  years'  war  of  Christianity  with  Rationalism  and  Pantheism.  The  future 
historian  will  represent  this  intellectual  and  spiritual  conflict,  which  is  not  yet  concluded,  as 
one  of  the  most  important  and  interesting  chapters  in  history,  raid  as  one  of  the  most  bril- 
liant victories  of  faith  over  unbelief,  of  Christian  truth  over  anti-Cbristian  error.  The  German 
mind  has  never,  since  the  Reformation,  developed  a  more  intense  and  persevering  activity, 
both  for  and  against  the  gospel,  than  in  this  period,  and  if  it  should  fully  overcome  the 
modern  and  most  powerful  attacks  upon  Christianity,  it  will  achieve  as  important  a  work  as 
tlie  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century.  Former  generations  have  studied  the  Bible  with 
as  much  and  perhaps  more  zeal,  earnestness,  and  singleness  of  purpose,  than  the  present.  But 
never  before  has  it  been  subjected  to  such  thorough  and  extensive  critical,  philological,  histori- 
cal, and  antiquarian,  as  well  as  theological  investigation  and  research.  Never  before  has  it 
been  assailed  and  defended  with  more  learning,  acumen,  and  perseverance.  Never  before  has 
the  critical  apparatus  been  so  amjjle  or  so  easy  of  access  ;  the  most  ancient  manuscripts  of  the 
Bible  having  been  newly  discovered,  as  the  Codex  Sinaiticus,  or  more  carefully  compared  and 
published  (some  of  them  in  fac-simile),  as  the  Codex  Sinaiticus,  Vaticanus,  Alexandrinus, 
Ephraemi  Syri,  and  the  discoveries  and  researches  of  travellers,  antiquarians,  historians,  and 
chronologers  being  made  tributary  to  the  science  of  the  Book  of  books.  No  age  has  been  so 
productive  in  commentaines  on  almost  every  part  of  the  sacred  canon,  but  more  particularly 
on  the  Gospels,  the  Life  of  Christ,  and  the  Epistles  of  the  New  Testament.  It  is  very  difiicult 
to  keep  up  with  the  progress  of  the  German  press  in  this  department.  One  commentary  fol- 
low.s  another  in  rajiid  succession,  and  the  best  of  them  are  constantly  reappearing  in  new  and 
improved  editions,  which  render  the  old  ones  useless  for  critical  purposes.  Still  the  intense 
productivity  of  this  period  must  sooner  or  later  be  exhausted,  and  give  way  to  the  more  quiet 
activity  of  reproduction  and  application.* 

*  Even  Dr.  Wordsworth,  who  is  disposed  to  find  in  the  old  Catholic  and  modern  Anghcan  fathers  the  beginning 
and  the  end  of  exegetical  knowledge  and  wisdom,  feels  constrained  to  admit  (in  the  Preface  to  hia  Commentary  nn 


PREFACE. 


The  time  has  now  arrived  for  the  preparation  of  a  comprehensive  theological  commentary, 
which  shall  satisfy  all  the  theoretical  and  practical  demands  of  the  evangelical  ministry  of  the 
present  generation,  and  serve  as  a  complete  excgetical  library  for  constant  reference  :  a  com- 
mentary learned,  yet  popular,  orthodox  and  sound,  yet  unsectarian,  liberal  and  truly  catholic 
in  spirit  and  aim  ;  combining  with  origmal  research  the  most  valuable  results  of  the  exegetical 
labors  of  the  past  and  the  present,  and  making  them  available  for  the  practical  use  of  minis- 
ters and  the  general  good  of  the  church.  Such  a  commentary  can  be  sucessfully  wrought  out 
only  at  such  a  fruitful  period  of  Biblical  research  as  the  present,  and  by  an  association  of  ex- 
perienced divines  equally  distinguished  for  ripe  scholarship  and  sound  piety,  and  fully  com- 
petent to  act  as  mediators  between  the  severe  science  of  the  professorial  chair  and  the  practical 
duties  of  the  pastoral  office. 


LANGE'S    COMMENTARY. 

Such  a  commentary  is  the  Bibelwerlc  of  Dr.  Lakge,  assisted  by  a  number  of  distinguished 
evangelical  divines  and  pulpit  orators  of  Germany,  Switzerland,  and  Holland.*  This  work 
was  commenced  in  1857,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  publishers,  Velhagen  and  Klasing,  in  Biele- 
feld, Prussia,  on  a  plan  similar  to  that  of  Starke's  Synopsis^  which  appeared  a  hundred  years 
ago,  and  has  since  been  highly  prized  by  ministers  and  theological  students  as  a  rich  store- 
house of  exegetical  and  homiletical  learning,  but  which  is  now  very  rare,  and  to  a  large 
extent  antiquated.f 

It  is  to  embrace  gradually  the  whole  Old  and  New  Testament.  The  Rev.  Dr.  John  P. 
Lange,  professor  of  evangelical  theology  in  the  University  of  Bonn,  assumed  the  general 
editorial  supervision ;  maturing  the  plan  and  preparing  several  parts  himself  (Matthew,  Mark, 
John,  Romans,  and  Genesis),  selecting  the  assistants  and  assigning  to  them  theu-  share  in  the 
work.  It  is  a  very  laborious  and  comprehensive  undertaking,  which  requires  a  variety  of 
talents,  and  many  years  of  united  labor.  It  is  the  greatest  literary  enterprise  of  the  kind 
undertaken  in  the  present  centuiy.    Herzog's  Theological  Encyclopoedia,  of  which  the  eight- 

the  N.  T.,  p.  V.) :  "  Indeed  it  must  be  confessed,  -witli  thankfulness  to  the  Divine  Author  of  the  Scripture,  that  the 
present  age  enjoys,  in  certain  respects,  greater  privileges  for  the  due  understanding  of  Iloly  "Writ  than  were  ever  con- 
ferred by  Almighty  God  on  any  preceding  generation  since  the  revival  of  letters."  And  he  is  candid  enough  to  ad- 
mit, also  (on  p.  vi.),  "  that  the  palm  for  industry  in  this  sacred  field  is  especially  due  to  another  nation.  The  Masorites 
of  the  New  Testament  are  from  Germany." 

*  The  full  German  title  of  this  work  is  :  Theologisoh-homiletisches  Bibeltvkrk.  Die  HeUige  Schrift  Alien  und 
Neuen  Testaments  mii  Buckaicht  mif  das  theologisch-homiletische  Bedurfniss  des  pastoralen  Amies  in  Veriindung 
mit  namhaften  erangelischen  Theologen  iearbeitet  und  herausgegeben  von  J.  P.  Lange.  Bielefeld.  Verlag  von  Vel- 
hagen und  Klasing,  1857  if. 

t  Synopsis  Bibliothecjs  Exegetic^  in  Novum  Testamentum.  Kurzgefasster  Aussug  der  grUndlichsten  und 
nutsbarsten  Auslegungen  uber  alle  Bucher  Neuen  Testamenis.  In  Tabellen,  ErMdrungen,  Anmerkungen  %ind  J^'uisan- 
tcendungen,  mit  Zuziehung  des  Grundtevies,  und fleissiger  Anfuhrung  der  dahey  gehraucMen  Bucher,  zum  erwUnsch- 
ten  Eandbuch,  etc.  etc.  Mit  Beyhidfe  einiger  Gelehrten  von  Oheistoph  Starke,  Pastore  Primario  und  Garnison, 
Prediger  der  Stadt  vnd  Fentung  Driesen.  3  vols.  4to.  The  preface  is  dated  1733.  I  have  seen  in  this  country  and 
occasionally  compared  two  copies  of  this  work,  one  of  the  second  edition,  Leipzig,  1740  (in  the  Theo!.  Seminary  Library 
at  Mercersburg,  P.a.),  and  one  of  the  4th  ed.,  Leipz.  1758  (in  possession  of  a  German  clergyman  at  New  York).  The 
first  volume,  containing  the  four  Gospels,  covers  2,523  closely  prii.ted  qttarto  pages.  The  title  of  the  Old  Testament 
Part  is :  Synopsis  BibliothecjE  Exegeticje  in  Vetus  Testamentum,  etc.,  Berlin  and  Halle,  1741  if.  5  vols.  4to.  His 
Bon,  Johann  Georg  Starke,  completed  the  Did  Testament.  Christoph  Starke  was  born  A.  d.  1684,  was  pastor  primarius 
in  the  town  and  fortress  Driesen,  and  died  1744.  His  motto  was  :  Crucem  sumo,  Christxim  sequor.  He  was  not  a  man 
of  genius,  like  Lange,  but  of  immense  literary  industry,  and  his  work  is  a  dry  but  useful  compilation.  He  embodied 
in  it  extracts  from  previous  exegetical  works,  especially  those  of  Luther,  Brentius,  Canstein,  Cramer,  Hedinger, 
Lange,  Majus,  Osiander,  Piscator,  Quesnel,  Tosanus,  Biblia  "Wurtembergensia,  Zeisius.  Lange  transfers  the  substance 
of  Starke's  labors  to  the  homiletical  sections  of  his  Commentary,  and  credits  him  with  the  extracts  from  his  prede- 
cessors under  their  names. 


PREFACE. 


ecuth  volume  has  just  been  published  (with  two  volumes  of  supplements  still  in  prospect),  is  a 
similar  monument  of  German  learning  and  industiy,  and  will  be,  for  many  years  to  come,  a 
rich  storehouse  for  theological  students.  So  far  the  Commentary  of  Lange  has  progressed 
rapidly  and  steadily,  and  proved  decidedly  successful.  Even  in  its  present  unfinished  state,  it 
has  already  met  with  a  wider  circulation  than  any  modern  commentary  within  the  same  time, 
and  it  grows  in  favor  as  it  advances. 

The  following  parts  have  been  published,  or  are  in  course  of  preparation  : 

I.  The  Gospel  according  to  Matthew,  with  an  Introduction  to  the  whole  New  Testament. 
By  Dr.  John  P.  Laxge,  1857.     Second  (third)  edition  revised,  1861. 

n.  The  Gospel  ACCORomG  to  SIark.  By  Dr.  John  P.  Lange.  Second  edition  re- 
vised, 1861. 

ni.  The  Gospel  according  to  Luke.  By  Dr.  J.  J.  van  Oosterzee,  profess6r  of  theology 
at  Utrecht.     Second  edition  revised,  1861. 

IV.  The  Gospel  according  to  John.    By  Dr.  John  P.  Lange.     Second  edition,  1863, 

V.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  By  Prof.  Dr.  G.  Lechler,  of  Leipzig,  and  Dean  K. 
Gerok,  of  Stuttgart.     Second  edition  revised,  1863. 

VI.  The  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  now  in  course  of  preparation  by  the  editor,  in  connec- 
tion with  his  son-in-law.  Rev.  Mr.  Fay,  in  Crefeld,  who  assumed  the  homiletical  part. 

Vn.  The  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians.     By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Chr.  Fr.  Kling,  1863. 
Vm.  The  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.    By  the  Rev.  Otto  Schmoller,  1863. 

IX.  The  Epistles  to  the  Ephesians,  Philippians,  and  Colossians.  By  Prof.  Dr.  Dan. 
ScHENKEL,  of  Heidelberg,  1863.* 

X.  The  Epistles  to  the  Thessalontans.  By  Prof.  Drs.  C.  A.  Auberlen  and  Chr.  John 
RiGGENBACH,  of  Basel,  1864. 

XI.  The  Pastoral  Epistles  and  The  Epistle  to  Philemon.  By  Dr.  J.  J.  van  Oos- 
terzee, of  Utrecht.     Second  edition  revised,  1864. 

Xn.  The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.    By  Prof.  Dr.  C.  B.  Moll,  1861. 

XIII.  The  Epistle  op  James.  By  Prof.  Drs.  J.  P.  Lange  and  J.  J.  van  Ooster- 
zee, 1863. 

XrV.  The  Epistles  of  Peter  and  The  Epistle  op  Jude,  by  Di*.  G.  F.  C.  Fronmuller. 
Second  edition  revised,  1861. 

The  remaining  parts,  XV.  and  XVI.,  containing  The  Epistles  op  John,  and  The  Reve- 
liATiON,  have  not  yet  appeared.  Part  VT.  (on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans)  and  Part  XV.  are, 
however,  in  process  of  preparation,  and  may  be  expected  within  a  year. 

Of  the  Commentaxy  on  The  Old  Testament,  one  volume  has  just  been  published  (1864), 
which  contains  a  general  Introduction  to  the  whole  Old  Testament,  and  a  commentary  on 
Genesis  by  the  editor. 

According  to  a  private  letter  of  our  esteemed  friend.  Dr.  Lange,  the  following  dispositions 
have  already  been  made  concerning  the  Old  Testament : 

Deuteronomy.  By  Rev.  Jul.  Schroder,  of  Elberfeld  (successor  of  Dr.  F.  W.  Krum- 
macher  as  pastor,  and  author  of  an  excellent  practical  commentary  on  Genesis). 

Joshua.    By  Dr.  Paulus  Cassel,  in  Berlin. 

*  This  part  will  probably  be  rewritten  by  another  hand  on  account  of  the  recent  unfortunate  change  in  the 
theological  position  of  the  author. 


rilEFACE. 


Judges.     By  Ilev.  Mr.  Scitneider,  rector  of  the  seminary  at  Bromberg. 
Kings.    By  Dr.  Bahr,  in  Carlsruhc  (author  of  the  celebrated  work  on  the  Symbolism  of 
the  Mosaic  "Worship,  etc.). 

The  Psalms.     By  Dr.  Moll,  general  superintendent  in  KiJnigsberg. 
Jbkeioah.     By  Rev.  Dr.  Nagelsbach,  of  Bayreuth. 


DR.     LANGE. 

Tlie  reader  will  naturally  feel  some  curiosity  about  the  personal  history  and  character  of 
the  editor  and  manager  of  this  great  Biblical  work,  who  heretofore  has  been  less  known  among 
English  readers  than  many  German  divines  of  far  inferior  talent.  Only  two  of  his  many  works 
have  been  brought  out  in  an  English  dress,  and  they  only  quite  recently,  namely,  his  Life  of 
Jesus,  and  parts  of  his  Commentary  on  the  Gospels. 

Dr.  Lange  was  born  on  the  10th  of  April,  1803,  on  the  Bier,  a  small  farm  in  the  parish  of 
Sonnborn,  near  Elberfeld,  in  Prussia.  His  father  was  a  farmer  and  a  wagoner,  and  brought 
his  son  up  to  the  same  occupation,  but  allowed  him,  at  the  same  time,  to  indulge  his  i)assion 
for  reading.  Young  Lange  often  drove  the  products  of  the  soil  to  market.  He  early  acquired 
an  enthusiastic  love  of  nature,  which  revealed  to  his  poetic  and  pious  mind,  as  in  a  mirror, 
the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  He  was  instructed  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Heidelberg 
Catechism,  which  is  still  in  use  among  the  Reformed  Churches  on  the  Rhine,  although  the 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  Confessions  are  united  in  Prussia  since  1817  under  one  government 
and  administration,  and  bear  the  name  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church.  His  Latin  teacher, 
the  Rev.  Herrman  Kalthof,  who  discovered  in  him  unusual  talents,  induced  him  to  study  for 
the  ministry.  He  attended  the  Gymnasium  (College)  of  Diisseldorf  from  Easter,  1831,  to 
autumn,  1833,  and  the  University  of  Bonn  from  1833  to  1835.  There  he  studied  mainly  under 
Dr.  ]Srit2Bch,  the  most  venerable  of  the  living  divines  of  Germany,  who  for  many  years  was  a 
strong  pillar  of  evangelical  theology  in  Bonn  and  subsequently  in  Berlin.  The  writings  of 
Nitzsch,  though  pregnant  with  deep  thoughts  and  suggestive  hints,  give  but  an  imperfect  idea 
of  his  power,  which  lies  chiefly  in  his  pure,  earnest,  and  dignified,  yet  mild  and  amiable 
personal  character.  He  is  emphatically  a  homo  gravis,  a  Protestant  church-father,  who,  by  his 
genius,  learning,  and  piety,  commands  the  respect  of  all  theological  schools  and  ecclesiastical 
parties. 

After  passing  through  the  usual  examination,  Lange  labored  from  1835  to  1826  in  the  quiet 
but  very  pleasant  town  of  Langenberg,  near  Elberfeld,  as  assistant  minister  to  the  Rev.  EmU 
Krummacher  (a  brother  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Frederic  William  Krummacher,  who  wrote  the 
sermons  on  Elijah  the  Tishbite,  and  other  popular  works).  From  thence  he  was  called  to  the 
pastoral  charge  of  Wald,  near  Solingen,  where  he  remained  from  1826  to  1838.  In  1833  he 
removed  as  pastor  to  Duisburg,  and  began  to  attract  public  attention  by  a  series  of  brilliant 
articles  in  Hengstenberg's  Evangelical  Church  Gazette  and  other  periodicals,  also  by  poems, 
sermons,  and  a  very  able  work  on  the  history  of  the  infancy  of  our  Saviour,  against  Strauss's 
Life  of  Jesus,  la.  1841  he  was  called  to  the  University  of  Zurich,  in  Switzerland,  aa  professor 
of  theology  in  the  place  of  the  notorious  Strauss,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  radical  and 
infidel  administration  of  that  Canton,  but  was  prevented  from  taking  possession  of  the  chair 
by  a  religious  and  political  revolution  of  the  people.    In  Zurich  he  labored  with  great  per- 


PREFACE. 


severance  and  fidelity  in  the  midst  of  many  discouragements  till  1856,  when  he  received  a  call 
to  the  University  of  Bonn,  in  Prussia,  where  he  will  probably  end  his  days  on  earth.* 

Dr.  Lange  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  ablest  and  purest  divines  that  Germany  ever  pro- 
duced. He  is  a  man  of  rare  genius  and  varied  culture,  sanctified  by  deeiJ  piety,  and  devoted 
to  the  service  of  Christ.  Personally  he  is  a  most  amiable  Christian  gentleman,  genial,  afiec- 
tionate,  unassuming,  simi)le,  and  unblemished  in  all  the  relations  of  life.  He  combines  an 
unusual  variety  of  gifts,  and  excels  as  a  theologian,  philosopher,  poet,  and  preacher.  He 
abounds  in  original  ideas,  and  if  not  always  convincing,  he  is  always  fresh,  interesting,  and 
stimulating.  He  is  at  home  in  the  ideal  heights  and  mystic  depths  of  nature  and  revelation, 
and  yet  has  a  clear  and  keen  eye  for  the  actual  and  real  world  around  him.  He  indulges  in 
poetico-philosophical  speculations,  and  at  times  soars  high  above  the  clouds  and  beyond  th^ 
stars,  to  the  spiritual  and  eternal  "  land  of  glory,"  on  which  he  once  vsa'ote  a  fascinating 
book.t  His  style  is  jGresh,  vigorous,  and  often  tnily  beautiful  and  sublime,  but  somewhat 
deficient  in  simplicity,  clearness,  and  condensation,  and  is  too  much  burdened  with 
compound,  semi-poetical,  unwieldy  epithets,  which  offer  peculiar  difiiculties  to  the  trans- 
lator. His  speculations  and  fancies  cannot  always  stand  the  test  of  sober  criticism,  although 
we  might  wish  them  to  be  true.  But  they  are  far  less  numerous  in  his  Commentary  than  in 
his  former  writings.  They  are,  moreover,  not  only  harmless,  but  suggestive  and  pious,  and 
,  supply  a  lack  in  that  sober,  realistic,  practical,  prosaic  common-sense  theology  which  deals 
with  facts  and  figures  rather  than  the  hidden  causes  and  general  principles  of  things,  and 

^    .eldom  breathes  the  invigorating  mountain  air  of  pure  thought. 

}'  Poetical  divines  of  real  genius  are  so  rare  that  we  should  thank  God  for  the  few.  Why 
should  poetry,  the  highest  and  noblest  of  the  arts,  be  banished  from  theology  ?  Has  not  God 
joined  them  together  in  the  first  and  last  chapters  of  the  Bible  ?  Has  He  not  identified  poetry 
with  the  very  birth  of  Christianity,  in  the  angelic  hymn,  as  well  as  with  its  ultimate  triumphs, 
in  the  hallelujahs  of  the  countless  hosts  of  the  redeemed  ?  Is  it  not  one  of  the  greatest  gifts 
of  God  to  man,  and  an  unfailing  source  of  the  purest  and  richest  enjoyments  ?  Is  it  not  an 
essential  element  and  ornament  of  divine  worship  ?  Can  any  one  fully  understand  and  explain 
the  Book  of  Job,  the  Psalms  and  the  Prophets,  the  Parables,  and  the  Apocalypse,  without  a 
keen  sense  of  the  beautiful  and  sublime  ?  Theology  and  philosophy,  in  their  boldest  flights 
and  nearest  approaches  to  the  vision  of  truth,  unconsciously  burst  forth  in  the  festive  language 
of  poetry ;  and  poetry  itself,  in  its  highest  and  noblest  forms,  is  transformed  into  worship  of 
Him  who  is  the  eternal  source  of  the  True,  the  Beautiful,  and  the  Good.  No  one  will  deny 
this  who  is  familiar  with  the  writings  of  St.  Augustine,  especially  his  Confessions^  where  the 
metaphysical  and  devotional  elements  interpenetrate  each  other,  where  meditation  ends  in 
prayer,  and  speculation  in  adoration.  But  the  greatest  philosophers,  too,  not  only  Plato, 
Schelling,  and  Coleridge,  who  were  constitutionally  poetical,  but  even  Aristotle,  Kant,  and 
Hegel,  who  were  the  greatest  masters  of  pure  reasoning  and  metaphysical  abstraction,  prove 

♦  For  the  biographical  notices  I  am  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  Dr.  Lange,  who  commiinicated  them  to  me  by 
letter  at  my  request.  I  previously  wro^e  also  a  sketch  of  his  character  as  a  divine  in  my  book  ou  Gennany^  its  Uni- 
versities and  Divines,  Philadelphia,  1807,  of  wiiich  I  have  no  copy  on  hand,  the  edition  being  exhausted.  I  have  seen 
Dr.  Lange  in  Zurich  in  1S44,  and  at  Bonn  in  1854,  and  corresponded  with  him  more  or  less  for  the  last  twenty  years. 

t  Under  the  title  :  Das  Land  der  ITerrlichkeit,  oder  die  christUclte  I.ehre  rom  Ilimmel,  first  published  as  a  series 
of  articles  in  Hengstenbcrg's  Evangelical  Church  Oaseite,  and  then  in  book  form,  1R33.  Dr.  H.  Uarbaugh,  of  Mer- 
cersburg,  Pa.,  has  translated  a  portion  of  it  in  the  third  of  his  three  popular  works  ou  the  heavcniy  world,  which  have 
gone  through  some  fifteen  or  twenty  editions. 


PREFACE. 


this  esseutial  harmony  of  truth  aud  beauty.*  The  poetic  and  imaginative  element  imparts 
freshness  to  thought,  and  turns  even  the  sandy  desert  of  dry  critical  research  into  a  blooming 
flower  garden.  I  fully  admit,  of  course,  that  the  theologian  must  regulate  his  philosophical 
si)c;cu]atious  by  the  word  of  revelation,  and  control  his  poetic  imagination  by  sound  reason 
and  judgment.  Laiige  represents,  among  German  divines,  in  hopeful  anticipation,  the  peace- 
ful and  festive  harmony  of  theology  and  poetry,  of  truth  and  beauty,  which  exists  now  in 
heaven,  "  the  land  of  glory,"  and  will  be  actualized  on  the  new  earth.  Take  the  following 
striking  passage  on  the  locality  and  beauty  of  heaven,  as  a  characteristic  specimen  of  his 
thought  and  style  :  f 

"When  the  beautiful  in  the  world  manifests  itself  alone,  so  that  the  friendly  features  of  God's  character 
are  exclusively  seen,  profane  souls  remain  profanely  inclined ;  yea,  they  become  even  more  profligate  in  the 
misuse  of  the  riches  of  God's  goodness.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  greatness  and  power  of  God  are  revealed 
in  the  rugged  aud  terribly  sublime,  in  the  hurricane,  in  the  ocean-storm,  then  the  profane  are  overwhelmed 
with  horror,  which  is  easily  changed  into  fear,  and  may  manifest  itself  in  hypocritical  or  superficial  exhibi- 
tions of  penitence  ;  but  when  the  goodness  and  power  of  God  manifest  themselves  in  one  and  the  same  bright 
phenomenon,  this  produces  a  frame  of  spirit  which  speaks  of  that  which  is  holy.  This  is  the  reason  why  the 
much-praised  valley  of  the  Rhine  is  so  solemn  aud  sabbatic,  because  it  is  enamelled  by  a  blending  of  the 
beautiful  and  the  sublime :  stern  mountains,  rugged  rocks,  ruins  of  the  past,  vestiges  of  grandeur,  monumen- 
tal columns  of  God's  power,  and  these  columns  at  the  same  time  garlanded  with  the  loving  wreaths  of  God's 
favor  and  goodness,  in  the  midst  of  smiling  vineyards  which  repose  sweetly  around  in  the  mild  sunlight  of 
heaven.  For  this  reason  the  starry  night  is  so  instructive — the  grandest  dome  decked  with  the  brightest 
radiance  of  kindness  and  love.  For  the  same  reason  there  is  such  magic  attraction  in  the  morning  dawn  and 
in  the  evening  twilight:  they  take  hold  upon  us  like  movings  to  prayer;  because  in  them  beauty  is  so  miu. 
gled  with  holy  rest,  with  spiritual  mystery,  with  the  earnest  and  sublime.  Thus  does  it  meet  the  festive  chil- 
dren of  this  world,  who  are  generally  of  a  prayerlcss  spirit,  so  that  they  are  as  it  were  prostrated  upon  the 
earth  in  deep  devotion,  when  some  great  sight  in  nature,  in  which  the  beautiful  is  clothed  with  sublime  ear- 
nestness, bursts  upon  their  view ;  or  when,  on  the  other  hand,  some  marked  manifestation  of  God's  power  is 
associated  with  heart-moving  wooings  of  kindness.  Accordingly,  we  hear  one  tell  what  pious  emotions  he  felt 
stirring  his  bosom,  when  he  beheld  the  wide-extended  country  from  the  top  of  the  Pyrenees ;  another  tells  how 
the  spirit  of  prayer  seized  upon  his  soul  when  he  stood  upon  the  height  of  Caucasus,  and  felt,  as  he  looked 
over  the  eastern  iields  and  valleys  of  Asia,  as  if  heaven  had  opened  itself  before  him.  Such  witnesses  might 
be  gathered  to  almost  any  extent. 

"  But  now  it  is  certain  that  there  must  be  some  place  in  the  upper  worlds  where  the  beauties  and  wonders 
of  God's  works  are  illuminated  to  the  highest  transparency  by  his  power  and  holy  majesty;  where  the  com- 
biaation  of  lovely  manifestations,  as  seen  from  radiant  summits,  the  enraptured  gaze  into  the  quiet  valleys 
of  universal  creation,  and  the  streams  of  light  which  flow  through  them,  must  mpve  the  spirits  of  the  blest  in 
the  mightiest  manner,  to  cry  out :  Holt  !  Holt  !  Holt  !— And  there  is  the  holiest  place  in  the  great  Temple  ! 
It  is  there,  because  there  divine  manifestations  fill  all  spirits  with  a  feeling  of  his  holiness.  But  still  rather, 
because  there  he  reveals  himself  through  holy  spirits,  and  through  the  holiest  one  of  all,  even  Jesus  Him- 
self! " 

Dr.  Lange's  theology  is  essentially  biblical  and  evangelical  catholic,  and  inspired  by  a 
fresh  and  refreshing  enthusiasm  for  truth  under  all  its  types  and  aspects.  It  is  more  positive 
and  decided  than  that  of  Neander  or  Tholuck,  yet  more  liberal  and  conciliatory  than  the 
orthodoxy  of  Hengstenberg,  which  is  often  harsh  and  repulsive.  Lange  is  one  of  the  most 
uncompromising  opponents  of  German  rationalism  and  scepticism,  and  makes  no  concessions 
to  the  modem  attacks  on  the  gospel  historj\  But  he  always  states  his  views  with  moderation, 
and  in  a  Christian  and  amiable  spirit ;  and  he  endeavors  to  spiritualize  and  idealize  doctrines 

*  I  would  mention  as  examples  that  noble  passage  of  Aristotle  on  nature's  argument  for  the  existence  of  God, 
preserved  by  Cicero,  De  Nat.  Deoritm,  ii.  37,  and  quoted  by  Alexander  von  Humboldt  with  admiration,  in  his  Kob- 
mos,  vol.  iL  p.  16  (German  edition),  a  work  where  otherwise  even  the  name  of  God  is  nowhere  mentioned  ;  Kant's 
famous  saying  of  the  two  things  which  till  liis  soul  witli  ever-growing  reverence  and  awe,  tlie  starry  heaven  aliove 
him,  and  the  moral  law  within  him  ;  and  Hegel's  truly  Bublime  introduction  to  his  Lectures  on  the  Philosophy  of  Ite- 
Ugion,  as  well  as  many  of  the  noblest  passages  in  his  Lectures  on  Esthetics. 

t  From  hia  youthful  work  :  Das  Land  der  Herrlichkeit.  Not  having  a  copy  of  the  original  within  reach,  I  bor. 
row  the  translation  from  Dr.  Harhaugh's  Heavenly  Home,  ch.  vii.  p.  142  ff. 


PREFACE. 


aud  facts,  and  thus  to  make  them  more  plausible  to  enlightened  reason.  His  orthodoxy,  it  is 
true,  is  not  the  fixed,  exclusive  orthodoxy  either  of  the  old  Lutheran,  or  of  the  old  Calvinistic 
Confession,  but  it  belongs  to  that  recent  evangelical  type  which  arose  in  conflict  with  modern 
infidelity,  and  going  back  to  the  Reformation  and  the  still  higher  and  purer  fountain  of 
primitive  Christianity  as  it  came  from  the  hands  of  Chiist  and  His  inspired  apostles,  aims  to 
unite  the  true  elements  of  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  Confessions,  and  on  this  firm  historical 
liasis  to  promote  catholic  unity  and  harmony  among  the  conflicting  branches  of  Christ's 
Church.  It  is  evangelical  catholic,  churchly,  yet  unsectariau,  conservative,  yet  progressive ;  it 
is  the  truly  living  theology  of  the  age.  It  is  this  very  theology  which,  for  the  last  ten  or 
twenty  years,  has  been  transplanted  in  multiplying  translations  to  the  soil  of  other  Protestant 
countries,  which  has  made  a  deep  and  lasting  impression  on  the  French,  Dutch,  and  especially 
on  the  English  and  American  mind.  It  is  this  theology  which  is  now  undergoing  a  process 
of  natm-alization  and  amalgamation  in  the  United  States,  which  will  here  be  imited  with  the 
religious  fervor,  the  sound,  strong  common  sense,  and  free,  practical  energy  of  the  Anglo-Amer- 
ican race,  and  which  in  this  modified  form  has  a  wider  field  of  usefulness  before  it  in  this  new 
world  than  even  in  its  European  fatherland. 

Dr.  Lange  is  an  amazingly  fertile  author.  Several  of  his  works  belong  to  the  department 
of  belle-lettres,  aesthetics,  and  hymnology.  Some  of  his  hymns  have  deservedly  found  a  place 
in  modern  German  hymn  books,*  and  help  to  swell  the  devotions  of  the  sanctuary.  His 
principal  works  on  theological  subjects  are,  fii-st,  a  complete  system  of  Divinity,  in  three  parts, 
severally  entitled :  PhilosopJikal  Dogmatics,  Positive  Dogmatics,  and  Applied  Dogmatics  (or  Po- 
lemics and  Irenics).  This  is  an  exceedingly  able  work,  abounding  in  original  and  profound 
ideas,  but  aitificial  and  complicated  in  its  arrangement,  often  transcending  the  boundaries  of 
logic,  and  in  many  sections  almost  untranslatable.  His  second  great  work  is  a  Life  of  Jems, 
also  in  three  parts,  which,  upon  the  whole,  is  justly  regarded  as  the  fullest  and  ablest  modem 
work  on  the  subject,  and  the  best  positive  refutation  of  Strauss.  It  has  quite  recently 
been  given  to  the  English  public  by  Mr.  Clark,  in  sis  volumes.!  His  History  of  fhe  Apostolic 
Cliurch,  in  two  volumes,  was  intended  as  the  beginning  of  a  general  History  of  Christianity, 
which,  however,  has  not  been  continued.  But  the  last,  the  most  important,  and  the  most 
useful  labor,  worthy  to  crown  such  a  useful  life,  is  his  Theological  and  Homiletical  Commentary. 
All  his  preceding  labors,  especially  those  on  the  Life  of  Christ,  prepared  him  admirably  for  the 
exposition  of  the  Gospels,  which  contains  the  rich  harvest  of  the  best  years  of  his  manhood. 
This  Commentary  will  probably  engage  his  time  for  several  years  to  come,  and  will  make  his 
name  as  familiar  in  England  and  America  as  it  is  in  Germany. 

I  add  a  complete  list  of  all  the  published  works  of  Dr.  Lange,  including  his  poetry,  in 
chronological  order : 

1.  Die  Lelire  der  Jieiligen  ScTirift  von  der  freien  und  allgemeinen  Chuide  Gottes.    Elberfeld,  1831. 

2.  BiUische  BicUungen.    1  Bandchen.    Elberfeld,  1832. 

3.  Predigten.    Munchen,  1833. 

4.  Biblische  Bichtungen.    2  Bandcben.    Elberfeld,  1834. 

*  I  adopted  a  number  of  them  in  my  German  hymn  book,  published  in  1859  and  extensively  used  in  this  country, 
e.  g.,  K"os.  94, 194,  227. 

t  The  Life  of  the  Loed  Jescs  CnRiST  :  a  compleU  critical  examination  of  the  Origin,  Contents,  and  Connection 
of  the  Gospels.  Translated  from  the  German  of  J.  P.  Lanob,  D.D.  Edited,  with  additional  Notes,  hy  the  Rat.  3far- 
cm  Dads,  A.M.,  in  6  vols.  Edinburgh  :  T.  &  T.  Clark,  1864.  Vol.  i.  is  translated  by  Sophia  Taylor,  vol.  ii.  by  J.  E. 
Ryland,  voL  iii.  by  M.  Gr.  Huxtable,  vol.  iv.  by  Rev.  Rob.  E.  "WalliB,  vol.  v.  by  Rev.  S.  Manson,  vol.  vi.  by  Rov.  Robert 


PREFACE. 


5.  Kleine  polemiscJte  GedicJde.    Duisburg,  1835. 

6.  Oediclde  und  Spruche  aus  dcm  Gehiete  chrvftlicher  MiurbetracMvng.    Duisburg,  1835. 

7.  Die  Welt  des  Hcfrn  in  didahtisclien  Gesdngen.    Essen,  1835. 

8.  Die  Verjinsterunff  der  Welt.    LehrgedicTit.    Berlin,  1838. 

i).  Grundzuge  der  urchriMiclun  ffolun  Boteehaft.     Duisburg,  1809. 

10.  Hovnlien  iiher  Colosser  iii.  1-17.    Vicrte  Auflaije.     Bremen,  1^44. 

11.  ChristUche  Betrachtungen  ilber  zusa?nmenhdngende  bililische  Abschnitte  fur  die  Mmliche  Erbauung. 

Duisburg,  1841. 

12.  Ueber  den  geschicldlkhen  Cliarakter  der  kanonischen  Evangelien,  insbesondere  der  Kindheiisge^chicJde 

Jem,  mit  Beziehung  auf  das  Leben  Jem  von  D.  F.  Strauss.    Duisburg,  1836. 

13.  Das  Land  der  Ilerrlichked,  oder  die  christliche  Lehre  vom  IHmmel,    Mors,  1838. 
M.   Vermischte  Schriften,  4  Binde.    Jlors,  1S40-'41. 

15.  GedicJde.    Essen,  1843. 

16.  Die  Urchliche  Hymnologie,  oder  die  Lehre  vom  Kirchengesang.     Theoretische  Einleitung  und  Kirchen- 

Uede)-buch.    Zurich,  1843. 

17.  Das  Leben  Jesu,  3  Bucber.    Heidelberg,  1844^' 47. 

18.  Worte  der  Abwehr  {in  Beziehung  auf  das  Leben  Jesu).    Zurlcli,  184G. 

19.  ChristlicJie  Dogmatik,   3   Bande.     Philo&ophiscTie,   Positive,  und   Angewandte   Dogmatih.     Heidel- 

berg, 1847. 

20.  Ueber  die  Neugestaltung  des  VerMUnisses  zioisclien,  dem  Stoat  und  der  Kirehe.    Heidelberg,  1848. 

21.  Neutestamentliche  Zeitgedichts.    Frankfurt  a.  M.,  1849. 

22.  Brief e  eines  communistischen  Propheten.    Breslau,  1850. 

23.  Gothe's  religiose  Poesie.    Breslau,  1850. 

24.  Die  Geschichte der  KircJie,  Erster  Tbeil.    Das  apostolische  Zeitalter,  2  Bande.    Braunschweig,  1853-54. 

25.  Auswahl  -von  Gast  und  Gelegenheitspredigten.     Zweite  Ausgabe.    Bonn,  1857. 

26.  Vom  Oelberge.     Geistliche  Dicldungen.    Neue  Ausgabe.     Frankfurt  a.  31.,  1858. 

27.  Vermischte  Schriften.    Neue  Folge,  2  Bandchen.     Bielefeld,  1860. 

28.  TJieologiseh-Jtomiletisches  Bihelwerk,  commenced  1857,  Bielefeld.  Dr.  Lange  prepared  the  Commentaries 

on  Matthew,  3d  edition,  1S61  ;  on  Mark,  2d  edition,  1861 ;  on  John,  2d  edition,  1862  ;  on  the  Epistle 
of  James  (in  connection  with  van  Oosterzee),  1862 ;  Genesis,  with  a  general  introduction  to  the 
Old  Testament,  1864,  and  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  (now  in  course  of  publication). 


THE  PLAN  OF  LANGE'S  COMMENTARY. 

The  plan  of  Lange's  Bibelwerlc  is  very  comprehensive.  It  aims  to  give  all  that  the  minis- 
ter and  Biblical  student  can  desire  in  one  work.  Its  value  consists  to  a  great  extent  in  its 
completeness  and  exhaustiveness,  and  in  the  convenient  arrangement  for  jiractical  use. 

It  contains,  first,  api)ro]Driate  Intkoductions,  both  critical  and  homiletical,  to  the  Bible  as 
a  whole,  to  each  particular  book,  and  to  each  section.  The  sections  are  provided  with  clear 
and  full  headings,  the  parallel  passages,  and  the  indications  of  their  homiletical  use  in  the 
order  of  the  church  year. 

The  Text  is  given,  not  in  the  original  Greek,  nor  in  Luther's  version,  but  in  a  new  German 
version.,  which  is  as  literal  as  the  genius  of  the  language  will  bear,  and  is  made  with  special 
reference  to  the  exposition.  The  principal  readings  of  the  Greek  text  are  given  in  foot-notes, 
with  short  critical  remarks.  The  critical  editions  of  the  Greek  Testament  by  Lachmann  and 
Tischcndorf  *  are  made  the  basis. 

Smith.  Six  translators  for  one  of  the  many  books  of  Lange  1  This  is  a  sufficient  evidence  of  the  difficulty  of  the 
task.  The  editor  (Mr.  Dods),  in  the  introductory  preface  to  vol.  i.,  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  "  this  comprehen- 
eive  and  masterly  work."  I  am  very  happy  to  find  that  Lange,  who  has  been  comparatively  unknown  out  of  Ger- 
many, is  heginning  to  be  appreciated  in  England.  The  frequent  references  to  the  Leben  Jesu  in  this  Commentary  on 
Matthew  are  always  to  the  German  original ;  the  translation  having  reached  mo  too  late  to  change  the  figures.  It  is 
not  likely,  however,  that  such  a  vnlnminous  and  costly  work  will  be  soon  reprinted  in  America  ;  the  less  so,  since 
the  author  has  embodied  many  of  the  most  important  results  in  his  Commentaries  on  Matthew,  Mark,  and  John. 

*  Not,  however,  the  seventh  and  bef.t  edition  of  Tischendorf,  which  appeared  in  1859,  two  years  after  the  first 
edition  of  Lange's  Matthew,  and  wh.ch  often  devintes  from  the  text  of  his  previous  editions  and  returns  to  many  of  the 


PREFACE. 


Theu  follows  the  Commentary  itself.  This  is  threefold,  Critical,  Doctrinal,  and  Homi- 
LETiCAL.*  The  three  departments  are  kept  distinct  throughout,  and  are  arranged  under  differ- 
ent heads,  so  that  the  reader  can  at  once  find  what  he  wants  at  the  time,  without  being  forced 
to  work  his  way  through  a  mass  of  irrelevant  matter. 

1.  The  first  department  contains  :  Exegetical  axd  Critical  NoTES.f  These  explain  the 
words  and  phrases  of  the  text,  and  endeavor  to  clear  up  every  difficulty  which  presents  itself 
to  the  critical  student,  according  to  the  iirinciiiles  of  grmnmatico-historical  exegesis.  On  all 
the  more  imijortant  passages,  the  different  views  of  the  leading  ancient  and  modern  commen- 
tators are  given ;  yet  without  the  show  and  pedantry  of  learning.  The  chief  aim  is  to  con- 
dense, in  as  brief  a  space  as  possible,  the  most  valuable  and  permanent  results  of  original  and 
previous  exegetical  labors,  vrithout  detaining  the  reader  with  the  tedious  process  of  investiga- 
tion, and  a  constant  polemical  reference  to  false  opinions.  The  building  appears  in  its  beau- 
tiful finish,  and  the  scaffolding  and  rubbish  required  during  its  construction  are  removed  out 
of  sight. 

2.  The  second  department  is  headed :  The  LEADrsa  Dogmatical  a^'D  Ethical  TnorcnTS, 
or  DoctrdhAL  aj^d  Ethical.J  It  presents,  under  a  number  of  distinct  heads,  the  fundamental 
doctrines  and  moral  maxims  contained  in,  or  suggested  by,  the  text.  In  the  Gospels,  these 
truths  and  principles  are  viewed  mainly  from  the  christological  point  of  view,  or  as  connected 
with  the  person  and  work  of  our  Saviour.  The  reader  will  l^nd  here  a  vast  amount  of  living 
theology,  fresh  firom  the  fountain  of  God's  revelation  in  Christ,  and  free  from  scholastic  and 
sectarian  complications  and  distortions.  The  person  of  Chiist  stands  out  everjTvhere  as  the 
great  central  sun  of  truth  and  holiness,  from  which  light  and  life  emanate  upon  all  parts  of 
the  Christian  system. 

3.  The  third  department  is  entitled :  Homiletical  Hlsts  or  SuGGESTioiyS.§  This  shows 
the  way  from  the  study  to  the  pulpit,  from  the  exposition  and  understanding  of  the  word  of 
God  to  its  practical  application  to  all  classes  and  conditions  of  society.  It  is  especially  the 
pastor's  department,  designed  to  aid  him  in  preparing  sermons  and  Biblical  lectures,  yet  by  no 
means  to  supersede  the  labor  of  pulpit  preparation.  It  is  suggestive  and  stimulating  in  its 
character,  and  exhibits  the  endless  variety  and  applicability  of  Scripture  history  and  Scripture 
truth.    It  brings  the  marble  slabs  from  the  quarry,  and  the  metals  from  the  mine,  but  leaves 

readings  of  the  iexUis  recepttis.  This  is  the  case  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  alone  in  more  thau  a  hundred  places,  «.  g., 
Matt.  ii.  13  ;  iii.  1 ;  iv.  23  ;  v.  11, 13,  32 ;  vi.  5, 16,  33 ;  vii.  14 ;  viii.  10, 13;  ix.  1,  8,  9, 11, 17  ;  x.  7, 10, 14, 19,  23.  33,  etc. 

*  The  proper  rendering  of  the  German  headings  of  the  three  distinct  eections,  viz.,  Exegetische  EKL^CTEErH- 
GEK,  Uogmatisch-Christologischk  or  (in  the  Acts  and  Epistles)  DoGsiATiscn-ExnisCHE  Grcsdoedanken,  and 
lIOMiLETiscHE  AxDEUTUSGEN,  has  given  some  trouble.  The  Edinburgh  translation  of  Matthew  renders  them  :  Criti- 
cal Notes,  Doctrinal  Reflections,  and  Homiletical  Hints.  Bat  this  is  too  free,  and  the  edition  alluded  to  is  not 
consistent.  The  Scotch  translator  of  the  Commentary  on  the  Acts,  of  which  the  first  twelve  chapters  have  just  ap- 
peared, Rev.  Paton  J.  Gloag,  renders  the  headings  more  literally :  Exegetical  Explanations,  Dogmatical  and 
Ethical  Thoughts,  Homiletical  Hints.  But  Grundgedanken  means  fundamental  or  leading  thoughts.  Upon  the 
■whole  I  thought  it  most  advisable  to  nee  the  adjectives  only,  as  best  calcnlr.ted  to  reconcile  conilicting  tastes  and 
opinions.  Chrktologico-Dogmatical,  and  Dogmatico-Ethieal  would  be  too  h';'a\-y,  while  Doctrinal  and  Ethical  is 
good  English  and  gives  the  idea  as  well.  For  symmetiy's  s;ike  I  chose  a  double  adjective  for  the  other  sections: 
1.  Exegetical  and  Critical  ;  2.  Doctrinal  and  Ethical  ;  3.  Homiletical  and  Practical. 

t  In  German  :  Exegetische  ErljEutercngen,  lit.  :  Exegetical  Illustrations  or  Explanations  (v/hich  is 
somewhat  tautological,  exegetical  being  identical  with  expository  or  ecrplanatory). 

X  In  Grermau  :  DoGMATiscn-ErniscHE  Gp.undgedanken.  In  the  Gospels,  where  the  christological  element  pre- 
ponderates, Lange  calls  them  :  DoGMATiscn-CHRiSTOLOGiscHE  Grundged iNKEN.  But  his  Contributors  have  substi- 
tuted for  it  the  more  general  title  :  Dogmatico-Etbical  Fcndamektal  TnouGnrs,  which  is  as  applicable  to  the  re- 
spective sections  in  the  Gospels  as  to  those  in  the  Epistles.  In  his  Commentary  on  Genesis,  just  publialied  (1S64),  Dr. 
Lange  uses  Theologischb  Grcndgedanken. 

S  Homiletische  Andectungen. 


PREFACE. 


the  chiselling  and  hammering  to  the  artist.  The  authors  of  the  several  parts  give  imder  this 
heading  first  their  own  homiletical  and  practical  reflections,  themes  and  parts  in  a  few  words, 
and  then  judicious  selections  from  other  homiletical  commentators,  as  Quesnel,  Canstein, 
Stakke,  Gossner,  Lisco,  Otto  von  Gerlach,  IIeubner,  and  occasionally  brief  skeletons  of 
celebrated  sermons. 

I  must  confess,  I  was  at  first  prejudiced  against  this  part  of  the  Commentary,  fearing 
that  it  made  the  work  of  the  preacher  too  easy  ;  but  upon  closer  examination  I  became  con- 
vinced of  its  great  value.  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  the  American  readers  will  prize  it  in  propor- 
tion as  they  make  themselves  familiar  with  it.  They  will  be  especially  edified,  I  think,  by 
the  exuberant  riches  and  high-toned  spirituality  which  characterize  the  homiletical  sugges- 
tions of  Lange,  and  several  of  his  contributors,  especially  Dr.  van  Oosterzee  (a  man  of 
genius,  and  the  best  pulpit  orator  of  Holland),  as  also  with  the  selections  from  Starke  and 
his  predecessors  found  under  his  name.  Otto  von  Gerlach  (late  court-preacher  in  Berlin,  and 
author  of  a  brief  popular  commentary),  and  the  veneral)le  Ileubner  (late  director  of  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Wittenberg). 

There  are  standard  commentaries  on  special  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  which  excel  all 
others,  either  in  a  philological  or  theological  or  practical  point  of  view,  either  in  brevity  and 
condensation  or  in  fulness  of  detail,  either  in  orthodoxy  of  doctrine  and  soundness  of  judg- 
ment or  in  expository  skUl  and  fertility  of  adaptation,  or  in  some  other  particular  aspect. 
But,  upon  the  whole,  the  Biblical  work  of  Dr.  Lange  and  his  associates  is  the  richest,  the 
soundest,  and  the  most  useful  general  commentary  which  Germany  ever  produced,  and  far 
better  adapted  than  any  other  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  various  evangelical  denominations  of 
the  English  tongue.  This  is  not  only  my  individual  opinion,  but  the  deliberate  judgment  of 
some  of  the  best  Biblical  and  German  scholars  of  America  whom  I  have  had  occasion  to  con- 
sult on  the  subject. 


THE    ANGLO-AIVIERICAN    EDITIOIT. 

A  work  of  such  sterling  value  cannot  be  long  confined  to  the  land  of  its  birth.  America, 
as  it  is  made  up  of  descendants  from  all  countries,  nations,  and  churches  of  Europe  {e  pluribus 
unu7n),  is  set  upon  appropriating  all  important  literary  treasures  of  the  old  world,  especially 
those  which  promise  to  jjromote  the  moral  and  religious  welfare  of  the  race. 

Soon  after  the  appearance  of  the  first  volume  of  Dr.  Lange's  Commentary,  I  formed,  at  the 
solicitation  of  a  few  esteemed  friends,  and  with  the  full  consent  of  Dr.  Lange  himself,  an  asso- 
ciation for  an  American  edition,  and  in  September,  1860,  I  made  the  necessary  arrangements 
with  my  friend,  Mr.  Charles  Scribner,  as  publisher.*    The  secession  of  the  slave  States,  and 

*  I  mny  be  permitted  to  state  that  I  went  into  this  enterprise  at  first  with  considerable  reluctance,  partly  from  a 
sense  of  its  vast  labor  and  responsibility,  partly  because  it  involved  in  all  probability  the  abandonment  of  an  original, 
though  much  shorter  commentary  (German  and  English)  which  I  had  been  prejjaring  for  the  last  twenty  years,  and 
of  which  a  few  specimens  appeared  in  the  Kirchenfreund  (lS4S-'53)  and  in  the  Mercersburg  Review.  But  the  task 
seemed  to  devolve  on  me  naturally  and  pro'S'identlally,  and  I  gradually  became  so  interested  in  it  that  I  am  willing  to 
sacrifice  to  it  olher  cherished  literary  projects.  Dr.  Lange  himself,  in  forwarding  to  me  an  early  copy  of  the  first 
volume,  wished  me  to  take  part  in  the  original  work,  and  encouraged  me  afterward  to  assume  the  editorial  supervi 
siou  of  the  English  translation,  giving  me  every  liberty  as  regards  additions  and  improvements.  I  made,  however' 
no  use  of  my  old  notes  on  Matthew,  leaving  all  my  exeget'cal  manuscripts  boxed  up  with  my  library  at  Mercersburg 
I  did  not  wish  to  mix  two  works  which  differ  in  plan  and  extent,  and  I  adapted  my  additions  to  the  general  character 
and  plan  of  Lange's  work  and  the  wants  of  the  English  reader. 


PREFACE. 


the  consequent  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  in  1861,  paralyzed  the  book  trade,  and  indefinitely 
suspended  the  enterprise.  But  in  1863  it  was  resumed  at  the  suggestion  of  the  publisher, 
and  with  the  consent  of  Jlr.  T.  Clark,  of  Edinburgh,  who  in  the  mean  time  (since  1861)  had 
commenced  to  publish  translations  of  parts  of  Lange's  Commentary  in  his  "  Foreign  Theolo- 
gical Library."  *  I  moved  to  New  York  for  the  purpose  of  devoting  myself  more  fully  to  this 
work  amid  the  literaiy  facilities  of  the  city,  completed  the  first  volume,  and  made  arrangements 
with  leading  Biblical  and  German  scholars  of  different  evangelical  denominations  for  the  trans- 
lation of  the  other  volumes. 

The  following  books  are  already  finished,  or  in  course  of  prei^aration  for  the  press  : 

The  Gospel  according  to  Matthew,  with  a  General  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament. 
By  the  American  Editor. 

The  Gospel  according  to  Mark.  By  the  Rev.  Dr.  W.  G.  T.  Shedd,  Professor  of  Biblical 
Literature  in  the  Union  Theological  Seminary  at  New  York. 

The  Gospel  according  to  Luke.    By  the  Editor. 

The  Gospel  according  to  John.  By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Edwards  D.  Yeomans,  of  Roches- 
ter, N.  Y. 

The  Acts  op  the  Apostles.  By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  F.  Schaffer,  Professor  in  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Seminary  at  Philadelphia. 

The  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians.    By  the  Rev.  Dr.  William  Poor,  of  Newark,  N.  J. 

The  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.    By  the  Rev.  Charles  C.  Starbuck,  New  York. 

The  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians.     By  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Lillie,  of  Kingston,  N.  Y. 

The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  By  the  Rev.  Dr.  A.  Kendrick,  Professor  in  Rochester 
University,  N.  Y. 

The  Catholic  Epistles.    By  the  Rev.  J.  Isidor  Mombert,  of  Lancaster,  Pa. 

These  gentlemen,  and  others  who  are  or  will  be  invited  to  take  part  in  the  work,  have 
already  an  established  reputation  as  eminent  Biblical  scholars  and  experienced  translators  from 
the  Gei-man,  and  will  no  doubt  do  full  justice  to  the  task  assigned  them. 

It  is  impossible  beforehand  to  state  with  absolute  certainty  the  number  of  volumes  or  the 
time  required  for  the  completion  of  the  whole  commentary.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  it  will 
be  energetically  pushed  forward,  without  undue  haste,  and  published  with  proper  regard  to 
economy  of  space  and  price.  The  enterprise  is  necessarily  a  very  extensive  and  expensive 
one,  and  falls  in  a  most  unfavorable  jjeriod  of  the  American  book  trade;  the  war  having  caused 
an  unprecedented  rise  in  the  price  of  composition,  paper,  and  binding  material.  But  it  has 
the  advantage  over  an  ehcyclopsedia  and  other  voluminous  works,  that  each  volume  will  cover 
an  entire  book  or  books  of  the  Bible  and  thus  be  relatively  complete  in  itself,  and  can  be  sold 
separately, 

PRINCIPLES    OF    THE   AIMERICAN    EDITION. 

The  character  of  the  proposed  Anglo-American  edition  of  Lange's  Bibelwerk,  and  its  rela- 
tion to  the  original,  may  be  seen  from  the  following  general  principles  and  rules  on  which  it 
will  be  prepared,  and  to  which  all  contributors  must  conform,  to  insure  unity  and  syrametiy. 

*  Mf.  Clark  has  issued  the  first  three  Gospels  and  a  port-on  of  the  Acts,  but  I  understand  that  he  does  not  intend 
at  present  to  prosecute  the  enterprise. 


PREFACE. 


1.  The  Biblical  Commentary  of  Dr.  Lange  and  his  associates  must  be  faithfully  and  freely 
translated  into  idiomatic  English,  without  omission  or  alteration.* 

2.  The  tran.slator  is  authorized  to  make,  within  reasonable  limits,  such  additions,  original 
or  selected,  as  will  increase  the  value  and  interest  of  the  work,  and  adapt  it  more  fully  to  the 
wants  of  the  English  and  American  student.  But  he  must  carefully  distinguish  these  addi- 
tions from  the  original  text  by  brackets  and  the  initials  of  his  name,  or  the  mark  Tr. 

3.  The  authorized  English  version  of  1611,  according  to  the  present  standard  edition  of  the 
American  Bible  Society ,t  must  be  made  the  basis,  instead  of  giving  a  new  translation,  wliich, 
in  this  case,  would  have  to  be  a  translation  of  a  translation.  But  wherever  the  text  can  be 
more  clearly  or  accurately  rendered,  according  to  the  present  state  of  textual  criticism  and 
biblical  learning,  or  where  the  translation  and  the  commentary  of  the  German  original  require 
it,  the  improvements  should  be  inserted  in  the  text  (in  brackets,  with  or  without  the  Greek,  as 
the  writer  may  deem  best  in  each  case)  and  justified  in  the  Critical  Notes  below  the  text,  with 
such  references  to  older  and  recent  English  and  other  versions  as  seem  to  be  necessary  or 
desirable. 

4.  The  various  readings  are  not  to  be  put  in  foot-notes,  as  in  the  original,  but  to  follow 
immediately  after  the  text  in  small  type,  in  numerical  order,  and  with  references  to  the  verees 
to  which  they  belong. 

5.  The  three  parts  of  the  commentary  are  to  be  called  :  I.  Exegetical  and  Criticajl  ;  II. 
Doctrinal  and  Ethical  ;  III.  Homiletical  and  Practical. 

6.  The  Exegetical  Notes  are  not  to  be  numbered  consecutively,  as  in  the  original,  but 
marked  by  the  figure  indicating  the  verse  to  which  they  belong  ;  an  arrangement  which  facili- 
tates the  reference,  and  better  accords  mth  usage.J 

7.  Within  these  limits  each  contributor  has  full  liberty,  and  assumes  the  entire  literary 
responsibility  of  his  part  of  the  work. 

If  these  general  principles  are  faithfully  carried  cut,  the  American  edition  will  be  not  only 
a  complete  translation,  but  an  enlarged  adaptation  and  improvement  of  the  original  work, 
gixdng  it  an  Anglo-German  character,  and  a  wider  field  of  usefulness. 

The  typogi-aphical  arrangement  will  be  closely  conformed  to  the  original,  as  upon  the 
whole  the  best  in  a  work  of  such  dimensions.  A  page  of  the  translation  contains  even  more 
than  a  page  of  the  original,  and  while  the  size  o^  volumes  will  be  enlarged,  their  number  will 
be  lessened. 


THE  COMMENTARY  ON  MATTHEW. 

The  first  volume  which,  is  now  issued,  will  show  these  principles  and  rules  in  their  actual 
execution,  and  may  therefore  serve  as  a  specimen  for  the  volumes  that  will  follow. 

As  regards  the  translation  of  this  part  of  the  commentary,  I  must  acknowledge  my  indebt- 

*  A  condensation,  such  as  has  been  proposed  liy  some  in  this  case,  opens  the  door  for  an  endless  variety  of  con- 
flicting opinions  and  tastes,  and  almost  necessarily  results  in  a  mutilation  of  the  original.  The  only  projer  alterna- 
tive seems  to  bo  either  to  translate  a  foreign  work  entire,  if  it  be  at  all  worthy  of  translation,  or  to  make  it  the  basis 
of  a  new  work. 

t  Not  the  revision  of  1854  (which  contained  unauthorized  changes  and  was  pet  aside),  but  the  collation  adopted 
by  the  Board  of  Managers  in  1858,  and  printed  in  1860  and  since.  See  the  Report  of  the  Committee  on  Versions  to 
the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  for  February,  1859. 

.t  I  would  remark,  that  all  the  changes  and  improvements  above  proposed  have  the  hearty  approval  of  Dr.  Lange. 
The  last  one  he  has  since  adopted  himself  in  his  recent  Commentary  on  Genesis. 


PREFACE. 


edness  to  the  Ediuburgli  translation  of  the  Rev.  Alfred  Edersiieim  aud  the  Eev.  W.  B.  Pope, 
which  I  used  to  a  lai'ge  extent  as  a  basis,  especially  in  the  earlier  chapters,  comparing  it  word  for 
word  with  the  original.*  But  I  found  it  necessary  to  make  innumerable  alterations  and  addi- 
tions, so  that  tliis  may  be  regarded  almost  as  a  new  work.  There  is  not  a  page  and  hardly  a 
sentence  in  the  Edinburgh  translation,  so  far  as  I  used  it  at  all,  wliich  remained  untouched.  I 
have  no  disposition  to  criticise  it  in  detail,  or  to  injure  any  of  the  useful  publications  of  my 
esteemed  friend,  Mr.  Clark,  who  has  done  more  than  any  other  publisher  for  transplanting 
German  learning  on  British  soil,  and  is  entitled  to  the  lasting  gratitude  of  English  and  Amer- 
ican divines.  But  I  must  say  that,  while  some  portions  of  the  Edinburgh  translation  are  well 
executed,  especially  if  we  take  into  consideration  the  peculiar  difl&culties  of  Lange's  style 
and  thought,  it  is  veiy  unequal  and  imperfect :  it  omits,  besides  the  improvements  of  the 
second  aud  third  editions  of  the  original,  without  a  word  of  exjilanation,  all  the  critical  foot- 
notes and  various  readings  of  the  text,  the  changes  in  the  English  version,  even  where  they  are 
imperatively  demanded  by  Lange's  German  version  or  comments,  all  the  liturgical  and  most  of 
the  literary  references  of  the  work,  and  abounds  in  mistakes  and  mistranslations,  some  of  which 
pervert  the  sense  of  the  original  into  the  very  opposite,  and  suggest  the  charitable  supposition 
that  the  nominal  translators  employed  in  part  other  and  inferior  hands  in  the  execution  of  their 
laborious  and  difficult  task.f 

But  I  confined  myself  by  no  means  to  a  thorough  revision  and  completion  of  the  Edin- 
burgh translation.  The  American  edition  contains  over  one  hundred  pages,  mostly  in  the 
smallest  type,  that  is,  fully  one  fourth,  more  matter  than  the  German  original  (which  numbers 
642  pages).  The  additions  are  found  mostly  in  the  department  of  textual  criticism,  the  revi- 
sion of  the  English  version,  and  in  the  comments  on  the  later  chapters  of  the  Gospel.J 

It  seemed  to  me  worthy  of  the  labor  aud  trouble  to  make  an  attempt,  on  a  somewhat  larger 
scale  than  Dr.  Lange,  to  popularize  so  much  of  the  immense  critical  apparatus  of  modern 
biblical  learning  as  can  be  made  available  for  the  practical  use  of  ministers  and  students.  A 
few  words  of  explanation  on  the  principles  which  guided  us,  may  not  be  out  of  place  here. 

The  great  variety  of  readings  in  the  Greek  Testament  is  a  fact  which  should  stimulate  in- 
vestigation and  strengthen  our  faith.  All  these  discrepancies  in  the  few  uncial  and  the  more 
than  five  hundred  cursive  manuscripts  of  the  K  T.  are  unable  to  unsettle  a  single  doctrine  or 
precept  of  Christianity,  and  strengthen  the  evidence  of  the  essential  purity  and  integrity  of  the 
sacred  text,  showing  that  it  has  been  substantially  the  same  in  all  ages  and  countries  in  which 
those  manuscripts  were  written.  "  If  there  had  been,"  said  Richard  Bentley,  the  great  classical 
scholar  and  critic,  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago,  "  but  one  manuscript  of  the  Greek  Testa- 
ment at  the  restoration  of  learning,  then  we  had  had  no  various  readings  at  all.  And  would 
the  text  be  in  a  better  condition  then,  than  now  we  have  30,000  (50,000)  ?     So  far  from  that, 

♦  The  Edinburgh  translation  w.-is  made  from  the  first  edition  of  Lange,  and  appeared  in  small  octavo,  large  type, 
uniform  with  "Clark's  Foreign  Theolo.u'ical  Library,"  Third  ser-es,  vols.  ix.  ff.,  under  the  title:  Theological  atid 
ITomUetieal  Commmtanj  on  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew.  From,  the  German  of  J.  P.  Lange,  D.D.  By  the  Bev.  Alfred 
Edersheim,  Ph.  Z>.,  vol.  i.,  Edinburgh,  1861 ;  vol.  ii.  and  part  of  vol.  iii.,  1862.  From  a  note  on  the  back  to  the  title 
page  of  vol.  ii.  it  appears  that  the  I{ev.  W.  B.  Pope  translated  from  ch.  x.x.  28  to  the  close  of  the  second  volume.  The 
third  volume,  which  cont.iins  the  conclusion  of  Matthew  and  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  appears  without  the  name  of  a 
translator.  According  to  this  plan,  the  whole  Commentary  of  Lange  on  the  iST.  T.  would  require  at  least  thirty 
volumes  of  Mr.  Clark's  "Library." 

t  I  h.ave  occnsionally  pointed  out  some  of  tho  omissions  and  errors  of  the  Edinburgh  edition,  where  ttey  furnished 
occasion  for  additional  explanations.    See  e.  g.  pp.  31,  S7,  367,  389,  394,  398,  445,  511,  531,  533,  550. 

X  Compare  pp.  18,  33,  34, 121, 180  f ,  203-208,  228,  239,  250-2G0,  267,  293-207,  339,  353  f.,  3S1  f.,  449,  454^158,  467  f. 
471-475,  519-522,  555-566,  etc. 


PREFACE. 


that  in  tlie  best  single  copy  extant  we  should  have  hundreds  of  faults,  and  some  omissions 
irreparable.     Besides  that,  the  suspicions  of  fraud  and  foul  play  would  have  been  increased 

immensely.    It  is  good,  therefore,  to  have  more  anchors  than  one It  is  a  good 

providence  and  a  great  blessing  that  so  many  manuscripts  of  the  New  Testament  are  still 
amongst  us,  some  prociu-ed  from  Egypt,  others  from  Asia,  others  found  in  the  Western 
Churches.  For  the  very  distances  of  places,  as  well  as  numbers  of  the  books,  demonstrate  that 
there  could  be  no  collusion,  no  altering  nor  inteq^olating  one  copy  by  another,  nor  all  hj  any 
of  them.  In  profane  authors  whereof  one  manuscript  only  had  the  luck  to  be  preserved,  as 
Velleius  Patcrculus  among  the  Latins,  and  Hesychius  among  the  Greeks,  the  faults  of  the 
scribes  are  found  so  numerous,  and  the  defects  so  beyond  all  redress,  that,  notwithstanding  the 
pains  of  the  learnedest  and  acutest  critics  for  two  whole  centuries,  those  books  still  are,  and 
are  like  to  continue,  a  mere  heap  of  errors.  On  the  contrary,  where  the  copies  of  any  author 
are  numerous,  though  the  various  readings  always  increase  in  proportion,  there  the  text,  by  an 
accurate  collation  of  them,  made  by  skilful  and  judicious  hands,  is  ever  the  more  correct,  and 
comes  nearer  to  the  true  words  of  the  author." 

The  object  of  biblical  criticism  is  to  restore  the  oldest  and  purest  text  which  can  be  ob- 
tained with  our  present  means  and  facilities.  In  accordance  with  the  well-known  principle 
first  propounded  by  Bentley,  revived  by  the  venerable  Bengel,  and  recently  applied  and  carried 
out  by  Lachmann,  we  must  make  the  oldest  and  most  authoritative  uncial  manuscripts  of  the 
New  Testament  now  extant  the  basis  of  the  true  text,  especially  those  few  which  date  from 
the  fourtli  to  the  sixth  century.  They  are  the  following :  1.  Codex  Sinaiticus,  edited  by 
Tischendorf,  Leipz.,  1863.*  3.  Cod.  Vaticanus  (designated  by  the  letter  B.,  defective  from 
Heb.  ix.  14),  carelessly  edited  by  Cardinal  Angelo  Mai,  with  improvements  by  Vercellone, 
Rome,  1857,  and  much  better  by  Philip  Buttmann,  Berlin,  1862.  3.  Cod.  AiiEXAiroiiiNUS  (A., 
in  the  British  Museum),  of  which  the  New  Testament  was  published  in  uncial  types,  though 
not  in  fac-simile,  by  C.  G.  Woide,  Lond.,  1786,  with  an  Appendix,  Oxf,  1799.  4.  Cod. 
(rescriptus)  Ephraemi  Syri  (C,  a  cod.  rescriptus,  or  palimpsest,  very  imperfect),  published  by 
Tischendorf,  in  uncial  type,  but  not  in  fac-simile,  Leipz.,  1843.  5.  Cod.  Bez^  (D.,  at  Cam- 
bridge), containing  the  Gospels  and  the  Acts,  with  a  Latin  version,  published  in  fac-simile  by 
Ths.  Kipling,  Camb.,  1793,  3  vols.,  fol.f    In  the  same  class  with  these  oldest  manuscripts, 


*  Dr.  Lange  could  not  make  use  of  this  very  important  discovery,  ^yhich  will  hereafter  figure  largely  in  the  criti- 
cal apparatus  of  future  editions  of  the  Greek  Testament,  although  it  will  not  materially  disturb  the  principles  and 
results  of  modern  criticism.  Tischendorf  (Prolegff.,  p.  xxs.  sqq.)  regards  the  Sinaitic  MS.,  which  he  was  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  discover  on  Mount  Sinai,  and  which  he  published  under  the  liberal  patronage  of  the  Russian  government, 
as  the  oldest  copy  extant,  older  even  than  the  famous  Vatican  MS.,  and  Baurnlein  and  Meyer  are  disposed  to 
agree,  while  Hilgenfeld  objects.  It  is  moreover  the  only  complete  uncial  MS.,  and  contains  the  whole  Bible  of 
the  O.  and  N.  T.  Compare  the  Addenda  at  the  close  of  this  volume.  The  Sinaitic  Bible  generally  agrees  with 
Codd.  B.,  D.,  L.,  T.  (T.  is  Codex  Borgianus,  at  Rome,  of  the  iiflh  century,  and  contains  only  a  few  fragments,  John 
vi.-viii.),  X.  (Codex  Monacensis,  parts  of  the  four  Gospels),  Z.  (Dublinensis,  a  palimpsest,  the  greater  part  of  Mat- 
thew), over  against  Cod.  A.  (Alesandrinus)  and  the  great  majority  of  later  uncial  and  cursive  manuscripts,  while 
Cod.  C.  (Ephraemi  Syri)  occupies  a  position  of  its  own.  With  all  its  great  value  the  Sinaitic  Manusciipt  abounds 
in  blunders  owing  to  the  ignorance  and  carelessness  of  the  transcriber.  This  shows  the  great  importance  of  the 
vast  number  and  variety  of  manuscripts  of  the  Bible,  which  far  exceeds  in  amount  that  of  any  other  ancient  book  in 
the  world. 

1 1  was  so  fortunate  as  to  have  access,  iu  the  Library  of  the  American  Bible  Union  of  New  York,  to  the  printed 
editions  of  these  important  manuscripts,  which  are  far  xjreferable  to  the  imperfect  collations  of  former  critics,  and  the 
mere  references  often  faulty  in  the  apparatus  of  Greek  Testaments.  Vot  fuller  information  on  these  and  other  Co- 
dices I  must  refer  the  reader  to  the  ample  Prolegomena  of  Tischendorf  to  his  seventh  critical  edition  of  the  N.  T., 
1859,  and  to  his  edition  of  Cod.  Sinaiticus,  1S63 ;  also  to  the  Prolegomena  of  Alford,  Commentury,  vol.  i.,  4th  ed., 
1859,  ch.  vii.,  p.  102  ff.,  and  to  Scrivener's  Introdueiion  to  the  Criticism  of  the  S'.  T.,  1S61. 


PREFACE. 


Itiough  last,  must  be  placed  the  later  aud  less  important  uncials,  as  Cod.  Basiliensis  (called 
E.,  of  the  eighth  or  ninth  century,  containing  the  Gospels),  Cod.  Boreeli  (P.,  at  Utrecht, 
the  Gospels,  except  some, portions  of  Matthew  and  Mark),  Cod.  Seidelii  Harleianus  (G.,  in 
the  British  Museum,  the  greater  part  of  the  Gospels),  Codd.  H.,  I.,  K.,  L.  (Paris,  No.  63, 
generally  in  agreement  with  Codd.  Sin.  and  Vatic),  etc.  Next  in  importance  to  the  uncial 
manuscripts  are  the  quotations  of  the  early  fathers,  and  the  ancient  versions,  especially  the 
Latin  and  the  Syriac.  In  the  "third  rank  are  to  be  placed  the  cursive  manuscripts  of  later 
date,  down  to  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century,  of  which  more  than  five  hundred  have  been 
collated  in  the  Gospels  alone.  For  our  purpose  it  was  useless  to  refer  to  them  except  in  those 
rare  cases  where  the  older  authorities  arc  insufficient  to  establish  the  original  text.  The  deci- 
sion of  the  true  reading  depends,  however,  not  only  on  the  antiquity  and  number  of  author- 
ities, but  also  on  internal  reasons.  Lachmann's  object  was  simply  historical,  viz.,  to  establish 
the  oldest  attainable  text,  as  it  stood  in  the  fourth  or  fifth  century,  in  the  place  of  the  compar- 
atively recent,  accidental,  and  unreliable  textus  reeeptus.  This  is  the  only  safe  basis  for  future 
critics,  but  it  is  only  a  part  of  the  task,  which  must  be  completed  by  a  proper  consideration 
of  the  internal  evidences.  Where  the  oldest  authorities — uncial  manuscripts,  patristic  quota- 
tions, and  ancient  versions — lead  to  no  satisfactory  result,  later  manuscripts  (which  may  be 
transcripts  of  uncial  manuscripts  even  older  than  those  we  now  possess)  may  be  profitably 
consulted,  and  that  reading  deserves  the  preference  which  gives  the  best  sense  and  agrees  most 
with  the  style  and  usage  of  the  writer.  Thus,  in  many  instances,  a  return  from  Lachmann  to 
the  textfxs  recejytus  may  be  justified.     See  the  seventh  critical  edition  of  Tischendorf. 

As  to  the  corrections  of  the  authorized  English  version,  I  beg  the  reader  to  view  them  as 
part  of  the  commentary.  Some  of  them  would  be  unnecessary  or  even  objectionable  in  a 
revised  version  for  public  use.  Our  incomparable  English  Bi})le  stands  in  no  need  of  a  radical 
revision ;  its  idiom,  beauty,  and  vigor  are  all  that  can  be  desired.  But  no  good  scholar  will 
deny  that  it  might  be  greatly  improved  as  to  clearness  and  accuracy ;  while  many  doubt 
whether  it  could  be  done  without  producing  greater  division  and  confusion,  and  thus  doing 
more  harm  than  good.  A  final  revision  for  popular  use  should  proceed  from  a  body  of  schol- 
ars representing  the  British  and  American  Bible  Societies,  and  all  the  Protestant  Churches 
which  worship  God  in  the  English  language,  and  have  an  equal  claim  to  this  inestimable  in- 
heritance of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries.  In  the  mean  time,  no  one  can  object  to 
new  translations  and  revisions  for  exegetical  and  critical  use.  They  prepare  the  way  for  a  final 
authorized  revision  for  general  and  poj^ular  use. 

My  selections  from  other  writers  are  mostly  taken  from  representative  older  and  modem 
commentators  of  the  various  English  and  American  Chm-ches,  with  the  view  to  give  this  work 
an  Anglo-Garman  character.  Thus  Burkitt,  M.  Heni-y,  Scott,  and  Doddridge  represent  the 
older  practical  exegesis  of  England ;  Alford  and  Wordsworth,  the  modern  Anglican  exegesis 
in  its  two  divergent,  progressive,  and  conservative,  tendencies  ;  D.  Brown,  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland ;  Addison  J.  Alexander,  the  Old  School  Presbyterian ;  Barnes  and  Owen,  the  New 
School  Presbyterian ;  Whedon  and  Nast,  the  Jlethodist ;  Conant,  the  Baptist  views  on  the 
more  important  doctrinal  passages  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew. 

I  cannot  conclude  this  lengthy  preface  without  giving  public  expression  to  my  sense  of 
gratitude  to  the  oflicers  of  the  "  American  Bible  Union,"  for  the  unrestricted  use  of 
their  valuable  Biblical  Library,  with  its  rich  variety  of  Bibles  in  all  languages,  commentaries, 


xxii  PREFACE. 

dictionaries,  the  Benedictine  and  other  editions  of  the  church  fathers,  etc.,  which  make  it 
l>robably  the  best  collection  of  the  kind  on  this  continent. 

May  the  blessing  of  the  triune  God  rest  upon  this  commentary  on  His  holy  word,  which 
was  commcnccu  iu  foith  and  with  the  earnest  desire  to  assist  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  discharge  of  their  high  and  holy  mission. 

PHILIP  SCHAFF. 

Bible  House,  New  York,  Oct.  31«^,  1864. 


THEOLOGICAL  AND  IIOMILETICAL  INTRODUCTION 


THE   'NEW   TESTAMENT. 


§  1.  Theology  in  general,  or  the  scientific  knowledge  of  the  Christian  religion, 
may,  according  to  its  historical  and  scientific  character,  be  arranged  under  two  great 
divisions, — Historical,  and  Theoretical  or  Systematic  Theology,  taking  these  terms  in 
their  widest  sense.  (I.)  Historical  Theology  may  again  he  ranged  under  the  follow- 
ing three  sections  : — (l)  The  History  of  Revelation,  or  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  which 
forms  the  basis  of  the  whole  system  ;  (2)  The  History  of  the  Records  of  Revelation, 
or  Exegetics  in  the  wider  sense  ;  (3)  The  History  of  Revealed  Religion,  or  Church 
History.  (H.)  In  the  same  manner,  Theoretical  or  Systematic  Theology  may  be 
divided  into  three  sections  : — (l)  The  System  of  Christian  Doctrines,  or  Dogmatics  ; 
(2)  The  System  of  Christian  Morals,  or  Ethics  ;  (3)  The  System  of  Christian  Polity, 
or  Practical  Theology. 

§  2.  From  this  analysis  we  infer  that  the  materials  from  which  to  construct  a 
theological  and  homiletical  Introduction  to  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  must  be  derived 
from  the  elements  of  the  history  of  revelation,  of  exegesis,  and  church  history,  as  well 
as  from  the  elements  of  dogmatics,  ethics,  and  practical  theology,  always  with  special 
reference  to  the  practical,  homiletical,  and  pastoral  point  of  view. 

§  3.  Before  proceeding  with  our  special  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament,  we 
must  premise,  in  brief  outline,  a  General  Introduction  to  the  Scriptm-es.  The  special 
introduction  to  the  Old  Testament  may  be  left  for  another  occasion,*  not  merely  be- 
cause our  present  task  is  connected  with  the  New  Testament,  but  because,  as  Chris- 
tians, we  pi'oceed,  theoretically,  from  the  New  Testament  to  the  Old,  and  not  vice 
versa.  It  is  sufficient  for  our  purpose  to  communicate,  in  briefest  form,  the  results 
obtained  by  modern  research,  and  to  indicate  the  works  which  may  ai  1  the  reader 
in  reviewing  these  results  for  himself. 

§  4.  Accordingly,  we  shall  have  to  preface  the  N.  T.  portion  of  our  Commen- 
tary,— (l)  by  a  General  Introduction  from  the  theological  and  homiletical  point  of 
view ;  (2)  by  a  Historical  and  Exegetical  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament  in 
general,  and  to  its  various  parts  ;  (3)  by  a  General  Homiletical  and  Pastoral  Intro- 
duction ;  (4)  by  a  Homiletical  and  Pastoral  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament. 

•  [The  Thcol.  and  nomil.  Commentary  on  the  Old  Testament  which  is  included  in  the  plan  of  Dr.  Lanj^e's  Sihel- 
tceri:.  and  will  follow  that  on  the  New  T.— P.  S.] 
1 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE   HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 


FIRST  SECTION. 

GENERAL  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 


THE   HISTORY   OF   REVELATION,  OR   OF  THE   KINGDOM   OF  GOD. 

The  History  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  must  not  be  confomidcd  with  Biblical  His- 
tory. The  latter,  like  Biblical  Theology,  forms  part  of  Exegesis,  -while  the  History 
of  the  Kingdom  of  God  embraces  the  whole  history  of  the  world  viewed  from  the 
Christian  stand-j^oint. 

The  kingdom  of  God  is  that  new  creation  in  which  God  reveals  Himself  in  His 
character  as  Redeemer.  It  is  based  upon  the  universal  and  absolute  dominion  of  God 
over  the  world,  and  results  from  it ;  and  it  consists  in  the  restoration  of  the  dominion 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  over  the  hearts  of  men,  brought  about  by  Christ,  who  is  the 
heart  of  the  race.  As  mankind  was  originally  destined  to  form  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  for  that  purpose  was  arranged  into  one  family,  the  kingdom  of  God  may  also  be 
viewed  as  the  restoration  of  mankind  to  one  body  under  the  One  and  Eternal  Head 
(Acts  iii.  21  ;  Eph.  i.  22),  in  whom  it  was  elected  from  all  eternity,  and  called,  for 
the  harmonious  manifestation  of  the  glory  of  God  (Eph.  i.  4,  5). 

The  restoration  of  this  kingdom  presupposes  the  existence  of  an  oiDposite  pseudo- 
kingdom,  in  which  the  human  family  were  scattered  and  dispersed  by  sin — a  king- 
dom of  darkness  and  of  falsehood,  the  kingdom  of  Satan.  Accordingly,  the  history 
of  the  preparation,  foundation,  and  completion  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  is  at  the  same 
time  the  history  of  its  hostile  conflicts  with  the  antagonistic  kingdom  of  darkness. 

The  kingdom  of  God  disappeared  from  earth  through  the  working  of  unbelief, 
by  which  the  Lord  was  robbed  of  His  dominion  over  the  heart.  Similarly  has  it 
again  been  restored  to  the  world  by  the  combined  operation  of  the  grace  of  God, 
and  of  a  spiritual  faith  wMch  He  has  planted  in  the  heart  of  His  elect,  and  which 
ultimately  appeared  in  all  its  fulness  and  perfectness,  as  conquering  the  world,  in 
Christ,  the  Elect  One.  This  salvation  of  the  world  is  destined  gradually  to  spread 
till  it  pervades  all  mankind.  Hence  the  extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God  to  its  final 
completion  in  the  world  will  occupy  the  entire  course  of  time,  even  as  this  kingdom 
is  destined  to  cover  all  space  in  the  world.  Viewed  in  this  light,  the  whole  history 
of  the  world  itself  is  simply  the  history  of  the  restoration  and  transformation  of  the 
world  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Thus,  all  history  may  be  included  under  the  idea  of  the  f^aaiXda  tov  Qeov.  But 
its  innermost  centre  is  that  manifestation  of  God's  redeeming  grace,  by  which,  on 
the  basis  of  His  general  revelation  to  man.  He  has  foimded  His  kingdom. 

The  all-comprehensive  medium  of  God's  revelation  was  His  personal  incarnation  in 
Christ.  Throughout  the  entire  conrse  of  history,  we  perceive  how  mankind,  in 
ever-narrowing  circles,  tends  towards  this  manifestation  of  the  God-Man.  Again, 
after  He  has  appeared,  we  notice  how,  in  ever-widening  circles,  it  tends  towards 
the  final  goal — to  preseiiL  u.l  mankind  as  born  of  God. 


HISTORY   OF  REVELATION.  3 


Christ,  then,  is  the  beginning,  the  middle,  and  the  end  of  all  revelation.  But  as 
revelation  is  ever  love,  light,  and  life,  it  embodies  at  the  same  time  both  saving  truth 
and  saviiig  reality,  or  revelation  in  the  narrower  sense,  and  actual  redemption. 
Hence  it  is  that  in  Christ  we  have  not  only  the  completion  of  revelation,  but  also 
complete  redemption. 

Redemption,  in  all  its  phases  and  stages,  is  prepared  and  introduced  by  judg- 
ments, which,  by  the  grace  of  God,  are,  hoAvever,  converted  into  so  many  deliver- 
ances. Again,  every  new  stage  in  the  imfolding  and  history  of  salvation  is  marked 
by  a  fresh  extension  and  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  appearing  as  the 
Church  of  the  redeemed.  Hence,  while  the  real  kingdom  of  God  was  founded  when 
redemption  was  first  introduced,  it  shall  be  perfected  when  the  benefits  of  redemp- 
tion shall  have  been  extended  to  the  utmost  boundaries  of  the  world. 

This  is  the  Development  of  Mevelation^  to  which  we  now  proceed. 

I.   General  Revelation. 

a)   Widest  circle  (revelation  by  Symbolical  signs,  which  ultimately  point  to  the  Word). 

1.  Objectively  :  creation  (Rom.  i.  20).  2.  Subjectively :  the  human  mind,  especially  the 

conscience  (Rom.  ii,  14,  15). 
6)  Nnrroxner  circle  (revelation  by  facts). 

1.  Objectively :  history  (Ps.  ii.,  ex.).  2.  Subjectively :  the  dealings  of  God  with  indi- 

viduals (Ps.  cvii.  ;  cxxxix.  16). 

n.  Special  Revelation^  or  Revelation  of  Salvation  (by  the  Word,  accompanied  by 

Symbolical  Signs). 

a)  Revelation  during  the  course  of  its  progress. 

1.  Objectively:    the  Old  Covenant  (Gen.  xii.  2.  Subjectively:  faith  (Gen.  xv.  6). 

etc.). 
h)  Revelation  completed. 

1.  Objectively :  the  New  Covenant  (Luke  xxii.  2.  Subjectively  :  justifying  faith,  in  its  New  Tes- 

20  ;  John  xiii.  34).  tament  sense  (Rom.  v.  1 ;  1  Pet.  iii.  21). 

So  far  as  we  are  concerned,  it  is  by  subjective  revelation  that  we  become  par- 
takers of  objective  revelation,  even  as  it  is  only  by  the  revelation  of  salvation  that 
we  come  to  understand  and  see  general  revelation.  The  various  cycles  of  revelation 
are  clearly  perceived  only  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  justifying  and  saving  faith, 
which  sheds  upon  each  of  them  a  new  and  glorious  lustre. 

The  following  are  the  various  periods  of  historical  revelation  in  parallel  review  : — 

The  Old  Testament  in  the  wider  sense  of  the  term  :    The  New  Testament  in  the  wider  sense  of  the  term : 

1.  Primeval  religion,  unto  Abraham,  2000  b.  c.  1.  Gospel  history,  and  the  Apostolic  Age. 

2.  Patriarchal  faith   in  the  promise,  unto   1500  2.  The  ancient  Catholic  Church.     The  Fathers. 

B.  C. 

3.  The  period  of  the  Law,  unto  800  b.  c.  3.  The  legal  Church  of  the  iliddle  Ages.     [The 

Popes.— P.  S.] 

4.  The  period  of  the  Prophets,  unto  400  b.  c.  4.  The  Protestant  Churches.     [The  Reformers.— 

P.  S.] 
."5.  The  period  of  national  religiousness  (the  Mac-  5.  Union  into  one  evangelical  Church  in  its  jirog- 

cabees).  ress. 

fi.  Concentration  of  religious  longing  in  the  an-  6.  The  Bride  of  Christ,  or  the  Church  in  the  last 

cient  world  as  the  cradle  of  the  Messiah.  days  awaiting  His  coming. 

The  Blessed  Virgin. 
7.  The  first  coming  of  Christ.  7.  The  last  coming  of  Christ.     His  manifestation 

in  glory. 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION   TO  THE  HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 


Tlie  manifestation  of  salvation,  as  it  constitutes  the  great  moving  force  of  all 
history,  draws  the  course  of  the  latter  into  the  v/liole  of  tlie  history  of  the  kingdom 
of  God.  The  history  of  the  /SaaiXua  toD  &€uv  may  he  divided  into  that  of  the  King- 
dom of  God  in  its  legal  and  typical  form,  or  tlie  Theocracy  (a  term  formed  by 
Josephus,  Contra  A2non.  ii.  16),  and  that  of  the  real  Kingdom  of  God  in  spirit  and 
in  truth — the  /SaaiXeta  twv  ovpavwv^ — or  into  the  Pre-Christian  and  the  Christian  (not 
Pos^Christian)  Era. 

I.  History  of  the  Theocracy^  or  of  the  Pre-Christian  Era. 

1 .  Primeval  times,  the  type  of  the  entire  history  of  the  world  to  the  great  judgment — till  the  Flood — 
and  the  new  formation  of  the  (Noachic)  race. 


2.  The  dispersion  of  nations  and  the  calling  of  Abraham ;  or,  origin  of  the  contrast  between  Heathen- 
ism and  Judaism  (preparation  for  the  Theocracy),  or  between  passive  and  active  religiousness  (the  religions 
of  nature,  and  that  of  revelation). 

a)  The   table   of    nations  in   Genesis,   and    the  a)  Promise  of  the  holy  people. 


mythologies  of  the  Gentiles. 
h)  Separation  between  the  civilized  nations  of 
antiquity  and  barbarous  tribes  (Heathenism 
in  its  ascending  and  in  its  descending  line. 
6'ee  Rom.  ii.). 


h)  Separation  between  Isaac  and  Ishmael,  Jacob 
and  Esau.  Difference  among  the  sons  of 
Israel  (Judaism  in  its  ascending  and  in  its 
descending  line.     Rom.  ii.  and  x.). 


8.  Establishment  of  the  great  contrast ;  or,  the  Empires  of  the  world  as  the  central  points  of  civiliza- 
tion, and  the  foundation  and  history  of  the  Theocracy  in  the  narrower  sense.  Antagonism  and  mutual 
influence. 


a)  Great  Empires  of  the  world   in  their  origin 
and  growth.  Egypt,  Assyria,  Phoenicia,  etc. 


6)  The  great  Empires  of  the  world  fully  developed. 
— Dan.  ii.  Vision  of  the  image  of  the  vari- 
ous monarchies.  Its  bright  aspect :  Union. 
Dan.  vii.  Vision  of  the  four  beasts.  Its 
dark  aspect :  Division. 

a)  The  Babylonian  Empire. 

/3)  The  Persian  Empire. 

7)  The  Macedonian  Empire. 

8)  The  Roman  Empire. 


a)  The  Theocracy  in  its  origin.  Antagonism 
and  mutual  influence  between  Israel,  and 
Egypt,  Canaan,  Syria,  Phoenicia,  and  As- 
syria. 

V)  The  Theocracy  in  its  full  typical  manifesta- 
tion. 
Antagonism  and  mutual  influence  between 
Isratel  and  the  four  Empires. 

a)  Period  of  the  Judge  sand  Prophets, 

from  Moses  to  David. 
ff)  Period  of  the  Kings,  from  David  to 

the  Babylonian  Exile. 
7)  Period  of  the  Priests  (blooming  period 

under  the  Maccabees). 
5)  Close  of  the  typical  and  conunence- 

ment  of  the  real  kingdom  of  God. 


4.  Removal  of  the  great  contrast  and  antagonism.  Gentiles  settle  in  Palestine  ;  the  Jews  of  the  Dias- 
pora. Cessation  of  the  typical,  and  preparation  of  the  real  Theocracy.  (Heathen  power  and  heathen  cul- 
ture.    Oppression  of  the  Jews  and  prophecies.) 


a)  The  Cuthteans  settled  in  Samaria,  and  be- 
coming Samaritans. 

6)  The  Aramaean  language  and  Sadduceau  no- 
tions introduced  into  Palestine  on  the  re- 
turn from  Babylon. 

c)  The   Decapolis    in    Galilee   of    the   Gentiles, 

founded  chiefly  by  the  veterans  of  Alexan- 
der the  Great. 

d)  The    Herodians.      Introduction    of    Grecian 

and   Roman  manners  in  Palestine.     (The 
Proselytes.) 


a)  The  ten  tribes  carried  to  Assyria  beyond  the 

Euphrates. 

b)  Many  of  the  Jews  remaining  in  Babylon. 


e)  Jewish  colonies  in  Alexandria,  Libya,  Syria, 
and  Asia  Minor.     The  Septuagint. 

d)  The  Jewish  Diaspora  in  Rome  and  through- 
out the  West,  since  the  time  of  Pompey 
and  Caesar.     (The  Essenes.) 


§  1.  HISTORY   OF  REVELATION. 


c)  Rule   of  the  heathen,  of  Christians,  and  of 
Mohammedans  in  Palestine. 


c)  Destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  dispersion  of 
the  people  throughout  the  world. 


5.  The  first  comii: 
of  the  world. 


of  Christ.     Close  of  the  first,  and  commencement  of  the  second  era.     Redemption 


II.  History  of  the  Kingdom  of   God  in  its  Fidness^  or  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  in  the  World. 


1.  Primeval  Christianity,  the  type  of  all  Church  History. 

2.  Appearance  of  the  antagonism  between  the  Christian  Church  and  the  Jewish  and  heathen  world. 


a)  The  Talmud,  and  heathen  calumnies  against 

Christianity. 
6)  Judaism    in    its    unhistorical    ossification. 

(Analogy  with  the  partial  barbarism  of 

the  original  races.) 

3.  Establishment  of  this  antagonism  ;  or,  the  Chr 
the  narrower  sense.     Hostility  and  mutual  influences. 
o)  Movement  in  the  heathen  world 

6)  Secularization  of  the  Church. 

c)  Migration  of  the  nations  into  the  Church, 

and  the  great  baptism  of  water. 

d)  The  Eastern  Church,  or  orthodoxy  secular- 

ized. 

e)  Mohammedanism,  or  heresy  completed. 


a)  The  ancient  Catholic  Church  and  the  mar- 

tyrs. 

b)  Separation  between  the  Church  and  heret- 

ical sects. 


f)  The  Western  Papacy. 


g)  The  Catholic   Roman  Empire.      The  anti- 
evangelical  powers.     Machiavellianism. 


istian  Empires,  and  the  establishment  of  the  Church  in 
Mediaeval  Legalism  a  symbol  and  type  of  the  future. 

a)  The  worldly  Church  of  Constantino  the 
Great.     Missions. 

b)  The  Monastic  Church. 

c)  The  Theocratic  legalistic  Church. 

d)  The  Roman  Church. 

e)  Western  Catholic  Christendom.  The  Cru- 
sades. 

/)  Protestant  parties  and  movements  during 
the  Middle  Ages.  Humanism.  Popular 
literature. 

g)  Evangelical  Christendom.  Germ  of  the  true 
Church  and  the  true  State. 


4.  Removal  of  the  antagonism,  and  appearance  of  the  true  Church  and  the  true  State. 


a)  The  Roman  Catholic  world. 

b)  The  reformatory  movements  in  the  Roman 

Catholic  Church. 

c)  The  dissolving  elements  of  Jesuitical  Monas- 

ticism,  Mysticism,  political  influences,  and 
the  advance  of  civilization  in  Romish 
Churches  and  countries,  under  the  form 
of  reaction. 

d)  Revolutions  in  the  Roman  Catholic  world. 

e)  The  world  in  all  forms  of  intellectual  heath- 

enism acting  upon  the  Church. 

f)  Humanism  as  leaven  in  the  Roman  Catholic 

and  in  Romanizing  Churches. 


5.  The  future  of  Christendom. 

rt)  Apostasy  in  the  alliance  between  Absolutism 

and  Antichrist. 
b)  Judgment  upon  the  apparent  completion  of 

Hierarchisra  and  Secularism. 


a)  The  Church  of  the  Reformation  (harmonious 

difference  between  Church  and  State). 

b)  Romanizing   divisions   of    the   Evangelical 

Church. 

c)  Awakenings  and  union  among  Protestants. 


d)  Protestant  Reforms. 

e)  Christian  missions  acting  upon  all  parts  of 

the  world. 
/)  The  authority  of  Christ  appearing  in  all  de- 
partments of  life.     The  Bible  the  book 
of  nations. 


a)  Victory  in  the  union  of  believers  under  the 

banner  of  Christ. 

b)  Redemption  of  the  visible  Church  of  Christ  in 

its  apparent  destruction.    Manifestation  of 
the  Bride,  and  advent  of  the  Bridegroom. 


LITERATURE. 


Tn  a  certain  sense,  every  branch  of  literature  may  be  regarded  as  auxiliary  to 
the  study  of  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  More  particularly,  however,  we 
include  here  those  Avorks  on  universal  history  which  are  written  from  a  general  or  a 


GENERAL   INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 


religious  point  of  view,  and  works  on  the  philosophy  of  history.  It  is  scarcely 
necessary  to  add,  that  we  would  also  direct  special  attention  to  historical  books 
written  in  a  Christian  spirit,  and  to  those  which  treat  expressly  of  the  history  of  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

I.  Genkral  Wokks*. 


On  Chronology  ;— Gatterer  (IV??),  Ideler  (1825- 
'26),  Brinkmeier  (1843).  On  General  History : — Her- 
der, Fred.  Schlegel  (R.  C),  and  Hegel,  on  the  Phi- 
losophy of  History.  Eyth :  Hiatory  from  the  Chris- 
tian stand-point  (1853).  Ehreufeuchter :  The  Histor. 
Development  of  Mankind  (Hcidclb.  1855).     Brum, 


Barth,  Lisco,  Theremin,  Grundtwig,  Zahn,  Kalkar, 
Ziegler,  Kurtz,  on  Sacred  History.  Bunsen  :  Ood 
in  History  (Part  I.  Leipz.,  1857).  Leo  (Romanizing), 
and  Dittniar :  History  of  the  World  before  and  since 
Christ.  [R.  Turnbull :  Christ  in  History.  Boston, 
1854.— P.  S.] 


II.  On  Pahticular  Periods  and  Branches. 


1.  History  of  Creation.— Schubert,  Wagner, 
PfafF,  Burmeister  (negative),  Rougemont.  Hum- 
boldt: Kosnws.  Kurtz:  Bible  and  Astronomy 
(Germ,  and  English).  [Hugh  Miller :  Testimony  of 
the  Rocks,  or  Geology  in  its  hearings  on  the  two  the- 
ologies, natural  and  revealed.  Edinb.  and  Boston, 
1859.  Tayler  Lewis:  Tlie  Six  Days  of  Creation, 
or  the  ScrijHural  Cosinology.  New  York  and  Lon- 
don, 1855.— P.  S.] 

2.  The  Flood, — Liicken,  Stolberg  {Hist,  of 
Religion,  Germ.,  vol.  i.  App.),  Buttmann,  Bopp  {Die 
Siindfluth,  Berlin,  1829),  Rud.  Wagner  {Naturge- 
schichte  des  Menschen,  1838),  Schubert  {Das  Welt- 
gehaude,  Erlangen,  1852). 

3.  The  Division  of  Nations  and  the  Ge- 
nealogical Table.     Heathenism. — FeldhofF  {Die 

Volkertafel  der  Genesis,  183'7),  Knobel  (ditto,  1850). 
[Tuch,  Delitzsch,  Bush,  on  Genesis,  ch.  x. — P.  S.] 
Creuzer,  Baur,  Stuhr,  Wuttke,  on  Ancient  Mythol- 
ogy and  the  heathen  religions.  G.  Seibert:  Grie- 
chenthum  und  Christenthum,  1857.  Bollinger 
(R.  C):  Heidcnthum  und  Judenthum — Vorhalle  des 
Ghristenthums,  1857.  [A  very  learned  and  instruc- 
tive work,  also  translated  into  English. — P.  S.] 
Schelling :  Philosophy  of  Mythology. 

4.  History  of  Israel.— Hess,  Jost  (a  liberal 
Jew),  Bertheau,  Ewald,  [Milman,  Stanley]  on  the  his- 
tory of  the  Jews. — Comp.  Josephus  on  the  Jeivish  war. 

5.  Fulfilment  of  Prophecies. — Keith,  0. 
Strauss  {Niniveh  and  the  Word  of  God,  1855),  Lay- 
ard  {Nineveh  and  Babylon). 

6.  .The  Life  of  Christ.— Works  of  Hase,  Ne- 
ander,  Lange,  Ewald,  Lichtenstein,  Friedlieb,  Bucber, 
[Sepp,  Kuhn,  Ellieott,  Andrews,  on  the  Life  of  Christ; 
also  Ullmann,  Young,  Bushnell,  Schaif,  Dorner,  on 
the  Character  and  sinless  Perfection  of  Jesus. — P.  S.] 

7.  The  Apostolic  Age. — Neander,  J.  P.  Lan- 
ge (Leipz.,  1853),  P.  Pchaff  (2d  cd.,  Leipz.,  1854, 
German  and  English),  Thiersch,  Trautmann,  Lechler, 
on  the  Apostolic  Age.     Mosheirn,  Baur,  Hagenbach 


and  Schaft",  on  the    Churcli  in  the  first  three  cen- 
turies. 

8.  Church  History. — See  Liter,  in  Hagen- 
bach's  Theol.  Encyclop.,  p.  220,  and  in  SchafF's  Hist, 
of  the  Apost.  Church,  Gen.  Introd.,  ch.  iv.  On  the 
moral  effects  of  Christianity :  Tzschirner,  on  the  Down- 
fall of  heathenism  (German),  Chastel,  Beugnot,  on 
the  same  subject  (French),  C.  Schmidt:  Essai  his- 
torique  svr  la  societe  civile  dans  le  nionde  romain, 
et  sur  sa  transformation  par  le  Christianisme ; 
[comp.  an  able  review  of  the  latter  work,  by  Dr.  Sears, 
in  the  Bibliotheca  Sacra  for  April,  1863.— P.  S.] 

9.  Post-Christian  Judaism.  —  Friedliinder, 
Gratz,  Beer,  M'Caul,  Jost,  [Edersheim,]  on  later 
Jewish  history. 

10.  Mohammedanism. — G.  Weil :  Moham- 
med, his  Life  and  Doctrine  (German).  Stuttgart, 
1843.  'Do\Ymg%v:  Mohammed's  Religion.  Miinchen, 
1838.  W.  Irving :  Life  of  Mohammed.  Gerok : 
Christology  of  the  Koran  (Germail).  Gotha,  1839. 
German  translations  of  the  Koran,  by  Boysen,  Wahl, 
Geigcr,  Ullmann.  [Engl.  trsl.  with  notes,  by  J.  M. 
Rodwell.     London,  1861.— P.  S.] 

11.  History  of  Civilization. — A  very  exten- 
sive literature.  General  works  on  the  sulyect  by 
Gruber,  Kolb,  Wachsmuth  (Leipz.  1850),  Guizot 
[Balmez.]  History  of  Philosophy  by  Brucker,  Ten- 
nemann,  Reinhold,  Rixner,  Ritter,  Hegel,  Sigwart, 
Schwegler;  and  on  special  sections  of  the  hist,  of 
Philos.:  Brandis,  Erdmann,  Chalybaus  [Zeller,  Morell, 
A.  Butler,  Maurice.' — P.  S.]  History  oi  Art  by  Kug- 
ler,  Schnaase,  Otte,  Springer,  Piper,  etc.  History 
of  Literature  by  Eichhorn,  Wachler,  Bouterweck, 
Schlegel,  [Griisse,  Brunet,  Allibone,  etc.]  His- 
tory of  Law  and  Jurisprudence  by  Eichhorn,  Walter, 
Philipps,  Grimm,  Savigny. 

12.  History  of  Missions. — Blnmhardt :  Gen. 
Hist,  of  Missiotis  in  the  Christ.  Church.  Basel, 
1828-1837,  3  vols.  G.Schmidt:  Victory  of  Chris- 
tianity,  etc.  (German).    Leipz.,  1857,  3d  ed.    Steger : 


[This  long  list  of  booka  is 


the  Edinb.  trsl.  to  a  few  lines,  without  division  of  subjects.— P.  S.] 


§2.     THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 


Protest.  Missions,  1838.  W.  Hofifmann :  3fi.tslo)is- 
Stunden,  and  other  writings.  Wallinann :  T/ic  Mis- 
sio7is  of  the  Euangel.  Churches  (Germiin),  1849. 
[Harvey  Xewcomb :  Cyclopedia  of  Missiotts  (700 
pages).  New  York,  1854.  The  Me>.iorial  Volume 
of  the  first  Fifty  Years  of  the  Ama:  JJoard  of  Com. 


for  Foreign  Missions.  Boston,  1861.— P.  S.]  The 
periodical  reports  and  publications  of  Missionary 
societies  in  Europe  and  America.  On  Inner  mis- 
sions see  the  works  of  Wichern,  Miirz,  [and  the 
reports  of  the  German  Church  Diet  and  Congress 
for  Inner  3fissions,  since  1848. — P.  S.] 


THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 


I.  Auxiliary  Sciences. 


Among  the  auxiliary  sciences  of  exegesis  we  include  all  those  which  serve  to 
prepare  us  for  the  study  of  Scripture.  To  this  class  belongs  the  study  of  antiquities, 
and  that  of  ancient  languages,  generally ;  and,  more  particularly,  that  of  criticism 
and  of  hermeneutics.  The  direct  auxiliaries  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  are,  so 
far  as  the  text  itself  is  concei-ned,  biblical  antiquities  and  the  sacred  languages  ;  and, 
so  far  as  regards  the  present  form  of  the  text,  biblical  criticism  and  hermeneutics. 
These  two  sciences  consist  in  the  knowledge  how  scientifically  to  examine  and  to 
ascertain  the  genuineness  of  the  records  of  Scripture  and  of  the  text,  and  in 
acquaintanceship  with  the  fundamental  jirinciples  of  biblical  interpretation. 


1.  23iblical  Archeeology  in  general. — Comp. 
Hageubach,  T/icol.  Encyclop.,  p.  132.  Among  works 
on  this  subject  we  name  those  by  Warnekros,  Roscn- 
miiller,  Jahn,  de  Wette,  Ewald,  Scholz,  Saalschiitz, 
the  Real-  Worterbuch  of  Winer  (indispensable),  and 
other  Encycloptedias  of  Biblical  Literature. 

Various  branches  of  biblical  Archeeology. 

a)  Ethnology. — The  descendants  of  Shem.  The 
Hebrews.  The  Jews.  The  nations  of  Canaan.  The 
nations  surrounding  Israel.  Comp.  the  Archa3ological 
works  of  Bellermann,  Rosenmiiller,  Winer,  Movers 
{on  the  Phaenicians),  [Layard,  Rawlinson,  and  Fie- 
buhr  on  the  Assyrians.'] 

b)  Geography. — Palestine  and  the  other  coun- 
tries mentioned  in  the  Bible.  Travels.  Topograph- 
ical works.  Maps.  Comp.  especially  Crome,  von 
Raumer,  Robinson  {Researches,  Engl,  and  Germ.), 
Strauss  {Sinai  und  Golgatha),  Krafft  {Topography 
of  Jerusalem),  Schulz  {Jerusalem),  Tobler ;  the  Trav- 
els of  Berggren,  Schubert,  Rol^inson,  Wilson,  Van 
de  Velde,  Schulz,  Tischendorf,  [Stanley,  Hackett, 
Thomson,  Bausman,]  etc. 

c)  Natural  Science. — Bochart's  Hierozoicon. 

d)  Chronology. — Comp.  as  above,  p.  6. 

e)  Civilization. — Agriculture.  Pastoral  life. 
Dwellings.  Furniture.  Trades.  Domestic  life. 
Social  life  (Poetry  and  Music).  Government.  The- 
ocracy. See  Michaelis,  The  Laws  of  Hoses ;  Herder 
and  Saalschiitz  {on  Hebrew  Poetry) ;  [the  various 
commentaries  of  Ewald,  Hupfcid,  Umbreit,  Hengs- 
tenberg,  Delitzsch,  Alexander,  etc.,  etc.,  on  the 
Psalms  and  other  poetical  books  of  the  0.  T. — P.  S.J 


/)  Religion.— Oa  the  typology  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment services,  comp.  the  works  of  Biihr  {Symbolik 
des  Mos.  Cultus,  2  vols.  1837),  Kurtz,  Hengstenberg, 
Kei],  [and  Fairbairn,  Typology  of  Scriptures,  Edinb. 
and  Philad.,  1857.] 

2.  The  Languages  of  Scripture Philologia 

sacra.     Sec   Hagenbach,  p.   123,  and   the   manuals 
quoted  below. 

3.  Biblical  Criticism.— Unhappily,  we  are  still 
without  any  accurately  defined  canon  of  criticism,  es- 
pecially of  biblical  criticism.  Hence,  when  biblical 
criticism  appears  in  so  many  instances  to  be  self- 
contradictory  and  self-destructive,  this  must  be 
ascribed  not  merely  to  Rationalism,  but  also  to  the 
want  of  well-ascertained  scientific  principles.  The 
two  great  points  which  must  be  kept  in  view  in  criti- 
cism are,  the  authenticity  of  the  text,  and  its  integ- 
rity. On  the  character  and  literature  of  biblical 
criticism,  see  Hagenbach,  p.  146. — Fundamental 
principles :  (1)  The  plaee  of  criticism  is  not  above  the 
subject,  as  looking  down  upon  it,  but  in  juxtaposi- 
tion to,  and  in  living  contact  with  it.  (2)  In  criticism 
we  must  progress  from  the  general  to  the  particular, 
in  order  to  be  always  sure  that  we  are  treating  of  the 
same  subject ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must 
also  pass  from  the  particular  to  the  general,  in  order 
thereby  to  make  sure  of  the  reality  and  actuality  of 
the  subject.  (3)  The  standard  which  we  apply  to  a 
subject  must  be  commensurate  to  it.  Thus  historical 
facts  cannot  be  judged  of  by  the  physical  standard 
applied  to  them  by  Pantheism  and  by  Fatalism. 
Mythological  ideas  are  altogether  inapplicable  to  the 


8 


GENERAL   INTRODUCTION  TO   THE   HOLY   SCRIPTUREfS. 


has  become  flesh — i.e.,  that  the  idea  has  become  his- 
tory— must  be  laid  down  as  tlie  fundamental  princi- 
ple of  all  criticism.  This  presupposition  raises  the 
critic  above  all  false  presuppositions.  See  Langc, 
Lebcn  Jesic,  i.  108;  Posit.  Dogm.,  p.  605. 

On  the  history  of  criticism,  see  Hagenbach,  Uieol. 
Encxfclop.,  p.  157,  s^qq. 

4.  Biblical  Hermeneutics. — This  is  the  science 
of  the  right  understanding  and  the  right  interpreta- 
tion of  Holy  Writ.  For  further  explanation,  and  for 
the  literature  of  the  subject,  see  Hagenbach,  p.  162. 
Among  modern  writers  on  hermeneutics,  we  mention 
Liicke,  Clausen,  Schleiermacher,  Lutz,  and  the  writer 
of  the  article  Hermeneutics  in  Herzog's  (German) 
Real-Encyel. ;  [also  Cellerier :  Manuel  cf  Ilermerieu- 
tigue,  Geneva,  1852 ;  Fairbairn :  Hermeneutical 
Mamial,  Philad.  1859.— P.  S.]  For  the  history  of 
scriptural  interpretation,  and  of  its  principles,  we  re- 
fer to  the  work  of  G.  W.  Meyer  {Hist,  of  Exegesis 
since  the  revival  of  Letters  (Gott.,  1802—1808, 
5  vols.).  On  the  allegorical  exegesis  of  the  Middle 
Ages,  see  Elster :  De  medii  cevi  tkeologia  exegetica, 
Gott.,  1855. 


elucidation  of  the  Scriptures.  The  Old  Testament 
standard  is  insufEcicnt  for  the  criticism  of  the  Gospel 
history.  (4)  The  critic  must  first  have  settled  iiis 
general  principles  before  he  can  arrive  at  any  conclu- 
sion as  to  the  special  results  of  these  principles. 
Above  all,  therefore,  he  must  be  quite  clear  about 
the  personality  of  God  and  of  the  God-Man.  (5)  Criti- 
cism must  ever  recognize  it  that  all  history  has  a 
deep  religious  bearing,  symbolical  of  the  great  fact 
that  all  history  has  an  ideal  object,  and  that  this 
grand  idea  is  evolved  in  the  course  of  history.  (6)  The 
critic  must  bear  in  mind  that  one  gTand  idea  pervades 
and  connects  the  various  portions  of  Scripture,  while 
he  at  the  same  time  keeps  in  view  the  gradual  devel- 
opment of  Scripture,  its  various  periods,  and  the  spe- 
cial form  which  each  separate  portion  has  taken,  ac- 
cording to  the  individuality  of  tlie  writer.  (Y)  Criti- 
cism must  be  able  to  distinguish  between  agreement 
in  spirit,  and  agreement  in  the  letter  merely.  (8)  The 
criticism  of  the  witnesses  themselves  must  precede 
the  criticism  of  what  they  witnessed.  (9)  The  various 
records  of  Scripture  must  be  classified  according  to 
their  relation  to  the  character  and  object  of  those  who 
bore  the  record.     (10)  The  great  fact  that  the  Word 

The  following  are  the  essential  conditions  in  hermeneutics : 
a.  For  the  right  understanding. 

(1.)  Inward  condition  of  interpretation :  homogeneousness  of  spirit  ■v\dth  the 
writer  and  his  subject. 

(2.)  Outward  condition  :  familiarity  with  the  languages,  antiquities,  and  history. 

(3.)  .Combination  of  these  two  elements  :  familiarity  with  the  peculiar  character 
and  spirit  of  revelation,  and,  in  consequence,  ability  to  distinguish  between  what  is 
symbolical  and  mere  myths,  and  again,  between  what  is  symbolical  and  what  is  pure 
history  or  abstract  dogma.  (The  symbolical  must  not  be  confounded  with  myths ; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  must  not  be  regarded  as  pure  dogma.) 

(4.)  The  mind  of  the  interpreter  must  continually  connect  and  biing  into  juxta- 
position the  Scriptures,  in  their  general  bearing,  with  the  individual  portions  imder 
examination.  (Scripture  must  not  be  made  to  contradict  itself  by  pressing  the 
letter.)  Analogy  of  faith  :  survey  of  the  grand  total  bearing,  the  fundamental  idea. 
Analogy  of  Scripture  :  survey  of  the  individual  and  the  special  parts.  Comparison 
of  Scripture  v.'ith  Scripture. 

(5.)  A  comparison  and  connection  between  the  general  spirit  of  Scripture,  and 
the  personal  and  individual  views  of  each  inspired  writer. 

(6.)  A  lively  interchange  between  the  mind  of  the  "Word  and  the  mind  of  the 
interpreter. 

(V.)  A  living  interchange  between  the  individual  interpreter  and  the  general 
spirit  of  interpretation  in  the  Church.  (Not,  indeed,  blind  submission  to  authority, 
but  neither  craving  for  singularity.) 

K  For  the  proper  interpretation. 

(1.)  Accurate  exposition  of  the  meaning  of  the  text.  Interpretation  in  the 
narrower  sense. 


2.     THE  HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 


(2.)  Illustration  of  the  meaning  of  the  text,  by  analogous  passages.  Explana- 
tion. 

(3.)  Reproduction  of  the  meaning  of  the  text,  by  pointing  out  its  eternal  bearing 
and  import.     Application. 

n.  Exegeties, 

Exegetics,  in  the  -widest  sense,  depends  on  the  proper  connection  between  the 
right  understanding  and  interpretation  of  the  general  import  of  Scripture  and  that 
of  its  individual  portions.  The  parts  can  neither  be  understood  without  the  whole, 
nor  the  whole  without  the  parts.  Hence  that  interpreter  only  can  advance  the 
subject  who  has  learned  to  view  the  individual  parts  in  the  light  of  the  total  bearing 
of  Scripture,  and  the  total  bearing  in  the  light  of  the  individual  portions  thereof. 
Thus  alone  can  the  necessary  equilibrium  be  preserved. 

Viewed  theoretically,  criticism  is  the  first  process,  although,  in  point  of  practice, 
criticism  follows  upon  exegetics  and  hermeneutics. 

Criticism  consists  in  a  lively  interchange  between  a  scrutiny  of  the  general  prin- 
ciple and  that  of  the  individual  statements  of  Scripture. 

Hermeneutics  then  shows  the  lively  interchange  existing  between  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  spirit,  or  of  the  meaning  of  Scripture  as  a  whole,  and  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  special  passage  or  expression. 

Lastly,  we  have  Exegetics  proper,  which  may  bo  either  general  or  special.  The 
foi-mer,  or  Introduction  (Isagogics),  establishes  and  explains,  from  the  mutual  rela- 
tionship between  the  character  of  Scripture  as  historically  ascertained,  and  the  sum- 
mary contents  of  its  various  portions,  the  import  and  substance  of  the  Scriptures 
generally.  Special  Exegetics  develops  and  exhibits  the  succession  of  thought  in 
Scripture,  down  to  the  minutest  expression  and  letter,  by  connecting  and  comparing 
the  ascertained  character  of  Scripture  with  the  text  under  review.  The  Introduction 
to  the  various  books  of  Scripture  belongs  to  the  department  of  Exegesis,  since,  on 
the  one  hand,  it  presupposes  an  exegetical  analysis  of  each  book,  while,  on  the  other, 
it  concludes  with  an  exegetical  survey  of  the  contents  of  the  portion  of  Scripture 
examined.  Again,  Exegesis  itself  is  an  Introduction,  in  the  most  special  sense  of 
the  term.  For  every  exegetical  treatise  must  not  only  commence  with  a  special  in- 
troduction to,  and  indicate  the  character  and  contents  of,  the  portion  of  Scripture 
about  to  be  examined,  but  it  must  ever  again  revert  to  those  general  views  and 
leading  characteristics  which  have  been  ascertained. 

1.  Definition  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

Holy  Scripture  is  the  complete  sum  of  the  records  of  our  divinely  revealed  reli- 
gion, which  culminates  in  Christianity.  Hence  it  marks  the  progress  of  the  incarna- 
tion of  the  Eternal  Word  of  God  to  its  completion  in  the  final  settlement  of  the 
canon  of  Scripture.  If,  generally  speaking,  writing  is  the  pecidiar  organ  of  civiliza- 
tion, the  medium  for  the  increasing  interchange  of  thought,  the  record  of  the  history 
of  mankind,  the  standard  of  its  development,  all  this  applies  in  the  highest,  and, 
indeed,  in  a  unique  sense,  to  the  sacred  writings.  They  are  the  form  under  which 
Christianity  originally  appeared  to  regenerate  the  world,  the  bond  of  fellowship 
between  believers  of  all  nations  and  ages,  the  record  of  the  history  of  revelation,  and 
the  standard  and  rule  for  the  development  of  Christianity  and  of  the  Church. 


10 


GENERAL  INTRODUCTION  TO   THE  HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 


In  the  all-wise  arrangement  of  the  God  of  revelation,  Holy  Writ  was  therefore 
as  necessary  as  the  Incarnation  itself.  The  Gospel  was  destined  to  pervade  every 
relationship  of  life  and  cveiy  institution.  As  in  Baptism,  it  sanctified  the  washing 
with  water ;  in  the  Eucharist,  the  meal  of  felloAvship — the  bread  and  the  wine;  and 
by  the  Charismata,  the  diversity  of  human  gifts,  so  as  a  written  record  it  sanctified 
the  letter  and  assumed  this  essential  form  of  intellectual  and  spiritual  intercourse 
among  men. 

Bretschneider :  *  "  The  Bible  may  be  viewed, — 1,  historically,  if  we  inquire  what 
its  character  is,  according  to  tlie  testimony  of  history — viz.,  a  collection  of  credible 
documents  of  the  Jewish  and  the  Christian  religion  ;  or,  2,  dogmatically,  if  we  in- 
quire in  what  light  the  religious  society  of  Christians  regard  it — viz.,  as  the  code  of 
Divine  revelation."  While  at  one  time  theologians  were  wont  to  lay  special  em- 
phasis on  the  dogmatical,  they  have  of  late  equally  dwelt  upon  the  Jdstorical  charac- 
ter of  Scripture.  But  all  such  seeming  antagonism  disappears  if  we  take  a  deeper 
view  of  Holy  Writ.  Scripture  is  not  "  a  collection,"  it  is  the  collection.  The 
various  records  of  which  it  is  composed,  together  form  only  one  record.  Lastly,  the 
great  question  which  claims  our  attention  is  not  merely  concerning  the  records  of 
the  Jewish  and  Christian  religion  generally,  but  as  to  the  Divine  origin  and  institu- 
tion of  these  religions. 


Literature. — Comp.  the  article  Bible  in  the  dif- 
ferent Encyclopasdias  of  Ersch  and  Gruber,  Ilerzog, 
Hagenbach,  Pelt,  [Kitto,  Smith.— P.  S.].  The  dif- 
ierent  Introductions  to  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
(see  a  list  of  them  in  Winer's  Handhuch  der  theol. 
Literatur,  vol.  i,  p.  33  sqq.).  Also  the  introductory 
chapters  of  the  Bible-works  of  Starke,  Richter,  Ger- 
lach,  Lisco,  Bunsen.  Then  the  articles  on  the  Holy 
Scriptures   in  the    principal   works   on   Dogmatics. 


Koppen :  Die  Bibel,  2  vols.  Finally  the  modern 
works  on  Biblical  Theology.  On  the  Ilintory  of  the 
Bible,  see  E.  Reuss  (Braunschweig,  2d  ed.,  1853),  and 
the  more  popular  works  of  Ostertag :  Die  Bibel  und 
Hire  Gescfiickfe,  (2d  ed.,  Basel,  1857),  and  Tholuck: 
Die  Bibel  (Leipzig,  1851).  [Prideaux,  Stackhouse, 
Howel,  L.  Clarke,  on  the  History  of  the  Bible;  A. 
Alexander,  and  L.  Gaussen,  on  the  Canon  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments. — P.  S.] 


2.  Various  Designations  of  the  Scriptures. 

The  three  different  designations  commonly  given  to  the  Scriptures  indicate  the 
different  points  from  which  the  same  Divine  record  maybe  viewed.  The  term  Bible 
(to,  Pl/SXlu  sc,  ^eta),  i.  e.  the  Book,  or  the  Book  of  books,  points  out  the  difference 
between  Holy  Writ  and  all  other  literature,  while  at  the  same  time  it  also  connects 
the  Scriptures  with  the  intellectual  productions  of  men.  All  other  writings  are,  like 
planets,  to  move  round  this  central  sun.  The  name  Holy  Scripture  (Icpa  ypa<f)i], 
dyttt  ypa^r/,  Gela  ypa<^rj)  refers  to  the  relationship  between  the  form  or  the  letter  of 
the  Scriptures  and  the  inspired  word  of  God  which  it  contains.  Lastly,  the  term 
Word  op  God  (Verbum  Dei)  indicates  the  identity  of  the  oral  revelation  of  God 
with  the  Bible,  and  also  its  internal  identity — the  agreement  of  the  whole  with  the 
parts,  and  of  the  parts  with  the  whole.  The  Bible,  as  such,  is  the  historical  object 
of  theological  science,  the  introduction  to  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  The  Bible, 
in  its  character  as  the  Holy  Scriptures,  is  the  human  expression  of  Divine  inspiration, 
and  the  religious  object  of  our  faith.  The  Bible,  as  the  Word  of  God,  is  the  canon 
or  the  doctrinal  rule  and  standard  of  our  belief  and  practice.  The  first  of  these 
names  designates  the  human  aspect  of  Scripture  in  its  Divine  grandeur  ;  the  second, 
the  combination  of  Divine  revelation  with  human  development  and  intellectuality ; 


*  Systemat.  Enttcicklung  aller  in  der  Dogmatik  vorJcommenden  Begriffe. 


§2.     THE   HOLY  SCRIPTURES.  11 

while  the  third  points  to  the  pure  and  perfect  revelation  of  God  which  it  embodies; 
or  the  canon,  as  the  final  and  grand  leading  characteristic  of  the  Bible,  both  as  a 
book  and  as  the  Scriptures. 

3.  The  Bible  in  its  Divine  Aspect.    Inspiration.    The  Word  of  God. 

The  Bible  consists  of  a  number  of  books,  whose  composition  is  coextensive  with 
the  progress  of  Divine  revelation  in  Israel,  and  covers  a  period  of  more  than  one 
thousand  five  hundred  years.  Its  writers  were  of  the  most  different  character  and 
education ;  it  exhibits  every  variety  of  form,  and  is  couched  in  two  very  different 
languages.  Yet  Avithal  it  is  so  thoroughly  one  in  its  character,  that  it  might  be  sup- 
posed to  have  been  written  in  one  century,  in  one  year,  in  one  hour,  in  one  moment. 

Throughout,  it  is  pervaded  by  one  and  the  same  idea  of  God  and  revealed 
religion  ;  it  sets  forth  the  same  truths  ;  it  breathes  the  same  spirit ;  it  has  the  same 
object.  This  is  its  Divine  aspect.  The  Bible  is  not  of  time,  nor  of  man ;  it  is 
Divine,  because  it  is  inspired  (2  Tim.  iii.  16  ;  2  Pet.  i.  20,  21). 

But  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  by  the  Spirit  of  God  must  not  be  viewed 
apart  from  the  inspiration  of  the  holy  men  who  WTote  it,  in  the  execution  of  their 
immediate,  prophetic,  and  Divine  calling.  Nay,  the  inspiration  for  theu*  office  has 
this  advantage  over  the  inspiration  of  their  writings,  which  are  closely  connected, 
that  it  is  more  direct  and  more  lively.  On  the  other  hand,  the  inspiration  of  these 
writings  implies  special  preparedness  and  collectedness  on  the  part  of  the  sacred 
writers,  and  a  special  significance  of  the  occasion  and  the  motive.  In  all  these 
respects  a  corresponding  measure  of  spiritual  blessing  and  direction  must  have  been 
vouchsafed. 

It  is  for  didactic  theology  to  enter  into  fuller  details.  The  following  points, 
however,  should  be  borne  in  mind : — The  idea  of  inspiration  entertained  by  the 
Jews  of  Palestine  was  different  from  that  of  the  Jews  of  Alexandria.  The  former 
accurately  distinguished  between  Divine  illumination  and  mere  human  enlightenment 
(hence  the  difference  as  to  the  Apocrypha).  Besides,  the  views  of  the  Palestinians 
Avere  also  sounder  and  more  liberal  on  the  question  of  the  relation  between  the 
Divine  Spirit  and  the  intellect  of  man  in  inspiration.  The  Alexandrian  Jews, 
following  in  this  respect  Grecian  ideas,  were  wont  to  regard  inspiration  as  something 
magical, — the  individuality  of  man  being  for  the  time  depressed  and  silenced :  while 
the  Hebrews  understood  it  that  human  individuality  was  only  humbled,  but  thereby 
also  exalted  and  purified,  and  thus  set  free  and  quickened.  The  Alexandrians 
reasoned  on  the  supposition  that  originally  the  Divine  and  the  human  mind  were 
heterogeneous,  and  that  in  the  course  of  history  this  gulf  was  bridged  over ;  while 
the  Hebrews  proceeded  on  the  idea  of  an  original  homogeneousness,  and  held  that 
the  discord  which  appeared  in  the  course  of  history  was  more  or  less  removed  by  the 
influence  of  grace.  Hence  it  was  that  they  alone  properly  appi'eciated  the  Divine 
element  of  Scripture  in  its  human  form — the  "  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver." 
The  Alexandrian  idea  was  substantially  that  which,  at  a  later  period,  was  urged  by 
the  Montanists.  This  view  of  inspiration  was  rejected  by  the  ancient  Church.  Still, 
kindred  notions  again  partially  prevailed  in  the  seventeenth  century.  Rationalism 
was  of  course  incompetent  to  remedy  such  a  defect.  If  theologians  had  formerly 
overlooked  the  himian  individuality  in  the  composition  of  Scripture,  the  Rationalists 
went  to  the  opposite  and  more  dangerous  extreme  of  denying  the  Divine  character 


12  GEJ^ERAL  INTKODUGTION   TO   TUE  HOLY   SCEIPTUKES. 

of  Scripture  altogether,  or  at  least  of  confining  the  Divine  element  to  the  operation 
of  mere  reason,  or  to  special  providence,  or  to  moral  elevation  on  the  part  of  the 
writers.  Inspiration  necessarily  implies  the  presence  and  sway  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
in  the  writer,  whereby  he  becomes  the  organ  of  that  Spirit.  The  impulse  or  motive 
power  {inqndsus),  the  communication  or  the  contents  {suggestio)^  and  the  guidance 
toward  the  object  aimed  at  (dirccHo),  are  all  divine,  and  conform  to  tlie  objects  and 
aim  of  tlie  kingdom  of  God.  But  this  also  implies  that  inspiration  it:  olf  is  ;  ibject 
to  certain  limitations  or  conditions.  These  are  either  religious  conditions,  flowing 
from  the  nature  of  this  object ;  or  intellectual  conditions,  arising  from  its  gradual 
realization ;  or  organic  conditions,  connected  M'ith  Him  who  is  the  great  centre  of 
that  object ;  or,  lastly,  ethiccd  conditions,  springing  from  the  jDcrsonal  holiness  of  that 
object.  In  other  words,  1,  The  Bible,  as  inspired,  is  a  book  of  religion,  and  not  an 
astronomical,  geological,  or  scientific  revelation.  2,  It  has  gradually  progressed 
from  the  incompleteness  of  the  Old,  to  the  perfectness  of  the  New  Testament.  3, 
It  has  its  centre  in  Christ,  as  God  incarnate,  and  as  the  absolute  revelation  of  God 
in  human  form.  4,  It  must  never  be  considered  as  the  efiect  of  a  morbid  state  of 
body  or  mind  on  the  part  of  the  writers  (such  as  clairvoyance),  but  always  as  the 
result  (Jf  direct  moral  and  spiritual  intercourse  of  the  personal  and  living  God  with 
the  personal  mind  of  man.  The  Spirit  of  God  was  indeed  strong  enough  to  preserve 
the  sacred  writers  from  essential  mistakes  or  false  testimonies  and  traditions,  and  to 
secure  to  their  writings  the  impress  of  never-fading  freshness  of  youth,  although  He 
never  could  nor  would  force  them  to  speak  otherwise  than  in  language  conformable 
to  the  current  ideas  of  the  people,  and  to  their  o-nrn  intellectual  development. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  answer  that  much  vexed  modern  question, — whether 
the  Holy  Scriptures  be  the  Word  of  God  itself,  or  whether  the  Word  of  God  be  in 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  Viewing  the  Bible  in  its  individual  parts  and  sections,  we 
reply,  The  Word  of  God  is  in  the  Bible.  But,  regarding  it  as  an  organic  whole, 
of  which  all  the  parts  point  to  Christ  and  proceed  from  Christ,  we  must  confess : 
Holy  Writ,  as  it  explains  itself,  and  opens  up  from  book  to  book  and  from  verse  to 
verse,  is  the  one  harmonious  and  complete  Word  of  God.* 

views  of  Gaussen  and  the  faJse  spiritualism  of  the 
Strassburg  school  of  Scherer  and  others.  [W.  Lee : 
The  Inspiration  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  its  Nature 
and  Proof.  Dublin  and  New  York,  1857,  478  pages. 
-P.  S.] 


On  the  literature  of  inspiration,  comp.  the  Ency- 
clops.  ;  also  the  works  of  Wilson,  Haldane,  Rudel- 
bach,  and  Gaussen.  We  specially  refer  to  Fr.  de 
Rougemont,  Christ  et  ses  temoins,  2  vols.  Paris  and 
Lausanne,  1856 — a  work  which  equally  opposes  the 


4.  The  Holy  Scripttores  in  their  Human  Aspect ;    or,  History  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
(Isagogics  in  the  narrower  sense). 

The  period  over  which  the  composition  of  Holy  Scripture  extends,  reaches  from 
Moses  to  the  Apostle  John,  or  from  about  1500  before  to  100  after  Christ, — 
a  period  of  sixteen  centuries, — irrespective  of  the  oral  traditions  and  of  those 
small  commencements  of  scriptural  records  Avhich  preceded  the  time  of  Moses. 

Equally  great  is  the  distance  of  places  where  these  books  were  written,  varying 
from  Jerusalem  and  Babylon  to  Rome,  and  embracing  all  Palestme  and  Greece. 

The  Bible  was  composed  in  the  two  leading  languages  of  antiquity,  winch  reflect 
the  greatest  contrast  in  the  intellectual  world.     The  Hebrew  tongue  may  be  charac- 

•  Comp.  Lange's  Philoscphische  Dogmatik,  p.  540  sqq. 


§2.    THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES.  13 


terizecl  as  the  most  unstudied  and  childlike,  as  the  deepest,  purest,  and  most  direct 
language  of  spiritual  exjjerience ;  Avhile  the.  Greek  is  the  most  cultivated,  refined, 
and  philosophical  expression  of  intellectual  life.  The  inspired  writers  were 
shepherds  and  kings,  men  learned  and  men  unlettered.  The  diversity  of  form  in  the 
Scriptures  appears  not  only  objectively  in  their  contents  and  character  (being  partly 
historical,  partly  poetic,  partly  apophthegmatic,  partly  prophetic,  and  partly  episto- 
lary), but  also  subjectively  in  their  style  and  composition,  each  book  bearing  a  faith- 
ful impress  of  the  individuality  of  its  writer.  Not  reckoning  the  Apocrypha,  the 
Old  Testament  comprises  thirty-nine  books  (counting  the  Book  of  Lamentations 
separately),  while  the  New  Testament  contains  twenty -seven  separate  writings. 
Yet,  from  the  unity  of  spirit  pervading  this  vast  literary  collection,  they  constitute, 
really,  only  one  book — a  second  intellectual  creation  (Ps.  xix.). 

The  science  of  General  Isagogics  treats  of  Scripture  as  a  whole,  giving  the 
history, — 1,  of  the  collection,  or  of  the  canon  ;  2,  of  the  present  form  and  character 
of  the  text,  of  the  various  codd.  and  editions  ;  3,  of  its  spread,  or  of  the  translations 
and  quotations  ;  4,  of  its  application,  or  of  interpretation.  The  science  of  Special 
Isagogics  treats  of  separate  books,  discussing  their  authorship,  time,  place,  occasion, 
character,  contents,  division,  and  literature. 

On  the  Introduction  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  I  the  Introduction  into  the  Old  Testament.  Beriin, 
its  literature,  compare  Hagenbach's  Encycl.  pp.  140,  1S56  ;  and  to  the  Introduction  into  the  New  Testa- 
144,  and  the  excellent  works  of  Hertwig  :  Tables  to\ment.     Berlin,  1855. 


5.  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  their  ChristologiceJ,  Divine-Human  (Theanthropic)  Character; 
or,  the  Scriptures  as  the  Canon.    The  Old  and  the  New  Testament. 

Viewed  in  their  Christological  character,  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  canon,  both 
as  the  record  of  the  revelation  completed  in  Christ,  and  as  the  rule  of  the  Christian 
life  of  faith.  According  to  this  Christological  principle,  they  are  divided  into  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments  {testame^iturn,  haOrjK-q,  r^-.s),  to  indicate  that  the  Old 
Testament  is  the  incomplete  commencement  which  is  explained,  fulfilled,  and  glori- 
fied by  the  New,  embodying,  as  it  does,  absolute  perfectness.  According  to  the 
same  principle,  the  Apocrypha  are  kept  distinct,  as  a  mere  appendix  to  the  Bible, 
which,  so  to  speak,  forms  an  intermediate  link  between  the  canonical  Scriptures  and 
common  literature.  Lastly,  viewed  in  this  light,  the  Scriptures  bear  special  refer- 
ence to  the  development  of  the  Christian  Church  and  of  the  Christian  life,  where 
their  teaching  is  expressed  in  a  logical  form  (more  especially  in  confessions  of  faith), 
while  at  the  same  time  they  serve  as  the  rule,  standard,  and  guide  on  all  questions 
of  doctrine.  » 

The  expression  Canon  implies  not  merely  that  the  Bible  is  a  sacred  book,  but 
that  in  its  pages  revelation  continues,  by  the  agency  of  the  Spirit,  an  ever-present 
and  ever-sufiicient  reality.  As  the  canon,  the  Bible  is,  so  to  speak,  the  Word  of 
God  incarnate,  which,  by  means  of  wiiting,  continues  spiritually  eflfectual  to  the 
present  time.  The  Old  Testament  is  not  merely  the  book  of  the  Old  Covenant,  but 
the  Old  Covenant  itself  as  the  tj^e  of  the  New.  Similarly,  the  New  Testament  is 
the  New  Covenant  itself,  the  Gospels  are  the  Gospel,  and  the  apostolic  writings, 
the  living  word  of  the  Apostles. 

The  organic  Christological  relationship  between  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
according  to  which  the  former  is  the  preparation,  the  introduction,  and  the  growth 


14  ■       GENERAL  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE   HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 

of  the  New,  while  the  latter  is  the  fulfilment,  the  abrogation,  and  the  completion 
of  the  Old,  is  indicated  in  the  Old  Testament  itself,  and  amply  coniinned  in  tlie  New 
(Dent,  xviii.  18  ;  Isa.  Ixvi.  3  ;  Jer.  xxxi.  31,  32  ;  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25  ;  Dan.  ii.  44  ;  Hos. 
ii.  19,  etc. ;  and  2  Cor.  iii.  7  ;  Matt.  v.  17-20,  xii.  40,  42  ;  John  i.  17,  18,  viii.  5G  ; 
Gal.  iii.  25  ;  Ileb.  viii.  7,  etc.). 

The  relationship  between  the  canonical  and  the  apocryphal  books  was  correctly 
defined  by  the  ancient  Jewish  synagogue,  and,  after  it,  by  the  ancient  Greek  and  the 
modern  Protestant  Churches  in  opposition  to  the  Roman  Cathohc  theory.  The 
Apocrypha  serve,  1,  as  a  kind  of  historical  supplement,  being  a  narrative  of  the  king- 
dom of  God  during  the  period  intervening  between  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  ; 
2,  as  a  record  of  popular  piety,  forming  a  distinct  period  between  the  age  of  the 
Prophets  and  that  of  the  New  Testament ;  3,  to  exhibit  the  character  of  x\lexandrian 
Judaism,  tliough  only  a  part  of  them  is  derived  from  that  source ;  4,  as  a  back- 
ground to  the  canon  itself;  5,  for  private  instruction  and  edification.  Even  the 
strictly  Calvinistic  Synod  of  Dort  decided  on  retaining  the  Apocrypha  along  with 
the  canon,  and,  despite  their  fallibility  and  mistakes,  they  are  too  deejfly  imbued 
with  the  genuine  spirit  of  the  Theocracy  to  rank  them  among  the  uToira  koL  Bva-a-e^y, 
in  which  Eusebius  (iii.  25)  places  the  heretical  New  Testament  Apocrypha. 

The  Hebrews  have  divided  the  Old  Testament  into  the  Law  (n^iri) ;  the 
Prophets,  c^x-r?  (which  includes  the  books  of  Joshua,  of  the  Judges,  of  Samuel, 
and  of  the  Kings) ;  and  the  Writings  generally  (n-ia^rsi),  or  Hagiographa.  This 
division  bears  reference  to  the  foundation,  the  historical  development,  and  the 
edification  of  the  Theocracy.  The  great  preponderance  of  the  prophetic  books  in 
the  canon,  clearly  shows  that  Judaism  was  the  religion  of  (lie  future,  and  that  the 
tendency  of  the  Old  Testament  was  ever  towards  the  New,  The  arrangement  of 
the  canon  adopted  in  Christian  theology  is  that  into  Historical,  Doctrinal,  and 
Prophetical  Books,  corresponding  to  the  same  division  in  the  New  Testament. 

According  to  this  analogy  we  notice,  1,  that  to  us  the  Law  has  become  history  ; 
2,  that  the  Prophets  are  brought  into  immediate  contact  with  the  New  Testament, 
and  i^oint  out  the  tendency  of  the  Old  towards  the  New  Covenant ;  while  the  circum- 
stance that  the  New  Testament  contains  only  one  prophetical  book,  although  it  is 
throughout  a  prophecy  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  indicates  the  deej)  rest  which 
the  longings  of  the  soul  have  found,  in  the  appearance  of  Christ,  and  in  the  redemp- 
tion which  He  has  accomplished. 

Viewing  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  one  connected  canon,  we  may  consider  all 
doctrine  as  historical  fact  with  historical  eflicacy,  and  all  history  as  ideal,  symboHcal, 
typical,  and  spiritual,  while  in  their  prophetic  portions  they  combine  both  these 
elements. 

Thei-e  is,  of  course,  a  difference  between  the  genuine  canon  of  Scripture  and  that 
which  is  current,  in  respect,  1,  of  unauthenticated  readings,  or  variations ;  2,  of 
mistakes,  or  of  infelicity  of  translation  ;  3,  of  the  various  misrepresentations  of  the 
genuine  text  by  exegetical  traditions. 

The  Scriptures,  as  canon,  are  necessarily  suhordinate  to  the  living  Saviour,  and  to 
the  blessed  Trinity.  They  are  the  written  revelation  of  Christ,  but  not  a  second 
Christ;  least  of  all  when  taken  individually,  and  under  the  impression  that  the  Old 
Testament  is  in  every  respect  quite  equal  in  authority  to  the  New  Testament.  On 
the  other  hand,  as  the  canon  of  Christ,  the  Scriptures  must  ever  form  the  directory 
of  the  external  Church,  and  of  the  individual  Christian,  in  their  fallible  growth  and 


§2.     THE   HOLY  SCRIPTURES.  15 


development,  and  are  consequently  above  them.  Finally,  they  are  coordinate,  or 
occupy  the  same  line  with  the  ideal  life  of  Christ  in  the  Church,  and  stand  forth  as 
a  second  spiritual  creation  by  the  side  of  God's  revelation  in  nature.* 

6.  Import  of  the  Holy  Scripttires. 

The  Bible  is  a  mystery  of  Divme  Providence  in  the  department  of  literature, 
similar  in  character  to  the  mystery  of  the  incarnation  itself.  The  incarnation  of 
God  in  Christ  has,  so  to  speak,  assumed  a  bodili/  expression  in  the  essential  Church, 
i.  e.,  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gosj^el,  on  the  basis  of  the  apostolic  ofilce,  and  in  the 
congregation  of  holy  baptism  and  of  the  Eucharist.  Similarly,  the  Sci'iptures  are  its 
intellectual  or  spiritual \  expression. 

It  is  simply  impiety  to  designate  the  origin  of  the  Bible  as  accidental,  while  the 
decrees  of  Synods  and  papal  bulls  are  called  necessary. 

Holy  Writ  is  the  tradition  of  traditions,  and  the  canon  of  canons.  ,  All  other 
tra<litions  and  canons  must  be  brought  to  the  test  of  the  Prophets  and  Apostles. 
And,  in  truth,  the  Bible  reflects  all  times  and  places,  or  rather  it  is  the  reflex  of 
eternity.  Viewed  in  reference  to  its  centre,  it  is  the  biography  of  the  eternal  Christ ; 
viewed  in  its  circumference,  it  is  that  of  humanity :  for,  in  the  power  of  the 
prophetic  spirit  which  pervades  it,  it  embraces  the  end  as  well  as  the  commencement 
of  our  world,  and  sounds  the  depths  of  hell  as  well  as  scales  the  heights  of  heaven. 
The  book  of  God  is  also  the  book  of  the  Avorld  ;  and,  rightly  imderstood,  the  book 
of  nature  as  well  as  the  book  of  the  Spirit.  There,  the  history  of  revelation  becomes 
doctrine,  and  doctrine  becomes  history.  Proceeding  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  it  is 
fully  understood  only  by  the  Spirit,  even  as  it  can  only  be  explained  and  applied  by 
the  Spirit.  To  those  who  are  called  and  waiting,  it  opens  its  mysteries  ;  while  to  the 
hardened  and  the  sinner  it  proves  a  closed  book,  as  it  were  sealed  with  seven  seals. 
Nay,  like  the  Gospel  itself,  it  is  to  some  "  a  savour  of  life  unto  life ; "  to  others,  "  a 
savour  of  death  imto  death."  The  outward  senses  may  be  absorbed  by  the  letter 
only,  and  make  an  idol  of  it.  In  this  respect  the  elements  of  Scripture  have  the 
same  import  and  efiect  as  those  of  the  world.  But  just  as  the  elements  of  the 
world  are  only  rightly  kno^m  when  viewed  in  the  unity  of  creation,  and  only  wholly 
known  if  viewed  as  the  symbolical  Word  of  God,  so  the  Bible  is  only  rightly  known 
when  regarded  as  the  second  and  spiritual  creation,  and  wholly  known  when  viewed 
as  the  second  and  higher  revelation  of  God — the  revelation  of  the  foundation,  of 
the  reconciliation,  and  of  the  transformation  of  the  world. 

7.  Relation  between  Holy  Writ  and  the  so-called  Sacred  Records  of  other  Nations  and 

Religions. 

AU  the  principal  religions  have  chronicled  their  origin  in  sacred  records,  which 
ever  afterwards  were  regarded  as  the  standard  for  their  development.  The  most 
renowned  of  these  religious  records  are  the  Yedas  of  the  Lidians,  the  Kings  of  the 
Chinese,  the  Zendavesta  of  the  Persians,  the  two  Eddns  of  the  ancient  Germans,  and 
the  Koran  of  the  Mohammedans.      Even  the  Old  Testament,  when  brought   into 

*  [Dr.  Lange'8  distinction  between  unterffeordnet,  uher/jeordnet,  gleichgeordnet,  and  heigcordntt  cannot  be  fully 
rendere  1,  but  is  more  clearly  expressed  above  than  in  the  Edinb.  trsl. — P.  8.] 

t  [Dr.  Lange  uses  here  the  unusual  term  :  geUthaft,  as  opposed  to  Uihlmft,  and  with  a  shade  of  difference  from 
geUtig  or  intellectual,  geistUeh  or  npiritual,  and  geisterhaft  or  glwHt-Uke.    The  antithesis  is  clear  enough.— P.  S.I 


16  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION  TO   TUE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 

combination  with  the  Jewish  Tahnud,  becomes  quite  differc«it  from  what  it  is  whet 
viewed  in  the  hght  of  the  New  Dispensation.  To  the  Jews  it  has  become  a  series 
of  traditional  statutes,  upon  Avhieli  the  covering  of  Moses  rests.  The  Mormons  of 
our  day  have  stamped  upon  tlieniselves  the  mark  of  apostasy,  since,  like  Mohammed 
of  old,  they  have  adopted  the  falsified  records  of  a  new  and  spurious  revelation. 

The  religious  records  of  all  nations  are  faithful  representations  of  these  religions 
themselves.  All  heathen  religions  are  mythical, — the  myth  being  the  essential  form 
of  heathenism.  But  if  form  and  substance  are  related,  the  contrast  between  Holy 
Scripture  and  myths  must  be  as  great  in  point  of  form  as  that  between  revealed 
religion  and  heathenism.  In  the  Bible,  religion  has  become  faith,  faith  fact,  fact 
sacred  history,  and  sacred  history  the  soul  of  secular  history.  Hence  also  biblical 
history  gives  not  merely  outward  facts,  but  is  itself  symbolical.  Hence  also  biblical 
doctrine  is  not  a  scholastic  system,  but  also  historical  and  deeply  practical.  Lastly, 
it  is  on  this  ground  that  Scripture  presents  such  a  wonderful  concatenation  and 
succession  of  history  and  of  doctrine.  But  the  antagonism  of  history  and  doctrine 
is  transformed  into  a  higher  unity  in  the  prophetical  and  poelical  portions  of 
Scripture. 

Revealed  religion  discloses  the  errors  of  all  other  creeds,  while  at  the  same  time 
it  brings  out  any  remnant  of  truth  in  them,  which  in  turn  may  become  a  point  of 
connection  for  the  kingdom  of  God.  Similarly,  Holy  Writ  sheds  light  on  the  sacred 
records  of  the  Gentiles,  showing  their  utter  insufficiency,  their  errors,  and  the  tradi- 
tions of  truth  which  may  have  been  preserved  in  them.  Indeed,  the  same  remark 
might  be  made  with  reference  to  all  other  literature.  Thus  in  this  sense  also  the 
Bible  is  the  Book  of  books. 

HI.  Special  Exegetlcs ;   or,  the  Art  and  Practice  of  Scriptural  Exposition. 

Viewing  it  in  the  widest  sense,  all  science  and  civilization,  consciously  or 
unconsciously,  must  serve  as  a  kind  of  exposition  of  the  Scriptures,  and  that  whether 
the  Scriptures  be  dragged  down  to  the  level  of  man,  or  man  raised  to  the  level  of 
the  Scriptures.  (The  Talmud,  the  New  Testament.)  Speaking  more  strictly,  the 
spiritual  life  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  more  especially  the  pastoral  office,  may  be 
regarded  as  an  exposition  of  the  Scriptures,  with  a  twofold  and  diverse  result 
(tradition,  faith).  Lastly,  the  same  remark  holds  true  of  scriptural  exposition  in 
the  narrowest  and  special  sense  of  the  term  ;  and  there  is  an  exegesis  which  draws 
down  Scripture  to  its  own  level,  and  another  v»^hich  rises  to  that  of  Scripture  (mere 
dogmatism  or  rationalism  on  the  one  hand,  and,  on  the  other,  the  light  of  the  Bible 
thrown  upon  exegesis,  and  that  of  exegesis  upon  the  Bible). 

Various  qualifications  are  requisite  for  the  right  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures. 
Thus  the  Bible  as  a  whole  must  all  along  be  compared  with  its  individual  parts ; 
exposition  must  be  closely  connected  with  explanation^  or  the  word  with  the  life ; 
exegetical  tradition  (or  the  analogy  of  faith  as  expressed  in  the  various  confessions 
of  faith)  and  individuality  must  each  have  their  proper  place, — there  must  be  proper 
submission,  and  yet  proper  independence  ;  above  all,  the  interpreter  must  ever 
realize  that  the  Lord  speaks,  and  that  he  is  to  hear, — or,  in  other  words,  the  truth 
revealed  must  find  a  response  in  the  obedience  of  faith,  and  again,  in  the  prayer 
which  it  evokes. 

The  results  of  Exegesis  are  Bible  History  and  Biblical  Theology. 


2.     THE  HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 


17 


IV.  BlUe  History. 

Bible  History  differs  from  the  general  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  in  that  it 
delineates  only  the  foundation  of  this  kingdom  by  means  of  and  during  the  course 
of  revelation.  It  traces  in  historical  succession  the  narrative  contamed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures in  all  its  essential  features.  In  the  Old  Testament,  it  shows  us  all  the  elements 
of  the  life  of  faith,  and  sets  before  us  many  a  precious  example  of  faith  and  patience 
for  our  imitation  ;  while  in  the  New  Testament  it  exhibits  tlie  history  of  faith  and 
salvation  "  made  perfect,"  both  in  the  miracles  and  triumphs  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the 
deeds  of  His  Apostles.     Thus  Bible  History  forms  the  basis  of  Church  History. 

Comp.  the  Sacred  Histories  of  Hiibner,  Rauscbenbusch,  Zahn,  Grube,  Giintlier,  Kurtz,  etc. 


V.  Biblical  Theology. 

Biblical  Theology  may  be  regarded  as  the  final  result  of  exegesis,  and  at  the 
same  time  as  the  basis  of  the  History  of  Dogmas  and  of  Systematic  Theology.  Its 
purpose  is  to  trace  the  gradual  yet  uniform  development  of  Christian  doctrme  and 
ethics  throughout  revelation.  It  may  be  divided  into  General  and  Special.  The 
former  follows  the  development  of  faith  throughout  Scripture,  showing, — a.  The 
Divine  aspect  of  Scripture,  or  its  one  and  all-pervading  idea :  the  faith  of  revelation 
in  the  God  of  revelation.  6,  Its  human  aspect,  or  its  gradual  unfolding  in  the 
individual  books  of  Scripture,  according  to  the  vai'ious  stages  of  religious  develop- 
ment and  their  character,  c,  Its  Christological  or  theanthropic  aspect,  viewing 
revelation  to  its  completion  in  Christ,  and  according  to  the  different  doctrinal  types 
in  the  New  Testament. — On  the  other  hand,  it  is  the  task  of  S])ecial  Bibhcal  Theology 
to  trace  the  doctrines  of  Scripture  from  their  first  germs  in  the  Old  Testament  to 
their  completion  in  the  New,  viewing  them  m  the  light  of  theology,  of  anthropology, 
of  Christology,  and  of  the  doctrine  of  the  kingdom  of  God  (Theocratology). 

On  the  literature  of  the  subject,  comp.  Hagen-  I  especially  the  excellent  work  of  the  late  Dr.  Schmid, 
bach,  pp.  197  and  201.  [We  mention  de  Wette,  of  Tiibingen :  The  Biblical  Theology  of  the  N.  T., 
Steudel,  Oehler,   Lutz,  on   Biblical   Theology,  and  |  Stuttg.,  1853,  in  2  vols.— P.  S.] 

VI.  Apj)endix.     Exegetical  and  Homiletical  Helps.* 


1.  Biblical  Philology. — 

a)  Hebrew  Grammar :  Gesenius,  Rodigcr,  Ewald, 
Stier,  Freitag,  Hupfeld,  Thiersch,  Niigelsbach.  [Engl, 
works  :  Stuart,  Conant,  Bush,  Tregelles,  Nordheimer, 
Green.— P.  S.] 

b)  Hcbreio  Dictionaries :  Buxtorf,  Coccejus,  Si- 
njonis,  Simonis-Winer,  Gesenius,  Schroder,  Fiirst, 
Maurer.  [Robinson's  Gesenius,  3d  ed.,  Bost.,  1849  ; 
B.  Davidson  and  Bagster's  Analytical  Hebrew  and 
Chaldee  Lexicon  (with  a  grammatical  analysis  of  each 
word  in  the  H.  Bible),  London,  1848.— P.  S.] 

c)  Keiv  Testament  Grammar :  Winer  [6th  cd., 
Leipz.,  1855.    Two  Engl,  trsl.— P.  S.],  Alt,  Buttmann. 

d)  New  Testament  (and  Seplriayint)  Dictionaries  : 
Schottgen,  Schleussner,  Wahl,  Bretsclmeidcr,  Schir- 


litz,  Wilke,  Dalmer,  [Robinson  :  A  Greek  and  Engl. 
Lexicon  of  the  N.  7'.,  the  new  ed.,  New  York,  1851, 
etc.,  and  Bagster's  Analytical  Greek  Lexicon,  Lond., 
1852.— P.  S.] 

2.  Archaeology. — Geography  of  Palestine: 
Ritter  {Erdkunde,  vol.  xv.),  K.  von  Raumer,  Briim, 
Crome,  Volter,  Robinson,  [Stanley,  Thomson,  Hack- 
ett,  Bausman. — P.  S.]  Maps  of  Grimm,  Kiepert,  Zim- 
mermann,  and  the  Bibel- Atlas  of  Weiland,  Weimar, 
1832,  [and  of  Jenks,  Coleman,  and  the  American 
Tract  Society. — P.  S.]  Topograghy  of  Jerusalem: 
Schulz  (Berlin,  1845),  Krafift  (Bonn,  1846),  Tobler, 
Robinson,  Berggren. 

3.  Introduction  to  the  Bible.— Bertholdt, 
de  Wette,  Scholz,  Eichhorn,  Schott,  Hug,  Creduer, 


[This  whole  section  is  omitted  in  the  Edinh.  trsl, — r.  S.] 


18 


GENERAL   INTRODUCTION   TO   THE   HOLY   SCRIPTURES. 


Guericke,  Reuss,  Hengstenbcrg  {Beitra(je\  Haveniik, 
Keil,  etc.  ;  [also  the  posthumous  works  oi'  Blcek,  and 
the  Eiiglisli  works  of  Ilorne  and  Davidson. — P.  S.] 

4.  Editions  of  the  Bible.— Po%/o<  Bible  by 
Stierand  Tlieile  (Dielel'eld,  2d  ed.,  1854, 4  vols.).  The 
Jlehr.  Old  Testament  by  Simonis,  van  dcr  Ilooght, 
Hahn,  Theile.  The  Scpiuagint  by  Breitinger,  TLseh- 
cndorf,  and  Paris  edition.  The  Greek  Testament  by 
Griesbach,  Knapp,  Schott,  Hahn,  Lachmann  (small 
and  large  editions),  Thcilc,  Tischendorf  (Leipz.  1841, 
'48,  '49,  59,  different  ed.),  etc.  Synopsia  or  Har- 
moiiien  of  the  Gospels:  Griesbach,  de  Wette  and 
Liicke,  Riidiger,  Anger,  Tischendorf,  Robinson  (all  in 
Greek),  Lex  [Die  Evangclien-Harmonle,  Wiesbaden, 
1835),  [Robinson,  Strong,  in  English.— P.  S.]  The 
Vulgate  by  van  Ess,  Kistemaker,  etc. 

[Note.— The  best  of  the  many  ed.  of  Tischendokf,  which 

1  have  used  in  this  Engl,  edition  of  Lange's  Matthew,  is 
the  large  critical  edition  in  2  vols. :  2fovmn  Testamentum 
Greece.  Ad  atdiquos  testes  denuo  recensuit,  apjmratum 
criticum  omni  studio  perfectum  apposuit,  etc.  Edit. 
eeptiina,  Lips.  1S.59.  The  smaller  critical  edition  in  one  vol. 
(ed.  ii.  1849)  gives  a  sufficient  amount  of  critical  apparatus  for 
ministers  and  students.  In  connection  with  this,  reference 
should  be  had  now  also  to  Tischendorf  s  edition  of  the  famous 
Codex  Sinaiticus,  discovered  by  him,  and  issued  in  1SC.3. 

Of  Lacumann  I  have  used  the  large  edition  in  two 
volumes  with  the  Latin  translation :  Novum  Testamentum 
Greece  et  Latine.    Berolini,  1842  and  1S50. 

I  have  also  compared  occasionally  Stikr  and  Theile: 
Polyglotten-Bibel,  2d  ed.,  1S40  ;  and  Pnii.ippus  Buttjiann: 
Novum  Testamentum  Greece  ad  fid  em  codicU  Vaticani, 
(Cod.  B.)  Berol.,  1862,  (in  new  Greek  type,  conformed  to 
the  ancient  uncial  MSS.,  tlio  Greek  inscriptions  of  the  Au- 
gustan age.  and  the  I'ompeyan  papers.) 

The  best  Knglish  editions  of  the  Greek  Testament,  to 
which  I  h.,Ye  more  or  less  frequently  referred  in  the  course 
of  the  work,  are  the  following: 

Dr.  S.  T.  Blocmfield:  The  Greek  Teatament  with  Eng- 
lieh  Notes,  9th  ed.,  Lond.,  1855,  2  vols.,  with  a  supplemen- 
tary volume  of  Critical  Annotations,  Lond.,  1S60,  which 
contains  a  digest  of  the  various  readings,  and  embodies  the 
investigation  of  seventy  uncollated  or  ill-collated  MSS.  and 
the  valuable  materials  derived  from  Scrivener's  collation  of 
seventy  MSS. 

W.  Webster  and  W.  F.  Wilkinson  :  T/ie  Greek  Testa- 
ment with  Notes,  Critical  and  Exegetical.    Loud.,  1S55, 

2  vols.  Anglican,  useful  "for  learners  rather  than  the 
learned." 

Dr.  IIekry  Alfop.d:  The  Greek  Testament,  etc.,  ith  ed., 
Lond.  1S59,  4  vols.  The  first  vol.  containing  the  four  Gos- 
pels, was  reprinted,  from  the  third  ed.,  by  the  Harpers  of 
Xew  York,  IS.^9.  Alford  gives  a  revised  text,  and  a  critical 
digest  of  various  readings  (entirely  rewritten  in  the  4th  ed.) 
between  the  text  and  the  comments,  lie  surpasses  his  Eng- 
lish predecessors,  is  essentially  orthodox  (Anglican)  and 
evangclii,-al,  yet  critical,  liberal,  progressive,  and  made 
good  use  of  the  Germans,  especially  Olshausen,  Tischendorf, 
de  Wette  and  Meyer. 

Dr.  Che.  Wokdbworth  :  77ie  New  Testament  in  the 
original  Greek :  with  Notes,  new  ed.  in  2  vols.,  Lond.,  1862. 
Conservative,  reverential,  patri.'itic  and  Anglican. 

Dr.  S.  P.  Tregelles  (a  PlymouU:  brother,  and  a  believer 
In  the  absolute  plenary  inspiration) :  ."he  Greek  Ni  w  Testa- 
ment, edited  from  ancient  authorities,  with  various  readings 


of  all  the  ancient  MSS.,  the  ancient  versions,  and  earlier 
cedes,  writers  (to  Eusebius  inch),  together  with  the  Latin 
version  of  Jerome,  Lond.,  vol.  i.  containing  the  Gospels  of 
Matthew  and  Luke,  IS.'iO;  vol.  ii.,  containing  Luke  and 
John,  18G0.  Not  yet  completed.  Tischendorf  does  him  in- 
jubtice  in  his  large  ed.  of  1SD9,  Prolegg.,  p.  cxiii  sqq.  Tre- 
gelles is  one  of  the  few  scholars  who  have  made  the  resto- 
ration of  the  genuine  apostolic  text  of  the  N.  T.  the  work 
of  their  life,  and,  like  Bengel,  unites  v.ith  critical  learning 
and  laborious  research  a  childlike  faith  and  profound  rever- 
ence for  the  Word  of  God.  Mr.  Scrivener,  in  his  Introduc- 
tion to  the  Criticism  of  the  N.  T.  (1S6I),  p.  347,  remarks: 
"  Every  one  who  venerates  the  spectacle  of  time  and  sub- 
stance freely  bestowed  in  the  best  of  causes,  without  the 
prospect  or  Indeed  the  possibility  of  earthly  reward,  will 
grieve  to  know  that  the  further  prosecution  of  his  ojais 
magivmn  is  for  a  while  suspended  by  Dr.  Tregelles'  seriouB 
illness."— P.  S.] 

5.  Criticism. — Capelli,  Kenicott,  Bengel,  Gries 
bach,  Reiche,  Schleiermacher,  Lohnis,  Lachmann, 
Tischendorf.  [Bloomfield,  Alford,  Wordsworth,  Tre- 
gelles, in  the  critical  parts  of  their  ed.  of  the  Gr.  Test., 
and  especially  the  able  work  of  Fr.  H.  Scrivener: 
A  plain  Introduction  to  the  Criticism  of  the  N.  T. 
for  the  use  of  Biblical  students.  Cambridge,  1861. 
— P.  S.]  Kirchhofer  :  Qnellensamynhivg  zur  Ge- 
schichte  des  N.  T.  Kanons.  Ziirich,  1844.  Olshau- 
sen on  the  Genuineness  of  all  the  books  of  the  JV.  T. 
[Engl.  trsl.  by  Eosdick,  prefixed  to  vol.  i.  of  Ken- 
driek's  Olshausen. — P.  S.]  Thiersch  on  the  Canon., 
1845.  Ebrard :  Kritik  der  evang.  Geschichte  [not 
Schriften,  as  the  original  reads. — P.  S.],  2d  ed., 
1850.  [Engl.  cowtZe.'iscJ  trsl.,  Edinb.,  1863.]  Bleek: 
Ecitrdge  zur  JSvavgeiienkritik.  [Westcott :  Intro- 
duction to  the  Study  of  the  Gospels.  Amer.  ed.  with 
an  introduction  by  Hor.  B.  Hackett.  Boston,  1862. 
— P.  S.]  Also  Neandcr,  Lange,  SchafF,  Thiersch,  on 
the  Apostolic  Age.  For  the  0.  T.  :  Hengstenbcrg, 
Hiivernick,  Keil,  Bleek,  etc. 

6.  Translations. — Luther's  last  original  edition 
of  his  German  Bible,  by  Eindseil  and  Niemeyer, 
Halle,  1850.  Von  Hoff,  Leipz.,  1851.  Other  Ger- 
man  Bible  versions :  by  Fiiedr.  von  Meyer,  Stier  (Bie- 
lefeld, 1856),  de  Wette,  the  Ziirich  transl.,  and  the 
Roman  Catholic  translations  of  Leander  van  Ess, 
Braun,  Brentauo,  Allioli,  Dereser,  etc.  [English  ver- 
sions :  Wiclif,  A.  D.  1380;  Tyndale,  15;-'.4  ;  Cranmer, 
1539;  Geneva,  1560;  The  Bishop's  Bible,  1568; 
Authorized;  or  King  James's,  1611.  Roman  Catholic 
versions:  Anglo-Rhemish,  1582,  r.nd  Douay  Bible, 
1609,  etc.  See  Bagster's  English  Ilcxapla,  London  ; 
also  Mrs.  H.  C.  Conant :  Hist,  of  the  Engl.  Bible. 
New  York,  1856.  The  publications  of  the  American 
Bible  Union,  N.  York,  especially  the  revised  versions 
of  Lillic,  Conant,  and  Hackett.  Dean  Trench  on  the 
Revision  of  the  C.  F.,  Lond.,  1858.  Dr.  Alford's  re- 
vised Engh  N.  Test.,  Lond.,  1863.  The  authorized 
English  Bible  of  1611  i.s,  upon  the  whole,  the  best  of 
all  Bible  versions  ancient  and  modern.     Comp.  John 


THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 


19 


H.  Newman's  eloquent  testimony  in  its  favor,  after 
his  transition  to  Rome  ;  also  the  testimony  of  Jlarsh 
in  bis  Lectures  on  the  English  Lavr/uarfe. — P.  S.J 

7.  Commentaries  on  the  Whole  Bible. — 
Critici  sacri,  several  editions.  Anisterd.,  1G98; 
Frankf.  a.  M.,  17nO,  etc.  Polus :  Synopsis,  Frkf., 
1712,  5  vols.  Grotixis :  Annotaiiones.  On  the  Old 
Testament :  Rosenmiiller  (Scholia),  Manrer,  the 
Exeget.  Manual  (Germ.)  of  Leipz.,  1838  sqq.,  (ra- 
tionalistic in  part).  On  the  New  T. :  Calvin,  Wolf 
{Curce  philologicce  et  critical,  llil,  5  vols.),  Bengel 
[Gno)no7i,  Lat.,  Germ.,  and  in  two  Eiigl.  transl.], 
Olshauseu  [transl.  into  Engl.,  Edinb. ;  Amer.  ed.,  re- 
vised by  Dr.  Kendrick,  N.  Y.  1856,  etc],  de  Wette, 
Meyer.  [English  Commentaries  on  the  whole  Bible  : 
Henry,  Scott,  J.  Gill,  Clarke,  Patrick— Lowth— 
Whitby,  David  Brown  (Glasgow,  1863) ;  on  the  New 
T. :  Hammond,  Doddridge,  Burkitt,  Bloomfield,  Al- 
ford,  Wordsworth,  Webster  and  Wilkinson,  Barnes, 
Owen,  Jacobus. — P.  S.] 

8.  Commentaries  on  Separate  Books. — See 
list  in  Hagenbach :  Theol.  Encycl.,  p.  179  sqq.,  and 
Winer :  Handbuch  der  theol.  Lit.,  i.,  p.  33  sqq., 
162  sqq.  [On  Genesis  and  the  Pentateuch  :  Calvin, 
Luther,  Hcngstenberg,  Tucb,  Bertheau,  Gerlach, 
Delitzsch,  Bush.  On  the  other  historical  books  of 
the  0.  T. :  Keil,  Maurer,  Thenius,  Movers,  Bertheau, 
Bush.  On  the  Psalms :  Luther,  Calvin,  De  Wette, 
Tholuck,  Hcngstenberg,  Hupfeld,  Delitzsch,  Jos. 
Add.  Alexander,  Isaac  Taylor.  On  Job :  Ewald, 
Umbreit,  Hirzel,  Schlottmann,  Barnes,  Conant.  On 
the  Proverbs :  Umbreit,  Stier,  Bertheau,  M.  Stu- 
art. On  the  Song  of  Songs :  Herder,  Umbreit, 
Ewald,  Hcngstenberg,  Delitzsch.  On  Ecclcsia^tes : 
Umbreit,  Knobel,  Bertheau,  Hcngstenberg.  On 
Isaiah :  Gesenius,  Hitzig,  Dressier,  Handewerk,  Jos. 
Add.  Alexander.  On  Jeremiah :  Hitzig,  Umbreit. 
On  Ezekicl :  Hiivernick,  Hitzig.  On  Daniel  : 
Havernick,  Hcngstenberg,  Lengcrke,  Hitzig,  Auber- 
len.  On  the  Minor  prophets  :  Theiner,  Ackermann, 
Hitzig,  Henderson,  Pusey. — On  the  New  Testament : 
On  the  Four  Gospels  (either  separately  or  in  har- 
monies) :  Calvin,  Olshausen,  Meyer,  Macknight, 
Campbell,  Greswell,  Owen,  Jacobus ;  also  Catena 
aurca  on  the  Gospels  from  the  Fathers,  collected  by 
Thomas  Aquinas.  Oxf.,  1843.  On  Matthew  and 
Mark :  Fritzsche,  Jos.  Add.  Alexander,  Conant.  On 
Luke :  van  Osterzee  (in  Lange's  Bibelwerk).  On 
the  Gospel  of  St.  John :  Lampe,  Ldcke,  Tholuck, 
Luthardt,  Hcngstenberg.  On  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount :  Tholuck.  On  the  Parables  and  Miracles  • 
Trenclu  On  all  the  discourses  of  Jesus :  Stier : 
Reden  Jesu.  {T7ie  Words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  trsl. 
by  Pope,  and  republ.  twice  in  America.)  On  the 
Acts:  Baumgarten,  Hackett,  Jos.  Add.  Alexander. 
On  all  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paid :  Calvin,  MacKnight, 


Conybeare  and  Ilowson  {I/ife  and  Epistles  of  St. 
Paid.  Lond.  and  N.  York  ed.).  On  separate  epis- 
tles of  Paul :  Tholuck  (on  the  Romans),  Fritzsche 
(ditto,  8  vols.,  Latin),  Riickert,  Mos.  Stuart  (ditto), 
Osiander(6'orm</(ian.s),  Winer,  Usteri,  Wieseler  ( Ca- 
latians),  Harless,  Stier  (on  the  Ephesians),  Huther, 
Wiesinger  (th.e  smaller  and  the  Pastoral  Epistles), 
Xeander  {Corinthians,  Philippians,  etc.).  Pelt,  Lillie 
(Thessalonians),  Hackett  {Philemon),  llodge  (on  Ro- 
mans, 1  Corinthians,  and  Ephesians),  Ellicott,  (the 
English  Meyer,  on  Galatians,  Ephesians,  Thcssalo- 
nians,  etc.,  republished  in  Andover,  1860,  sqq.).  On 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  :  Bleek  (a  real  exegetical 
masterpiece,  in  3  vols.,  1828-1840),  Tholuck,  Stuart, 
Ebrard  (as  continuator  of  Olshausen).  On  the  Catholic 
Epistles  :  Steiger  (on  Peter),  Llicke,  Neander,  Rickli, 
Diisterdieck,  Ebrard  (on  John'' s  Epistles),  Archbishop 
Leighton  (on  1  Peter),  Schneckenburger,  Kern,  Nean- 
der, Stier  (on  James),  Stier  (on  Jude).  On  the  Apoca- 
lypse :  Bengel,  Auberlen,  Hcngstenberg,  Liicke,  Diis- 
terdieck, Ebrard,  Bleek,  Elliott,  Mos.  Stuart.— P.  S.] 

9.  Bible  Dictionaries  (of  things).— Winer : 
Bibl.  Rcal-Worterbuch,  2  vols.,  3d  ed.,  1848  (criti- 
cal), Zeller:  Biblisches  Worterbnch,  2  vols.,  1856 
(popular,  and  very  useful).  Many  articles  in  Herzog's 
Real-Encyclop.  fur  Prot.  Theol.,  [condensed^  transl. 
of  Bomberger  and  others,  unfinished.]  Oetinger : 
Bibl.  Worterbuch,  newly  ed.  by  Hamberger,  Stuttg., 
1850.  [E7iglish  Bible  Dictionaries:  Taylor's,  and 
Robinson's  Cabnet,  Kitto,  W.  Smith  (London  and 
Boston,  1863,  3  vols.),  and,  for  popular  use,  those  of 
the  American  Tract  Society,  and  of  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union.— P.  S.] 

10.  General  Bible  Works  for  practical  and 
homiletical  use. — Christoph  Starke  (Past,  primarius 
of  Driesen) :  Synopsis  Bibliothecce  exegeticcB  in  Vetus 
et  Novum  Testamentum ;  oder  kurzgefasster  Aus- 
zug  der  griindlichsten  und  nutzbarsten  Auslegungen, 
2d  ed.,  Leipz.,  1740,  10  vols.  The  Berleburger 
Bibel,  1726-'39,  8  vols,  fol.,  new  ed.,  1857, 
J.  J.  Hess:  Bibelwerk,  Ziirich,  1776-1812,  23  parts. 
H.  &  W.  Riehter :  Erkldrte  Hansbibel,  Barmen,  1840. 
0.  V.  Gerlach  :  Las  A.  und  N.  Test,  mit  Einleitun- 
gen  und  erkldrenden  Anmerkungen,  Berlin,  1854. 
Lisco:  Das  A.  und  N.  Test,  mit  erkldrenden  An- 
merkungen. Matthew  Henry :  An  Exposition  of 
the  0.  and  N.  T.,  London,  1849,  6  vols.,  [and  many 
older  Engl,  and  Amcr.  editions.  Henry's  Com.  is 
very  spiritual  and  practical,  and  widely  popular  in 
England  and  America.  The  same  is  true  of  Thomas 
Scott :  llie  holy  Bible,  with  original  notes,  practical 
observations,  etc.,  first  1788,  5th  and  best  ed.,  Lond. 
1822,  in  6  vols.,  and  often  since. — P.  S.]  Braun 
(Rom.  Cath.) :  Die  heil.  Schrift,  lat.  u.  dcutsch  nach 
dem  Simic  der  h.  rijm.  Kirclie,  der  h.  Kirchcnvdter, 
etc.,  Augsb.,  1789-1806,  13  vols. 


20  GENERAL   AND   SPECIAL  INTRODUCTION   TO   THE   NEW  TESTAMENT. 


SECOND    SECTION. 

GENERAL  AND  SPECIAL  INTBODUCTION  TO   TEE  NEW 

TESTAMENT. 


THE      NEW      TESTAMENT. 

I.   The  Name :  New  Testament. 

The  term  New  Testament  unquestionably  proceeds  from  the  institution  of 
the  Lord's  Supper.  The  Lord  designates  the  Eucharist  the  New  Covenant  in  His 
blood,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term.  The  New  Testament  felloAvship  of  believers 
reconciled  to  God  by  Christ,  which  commences  in,  and  is  introduced  by  baptism,  is 
completed  and  appears  outwardly  in  the  Holy  Supper.  Li  the  Eucharist  the  Lord 
carries  out  that  New  Covenant  with  the  Church  which  is  founded  upon  His  holy 
life  and  His  Word,  upon  His  atoning  death.  His  victory,  and  on  the  conversion  of 
individual  believers.  While  the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist  is  a  remembrance  of 
the  first  foimdation  of  the  Church,  it  ever  inaugurates  anew  the  formation  of  the 
Church,  and  also  serves  as  its  manifestation.  Hence  the  writings  which  record  the 
foundation  of  this  new  and  eternal  covenant  are  themselves  called  the  New  Covenant, 
the  New  Testament.  Lastly,  this  designation  indicates  the  connection  and  the  con- 
trast between  these  writings  and  those  of  the  Old  Covenant. 

II.    Origin  of  the  Neio  Testam,ent. 

The  first  commencement  of  the  New  Testament  dates,  in  all  probability,  from 
the  period  when  the  Lord  lived  and  taught  on  earth.  It  has  ever  heen  the  practice 
to  write  down  that  which  was  deemed  most  memorable.  Accordingly,  it  can  scarcely 
be  supposed  that  any  one  acquainted  with  letters  should  have  been  brought  into 
contact  with  the  Lord,  or  come  under  the  influence  of  His  Spirit,  without  noting 
down  the  most  striking  occurrences  he  had  witnessed,  or  the  most  weighty  truths 
he  had  heard.  In  this  manner  some  brief  memoirs  must  have  been  composed  before 
any  of  the  New  Testament  writings  had  been  compiled — a  fact  to  which,  indeed, 
the  Evangelist  Luke  bears  testimony  (ch.  i.  1).  Nay,  more,  we  are  warranted  in 
assuming  that  the  most  important  events  in  the  early  history  of  Christ,  such  as  the 
song  of  praise  of  Zacharias,  of  the  Virgin,  and  of  old  Simeon,  may  have  been 
written  down  at  a  very  early  period.  To  our  mind  it  seems  natural  that  Matthew, 
who  was  probably  the  most  practised  writer*  among  the  Apostles,  should  very  early 
have  collected  together  the  sayings  of  the  Lord ;  and  similarly,  that  John  should 
have  made  a  collection  of  His  discourses. 

*  [Der  scJireibkundiggie,  the  best  penman.  The  Edinb.  trsl.  mistakes  the  sense  in  rendering  this  :  tJte  best  edu- 
cated. Dr.  Lange  refers  simply  to  the  mechanism  of  writing,  in  which  Matthew,  as  a  former  collector  of  customs,  by 
constant  practice,  h.id  acquired  more  ease  and  skill  than  the  other  Apostles,  who  were  flshermen.  As  to  natural  talent 
and  education,  Peter,  Paul,  and  John  were  undoubtedly  his  superiors.  Luke  also  had  more  learning,  being  a  physiciau 
by  profession,  and  a  superior  Greek  sohoLar.— P.  S.] 


1.     THE   NEW  TESTAMENT.  21 


But  such  memorabilia  were  only  the  faithful  historical  recollections  of  individuals. 
Before  the  Kcw  Testament  could  be  written,  the  work  of  the  Lord  required  to  be 
finished,  and  His  Holy  Spirit  ])oured  out  upon  the  Apostles,  that  thus  they  might 
be  fully  fitted  for  their  high  calling. 

The  original  mission  hitrusted  to  the  Ai)0stles  and  the  seventy  disciples — to 
testify  of  the  Lord  after  the  completion  of  His  life  and  work — necessarily  implied 
.  also  the  duty  of  writing  about  Him,  as  opportunity  afibrded.  If,  according  to  the 
Saviour's  injunction,  they  were  to  devote  ail  their  energies  to  this  work,  to  apply 
every  means,  to  seize  every  opportunity  for  its  promotion,  they  must,  of  course,  also 
have  employed  the  powerful  instrumentality  of  literature.  Nor  were  they  unfaithful 
to  their  calling.  As  they  went  forth  mto  all  the  world  preaching  the  Gospel,  so  also 
did  they  address  themselves  to  all  ages  by  their  writings.  And,  as  at  last,  at  the 
end  of  the  world,  they  shall  again  meet,  the  faithful  messengers  of  the  Lord,  who 
by  the  instrumentality  of  the  Church  (which  they  had  served  to  plant)  haA'e  fulfilled 
their  great  commission  of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  so  also  will  they 
be  fomid  to  have  accomplished  their  work  through  the  writings  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

As  the  composition  of  the  New  Testament  formed,  hke  the  preaching  of  the 
"Word,  part  of  the  great  mission  which  the  Lord  intrusted  to  His  Apostles,  it 
required  special  Divine  preparation  and  illumination  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Just  as 
"  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  so  wrote  they  by 
the  same  Spirit.  The  inspiration  bestowed  on  them  for  the  purposes  of  their 
apostolic  calling,  was  at  the  same  time  the  source  of  their  preaching  and  of  their 
writings. 

But,  while  asserting  the  Divine  origin  of  the  New  Testament,  we  do  not  by  any 
means  overlook  the  human  form  in  which  it  was  cast.  On  the  contrary,  that  human 
form  appeared  all  the  more  genuinely  when  it  became  the  vehicle  of  Divine  revela- 
tion. Hence,  the  New  Testament  writings  are  clothed  in  the  language  of  Greece, 
and  couched  in  its  peculiar  mode  of  thought.  This  form  constitutes  another  con- 
trast between  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament.  The  language  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment (the  Hebrev,')  is  that  of  feeling,  of  directness,  and  of  the  esoteric  religion  of 
the  Jews.  The  language  of  the  New  Testament  is  that  of  full  intellectual  con- 
sciousness (voDs),  of  matured  reflection,  and  of  the  exoteric  religion  of  all  nations. 
But  the  New  Testament  is  also  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  Old  ;  and  Avhenever 
there  is  any  direct  and  esoteric  presentation  of  revelation  (the  speaking  iv  -veu'/xaTi), 
we  meet  with  frequent  Hebraisms,  especially  in  the  Book  of  Revelation. 

Ill,   Chronological  Succession  of  the  books  of  the  Neio  Testament. 

The  oldest  apostolic  letter  is  that  addressed  by  the  Synod  at  Jerusalem,  about 
the  year  53  [or  rather  a.  d.  60 — P.  S.],  to  the  Gentile  Christian  Churches,  and 
which  is  recorded  by  Luke  in  the  15th  chapter  of  Acts, 

Soon  afterv,^ard  Paul  wrote  his  first  letters  to  the  Churches,  The  apostolic 
writings  may  be  arranged  in  the  following  order  of  succession : — 

1.  The  two  Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians,  written  from  Corinth,  about  54  or  66 
[53— P.  S.]. 

2.  The  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  written  from  Ephesus,  about  the  year  56 
or  67. 


GENERAL   AND   SPECIAL  INTRODUCTION  TO   THE  NEW   TESTAMENT. 


3.  The  two  Epistles  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  written  from  Ephesus  and  Mace- 
donia, about  the  year  58. 

4.  The  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Romans,  written  from  Corinth,  about  the  year  59. 

5.  The  Epistle  of  James,  written  from  Jerusalem,  and  addressed  to  the  Jewish 
Christians  in  the  Diaspora,  about  the  year  62. 

6.  The  Epistles  of  Paul  to  the  Ephesians,  to  the  Colossians,  and  to  Philemon, 
written  from  Rome,  about  the  year  63. 

7.  The  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Philippians,  written  from  Rome,  about  the  year  64. 

8.  The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  the  Gospel  by  Luke,  and  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  written  probably  from  the  same  place,  or  at  least  from  Italy,  and  about  the 
same  time — the  year  64. 

9.  The  First  Epistle  of  Peter,  written  from  Babylon,  about  the  year  64. 

10.  The  First  Epistle  of  Paul  to  Timothy,  Viritten  from  Macedonia,  between  64 
and  66  [?]. 

11.  The  Epistle  of  Paul  to  Titus,  written  from  Macedonia,  or  from  Greece, 
between  64  and  66  [?]. 

12.  The  Second  Epistle  of  Paul  to  Timotliy,  written  from  Rome,  about  the  year 
67  or  68  [?]. 

13.  The  Second  Epistle  of  Peter,  written  in  the  same  place,  and  about  the  same 
time,  about  67  or  68. 

14.  The  Gospel  by  Mark,  written  in  Rome,  about  the  year  68. 

15.  The  Gospel  by  Matthew,  written  in  Judea,  about  the  year  68  or  69. 

16.  The  Gospel  by  John,  written  about  the  year  70. 

17.  The  Epistle  of  Judo,  written  probably  between  the  years  80  and  90 

18.  The  Revelation  of  John,  Avritten  about  the  year  95. 

19.  The  three  Epistles  of  John,  written  probably  between  the  years  96  and 
100  [?].* 

IV.   Critical  Collection  of  the  Nevo  Testament  Canon. 

It  will  be  readily  granted  that  the  various  Churches  carefully  preserved  the 
epistles  and  writings  of  the  Apostles,  and  those  of  their  assistants,  the  Evangelists 
Mark  and  Luke.  The  idea  that  several  apostolic  writings,  more  especially  a  third 
Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  and  an  Epistle  to  the  Laodiceans  by  the  same 
Apostle,  have  been  lost,  owes  its  origin  to  a  misunderstanding  of  some  allusions  in 
the  NcAV  Testament.  (Comp.  Lange's  Apost.  Age,  I.  205  sqq.)  Bvt  it  is  probable 
that  at  a  later  period  Mark  himself  enlarged  his  Gospel  by  adding  to  it  a  conclusion, 
appended  to  that  -which  it  had  in  its  original  shape  ;  as  also,  that  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  second  century,  the  v^^ell-known  passage  in  the  Second  Epistle  of  Peter 
was  inserted  after  the  Epistle  of  Jude.  {A^yost.  Age,  I.  152.)  These  circumstances, 
however,  do  not  affect  the  authenticity  of  the  text.  The  interpolation  of  the  trinita- 
rian  passage  in  1  John  v.,  between  vers.  7  and  8,  is  of  much  later  date.  The  Gospel 
of  Matthew,  originally  w^ritten  in  Hebrew,  was  translated  at  a  very  early  period, 
and  probably  by  Matthew  himself,  into  our  present  Greek  Gospel,  which  has  ever 
since  been  received  as  canonical  in  the  Church. 

It  w^as  natural  that  the  writings  of  the  Apostles  should  be  commxmicated  from 

*  [Tlie  chronological  dates  assigned  to  the  apoBtolic  -writingB  by  Dr.  Lange  slightly  differ  in  three  or  four  instances 
from  tliose  adopted  in  my  Uint'Ory  of  the  Apostolic  CJiurch.  Of  some  books  it  is  impossible  accurately  to  ascertain  the 
time  of  composition.— P.  S.]  ' 


§  1.     THE  NEW   TESTAMENT.  23 

one  church  to  the  other,  aud  extensively  difiused,  siiice  many  of  them  -were  evangeli- 
cal epistles,  addressed  to  several,  or  to  all  Christian  communities  (as,  for  example, 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  of  James,  the  tvco  Epistles  of  Peter,  the  First 
Epistle  of  John,  the  seven  epistles  in  the  Book  of  Revelation,  and  the  Epistle  to  the 
Ephesiaas).  Besides,  the  pn.otice  Avas  also  distinctly  prescribed  by  the  Apostles 
(Col.  iv.  16).  Accordingly,  we  find  even  in  the  Xew  Testament  an  allusion  to 
collections  of  apostolic  ^Tilings,  more  especially  of  those  of  Paul,  as  in  the  Second 
Epistle  of  Peter  (iii.  16),  with  which  also  Acts  xvi.  may  be  compared  with  reference 
to  the  address  of  the  Synod  of  Jerusalem,  recorded  in  Acts  xv. 

Such  collections  of  apostolic  writings  rendered  something  like  critical  examina- 
tion necessain-,  to  enable  the  churches  to  distinguish  between  what  was  genuine  and 
what  spurious.  It  is  remarkable  that  so  early  as  in  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Thes- 
salonians  (2  Thess.  ii.  2),  which  is  the  second  oldest  of  the  New  Testament  writings, 
we  find  an  appeal  to  the  critical  sense  of  the  churches.  So  long,  indeed,  as  some 
of  the  Apostles,  or  even  their  immediate  disciples,  lived  and  taught,  the  stream  of 
oral  apostolical  tradition  was  so  abundant  and  so  pure,  that  some  preferred  to  apply 
directly  to  that  source  of  instruction.  Thus  we  account,  for  example,  for  the  circum- 
stance that  Papias,  a  disciple  of  John,  who  lived  at  the  commencement  of  the  second 
century,  mentions  the  Gospels  of  Matthew  and  of  ^lark,  but,  instead  of  referring  to 
those  of  Luke  and  of  Jolm,  records  the  names  of  the  men  whose  presence  and 
instructions  had  in  his  case  filled  the  place  of  these  Gospels  (Euseb.  iii.  33 ;  comp. 
Lange,  Leben  Jem^  I.  151,  and  Apost.  Age,  I.  215).  Even  in  the  writings  of  the 
apostolic  Fathers  we  meet  with  frequent  evidence  of  their  familiarity  with  the  Xew 
Testament  writings.  On  these  various  testimonies,  as  they  multiply  with  the  lapse 
of  time,  as  also  on  the  various  forms  and  lists  of  the  canon  to  its  final  close  in  the 
fourth  century',  compare  the  various  Introductions  to  the  Xew  Testament. 

Kor  must  we  omit  to  mention  that,  during  the  first  three  centuries,  the  Church 
amply  proved  its  critical  capacity  by  rejecting  frora  the  canon  that  vast  mass  of 
apocryphal  wiitings  which  claimed  admission  into  the  New  Testament.  But  the 
deep  contrast  between  these  works  and  the  spiiit  of  the  New  Testament  has  only 
lately  been  fuUy  brought  to  light,  in  connection  with  the  controversy  about  the 
mythical  theory  of  Strauss.  (Compare  the  literature  on  the  subject  as  given  by 
"Winer,  and  the  collections  of  New  Testament  Apocry|jha,  by  Fabricius,  Thilo,  and 
Tischendorf.) 

V.    Unity  and  Organic  Arrangement  of  the  Keic  Testament. 

DIVISI02^"  OF  THE  2slEW  TESTAME^•T. 

At  first,  it  seemed  as  if  the  ancient  Church  would  have  adopted  an  arrangement 
of  the  Nev>'  Testament  writings  substantially  similar  to  that  of  the  Jews  for  the  Old 
Testament.  Thus  we  find  mention  of  three  sections  of  the  New  Testament,  to  cor- 
respond with  the  ancient  division  into  Law,  Prophets,  and  Hagiographa.  Besides 
the  arrangement  into  to  (.iayyiXiov  and.  6  (Ittoo-toXos  (Clemens  Alex.),  ra  emyyey\iKa  koX 
TO.  d-oo-roXiK-a  (Ircnoius) — by  which  they  meant  the  Gospels,  and,  in  the  first  place  at 
least,  the  wi-itings  of  St.  Paul — we  also  find  mention  of  a  thii\i  collection  imder  the 
name  of  Ka^oXiKoi  e-to-ToXai,  which  seems  to  have  included  the  apostolic  writings 
generally,  KaSoXov  (see  Hug.  £i?il.  iti's  JV.  T.,  vol.  ii.,  p.  428).  This  explanation  of 
the  word  Ka^oXiKos  has  been  controverted ;   but  the  fact  that  the  Epistle  to  the 


24  GENERAL   AND   SPECIAL   INTRODUCTION  TO   THE   NEW  TESTAMENT. 

Hebrews,  although  catliolic  in  its  tenor,  was  not  included  among  the  Catholic 
Epistles,  because  its  authorship  Avas  attributed  to  St.  Paul,  speaks  in  favor  of  the 
above  suggestion.  This  division  of  the  New  Testament,  however,  fell  to  the  ground 
when  the  canon  was  completed.  Hence  there  can  be  no  valid  objection  to  the 
modern  division  into  Historical,  Doctrinal,  and  Prophetic  books.  But  it  deserves  no- 
tice that  the  Book  of  Acts  was  originally,  and  also  in  the  Scripture  lessons,  included 
among  the  Epistles,  and  this  with  good  reason  ;  for  in  the  strict  historical  sense,  it 
belongs  not  to  the  period  of  the  Gospel  history,  but  to  that  of  the  foundation  of  the 
Church  by  the  Apostles,  and  serves  as  historical  basis  to  the  Epistles.  Properly 
speaking,  it  forms  a  transition  from  the  historical  to  the  doctrinal  books. 

This  division  of  the  New  Testament  is  warranted  by  the  peculiar  cast,  and  by 
the  prevailing  characteristics  of  its  various  books,  although  in  a  certain  sense  each 
of  them  contains,  at  the  same  time,  history,  doctrine,  and  prophecy.  Keeping  this 
arrangement  in  view,  the  New  Testament  canon  presents  to  our  mind  the  eternal 
past,  present,  and  future  of  the  Church ;  Jesns  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day^ 
and  for  ever — or  Christ  in  His  historical  manifestation,  in  His  rule  over  the  Church, 
and  in  His  glorious  advent.  But  here  each  part  is  organically  connected  with  the 
other,  just  as,  in  the  idea  of  eternal  life,  the  past,  the  present,  and  the  future  pervade 
and  interpenetrate  each  other.  "  All  the  writings  of  the  New  Testament  contain, 
in  the  first  place,  the  basis,  or  the  ideal  past  of  the  Church ;  next,  its  standard,  or 
the  rule  for  its  present  development ;  lastly,  its  final  aim,  or  the  goal  of  its  future." 
(See  my  Ajyost.  Age,  ii.,  p.  571.) 

The  historical  books  describe  the  first  manifestation  and  the  foiindation  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  in  our  world,  and  its  inroad  upon  the  world,  with  a  view  to  final 
conquest,  by  the  planting  of  the  apostolic  Church.  The  doctrinal  books  are  intended 
to  serve  as  a  directory  for  the  development  of  Christian  and  ecclesiastical  life  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  or  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as  manifest  in  ecclesiastical  and 
Christian  life,  in  all  its  relations  to  the  world,  whether  hostile  or  peaceable.  This 
development  is  ever  based  upon,  and  traced  to,  the  first  coming  of  Christ  for  the 
redemption  of  man.  Lastly,  the  prophetical  books  are  intended  to  guide  this  de- 
velopment of  Christian  and  ecclesiastical  life,  in  accordance  with  the  prophetic 
announcement  and  description  of  the  second  advent  of  Christ.  The  foundation  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven — its  unfolding — its  future  conquests,  and  ultimate  comple- 
tion :  such  are  the  three  parts  which  constitute  the  New  Testament. 

The  Historical  portion  of  the  New  Testament  consists  of  two  parts,  the  Gospels, 
and  the  Book  of  Acts.  The  fonner  exhibits  the  eternal  basis  of  the  Church,  and  its 
foundation  in  time  ;  the  latter,  the  jDlanting  of  the  Church,  its  original  form,  and  the 
first  and  prophetic  outlines  of  its  spread  through  the  world. 


HISTORICAL  BOOKS  OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 

The  four  Gospels,  which  together  form  only  one  Gospel  (to  d-ayyiXtov)  under  a 
fourfold  aspect  (/cara,  'MarSaZov,  etc.),  constitute,  along  with  the  Book  of  Acts 
(Trpafets  rdv  airoaToXutv),  the  historical  records  of  the  New  Testament. 

The  great  leading  idea  which  peiwades  thi;,  history,  is  the  introduction  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  {(SacrtXeia  twj/  ovpavdv),  or  its  manifestation  (at  least,  so  far  as  its 


§  2.    THE  HISTORICAL  BOOKS  OF  THE   NEW  TESTAMENT.  25 

principles  and  powei-  are  concei-ned) — the  revelation  of  God  being  completed  by  the 
coming  of  the  God-Man,  the  Redeemer  of  the  world,  and  His  kingdom  founded  upon 
earth  by  the  planting  of  His  Church  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Accord- 
ingly, this  evangelical  history  forms  the  centre  of  all  history,  by  concluding  that  of 
tlie  ancient  and  commencing  that  of  the  new  world. 

The  difference  between  the  historical  books  of  the  New  Testament  consists  in 
this,  that  while  the  four  Gospels  record  the  history  of  the  revelation  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  and  of  its  foundation  in  the  Person  and  the  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the 
Book  of  Acts  describes  the  royal  administration  of  Christ  as  manifested  in  j^lanting 
His  kingdom  in  and  for  the  world,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  working  through 
the  Apostles.  The  Gospels  exhibit  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  the  Person  of  Christ ; 
tl\e  Book  of  Acts,  the  Person  of  Christ  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  the  former  show 
us  the  kingdom  of  heaven  upon  the  earth,  yet  above  the  earth,  separate  and  distinct 
from  all  the  world  ;  the  latter,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  the  world — all  its  roots  and 
fibres  having  taken  hold  upon  the  soil  of  earth.  In  the  one  case,  we  have  the  perfect 
revelation  of  God  in  the  Spirit  of  Christ  (the  d7roKa/\j.'i//is),  in  the  other,  by  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  (the  (j)avepwai<;);  in  the  one  case,  the  descent  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  upon  the 
holy  city,  in  the  other,  the  spread  of  that  heavenly  kingdom  from  Jerusalem  to  Rome. 
The  Gospels  show  us  how  Christ  consecrated  Himself  for  the  world,  and  thereby 
reconciled  it  to  God  in  that  solemn  judgment  which  the  world  pronounced  upon 
itself;  the  Book  of  Acts  teaches  how  Christ  consecrated  the  world  imto  Himself, 
and  theieby  redeemed  it.  Yonder,  the  old  era  terminates,  the  principle  of  the  ncAv 
having  appeared ;  here,  the  new  era  commences,  the  principle  of  the  old  having 
been  mortified. 

I.   The  One  Gospel  in  the  Four  Gospels. 

Viewed  as  a  literary  production,  the  Gospel  history  exists  in  a  fourfold  form. 
But  for  the  ancient,  true,  chin-chly  view,  this  circumstance  is  altogether  secondary 
to  the  fact  that  under  this  fourfold  form  we  have  the  one  Gospel  of  the  Lord. 
Strictly  speaking,  therefore,  it  is  not  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  etc.,  as  we  now  are 
accustomed  to  say,  but  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew,  according  to  Mark, 
according  to  Luke,  and  according  to  John.  It  is  this  grand  unity  of  character,  of 
history,  of  doctrine,  and  of  spirit,  which  gives  to  the  Gospels  their  common  designa- 
tion. Though  we  have  four  human  writings,  they  form  only  one  Divine  record  of 
the  Gospel.  To  doubt  this  essential  imity,  is  to  lose  to  the  same  extent  the  capacity 
for  the  churchly  appreciation  and  even  the  Christian  understanding  of  the  Gospels. 

But  even  this  does  not  exhaust  the  relation  between  the  four  Gospels  and  the 
one  Evangel.  Not  only  does  the  difierence  between  the  four  Gospels  not  obscm-e 
the  unity  of  the  one  Evangel ;  but  this  number  four  rather  indicates  the  unfolding 
of  the  Evangel  in  all  its  fulness,  so  that  it  reflects  the  fourfold  sway  of  God  in  the 
world,  meets  the  fourfold  wants  and  views  of  the  world,  and  under  a  fom-fold  aspect 
displays  the  infinite  riches  of  revelation. 

Irengeus  {Advers.  Hares,  iii.  1)  connected  the  vision  of  the  four  cherubim  in 
Ezekiel  i.  with  the  four  Gospels,  and  explained  the  symbolical  meaning  of  that 
passage  as  applying  to  the  distinctive  peculiarities  of  the  Evangelists.  The  idea  was 
afterwards  adopted  and  developed  by  the  Fathers,  and  the  four  Gospels  were  com- 
pared with  the  vision  of  the  four  living  creatures.  Christian  art  has  perpetuated  the 
special  arrangement  of  these  symbols,  proposed  by  Jerome,  by  assigning  to  Matthe-"' 


i3G 


GENERAL   AND  SPECIAL   INTRODUCTION  TO  TIIE  NEW   TESTAMENT. 


tlio  symbol  of  the  man,  to  Mark  that  of  the  lion,  to  Luke  that  of  the  ox  or  sacrificial 
bullock,  and  to  John  that  of  the  eagle.  (Comp.  Credncv :  Introd.  to  the  N.  2\  p.  54.) 
Our  own  study  of  the  Gospels  would  lead  us  to  modify  the  interpretation  of  Jerome 
in  so  far  as  to  regard  Matthew  under  the  symbol  of  the  ox,  and  Luke  under  that  of 
the  man.     {Leben  Jcsu^  I.  p.  156.)     Stier  has  approved  of  this  change. 

The  first  Gospel  is  preeminently  that  of  history,  and  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  Old 
Testament  by  the  sacrificial  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  and  the  redemption  thus 
achieved.     Hence  the  sacrificial  bullock  is  the  appropriate  symbol  of  Matthew. 

The  second  Gospel  j^rcsents  to  our  minds  the  all-poAverful  revelation  and  working 
of  Christ  as  direct  from  heaven,  irrespectively  of  anything  that  preceded, — the 
completion  of  all  former  manifestations  of  the  Deity.     Symbol,  the  lion. 

The  third  Gospel  is  preeminently  that  of  perfect  humanity, — human  mercy 
presented  in  the  liglit  of  Divine  grace,  the  transformation  of  all  human  kindness  into 
Divine  love.     Symbol,  the  figure  of  a  man. 

Lastly,  the  fourth  Gospel  exhibits  the  deep  spiritual  and  eternal  import  of  the 
history  of  Christ — the  Divine  element  pervading  and  underlying  its  every  phase, — 
and  with  it  the  transformation  of  all  ideas,  and  of  all  ideals,  in  connection  with 
Christ.     Symbol,  the  eagle. 

To  this  rapid  sketch  we  might  add,  that  the  essential  harmony  of  these  Gospels 
cannot  be  properly  appreciated,  unless,  while  recognising  their  intrinsic  unity,  we 
also  keep  in  mind  those  peculiar  characteristics  of  the  Evangelists  on  which  the 
differences  in  their  narratives  depend. 


Literature.* — On  the  Gospel  Harmony  compare 
the  [German]  works  of  Tholuck  :  Credibility  of  the 
Gospel  History  (against  Strauss's  Life  of  Jesus) ; 
Ebrard  :  Criticism  of  the  Evangelical  History ; 
Thiersch :  On  the  Eestoraiion  of  the  historical 
staiiJpoirit,  etc.  ;  Lex  :  The  Gospel  Harmony  on  the 
Life  of  Jesus  (Wiesbaden,  1855).     Also  the  Lives  of 


Jesus  by  Neander,  Hase,  Lange,  and  J.  Zeller  :  Voices 
of  the  German  Church  on  Strauss's  Life  of  Jesus. 
[Engl,  works  :  Macknight,  Campbell,  Greswell,  Rob- 
inson, Strong  :  on  the  Gospel  Harmony  ;  Westcott : 
Litroduction  to  the  Study  of  the  Gospels  (1862); 
Ebrard :  77ic  Gospel  History  (Edinb.  trsl.,  1863) ; 
Ellicott,  and  Andrews :  27ie  Life  of  Christ.— F.  S.] 


n.  The  Boolz  of  Acts, 

Tlie  Book  of  Acts  may  also  be  arranged  under  four  sections.  1.  We  have  the 
apostolic  Church,  as  the  preparation  and  foundation  of  the  one  primeval  Church  for 
all  the  world, — embracing  all  nations  and  tongues  (ch.  i.  and  ii.)  ;  2.  The  Jewish 
Christian  Church  (with  Jerusalem  as  its  metropolis,  and  Peter  as  its  representative), 
tending  toward  the  Gentile  world  and  the  Gentile  Church  (ch.  iii.  to  xii.)  ;  3.  The 
Gentile  Christian  Church  (with  Antioch  as  its  metropolis,  and  Paul  as  its  representa- 
tive), tending  toAvard  the  Jewish  Christian  Church  (ch.  xiii.  to  xxv.  12)  ;  4.  The 
removal  of  any  temporary  difference  by  a  higher  unity,  commencing  with  the 
journey  of  the  Apostle  Paul  to  Rome,  and  in  the  church  at  Rome,  where  the  Jewish 
Christian  and  the  Gentile  Christian  elements  appear  combined. 

The  modern  assaults  on  the  credibility  of  the  Acts  I  Lange  :  History  of  the  Apostolic  Aye,  and  in  part  by 
are  refuted  by  Lechler:  The  Apostolic  and  post-Apos-  Baumgarten  in  his  Commentary  on  Acts.  [AlsoinWie- 
tolicAge;  Dletlein:  Has  l/rchristenthum;  Schatfand  j  seler:  Chro7iology  of  the  Apostolic  A  ye,  184:8. — P.  S.] 


[Omitted  in  the  Edinb.  trsl.— P.  S.: 


3.     THE   DIDACTIC   PORTION  OF  THE  NEW   TESTAMENT,   OR,   THE  EPISTLES.      27 


THE  DIDACTIC  PORTION  OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT,  OR,  THE  EPISTLES. 

"  As  the  historical  writings  of  the  New  Testament  form  a  TeTpay-opcfiov  emyyeXiov, 
80  a  similar  r€Tpa.iiop<^ov  (to  use  an  ancient  ecclesiastical  expression),  a  Terpa/xop^os 
dTTooToXos,  might,  so  to  speak,  be  traced  in  its  parenetic  portions"  (Guericke, 
Isagogics,  p.  216).  This  writer  then  proceeds  to  compare  MatthcAv  with  James, 
Mark  with  Peter,  Luke  with  Paul,  and  the  Gospel  with  the  Epistles  of  John.  So 
also  substantially  Neander,  Schmid,  Schafi". 

The  didactic  portion  of  the  New  Testament  consists  of  epistles  addressed  to 
particular  churches  (epistles  in  the  narrower  sense),  and  general  or  catholic  epistles 
addressed  to  the  whole  Church,  or  to  a  larger  section  of  it.  (On  the  various  inter- 
pretations of  the  word  Ka^oAtKos,  comp.  the  Litroductions).  The  Avritings  of  Paul, 
although  belonging  to  the  former  class,  might  also  be  termed  catholic,  as  they  suc- 
cessively extend  over  every  department  of  Christian  life.  Thus  1.  JEschatological 
Epistles  :  the  two  Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians,  which  treat  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
last  things  ;  2.  Ecclesiastic  Epistles :  the  two  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians,  which  treat 
of  the  organization  and  discipline  of  the  Church  ;  3.  Soterlological  Epistles :  the 
Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  which  treats  of  the  doctrine  of  redemption,  presenting  the 
righteousness  by  faith  in  contrast  with  the  spurious  righteousness  by  works  ;  while 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  exhibits  this  same  righteousness  in  its  nature  and  effects, 
in  opposition  to  sin  and  its  consequences.  4.  Christological  Epistles  :  the  Epistle  to 
the  Pliilippians,  which  shows  the  exaltation  of  Christ  in  and  by  His  humiliation, 
fotms  a  transition  between  the  previous  epistles  and  those  which  treat  of  the  Person 
of  Christ,  more  especially  the  Epistles  to  the  Colossians,  and  to  the  Ephesians. 
The  Epistle  to  the  Colossians  commences  by  presenting  the  eternal  and  inherent 
glory  which  Christ  possessed  before  all  time,  and  then  presents  Him  as  the  sole 
object  of  our  faith  ;  while  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  commences  with  the  final 
glory  of  Christ  at  the  termination  of  all  time,  and  presents  Him  as  the  only  goal  of 
the  Church,  and  as  forming  the  grand  bond  of  its  unity,  5.  Lastly,  we  have  the 
Pastoral  Epistles  :  among  which  we  include,  besides  the  two  Epistles  to  Timothy  and 
that  to  Titus,  the  Epistle  to  Philemon. 

The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  must,  on  account  of  its  general  tenor,  be  classed 
with  tlie  Catholic  Epistles,  although,  from  its  origin  and  character,  it  evidently 
claims  kindred  to  those  of  Paul.  We  have  thus  three  series  of  Catholic  Epistles. 
The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  and  that  of  James,  express  the  relation  in  which  the 
Church  imiversal,  but  especially  the  Jewish  Christian  Church,  stands  to  the  Old 
Testament  (to  the  ceremonial  and  the  moi'al  law),  Avith  the  vicAV  of  warning  against 
apostasy  and  Judaizing  tendencies.  The  three  Epistles  of  John  exhibit  the  relation- 
ship between  the  Church  and  the  present  state  of  things:  1.  The  fellowship  of 
believers  in  Christ ;  2.  The  proper  limits  of  that  fellowship, — the  necessity  of  avoid- 
ing heretics;  3.  The  proper  extent  of  that  fellowship,  —  avoiding  a  spirit  of 
separatism.  Lastly,  the  Epistles  of  Peter  and  of  Jude  treat  mainly  of  the  relation- 
ship of  the  Church  to  the  future. 


28  GENERAL  HOMILETICAL   INTRODUCTION. 


THE  PROPIIETIC  PORTION  OF  TUB  NEW  TESTAMENT. 

The  Book  of  Revelation  contains  a  prophetic  description  of  the  second  advent  of 
the  Lord,  and  of  the  manifestation  of  Ilis  new  creation  and  the  transformation  of 
the  world,  which  is  to  be  brought  about  by  a  series  of  great  conflicts  Mid  tiiimphs 
of  Christ  over  Antichrist  and  over  the  world.  The  description  of  this  new  work 
of  creation  opens  with  the  Sabbath  of  redemption  (hence  the  prophet  has  his  vision 
on  the  Lord's  Day),  and  extends  to  the  eternal  Sabbath  of  final  completion. 
Accordingly,  we  also  have  the  sacred  number  seven,  seven  times  re[)eated — the  seven 
churches,  the  seven  seals,  the  seven  trumpets,  the  seven  thunders,  the  seven  vials, 
and  the  seven  heads  of  Antichrist.  At  the  close,  we  have  the  manifestation  of  the 
seven  Spirits  of  God — who  throughout  have  guided  the  struggle  (ch.  i.) — in  the 
appearance  of  Christ  and  the  transformation  of  the  world :  a  new  genesis,  by  which 
the  Bible  at  its  conclusion  points  back  to  its  commencement,  showing  how  final  and 
perfect  fulfilment  had  now  been  attained. 


THIED   SECTION. 

GENERAL  HOMILETICAL  INTRODUCTION. 


THE  PLACE  OF  HOMILETICS. 

OxE  of  the  main  duties  of  the  pastoral  ofiice  is  preaching,  as  this  work  is  more 
clearly  defined  by  practical  theology.  The  latter  science,  however,  embraces  more 
than  that  special  department.  It  gives  the  theory  of  ecclesiastical  life  and  Christian 
fellowship,  and  of  its  cultivation,  or  of  edification,  and  treats,  according  to  the  teach- 
ing of  Paul  (1  Cor.  xii.  4-6), — 1.  Of  the  Charismata  in  the  Church;  2.  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal ofiices  ;  3.  of  ecclesiastical  functions.  Among  these,  public  worship  occupies  the 
most  prominent  place ;  and  again,  in  public  worship  the  preaching  of  the  word,  for 
which  homiletics  supplies  the  rules.  Public  worship  is  the  real  (not  symbolical) 
and  direct  outward  manifestation  of  the  life  of  the  Church  in  Christ  its  Head ; 
while,  at  the  same  time,  it  also  serves  to  deepen  and  to  extend  that  life.  The 
former  of  these  objects  is  attained  more  especially  by  what  may  be  designated  the 
liturgical  services,  or  prayer  and  praise,  while  the  latter  is  aimed  at  by  means  of  the 
sermon. 

Based  upon  the  eternal  "Word  of  God,  and  derived  from  it,  the  sermon  is 
intended  to  advance  the  spiritual  life  of  the  Church  in  its  individual  members^ — its 
lessons  being  always  pointed  with  special  reference  to  the  present  state  and  require- 
ments of  Christians,  and  to  their  ultimate  calling.  The  rules  for  the  proper  dis- 
charge of  this  New  Testament  prophetical  office  are  laid  down  in  the  science  of 
Homiletics,  or  the  sacred  Art  of  Religious  Discourse. 


§  2.     CHARACTER  AND  PRINCIPLES  OF  HOMILETICS.  29 

§2. 
CHARACTER  AND  PRINCIPLES  OF  HOMILETICS. 

Christian  Homiletics  is  tlie  evangelical  churchly  application  of  Rhetorics  to 
sacred  purposes.  The  homiletic  oration  is  addressed  to  the  spiritual  feelings  and 
interests  of  men,  in  divine  wisdom  and  simplicity,  and  Avith  spiritual  motives,  in 
order  either  to  enlist  them  for  those  spiritual  purposes  Avhich  form  the  one  grand 
aim  of  man,  or  else  to  quicken  their  spiritual  life.  From  this  it  follovv'S,  that  we 
shall  have  to  dispense  with  all  the  mere  outward  artifices  of  secular  rhetorics — many 
of  Avhich  are  dishonest,  and  to  present  our  theme  in  a  simple,  yet' well  arranged, 
lively  and  effective  address. 

From  this  we  may  derive  the  following  fundamental  rules  of  Homiletics. 

1.  The  sermon  occupies  a  place  intermediate  between  the  eternal  Word  of  God 
and  the  present  requirements  of  the  Church.  On  this  ground,  it  must  neither  he 
merely  a  practical  exposition  of  Scripture,  nor  yet  merely  a  practical  address  adapted 
to  the  wants  of  the  moment.  It  must  combine  these  two  elements,  and  at  the  same 
time  serve  to  quicken,  to  sanctify,  and  to  further  develop  the  inner  life,  from  the 
Word  of  God. 

2.  This  application  of  the  Word  of  God  to  the  state  and  wants  of  the  Church,  is 
entrusted  to  the  believing  hearts  of  a  properly  tramed  ministry.  Accordingly,  the 
sermon  must  bear  evidence  both  of  personal  piety  and  of  intellectual  individuality, 
or  rather,  this  intellectual  individuality  must  appear  consecrated  by  devotion  to  the 
altar. 

3.  The  sermon  is  addressed  to  a  real  church, — not  a  perfect  church,  but  yet  to  a 
church.  On  this  ground,  it  must  proceed  on  the  assimiption  that  there  are  spiritual 
principles  and  sympathies  to  which  it  can  appeal,  whilst  at  the  same  time  keeping  in 
view  and  seeking  to  remove  existing  obstacles  and  objections.  It  must  therefore 
avoid  the  extreme  of  being  merely  an  appeal  to  the  unconverted  (a  Xo'yos  TrpoTpeTTTiKos), 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  it  eschews  mere  indirect  and  pointless  "  speaking  with 
tongues  "  (yen? -yXwcro-wv) ,  It  must  ascertain  the  exact  spiritual  state  of  the  congrega- 
tion, and,  in  accordance  theremth,  progress  from  conviction  to  joy  and  thanks- 
giving. Nor  should  it  ever  be  forgotten  that  the  sermon  forms  part  of  worship,  and 
that,  while  in  its  character  and  purpose  prophetic,  it  is  also  essentially  devotional. 
Hence  the  sermon  must  be  neither  noisy  nor  drawling ;  noise  in  the  pulpit  runs 
counter  to  the  dignity  of  w^orship,  and  to  that  of  Christianity  itself.  Conversion  is 
not  to  be  confounded  with  nervous  excitement ;  it  implies  a  state  when  the  soul  is 
moved  indeed  to  its  inmost  depths,  yet  calmed  in  Christ.  As  for  drawling,  it  is 
entirely  out  of  place  in  the  pulpit.  Singing  should  be  left  to  the  congregation ;  and 
the  moment  the  sermon  rises  into  musical  festivity,  it  should  close. 

4.  The  sermon  is  addressed  to  a  congregation,  not  to  studeiits.  Hence,  it  must 
be  popular,  clear,  pointed,  and  practical, — avoiding  obscurity,  confusion,  and  abstract 
propositions.  On  the  other  hand,  it  must  be  simple,  direct,  lively,  yet  sufficiently 
dignified.  It  must  have  sprung  from  prayer  and  meditation,  from  communion  with 
the  Lord  and  with  His  Word,  and  from  deep  sympathy  with  the  spiritual  state  and 
the  wants  of  the  congregation. 

5.  The  sermon  is  addressed  to  an  evangelical  church,  i.  e.,  a  church  called  to  the 
freedom  of  the  Spirit.     Hence  it  is  to  be  a  homily,  in  the  ancient  sense  of  the  term ; 


30  GENERAL  HOMILETICAL  INTRODUCTION. 

i.  e.,  an  interchange  between  the  mind  of  the  preacher  and  the  spiritual  views  of  the 
congregation,  Avhich  cannot  be  obtained  by  mere  persuasion,  far  less  by  outward  or 
authoritative  injunction,  excluding  all  liberty,  but  by  communion  and  fellowship  of 
life.  The  homily  is,  so  to  speak,  query  and  reply.  Yet  it  Avere  a  mistake  to  rebut 
every  objection  Avhich  might  possibly  be  raised,  instead  of  replying  to  the  queries 
which  would  naturally  arise  in  the  mind  of  the  audience.  These  enquiries  must  be 
answered  not  Avith  the  wisdom  of  man,  but  by  the  Word  of  God. 

6.  The  sermon  is  an  official  address  delivered  to  the  Church  in  the  name  and  by 
the  authority  of  the  Head  of  the  Church.  Hence  its  name,  Preaching, — proedicatio^ 
declaration.  Accordingly,  the  testimony  of  the  truth  must  be  supported  by 
evidence  ;  uor'must  it  be  of  the  nature  of  mere  philosophical  demonstration,  which, 
of  course,  is  incapable  of  being  preached.  Nor,  lastly,  would  it  be  riglit  to  sub- 
stitute for  this  testimony  a  mere  asseveration  :  the  testimony  of  the  heart  is  to  be 
combined  with  argument  addressed  to  the  mind. 

7.  The  sermon  is  to  edify.  It  is  intended  to  huild  up  the  living  temple  with  living 
stones  ;  i.e..,  to  promote  spiritual  communion.,  and  thereby  to  quiclcen  Christians. 

8.  The  construction  of  the  sermon  depends  upon  an  exercise  of  the  mind,  which 
in  turn  presupposes  meditation,  prayer,  and  theological  and  religious  knowledge. 
For  the  regulation  of  this  exercise  of  the  mind,  Homiletics  lays  dov/n  certain  rules 
about  the  inventio?i  of  the  theme,  its  division,  and  the  execution  and  delivery  of  the 
discourse  itself. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  AND  MATERIAL  HOMILETICS. 

That  which  gives  to  the  sermon  its  value,  is  the  Word  of  the  living  God,  whicli 
is  laid  down  objectively  in  the  Scriptures,  and  expressed  and  applied  by  the  preacher 
in  a  subjectve  form. 

The  central  point  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  its  gi'and,  all-embi'acing  personality, 
is  the  eternal  and  historical  Christ  v/ith  His  finished  work.  In  the  Person  of  the 
God-Man  revelation  and  redemption  are  united,  and  revelation  itself  becomes 
redemption  ;  there  the  Law  and  the  Gospel  meet,  and  the  Law  itself  becomes 
Gospel ;  there  doctrine  and  history  meet,  and  doctrine  itself  becomes  history  ;  there 
the  Church  and  the  Scriptures  meet,  and  the  Church  itself  presents  the  epistles  read 
and  known  of  all  men  ;  there  the  Church  and  the  believing  heart  meet,  the  Church 
being  in  Him  of  one  heart  and  one  soul ;  lastly,  there  justification  and  sanctification 
are  united,  and  sanctification  becomes  a  justification  for  the  day  of  judgment.  With 
aU  this  we  wish  to  impress  upon  our  readers  that  the  mystery  of  revelation  must  be 
preached,  not  as  a  matter  of  speculation,  but  with  a  view  to  its  grand  teleological 
object — the  salvation  of  sinners  ;  that  the  Old  Testament  must  be  explained  accord- 
ing to  the  analogy  of  the  New ;  that  doctrine  must  be  illustrated  by  life,  and  the 
confessions  of  tlie  Church  regulated  by  the  Divine  Scripture  ;  that  the  Church  must 
be  built  up  by  seeking  the  conversion  and  personal  holiness  of  souls  ;  and  that  justi- 
fication by  faith  must  ever  be  presented  along  with  its  final  aim — the  glorification 
of  saints. 

The  main  point  which  tlie  preacher  should  keep  in  view  is,  that  the  great  object 
of  Christianity  is  to  bring  us  into  personal  relationship  to  the  risen  Saviour,  that  is, 


§3.     ECCLESIASTICAL  AND   MATERIAL  HOMILETICS.  31 

into   blessed   felloAvship,  through   Him,  with  the  Father,  the  Son,  and   the   Holy 
Ghost. 

The  selection  of -a  suitable  subject  for  the  sermon  may  be  determined,  1,  by  the 
order  of  the  Church  imiversal,  as  it  presents  itself  in  the  ecclesiasticiil  year  Avith  its 
great  festivals  ;  2,  by  the  traditional  or  a  new  series  of  Gospels  and  Epistles  for  the 
day ;  3,  by  the  directions  of  the  authorities  of  the  particular  national  or  state- 
Churches  ;  4,  by  the  order  of  Synods  and  consistories  ;  5,  by  the  ordinary  course  of 
nature  and  its  seasons ;  G,  by  extraordinary  events  (casualia) ;  7,  by  the  peculiar 
relation  and  condition  of  the  pastor  and  the  congregation  ;  8,  by  literary  helps,  con- 
cordances, commentaries,  religious  reading,  etc.,  which  facilitates  the  invention  and 
prepai'ation  of  matter  for  sermons.* 

I.   The  Order  of  the  Church  General.     Tlie  Church  Year. 

The  Church  year  designates  the  Christian  consecration  of  time  to  thfi  service  of 
God,  whereby  the  cycle  of  seasons  becomes  the  symbol  and  type  of  the  cycle  of  the 
evangelical  history,  and  of  the  great  facts  of  redemption.  The  Greek  and  Koman 
Churches  changed  the  whole  secular  time  into  a  succession  of  holidays  in  the  interest 
of  an  exclusive  hierarchy  and  an  external  shoAvy  ceremonialism ;  and  thus  the 
holidays  of  saints  gradually  obscured  and  almost  annihilated  the  holy  day  of  the 
Lord,  or  the  Christian  sabbath.  But  the  ancient  Catholic  and  the  evangelical  Church 
year  represents  tj^^ically  and  really  the  sanctification  of  the  year  as  a  manifes- 
tation of,  and  preparation  for,  eternity.  [The  Church  year,  as  observed  in  the  evan- 
gelical churches  of  Germany  and  the  Contir.ent,  in  the  Church  of  England,  and  their 
descendants  in  America,  is  a  reformation,  purification  and  simplification  of  the 
Catholic  Church  year  ;  it  omits  most  or  all  holidays  of  saints,  martyrs  and  angels,  and 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  but  retains  the  leading  festivals  Avhich  commemorate  what  God 
has  done  for  us  in  the  incarnation,  the  passion  and  death,  the  resurrection  and  ascen- 
sion of  Christ,  and  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  thus  making  the  festivals  of 
Christmas,  Easter,  and  Pentecost  prominent,  and  restoring — at  least  in  England  and 
America — the  weekly  festival  of  the  Christian  Sabbath  to  its  proper  dignity  and 
significance. — P.  S.] 


Literature. — On  the  Christian  Church  year  see 
the  works  of  Fred.  Strauss  (Berlin,  1850),  Lisco 
(Berlin,  1852),  Alt  (1851),  Harnack  (1854),  Warner 
(1860),  and  Piper's  Evangelical  Year-book,  pub- 
lished annually  at  Berlin  since  1850.  [Also  the 
Liturgical  works  and  collections  of  Daniel,  Mone, 
Neale,  etc.,  the    Liturgies   of    the  Church  of  Eng- 


land, and  the  Lutheran  Churches  of  Europe  and 
America,  Ebrard's  Ref.  Kirc/ienbuch,  the  new 
Baden  Liturgy,  the  Irvingite  Liturgy,  the  new 
(provisional)  Liturgy  of  the  G.  Eef.  Church  of 
the  U.  S.  (Philad.  1857),  Baird's  Colledimi  of 
Prcshi/tcrian  Liturgies  (New  York,  1859),  etc.,  etc. 
—P.  S.] 


2.   The  Old  and  JSFevj  Pericopes^  or  Scripture  Lessons  for  the  Sundays  of  the  Tear. 


On  the  history  of  perikopes  see  the  article 
Perikopen  in  the  L'nivers.  Theol.  Dictionary  of 
Danz ;  [also  the  more  recent  one  in  Ilerzog's  Real- 
EncT/clopccdie,  vol.  xi.,  p.  373-399,  written  by  E. 
Ranke. — P.  S.]  Ranke :  Bas  kirchliche  Pcrikopcn- 
system.  Berlin,  1847.  Alt:  Der  christl.  Ctdtus. 
Berlin,    1851,    sqq.,    3    vols.     Lipco :     Das   christl. 


KirrJienjahr,  4th  cd.,  Berlin,  1852.  Bobertag: 
Das  evangel.  Kirchenjahr  in  sdmmtlichen  Perikopen 
des  iV.  T.  Breslau,  1857.  On  modern  selections  of 
Scripture  lessons:  Ranke  (Berlin,  1850),  Suckow, 
and  Nitzsch  {Bihl.  Vorlesnngen  aus  dem  A.  und  N.  T. 
Bonn,  1846).  See  the  list  of  the  old  sorios  of  peri- 
kopes at  the  close  of  the  gen.  introduction. 


[This  last  and  all  tho  followinj!;  sections  from  1— S  till  §4,  are  omitted  ia  the  Edinb.  trsl.— P.  S.] 


82  GENERAL   HOMILETICAL   INTRODUCTION. 

3.  National  and  State  Churches. 

These  have  ai)pointecl  in  diflerent  countries  of  Europe  a  festival  of  the  Refor- 
mation. [In  Germany  it  is  celebrated  October  31,  the  day  when  Luther  affixed  the 
95  theses  on  the  doors  of  the  castle  church  at  Wittenberg,  in  1517. — P.  S.]  Also 
political  festivals,  [coronation  of  kings,  commemoration  of  royal  birthdays  ;  in  the 
Cliurch  of  England,  the  commemoration  of  the  death  of  King  Charles  I.,  and  of  the 
Gunpowder  Plot, — now  abolished  and  omitted  from  the  Common-Prayer  Book. — 
P.  S.]  National  fast  and  humiliation  days.  [Thanksgiving  days  annually  recom- 
mended by  the  Governors  of  the  different  States  of  the  United  States  of  America, 
especially  in  New  England,  and  national  thanksgiving,  or  fast  days,  recommended 
to  the  whole  people  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  e.g.  by  President  Taylor, 
during  the  cholera  in  1849,  and  several  times  by  President  Lincoln,  during  the  civil 
war,  especially  on  the  30th  of  April,  1863.  But,  owing  to  the  separation  of  Church 
and  State,  Governors  and  Presidents  cannot  ordain  and  command,  like  European 
sovereigns,  but  simply  recommend,  the  observance  of  Christian  festivals.  Never- 
theless, such  days  are  generally  even  better  observed  in  America  than  in  Europe, 
perhaps  for  the  very  reason  that  their  observance  is  not  made  a  matter  of  compul- 
sion, but  of  freedom. — P.  S.] 

4.  Provincial  Synods  [Denominations]  and  Local  Congregations. 

Missionary  festivals,  foreign  and  domestic.  Laying  of  corner  stones,  and  dedica- 
tion of  new  churches,  etc.  Confirmations,  communions,  benedictions,  solemnization 
of  marriage,  funerals.  All  these  are  not,  strictly  speaking,  casuaUa,  "but  occur  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  religious  and  congregational  life. 

5.   Churchly  Festivals  of  the  Naturcd  Seasons. 

New  Year.  Spring  festival.  Harvest  festival.  Sylvester,  (close  of  the  year, 
December  31). 

6.  Extraordinary  Events  of  Nature  and  of  History  (Casualia). 

Extraordinary  days  of  humiliation  and  prayer,  during  seasons  of  pestilence, 
famine,  and  war  (Comp.  above  sub  No.  3),  or  of  thanksgiving  after  the  return  of 
peace  or  some  great  national  deliverance. 

7.  Pastoralia. 

Ordination — ,  installation —  sermons.  Litroductory  and  valedictory  sermons. 
[Opening  sermons  at  Classical  and  Synodical  meetings,  diocesan  and  general  Conven- 
tions, Centenary  and  other  commemorative  discourses. — P.  S.] 

8.  Homiletical  Helps. 

1 .  Concordances,  verbal  or  real,  or  both,  by  Wich-  I  German.]  Greek  concordance  by  H.  Bruder :  Tafxeiov 
mann  (1782),  Schott  (1827),  Hauff  (1828),  Biichner  tSiv  ttjs  Kaivris  hiaSii]K't)s  xi^euiv.  Lips.,  1842.  [Based 
(1776),  continued  and  improved  by  Hubner  (1837  1  upon  an  older  work  of  Erasmus  Schmid ;  contains 
and  often),  Bernhard  (1850).     [All  these  works  are  |  all  the  words  of  the  Greek  N.  T.  in  alphabetical 


§  3.     ECCLESIASTICAL   AND   ^[ATERIAL   HOMILETICS. 


J3 


order  with  the  passages  where  they  occur ;  invalu- 
able for  reference. — P.  S.]  Hebrew  concorJance  by 
Jul.  Furst :  Concordimtim  libror.  V.  T.  Lips.,  1840. 
[Based  upon  Joh.  lluxtorf,  and  as  valuable  for  the 
Hebrew,  as  BruJcr  for  the  Greek  T. — English  Con- 
cordances :  Alex.  Cruden :  A  complete  Concordance 
to  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  0.  and  N.  I'est.^  first 
published  in  London,  1*731,  and  often  since,  both  in 
England,  Scotland  and  America,  in  full  and  in 
abridged  forms.  '  Also :  The  Englishmaji's  Greek 
Concordance  of  the  Xew  Testament,  publ.  by  S.  B;i^'- 
ster,  London,  and  rcpubl.  by  Harper  &  Br.,  Ni  w 
York,  1855, — a  useful  adaptation  of  Schmid's  Greek 
Concordance  to  the  study  of  the  English  Bible. — The 
Englishniaii's  Hebrew  and  Chaldee  Concordance  of 
the  Old  Test.,  etc.,  Lond.  (Longman,  Green,  Brown, 
and  Longmans),  1843,  2  vols., — an  equal  adaptation 
of  Buxtorf-Fiirst  to  the  English  Bible.— P.  S.] 

2.  Lists  of  Texts.  Schuler :  Repertorium  bibli- 
scher  Texte  und  Idcen  f>ir  Casual-Predigten  itnd 
Reden.  Halle,  1820.  Haupt :  Bibl.  Casualtcxt- 
Lexicon,  1826.  [There  are  a  number  of  English 
works  of  the  kind  with  or  without  skeletons  of  ser- 
mons ;  but  I  have  none  within  reach,  and  cannot 
now  find  their  titles. — P.  S.] 

3.  3Ialerials.  Homiletical  Bible-works  and  col- 
lections of  Sermons  and  Preachers'  Manuals.     See 


the  list  in  Dauz's  and  Winer's  works  on  theol.  Litera- 
ture. Collection  of  Patristic  sermons  in  Germ., 
trnsl.  by  August!  (2  vols.,  1830  and  1839).  Luther's 
Hauspostille  and  Kirchcnpostille.  The  older  Ger- 
man sermons  of  Scriver,  H.  Muller,  Val.  Hcrberger, 
Rieger,  and  the  more  recent  sermons  of  Reinhart, 
Driiseke,  Harms,  Schleiermacher,  Nitzsch,  Fr.  Strauss 
[court  chaplain  at  Berlin,  died  1863],  Tholuck,  Jul. 
Milller,  G.  Dan.  and  Fr.  W.  Krumraacher,  Ludw.  and 
Wm.  Hofacker  [brothers],  Kapfi'  [of  Stutgart],  Schen- 
kel  [of  Heidelberg],  Beck  [of  Tubingen],  Steiumeyer, 
W.  Hoffmann  [both  of  Berlin],  Sticr,  Liebner,  van 
Oriterzee  [of  Rotterdam,  now  of  Utrecht],  and  many 
others. — [Tlie  best  English  pulpit  orators  are  Jeremy 
Taylor,  Rbt.  South,  Isaac  Barrow,  Jos.  Butler,  Tillot- 
son,  Whitefield,  John  Wesley,  among  the  older,  and 
Edward  Irving,  Melville,  Robt.  Hall,  Chalmers, 
Guthrie,  Caird,  Hare,  Trench,  Archer  Butler, 
Spurgeon,  among  the  more  recent.  Of  American 
preachers  we  mention  Jonathan  Edwards,  Sam.  Da- 
vies,  John  M.  Mason,  Bethune,  Alexander  (father  and 
two  sons)  G.  Spring,  Skinner,  Stockton,  Durbin, 
Wayland,  Lyman  Beecher,  Park,  Bushnell,  Phelps, 
H.  Ward  Beecher,  etc.,  etc.  The  French  pulpit  is 
best  represented  by  Bossuet,  Bourdaloue,  Massnet, 
among  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  Saurin,  Adolf  Mo- 
nod,  and  Vinet,  among  the  Reformed. — P.  S.]  * 


*  [We  add  a  more  complete  list  of  distinguished  deceased  American  preachers,  selected  almost  entirely  from  Dr.  W.  B. 
Sprague's  Annals  of  the  American  Pvlpit,  arranged  by  denominations  and  in  chronological  order.  The  list  is,  of  course, 
very  incomplete,  and  a  number  of  very  eloquent  and  useful  men  are  omitted,  because  they  published  nothing,  or  were 
poorly  educated.  The  most  eloquent  preachers  in  the  list  are  put  in  italics;  those  marked  (*)  have  left  behind  them 
one  or  more  volumes  of  sermons;  those  marked  (t)  have  left  nothing  except  in  pamphlet  form.— P.  S.] 

Congregational  (Trinitarian). 


♦Thomas  Hooker 

Died,  1C47. 

♦Benjamin  Wadsworth 

"     1T37. 

♦Benjamin  Coleman,  D.  D. 

"     1747. 

*Jonathan  Edicards 

"     1753. 

tJohn  Ilooker 

"     1777. 

iSamuel  Cooper,  D.D 

"     17S3. 

i Joseph  Bellamy,  D.D.... 

"     1790. 

tPeterTliatcher,  D.D 

"     1S02. 

♦Charles  Backus,  D.  D 

"     1S03. 

♦David  Tappan,  D.  D 

"     1S03. 

♦Nathan  Strong,  D.D 

"     1S16. 

*  Timothy  Dwight,  D.  D.. . 

"     1817. 

♦Jesse  Appleton,  D.D 

"     1S19. 

tSarauel  Spring,  D.D 

"     1819. 

♦Joseph  Lathrop,  D.  D 

"     1S20. 

♦Samuel  Worcester,  D.  D... 

"     1821. 

*Da rid  Oxdood,  D.D. 

"     1822. 

*Edicard  Payaon,  D.D... 

"     1S27. 

•Ebenezer  Porter,  D.D.... 

"     1834. 

♦Nathaniel  Emmons,  D.  D.. 

"     1840. 

tLconard  Woods,  D.  D 

"     1854. 

♦Joshua  Bates,  D.D 

"     1854. 

*Lyman  Beecher,  D.D.... 

"     18G3. 

Presbyterian. 

♦Jonathan  Dickinson 

Died,  1747. 

"     1757. 

"     1701. 

*lfithert  Ten/nent 

"     176J. 

3 

tSamuel  Finley,  D.  D 

♦Jonathan  Parsons 

*John  Witherspoon,D.D... 
tSamuelBuell,  D.D 

iJohn  Pl.ur  Sinith,  D.  D... 
\Jah:,  l:l,ilr  Linn,  D.D... . 
*Sai,iu,l.  .St.inhope  Smith, 

Died,  1-60. 
"     1776. 
"     1794. 
"     1798. 
-     1799. 
"     1804. 

"      1819. 
"     1820. 
«      1825. 

"     1829. 
"     1831. 
"     1835. 

"     1837. 
"     1840. 
"     1841. 
"     184.3. 
"     1848. 
"     1850. 

"     18.51. 
"     1851. 

"     1854. 
"     18.55. 

"     1859. 
"     1861. 

*Jos.    Addison    Alcs.'mder, 
D.D 

Episcopalian. 

tSamuel  Johnson,  D.D 

♦Rt.  Rev.  Samuel  Seabury, 
D.D 

Diet 
Diec 

Died 
Died 

,  1860. 

,  1772. 
1796. 

D.D.,LL.D 

*  Sylvester  Lamed 

tRt.  Rev.  John  Henry  Ho- 
hart  D  D    

1830. 

*John  B.  Romeyn,  D.D.. .. 

*John     Mitchell     Mason, 

D.D 

^Gregory  Townsmd Bedell 
D.D 

*Et.   Rev.  William  White, 
D.D 

tSamuel     Farmar     Jarvis, 
D.D.,  LL.D 

Baptist. 
■*Sa.mnel  Stillman,  D.  D.. . . 

*  Jonathan  Maxcy,  D.D.... 
tRichard  Furman,  D.  D.  . . . 
tThomas  Baldwin,  D.D.  . .. 
^Wi!liamSt.tngMon,D.D. 

*  William       Theophilus 

Brantley,  D.D 

*Wm.  Parkinson 

1834. 

tJohn  Holt  Kice,  D.  D 

*WilliamNevins,D.D.... 

*Edicard    Dorr     GHffin, 

D  D 

1836. 
1851. 

*  Daniel  A.  aark 

iJohn  BrecJcenridge,  D.  D. 

*James  Pviehards,  D.  D 

*Ashbel  Green,  D.  D 

tSamnel  Miller,  D.D 

*Archihald       Alexander, 
D.D 

1807, 
1820. 
1825. 
1826. 
1829. 

♦Erskine  Mason,  D.D 

*Tchabod    Smith  Spencer, 
D.D 

1845. 
1848. 
185.'). 

*Philip  Lindsley,  D.  D 

*James      W.      Ale.xander, 
D.D 

Methodist. 

♦Thomas  Coke,  LL.  D 

iFrancis  Asbury 

tNicholas  Murray,  D.  D 

1S!R. 

34 


GENERAL   IIOMILETICAL   INTRODUCTION. 


PASTORAL  OR  FORMAL  HOMILETICS. 

Finding  of  the  Subject. — This  evidently  depends  on  the  above-mentioned  ti'adi- 
tions  of  the  church  year,  etc.,  and  on  circumstances  which  cannot  be  prescribed  or 
induced  from  without.  Standing  betAvecn  the  Word  of  God  and  the  special  wants 
of  his  congregation,  the  minister  must  choose  his  theme  according  to  his  spiritual 
perception  and  peculiar  disposition  at  the  time.  However  obvious  in  the  circum- 
stances a  text  may  appear,  yet  the  theme  is  always  a  discovery,  or  rather  a  gift  from 
the  Lord,  a  message  to  the  Church,  which  can  only  be  obtained  or  understood  by 
prayer  and  meditation,  by  inward  labor  and  spii'itual  meditation, 

Divisio7i. — The  sermon  itself  is  the  organic  and  artistic  mifolding  of  the  theme, 
showing  the  living  connection  between  the  text  and  the  peculiar  wants  and  circum- 
stances of  the  congregation. 

The  theme  of  the  discourse  constitutes  the  fundamental  idea  of  the  sermon,  and, 
accordingly,  must  pervade  the  whole.  It  is  generally  expressed  in  a  short,  definite 
proposition  (which  accordingly  is  frequently  called  the  theme).  The  theme  must 
embody  both  the  cause  and  the  obje(!t  of  the  discourse ;  «.e.,  it  must  have  a  divine 
basis,  and  at  the  same  time  a  divine  aim,  although,  in  the  proposition,  either  the 
cause  or  the  object  may  be  more  prominently  brought  forward.  The  different  parts 
of  the  sermon  naturally  flow  from  the  theme.  It  is  the  object  of  the  introduction  to 
prepare  the  audience  for  the  theme.  Again,  the  subject  must  be  presented  in  a  lucid 
manner.  This  is  the  object  of  the  proposition  and  of  the  division.  The  execution 
aims  at  i:)resenting  the  theme  in  all  its  fulness.  Lastly,  the  subject  is  summed  up  and 
applied  in  the  conclusion.  The  general  object  and  benefit  of  the  delivery  is,  that  in 
it  the  living  truth  is  directly  communicated  to  the  living  soul. 

The  homily,  in  the  narrower  sense  (or  the  familiar  expository  lecture),  differs 
from  the  sermon,  in  that  it  follows  not  so  much  the  logical  order  of  the  theme,  as 
the  order  of  the  text,  which  in  this  case  is  generally  a  larger  portion  of  Scripture. 
In  the  sermon,  the  main  contents  of  the  text  are  compressed  and  expressed  in  the 
theme  and  in  its  proposition,  and  afterward  systematically  expounded  in  the 
various  parts  of  the  discourse.     The  distinction  commonly  made,  of  analytical  and 


*John  Suminerfield Died,  1825. 

tWilbur  Fisk,  i).  D "  1839. 

*II&>iry  Bidl&man  Bascom, 

D.D "  1850. 

*Stepheii  OHn,  D.D.,  LL.D.  "  1S51. 

tEliJHh  Hedding,  D.  D "  1852. 

*  William  Capers,  D.D....  "  1855. 

Dutch  Kepokmed. 

•Theodore  Jacobus  Freling- 

hnysen Died,  1751. 

*  William  Linn,  D.D "  1  SOS. 

^Jnlm  N.  Abeel,  D.D "  1812. 

iJohn    Henry   Livingston, 

D.D "  1825. 

iJbhn  Melanchthon  Brad- 

ford,  D.D "  1R26. 

tJohn  De  Witt,  D.  D "  r^'. 

tPhilipMilledoIer,  D.D....  '•  If.W. 

t Jacob  Brodhcad,  D.  D "  1855. 


German  Eefoumed. 

tMicliael  Schlatter Died,  1700. 

*Charles  Becljer,  D.  D "     1818. 

*  Augustus  Eauch,  P.  D. . . .      "     1841. 

EVANG.  LtJTHEEAN. 

tHenry  Melchior  Miihlen- 

berg Died,  17ST. 

tJu.stus     Henry    Christian 

irelmuth,D.D "     1883. 

tC.irl      Rudolph     Demme, 

D.D "     1863. 

Ekpokmd)  Pkesbytekian. 
tJames  McKinney Died,  1804. 

*  Alexander  McLeod,  D.  D.      "     1883. 
tGilbertMcMaster,  D.D....       "      1854. 

Associate  Eefoemed. 
*Jam(s  Gray,  D.D. Died,  1824 


*  Alexander  Proudjit,  D.  D.  Died,  1843. 
^J.  M.  Duncan,  D.  D "     1851. 


Unitaeian. 

*  Jonathan  ilaxjhew,  D.  D..  Died, 

*John  Clarke,  D.  D " 

*Joseph    Stephens     Buck- 
minster " 

*Samuel  Cooper  Tliacher. . .  " 
*Abiel    Abbott,    D.D.    (of 

Beverly) " 

*James  Freeman,  D.  D " 

tJohn  Thornton   Kirkland, 

D.D " 

*  William    ElUry    Chan- 

ning,D.D " 

*  Henry  Ware,  Jr.,  D.  D...  " 
*Francis      William.     Pitt 

Greenwood,  D.D " 

*W.  B.  O.  Pe.abody,  D.  D. . .      " 


1T66. 

1798. 


1812. 
1817. 


1S28. 
1835. 


1842. 
1843. 


184S. 

184T. 


§4.    PASTORAL  OR  FORMAL  HOMILETICS. 


35 


synthetical  discourses,  is  apt  to  mislead.  Even  the  most  analytical  homily  must  be 
one  in  its  idea  and  aim,  otherwise  it  degenerates  into  a  mere  accidental  exposition ; 
while  the  so-called  synthetic  or  systematic  sermon  also  must  ever  unfold  the  teaching 
of  the  word,  if  it  is  to  be  a  sermon,  and  not  merely  a  religious  address.  As  inter- 
mediate between  the  homily  and  the  sermon,  we  may  mention  those  compositions  in 
Avhich  the  two  elements  are  combined,  homiletic  sermons  and  systematic  homi- 
lies. 

The  theme  must  be  expressed  in  the  proposition,  briefly,  clearly,  strikingly,  yet 
simply  and  not  artificially.  According  to  the  text,  or  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
or  the  state  of  the  audience  or  of  the  speaker,  it  may  be  expressed  either  in  a  posi- 
tive sentence,  or  in  the  form  of  a  query,  x)r  of  an  inscription ;  in  which  latter  case  it 
resembles  more  closely  the  ancient  homily,  or  the  mental  interchange  between  the 
congregation  and  the  preacher. 

Uniformity  in  presenting  the  subject  would  indicate  a  Avant  of  living  interchange 
of  thought  with  the  people — a  kind  of  dead  scholasticism  and  formalism,  unsuited  to 
the  pulpit.  The  same  remark  holds  true  in  reference  to  the  division,  which  must  not 
be  determined  simply  according  to  the  syntactic  arrangement  of  the  sentence,  but 
flow  from  the  subject  by  an  interchange  of  thought  and  feeling  between  the  preacher 
and  the  hearers. 

The  division  of  the  sermon  will  therefore  vary  with  our  varying  aim.  Still,  it  is 
always  necessary  to  observe  logical  order,  which  may  be  expressed  in  the  following 
rules.  The  division  must,  1,  embrace  no  more  than  the  theme;  2,  it  must  exhaust 
the  theme ;  3,  it  must  arrange  it  according  to  its  essential  synthetic  parts  ;  4,  it 
must  express  the  regular  progress  of  these  parts,  from  the  cause  to  the  final  object, 
from  the  apx^  to  the  tc'Aos. 

Execution. — The  same  rules  are  here  to  be  observed.  The  subject  must  be 
properly  grouped,  without,  however,  allowing  this  arrangement  to  appear  too  promi- 
nently. So  far  as  style  is  concerned  it  behoves  us  to  remember  that  ours  is  sacred 
oratory,  and  that  the  effects  aimed  at  are  spiritual  m  their  nature.  Accordingly,  we 
must  equally  avoid  the  extreme  of  vulgar  familiarity,  and  that  of  philosophic  pom- 
posity or  of  flowery  poetry. 

Delivery. — Here  also  art  comes  into  play.  The  delivery  of  the  discourse,  in 
reference  botli  to  what  is  heard  and  what  is  seen  (declamation  and  action),  must  not 
be  rude  nor  unstudied.  On  the  otlier  hand,  it  must  be  free  from  extravagance  or 
aflfectation.  It  must  be  natural,  in  the  sense  of  corresponding  to  and  expressing  the 
subject  treated,  and  yet  distinctive,  according  to  the  individuality  of  the  preacher, 
always  bearing  in  mind  that  he  is  but  the  minister  of  the  Avord. 


Literature.* — The  principal  writers  on  Practi- 
cal Theologii  are  Baxter,  Burk,  Schwarz,  Kijster, 
Marheineke,  HufTell,  Harms,  Gaiipp,  Nitzsch,  Scblei- 
ermacher,  Moll,  Ebrard.  The  chief  works  on  Homi- 
letics  are  those  of  Schott  [translated  in  part  by  Dr. 
Park  in  earlier  vols,  of  the  Bibliotheca  Sacra. — 
P.  S.],  Theremin  [trsl.  by  Dr.  Shedd.— P.  S.], 
Stier,  Alex.  Schweizer,  Palmer,  Baur,  Vinet  [trsl. 
by  Dr.  Skinner.— P.  S.].     On  the  History  of  Pulpit 


Eloquence^!  we  refer  to  the  works  of  Schuler,  Amnion, 
Schmidt,  Panicl,  and  Lentz,  also  Beyer :  Das  Wesen 
per  christl.  Prcdir/t,  1861,  and  Kirsch :  Die  j^opn- 
larc  Predicft,  1861.  [Comp.  Henry  C.  Fish:  His- 
tory aiid  llcposltory  of  Pulpit  Eloquence  (a  collec- 
tion of  the  masterpieces  of  the  greatest  preachers 
of  different  ages  and  denominations,  w'ith  biographi- 
cal sketches,  and  a  masterly  introductory  essay  by  Dr. 
Park,  of  Andover),  New  York,  1857,  3  vols. — P.  S.] 


[Omitted  in  the  Edinb.  trsl— P.  B.] 


36 


nOMILETICAL   INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 


FOURTH  SECTION. 

HOMILETICAL  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 


The  rules  wliich  we  have  already  given  apply  specially  to  the  homiletical  treat- 
ment of  the  New  Testament,  It  may  be  considered  a  mark  of  progress,  that  in  our 
days,  more  than  in  the  ancient  Church,  the  New  Testament  is  chosen  as  the  subject 
of  exposition  ;  although,  on  the  other  hand,  Socinian  and  Rationalistic  views  may 
have  led  to  a  depreciation  of  the  Old  Testament.  In  opposition  to  any  such  ten- 
dency, it  is  suiBcient  to  remark,  that  the  Apostles  themselves  based  their  teaching 
upon  the  Old  Testament,  and  that  the  saying  of  Paul,  in  2  Tim.  iii.  16,  applies  to  air 
times.  Deeper  and  more  spiritual  views  of  the  New  Testament  as  the  fulfilment  of 
the  Old,  and  that  of  all  jsrophecies  of  creation  and  of  ancient  history,  -^all  lead  us,  in 
expounding  the  New  Testament,  ever  to  refer  to  the  Old,  and  thus  to  enrich  and 
explain,  to  enlarge  and  to  quicken,  our  addresses.  The  point  to  be  always  kept  in 
mind  is  this,  that  in  Christ  alone  is  all  fulness. 


Literature.* — 1.  Homiletical  and  Practical 
Commentaries  on  the  New  Tcstameoit.  C.  H.  Rie- 
ger :  Betrachtungen  iiber  das  iV.  T.  zum  Wachs- 
thum  in  der  Gnade  und  JErkenntniss  Jesu  Christi. 
Tubingen,  1828,  2  vols.  Heubner:  Prahtische  Er- 
klarung  des  iV.  T.  Potsdam,  1860,  sqq.  Besser : 
Bibclstunden.  Halle,  1854,  sqq.  Mad.  Guyon : 
La  Ste.  Bible,  avec  des  explications.  Amsterd., 
lYlB-'lS,  20  vols.  Also  the  commentaries  of  Ben- 
gel,  Bogatzky,  Gossner.  [The  best  English  commen- 
tators for  homiletical  and  practical  use  are  Henry, 


Scott,  Gill,  Doddridge,  Burkitt,  Barnes  (Hodge  on 
the  Romans).  Comp.  also  David  Brown  and 
others :  A  Commentary,  Critical,  Experimental, 
arid  Practical,  on  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 
Glasgow  and  London,  1863  sqq. — P.  S.] 

2.  Expositions  of  the  Pericopes,  or  Gospels  and 
Epistles  for  the  year.  A  large  number  of  German 
sermon  books  of  Herberger,  Rambach,  Harms, 
Stier,  the  two  Hofackers,  Kapff,  Hirscher  (R.  Cath.), 
Lisco,  etc. 


♦  [Omitted  in  the  Edinb.  trsl.— P.  S.] 


APPENDIX. 


37 


APPENDIX. — Table  of  the  Ancient  Scripture  Lessons,  or  Gospels  and  Epistles  for  the 
Sundays  of  the  Year.* 


The  Gospels. 

1.  Advent Matt.  xxi.  1-9. 

2.  "       Luke  xxi.  25-36. 

3.  "      M.att.  xi.  2-10. 

4.  "      John  i.  19-28. 

1.  Christmas Luke  ii.  1-U. 


The  Epistles. 

Rom.  xiii.  11-14. 

Rom.  XV.  4-13. 

1  Cor.  iv.  1-5. 

Phil.  iv.  4-7. 

Tit.  ii.  11-14. 

(Isa.  ix.  2-7.) 

2.  "          Luke  ii.  15-40.  Tit.  iii.  4-7. 

(St.  Btephen'8  Day)  Matt,  xxiii  34-39.  Acts  vi.  8-vii.  2. 

3.  Christmas John  1.  1-14.  Ilebr.  i.  1-12. 

(St.  John's  Day).. .  John  xxi.  20-24.  1  John  i. 
Sunday    after 

Christmas Luke  ii.  33-40.  Gal.  iv.  1-7. 

New  Ye.ir's  Day  ; 

Circumcision....  Luke  ii.  21.  Gal.  iii.  23-29. 
Sunday  after  New 

Year. Matt.  ii.  13-23.  1  Pet.  iv.  12-19. 

Epiphany Matt.  ii.  1-12.  Isa.  Ix.  1-6. 

1.  Sunday     after 

Epiphany Luke  ii.  41-52.  Rom.  xii.  1-6. 

2.  Sunday     after 

Epiphany John  ii.  1-11.  Rom.  xii.  7-16, 

3.  Sunday     after 

Epiphany Matt.  vui.  1-13.  Rom.  xii.  17-21. 

4.  Sunday     after 

Epiphany Matt.  viii.  23-27.  Rom.  xiii.  8-10. 

5.  Sunday     after 

Epiphany Matt.  xiii.  24-30.  Col.  iii.  12-17. 

6.  Sunday     after 

Epiphany Matt.  xvii.  1-9.  2  Pet.  i.  16-21. 

Septuagesima Matt.  xx.  1-16.  1  Cor.  ix.  24-x  5. 

Sexagesima Luke  viii.  4-15.  2  Cor.  xi.  19-xii.  9. 

Estomihi  t Luke  xviii.  31-43.  1  Cor.  xiii. 

Invocavit Matt.  iv.  1-11.  2  Cor.  vi.  1-10. 

Reminiscere Matt.  xv.  21-28.  1  Thess.  iv.  1-7. 

OcuU Luke  xi.  14-28.  Eph.  v.  1-9. 

LsBtare John  vi.  1-15.  Gal.  iv.  21-31. 

Judica John  viii.  46-59.  Hebr.  ix.  11-15. 

Palm  Sunday Matt.  xxi.  1-9.  Phil.  ii.  5-11. 

MoundayThursd'y  John  xiii.  1-15.  1  Cor.  xi.  23-32. 

Good  Friday Histoiy  of  the  Pas-  Isa.  liii. 

sion. 

I.Easter Markxvi.1-8.  1  Cor.  v.  6-8. 

2.  "      Luke  xxiv.  13-35.  Acts  x.  34-11. 

3.  "      Luke  xxiv.  36-47.  Acts  xiii.  26-33 . 

1.  Sunday     after 
Easter      (Quasi- 

modog.) John  sx.  19-31.  1  John  v.  4-10. 

2.  Sunday     after 
Easter      (Miser. 

Dom.) John  x.  12-16.  1  Pet.  ii.  21-25. 

3.  Sunday     after 

Easter  (Jubilate)  John  xvi.  16-23.  1  Pet.  ii.  11-20. 

4.  Sunday     after 

Easter  (Cantatc)  John  xvi.  5-15.  James  i.  16-21. 

5.  Sunday     after 

Easter  (Rogate).  John  xvi.  23-30.  James  i.  22-27. 

Ascension  Day .. . .  Mark  xvi.  14-20.  Acts  i.  1-11. 

6.  Sunday     after 

Easter  (Exaudi).  John  xv.  26-xvi.  4.  1  Pet.  iv.  8-11. 


The  Gospels.  The  Epistles. 

1.  Pentecost John  xiv.  23-31.        Acts  ii.  1-13. 

2.  "        John  iii.  16-21.  Acts  x.  42-46. 

3-  "        John  X.  1-11.  Acts  viii.  14-17. 

Trinity  Sunday. . ..  John  iii.  1-15.  Rom.  xi.  33-36. 

1.  Sunday     after 

Trinity Luke  xvi.  19-31.       IJohn  iv.  16-21. 

2.  Sunday     after 

Trinity Luke  xiv.  16-24.       1  John  iii.  13-18. 

3.  Sunday     .after 

Trinity Luke  xv.  1-10.  1  Pet.  v.  6-11. 

4.  Sunday     after 

Trinity Luke  vi.  36-42.         Rom.  viii.  18-^. 

5.  Sunday     after 

Trinity Luke  v.  1-lL  1  Pet.  iii.  8-15. 

6.  Sunday     after 

Trinity Matt.  v.  20-26.  Rom.  vi.  3-11. 

7.  Sunday     after 

Trinity Mark  viii.  1-9.  Eom.  vi.  19-23. 

8.  Sunday     after 

Trinity Matt.  vii.  15-23.        Rom.  viii.  12-17, 

9.  Sunday     after 

Trinity Luke  xvi.  1-9.  1  Cor.  x.  6-13.  . 

10.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Luke  xix.  41-48.       1  Cor.  xii.  1-11. 

11.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Luke  xviii.  9-14.      1  Cor.  x v.  1-10. 

12.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Mark  vii.  31-37.        2  Cor.  iii.  4-11. 

13.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Luke  x.  23-37.  Gal.  iii.  15-22. 

14.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Luke  xvii.  11-19.       Gal.  v.  16-24 

15.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  vi.  24-34.  Gal.  v.  25-vi  10. 

16.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Luke  vii.  11-17.        Eph.  iii.  13-2L 

17.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Luke  xiv.  1-11.         Eph.  iv.  1-6. 

18.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  xxii.  34-46.      1  Cor.  i.  4-9. 

19.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  ix.  1-8.  Eph.  iv.  22-28. 

20.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  xxii.  1-14.        Eph.  v.  15-21. 

21.  Sunday    after 

Trinity John  iv.  47-54.  Eph.  vi.  10-17. 

22.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt,  xviii.  23-35.     Phil.  i.  3-11. 

23.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  xxii.  15-22.      Phil.  iii.  17-21. 

24.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  ix.  18-26.  Col.  i.  9-14. 

25.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  xxiv.  15-28.     1  Thess.  iv.  13-18. 

26.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  xxv.  31-46.      2  Pet.  iii.  3-14. 

27.  Sunday    after 

Trinity Matt.  xxv.  1-13.        1  Thess.  v.  1-11. 


*  [This  Table  is  likewise  omitted  in  the  Edb.  trsl.  But  as  it  belongs  to  the  homiletical  character  of  this  Commen- 
tary and  is  frequently  referred  to  in  the  Homiletical  sections,  we  have  retained  it  witli  the  exception  of  the  Apostles' 
Days,  and  Days  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  which  are  very  rarelv  observed  among  Protestants.  The  old  series  of  Gospels  and 
Epistles  is  essentially  the  s.ame  in  the  Rom.  Cath.,  Luth.,  Episcop.,  and  Germ.  Reform.  Churches  with  a  few  variations. 
Compare  the  Tables  in  the  Episc.  Common  Prayer  Book,  in  the  Germ.  Ref  Liturgy  of  1857,  pp.  30-33,  and  in  many 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  Liturgies  .-md  Hymn  Books.— P.  S.] 

t  [This  and  the  following  Latin  titles  are  the  initial  words  of  the  introductory  Latin  Psalms  appointed  for  these 
several  Sundays  in  the  Latin  Church.— P.  S.] 


1 

THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW; 

OE, 

THE    GOSPEL    OF   THEOOEATIO    HISTOEY, 

{SYMBOLIZED  BY  THE  SACRIFICIAL  BULLOCK.) 

INTRODUCTION. 


§1.    DISTINCTIVE  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  FIRST  GOSPEL. 

The  genealogy  at  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  is  of  the  greatest  importance. 
The  first  Gospel  connects  the  New  Testament  most  intimately  with  the  Old,  not  by  an  index 
of  the  writings  of  the  Old  Testament,  but  by  the  Old  Testament  genealogy  of  Jesus.  This 
serves  as  evndence  of  the  indissoluble  connection  between  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament, 
which  continued  in  the  secret  recesses  of  Jewish  life  even  during  tlie  age  of  the  Apocrypha. 
It  expresses  at  the  same  time  the  important  truth,  that  God's  revelation  was  carried  on  not 
only  by  the  spoken  and  written  word,  but  also,  and  chiefly,  in  and  by  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
through  a  succession  of  living  men,  until  it  reached  its  climax  in  the  personal  incarnation,  in 
Christ. 

In  the  Gospel  by  Matthew,  the  life  of  Jesus  is  presented  as  forming  part  of  the  history  and 
life  of  the  Jewish  nation ;  and  hence  as  the  fulfilment  of  the  hereditary  blessing  of  Abraham. 
Jesus  is  here  set  before  us  as  the  new-born  King  of  the  Jews,  as  the  promised  Messiah,  and  the 
aim  and  goal  of  every  progressive  stage  of  tlie  Theocracy.  He  is  the  great  Antitype  of  Old 
Testament  history,  in  whom  everything  has  been  fulfilled — the  types  in  the  law,  in  worship,  in 
historical  events,  and  in  gracious  interpositions — in  short,  the  fulfilment  of  the  Theocracy.  In 
and  with  Him  the  Old  Covenant  is  transformed  into  the  New,  the  Theocracy  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  the  demands  of  the  law  into  the  beatitudes,  Sinai  into  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes,  the 
prophetic  into  the  teaching  office,  the  priesthood  into  redemption  by  suffering,  and  the  kingship 
into  the  triumph  of  almighty  grace,  restoring,  helping,  and  delivering  a  fallen  world. 

But  as  Christ  formed  both  the  central  truth  and  the  crown  of  the  entire  history  of  the  Old 
Covenant,  Ilis  life,  and  the  perfect  revelation  of  God  in  Him,  were  necessarily  opposed  to  the 
carnal  and  spurious  form  which  Judaism  had  assumed  in  that  age,  or  the  historical  traditional- 
ism of  the  Scribes.  This  claimed  to  expound  the  full  import  of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  assumed 
the  appearance  of  strictest  conformity  to  its  requirements,  but,  in  point  of  fact,  it  perverted  the 
Old  Testament  into  a  series  of  outward  ordinances,  utterly  destructive  of  the  spirit  of  the  law, 
and  which  from  their  very  nature  evoked  scepticism  on  the  one  hand,  and  false  spiritualism  on 
the  other,  while  they  necessarily  led  to  the  decay  of  national  life.     The  truth  of  this  statement 


40  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 

appears  but  too  clearly  from  the  connection  of  the  Judaism  of  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes  with 
the  scepticism  of  tlie  Sadducecs,  the  false  spiritualism  of  the  Essenes,  and  the  semi-heathen  and 
semi-Jewish  rule  of  Herod  the  Iduma3an.  This  essential  antagonism  between  true  and  false 
Judaism  accounts  for  the  persecution  and  the  sufterings  of  the  Christ  of  God.  In  truth,  His 
life  was  a  continuous  conflict  between  the  real  and  the  spurious  King  of  Israel,  between  the 
true  Prophet  and  the  spurious  claims  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  between  the  true  High 
Priest  and  a  carnal  priesthood.     This  contest  issued  in  Ilis  deatli  upon  the  cross. 

Hence  Christ  is  at  the  same  time  the  heir  of  the  blessing  and  the  heir  of  the  curse,  which 
descended  upon  Him  through  the  successive  ages  of  history.  Viewed  in  Himself,  as  the  Son 
of  God  and  the  Son  of  Man,  He  is  the  great  Heir  of  the  blessing  of  Abraham,  and  of  humanity 
in  general ;  for  from  the  first  the  human  family  was  elected  and  blessed  in  Him.  On  the  other 
hand,  in  His  history, — i.  e.,  through  the  connection  subsisting  between  His  sinless  divine-human 
Person  and  His  guilty  and  sin-laden  brethren, — the  curse  due,  in  the  first  place,  to  His  people 
Israel,  and  in  the  next,  to  all  mankind,  is  seen  to  descend  and  to  meet  upon  Him.  But  by  His 
world-conquering  love,  tlie  curse  of  the  cross  became  in  turn  the  greatest  of  blessings,  even  the 
reconciliation  of  the  world.  The  glorious  fact,  that  by  the  death  of  Christ  the  reconciliation 
of  the  world  had  been  accomplished,  became  immediately  manifest  in  His  resurrection.  Hence 
He  who,  in  the  execution  of  His  mission,  was  subject  to  every  human  condition  and  limitation, 
— who,  during  His  earthly  course,  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  and  in  His  death  bore  the 
concentrated  weight  of  every  curse.  He,  the  image  of  God  from  heaven,  for  His  great  love  cast 
downi  to  hell  by  His  blinded  people,  appears  in  His  resurrection  as  the  glorious  and  sovereign 
Lord  and  King,  to  whom  all  power  is  given  in  heaven  and  upon  earth,  and  who  gathers  His 
elect  from  every  nation  and  kindred. 

The  history  of  Jesus,  as  delineated  by  Matthew,  is  at  the  same  time  the  fulfilment  and  the 
transformation  of  all  history.  If  that  Evangelist  has  given  us  chiefly  the  History  of  the  gospel, 
he  has  also  furnished  the  Gospel  of  history. 

As  here  presented  to  our  view,  the  Saviour  not  only  sounds  the  depths  of  every  sorrow,  but 
also  transforms  it.  It  is  this  transformation  of  sorrow  which  constitutes  the  Priesthood  of  the 
Spirit.  For,  by  His  unconditional  self-surrender,  prompted  by  unspeakable  love,  the  sacrificial 
Lamb  became  the  eternal  High  Priest.  The  covenant  blessing  which  Jesus  had  inherited  as 
the  Son  of  Abraham  now  opened  up  in  all  its  fulness,  and  appeared  as  the  fulfilment  and  the 
climax  of  every  blessing  hitherto  vouchsafed  to  our  earth.  The  Hngdotn  of  heaven — the  eter- 
nal Canaan — was  no  longer  confined  to  one  spot,  but  all,  of  whatever  nation  or  kindred,  who 
were  poor  in  spirit,  and  thus  the  true  seed  of  Abraham,  were  to  be  admitted  citizens  of  this 
spiritual  and  heavenly  country. 

From  its  prevailing  historical  character,  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  may  be  regarded  as  forming 
the  basis  of  all  the  others.  It  dwells  chiefly  on  the  great  facts  of  the  life  of  Jesus  as  foretold 
and  foreshadowed  in  the  Old  Testament ;  while  Mark  sketches  His  individual  personality,  Luke 
presents  Him  in  His  mercy  to  humanity  at  large,  and  John,  in  his  symbolical,  divinely  ideal 
Gospel,  opens  to  our  view  the  fulness  of  grace  and  of  truth  which  came  by  Jesus  Christ. 

In  its  typological  view  and  exposition  of  the  Old  Testament,  the  Gospel  according  to  Mat- 
thew strongly  resembles  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 

§2.    MATTHEW  THE   EVANGELIST. 

From  his  peculiar  genius,  his  training,  and  his  apostolical  calling,  Matthew  Levi,  the  publi- 
can and  Apostle,  was  peculiarly  fitted  for  the  task  of  writing  this  Gospel.  In  truth,  his  Gospel 
is  just  the  embodiment  of  the  faith  and  blissful  joy  which  sprung  up  in  his  own  heart  from  a 
view  of  the  Lord  and  a  survey  of  His  history.  What  he  saw  and  beheved,  he  presents  to  his 
readers. 

Before  his  conversion,  Matthew  was  employed  in  collecting  toll  and  custom  by  the  Lake  of 
Gennesaret  (Matt.  ix.  9  sq.).  He  is  the  same  with  "  Levi,  son  of  Alpheus,"  whom,  according 
to  Luke  V.  27,  29 ;  Mark  ii.  14,  the  Lord  called  from  the  receipt  of  custom.    For  the  special 


COMrOSITION  OF  THIS  GOSPEL.  41 


calls  of  Christ  in  the  Gospels  refer  always  to  the  apostolic  office,  and  besides  this,  only  one  of 
the  Apostles — Matthew — had  formerly  been  a  publican.  The  change  of  name  cannot  be  re- 
garded as  an  objection,  as  several  of  the  Apostles  adopted  a  new  name  expressive  of  their 
altered  views  or  calling.  His  old  name,  Lex^i  (for  Levite,  I'lb),  might  either  express  the  idea 
of  Jewish  legalism,  or,  from  its  etymology  (i^V),  attachment  and  dependence.  The  name  Mat- 
theic,  which  he  adopted,  is  not  identical  with  Matthias  (n^nTQ,  efciScopos  or  GeoSoroj).  The  dif- 
ferent formation  of  the  word  points  to  a  different  derivation.  Besides,  another  of  the  disciples 
bore  the  name  of  Xathanael^  or  "  gifc  of  God."  The  word  ip^a  signifies  full  extension  or  growth 
— in  concreto,  like  n^  one  who  is  fully  grown,  a  man,  a  hero :  add  to  this  the  word  Jah,  and 
the  name  might  be  interpreted  as  meaning  "  God's  free  man,"  in  opposition  to  Levi,  the  servant 
of  the  law.  Such  at  least  was  Matthew,  whatever  may  be  deemed  the  right  interpretation  of 
his  name.* 

The  great  and  gracious  calling  of  Matthew  from  the  receipt  of  custom  to  the  apostolic  office 
took  place  at  a  time  when  many  publicans  and  sinners  (or  excommunicated  persons)  were 
awakened  by  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Even  before  that,  however,  Matthew  had  been  an 
"Israelite  indeed,"  familiar  and  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  Old  Testament.  The  circum- 
stance that,  although  deeply  attached  to  the  religion  of  his  fathers,  he  adopted  an  occupation 
against  which  such  strong  prejudices  were  entertained,  would  seem  to  indicate  that,  to  some 
extent  at  least,  he  could  distinguish  between  the  true  essence  of  Judaism  and  its  outward  forms 
and  traditional  prejudices.  In  his  conversion,  this  distinction  was  fully  impressed  on  his  mind. 
Internal  and  external  Judaism,  spiritual  and  outward  tradition,  the  fulfilment  of  genuine  hope 
in  Christ,  and  its  perversion  in  the  carnal  expectations  of  the  Jews, — such  are  the  fundamental 
ideas  of  his  Gospel,  and  set  before  his  readers  in  that  orderly,  rubrical,  business-like  manner, 
to  which  he  had  been  trained  in  the  school  of  his  former  employment  as  a  publican.  Thia 
methodical  arrangement  of  the  subject,  an  aptitude  for  descrying  and  presenting  any  grand 
contrast  in  a  striking  manner,  to  which  must  be  added  a  peculiar  breadth  of  mind,  formed  the 
mental  qualifications  of  our  Evangelist  for  his  work,  which  were  still  further  developed  in  the 
school  of  grace. 

The  New  Testament  furnishes  no  details  of  his  later  activity  as  an  Apostle.  According  to 
Eusebius  (Hist.  Eccles.  iii.  24),  Matthew  proclaimed  the  Gospel  first  to  the  Hebrews,  and  then 
went  to  other  nations,  after  having  "  committed  his  Gospel  to  writing  in  his  native  language  " 
(the  Hebrew).  Later  historians  report. that  he  had  gone  to  Ethiopia  (to  Meroe),  and  there 
preached  the  Gospel  (Socrates,  Hist.  Eccles.  i.  19;  Rufinus  x.  9).  According  to  the  earlier 
statement  of  Clement  of  Alexandria  (Strom,  iv.),  he  died  a  natural  death :  later  writers  speak 
of  his  martyrdom!  (Mart.  Rom.  21  Sept.  Abdiso  Hist.  Ap.  7).  Isidore  of  Seville  represents  him 
as  laboring  in  Macedonia,  Symeon  Metaphrastes  in  Upper  Syria,  Ambrosius  in  Persia,  and 
others  in  different  places.  But  we  attach  no  historical  value  to  any  of  these  notices,  except 
those  of  Clement  and  Eusebius.  According  to  an  ancient  tradition,  Matthew  remained  in  Jeru- 
salem for  fifteen  years  after  the  ascension  of  the  Lord  (Clement  Alex.  Strom,  vi.). 

Matthew  and  John  alone  have  the  honor  of  being  at  the  same  time  Apostles  and  Evange- 
lists. As  Evangelist,  our  publican  stands  first  in  order,  and  opens  the  message  of  salvation, 
even  as  Mary  Magdalene,  who  had  been  a  sinner,  was  the  first  to  bring  tidings  of  the  resurrec- 
tion. 

§3.    COMPOSITION  OF  THIS  GOSPEL. 

1.  As  to  the  original  language  of  the  first  Gospel,  the  most  ancient  and  trustworthy  wit- 
nesses record  that  Matthew  wrote  it  in  Hebrew.  The  testimonies  to  this  eff"ect  commence  with 
that  of  Papias  of  Hierapolis,  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  century,  who  evidently  refers  to 
the  written  Gospel  by  Matthew  (see  Euseb.  H.  E.  iii.  39).    His  statement  is  confirmed  by 

*  For  other  derivations  of  tho  name,  see  "Winer's  £i7>l.  Real-Wbrterbuch. 

+  The  legend  runs,  that  one  of  the  attendants  of  Ilirtacus,  king  of  Ethiopia,  murdered  Matthew,  by  piercing  him 
through  the  bacli  while  at  prayer.  The  revenge  of  the  king  was  prompted  by  the  conversion  of  ^Egyppus,  his  predecessor 
on  the  throne,  who,  with  his  whole  family,  had  adopted  Christianity  in  consequence  of  the  preaching  of  Matthew. 


42  THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 

almost  all  the  older  Fathers,  such  as  Irensous,  Origeu,  Eusebius,  Jerome,  and  Eplphanius.  On 
the  other  hand,  however,  an  independent  examination  of  our  present  Greek  Gospel  by  Mat- 
thew, and  especially  of  the  independent  form  of  his  quotations  from  the  Old  Testament  as  com- 
pared with  the  Heptuagint,  leaves  the  impression  of  an  original  work,  whether  it  was  wiitten 
by  Matthew  himself,  or  by  some  other  person  clothed  witli  apostolic  authority.  Papias  relates 
that  this  Gosi)el  was  repeatedly  interpreted,  and  the  ajjostolic  Church  undoubtedly  retained  its 
most  trustworthy  rendering.  This  translation  was  preserved  in  its  purity,  and  obtained  canon- 
ical authority;  while  the  Hebrew  original  was  afterwards  corrupted  and  interpolated  by  the 
Jewish-Christian  sects,  and  in  this  heretical  form  called  the  Gospel  of  the  Ilelrew)'^  which  lost 
or  rather  never  enjoyed  canonical  authority.  The  wliole  tenor  of  the  first  Gospel  proves,  that 
it  was  originally  destined  for  Jewish  Christians.  Matthew  evidently  assumes  that  his  readers 
are  conversant  with  the  Old  Testament,  with  the  sacred  writings,  and  with  Palestine  and  its 
manners.  If  this  view  be  correct,  we  also  gather  how  different  the  tenets  of  the  early  Jewish 
Christians  were  from  those  of  the  later  Ebionites.  Christians  who  could  appreciate  his  narra- 
tive -would  not  afterwards  confound  the  Gospel  with  legal  and  ceremonial  traditionalism. 

The  genuineness  of  the  first  two  chapters  of  this  Gospel  has  been  doubted,  but  without  any 
good  reason.  We  might  as  well  separate  the  head  from  the  body  as  call  in  question  the  chap- 
ters, which  form  the  basis  of  the  whole  Gospel.  Such  doubts  belong  to  a  period,  happily  gone 
by,  when  commentators  and  critics  had  not  the  most  remote  conception  of  the  fundamental 
ideas  and  the  organic  connection  of  the  various  Gospels. 

2.  Time  of  Composition. — From  such  passages  as  chaps,  xxvii.  8,  and  xxviii.  15,  we  infer 
that  this  Gospel  was  composed  a  considerable  time  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ.  Again,  we 
may  conjecture  from  chap.  xxiv.  15,  that  it  was  written  when  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  was 
already,  in  a  certain  sense,  desecrated  by  the  "  abomination  of  desolation."  Of  course  it  must 
date  from  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  although  that  event  was  already  foreshadowing. 
Hence  we  may  date  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  from  the  year  67  to  69. 

3.  Authenticity. — For  the  many  testimonies  in  favor  of  the  authenticity  of  this  Gospel,  we 
refer  the  reader  to  the  various  Introductions^  especially  to  Kirchhofer's  Collection  of  Sources 
(Quellensarnmlunf/)  for  the  History  of  the  New  Testament  Canon  (Zur.,  1842).  Papias  already 
knew  this  Gospel,  the  expression  recorded  by  Eusebius  (H.  E.  iii.  39)  manifestly  referring  to  a 
Gospel,— the  word  Aoyta  applying  to  the  entire  evangelical  tradition  of  Matthew,  and  not 
merely  to  a  collection  of  sayings,  as  appears  from  the  similar  statement  about  Mark.  The 
Diatessaron  of  Tatian,  which  dates  from  the  middle  of  the  second  century,  shows  that  at  that 
time  all  the  four  Gospels  had  already  been  recognized  by  the  Church;  and  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  Tatian  was  a  disciple  of  Justin,  and  that  the  Memorabilia  {aTroixv-qixovevjiaTa)  point 
back  to  an  earlier  period.  In  the  second  half  of  the  second  century,  the  founder  of  the  Cate- 
chetical School  at  Alexandria  met  with  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  among  the  Arabs  (Euseb.  v.  10). 
The  testimony  of  Irenaius  (adversus  hseres.  iii.  1)  dates  from  about  the  same  period ;  after 
which  we  have  the  testimonies  of  Origen,  Eusebius,  Ei)iphanius,  Jerome,  and  others. 

4.  Title. — As  in  the  inscription  to  all  the  other  Gospels,  so  in  this  also,  the  expression, 
According  to  Matthew  {Kara  MarSntoi/),  calls  attention  to  the  important  fact,  that,  notwithstand- 
ing the  human  diversity  appearing  in  the  Gospels,  they  form  but  one  Divine  message  of  salva- 
tion. 

§4.    THEOLOGICAL  AND  HOMILETICAL  TREATMENT  OF  THIS  GOSPEL.* 

"We  confine  ourselves  here  to  the  special  works  on  Matthew,  having  already  noticed  the 
general  commentaries  on  the  New  Testament. 

Among  the  older  monographs  on  Matthew  we  mention  Melanchthon  :  Breves  Commentarii 
in  Matthaum,  Strasb.,  1523;  CEcolampadius  :  Enarrationes  in  Evang.  Matthcei,  Baa.,  1586; 
and  similar  works  of  Wolfg.  Musoulus,  Oleakius,  &c.  Modern  commentators  of  Matthew,  in 
full  or  in  part,  are :  Geiesbach  ;  Wizenmann  {The  History  of  Jesus  according  to  Matth.) ;  Men- 

*  [This  whole  sectiou  is  omitted  in  the  Edinb.  edition.— P.  S.] 


§5.    ITS  FUNDAMENTAL   IDEA  AND   ORG^VNISM.  43 

KEN  (Meditations  on  the  Gospel  of  M.,  2  vols.,  Frankf.,  1809 ;  Bremen,  1822, — homiletical  and 
practical) ;  Haenack  (Jesus  the  Christ,  or  the  Fuljillcr  of  the  Law,  a  bibl.  thool.  Essay  on  the 
basis  of  the  Gospel  of  Matth,,  Elberf.,  1842);  Tiioluok  [Commentary  on  the  Sermon  on  the 
'  Mount,  Matt,  v.-vii.,  Hamburg,  1833,  3d  ed.,  1845 ;  translated  into  English  by  R.  L.  Beown, 
Edinb.,  1860 ;  it  is  regarded  as  the  most  elaborate  and  valuable  exegetical  work  of  Dr.  Tho- 
luck, — P.  S.] ;  Kling  (The  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  Marburg,  1841) ;  [Fr.  Arndt,  of  Berlin,  Ser- 
mons on  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  Magdeb.,  1889,  2  vols. — P.  S. ;]  Lisoo  [and  especially  TrenohJ 
on  the  Parables,  and  on  the  Miracles  of  Jesus  (several  editions) ;  Stier  (in  the  Reden  Jesu) 
[Words  of  Jesus,  vols.  i.  and  ii.,  German  and  English];  Hkubner  (Practical  Com.,  vol.  i. :  IVic 
Gospel  of  Matth.,  Potsdam,  1855) ;  and  the  Roman  Catholic  divines:  Arnoldi  (The  Gospel  of 
Matth.,  Treves,  1856);  Sohegg  (Munich,  1856);  and  Bcoher  (Schaffhausen,  1855).  Comp. 
also  the  critical  essays  of  Harless:  Pe  compositione  Evang.  quod  Matthceo  trihuitur  (Erlangen, 
1842),  and  Delitzsoh  :  On  the  Origin  and  Plan  of  Matth.  (Leipz.,  1853);  also  the  exegetical 
monograph  of  Dorner:  De  oratione  Christi  eschatologica,  Stuttg.,  1844  [on  !Matt.  xxiv.]. 

For  fuller  lists  of  older  writers  on  Matthew,  see  Heidegger:  EnchiiHdion  Mlllcum,  p.  464;  Waloh,  BiUioth.  theol., 
p.  468  ;  Danz  :  UniversalwarterlucJi  der  theol.  Literatur,  p.  636-'46,  and  the  Supplement,  p.  73  and  73 ;  Winek  :  Eand- 
buch  der  theol.  Lit.,  i.,  p.  245  sqq..  Supplement,  p.  33 ;  and  Schmidt  :  Biblioth.  theol.  (Ilalle,  1S55),  p.  86. 

[American  works  on  Matthe"^. — ^Jos.  Addison  Alexander  (0.  S,  Presbyt.)  :  The  Gospel  ac- 
cording to  MattheiD  (New  York,  1861).  The  last  work  of  the  author,  completed  only  to  the  close 
of  chapter  xvi. ;  with  a  short  analysis  of  the  remaining  chapters  which  he  finished  a  few  days 
before  his  death.  William  Nast  (educated  in  the  university  of  Tiibingen,  minister  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  editor  of  a  German  religious  periodical  in  Cincinnati) :  Krl- 
tisch-PraTctischer  Commentar  ilher  das  K  T.,  vol.  i.  on  Matthew  (Cincinnati,  1860).  It  is  now 
being  translated  into  English  under  the  supervision  of  the  author.  D.  D.  TVhedon  (Method. 
Episc.) :  A  Commentary  on  the  Gospels  of  Matthew  and  MarTc,  for  popular  use  (New  York, 
1861).  T.  J.  CoNANT  (Baptist) :  The  Gospel  J^y  Matthew.  The  Common  English  Version  and  the 
Received  Greek  Text;  with  a  Revised  Version  and  Critical  and  Philological  Notes ;  prepared 
for  the  Amer.  Bible  Union  (New  York,  1860).  Oomp.  also  the  popular  Commentaries  on  the 
Gospels  by  A.  Barnes  (N.  S.  Presbyt.),  Prof.  Owen  (N.  S.  Presbyt.)  and  Prof.  Jacobus  (0.  S. 
Presbyt.),  and  Robinson's  and  Strong's  Harmonies. — P.  S.] 

§  5.    FUNDAMENTAL  IDEA  AND  ORGANISM  OF  THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 

Jesus,  the  offspring  of  David,  is  the  fulfilment  of  the  Old  Covenant.  His  doctrine  and  His 
life  embody  the  essence  and  the  spirit  of  the  Old  Testament  Theocracy — Judaism  is  its  funda- 
mental idea  and  import, — thus  proving  that  He  was  the  promised  Christ  of  God.  But,  on  this 
very  ground,  His  history  presents  a  continual  antagonism  with  the  spurious  and  degenerate 
Judaism,  represented  by  the  hierarchy  of  His  age.  In  this  conflict,  while  outwardly  succumb- 
ing, He  achieves  that  triumph  by  which  His  eternal  kingdom  is  established.  lie  dies, — but  as 
the  great  atoning  sacrifice  by  which  the  world  is  reconciled  to  God ;  and  this  reconciliation 
constitutes  the  basis  of  His  kingdom. 

Viewed  in  this  light,  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  presents  to  us  the  fulfilment  of  the  Old  Cove- 
nant. It  is  the  Gospel  of  the  law,  of  the  priesthood,  of  the  genealogies,  of  history,  of  suffer- 
ings, and  of  death, — in  a  word,  the  Gospel  of  the  promised  and  accomplished  atonement,  of  the 
predicted  and  achieved  triumph. 

As  fulfilling  the  Old  Covenant,  Jesus  Christ  transforms  the  typical  Theocracy  into  the  ever- 
lasting kingdom  of  heaven ;  and  that  in  His  capacity  as  eternal  Prophet,  High  Priest,  and  King., 
— i.  e.,  as  the  true  Christ. 

Part  First. 

Jesus  comes  into  this  world,  as  the  true  theocratic  Messiah,  to  fulfil  the  Old  Covenant.  He 
remains  unknown  to,  and  unrecognized  by,  the  outward  and  worldly  Theocracy  of  His  day ; 


44  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 

yea,  lie  was  rejected  and  cast  out.     Hence  He  is  destined  to  undertake  His  Messianic  pilgrimage 

in  obscurity  and  humility;  but  He  is  glorified  and  attested  by  God. 

1st  Section. — Prophetic  types  of  the  Messiah  in  the  genealogy  of  the  Messiah  (Ch.  i.  1-17). 

2d  Section. — Jesus,  as  miraculously  conceived  by  Ilis  mother  in  faith,  or  in  the  mystery  of  His 
incarnation,  is  not  recognized  even  by  the  legitimate  representative  of  the  house  of  David 
(Joseph),  till  attested  by  an  angel  from  heaven  (Vers.  18-25). 

Zd  Section.— On  His  appearance  upon  earth.  He  is  rejected,  despised,  and  pertocuted  by  the 
theocratic  city,  the  theocratic  priesthood,  and  royalty;  but  owned  by  God  in  sign.,  from 
heaven,  in  the  adoration  of  wise  men  from  the  heathen  world,  in  His  miraculous  and  Divine 
preservation,  effected  by  the  flight  into  Egypt,  and  by  His  concealment  during  His  youth  iu 
the  obscurity  of  Galilee  (Ch.  ii.), 

Aith  Section. — On  entering  upon  His  public  ministry,  Jesus  remained  still  unknown,  even  to 
those  who  had  humbled  themselves  and  professed  penitence  in  Israel.  In  the  baptism  unto 
repentance  He  receives  His  solemn  consecration  unto  the  death  which  He  was  to  accom- 
plish, while  at  the  same  time  He  is  owned  and  glorified  by  the  Father  as  His  beloved  Son, — 
the  whole  blessed  Trinity  shedding  its  lustre  around  Him,  and  His  advent  being  announced 
by  His  special  messenger,  John  (Ch.  iii.). 

bth  Section. — Jesus  renouncing  the  world,  and  commencing  His  conquest  of  it.  While  prepar- 
ing for  the  public  discharge  of  His  office,  He  has  to  encounter  the  threefold  temptation  of 
Satan,  corresponding  to  the  threefold  form  in  which  a  worldly  minded  people  had  shaped 
to  themselves  their  hopes  of  the  Messiah.  Thus  Jesus  is  constrained  to  conceal  His  dignity 
from  the  people,  and  to  commence  His  work  in  the  despised  district  of  Galilee.  But  God 
glorifies  Him  in  the  homage  paid  to  Him  by  His  disciples  and  the  people  (Ch.  iv.). 

Part  Second, 

Christ  manifests  Himself  as  the  true  Messiah  in  His  continual  conflict  with  the  spurious 
notions  entertained  by  the  Jews  concerning  the  Messiah,  and  proves  Himself  the  promised 
Prophet,  King,  and  High  Priest. 
Ist  Section. — Christ  manifests  Himself  as  the  Prophet  : 

a.  As  Teacher  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  (Ch.  v.  to  vii.). 
K  As  Wonder-worker  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  attesting  and  confirming  His  word 
(Ch.  viii.  and  ix.). 
2d  Section. — Christ  manifests  Himself  as  the  King : 

a.  As  Shepherd  of  His  people,  in  sending  to  the  scattered  sheep  His  twelve  Apostles,  en- 
dowed with  the  power  of  His  Spirit,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  (Ch.  x.). 

b.  By  bringing  out  clearly  the  fact  that  He  has  not  been  owned  as  Prophet,  and  by  mani- 
festing His  royal  dignity  (Ch,  ix.). 

c.  By  proving  Himself  Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  Lord  of  the  people,  Conqueror  of  the  king- 
dom of  Satan,  the  future  Judge  of  His  foes,  and  the  Founder  of  the  kingdom  of  love, 
or  of  the  family  of  the  saints  (Ch.  xii.). 

d.  By  presenting  in  parables  the  foundation  and  the  development  of  His  kingdom 
through  all  its  phases,  from  its  commencement  to  its  termination  (Ch.  xiii.  1-51). 

Zd  Section. — Christ  manifests  Himself  as  the  High  Priest  in  His  sufferings; — being  rejected, 
a.  By  His  own  city,  Nazareth  (Ch.  xiii.  52-58). 
T).  By  the  political  despotism  of  Herod,  the  ruler  of  Galilee  (Ch,  xiv.). 

c.  By  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  of  Jerusalem,  or  the  theological  authorities  of  the 
schools  (Ch.  XV.). 

d.  By  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  or  the  theocratical  authorities  of  the  whole  coun- 
try (Ch,  xvi.  1-12). 


5.     ITS  FUNDAMENTAL  IDEA  AND   ORGANISM.  45 


Part  Third. 

Christ  presents  the  future  picture  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  in  (i])])()sitiou  to  the  traditional 
form  of  the  ancient  workl  and  Theocracy. 

1st  Section. — The  Church  in  its  prophetic  character,  as  confessing  Clirist  the  Sou  of  God,  in 
opposition  to  the  legal  opinions  concerning  Him  entertained  by  the  synagogue : 
a.  The  Church  as  confessing  Clirist  (Ch.  xvi.  18-20). 

h.  The  Church  as  bearing  the  cross  of  Christ,  in  contrast  to  that  worldly  fear  of  the 
cross  by  which  He  is  tempted  (Vers.  21-28). 

c.  The  Church  as  a  spiritual  communion,  in  opposition  to  the  solitary  tents  of  spurious 
separation  from  the  world  as  exhibited  in  the  history  of  anchoretism  and  monasticism 
(Ch.  xvii.  1-8). 

d.  The  Church  as  wholly  unknown  and  hidden  (Vers.  9-13). 

e.  The  Church  as  wonder-working  by  the  spiritual  power  of  prayer  and  fasting  (Vers. 
14-21). 

/.  The  Church  in  its  human  weakness  (Vers.  22,  23). 

g.  The  Church  as  free,  and  yet  voluntarily  subject,  and  paying  tribute  to  the  old  temple 
(Vers.  24-27). 
2(?  Section. — The  priestly  order  in  the  Church  of  Christ : 

a.  The  hierarchy  of  the  service  of  love  (Ch.  xviii.  1-14). 

h.  The  discipline  of  the  Church  (Vers.  15-20). 

c.  Absolution  in  the  Church  (Vers.  21-35). 
3(Z  Section. — The  priestly  family  in  the  Church : 

a.  Marriage  in  the  Church  (Ch.  xix.  1-12). 

I.   Children  in  the  Church  (Vers.  13-15). 

c.  Property  in  the  Church  (Vers.  16-23). 
4^A  Section. — Future  Tcingly  manifestation  of  the  Church  : 

a.  Glorious  reward  of  the  Apostles,  and  of  all  who  renounce  the  world  (Vers.  27-30). 

I.  Keward  by  free  grace  (Ch.  xx.  1-16). 

Part  Fourth. 

Christ  surrendering  Himself  to  the  Messianic  faith  of  His  people. 
1st  Section. — Full  prophetic  anticipation  of  the  end  (Oh.  xx.  17-19). 
2<Z  Section. — Places  at  the  right  and  the  left  of  His  throne,  and  of  His  priestly  cross  (Vers. 

20-28). 
Zd  Section. — The  courtly  pride  which  would  prevent  those  who  are  poor  and  needy  from  com- 
ing to  the  Lord,  and  manifestation  of  Christ  as  King  of  mercy  (Vers.  29-33). 
4i/i  Section. — Prophetic  Hosanna  of  the  people,  and  amazement  of  Jerusalem  (Ch.  xxi.  1-11). 
5th  Section. — Purification  of  the  temple ;  residence  of  the  King  in  His  temple. 

a.  The  house  of  prayer  and  of  mercy,  in  opposition  to  the  den  of  thieves  (Vers.  12-14). 
I.  The  children  in  the  temple,  and  the  high  priests  and  Scribes  (Vers.  15,  16). 
c.  The  barren  fig  tree  covered  with  foliage,  but  without  fruit,  on  the  Temple  Mount. 
Symbolical  curse  of  the  priesthood  (Vers.  17-22). 
6fA  Section. — Assaults  of  the  outward  Theocracy  on  the  King  in  His  temple: 

a.  Assault  of  the  high  priests  and  elders,  and  triumph  of  the  Lord  (Ch.  xxi.  23-xxii.  14). 
5.  Assault  of  the  Herodians,  or  of  the  political  party,  and  triumph  of  the  Lord  (Vers. 
15-22). 

c.  Assault  of  the  Sadducees,  and  triumph  of  the  Lord  (Vers.  23-33). 

d.  Assault  of  the  Pharisees,  and  triumph  of  the  Lord  (Vers.  34-46). 

1th  Section. — Final  judgment  of  Christ  upon  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes.     Christ  of  His  own 
accord  leaves  the  temple  (Ch.  xxiii.  to  xxiv.  1). 


46  TUE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


Part  FijXh. 

Ym.a\  and  fullest  manifestation  of  Christ  as  tho  Prophet ;  or,  discourses  of  the  Lord  con- 
cerning the  "  last  things." 
1st  Section. — The  general  judgment;  or,  the  end  of  Jerusaletn  and  that  of  the  world  (Oh.  xxiv. 

2-41). 
2(Z  Section. — Judgment  on  the  rulers  of  the  Church  (Vers.  42-51). 
Zd  Section. — Judgment  upon  the  Church  itself  (Ch.  xxv.  1-13). 
4:th  Section. — The  final  judgment  as  retribution  (Vers.  14r-30). 
hth  Section. — The  final  judgment  as  separation  (Vers.  31-41). 

Part  Sixth, 

Final  and  fullest  manifestation  of  Jesus  as  the  High  Priest  in  His  sufferings. 
1st  Section. — Certitude  of  the  Lord,  and  incertitude  of  His  enemies  (Ch.  xxvi.  1-3). 
2fZ  Section. — The  anointing  to  the  burial;  or,  the  loving  woman  and  the  traitor  (Vers.  4-16). 
Sd  Section.— The  Passover  and  the  Eucharist  (Vers.  17-29). 
4:th  Section. — Promises  of  the  disciples  and  Christ  in  Gethsemane  (Vers.  30-46). 
5th  Section.— The  traitor,  the  defender,  and  the  disciples  generally  (Vers.  47-56). 
mh  Scctiou.—Ca\ai>has  (Vers.  57-68). 
7th  Section.— Feter  (Vers.  69-75). 

8th  Section. — Judas  and  the  high  priests  (Ch.  xxvii.  1-10). 
^th  Section. — Pilate,  the  Jews,  and  the  band  of  soldiers  (Vers.  11-31). 
IQth  Section.— Go\goih2.  (Vers.  32-56). 
11th  Section. — The  burial  and  the  sealing  of  the  tomb  (Vers.  57-66). 

Part  Seventh. 

Christ  in  His  full  hingly  glory  (Ch.  xxviii.). 
1st  Section. — The  angel  from  heaven  (Vers.  1-8). 

2d  Section. — The  Lord,  and  the  women  worshipping  Him  (Vers.  9,  10). 
M  Section. — Judaism  and  its  saying;  or,  impotent  end  of  the  old  world  (Vers.  11-15). 
A:th  Section. — Almighty  rule  of  Christ,  and  His  kingdom  in  lieaven  and  on  earth  (Vers.  16-20). 

aVo^e.— The  view  lately  broached  by  Delitzsch  (in  the  Essay:  Neue  Untersuchungen  uber  Entstehwig  der  kanoni- 
sehen  Evangelien,  Part  I.,  Leipz.,  1S53),  on  the  connection  between  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  and  the  Pentateuch,  is  ex- 
ceedingly ingenious,  although  somewhat  strained.  Delitzsch  sets  out  by  selecting  the  passage  in  Matthew  v.  17,  "lam 
not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fnlfll,"  etc.,  as  containing  the  fundamental  idea  of  the  whole  Gospel.  Thus  far  we  agree  with 
him  ;  but  we  demur  to  his  inference  from  this  verse,  that  not  only  has  the  Old  Testament  Theocracy,  in  all  its  parts, 
been  fulfilled  in  the  life  of  the  Lord,  but  that  the  arrangement  of  the  Gospel  is  such,  that  its  five  parts  correspond  to,  and 
fulfil,  the  five  portions  of  the  Pentateuch.  Our  author  proceeds  to  prove  this  hypothesis  by  showing  how  the  first  chapter 
of  Matthew,  or  the  Book  of  the  Genesis  of  Christ,  corresponds  with  the  Book  of  Genesis.  Similarly  as  the  Book  of  Exodus 
opens  with  the  murder  of  the  Hebrew  infants  in  Egypt,  so  the  second  chapter  of  Matthew  with  that  of  the  infants  in 
Bethlehem.  In  general,  many  and  striking  points  of  analogy  are  brought  out.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  is,  of  course, 
the  counterpart  of  the  giving  of  tho  law.  Ag.ain,  Matt.  viii.  1  is  a  fulfilment  of  the  Book  of  Leviticus:  the  cleansing  of 
the  leper  pointing  to  the  corresponding  legal  ordinances.  Still  farther.  Matt.  x.  1  corresponds  to  the  Book  of  Numbers,— 
the  numbering  of  the  twelve  tribes  being  fulfilled  in  the  selection  of  the  twelve  Apostles.  Lastly,  the  portion  correspond- 
ing to  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy  commences  with  ch.  xix.,  when  the  ministry  in  Galilee  ceases,  and  that  in  JudaBa  be- 
gins. In  this  case  Genesis  and  Leviticus  evidently  would  be  too  short.  Numbers  and  Deuteronomy  too  long.  The  same 
disproportion  would  apply  to  the  single  parts.  The  hypothesis  is  ingenious,  but  fanciful,  and  has  the  disadvantage  of  over- 
rating a  supposed  formal  correspondence  at  the  expense  of  the  inward  and  material  correspondence.  The  main  thing  to 
be  kept  in  view  is  the  great  fact,  that  the  Old  Testament  Theocracy  itself  was  fulfilled— not  In  the  letter,  but  in  tho  spirit- 
by  the  kingdom  of  heaven  under  the  New  Testament. 


THE 


GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO    MATTHEW, 


PART  FIRST. 

Jesus  comes  into  this  world,  as  the  Messiah  of  the  true  Theocracy,  to  fulfil  the 
Old  Covenant.  He  remains  unkno-wn  to  and  unrecognized  by  the  outward  and  secular 
Theocracy  of  His  day.  Rejected  and  cast  out  by  His  own.  He  undertakes  secretly 
His  first  Messianic  pilgrimage  into  Egypt.     But  He  is  glorified  and  attested  by  God. 


FIRST    SECTION. 
PROPHETIC   TYPES   OF  THE  MESSIAH,   IN   THE   GENEALOGY   OF   THE  MESSIAH. 


Chapter  I.  1-17  (Lnke  iii.  23-38). 

CONTEJJTS :— 1.  Superscription.— 2.  Fundamental   Idea.— 8.  The  Three  Divisions  of  the  Genealogy. — L  Number  of  the 

Generations. 

1  The  book  of  the  generation  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  son  of  David,  the  son  of  Abraham. 

2  Abraham  begat  Isaac  ;  David  the  king  ^  begat  Solomon — 
Isaac  begat  Jacob  ;            _  of  her  that  had  been  the  wife  of  Unas ; 
Jacob  begat  Judas  and  his  brethren  ;             Y  Solomon  begat  Roboam  ; 

3  Judas  begat  Phares  and  Zara —  Roboam  begat  Abia  ; 

of  Thamar ;  Abia  begat  Asa  ; 

Phares  begat  Esrom  ;  8  Asa  begat  Josaphat  ; 
Esrom  begat  Aram  ;  Josaphat  begat  Joram  ; 

4  Aram  begat  Aminadab  ;  Joram  begat  Ozias  ; 
Aminadab  begat  Naasson  ;  9  Ozias  begat  Joatham  ; 
Naasson  begat  Salmon  ;                                         Joatliam  begat  Achaz  ; 

5  Salmon  begat  Booz —  Achaz  begat  Ezekias  ; 

of  Rachah  ;  10  Ezekias  begat  Manasses  ; 
Booz  begat  Obed —  Manasses  begat  Amon  ; 

of  Ruth  ;  Amon  begat  Josias  ; 

Obed  begat  Jesse  ;  11   Josias  begat  Jechonias  and  his  brethren, 

6  Jesse  begat  David  the  king ;  about    the    time    they  were    carried 

away  (/^crotKeo-ta)  to  Babylon  ; 

12  And  after  they  were  brought  to  Babylon — 
Jechonias  begat  Salathiel  ; 

Salatliiel  begat  Zorobabel ; 

13  Zorobabel  begat  Abiud  ; 
Abiud  begat  Eliakim  ; 
Eliakira  begat  Azor : 


48 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


14  Azor  begat  Sadoc  ; 
Sudoc  begat  Achim  ; 
Achiu>  begat  Eliud  ; 

15  Eliud  begat  Eleazar  ; 
Eleazar  begat  Matthan  ; 
Matthan  begat  Jacob ; 

16  Jacob    begat   Josepli,   tlie    husband    of 

Mary,  of  whom  was  born  Jesus,  who 

is  called  Christ  [the  Messiali].* 
1 7  So  all  the  generations  from  Abraham  to  David,  are  fourteen  generations ;  and  from 
David,  until  the  carrying  away  into  Babylon,  are.  fourteen  generations  ;  and  from 
the  carrying  away  into  Babylon  unto  Christ,  are,  fourteen  generations. 

1  Ver.  6.— [The  title  b  $a.(ri\evs,  the  king,  is  repeated  in  tlie  texi/ua  recepPus  with  the  majority  of  MSS.  and  retained 
by  Meyer,  Wordsworth,  Lange,  but  omitted  by  some  of  the  oldest  MSS.  and  versions,  and  in  tiie  critical  editions  of  Lach- 
raann,  Tischendorf,  Trcgelles,  Alford  (iu  his  fourth  ed.).  The  repetition  maybe  defended  on  the  eroimd  of  emphasis  as  giv- 
ing a  clue  to  the  design  of  this  genealogy  and  showing  the  kingship  of  Christ,  the  heir  of  the  whole  theocracy.  Dr.  Words- 
worth makes  use  of  "the  texitca  receptus  as  an  argument  for  hisiview  of  the  relation  of  the  two  genealogies:  "The  gene- 
alogy of  St.  Matthew  is  Christ's  official  succession  to  David  as  a  king  (see  ver.  6,  whore  David  is  twice  called  6  fiacn\evs). 
That  of  St.  Luke  is  the  derivation  of  his  origin  from  David  as  a  man, — hence  he  traces  the  Lord's  pedigree  further  back- 
ward, even  to  the  first  men),  Adam,  the  liither  of  the  human  race."  Dr.  W.,  following  the  fathers,  regards  both  geneal- 
ogies a?  the  pedigrees  of  Joseph,  not  of  Mary. — P.  8.] 

*  [The  authorized  English  version  of  the  Greek  Testament  after  the  latest  standard  edition  of  the  American  Bible  So- 
ciety (New  York,  1862),  is  made  the  basis  of  this  Commentary,  and  all  occasional  corrections  are  included  in  brackets 
{see  tlie  Preface).  But  in  this  section  which  contains  the  genealogy  of  Christ,  I  have  deviated  from  the  rule  and  conform- 
ed to  the  new  German  version  of  Lange  in  three  points :  1,  in  the  order  and  arrangement,  with  the  view  to  bring  out  more 
clearly  the  three  divisions  or  periods  of  Christ's  ancestry ;  2,  in  omitting  tha  oft  repeated  and  unneces.sary  and  (for  the 
Greek  54)  between  the  members  of  the  pedigree;  3,  in  italicizing  th&  fem,(ile  ancestry  of  Christ,  ver.  3,  5,  and  6;  comp. 
Comment,  p.  49.  Italics  then  do  not  indicate  here  ndilitions  to  the  Greek  te.xt,  as  in  the  Common  Version,  which,  in  this 
genealogy,  only  supplies  the  words  :  "  t/t,at  had  been  tli,'  'iiif'c,''  ver.  G.  As  regards  the  spelling  of  proper  nouns  1  have  (in 
the  text,  not  in  the  notes)  adhered  to  the  C.  V.,  alUiouL'li  in  :i  r,  riyion  of  the  English  Bible  (which  is  in  no  way  attempted 
in  this  Commentary)  uniformity  in  the  spelling  sIkhiIcI  uiulDiilifiMlly  be  aimed  at'  as  much  as  possible,  and  Hebrew  names 
should,  as  a  rule,  be  conformed  to  the  Hebrew,  Greek  names  to  the  Greek  spelling.  Thus  in  this  genealogy  Judah  should 
bo  substituted  for  Judan,  Pharez  for  Phares,  Ilizrmi  for  Esrom,,  Ram,  for  Arum,,  Nahnhnn  for  Naasaon,  Boaz  for  Booz, 
Rahah  for  Rachab,  Uriah  for  Urias,  Rehoboam  for  Roboam,  Jehoahapliat  for  Josaphat,  Ueziah  for  OziOD,  Jotham,  foj 
Joatham,  Ahaz  for  Achaz,  Ilezekiah  for  Ezekias.  Josiah  for  Josias,  Jeconiah  for  Jechonias,  Zerubbabel  for  Zorobabel, 
Zadoc  for  Sadoc.  Comp.  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  dictionaries;  Dr.  Geo.  Campbell's  translation  of  the  four  Gospels  with 
preliminary  dissertations,  Lond.  1834,  Diss.  xii.  Pt.  iii.  10-14;  and  Dr.  T.  J.  Conant's  "Revised  Version  of  Matthew,'' 
New  York,  1860,  p.  2.  -P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  The  expression  /3t/8Aos  y^vefficcs 
might  be  rendered,  book  of  the  natii'ity,  and  hence  be 
applied  in  a  more  extended  sense  to  the  whole  Gospel. 
But  it  may  also  mean  genealogy,  genealogical  table, 
pedigree  ;  and  this  is  the  simplest  and  most  obvious 
meaning.  It  is  supported,  1)  by  the  analogy  of  Gen. 
V.  1  (Sept.);  2)  by  the  reference  in  ver.  18,  toD  5s 
XpiffToi'  7)  7eVe(Tis,  and  in  ii.  1,  tov  Se  'ItjctoC  yfvvTi- 

Jesus,  Joshua,  yTOirr^  (Ex.  xxiv.  13  ;  Num.  xiii. 
16),  or  S^'^li."' — as  the  name  was  written  after  the 
Babylonish  captivity  (Neh.  vii.  7) — God  is  helper,  or 
deliverer. 

Christ,  Xpi(Tr6s,  rT'llia  ,  anointed :  the  official 
designation  of  priests,  Lev.  iv.  3  ;  v.  16  ;  Ps.  cv. 
15  ; — of  kings,  1  Sam.  xxiv.  7,  11 ;  Ps.  ii.  2  ;  Dan. 
ix.  25,  26.  In  1  Kings  xix.  16  we  also  read  of 
anointing  to  the  prophetic  office.  The  inspired  teach- 
ing of  the  prophets  led  Israel  to  look  for  salvation  in 
and  through  a  personal  Messiah,  who,  although  rep- 
resented in  the  first  place  as  the  anointed  King  of 
the  stock  of  David,  was  also  invested  with  the  at- 
tributes of  perfect  Prophet  and  of  High  Priest. 

Vers.  2-16.  From  the  expression  "Jacob  begat 
Joseph,"  ver.  16,  we  gather  that  wo  have  here  the 
genealogy  of  Joseph,  and  not  that  of  Mary.  But 
why  should  the  Evangelist  present  this  genealogy  to 
his  readers?  Joseph  was  descended  from  David 
through  the  legitimate  royal  line  of  the  house  of 
David  ;  and  it  was  necessary  to  show  that  Jesus,  the 
adoptive  son  of  Joseph,  was  the  legal  heir  to  the 
throne  of  David.     But  this  line  of  descent  was,  in 


the  most  important  respect,  also  the  line  of  Mary, 
though  she  was  descended  from  David  through  an- 
other branch  (Luke  i.  27  ;  Rom.  i.  3).  In  Joseph's 
line  of  descent,  the  grand  characteristics  which  dis- 
tinguish the  line  of  Jesus  appear  in  the  most  striking 
manner ;  viz.,  its  spiritual  nobihty,  its  humiliations 
and  consecrations  in  the  progress  of  history,  its 
glorious  elevation,  and  its  tragic  reverses.  It  was 
necessary  that  even  in  His  line  of  descent  the  Lord 
should  be  marked  out  as  the  chosen  sacrificial  Lamb 
of  Israel  and  of  the  world. 

The  line  of  descent,  as  traced  by  Matthew,  pre- 
sents various  difficulties. — First,  in  the  way  of  omis- 
sions. The  table  gives  Eahab  as  the  great-grand- 
mother of  David.  Yet  she  lived  about  400,  or,  more 
precisely,  366  years  before  David  was  born.  "  Tliis 
difficulty,"  remarks  de  Wette,  "  is  connected  with 
the  statement  in  Piuth  iv.  20,  according  to  which  the 
line  between  David  and  Nahshon  is  represented  as 
consisting  of  only  four  generations."  Besides,  in  the 
second  division  of  the  genealogy,  the  names  of 
Ahaziah,  Joash,  and  Amaziah  are  omitted,  which, 
according  to  1  Chron.  iii.  1],  12,  must  be  inserted 
between  Joram  and  Ozias  ;  also  the  name  of  Jehoia- 
kim,  which,  according  to  2  Kings  xxiv.  6;  2  Chron. 
xxxvi.  S,  should  come  iu  between  Josiah  and  Jeco- 
niah or  Jehoiachin.  These  omissions  were  evidently 
made  with  the  view  of  reducing  the  generations  from 
David  to  the  Babylonish  captivity  to  fourteen.  But 
for  this  Matthew  must  have  had  a  sufficient  reason. 
According  to  some  critics,  the  arrangement  of  the 
genealogical  table  was  designed  merely  to  aid  the 
memory.  Others  have  imagined  that  it  bore  refer- 
ence to  certain  cabalistic  ideas.     W.  Iloflmanu  ex- 


CHAP.  I.  1-11. 


49 


plains  the  discrepancy  {dan  Leben  Jenu,  of.c,  Stutt- 
gart, 183G)  by  the  supposition  that  there  was  some 
confusiou  in  the  gencaU)gical  table  which  Matthew 
used.  According  to  PTurard  {EvaTU/cHcnkritik;  p. 
199),  the  descendants  of  the  heathen  Jezebel  to  the 
fourth  generation  were  omitted,  in  strict  accordance 
with  the  Decalogue.  Thus  Ahaziah,  Joash,  and 
Amaziah  were  lelt  out.  Jehoiakim  also  was  omitted, 
because,  in  reference  to  the  Theocracy,  he  and  Je- 
hoiachin  really  formed  but  one  link  in  tlie  great 
chain,  and  the  first  was  the  less  worthy  of  commem- 
oration. But  none  of  the  above  suggestions  supplies 
a  valid  reason  for  the  omissions.  The  true  explana- 
tion appears  to  be,  that  all  the  individuals  omitted 
by  the  Evangelist  hud,  in  one  respect  or  another,  no 
claim  to  be  regarded  as  separate  and  distinct  links  in 
the  theocratic  chain.  v\haziah  was  a  mere  puppet  in 
the  hand  of  his  mother  Athaliah,  daughter  of  Ahaz, 
king  of  Israel.  Joash  deserved  the  title  of  sove- 
reign merely  so  long  as  he  continued  under  the  guid- 
ance of  Jehoiada  the  priest,  who  was  the  king's  son- 
in-law.  After  the  death  of  Jehoiada,  he  yielded 
entirely  to  the  influence  of  a  godless  court.  It  is 
remarkable  that  Jehoiada  was  buried  in  the  tomb  of 
the  kings,  but  not  Joash  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  16).  In 
accordance  with  an  express  prophetic  declaration, 
Amaziah  was  destroyed  on  account  of  his  impeni- 
tence— according  to  the  Sept. — by  God  (2  Clu'on. 
XXV.  16,  27).  Jehoiakim  was  forcibly  made  king  of 
Judah  by  the  king  of  Egypt  (2  Chron.  xxxvi.  4). 
Similarly  Zedekiah  was  left  out,  as  having  been 
merely  a  creature  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  also 
because,  as  brother  of  Jehoiachin,  he  formed  no  new 
link  between  Jehoiachin  and  Salathiel.  Assir  also 
is  passed  over,  because  no  political  importance  at- 
taches to  his  life,  which  was  passed  in  the  Babylonish 
captivity.  (Comp.  W.  Hoffmann,  1.  c,  p.  152;  K. 
Hofmann,   Weissagimg  und  Erfiillung^  ii.  37.) 

Further,  it  will  be  noticed  that  the  third  division 
contains  only  thirteen  generations,  counting  Joseph 
as  the  twelfth,  and  adding  Je.sus  as  the  thirteenth. 
By  this  Matthew  evidently  intended  to  indicate  that 
the  name  of  Mary  was  here  to  be  inserted  in  the  gene- 
alogy ;  for  in  so  important  a  matter  he  could  not 
have  made  a  mistake.  Nor  can  we  admit  the  suppo- 
sition that  he  counted  the  name  of  Jechoniab  twice, — 
the  second  time  as  anew  founding  the  Messianic  line 
after  the  Babylonish  captivity.  At  any  rate,  the  Evan- 
gelist wished  to  lay  emphasis  on  the  fact,  that  Joseph 
was  not  the  natural  fiither  of  Jesus.  Accordingly, 
there  is  a  sudden  break  in  the  natural  order  of  "the 
genealogy  :  Abraham  begat  etc.,  Jacob  begat  Joseph ; 
and  an  expression  is  introduced  which  forcibly  points 
to  the  circumstance  that  Jesus  was  born  of  a  virgin. 

Another  point  claims  our  attention.  According 
to  Jewish  law,  a  stain  attached  to  each  of  the  four 
females — Thamar,  Rahab,  Ruth,  and  Bathsheba — 
introduced  by  Matthew  into  the  genealogy.  But  we 
can  scarcely  infer  from  this  circumstance,  with  Starke, 
that  they  are  specially  mentioned  in  order  to  show 
that  Christ  was  not  ashamed  of  poor  sinners,  since  He 
derived  from  such  His  human  nature,  and  had  re- 
ceived them  as  His  own  people ;  for  it  is  beyond 
question  that  Jesus  was  conceived  by  Mary  without 
any  taint  of  sin.  It  was  rather  the  object  of  the 
Evangelist  to  point  out  to  his  Jewish  readers  a  higher 
righteousness  than  that  external  and  ceremonial  sanc- 
tity which  the  Pharisees  extolled.  No  doubt  Thamar 
conceived  Phares,  knowing  that  she  committed  in- 
cest; while  Judah,  although  not  aware  who  slie  was, 
was  guiltv  of  fornication.     Still,  it  was  under   the 


impulse  of  faith,  though  fanatical  and  sadly  mis- 
directed, that  Thamar  took  that  strange  and  sinful 
step.  She  was  resolved,  at  all  hazards,  to  become 
one  of  the  mothers  of  God's  chosen  race.  By  faith, 
Thamar  rose  over  the  guilt  of  incest,  and  Rahab  over 
her  former  degradation  of  being  a  heathen  and  a 
harlot.  By  her  heroic  faith,  Ruth,  though  pure  and 
unblamable,  yet  a  heathen,  attained  such  distinction, 
that  one  of  the  books  in  the  Old  Testament  canon 
bears  her  name ;  while  Bathsheba,  David's  accom- 
plice in  adultery,  became  the  partner  of  his  penitence 
and  his  throne. 

In  the  arrangement  and  division  of  the  genea- 
logical tree  of  Jesus,  Matthew  was  undoubtedly  in- 
liuenced  by  the  Old  Testament  symbolism  of  num- 
bers. The  grand  general  arrangement  into  three 
groups  (patriarchs,  kings,  and  persons  of  royal  ex- 
traction) presents  an  ascending  and  descending  line. 
In  the  first  fourteen  generations  there  is  a  gradual 
ascent  (in  a  secular  point  of  view),  culminating  in 
royalty.  The  second  series  consists  of  a  lino  of  royal 
personages,  gradually  inclining  downwards.  The 
third  begins  during  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and 
forms  a  descending  line,  which  finally  terminates  in 
Joseph  the  carpenter.  Still,  the  main  point  in  this 
arrangement  is  the  number  three.  Three  is  the  grand 
spiritual  number.  In  spite  of  the  sins  and  the  apos- 
tasy of  some  of  the  representatives  of  David,  that 
line  always  continued  specially  set  apart  by  God  and 
for  God,  constituting  a  hereditary  spiritual  nobility  in 
the  midst  of  the  people  of  Israel,  and  of  the  world  at 
large.  In  it  the  hereditary  blessing  of  Abraham  was 
more  and  more  concentrated, — both  the  blessing  of 
the  promise  and  the  blessing  of  faith.  Each  of  these 
three  groups  was  again  subdivided  into  a  series  of  four- 
teen— twice  seven.  The  number  seven  denotes  the 
full  development  of  nature  up  to  its  consecration  and 
transfiguration.  Two  is  the  number  of  contrast — 
of  sex,  of  life.  Accordingly,  the  number  fourteen 
would  indicate  that  the  development  of  a  genea- 
logical line  had  reached  its  completion.  The  number 
three,  on  the  other  hand,  denotes  the  perfect  eleva- 
tion of  this  perfect  natural  development  of  nature 
into  the  sphere  of  spiritual  consecration.  Hence  the 
forty-two  generations  point  to  the  spiritual  consecra- 
tion of  the  theocratic  line  culminating  in  Him  who 
was  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  On  the  same  principle,. 
the  Israelites  wandered  for  forty  years  (a  round  num- 
ber for  forty-two)  through  the  wilderness,  and  had  in 
all  forty-two  encampments.  Thus,  in  reference  both 
to  time  and  space,  the  old  race  had  to  pass  as  it  were 
through  forty-two  stages  before  a  new  race  (in  the 
symbolical  sense)  sprang  up. 

We  can  here  but  briefly  discuss  the  relation  be- 
tween the  genealogy  of  Jesus  according  to  Matthexc^ 
and  the  same  as  given  by  LuJcc.  So  far  as  their  ar- 
rangement is  concerned,  we  notice,  that  while  the 
first  genealogy  descends  from  the  progenitor,,  the 
second  ascends  from  the  last  scion  ;  and  that,  while 
Matthew  begins  with  Abraham,  Luke  goes  beyond 
the  father  of  the  faithful  to  Adam,  tlie  first  progeni- 
tor of  the  human  race,  and  to  God  its  Creator. 
Again,  so  far  as  the  contents  of  the  two  tables  are 
concerned  J  we  find  that  from  David  downwards  the 
names  are  for  the  most  part  different,  and  manifestly 
constitute  two  different  lines,  which  coincide  only  in 
the  names  of  Zorobabel  and  Salathiel.  Matthew's  line 
passes  from  David  to  Solomon,  while  that  of  Luke 
passes  from  David  to  his  son  Nathan.  In  Matthew's 
line,  the  parent  of  the  foster-fatlier  of  Jesus  is  called 
Jacob,  while  in  that  of  Luke  he  is  designated  Eli. 


50 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


The  same  discrepancy  extends  over  the  whole  table, 
— always  assuming  that  the  apparent  coincidence  of 
the  two  lines  in  Zorobabel  and  Falathiel  is  simply 
due  to  similarity  of  names.  From  the  earliest  period, 
various  explanations  of  this  difficulty  have  been  sug- 
gested. At  first  it  was  supposed  tiiat,  by  a  marriage 
according  to  the  law  of  Levirate  (Deut.  xxv.  5-10), 
the  two  lines  had  converged  in  one  link.  Julius 
Africanus  (according  to  Eusebius,  E.  II.  I.  7)  sug- 
gested that  Eli  died  childless,  that  Jacob  espoused 
his  widow,  and  was  the  real  father  of  Joseph.  But 
then,  according  to  the  law,  Eli  alone  would  in  that 
case  have  been  mentioned  as  the  lather  of  Joseph 
(Deut.  xxv.  6).  Ambrosius  reversed  the  above  hy- 
pothesis :  Eli,  he  supposed,  was  the  real,  and  Jacob 
the  nominal  father.  But  in  that  case  the  same  dif- 
ficulty recurs.  Other  hypotheses  are  even  less  plau- 
sible. The  view  most  commonly  adopted  is  that  of 
Ilelvicus  {see  Winer's  Heal-  WCrferh.  art.  Jesus), 
according  to  which,  Luke  is  supposed  to  furnish  tlie 
maternal  genealogy ;  so  that  the  Eli  mentioned  in 
Luke  iii.  23  was  the  father  of  Mary,  and,  as  father-in- 
law  of  Joseph,  was  called  his  father.  The  objection 
of  Winer,  that  in  such  ease  Luke  would  not  have  em- 
ployed the  terms  rov  'HA.i,  may  be  met  by  a  reference 
to  the  sim.ilar  expression  rod  0€oO,  whore,  of  course, 
it  could  not  be  intended  to  represent  God  as  the 
natural  Father  of  Adam.  The  objection,  that  the 
Jews  were  not  in  the  habit  of  keeping  genealogical 
record  of  females,  does  not  apply  here,  as  Jesus  had 
no  natural  father.  Besides,  down  to  Eli,  the  geneal- 
ogy given  is  that  of  males.  Lastly,  so  far  as  the  pro- 
priety of  the  thing  was  concerned,  Luke  also  inserts 
the  name  of  Joseph,  as  being  in  the  eye  of  the  law 
the  father  of  Jesus.  This  hypothesis  has  been 
adopted  by  many  modern  expositors,  as  Bengel, 
Heumann,  Paulus,  Kuinoel,  Wieseler,  W.  Hoffmann 
{Leben  Jesu,  p.  148).*  It  was  in  accordance  with 
the  general  plan  of  Luke's  Gospel  to  follow  up  the 
genealogical  line  beyond  Abraham  to  Adam  and  God, 
60  as  to  present  the  Lord  both  as  the  Son  of  man  and 
at  the  same  time  the  Son  of  Gcd,  and  for  the  same 
reason,  to  trace  the  actual  lineage  of  Jesus,  and  con- 
sequently that  of  his  mother  Mary ;  while  Matthew 
in  this  respect  also  represented  the  theocratic  and 
legal  point  of  view. 

Proofs  and  parallel  passages : — Jesus,  Luke  i. 
31.  Christ,  Lev.  iv.  5,  16,  etc. ;  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment everywhere.  Jesus  Christ,  John  xx.  31,  and 
in  many  other  places.  Son  of  David,  Ps.  exxxii.  11 ; 
Isa.  xi.  1 ;  Acts  xiii.  23  ;  Jer.  xxiii.  5  ;  Rom.  i.  3  ; 
Matt.  XV.  22,  xxi.  9,  xxii.  42.     Abraham,  Gen.  xii.  3, 

*  [For  another  and  a  remarkably  ingenious  expl.ination 
of  the  two  genealogies,  we  refer  the  reader  to  Lord  Arthur 
C.  Ilervey's  article,  "  Genealofry  of  Jesus  Christ,"  in  Smith's 
Diet,  of  the  Bible,  i.  p.  666.  This  is  not  the  place  to  enter 
into  details  of  his  theory:  suffice  it  to  say,  that,  accordinfr 
to  Lord  Hervey,  hot7i.  the  genealogies  (in  Matthew  and  Luke) 
are  those  of  Jose2)h.  The  genealogy  of  St.  Matthew  is 
"Joseph's  genealocy  as  legal  successor  to  the  throne  of 
David  ;  i.  e.,  it  exhibits  the  successive  heirs  of  the  kingdom, 
coding  with  Christ  as  Josepli's  reputed  son.  St.  Luke's  is 
Joseph's  private  genealogy,  exhibiting  his  real  birth,  as 
David's  son,  and  thus  showing  why  he  was  heir  to  Solomon's 
crown."  Lord  Hervey  further  suggests,  "that  Salathiel,  of 
the  house  of  Nathan,  became  heir  to  David's  throne  on  the 
failure  of  Solomon's  line  in  Jechonias,  and  that  as  such  he 
and  his  descendants  were  transferred,  as  'sons  of  Jeconiah," 
to  the  royal  geneaUigical  table,  accordiig  to  the  principle  of 
the  Jewish  law,  laid  down  Num.  xxvii.  8-11."  On  the  same 
principle,  the  other  divergences  of  the  two  genealogies  are 
explained,  till  we  reach  Matthan,  who  had  two  son^,  Jacob 
a7id  lleli.  The  elder  of  tliese,  J.ici.h.  whose  daushi-r  Mary 
was  mother  of  the  Lord,  dying  without  male  issi\-,  the  suc- 
cession to  the  throne  of  David  now  devolved  on  Joseph,  the 
son  of  Ilcli.— The  Edinb.  Teasslatop.  1 


xxii.  ]S;  2  Sam.  vii.  12;  Gal.  iii.  16,  etc.,  etc. 
Isaac,  (ien.  xxi.  2,  3  ;  Horn.  ix.  7,  9.  Jacob,  Gen. 
xxv.  26.     Judah,  Gen.  xxix.  35,  xlix.  10;  Heb.  vii. 

14.  Pharez  and  Zarah,  Gen.  xxxviii.  29,  30. 
Hezron  {Esrorii),  1  Chron.  ii.  4,  5.  Aram  or  Ram, 
Ruth  iv.  19  (Uezron's  first-bom  son  omitted,  1  Chron. 
ii.  9).  Awinadab,  1  Chron.  ii.  10.  Naaslion,  Ex. 
vi.  23.  Sabnon,  1  Chron.  ii.  11;  Ruth  iv.  20. 
Rahab,  Josh.  ii.  1,  vi.  23,  24.     pjoaz,  Obed,  Ruth  iv. 

15,  17.  Obed,  Jesse,  Ruth  iv.  22;  1  Chron.  ii.  12; 
1    Sam.   XX.    27;    1    Kings  xii.  16.     Jesse,  JJavid, 

1  Chron.  ii.  15.  Solomon,  2  Sam.  xii.  24.  Roboam, 
Rehoboam,  1  Kings  xi.  43.  Abia,  Asa,  1  Kings  xv. 
2,    8.     Josajihat,  2  Chron.  xvi.  and  xvii.     Joram, 

2  Kings  viii.  16;  2  Chron.  xxi.  1.  Ahaziah,  Joash, 
Amaziah,  2  Kings  viii.  24;  xi.  2,  xii.  21;  1  Chron. 
iii.  11.  Ozias  (or  Azariah),  2  Kings  xiv.  21.  Jo- 
atham,  2  Kings  xv.  7 ;  2  Chron.  xxvi.  23.  Ahaz, 
2  Kings  XV.  38  ;  2  Chron.  xxvii.  9.  Ezckias  {Hcze- 
kiah),  2  Kings  xvi.  20  ;  2  Chron.  xxviii.  27.  Manas- 
ses,  2  Kings  xx.  21.  Amon,  2  Kings  xxi.  18.  Jo- 
sias,  2  Kings  xxi.  24.  Jechonias,  Jehoiakim,  2 
Kings  xxiii.  35.  The  Babylonish  captivity  (2  Kings 
xxv;  2  Chrou.  xxxvi.).  "  e'lrt  notat  tcinpus  non 
stricte  tantum  scd  cum  latitudinc,^''  just  as  Jechonias 
and  his  brothers  were  not  born  at  one  and  the  same 
time.  On  three  different  occasions,  within  a  short 
period,  portions  of  the  people  were  carried  away, — 
first,  during  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim,  then  under  that 
of  Jehoiachin,  and,  lastly,  under  Zedekiah.  But  the 
Evangelist  speaks  of  the  three  events  as  of  one,  be- 
cause the  captivity  began  under  the  first  of  these 
princes,  was  extended  under  the  second,  and  com- 
pleted under  the  third. — Salathiel,  (Pedaiah),  Zoro- 
babel, 1  Chron.  iii,  18,  19.  Abiud  (Hananiah), 
1  Chron.  iii.  19.  Abiud,  Eliukivi,  etc.,  Jewish  tra- 
dition (Temple  registers). 

DOCTRINAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  Even  as  original  sin  has  tainted  all  mankind 
from  the  womb,  so,  and  much  more,  has  our  race 
participated  in  the  riches  of  Divine  grace.  Hence, 
in  the  history  of  the  world,  the  hereditary  curse  and 
the  hereditary  blessing  have  always  appeared  side  by 
side — in  Cain  and  Abel,  in  Ham  and  Shern,  in  the 
case  of  the  heathen  world  and  of  Abraham.  Not 
only  has  the  curse  had  a  blessing  for  its  counterpart, 
but  on  each  successive  occasion  the  blessing  has 
widened  and  increased.  The  blessing  of  Shem  sur- 
passed that  of  Japheth  ;  the  blessing  of  Judah,  that 
of  his  brethren  ;  and  the  blessing  of  David,  that  of 
all  Judah  and  Israel  beside.  This  contrast  of  blessing 
and  curse  led  to  th.at  between  the  religion  of  faith 
and  heathenism.  Not  that  the  hereditary  blessing 
of  Abraham  remained  wholly  unimpaired  by  the  curse 
that  flowed  from  Adam's  guilt.  Hence  it  was  neces- 
sary that  Christ  should  die  on  the  cross,  though  the 
covenant-blessing  centered  in  Him.  Still,  this  in- 
fluence of  transmitted  sin  could  not  destroy  either 
the  blessing  of  personal  faith  or  the  hereditary  bless- 
ing of  Abraham  ;  and  now  that  all  promises  have 
been  fulfilled  in  Christ,  the  curse  of  original  sin  is, 
in  the  case  of  believers,  not  only  removed,  bnt  trans- 
formed into  blessing. 

2.  Abraham  was  told,  "  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  It  was  not  said, 
"  In  thy  oral  tradition,"  or  "In  thy  written  records." 
According  to  the  notions  of  many,  the  New  Testa- 
ment should  have  begun  witji  a  list  of  the  books  of 
the  Old  Testament.  Instead  of  this,  however,  it  be- 
gins with  a  genealogical  tree.     Through  Abraham's 


CHAP. 


1-lY. 


51 


faith  the  blessing  had  descended  in  his  seed  as  an 
heirloom.  Antipa;dobaptists  overlook  this  mystery, 
otherwise  they  would  see  more  meaning  in  the  ad- 
mission of  infants  into  the  visible  Church. 

3.  Down  to  David,  Joseph's  line  of  descent  was 
the  same  as  that  of  Mary.  It  then  diverged  into  two 
branches.  While,  however,  the  royal  line  terminated 
in  the  pious  carpenter,  Joseph,  the  line  of  Nathan, 
who,  though  one  of  David's  sons,  never  ascended  the 
throne,  was  selected  to  comprehend  the  chosen 
mother  of  the  Lord.  In  general,  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  the  humiliations  of  the  royal  house  occurred 
in  Joseph's  line.  In  it  the  godless  kings  appear 
in  contrast  to  the  pious.  Doubtless,  it  was  so 
ordered  that  the  affliction  and  obscurity  of  the 
house  of  David  should  serve  to  restore  its  spiritual 
glory. 

4.  Even  among  the  ancestors  of  Jesus,  the  bless- 
ing and  the  promised  salvation  was  transmitted 
through  the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  legal  righteousness.  This  appears 
not  only  from  the  lives  of  Abraham  and  David,  the 
fiithers  of  the  faithful,  and  from  the  pious  sovereigns 
among  their  descendants,  but  also  from  the  ances- 
tresses of  Jesus,  Thamar,  Rahab,  Ruth,  and  Batbsheba, 
specially  mentioned  by  the  Evangelist. 

5.  A  sacred  pedigree — which  may  be  regarded  as 
symbolizing  the  real  import  of  noble  descent  and 
hereditary  nobility,  wliether  Christian  or  national — 
conferred  not  personal  holiness  on  the  Jewish  nion- 
archs.  Spirituality  was  the  attainment  of  the  indi- 
vidual, not  the  quality  of  the  race,  and  in  every  case 
the  combined  result  of  Divine  grace  and  human  free- 
dom. Still  less  could  we  suppose  that  the  sacredness 
of  the  pedigree  ultimately  manifested  itself  in  the 
advent  of  Christ  Himself.  Christ  sprung  from  the 
fathers  according  to  the  flesh :  this  was  His  only 
connection  with  them  through  Mary.  According  to 
the  Spirit,  He  was  the  Son  of  God,  and,  as  such,  the 
new  and  perfect  manifestation  of  the  Divine  Being, 
the  second  Adam,  the  Lord  from  heaven. 

HOMILETICAL  AND   PEACTICAL. 

The  genealogical  table  of  Jesus,  considered  as  the 
first  Xew  Testament  testimony  about  Him.  As  a 
testimony,  1.  to  His  human  nature ;  2.  to  His  he- 
reditary right ;  3.  to  His  Divine  character  and  mis- 
sion.— The  genealogical  tree  of  Jesus  a  kind  of  law 
and  gospel  for  all  other  genealogical  trees,  from  the 
lowliest  to  the  highest. — The  genealogy  of  increasing 
life  compared  with  thatbf  decreasing  life.  Gen.  v. — 
Christ's  human  extraction  viewed  in  the  light  of  His 
Divine  origin  (John  i.) :  His  human  descent  is  based 
on  the  Divine,  and  serves  to  reveal  it. — Contest  be- 
tween the  hereditary  blessing  of  Abraham  and  the 
hereditary  curse  of  his  race. — The  hereditary  bless- 
ing of  Abraham  in  its  bearing  upon  the  question 
of  infant  baptism. — The  family — its  import  at  all 
times  in  connection  with  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
— The  pious  family  amidst  the  storms  of  the  world 
and  of  time.  1.  It  may  sink,  but  not  perish.* 
2.  It  endures,  because  it  resists.  3.  Its  apparent 
extinction  is  its  glorification. — The  sacred  birth 
of  Christ  and  the  second  birth  of  man  in  their 
agreement   and   their  diU'erence. — Jesus  Christ   the 

*  [German  :  "Es  kann  sinken,  aber  nioht  verxinken  ; '''' 
it  may  go  dnion,  but  not  go  out.  Mr.  Edersheim  translates: 
"It  may  sink,  but  not  utterly.''  The  word-play  in  the  next 
sentence :  "  Es  besteht,  well  es  widerHtehV  might  be  ren- 
dered: -'It  utands  because  it  withstandx,"  comp.  Eph.  vi. 
13.— P.  S.] 


sum  and  substance  of  all  religion.  1.  Jesus,  the 
man  ;    Christ,  His  Divine  calling  and  (jualification. 

2.  Jesus,  the  Hebrew  name  specially  intended  for 
His  own  people ;  Christ,  the  sacred  name  indicating 
His  designation  for  the  whole  world.  3.  Jesus,  the 
one  Redeemer ;  Christ,  the  Mediator  of  the  triune 
covenant.  Or,  1.  Jesus  as  the  Christ ;  2.  the  Christ 
as  Jesus. — Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  David.  1.  Tlie 
Son  of  the  shepherd  of  Bethlehem ;  2.  the  Son  of 
the   persecuted   fugitive   in   the  cave  of  Adullam  ; 

3.  the  Son  of  the  warrior  and  conqueror,  the  prince 
of  Zion. — Christ  the  Son  of  David.  1.  In  reference 
to  His  appearance  in  the  flesh,  the  last  scion  of 
His  race,  dying  on  the  cross.  2.  In  reference  to 
His  heavenly  character,  the  Prince  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth.  Or,  1.  The  end  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment kingdom;  2.  the  beginning  and  the  head  of 
the  New  Testament  heavenly  kingdom. — Jesus  Christ 
the  Son  of  Abraham.  1.  The  Finisher  of  faith;  2. 
the  Fulfiller  of  the  promise. — Jesus  the  antitype  of 
Abraham  in  his  relation  to  the  world.  Abraham, 
in  nascent  faith,  must  go  out  from  the  world ; 
Christ,  in  the  fulness  of  the  blessing  of  faith,  enters 
into  it. — Jesus,  the  Son  of  Abraham,  the  seal  of 
God's  covenant-truth. — Jesus  Christ,  as  the  Son 
of  Abraham,  the  great  witness  of  God's  covenant- 
faithfulness.  1.  In  Him  was  fully  revealed  the  prom- 
ise which  had  been  given  to  Abraham.  2.  In  Him 
was  this  promise  gloriously  fulfilled.  3.  In  Him  it 
was  renewed  and  glorified. — Christ  the  Son  of  Abra- 
ham and  of  David,  or  the  spiritual  transfiguration 
both  of  the  pilgrim's  tent  and  of  the  throne. — Christ 
the  Son  of  Abraham  and  of  David,  or  the  Finisher 
of  faith  :  1.  of  faith  in  the  promise  ;  2.  of  faith  in 
sovereign  grace.  —How  the  advent  of  Christ  was  pre- 
paring throughout  the  whole  course  of  antiquity: 
1.  By  means  of  the  house  of  David;  2  by  means 
of  the  race  of  Abraham  ;  3.  by  the  whole  course  of 
events  in  the  world. — The  root  out  of  a  dry  ground. 
— Known  to,  and  fixed  by,  the  Lord  is  every  hour 
and  event  in  His  kingdom. — The  vicissitude  of  glory 
and  obscurity  in  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Christ  appeared,  not  in  the  days  of  Israel's  power  and 
glory,  but  in  the  days  of  their  humiliation. — The 
share  which  the  royal  line  of  Solomon  had  in  giving 
birth  to  Christ.  I.  How  infinitely  it  receded  behind 
the  lineage  of  Mary ;  2.  yet  how  at  the  same  time  it 
symbolizes  the  protection  extended  by  the  State  to 
the  Church. — The  Lord's  humiliation  and  exaltation 
prefigured  in  His  genealogical  tree. — In  His  ances- 
tors Jesus  has  lived  through  the  whole  extent  of  the 
world's  previous  history. — The  history  of  the  ances- 
tors of  Jesus  shows  that  the  life  of  each  successive 
individual  was  preserved  as  by  a  miracle. — Jesus  the 
sacred  heir  of  the  ancient  world.  1.  As  heir  of  the 
blessing.  He  is  the  Prophet  of  the  world.  2.  As 
heir  of  the  sufferings  entailed  by  the  curse.  He  is  its 
atoning  High  PricsFt.  3.  As  heir  of  the  promise,  He 
is  its  King. — Jesus  Christ  the  end  of  the  world,  and 
the  beginning  of  the  world. — Jesus  Christ  the  closing 
of  the  old,  and  the  commencement  of  the  new  dis- 
pensation.— Abraham  and  Mary  as  the  begmning  and 
the  end  of  the  old  covenant. — Jesus,  the  Son  of 
Mary:   I.  the  affinity;  2.  the  contrast. 

Braune  : — Jesus  Christ,  the  second  Adam. — God's 
grace  is  con.stantly  renewed  through  the  line  of  gene- 
rations.— All  sorts  of  men,  kings,  heroes,  shepherds, 
mechanics,  heathens,  sinners,  prophets,  poets,  sages 
are  among  the  ancestors  of  Christ,  and  become  poorer 
and  obscurer  as  they  approach  Christ. 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


SECOND    SECTION. 

JESUS,  AS  MIRACULOUSLY  CONCEIVED  BY  IlIS  MOTHER  IN  FAITH,  OR  IN  THE  MYSTERY 
OF  HIS  INCARNATION,  IS  NOT  RECOGNIZED  EVEN  BY  THE  LEGITIMATE  REPRESEN- 
TATIVE  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  DAVID  (JOSEPH),  TILL  ATTESTED  BY  AN  ANGEL  FROM 
HEAVEN. 

Chaptek  I.  18-25  (Luke  i.  26-33). 

CoNTRNTS  :— The  tragical  situation  of  the  two  betrothed  descendants  of  David  at  their  first  appearance  in  history.  Mary, 
pregnant  by  the  power  of  tlie  Holy  Ghost,  misunderstood  and  doubted  by  her  betrothed.  Joseph's  intention  of  pri- 
vately putting  her  away.  The  mother  and  child  vindicated  from  dishonor  by  Divine  intervention.  Joseph's  faith. 
Ancient  prophecy.     The  name :  Jesus. 

18  Now  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ  was  on  this  wise  :  When  '  as  His  mother  Mary  was 
espoused  to  Joseph,  before  they  came  together,  she  was  found  with  child  of  the  Holy 

19  Ghost.     Then  Joseph  her  husband,  being  a  just  man,  and  not  willing  to  make  her  a 

20  public  example,  was  minded  to  put  her  away  [by  divorce]  privil)^  But  while  he  thought 
on  these  things,  behold,  the  [an]  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  a  dream,  saying, 
Joseph,  thou  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  take  unto  thee  Mary  thy  wife  :  for  that  which  is 

21  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     And  she  shall  bring  forth  a  son,  and  thou 

22  shalt  call  His  name  Jesus  :  for  He  shall  save  His  people  from  their  sins.  Now  all 
this  was  done,  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet^ 

28  saying.  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  be  with  child,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  son,  and  they  shall 

24  call  His  name  Emmanuel,  Avhich  being  interpreted  is,  God  with  us  (Isa.  vii.).  Then 
Joseph  being  raised  from  sleep  did  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord  had  bidden  him,  and  took 

25  unto  him  his  wife  :  And  knew  her  not  till  she  had  brought  forth  her  firstborn  ^  son  :  and 
he  called  His  name  Jesus. 


'  Ver.  18.— Lit. :  "i^^or  when,"  ^j/7j(rTei'&€iV77S  7ap. 

"  Ver.  2.5.— [irpojTiiTOKOj',  in  ver.  25,  is  omitted  in  Codd.  Sin.  and  Vat,  in  the  old  Egyptian  versions,  Hilar.,  Ambros., 
(xres..  Hieron.,  and  in  the  critical  editions  of  Lachmann,  Tischcndorf,  Tregelles,  and  Alford.  Lange  in  his  version  retains 
It,  and  Meyer  defends  it.  It  may  have  been  inserted  from  Luke  ii.  7;  but  the  omission  may  also  be  easily  explained  from 
superstitious  veneration  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  as  necessarily  implying  her  perpetual  virginity,  which  the  term  ''firstr 
born  "  seemed  to  disprove. — P.  S.] 

SejyyuoTi'o-oi) ;  that  is,  not  to  dismis,'^  Ler  by  a  bill  of 
divorce,  which  would  have  stigmatized  her  as  an 
adulteress,  but  to  dismiss  her  privately  by  a  bill  of 
divorce  without  assigning  any  reason  for  it.  Thus 
her  disgrace  would  at  least  not  become  matter  of 
notoriety,  although,  of  course,  suspicion  would  attach 
to  her ;  at  any  rate,  her  child  might  still  be  regardeil 
as  the  son  of  Joseph.  By  this  conduct  he  would  un- 
questionably have  taken  upon  himself  a  portion  of 
her  ignominy.  He  might  be  considered  a  hard- 
hearted man,  who  turned  away  a  noble  woman  un- 
justly. These  circumstances  afford  an  insight  into 
the  inward  struggle  which  both  experienced.  On 
the  bill  of  divorce,  comp.  Deut.  xxiv.  1-3 ;  Matt. 
xix.  8. 

Ver.  20.  The  Angel  of  the  Lord  that  appeared 
to  him  in  a  vision  when  sleeping,  was  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  in  the  peculiar  and  historical  sense  of  that 
term — Ihe  Angel  of  the  Lord.,  Gen.  xvi.  '7,  9,  and  in 
other  passages;  or  the  Angel  of  the  presence,  Ex. 
xxxii.  34  ;  xxxiii.  14  ;  Isa.  Ixiii.  9  ;  or  the  Angel  of 
the  covenant.,  Mai.  iii.  1.  The  angel  Gabriel  {hero 
of  God).,  who,  according  to  Luke  i.,  delivered  the 
messages  relating  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  was  probably 
only  a  more  definite  manifestation  of  the  Angel  of 
the  Lord  (Dan.  viii.  16;  ix.  21).  The  angel  of 
Christ's  incarnation  must,  in  this  case,  be  carefully 
distinguished  from  later  angelic  apparitions.  {See 
the  author's  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  B.  1,  41.) 


EXE6ETI0AL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  18.  The  Evangelist  commences  his  narrative 
at  the  period  when  Mary's  pregnancy  had  become 
matter  of  certainty,  about  the  time  of  her  return 
from  visiting  Elisabeth. 

The  reading  y4vf<ns  is  much  better  established  in 
ver.  18  than  7ewr)(ns,  and  clearly  more  appropriate, 
as  the  event  in  question  was  not  properly  a  y(vvr\cis 
[begetting]. 

Of  the  Holy  Ghost. — The  notion  of  begetting 
is  completely  excluded  by  that  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  secret  influence  of  the  Spirit  is  more  minutely 
described  in  Luke  i.  35. 

Ver.  19.  Joseph  being  a  just  man  (lit.  bei7ig 
Just). — The  y/ord  just  has  been  falsely  interpreted  as 
kind,  tender-hearted.  To  have  acted  upon  his  suspi- 
cion in  reference  to  Mary  as  if  it  had  been  matter  of 
certainty,  would  have  been  not  merely  unkind,  but 
unjust.  '  Such  conduct  wpuld  have  been  all  the  more 
inexcusable,  since  Mary  had  informed  him  not  only 
of  the  fact  of  her  pregnancy,  but  likewise  of  its 
cause.  Joseph  was  unaljle  to  share  her  faith ;  but 
neither  could  he  bring  his  mind  entirely  to  disbelieve 
her  account.  This  struggle  of  doubt  and  of  suspicion 
with  his  feelings  of  generosity  and  of  previous  high 
esteem  for  Mary,  influenced  the  decision  at  which  he 
arrived.  He  resolved  not  to  accuse  her  publicly 
(the  reading  ■KapaSety/j.aTla-ai  is  an   explanation  of 


CHAP.    I.    18-25. 


53 


In  a  dream. — It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  tlie 
Joseph  of  the  New  Testament,  like  the  Joseph  of 
the  Old  Testament,  uniformly  received  his  revela- 
tions in  dreams.  This  particular  form  of  revelation 
may  have  been  chosen,  1.  because  his  spiritual  life 
was  imperfectly  developed ;  2.  because  of  his  spir- 
itual sincerity  and  simplicity  of  heart. 

Mary  thy  wife. — Among  the  Jews  the  be- 
trothed bore  the  title  of  wife. 

Of  the  Holy  Ghost.— Both  the  descent  of 
Jesus  and  His  mission  were  revealed  long  before  His 
actual  appearance  on  earth.  His  birth,  His  name, 
and  His  work  were  equally  from  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Vers.  22  and  23.  On  the  Messianic  application  of 
Isa.  vii.  14,  consult  the  commentaries.  It  must, 
however,  be  observed  that  the  Evangelist  Matthew 
uses  the  expression,  "  was  fulfilled,^^  iirXripccdr],  in 
reference  not  merely  to  the  fulfilling  of  conscious 
verbal  predictions,  but  also  to  that  of  typical  pro- 
phecies. In  the  passage  before  u*  the  reference  is 
probably  to  a  typical  prophecy.  The  virgin  (mabr) 
presented  to  Ahaz  as  a  sign,  was  a  type  of  the  holy 
Virgin  for  the  following  reasons :  1 )  her  future  preg- 
nancy and  her  giving  birth  to  a  son  were  announced 
even  before  her  marriage  had  actually  taken  place ; 
2)  the  highe't  and  strongest  kind  of  faith  was  called 
into  exercise  in  connection  with  this  child,  by  which  it 
obtained  the  name  of  Immauuel,  and  became  the  sign 
of  approaching  deliverance  in  a  sea.son  of  peculiar 
trial ;  3)  the  name  Immauuel  was  verified  in  the 
God-Man  ;  4)  all  these  circumstances  served  to  render 
the  birth  of  this  child  peculiarly  sacred,  and  to  con- 
nect it  with  the  future  of  Israel ;  thus  strikingly  pre- 
figuring the  advent  of  the  holy  child,  the  Hope  of 
Israel. 

Vers.  24  and  25.  Joseph  believed  in  consequence 
of  the  Divine  intimation  he  had  received  in  a  dream, 
and  forthwith  married  Mary,  with  all  the  Jewish 
marriage  ceremonies,  from  a  regard  to  her  reputa- 
tion. But  he  did  not  consummate  the  marriage  till 
Mary  had  given  birth  to  her  first-born.  From  the 
expression,  first-born,  v.  25,  it  must  not,  however, 
be  inferred  that  Mary  subsequently  bore  other  chil- 
dren. An  only  child  was  also  designated  first-born. 
The  term  merely  implied  that  this  was  the  child 
which  had  opened  the  womb  (Gen.  xxvii.  19,  32  ; 
Ex.  xiii.  2).  That  Jesus  had  no  actual  brother  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,  will  appear  on  closer  considera- 
tion of  the  real  extraction  of  the  so-called  brothers 
of  the  Lord.  They  were  the  sons  of  Alphseus, 
Joseph's  brother,  and  of  Mary,  the  wife  of  Alphajus, 
the  sister-in-law  (not  the  sister)  of  the  mother  of  the 
Lord.  {See  the  author's  dissertation  in  his  "  History 
of  the  Apost.  Age"  i.  p.  189  ;  and  his  article.  Jaco- 
bus, der  Bruder  des  Herrn,  in  Hcrzog's  "■  Real-En- 
ci/cl."}  *  The  expression,  "  brethren  (brothers)  of 
the  Lord,"  has  been  taken  in  its  literal  sense  by  the 
Antidicomarianitcs  in  the  ancient  Church,  and  by 
many  modern  Protestant  theologians ;  while  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  since  the  times  of  the  CoUy- 
ridians,  of  Epiphanius,  Ambrose,  etc.,  has  gone  to 
the  opposite  extreme  of  maintaining  that  Joseph  and 
Mary  never  lived  together  on  terms  of  husband  and 
wife.  (Meyer,  in  his  Commentary,  hastily  ascribes 
the  same  view  to  Olshausen,  Lange,  von  Berlepsch. 
Our  text  indicates  the  opposite.)  f 

*  [C(mip.ire  also,  on  the  other  h.aiul,  the  article  Jacnhwi 
In  'Winer's  Re.al-WorterhuchA.V-^'^-^  sqq.,  and  P.  Schaff: 
"  Dax  VerkdltnUs  fles  Jacobnn  Alphae/i  zu  Jucohus  dent 
Bruiler  den  llerrn,"  Berlin,  1841.— Tesu] 

+  [[n  this  sentence,  which  is  omitted  in  the  Edinh. 
transl.,  La  ge  means  to  deny  the   perpetual   virginity  of 


DOCTRINAL   AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  If  it  may  be  said  of  Abraham,  that  his  faith 
brought  [Germ. :  hinti>i<je(;laubt]  the  word  of  the 
Lord  as  a  word  of  jiromise  into  the  world,  it  may,  in 
the  same  way,  be  said  of  Mary,  that  hor  faith  brought 
the  incarnation  of  the  Word  into  the  world.  And  as 
the  faith  of  Abraham  was  the  connecting  link  by 
which  the  Divine  blessing  attached  itself  to  his  seed 
according  to  the  promise,  so  Mary,  by  her  strong  and 
living  faith,  conceived,  through  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Lord,  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  The  faith  of  Abra- 
ham established  a  connection  between  ph)sical  birth 
and  spiritual  regeneration  ;  but,  in  the  inspired  faith 
of  Mary,  birth  and  regeneration  have  become  actually 
one, — nay,  the  birth  of  Christ  was  regeneration  not 
merely  in  a  passive,  but  also  in  an  active  sense.  It 
was  creative  regeneration — sinlessness,  which  became 
the  efficient  cause  of  the  regeneration  of  men  ;  sin- 
lessness redeeming  from  sin.  Those  who  hold  that 
Christ  derived  from  Mary  our  sinful  nature,  which 
became  transformed  into  sinlessness  by  His  unswerv- 
ing holiness  till  death,  argue  as  if  regeneration  were 
the  goal  of  Christianity,  whereas  it  is  its  commence- 
ment. In  this  respect  they,  as  well  as  the  Baptists, 
come  very  far  short  of  Abraham's  faitli.  Abraham 
had  not  merely,  like  Melchisedec,  faith  as  an  indi- 
vidual, but  also  as  the  head  of  a  family  ;  and  this 
faith  comprehended  his  house  and  his  posterity.  He 
believed  in  the  sanctification  of  nature,  in  the  conse- 
cration of  birth,  and  in  the  spiritual  exaltation  of 
natural  descent  by  reception  into  the  household  of 
God.  In  Mary,  the  divine  inspiration  of  faith  went 
along  with  her  conception  as  virgin  mother ;  and 
hence,  in  her  Son,  the  eternal  Logos  was  united  to 
human  nature.  (For  a  discussion  on  the  miraculous 
birth,  see  Lange's  Leben  Jesu,  vol.  ii.  p.  66.) 

2.  The  unutterably  tragical  situation  of  the  Vir- 
gin, misunderstood  and  deserted  by  her  betrothed, 
[iresents  a  striking  type  of  the  future  history  of  lier 
Son,  when  denied  and  abandoned  by  men,  even  his 
disciples.  Similarly,  however,  her  vindication  by  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  prefigures  Christ's  glorification. 
Mary  forsaken  by  her  husband  was  a  type  of  Christ's 
loneliness  in  Gethsemane  and  on  the  cross. 

3.  The  expression,  "  an  angel  of  the  Lord,"  is 
subsequently  explained  by  the  introduction  of  the 
definite  article — the  angel  of  the  Lord — connecting 
it  with  the  whole  Christology  of  the  Old  Testament. 

4.  In  the  same  way,  the  announcement  of  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  is  connected  with  the  Bible  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity  ;  and  that  of  the  name  Jcsits  with 
the  doctrine  of  redemption. 

5.  The  relation  between  dreams  and  other  forms 
of  divine  revelation,  is  to  be  gathered  from  the  doc- 
trine of  visions,  and  of. their  different  forms. 

6.  In  the  passage  which  refers  to  the  fulfilment 
of  the  prediction,  contained  in  Isa.  vii.  14,  we  mu.st 
properly  appreciate  the  spirit  of  Old  Testament  pro- 
phecy generally,  the  New  Testament  explanation  of 
its  various  statements,  and,  lasth',  the  difi'erence  be- 
tween typical  and  verbal  prophecy. 

Mary,  aa  held  by  the  Roman  Church,  and  attributed  to  him 
by  Meyer.  Lanfre  admits  the  reality  of  the  marrLape  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  and  their  cohabitation  after  the  birtli  of 
Jesus,  but,  like  (ilsliansen.  he  considers  it  {..compatible  with 
the  dignity  of  Mary  as  the  mother  of  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  to  have  givei  birth  to  ordinary  children  of  miin.  lie 
also  holds  that  t'hrist  must  be  the  last  i:i  the  royal  lini-  of 
David  and  could  have  no  successor  or  rival.  '  But  tiiis 
reiisoning  is  dogmatic,  not  exegetical.  On  the  force  of  the 
ecus  o'j  in  this  connection,  compare  Meyer's  and  Add.  Alex- 
ander's reinark!^  <m  Matt.  i.  25.— P.  S.] 


54 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


7.  In  examining  the  passage,  "  and  he  knew  her 
not,"  etc.,  we  must  make  a  vast  difference  between 
the  question  whetlier  Joseph  and  Mary  lived  to- 
gether on  terms  of  conjugal  intercourse,  and  the 
inquiry  whether  Mary  had  afterwards  other  sons. 

HOMILETIC.\L  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  trials  of  Jesus'  mother  when  disowned  and 
forsaken,  prefigured  His  own  trials  when  denied  and 
deserted  :  1.  In  both  ciises  the  cause  was  the  same — 
faith.  2.  The  import  was  the  same — elevation  above 
the  world.  3.  The  issue  was  the  same — glory.  4. 
Lastly,  the  effect  was  the  same — the  awakening  of 
faith. — The  mother  and  the  Son.  1.  The  great 
similarity  between  them.  2.  The  infinite  difference. 
— The  share  female  character  has  had  in  promoting 
the  kingdom  of  (Jod,  1.  in  its  extension  ;  2.  in  its 
limitation. — Mary  a  model  of  unshaken  confidence  in 
God. — Committing  oneself  to  the  Lord  leads  to  suc- 
cess even  in  the  world. — On  the  connection  between 
mistrust  and  unbelief — How  the  entertaining  of  gen- 
erous sentiments  may  become  the  means  of  preserv- 
ing our  faith. — An  honest  doubter  will  obtain  light. — 
The  first  New  Testament  narrative  commends  to  us 
a  holy  consideration  for  woman. — High  regard  for 
the  honor  and  reputation  of  woman. — Justice  must 
ever  be  allied  to  gentleness. — The  infinite  blessing 
which  rewarded  Joseph's  self-denial. — The  manifes- 
tation of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit, 
concentrated  in  the  birth  of  Christ. — The  Holy 
Spirit  introduced  the  Son  into  the  world  ;  and  the 
Son,  the  Holy  Spirit. — Symbolical  lessons  of  the 
creative  action  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  birth  of 
Christ.     1.  It  points  back  to  the  creation  of  the 


world  (Gen.  i.  2),  and  to  the  creation  of  man.  (The 
breath  of  God,  Gen.  ii.  Y.)  2.  It  points  forward  to 
the  creation  of  the  Church,  and  the  founding  of  the 
heavenly  city  of  God  (Acts  ii.). — The  miraculous 
birth  of  Christ  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  miraculous 
birth  of  Adam. — The  miraculous  birth  of  Jesus  as 
the  regeneration  of  man. — Import  of  the  name  Jesus 
(the  Kedeemer)  in  connection  with  salvation  :  1.  A 
seal  and  assurance  of  the  mode  of  redemption.  2.  A 
proclamation  of  the  fact  of  redemption.  3.  A  cele- 
bration of  His  work  of  redemption. — Jo.shua  a  type 
of  Jesus :  1.  As  the  hero  of  the  achievements  of 
faith,  who  followed  upon  Moses  the  lawgiver ;  2.  as 
champion  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  ;  3.  as  the 
leader  of  the  people  from  the  desert  to  Canaan. — 
Redemption  from  sin  and  deliverance  from  sin  are 
inseparable. — "The  people"  of  Jesus,  and  they 
alone,  are  the  saved.  1.  We  must  belong  to  His 
people  (listen  to  awakening  grace)  in  order  to  obtain 
salvation.  2.  We  must  be  in  a  state  of  salvation 
(surrender  ourselves  to  converting  grace)  in  order 
wholly  to  belong  to  His  people. — The  people  of  Je- 
sus a  wonderful  people  of  the  "wonderful"  King. 
1.  They  are  one  in  Christ,  and  yet  diffused  among  all 
nations.  2.  This  people  existed  before  it  appeared 
(the  elect),  and  appeared  before  it  existed  (the  typical 
people  of  God  under  the  Old  Covenant).  3.  They 
suffer  with  Christ,  until,  to  appearance,  they  perish, 
and  yet  triumph  with  Christ  throughout  all  eter- 
nity. 

Jesus  as  Immanuel. — Jesus  as  the  first-born  in 
every  respect  (Col.  ii.  15-18). —  Gossner : — True  love 
finds  a  way  between  jealousy  and  insensibility. — God 
forsakes  none  who  confide  in  him. — Braune  : — Di- 
vine interposition  saves. — (Gal.  iv.  5.) 


THIKD    SECTION. 

ON  HIS  APPEARANCE  UPON  EAKTH,  HE  IS  REJECTED,  DESPISED,  AND  PERSECUTED  BY 
THE  THEOCRATIC  CITY,  THE  THEOCRATIC  PROPHETS,  THE  THEOCRATIC  PRIESTHOOD, 
AND  ROYALTY ;  BUT  OWNED  AND  GLORIFIED  BY  GOD,  IN  SIGNS  FROM  HEATEN,  IN 
THE  ADORATION  OF  WISE  MEN  FROM  THE  HEATHEN  WORLD,  AND  IN  HIS  MIRACULOUS 
AND  DIVDfE  PRESERVATION,  EFFECTED  BY  THE  FLIGHT  INTO  EGYPT,  AND  BY  HIS 
CONCEALMENT  DURING  HIS  YOUTH  IN  THE  OBSCURITY  OF  GALILEE. 

Chaptee  II.  (Luke  ii.) 


Contents  :— Immediately  on  His  appearance  commenced  the  grand  conflict  between  the  Christ  of  the  true  theocracy  and 
the  degenerate,  worldly  form  of  the  theocracy  as  then  subsisting.  Judaism  rejects  Him;  the  heathen  xoorld  receires 
Him  (the  Kast  and  Egypt).  Jerusalem  knows  nothing  of  Him,  and  is  thrown  into  alarm  at  the  tidings  of  His  appear- 
ance. The  high  priests  and  the  scribes  are,  by  their  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  able  to  indicate  correctly  the  place 
of  His  birth,  but  they  treat  the  announcement  of  His  birth  as  if  it  were  an  idle  report.  Herod  attempts  to  slay  the 
child,  first  by  craft,  and  then  by  a  general  massacre.  The  escape  into  Egypt  is  signalized  by  the  martyrdom  of  the  chil- 
dren at  Bethlehem ;  and  Jesus  is  only  preserved  for  the  work  given  Him  by  the  Father  by  His  concealment  in  heathen 
Egypt,  and  afterwards  in  semi-pagan  Galilee.  On  the  other  hand,  Joseph  and  Mary,  a  poor  couple,  and  the  heathen 
magi,  are  His  guardians  and  witnesses;  while  the  children  and  mothers  of  Bethlehem  are  involuntary  sharers  in  His 
sufferings.  But,  despite  the  contempt  poured  on  Him  by  a  carnal  and  degenerate  theocracy,  God  in  various  ways 
glorifies  Him  as  the  true  heir  of  the  theocracy  ;  so  that  the  events  recorded  in  this  section  really  corroborate  the  fact 
of  His  Divine  mission.  Every  circumstance  bears  testimony  in  His  favor :  1)  His  birth  in  Bethlehem,  or  the  Divine 
word  of  promise,  the  Scripture.  2)  The  miraculous  star  in  the  sky,  or  Nature.  8)  Heathen  philosophy  in  its  noblest 
aspirations  (.although  clouded  by  error),  under  the  guidance  of  Providence,  or  the  course  of  history.  4)  The  unsuspect- 
ing sleep,  and  the  fearful  awakening  of  sinners  at  His  name.     5)  Orthodox  unbelief,  which,  even  in  Its  Etagnation,  is 


CHAP.    II.    1-12. 


55 


compelled  to  point  to  Bethlehem.  6)  The  belief  of  the  wise  men  bursting  through  the  mist  of  astrological  delusion. 
7)  The  triumph  of  Christian  simplicity  over  the  craft  of  the  world,  through  the  guidance  of  the  Divine  Spirit.  8)  The 
martyrdom  at  Bethlehem.  9)  The  devoted  resiar  ation  of  the  Holy  Family,  the  relatives  of  the  Lord.  10)  The  mirac- 
ulous deliverance  and  preservation  of  the  Lord  in  the  same  heathen  country  from  which  Israel  had  been  brought. 
11)  Jesus  growing  up  in  obscurity  and  lowliness  at  Nazareth.  12)  His  providential  preservation,  accomplished  by 
means  apparently  the  slightest,  viz.,  prophetic  dreams. 


A.  Chapter  II.  1-12. 
The  Gospel  for  Epiphany.     {More  recently  designated  the  Missionary  pcrikope.) 

1  Now  when  Jesus  was  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea  in  the  days  of  Herod  the  king, 

2  behold,  there  came  wise  men  [magi]  from  the  east  to  Jerusalem,  Saying,  Where  is  he  that 
is  born  King  of  the  Jews  ?  for  we  have  seen  his  star  in  the  east  [or,  when  first  it  rose], 

3  and  are  come  to  worship  him.     "When  Herod  the  king  had  heard  these  things,  he  was 

4  troubled,  and  all  Jerusalem  with  him.     And  when  he  had  gathered  all  the  chief  priests 
and  scribes  of  the  people  together,  he  demanded  of  them  where  Christ  should  be  born, 

5  And  they  said  unto  him,  In  Bethlehem  of  Judea :  for  thus  it  is  written  by  the  prophet, 

6  And  thou  Bethlehem,  in  the  land  of  Juda,  art  not  the  least  among  the  princes  of  Juda : 

7  for  out  of  thee  shall  come  a  Governor,  that  shall  rule  my  people  Israel.     Then  Herod, 
when  he  had  privily  called  the  wise  men,  inquired  of  them  diligently  what  time  the 

8  star  appeared.     And  he  sent  them  to  Bethlehem,  and  said,  Go  and  search  diligently  for 
the  young  child ;    and  when  ye  have  found  him,  bring  me  word  again,  that  I  may 

9  come  and  worship  him  also.     When  they  had  heard  the  king,  they  departed ;  and,  lo, 
the  star,  which  they  saw  in  the  east,  went  before  them,  till  it  came  and  stood  over 

10  where  the  young  child  was.     When  they  saw  the  star,  they  rejoiced  with  exceeding 

11  great  joy.  And  when  they  were  come  into  the  house,  they  saw*  the  young  child  with 
Mary  his  mother,  and  fell  down  and  worshipped  him  :  and  when  they  had  opened 
their  treasm-es,  they  presented  unto  him  gifts ;    gold,   and   frankincense,  and  myrrh. 

12  And  being  warned  of  God  in  a  dream  that  they  should  not  return  to  Herod,  they  de- 
parted into  their  own  country  another  way. 

1  Ver.  11.  [They  saw,  eJSov,  text,  ree.,  is  followed  by  Lange  in  his  Germ.  vers.    It  is  sufficiently  supported  by  author- 
ities, while  eSpor,  they  found,  may  have  arisen,  as  Meyer  suggests,  from  the  evprjre  in  ver.  8.— P.  S.] 

probably  also  inchided  its  environs.  This  small  town 
was  the  ancestral  seat  of  the  house  of  David  (Ruth  i. 
1,  2).  It  was  fortified  by  Rehoboam  (2  Chron.  si. 
16),  but  remained  an  insignificant  place  (Mic.  v.  1), 
and  is  not  even  nientioued  among  the  towns  of  Judah 
either  in  the  Hebrew  text  of  Joshua  or  in  Neh.  xi. 
25.  The  striking  contrast  between  its  insignificance 
and  its  future  destiny  is  brought  out  by  the  prophet 
Micah,  in  a  prophecy  whicii  forms  one  of  the  most 
pointed  Messianic  predictions  {see  ver.  6).  At  pres- 
ent, Bethlehem  is  a  small  but  populous  town  in  a 
well-cultivated  district.  As  to  the  road  from  Bethle- 
hem to  Jerusalem,  see  von  Raumer's  Palesl'ma,  p. 
276.  "  Bethlehem  itself  is  situated  on  a  ridge  of 
moderate  size,  extending  from  east  to  west.  It  con- 
sists of  a)30ut  100  indifferent  dwellings,  partly  cut  out 
in  the  rock,  and  contains  600  inhabitants  capable  of 
bearing"  arms,  partly  Turks  and  partly  Christians. 
As  the  town  in  the  year  1831r  took  part  in  the  insur- 
rection against  Ibrahim  Pasha,  he  caused  the  Turkish 
quarter  to  be  destroyed.  Since  that  time  the  place 
is  inhabited  exclusively  by  Christians,  3,000  in  num- 
ber."    Comp.  Robinson,  1.  470-73  (Am.  ed.).* 

*  [Rev.  Benj.  Bansmann,  who  visited  Bethlehem  in  1S.57, 
thus  describes  it,  in  his  work  fiinai  and  Zio»,  I'liilad.  1861, 
p.  325:  "Betldehcm  and  Calvary— joy  and  sorrow;  life  and 
death — are  never  far  apart  in  this  world.  Tlio  town  is  built 
on  the  crest  of  a  small  hill,  surrounded  by  othei;  hills.  The 
whole  is  surrounded  by  a  wall  about  thirty  feet  high,  with  a 
number  of  gates  through  whicli  you  enter  in.  .'  .  .  Its 
present  population  is  about  4,000,  all  belonging  to  the  Greek 
Church.  .  .  .  The  inhabitants  now  have  the  name  of 
being  a  lawless,  quarrelsome  people,  who  are  in  the  habit  of 


EXEGETICAX  AND  CRITICAL. 

On  the  genuineness  of  this  chapter,  as  well  as  of 
the  former,  comp.  Meyer's  Commentary  on  Matth., 
p.  59.* 

Ver.  1.  Bethlehem  (cri^.  T^'^, ,  house  of  bread), 
BT}6\eifjL  TTjs'IouSaias,  Bethlehem  of  Judea,  as 
distinguished  from  Bethlehem  in  the  tribe  of  Zebulon, 
Josh.  xix.  15.  "  Bethlehem  Ephratah  (Gen.  xxxv. 
16,  19)  was  situated  in  the  tribe  of  Judah  (comp. 
Judg.  xvii.  9  ;  xix.  1  ;  1  Sam.  xvii.  12),  six  Roman 
miles,  or  two  hours'  walk,  to  the  south  of  Jerusalem." 
(Reland,  Palcestina,  p.  642  foil. ;  Rosenmiiller, 
Handbuch  der  biUischen  Alter thumsknnde,  ii.  1,  p. 
123  ;  Robinson,  Pal.  i.  p.  470  ;  Tobler,  Bethlehem 
in  Palffistina,  St.  Gall,  1848.  With  these  comp.  the 
recent  travels  of  Schubert,  Strauss,  Schulz,  etc.)  The 
earlier  name   of  Bethlehem   was  Ephratah,  which 


[Meyer  properly  defends  the  genuineness  of  the  first 
two  chapters,  as  Fritzsche.  Kuinol,  Griesbach  and  others  did 


•  properly  defends  the 

s,  as  Fritzsche,  Kuinol, 
before  him,  chiefly  for  the  following  reasons:  1)  They  are 
found  in  all  Greek  manuscripts  and  ancient  versions ;  also 
the  fathers  of  the  second  and  third  centuries  quote  several 
passages  from  them.  Even  the  hostile  Celsus  refers  to  them 
(Origenes,  Contra  GeU.  i.  8S;  ii.  32).  2)  Their  contents  are 
especially  adapted  to  the  object  of  a  Gospel  for  Jewish  Chris- 
tians. 3)  The  beginning  of  ch.  iii.  is  clo.sely  connected  with 
ii.  23,  and  also  iv.  IS  refers  to  ii.  23.  -1)  Construction  and 
phraseology  correspond  with  that  of  the  whole  Gospel.— The 
chief  .argument  of  the  opponents  is  the  omission  of  these  two 
chapters  in  the  Hebrew  Gospel  of  the  Kbiouites  (Epiph. 
Uaer.  xx.'c.  13);  but  this  may  be  easily  explained  from  the 
heretical  char.icter  of  this  sect  and  their  denial  of  the  divin- 
ity and  the  miraculous  conception  of  Christ.— P.  S.] 


56 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


In  the  days  of  Herod  the  king. — The  mon- 
arch here  alluded  to  was  Herod  sinnanicd  the  (freal. 
He  was  the  first  sovereign  of  the  Iduiiia3an  (or  Edoni- 
itjj)  race,  which,  from  the  year  40  before  Christ, 
reigned  over  Judica,  under  the  supremacy  of  Home 
(Joseph.  Aniiq.  xiv.  1,3;  de  Bcllo  Jiid.  1,  8,  !>). 
Herod  the  Great  was  a  son  of  Antipatcr,  whom  Caesar 
had  appointed  procurator  of  Judaea  at  the  time  he 
acknowledged  Hyrcanus  H.,  the  Maccaba'an  prince, 
as  king.  When  a  youth  of  fifteen,  Herod  was  en- 
irusted  by  his  father  with  the  government  of  the 
province  of  Galilee  (Joseph.  Antiq.  xiv.  9,  2).  Sub- 
sequently, as  "strategos"  of  Coclesyria,  he  defeated 
the  Maccabaean  prince  Antigonus  (son  of  Aristobu- 
lus),  who  had  made  an  attempt  to  recover  the  sover- 
eignty of  which  Aristobulus  had  been  deprived. 
The  Roman  triumvir  Antony  made  Herod  and  his 
brother  Phasael  tetrarchs.  Driven  from  his  province 
by  Antigonus,  Herod  repaired  to  Rome,  where, 
through  the  favor  of  Antony,  he  was  declared  by  the 
Roman  Senate  king  of  Judaea.  But  he  was  obliged 
to  call  in  the  help  of  Rome  before  he  could  make 
himself  master  of  his  new  capital,  Jerusalem.  After 
the  fall  of  Antony,  he  succeeded  in  securing  the 
favor  of  Augustus.  For  his  further  history,  comp. 
the  article  Herod  in  Winer's  and  other  Bibl.  Encycl., 
and  Josephus. — Herod  was  destined  to  sustain  a 
most  ominous  part  in  Jewish  history.  At  his  acces- 
sion, he  founded  the  Iduraa?an  dynasty  on  the  ruins 
of  the  Asmonsean  or  Maccabrean  race.  (Comp.  the 
genealogical  tables  of  the  Asmonaean  house  and  of 
the  Herodian,  in  von  Ruumer's  Falestina,  p.  331.) 
The  glorious  race  of  the  Ifaccabees  had  fallen  through 
their  fanatical  presumption,  and  a  servile  deference 
to  the  ultra-legalist  religious  party, — -just  as  a  similar 
ultra-ecclesiastical  policy  led  to  the  ruin  of  various 
Byzantine  dynasties,  and  in  more  modern  times  to 
that  of  the  Stuarts  in  Great  Britain,  and  of  the 
Bourbons  in  Franco.  The  Idumfean  dynasty,  on  the 
other  handfkpursued  a  crafty  secular  policy,  by  which 
it  succeeded  in  maintaining  itself  for  a  consider- 
able time,  under  the  most  difficult  circumstances. 
This  policy  consisted  in  flattering  the  party  of 
the  Pharisees,  by  the  building  of  the  temple,  and  by 
other  tokens  of  religious  zeal ;  while  at  the  same 
time  the  favor  of  Rome  w^as  courted  by  servility,  by 
concessions  to  heathenism,  and  by  the  introduction 
of  Grecian  customs.  It  is  noteworthy  that  the  same 
Herod  who  had  already  extinguished  the  priestly  and 
royal  house  of  the  Maccabees  by  the  murder  of  its 
last  heirs,  also  attempted  to  destroy  the  true  and 
eternal  royalty  of  the  house  of  David.  But,  strictly 
speaking,  it  was  not  with  Herod  that  the  outward 
sceptre  first  passed  from  the  tribe  of  Judab  to  an 
alien  family,  as  even  the  Maccaba?an  dynasty  be- 
longed to  a  different  tribe,  that  of  Levi.  Hence, 
when  the  royal  power  was  conferred  on  the  Macca- 
bees in  the  person  of  Simon,  it  was  with  cm  express 
reservation,  of  the  rights  of  tJie  Messiah  (1  Mace.  xiv. 
41).  On  the  other  hand,  the  Idumaeans  had,  for 
more  than  a  hundred  years  before  that,  been  Jews, — 

rebelling  as.iinst  the  Governmrnt.  Some  of  them  live  by 
farming  smiill  patchps  of  the  rocky  country  around  the  town, 
and  from  the  fruit  of  the  fip:,  pomegranate,  olive,  and  vine, 
which  cover  some  of  the  neichboring:  hills;  others  live  by 
carvins  events  in  the  history  of  our  Saviour  on  sea  shells, 
and  other  curious  trinkets,  -which  they  sell  to  the  pilgrims 
that  visit  Jerusalem  during  the  Easter  season.  ...  Its 
general  appearance  is  like  that  of  other  towns  in  the  East. — 
narrow,  crooked  streets,  flat-roofed  houses,  mostly  small, 
with  fronts  all  walled  up,  save  a  small  floor-door.  It  has  no 
hotel  or  place  of  entertainment;  the  travellers  usually  lodge 
in  the  convent,"  etc. — P.  S.] 


the  Maccabee  Hyrcanus  having  compelled  them  to 
submit  to  circumcision.  The  Ilerodian  dynasty  re- 
mained, however,  Idumjean  in  spirit, — circumcised 
semi-pagan  and  barbarian,  though  outwardly  civ- 
ilized. According  to  the  statements  of  the  Fathers 
(quoted  by  Winer,  i.  p.  481,  note  5),  the  Ilerodiana 
were  of  purely  heathen  extraction, — their  ancestors 
having  been  Philistines  from  Ascalon,  who  had  been 
brought  to  Idumaa  as  prisoners  of  war.  But  while 
the  Asmoneeans  enjoyed  the  royal  dignity  with  the 
express  acknowledgment  that  the  sceptre  belonged 
to  the  "  coming  Prophet,"  Herod  recognized  no  such 
expected  Messiah  ;  or  rather  entertained  only  super- 
stitious fears  about  Him,  and  cherished  the  desire  of 
effecting  His  destruction.  In  this  respect  Herod 
may  be  said  to  have  removed  the  sceptre  from  Judah, 
although  not  in  the  primary  sense  of  the  prediction 
in  Gen.  xlix.  10  {see  the  author's  Positive  bogmatik, 
p.  668). 

Herod  died  in  the  fourth  year  before  the  com- 
mencement of  our  era,  shortly  before  Easter  (Joseph. 
Antiq.  xvii.  9,  3).  Accordingly,  the  birth  of  Christ 
must  have  taken  place  at  least  four  years  earlier  than 
the  usual  date.  See  Wieseler,  Chronol.  Sgnopse,  p, 
50  ;  and  the  author's  Zeben  Jesu,  ii.  p.  106. 

Wise  men,  lit.  Ifagi,  /jt-dyoi,  ^"'5^ . — The  name 
originally  belonged  to  a  high  sacerdotal  caste  among 
the  Persians  and  Medes,  who  formed  the  king's  privy 
council,  and  cultivated  astrology,  medicine,  and 
occult  natural  science.  They  are  frequently  men- 
tioned by  ancient  authors,  such  as  Herodotus  (i.  1 32), 
Diogenes  Laertius  (i.  1,  9),  yElian,  Porphyry,  Cicero, 
and  Pliny.  During  the  time  of  the  Chalda'an  dynasty, 
there  also  existed  an  order  of  magi  at  the  court  of 
Babylon  (Jer.  xxxix.  3),  of  which  Daniel  was  made 
the  president  (Dan.  ii.  48).  Subsequently  the  name 
was  transferred  to  those  Eastern  philosophers  in  gen- 
eral who  studied  astrology,  the  interpretation  of 
dreams,  occult  natural  science,  and  the  like.  (See 
Winer's  Jxeal-  Worterbnch.)  At  the  time  of  Christ, 
many  natives  of  Syria  and  Arabia,  as  well  as  Greeks 
and  Romans,  professed  to  be  adepts  in  the  magical 
art,  and  employed  it  for  gain  or  personal  advance- 
ment, taking  advantage  of  the  curiosity  and  supersti- 
tion of  their  contemporaries.  The  names  of  Simou 
Magus,  who  drew  down  the  rebuke  of  Peter,  and  of 
Elymas  the  sorcerer,  who  opposed  Paul,  will  at  once 
occur  to  the  reader  as  familiar  instances.  The  magi 
mentioned  in  the  text  belonged  to  the  earlier  class 
of  Eastern  sages,  -whose  researches  were  sincere  and 
earnest. 

They  are  called  wise  men  from  the  East,  /xdyot 
hirh  avaroXav.  The  expression,  otto  avar.,  may 
be  joined  with  equal  propriety  to  the  noun  preceding 
or  to  the  verb  following.  The  first  construction, 
however,  is  preferable,  giving  to  the  expression,  magi, 
its  full  import ;  but  the  particular  part  of  the  East 
from  which  they  came,  cannot  be  determined.  Jus- 
tin, Tertullian,  and  many  others  (see  Meyer),  fixed  on 
Arabia;  Chrysostom,  Theophylact,  and  others  on 
Persia  ;  while  some  have  specified  Parthia,  Baby- 
lonia, and  even  Egjipt  and  Ethiopia.  At  all  events, 
they  were  of  Eastern  origin  ;  and  the  Evangelist 
seems  to  imply  that  they  came  from  Persia  or  Meso- 
potamia, the  seat  of  the  original  magi.  In  attempt- 
ing to  account  for  the  manner  in  which  they  had 
become  acquainted  with  the  Jewish  expectation  of  a 
Mes.^iah,  some  have  laid  too  much  stress  on  uncertain 
historical  statements ;  while,  more  recently,  others 
have  entirely  disregarded  the  established  historical 


CHAP.  II.  1-12. 


57 


fact,  that  some  such  expectation  was  generally  enter- 
tained at  the  time.  Thus  Suetonius  mentions,  in  his 
Life  of  Vespasian  (iv.),  that  throughout  the  East  there 
was  a  general  and  settled  belief,  that  about  this 
period  one  would  come  from  Judtea  who  should  sub- 
due the  world.  Tacitus  {Hist.  v.  13)  refers  to  a  sim- 
ilar expectation.  But  probably  these  two  historians 
derived  their  statements  only  i'rom  a  passage  in  Jo- 
sephus  {De  Bello  Judaico,  vi.  5,  4.  See  Gieseler, 
Kirchengeschichte,  vol.  i.  p.  47).  Josephus,  in  his 
usual  cringing  manner,  perverted  the  Scripture  prom- 
ise of  a  Messiah,  applying  it  to  Vespasian,  who,  from 
his  campaign  in  Judiea  or  from  the  East,  had  gone 
to  take  possession  of  the  empire  of  the  world  {see  my 
Leben  Jesu,  vol.  ii.  p.  105).  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  is  undeniable  that  the  temple  of  Jerusalem 
was  famed  all  over  the  East  {sex  Gieseler,  vol.  i.  p. 
46) ;  that  at  that  time  the  Jews  had  already  spread 
over  the  known  world ;  and  that  they  had  gained 
converts  among  the  most  intellectual  and  earnest  in- 
quirers of  all  countries.  Such,  for  example,  were 
the  Greeks  mentioned  by  John  (xii.  20).  Nor  must 
we  forget  that  the  greatest  part  of  the  ten  tribes  of 
Israel  had  remained  in  Parthia,  though  their  ideas 
and  hopes  concerning  the  Messiah  were  probably  not 
so  clear  and  well  defined  as  those  of  their  brethren 
in  Palestine.  (See  The  Nestorians,  or  llie  Ten 
Tribes,  by  Asahel  Grant,  1843.)  From  the  circum- 
stance that  three  diftereut  kinds  of  gifts  were  ofiered, 
the  strange  inference  has  been  drawn,  that  three 
"  wise  men  "  presented  them.  Similarly,  a  purely 
fanciful  interpretation  of  Ps.  Ixxii.  10  ;  Isa.  xlix.  Y  ; 
Ix.  3,  10,  led  to  the  idea,  especially  since  the  fifth 
century,  that  the  magi  were  ki7iffs.  Even  before 
that  time,  this  view  had  been  propounded  by  Tertul- 
lian  {Adv.  Marc.  iii.  13).  Chrysostom  speaks  of 
twelve  magi,  and  Epiphanius  increased  their  number 
to  fifteen. 

The  mediaeval  Church  blended  the  commemora- 
tion of  the  holy  three  kings  {Gaspar,  3feli;Mor,  and 
Balthasar,  as  they  were  called,  although  other  names 
are  also  assigned  them),  with  the  festival  of  the 
Epiphany  (6th  Jan.).  This  feast,  which  was  first 
instituted  in  the  Eastern  Church,  commenced  there 
the  annual  cycle  of  Christian  festivals,  and  primarily 
bore  reference  to  the  baptism  of  Christ.  As  the 
Eastern  Church  adopted  Christmas  from  the  West, 
80  the  Western  received  the  Epiphany  from  the 
East,  by  an  interchange  similar  to  that  in  regard  to 
the  use  of  organs  and  bells.  The  first  trace  of  its 
celebration  in  the  West  occurs  during  the  latter  half 
of  the  fourth  century  (when,  according  to  Ammianus 
Marcellinus,  it  was  observed  l^y  the  Emperor  Julian 
at  Vienne  in  360).  So  early  as  the  time  of  Augus- 
tine, it  was  celebrated  in  the  West  as  Christ's  first 
manifestation  to  the  Gentiles,  the  precedent  and 
warrant  for  it  being  derived  from  the  adoration  of 
the  magi  in  the  passage  under  consideration.  Hence 
also  its  name — Festival  of  the  three  Kings.  In  pro- 
cess of  time,  three  different  events  came  to  be  con- 
nected with  this  festival :  1)  The  baptism  of  Christ; 
2)  Christ's  first  manifestation  to  the  Gentiles  ;  3)  the 
first  miracle  at  Cana,  John  ii.  11 .  A  fourth  reference 
to  the  miraculous  feeding  of  the  5000  persons  was 
afterward  added.  Comp.  the  article  Epiphanienfest 
in  Herzog's  Real-Encyclnpmdie ;  also  in  Aschbach's 
Allg':m.  Kirchenlexicon,  and  in  Strauss's  Kirchtn- 
jalir.  The  legends  on  this  subject  gave  rise,  as  is 
well  known,  to  a  strange  medley  of  ecclesiastical  and 
popular  usages. 

We  have  no  authentic  record  of  the  number  and 


the  social  position  of  these  magi.  There  must,  of 
course,  have  been  more  than  one ;  and  they  must 
have  been  persons  of  wealth  and  rank,  who,  in  all 
probability,  would  travel  with  a  considerable  retinue, 
so  that  their  arrival  at  Jerusalem  must  have  pro- 
duced a  sensation.  That  they  were  Gentiles  and 
not  Jews,  appears  from  the  whole  tenor  of  the  nar- 
rative ;  from  the  pointed  contrast  to  which  the  Evan- 
gelist manifestly  intends  to  draw  attention ;  and 
especially  from  the  question  :  "  Where  is  the  new- 
born King  of  the  Jews  ?  "  Accordingly,  most  com- 
mentators are  agreed  on  this  question.  {See  Meyer, 
p.  63.) 

Ver.  2.  We  have  seen  His  star. — This  cannot 
refer  either  to  a  comet  (Origen  and  others),  or  a 
meteor,  still  less  to  an  angelic  apparition  (Theophy- 
lact).  Among  the  ancients,  a  comet  was  rarely  con- 
sidered a  good  omen  ;  a  meteor  would  blaze  and 
burst ;  while  an  angelic  vision  would  disappear  when 
its  object  was  accomplished.  We  have  no  knowledge 
that  an  entirely  new  star  made  its  appearance  at  that 
time,  and  again  disappeared.  Astrologers  drew  their 
inferences  not  so  much  from  an  individual  star,  as 
from  a  constellation  of  stars,  although  the  import  of 
the  vision  was  gathered  from  the  presence  or  posi- 
tion of  one  particular  star  in  the  constellation.  {See 
Lange's  Leben  Jesu,  vol.  ii.  p.  105.)  "  The  famous 
astronomer  Kepler  {Be  Jesu  Christi  vero  anno  iiata- 
litio,  Francf.  1606  ;  comp.  Munter,  Stern  der  Weisen, 
Kopenhagen,  1827)  has  shown,  that  in  the  year  747 
from  the  building  of  Rome,  a  very  remarkable  three- 
fold conjunction  of  Jupiter  and  Saturn  in  the  sign 
Pisces  occurred  ;  and  that  in  the  spring  of  the  fol- 
lowing year  the  planet  Mars  likewise  appeared  in 
this  constellation.  He  regarded  it  as  probable  that 
an  extraordinary  star  was  conjoined  with  these  three 
planets,  as  was  the  case  in  the  year  1603.  Kepler 
was  of  opinion  that  this  conjunction  formed  the  star 
of  the  magi.  This  view  has  been  further  explained 
and  defended  by  Ideler  in  his  Chronological  Research- 
es. Wieseler  mentions,  that,  according  to  the  state- 
ment of  Munter,  the  Chinese  astronomical  tables  record 
the  appearance  of  a  new  star  at  a  time  which  coin- 
cides with  the  fourth  year  before  the  birth  of  Christ. 
All  chronological  statements  relating  to  the  birth  of 
Christ  lead,  according  to  Wieseler's  calculations,  to 
the  conclusion  that  Jesus  was  born  in  the  year  750 
from  the  building  of  Rome  (four  years  earlier  than 
the  birth  of  Christ  according  to  the  usual  chronology), 
and  most  probably  in  the  month  of  February.  The 
above-mentioned  conjunction  took  place  two  years 
sooner,  that  is,  in  the  year  747  and  748." 

The  circumstance  that  Herod  caused  all  the 
(male)  children  in  Bethlehem,  of  two  years  old  and 
under,  to  be  put  to  death,  is  a  strong  argument  in 
favor  of  the  supposition,  that  the  principal  star  in 
this  constellation  was  that  which  directed  the  magi 
to  their  search.  Gcrlach,  in  his  Commentary,  says : 
As  Jesus  adapted  Himself  to  the  fishermen  by  the 
miraculous  draught  of  fishes  ;  to  the  sick,  by  the 
curing  of  their  infirmities  ;  and  to  all  His  hearers,  by 
parables  relating  to  the  circumstances  around,  and 
the  affairs  of  ordinary  life ;  so  did  He  draw  these 
astronomers  to  Himself  by  condescending  to  their 
favorite  science. 

If  it  be  asked  how  Providence  could  employ  such 
a  deceptive  art  for  the  purpose  of  guiding  the  magi 
to  the  truth,  we  reply,  that  there  is  a  vast  difference 
between  earlier  and  later  astrology.  Just  as  chemis- 
try sprung  from  alchemy,  and  even  war  gave  rise  to 
the  Law  of  Nations,  so  ancient  pagan  astrology  was 


58 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


the  parent  of  our  inodoni  science  of  astronomy.  But 
the  tendency  of  all  true  ficieiice  is  to  pcJint  tlic  way 
to  faith.  A  perception  of  tlio  harmonious  order  oi' 
the  firmament,  and  especially  a  knowledge  of  astron- 
om)',  would  direct  devout  minds  to  Uim  who  is  the 
Centre  of  the  spiritual  solar  system,  to  the  creative 
Word,  the  Source  of  all  order.  Besides,  it  was  not 
astrological  inquiry  which  primarily  determined  the 
magi  to  undertake  the  journey  to  Bethlehem,  but 
their  belief  in  the  Messiah  promised  to  the  Jews,  of 
whom  they  had  heard.  They  were  men  earnest  in 
their  deep  longing,  and  believers  according  to  the 
measure  of  preparing  grace  granted  them.  Hence  their 
astrological  knowledge  was  used  only  as  the  instru- 
ment of  advancing  and  directing  their  faith.  Thus 
Divine  Providence  might  condescend  even  to  their 
erroneous  ideas,  and  cause  the  appearance  of  the  con- 
stellation in  the  heavens  to  coincide  with  the  convic- 
tion in  their  hearts,  that  the  birth  of  the  Messiah  had 
then  taken  place  ;  more  especially  as  their  mistake 
implied  at  least  the  general  truth  that  the  whole 
starry  world  points  to  Christ,  and  that  particular  law 
of  Providence,  according  to  which  great  leading 
events  in  the  kingdom  of  God  are  ushered  in  by  sol- 
emn and  striking  occurrences,  both  terrestrial  and 
celestial.  Thus,  all  secular  knowledge,  however 
blended  with  error,  serves  to  draw  heavenly  minds  to 
Christ.  Error  is  but  the  husk,  truth  is  the  kernel. 
Accordingly,  the  star  which  was  a  sign  to  these  wise 
men,  is  to  us  a  symbol  that  all  nature — in  particular, 
the  starry  heavens,  and  the  whole  compass  of  natural 
science — if  properly  understood,  will,  under  Divine 
guidance,  lead  us  to  deeper  and  stronger  faith. 
(Comp.  Heubner,  "  Fraktische  Erklarung  des 
Ncuen  Test.,''''  vol.  i.  p.  13.)  The  statement,  that 
the  star  had  ffuided  the  magi  to  Jerusalem,  must 
be  interpreted  in  accordance  with  the  symbolical  im- 
port of  the  passage.  The  magi,  of  course,  availed 
themselves  of  the  ordinary  channels  of  information 
as  to  the  road  from  the  East  to  Jerusalem ;  and 
they  went  to  Jerusalem  on  the  supposition  that 
the  capital  of  Judasa  would  naturally  be  the  birth- 
place of  the  King  of  the  Jews.  The  way  from  Jeru- 
salem to  Bethlehem  they  learnt  fiom  local  informa- 
tion, having  been  directed  there  by  the  scribes  and 
by  Herod.  To  them,  however,  the  star  still  seemed 
to  be  the  guide  of  their  journey — more  especially  the 
same  star  which  they  had  seen  in  the  East  when 
first  it  rose  (for  this  must  be  the  import  of  the  sin- 
gular number,  ev  rfi  avaroAfj,  since  the  phrase,  "  in 
the  £\ist"  would  require  the  Plural,  and  araroAT) 
evidently  corresponds  with  rex^f 's)i  now  appeared  in 
its  zenith  right  overhead  upon  Bethlehem,  where  the 
shepherds  had  already  made  known  the  abode  of  the 
Messiah.  To  their  believing  hearts  the  star  seemed 
to  stand  fixed,  as  heaven's  own  light,  over  the  long 
desired,  though  obscure  and  humble  residence.  But 
it  is  remarkable  how  even  their  astrological  inferen- 
ces were  purged  from  error,  and  transformed  into 
genuine  faith.  For,  first,  they  found  the  new-born 
King  of  the  Jews  not  at  Jerusalem.  Secondly,  they 
found  on  the  throne  of  Judah  a  worldly-minded  old 
tyrant.  Thirdly,  they  found  the  representatives  of 
the  sanctuary  of  Judah,  and  the  holy  city  itself, 
indifferent  and  unbelieving.  Fourthly,  they  were 
directed  to  the  poor  village  of  Bethlehem.  Fifthly, 
in  Bethlehem  itself  they  were  directed  to  a  poor  cot- 
tage. Lastly,  they  found,  not  a  child  of  two  years  of 
age,  but  an  infant  recently  born,  surrounded  by  what 
betokened  extreme  poverty,  under  the  care  of  a 
homeless  couple,  the  head  of  which  was  a  carpenter. 


All  these  stumbling-blocks  had  to  be  removed  by  tiie 
testimony  of  the  Scriptures  which  they  had  heard, 
by  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  in  their  hearts,  by  the 
sublime  spectacle  of  Mary  and  the  holy  child,  and  by 
the  communications  of  the  believing  shepherds. 
Thus  were  the  heathen  and  carnal  elements  in  their 
astrological  impressions  effaced,  and  only  what  was 
true,  remained.  The  star  in  tlie  sky  had  guided 
them  to  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  firmament. 

Ver.  2.  And  are  come  to  worship  Him. — 
npoaKuveTf,  to  indicate  veneration,  homage,  submis- 
sion, by  prostration  of  the  face  to  the  ground  :  Gen. 
xix.  1  ;  xlii.  G,  etc. ;  Herodot.  i.  134,  etc.  Here,  as  in 
many  other  places,  the  word  is,  however,  to  be  taken 
as  meaning  adoration  in  the  more  general  sense,  as 
it  evidently  refers  merely  to  religious,  not  to  political 
homage. 

Ver.  3.  {Herod)  was  troubled,  and  all  Jeru- 
salem, with  him,  frapdxOv- — Both  Herod  and 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  were  struck  with  sinful 
fear.  With  Herod,  it  may  have  been  chiefly  political 
fear  of  a  supposed  new  claimant  of  the  throne.  At 
the  same  time,  he  must  also  have  felt  a  dread,  partly 
religious  and  partly  moral,  of  the  power  of  religion, 
and  of  the  advent  of  One  who  should  judge  both  the 
nation  and  the  world, — an  event  which  he  would 
naturally  connect  with  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 
Nor  were  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  merely 
alarmed  from  apprehension  of  the  cruelty  of  Herod, 
but  because,  along  with  him,  they  anticipated  a  con- 
flict and  a  judgment  of  a  spiritual  character.  Light- 
foot  and  Berthold  suppose  that  they  were  merely 
afraid  of  the  calamitous  times  which  should  precede 
the  reign  of  Messiah,  or  of  the  dolores  Ifessice,  as 
they  are  termed.  But  this  could  form  only  one  ele- 
ment in  their  general  and  undefined  dismay.  Jeru- 
salem does  not  go  to  Bethlehem, — this  fact  best 
explains  the  character  of  their  fear.  Gerlaeh  reminds 
us  of  the  circumstnnce  that,  "  a  short  time  before 
this,  the  Pharisees  had  predicted  to  a  female  relative 
of  Herod,  that  her  descendants  would  obtain  the  royal 
dignity,  and  that  Herod  and  his  house  would  be  de- 
stroyed. In  consequence  of  this  prediction  several 
of  the  Pharisees  had  been  put  to  death.  When  such 
a  tyrant  was  alarmed,  his  whole  capital  could  not  but 
be  also  alarmed." 

Ver.  4.  (Herod)  gathered  together,  etc.— This 
refers  either  to  an  extraordinary  sitting  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim— which  is  the  usual  opinion — or  merely  to  a 
theological  conference.  The  latter  supposition  seems 
to  us  the  more  probable,  as  the  object  of  the  meeting 
was  merely  a  theological  deliverance.  It  is  rendered 
still  more  likely  from  the  fact,  that  the  third  class 
of  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  the  elders,  are  not 
mentioned  (for  details,  see  Meyer,  p.  65  ;  and  Winer 
and  others,  under  the  article  Sijnednuin,  or  Sanhe- 
drhn).  "The  term  apxi-^p^'^s  comprehends  not 
only  the  actual  high  priest  for  the  time  (6  apxiepivs, 
biTjri  "rib^  Lev.  xxi.  10),  but  those  also  who  had 
previously  held  the  office  of  high  priest  (for  at  this 
period  it  was  often  transferred  at  the  caprice  of  the 
Romans  :  Joseph.  Antiq.  xv.  3),  and,  probably,  even 
the  heads  of  the  twenty-four  classes  of  priests  (1 
Chron.  xxiv.  6  ;  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  14  ;  Joseph.  Antiq. 
XX.  8,  8)."  The  scribes  {ypai^fxareTs,  C'^'IS'O)  formed 
a  separate  class  in  the  Sanhedrim,  though  only  a 
portion  of  them  were  members  of  it.  From  the 
union  of  civil  and  spiritual  government  under  the  Old 
Testament  theocracy,  they  were  at  one  and  the  same 
time  lawyers  and  theologians, — interpreters  of  the 


CHAP.  II.  1-12. 


59 


law  in  this  twofold  sense.  Hence  Luke  calls  them 
t/ofMLKoi  and  voixoSiSaffKaKoi.  Most  of  them  belonged 
to  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  {see  the  article  ISchriftge- 
lehrte  in  Winer).  In  all  probability,  the  scribes  ori- 
ginated not  merely  from  the  practice  of  employing 
copyists  of  the  law  and  public  readers  in  the  syna- 
gogues, but  were  intended  as  a  kind  of  successors  to 
the  prophets,  in  a  sense  modified  by  the  circumstan- 
ces of  the  time.  The  only  point  before  the  Sanhe- 
drim on  the  present  occasion  was  to  specify,  on  theo- 
logical grounds,  the  place  where  Christ  should  be 
born.  No  doubt,  however,  the  scribes  were  aware  of 
the  reason  why  Herod  wished  to  ascertain  this  point. 

Vers.  5  and  6.  For  thus  it  is  written  by  the 
prophet :  Micah  v.  1. — The  passage  is  freely  quoted 
from  the  Septuagint.  In  the  Hebrew  text  the 
prophet  says :  "  But  thou,  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  too 
small  to  be  among  the  thousands  of  Judah  C"^^^ 
i^'^'iiT^  "'E5X3  f^'^n") — [or,  the  central  towns  where 
the  heads  of  thousands  resided,  i.e.,  subordinate  di- 
visions of  tribes] — out  of  thee  shall  come  forth  unto 
Me  One  who  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel :  whose  going 
forth  (origin)  is  from  the  first  of  time,  from  the  days 
of  eternity."  The  Sept.  has :  "  And  thou  Bethle- 
hem, house  of  Ephratah,  too  small  to  be  among  the 
thousands  (eV  x'^"»<^'»')  of  Judah,"  etc.  Matthew 
substitutes  for  Ephratah,  "  land  of  Judahy  The 
expression  probably  means  district,  and  is  analogous 
to  that  of  Ephraim,  or  twin-district.  Ephratah  was 
the  District  par  excellence — the  District  of  Judah. — 
The  words,  art  not  the  least,  seem  to  imply  a  ques- 
tion, as  if  it  were  said  :  "  Art  thou  too  small '?  Out 
of  thee  shall  come,  etc.  Not  only  art  thou  not  too 
small  to  be  one  of  the  thousands  (or  central  towns)  in 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  but  thou  shalt  be  the  birthplace  of 
the  King  of  all  Israel — the  King  eternal."  Though 
we  have  here  among  the  princes  for  "  among  the 
thousa7ids"  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  the  Evange- 
list or  his  translator  had  mistaken  the  word  ^=^5 1 
a  thousand  (central  town),  for  ~i*13^ ,  the  chief  of 
a  thousand  (as  Meyer  thinks,  p.  66).  In  point  of 
fact,  the  Evangelist  here  refers  to  a  central  town  or 
thousand,  only  personifying  it  by  the  term  "  prince." 
Even  the  Rabbins  admit  that  this  passage  applies  to 
the  Messiah.  Indeed,  the  whole  context,  and  the 
mysterious  designation  of  the  promised  ruler,  prove 
its  Messianic  reference  ;  but  chiefly,  the  circumstance 
that  the  Messiah  to  be  born  in  Bethlehem  is  distin- 
guished from  the  then  reigning  house  of  David. 

Rule,  or  rather  feed,  as  in  the  margin — Troiixafel, 
the  primitive  idea  of  ruling  a  people.  Homer : 
iroifxfves  Kaiiv.  It  is  clear,  from  this  passage,  that 
the  scribes  understood  the  words  of  Micah  as  refer- 
ring to  the  Messiah.  So  also  did  the  Chaldee  trans- 
lator. Subsequently,  the  Jews  tried  to  destroy  this 
testimony  by  applying  the  prediction  to  Hezekiah  or 
Zerubabel. 

Ver.  7.  Privily,  \ddpa. — Quite  characteristic  of 
political  suspicion.  Herod  evidently  shared  the  mis- 
take of  the  magi,  that  the  birth  of  the  child  coincided 
with  the  first  appearance  of  the  star,  and  that,  conse- 
quently, the  child  was  then  in  its  second  year.  This 
error  led  to  the  slaughter  of  the  children  at  Bethlehem. 

Ver.  9.  And,  lo,  the  star. — Bengel  infers  from 
this  passage,  without  sufficient  reason,  "  (oto  itinere 
nan  vidernnt  stellam.''^  The  only  difference  was, 
that  the  star  was  now  in  its  zenith,  and  hence  ap- 
peared to  go  before  them.  According  to  a  common 
Eastern  custom,  they  travelled  by  night  (Ilasselquist, 
''^  Reise  nach  Paldstina,"  p.  152).     Front  this  cir- 


cumstance, however,  we  ai-e  warranted  in  supposing 
that  Herod  received  the  magi  at  night,  in  order  to 
question,  and  to  give  them  such  directions  as  would 
make  them,  uncon.sciously,  spies,  and  subservient  to 
his  murderous  purpose.  Immediately  on  leaving  the 
despot's  palace,  they  set  out  on  their  journey. 

Ver.  11.  Into  the  house. — This  no  more  proves 
(as  Meyer  asserts)  that  Matthew  represents  Bethle- 
hem as  Joseph's  permanent  place  of  residence,  than 
ver.  1  shows  that  the  magi  did  not  arrive  till  long 
after  the  birth  of  the  Saviour.  In  all  probability  the 
holy  family  removed,  soon  after  the  homage  of  the 
shepherds,  from  the  stable  (or  the  caravansery)  to 
some  shepherd's  cottage.  The  event  here  alluded  to 
undoubtedly  occurred  soon  after  the  birth  of  Jesus, 
and  before  His  presentation  in  the  temple. 

Opened  their  treasures. — The  bags  or  boxes 
containing  their  treasures.  According  to  Oriental  usage, 
offerings  are  presented  when  welcoming  a  distinguish- 
ed stranger,  but  especially  on  rendering  homage  to  a 
sovereign.  The  (/oW  indicates  wealth  ;  the  fravkln- 
cense  and  myrrh  point  to  the  East,  more  particularly 
to  Arabia.  Frankincense,  a  resin  of  bitter  taste,  but 
fragrant  odor,  was  used  chiefly  in  sacrifices  and  in 
the  services  of  the  temple.  On  the  tree  from  which 
frankincense  was  derived  in  Arabia  and  India,  comp. 
Winer.  Myrrh,  an  aromatic  of  a  similar  kind,  was 
produced  from  a  shrub,  which,  indigenous  in  Arabia 
and  Ethiopia,  grows  also  in  Palestine.  Myrrh  was 
employed  for  fumigation  and  for  improving  the  taste 
of  wine,  but  especially  as  an  ingredient  of  a  very 
precious  ointment.  For  a  fuller  account  of  these 
productions,  see  Winer  and  other  Encycl. — These 
gifts  have  been  regarded  as  symbolical.  Thus  Theo- 
phylact :  The  gold  to  the  King,  the  incense  to  the 
Lord,  the  myrrh  to  Him  who  was  to  taste  of  death 
(the  great  High  Priest).  Sunilarly  Leo  the  Great. 
Fulgentius :  Fer  aurum  C'hrinti  regnum,  per  thus 
ejus  poniificatus,  per  myrrham  jaors  significatur. 
Others  give  other  explanations.  Leo  the  Great  and 
Juvencus  suggest,  that  by  these  gifts  the  magi  owned 
and  did  homage  to  both  the  divme  and  the  human 
nature  of  Christ.  Others  have  dwelt  more  on  the 
practical  utility  of  the  gifts,  as  a  provision  for  the 
holy  family  in  their  unpending  flight  mto  Egypt. 
With  this  view  we  may,  also,  combine  a  symbolical 
interpretation  of  the  threefold  gift.  Thus  the  myrrh, 
as  precious  ointment,  may  indicate  the  Prophet  and 
the  balm  of  Israel;  the  incense,  the  office  of  the 
High  Priest ;  the  gold,  the  splendor  of  royalty.  In 
expatiating,  however,  on  supposed  symbolical  mean- 
ings, great  care  is  required  to  avoid  mere  trifling. 

Ver.  12.  And  being  warned  of  God,  xpw- 
TtffOevres. — The  Vulgate:  response  accepto. — The 
expression  seems  to  imply  a  previous  inquiry.  Ben- 
gel:  Sic  optaraut,  vel  rogarant.  Hence  we  infer 
that,  even  before  being  warned  in -a  dream,  the  for- 
mer trustfulness  and  simplicity  of  the  magi — so 
characteristic  of  these  inquirers — had  given  place  to 
suspicion  of  Herod's  intentions,  from  the  contrast 
between  the  uncomfortable  impression  produced  by 
the  despotic  king  and  the  spiritual  feelings  awakened 
by  the  holy  family.  The  word  avex'^PVcay  is  also 
significant :  they  withdrew,  escaped,  by  another  way 
to  their  own  country.  Their  direct  way  home  would, 
in  all  probability,  have  led  by  Jerusalem,  as  the 
route  would  depend  not  so  much  on  the  direction  in 
which  their  country  lay,  as  on  the  road  usually  taken 
by  travellers. 

General  Remarks  on  the  Historical  CnAKACTER  op 
THE  Adoeation  of  THE  Magi.— The  idea  (still,  it  would 


GO 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


seem,  countenanced 
that  the  preceding  narrative  was  no  more  than  a  legend, 
not  only  theologically  untenable,  but  fcientifleally  antiquat- 
ed. The  deep  significant  and  symbolical  meaning  is  no  argu- 
ment against  the  historical  truth  of  this  Gospel  narrative, 
but  rather  an  additional  evidence  of  its  reality.  (See  "  Leben 
Jeitu"  vol.  i.  p.  41.)  At  any  rate,  if  this  narrative  be  a 
legend,  it  cannot  be  supposed  to  have  been  of  Jewish  Chris- 
tian origin:  it  portrays  Judaism  in  a  most  disadvantageous 
light  compared  with  the  Gentile  world.  It  is  remarkable 
that  the  Evangelist  Luke,  the  companion  of  Paul,  the  Apos- 
tle of  the  Gentiles,  introduces  Jewish  worthies  as  celebrat- 
ing the  praises  of  the  new-born  Messiah ;  while  Matthew, 
whose  Gospel  was  primarily  intended  for  the  use  of  Jewish 
converts,  dwells  upon  the  homage  paid  to  the  Saviour  by 
Gentiles.  This  accounts  for  the  circumstance,  that  in  tlie 
Ebionite  Hebrew  Gospel,  not  only  the  first  chapter,  which 
records  the  miraculous  birth,  but  also  the  second,  was  omit- 
ted. "  Chalcidius,  a  Platonic  philosopher  and  a  heathen, 
but  according  to  others  a  deacon  of  Carthage,  also  relates 
this  narrative  in  his  Commentar  ad  ThnveMm  Pint.  See 
Opera  HiiypoJyii,  ed.  Fabric,  xi.  325."— Heubner.  The 
same  writer  (Heubner)  refers  to  Hamann :  ^^ Die  Kreuzzugf. 
des  Philnlogen"  vol.'ii.  p.  153;  and  to  Lilienthal :  ''Die 
gute  Sache  der  gottUchen  Offenharung,"  v.  271  and  x.  598. 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  In  the  first  chapter,  the  Evangehst  points  out 
the  part  which  the  Jewish  people  had  in  connection 
with  the  Messiah.  Christ's  genealogy,  and  His  birth 
from  the  Virgin,  show  that  salvation  was  of  the  Jews. 
The  second  chapter,  which  records  the  arrival  of 
magi  from  the  East,  presents  the  interest  of  the  Gen- 
tile world  in  Christ.  The  magi  are,  so  to  speak,  the 
representatives  of  those  pious  Gentiles  whose  names 
are  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament, — Melchisedec, 
Jethro,  Ruth,  Hiram,  Job,  Naaman,  etc.  To  this 
class  also  belong,  in  a  certain  sense,  Nebuchadnezzar 
and  Cyrus.  The  same  thread  continues  to  run 
through  the  New  Testament  history,  where  we  meet 
with  the  three  believing  centurions  and  other  pious 
Gentiles,  and  where  the  vision  of  a  Gentile — the  man 
of  Macedonia — summons  the  Apostle  to  carry  the 
Gospel  into  Europe,  Acts  xvi.  9.  Thus  the  first 
chapter  of  our  Gospel  illustrates  the  hereditary  bless- 
ing as  contrasted  with  the  hereditary  curse ;  while 
the  second  proves,  that  although  the  heathen  were 
judicially  given  up  to  their  own  ways,  there  was 
among  them  in  all  ages  a  certain  longing  after,  and 
knowledge  of,  the  Saviour  (Rom.  i.).  The  Jewish 
hereditary  blessing  and  the  Gentile  aspirations  of 
nature  together  belong  to  what  the  Church  calls  the 
gratia  prceveniens,  or  prevenient  grace.  Among  those 
who  enjoyed  the  hereditary  blessing,  prevenient  grace 
was  continued  in  genealogical  succession.  They 
were  a  chosen  race.  In  the  Gentile  world,  the  hope 
of  a  Saviour  was  planted  here  and  there  in  chosen 
individuals.  Yet,  these  two  classes  of  believers  are 
not  entirely  distmct  from  each  other.  Even  the 
Gentile  world  was  favored  with  bright  glimpses  of 
Messianic  tradition;  while  among  the  Jews,  also, 
"prevenient  grace,"  in  its  highest  manifestations, 
was  accorded  to  chosen  individuals,  in  whom  it  led 
to  personal  faith.  In  both  these  respects  the  scho- 
lastic view  of  Augustine  (not  of  the  Church  in  gen- 
eral) lags  far  behind  the  scriptural  record  of  the 
riches  of  grace  and  of  faith,  and  needs  modification. 
The  manifestation  of  Christ  among  the  Gentiles,  or 
the  Epiphany  (i-KKpdveia)  of  Scripture,  is  infinitely 
more  grand  and  full  than  the  medieval  festival  of  the 
Epiphany.  Still,  the  latter  was  a  solemn  testimony 
to  the  wondrous  efficacy  of  preparing  grace,  or  the 
\6yos  (TirepfxaTiKSs,  to  M'hom  the  ancient  Greek  Fa- 
thers (especially  Justin  Martyr  and  Clement  of  Alex- 
andria) have  borne  such  ample  testimony. 

The  dark  side  of  the  picture  m  the  first  chapter 


consists  mainly  in  the  power  of  the  heathen  world, 
which,  Uke  a  frightful  storm,  seems  to  pass  over  the 
genealogical  tree  of  the  Messiah.  This  is  reversed 
in  the  second  chapter,  where  the  Gentile  world  pre- 
sents the  bright,  while  unbelieving  Israel  forms  the 
dark  side  of  the  picture. 

2.  Some  of  the  statements  contained  in  the  sec- 
ond chapter  seem,  at  first  sight,  to  be  stumbling- 
blocks  to  our  faith : — Christ  so  remote,  so  hidden,  so 
disowned, — Christ  at  first  a  child  in  ihe  woik.,  a  poor 
child,  in  a  rural  district  at  a  distance  from  Jerusa- 
lem, in  a  lowly  abode — a  fugitive,  an  occasion  of 
martyrdom,  a  Nazarene.  On  the  other  hand,  we 
have  here  also  an  array  of  historical  events  which 
show  Him  to  be  the  Christ ;  such  as  the  star,  nature, 
science,  and  philosophy, — history,  on  its  dark  side 
and  on  its  bright  (Herod  and  the  theological  lore  of 
the  scribes), — Holy  Scripture,  prophecy,  the  giving 
up  of  His  kindred,  the  significant  dream  by  night, 
God's  overruling  providence, — all  forming  one  glori- 
ous wreath  of  evidence.  On  the  analogy  presented 
by  the  humble  church  of  Bethlehem,  in  Prague, 
where  John  Huss  preached,  and  the  insignificant 
church  where  Luther  taught  at  Wittenberg,  see 
Heubner,  on  Math.  p.  14. 

3.  The  star  which  the  wise  men  saw  must  not 
be  regarded  as  a  fulfilment  of  Balaam's  prophecy  re- 
specting the  Star  that  was  to  come  out  of  Jacob 
(Num.  xxiv.  17);  for  Christ  Himself  was  that  Star. 
The  star  seen  by  the  wise  men  was,  however,  a  sym- 
bol of  the  true  Star,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  (Mal- 
achi).  The  arrival  of  those  distinguished  magi  to 
do  homage  to  the  Messiali  was  clearly  a  beginning 
of  the  fulfilment  of  ancient  prophecy,  according  to 
which  the  princes  of  the  Gentiles  were  to  come  and 
present  their  homage  to  the  Messiah  (Ps.  Ixxii.  10 ; 
Isa.  Ix.  3,  etc.).  In  a  symbolical  sense,  they  may 
therefore  be  appropriately  called  the  three  kings 
from  the  East.  They  were  spiritual  princes  from 
the  Gentile  world,  bearing  testimony  by  their  gifts 
to  the  dim  yet  real  longing  after  a  Prophet,  Priest, 
and  King,  in  those  whom  they  represented. 

4.  In  the  design  of  Herod  the  old  enmity  of  Edom 
against  Jacob  seems  to  reappear.  We  are  involun- 
tarily reminded  of  that  murderous  purpose,  "  I  will 
slay  my  brother  Jacob"  (Gen.  xxvii.  41),  which  Esau 
relinquished  in  his  own  person,  but  bequeathed  to 
his  posterity  (see  the  prophet  Obadiah),  and  which 
attained  its  fulfilment  in  the  progress  of  history. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  blessing  which  Jacob 
bestowed  upon  Esau  ;  which  also  was  most  marked- 
ly fulfilled  in  the  Iduma-an  rule  over  Israel,  except 
that  the  noble  traits  in  the  character  of  Esau — his 
honesty  and  uprightness — are  no  longer  traceable  in 
the  cruel  and  cratty  Idumtean  dynasty. 

5.  The  antagonism  between  the  Maccabees  and 
the  Herodians  belongs  to  the  great  tragic  contrasts 
in  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  most 
touehuig  incident  in  this  drama  is  the  sad  fate  of 
Mariamne,  the  Asmonaean  princess,  whom  Herod 
married,  passionately  loved,  but  sacrificed  to  his 
suspicions.  Ruckert  (the  poet),  in  his  Herod,  well 
describes  the  Hellenizing  and  worldly  spirit  of  this 
prince,  who  covered  even  Palestine  with  Greek 
names.  The  policy  of  these  two  dynasties  may  well 
serve  as  a  beacon  to  the  nations  of  Christendom.  If 
the  policy  of  the  Maccabees  was  at  a  later  period 
followed  by  the  Byzantine  court,  that  of  the  Herodi- 
ans is  too  well  known  in  modern  times  as  Macchia- 
Tellianism. 

6.  The  contrast  between  the  faith  of  the  Gentiles 


CHAP.  II.  1-12. 


61 


and  the  unliclicf  of  the  Jews,  here  presented  in  its 
loading  features,  has  been  fully  verified  in  the  course 
of  history.  See  Rom.  ix.-xi.  The  Gospel  of  the 
Epiphany  is  also  the  Gospel  of  Missions  to  the 
Heathen. 

7.  Heaven  and  earth,  as  it  were,  move  around 
the  holy  child  as  around  their  centre.  But  this  cen- 
tre repels  whatever  is  dark  and  evil  by  the  same 
force  with  which  it  attracts  every  germ  of  what  is 
noble  and  holy. 

8.  The  higher  and  spiritual  import  attaching  to 
the  designation,  "King  of  the  Jews,"  appears  even 
from  the  conduct  of  Herod.  In  his"  mind,  the  ex- 
pression is  evidently  equivalent  with  Messiah,  and 
connected  with  spiritual  rather  than  with  temporal 
functions ;  otherwise  the  inquiry  of  the  magi  would 
have  been  treated  as  sedition. 

9.  For  a  time  it  was  thought  that  the  holy  child 
had  been  put  to  death  in  Bethlehem,  or  else  that  He 
had  forever  quitted  the  scene  and  settled  in  Egypt. 
Next  we  find  Him  growing  up  in  obscurity  at  Naza- 
reth. Thus  Christ  may  be  regarded  as  the  Prince 
of  outcast  children,  such  as  Ishmael,  Moses,  Cyrus, 
Romulus,  etc. 

10.  On  the  spread  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
among  the  Persians  and  Mohammedans,  comp.  Heub- 
ner,  p.  17. 

IIOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

The  salvation  of  the  world  in  the  form  of  a  child 
— 1.  concealed,  and  yet  well  known ;  2.  a  child  hated 
and  feared,  yet  longed  for  and  loved ;  3.  signally  de- 
spised, and  yet  marvellously  honored;  4.  beset  by 
extreme  dangers,  and  yet  kept  in  perfect  safety. — The 
holy  child  viewed  as  the  moving  centre  of  the  world 
in  motion, — 1.  setting  everything  in  motion;  2.  at- 
tracting all  that  is  congenial ;  3.  repelliag  all  that  is 
.hostile.  Christ  had  come  to  the  wise  men  before 
they  came  to  Him, — or  the  mysterious  working  of 
prevenient  grace. — The  threefold  knowledge  of  Christ 
in  the  Gentile  world:  1.  Information  by  tradition; 
2.  a  star  in  the  sky ;  3.  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  heart. — On  the  Gentile  world  also  a  star,  if  no 
brighter  light,  shed  its  lustre. — The  star  of  heaven 
and  the  star  of  earth. — In  what  sense  are  the  wise 
men  from  the  East  to  be  regarded  as  really  kings 
from  the  Gentile  world? — In  preaching  to  the 
heathen,  let  us  bear  in  mind  that  there  is  a  star  in 
their  firmament. — Let  us  go  and  meet  the  Gentiles. — 
Even  the  best  among  the  heathen  may  serve  as  evi- 
dence of  the  spiritual  destitution  and  need  of  the 
heathen  world. — The  clearest  light  among  the 
heathen  is  but  starlight. — Candid  philosophy  must 
lead  to  Christ. — Genuine  science,  if  true  to  its  aim, 
points  to  the  centre  of  all  knowledge. — Every  depart- 
ment of  knowledge  a  mere  potsherd,  unless  complet- 
ed by  faith. — Nature's  testimony  to  Christ.  1.  The 
various  stages  in  nature  tending  upward  to  what  is 
spiritual,  or  to  Christ.  2.  By  the  travailing  and 
groaning  in  pain  of  all  nature,  she  points  forward 
to  salvation  in  Christ.  3.  Through  the  varied  im- 
agery and  symbols  of  nature,  she  points  homeward  to 
the  spirit. — How  everything  replies  to  the  inquiry: 
Where  is  He  that  has  been  born  King  of  the  Jews  ? 
1.  Scripture.  2.  The  scribes.  3.  Even  the  enemies 
of  the  King  Himself.  4.  The  star  m  the  sky.  5. 
The  convictions  of  the  heart. — Infinite  importance 
of  the  question:  Where  is  the  new-born  King  of  the 
Jews?  1.  Its  deep  meaning.  2.  The  eager  interest 
attaching  to  it.  3.  The  glorious  hope  connected 
with  it. — The  glory  of  the  King  of  the  Jews.     1.  He 


is  the  King  of  the  Jews,  or  the  Messiah ;  2.  the  King 
of  all  nations,  or  the  Saviour  of  ths  world ;  3.  the 
King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords. — Jesus  is  still  the 
King  of  tlie  Jews, — a  watchword  for  our  missionary 
enterprise. — The  King  of  the  Jews  is  not  to  be  found 
at  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  the  King. — The  alarm  of  a 
tyrant  spreads  terror  among  his  subjects. — Even  in- 
quiry after  Christ  alarms  an  unbelieving  world. — The 
hatred  of  the  wicked  must  serve  as  testimony  to  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel. — Herod  consulting  Scripture  as 
if  it  had  been  a  heathen  oracle. — The  value  of  lifeless 
orthodoxy,  and  the  worthlessness  of  lifeless  theologi 
ans. — Those  who  are  near  are  often  afar  off,  and 
those  who  are  afar  off  near. — The  callous  and  un- 
moved guides  to  Bethlehem. — Without  the  light  of 
Scripture,  all  the  stars  in  the  sky  will  not  suffice  to 
clear  away  our  darkness. — If  we  but  truly  know  that 
Christ  has  come,  we  shall  soon  learn  where  He  is  to 
be  found. — The  Gentile  magi  and  the  Jewish  scribes. 
1.  The  former  obtain,  by  their  star,  the  Scriptures 
also;  the  latter  lose,  with  the  Scriptures,  also  the 
star.  2.  The  foi-mer  become  scribes  (or  learned  in 
the  Scriptures)  in  the  best  sense ;  the  latter  magi,  m 
the  worst  sense. — Jerusalem  and  Bethlehem,  former- 
ly and  now. — Bethlehem  and  Nazareth. — Inconsisten- 
cy in  the  character  of  Herod.  1.  Belief  in  the  letter 
of  Scripture.  2.  Unbelief  in  the  spirit  of  Scripture. 
— The  evil  craft  of  Herod,  and  the  pious  simplicity 
of  the  magi. — Hypocrisy  as  the  shadow  of  faith  in 
the  world.  1.  It  accompanies  faith,  as  the  shadow 
the  substance.  2.  It  is  a  proof  of  the  existence  of 
faith,  as  the  shadow  is  of  the  substance.  3.  It  van- 
ishes before  faith,  as  the  shadow  Ijefore  the  sub- 
stance.— The  devices  of  hypocrisy  in  their  might  and 
in  their  impotence.  1.  They  are  mighty  in  the 
world.  2.  They  become  powerless  before  the  power 
of  God. — Hypocrisy  in  its  two  most  hideous  forms : 

1.  As  unprincipled  religious  policy;  2.  as  unprin- 
cipled political  religiousness. — The  road  to  Christ, 
and  the  decisive  conflicts  by  the  way:  1.  It  is  always 
a  long  journey;  2.  it  always  continues  the  grand 
question ;  3.  it  is  always  a  path  of  severe  self-denial; 
4.  always  a  path  full  of  dangers ;  5.  always  a  path 
aboundmg  in  obstacles ;  6.  always  the  only  path  to 
the  true  goal. — Recompense  of  perseverance  in  the 
path  to  Christ — great  joy. — The  star  always  rests 
over  the  place  where  Christ  is. — "yl?ifZ  thei/  went 
into  the  housed  1.  What  is  suggested  to  us  by  the 
house  ?  2.  What  is  suggested  by  those  who  enter- 
ed ?  S.  What  is  suggested  by  their  entering  ? — The 
homage  of  the  wise  men  a  sudden  outburst  of  heart- 
felt blessed  faith  :  1.  In  their  beholding  Christ;  2.  in 
their  falling  down  and  doing  obeisance ;  3.  in  their 
cordial  homage,  indicated  by  the  noblest  gifts. — The 
homage  of  the  wise  men  indicating  the  order  and 
succession  of  beUeving  experience.     1.  We  behold. 

2.  We  fall  down.  3.  We  present  gifts.— The  hom- 
age of  the  wise  men  a  picture  of  genuine  and  matur- 
ed faith.  1.  Vision  issuing  in  humiliation  and  godly 
sorrow.     2.    Adoration  issuing  in  the  joy  of  faith. 

3.  Perseverance  of  faith  issuing  in  self-dedication  and 
works  of  love. — The  child  with  Mary,  his  mother ; 
but  not  Mary,  the  mother,  with  her  child  (Maryola- 
try). — The  offerings  of  a  grateful  faith  ;  gold,  frank- 
incense, and  myrrh:  1.  as  the  noblest,  2.  the  most 
varied,  3.  the  most  significant  gifts. — The  oflering  of 
a  grateful  hand,  an  expression  of  the  dedication  of 
the  heart. — The  earthly  gifts  of  Cliristian  gratitude 
reflecting  the  heavenly  gift  of  the  Lord. — We  are  to 
oft'er  vmto  the  Lord  that  which  we  have. — Prophetic 
dreams  in  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God. — Bless- 


62 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


ed  faith,  with  its  songs  of  the  night. — The  sleep  of 
the  i)ious  more  profitable  than  the  vigils  of  godless 
craftiness. — The  discoveries  of  faith  are  not  meant 
for  Herod  nor  for  such  as  he. — The  marvellous  man- 
ner in  which  spiritual  inquiry  is  directed  from  the 
native  darkness  of  this  world  to  the  light  of  our  eter- 
nal home. — God's  guidance  is  always  toward  Christ. 
— If  God  guide  ms,  we  shall  always  and  certainly 
reach  the  goal. — The  blessed  return  home. — Signifi- 
cance of  Christ's  first  possession  in  connection  with 
His  first  flight.  It  came,  1.  at  the  right  time ;  2. 
into  the  proper  hands ;  3.  for  the  right  purpose. — 
The  first  property  of  the  Church  in  its  significance 
with  reference  to  all  Church  property  in  the  world : 
1.  It  should  be  regarded  as  belonging  to  Christ;  2. 
it  should  be  applied  to  the  service  of  Christ ;  and 
thus,  3.  become  a  true  blessing  from  Christ. — Divine 
providence  most  clearly  manifesting  itself  in  its  care 
over  the  life  of  Christ. — Christianity  universal  in  its 
nature  and  aim.  It  comprehends:  1.  heaven  and 
earth ;  2.  nature  and  Scripture ;  3.  the  Gentiles  and 
the  Jews ;  4.  the  heart  and  the  life ;  5.  redemption 
and  judgment. 

Heidmer : — Christ  in  the  cradle  was  the  terror  of 
an  unjust  monarch  on  his  throne. — The  kings  and 
governments  of  this  world  may  well  tremble,  and 
feel  themselves  insecure,  if  they  are  hostile  to  Christ. 
— Christ  is  still  both  the  hope  of  the  pious,  and  the 
terror  of  the  wicked,  whose  conscience  everywhere 
apprehends  an  avenger,  and  is  alarmed  by  every 
passing  event. — The  living  Saviour  always  puts  old 
Adam  in  terror,  and  threatens  to  drive  him  from  his 
throne. — Inconsistencies  in  the  character  of  Herod : 
Faith  in  the  letter  of  Scripture, — resistance  to  God's 
decrees. — We  have  here  an  instance  of  persons  who 
point  out  Christ  to  others,  without  going  to  Him 


themselves, — who  teach  others  the  way  of  salvation, 
without  entering  on  it  themselves. — The  wicked  em- 
ploy religion  only  as  a  means  for  their  own  ends, — 
The  most  blessed  discovery  of  all  is  to  have  found 
Christ. — Edification  to  be  derived  from  the  history 
of  the  wise  men.  They  were,  1.  wise  men — philos- 
ophers: Thus  should  all  who  are  truly  wise,  etc. 
2.  Rich  and  noble :  Thus  should  all  the  great  of  the 
earth,  etc.  3.  Strangers  from  a  strange  country: 
Thus  we  who  are  near  to  Christ,  etc.  4.  They  saw 
Christ  only  as  a  child  in  His  lowliness ;  we,  on  the 
contrary,  etc.  5.  They  followed  a  small  star;  but 
our  Ught  is,  etc.  6.  They  had  a  long  and  arduous 
journey  to  accomplish ;  but  we  scarce  require  to 
move  a  single  step. — The  glory  shed  on  Jesus  by 
the  arrival  of  the  wise  men. — He  who  follows  the 
feeble  glimmerings  of  spiritual  light,  will  receive  di- 
vine guidance  to  perfect  light. —  True  Occult  Science. 

Literature  :  Two  sermons  on  the  Epiphany  by 
St.  Augustin  and  Gregory  of  Nazianzen,  in  Augusti : 
"Collection  of  Patristic  Sermons,"  vol.  i.,  p.  100. — 
Luther's  "  Sermon  on  the  Gospel  of  the  Three  Kings" 
(the  wise  men). — Dispositions  of  Rambach,  Reinhard, 
etc.,  in  Schaller's  "Homilet.  Repert.,"  p.  48. — F. 
Mallet:  The  Wise  Men  of  the  EaM.  A  Christmas 
Gift.     Bremen,  1852  (10  Meditations). 

[Trench :  Christ  the  Desire  of  all  Nations,  or  the 
Unconscious  Prophecies  of  Heathendom.  A  Com- 
mentary on  Matt.  ii.  1-11.  4th  ed.,  Cambridge, 
1854.— P.  S.] 

For  Itissionary  Festahles :  Christ  the  desire  and 
goal  of  all  nations. — The  star  of  the  wise  men. — 
Ahlfeld:  The  Gentiles,  too,  shall  walk  in  the  light 
of  Christ. —  Uhle :  The  first  Gentiles,  who  sought  the 
Lord. — Rudelbach:  The  glory  of  the  manifestation 
of  Christ. 


B.  Chapter  II.  13-23  (Luke  ii.  40-52). 
{TJie  Gospel  for  the  Sunday  after  New  Year  or  Day  of  Circumcision.) 

13  And  wlien  they  were  departed,  behold,  the  [an]  angel  of  the  Lord  appeareth  to  Jo- 
seph in  a  dream,  saying,  Arise,  and  take  the  young  child  and  his  mother,  and  flee  into 
Egypt,  and  be  thou  there  until  I  bring  thee  word :  for  Herod  will  seek  the  young 

14  child  to  destroy  him.     When  he  arose,  he  took  tlie  young  child  and  his  mother  by 

15  night,  and  departed  into  Egypt,  And  was  there  until  the  death  of  Herod  :  that  it  might 
be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  saying.  Out  of  Egypt  have  I 

16  called  my  son.  Then  Herod,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  mocked  of  [by]  the  wise  men, 
was  exceeding  wroth,  and  sent  forth,  and  slew  all  the  children'  that  were  in  Bethlehem, 
and  in  all  the  coasts  thereof,^  from  two  years  old  and  under,  according  to  the  time 

17  which  he  had  diligently  inquired  of  the  wise  men.     Then  was  fulfilled  that  which  was 

18  spoken  by  Jeremy  Hhe  prophet,  saying.  In  Rama  was  there  a  voice  heard,*  lamentation, 
and  weeping,  and  great  mourning,  Rachel  weeping  for  her  children,  and  would  not  be 

19  comforted,  because  they  are  not.     But  when  Herod  was  dead,  behold,  an  angel  of  the 

20  Lord  appeareth  in  a  dream  to  Joseph  in  Egypt,  Saying,  Arise,  and  take  the  young  child 
and  his  mother,  and  go  into  the  land  of  Israel :   for  they  are  dead  which  [who]  sought 

21  the  young  child's  life.     And  he  arose,  and  took  the  young  child  and  his  mother,  and 

22  came  into  the  land  of  Israel.  But  when  he  heard  that  Archelaus  did  reign  [reigned] 
in  Judea  in  the  room  of  his  father  Herod,  he  was  afraid  to  go  thither :  notwithstand- 
ing, [and]  being  warned  of  God  in  a  dream,  he  turned  aside  into  the  parts  of  Galilee  : 

23  And  he  came  and  dwelt  in  a  city  called  Nazareth :  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was 
spoken  by  the  prophets,  He  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene. 

1  Ver.  16.— [Better:  all  the  male  children,  -n-avra?  tous  TroTSar.     Lange:  alle  Enaben.—'P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  16.— [/»  all  its  borders,  in  all  the  neighborhood.]  ^  Ver.  17.— [Jeremiah.] 

*  Ver.  18.— [Proper  order:   A  voice  was  heard  in  Ii.     Comp.  Jer.  xxxi.  15.    The  best  editionB  omit  dprjvo^  Kal, 
tamentation  and. — P.  8.] 


CHAP.  n.  13-23. 


63 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CItlTICAL. 

Vcr.  13.  Behold,  an  angel  of  the  Lord  ap- 
peareth. — Though  the  wise  men  had  withdrawn 
from  the  influence  of  Herod,  the  child  was  still  in 
danger.  It  may  be  presumed  that  the  wise  men  and 
the  child's  parents  had  conversed  together  about 
Herod,  and  that  the  magi  had  begun  to  entertain 
strong  suspicions  of  his  intentions.  Probably  Jo- 
seph and  Mary  were  to  some  extent  relieved  when 
the  wise  men  left  the  country  without  returning  to 
Herod.  Still,  the  anxious  vigilance  of  Joseph  con- 
tinued unabated  ;  and  it  may  be  regarded  as  an  evi- 
dence of  his  devotedness,  that  he  again  received  in- 
struction and  direction  by  a  vision  in  a  dream.  He 
did  not  hesitate  for  a  moment,  but  immediately  fled 
with  the  child  and  its  mother. 

Vers.  14,  15.  Egypt  was  the  only  possible  place 
of  refuge.  It  was  situated  near  the  southern  frontier 
of  JudiEa.  Following  this  direction,  the  fugitives  at 
once  withdrew  to  a  distance  from  Jerusalem.  Fre- 
quented roads  led  through  the  desert  into  Egypt. 
There  they  would  find  a  large  and  more  liberal  Jew- 
ish community  under  the  protection  of  a  civilized 
government.  The  supposition  that  this  account  was 
invented  for  the  purpose  of  fulfilling  the  passage  in 
Hosca  xi.  1  (which,  in  the  text,  is  quoted  in  accord- 
ance with  the  original  Hebrew),  is  entirely  incompat- 
ible with  the  scope  and  meaning  of  the  narrative. 
Even  supposing  the  story  to  be  legendary,  it  would 
have  ill  accorded  with  the  anxiety  of  Joseph  and 
Mary  about  the  child  to  represent  them  as  undertak- 
ing a  journey  for  the  purpose  of  fulfilling  a  prophe- 
cy ;  especially  one  which,  in  its  literal  sense,  referred 
to  the  bringing  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt  (comp.  Ex.  iv. 
22 ;  Jer.  xxxi.  9).  The  Septuagint  translation  has 
Tct  TCKva  avTov  (of  Israel).  As,  however,  the  flight 
and  the  return  had  really  taken  place,  the  Evangel- 
ist, whose  attention  was  always  directed  to  the  fulfil- 
ment of  prophecy,  might  very  properly  call  attention 
to  the  fact,  that  even  this  prediction  of  Hosea  had 
been  fulfilled.  And,  in  truth,  viewed  not  as  a  verbal 
but  as  a  typical  prophecy,  this  prediction  was  fulfill- 
ed by  the  flight  into  Egypt.  Israel  of  old  was  called 
out  of  Egypt  as  the  son  of  God,  inasmuch  as  Israel 
was  identified  with  the  Son  of  God.  But  now  the 
Son  of  God  Himself  was  called  out  of  Egypt,  who 
came  out  of  Israel  as  the  kernel  from  the  husk. 
When  the  Lord  called  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  it  was 
with  special  reference  to  His  Son ;  that  is,  in  view 
of  the  high  spiritual  place  which  Israel  was  destined 
to  occupy.  In  connection  with  this,  it  is  also  impor- 
tant to  bear  in  mind  the  historical  influence  of  Egypt 
on  the  world  at  large.  Ancient  Greek  civihzation — 
nay,  in  a  certain  sense,  the  imperial  power  of  Rome 
itself — sprung  from  Egypt ;  in  Egypt  the  science  of 
Christian  theology  and  Christian  monasticism  origin- 
ated ;  from  Egypt  proceeded  the  last  universal  con- 
queror ;  out  of  Egypt  came  the  typical  son  of  God  to 
found  the  theocracy  ;  and  thence  also  the  true  Son 
of  God,  to  complete  the  theocracy. — According  to 
tradition,  Christ  stayed  at  Matarea  in  Egypt,  in  the 
vicinity  of  LeontopoUs,  where,  at  a  later  period,  the 
Jewish  temple  of  Onias  stood. — See  Schubert's  Jieise 
in  das  Morcfenland,  ii.  p.  179. 

Ver.  16.  That  he  was  mocked,  fvcnaixSri — 
outwitted,  made  a  fool  of. — The  word  is  frequently  so 
used  in  the  Septuagint.  "  The  expression  is  here 
employed  from  Herod's  point  of  view." 

From  two  years  old,  a-nh  SieroDy,  SC.  iraiSo'?. — 
From  two  years  old  down  to  the  youngest  male  child 


on  the  breast.  It  follows  that  the  star  had  been  seen 
by  the  wise  men  for  about  two  years  before  their  ar- 
rival at  Jerusal'im.  The  massacre  of  the  children  at 
Bethlehem  has  been  regarded  as  a  myth,  chiefly  be- 
cause Joscphus  makes  no  menti'ii  of  it.  Thus  even 
Meyer  doubts  the  historical  truth  of  this  narrative, 
since  Joscphus  always  relates  circumstantially  all  the 
cruelties  perpetrated  by  Herod  {Ardiq.  xv.  7,  8,  etc.). 
But  that  he  recorded  so  many,  scarcely  implies  that 
he  meant  to  relate  every  instance  of  his  cruelty.  It 
is  farther  argued,  that,  if  the  massacre  has  "  been  a 
historical  fact,  it  would,  on  account  of  the  peculiar 
circumstances  of  the  case,  certainly  have  been  men- 
tioned by  the  Jewish  historian."  We  infer  the  op- 
posite. From  the  peculiarity  of  the  occurrence,  it 
would  have  iDcen  impossible  to  mention  it  without 
furnishing  a  more  direct  testimony,  either  for  or 
against  the  Christian  faith,  than  Joscphus  wished  to 
bear.  The  supposition  that  the  massacre  was  not 
openly  and  officially  ordered,  but  secretly  perpetrated 
by  banditti  in  the  employ  of  Herod  (see  Lehen  Jesu, 
ii.  p.  112),  is  not  "gratuitous,"  but  suggested  by  the 
text  {\ddpa  7}Kpi^iiiae  ;  atroffTeiXas  a.i/e7\ev).  Not 
that  we  draw  any  inference  from  the  confused  ac- 
count in  Macrobius  *  (see  Meyer,  p.  174);  the  Gos- 
pel narrative  can,  however,  easily  dispense  with  it. 

Vers.  17,  18.  Then  was  fidfiUed,  etc.— the 
prediction  in  Jer.  xxxi.  1 5  is  here  quoted  freely  from 
the  Septuagint.  This  is  another  fulfilment  of  a  typ- 
ical, not  of  a  Hteral,  prophecy.  The  passage  prima- 
rily refers  to  the  deportation  of  the  Jews  to  Babylon. 
Rachel,  the  ancestress  of  Benjamin,  who  was  buried 
near  Bethlehem,  is  introduced  as  issuing  from  her 
g-.ave  to  bewail  the  captivity  of  her  children.  The 
sound  of  her  lamentations  is  carried  northward  be- 
yond Jerusalem,  and  heard  at  Rama — a  fortress  of 
Israel  on  the  frontier  toward  Judah,  where  the  cap- 
tives were  collected.  The  meaning  probably  is,  that 
the  grief  caused  by  this  deportation,  and  the  conse- 
quent lamentations  of  the  female  captives,  was  such 
as  to  reach  even  the  heart  of  the  ancestress  of  Ben- 
jamin (which  here  includes  also  Judah).  As  used 
by  Jeremiah,  it  was,  therefore,  a  figurative  expression 
for  the  deep  sorrow  of  the  exiled  mothers  of  Judah. 
But  in  the  massacre  of  the  infants  of  Bethlehem  this 
earlier  calamity  was  not  only  renewed,  but  its  de- 
scription verified  in  the  fullest  and  most  tragic  man- 
ner. Rachel's  children  are  not  merely  led  into  exile ; 
they  are  destroyed,  and  that  by  one  who  called  him- 
self King  of  Israel.  Accordingly,  Rachel  is  intro- 
duced as  the  representative  of  the  mothers  of  Beth- 
lehem lamenting  over  their  children  (Chrysostom, 
Theophylact,  and  many  others).  The  picture  of  Ra- 
chel herself  issuing  from  the  grave  and  raismg  a 
lament,  indicates  that  the  greatest  calamity  had  now 
befallen  Judah. — The  words  Op-ni-'os  Kai  are  wantmg 
in  Codd.  B.Z.,  etc.,  and  in  several  translations. 

Ver.  20.  They  are  dead  who,  etc. — In  the  vi- 
sion a  scriptural  expression  is  used,  Ex.  iv.  19,  which 
must  have  been  familiar  to  Joseph.  On  the  horrible 
death  of  Herod,  amid  alternate  designs  of  revenge 
and  fits  of  despair,  comp.  Joseph.  Antiq.  xvii.  18, 
1  ;  9,  3  ;  i3<?  BcUo  Jud.  1,  33.  He  died  at  the  age 
of  70,  in  the  37th  year  of  his  reign. 

Ver.  22.  But  when  he  heard  that  Archelaus, 
etc. — After  the  death  of  Ilerod,  his  kingdom  was  di- 
vided among  his  three  sons  by  Augustus.     Archelaus 

*  Of  Augustus :  "  Cum  aufiisset,  inter  pueros,  quos  in  Sy- 
ria Ilerodcs,  rox  Judaeorum  intra  bimatuin  ju.ssit  interflci, 
tilium  quoqiic  ejus  occisura,  ait,  melius  est  Herodia  porcuui 
esse,  quam  filium." 


64 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


obtained  Judaea,  Idumaja,  and  Samaria ;  Herod  Anti- 
pas,  Galilee  and  Pera-a ;  Pliilip,  Batanca,  Trachonitis, 
and  Auranitis.  Herod  and  Pliilip  received  the  title  of 
Tetrarch.  Arcbelaus  obtained  at  first  the  designation 
oiEthnarch  (Joseph.  Antiq.  xvii.  1 1,  4).  The  title  of 
King  was  to  be  afterward  conferred  on  him  if  he  de- 
served it  by  his  services.  But,  nine  years  after  his  ac- 
cession, Augustus  banished  him,  in  consequence  of  the 
complaints  of  the  Jews  about  his  cruelty,  to  Vienne 
in  Gaul,  where  he  died  {Antiq.  xvii.  13,  2;  Le  Bdlo 
Jud.  ii.  *?,  3).  Like  his  father,  Archelaus  was  a  sus- 
picious and  cruel  tyrant.  Accordingly,  Joseph  was 
afraid  to  remain  in  Judfca  with  the  holy  child.  Ap- 
plying to  the  Lord  for  guidance,  he  was  directed,  in 
another  dream,  to  settle  in  Galilee.  This  was  the 
fourth  revelation  with  which  he  was  honored.  It 
implies  that  a  high  tone  of  spirituality  pervaded  his 
soul.  The  ever-watchful  solicitude  of  Joseph  for  the 
safety  of  the  child  of  promise  might  serve  as  the  nat- 
ural groundwork  for  these  communications,  while 
the  repeated  revelations  vouchsafed  during  his  noc- 
turnal thoughts  show  that  a  providentia  spccialissi- 
ma  watched  over  the  life  of  the  Divine  child.  Such 
prophetic  dreams  exhibit  the  connection  and  co- 
operation of  a  special  Divine  providence  with  the 
most  anxious  vigilance  on  the  part  of  the  servants 
of  God.  Nor  must  we  forget  the  connection  between 
the  devotedness  of  Joseph  and  the  fond  anxiety  of 
Mary. — These  four  dreams  occurred  at  considerable 
intervals  of  time. 

Ver.  23.  A  city  called  Nazareth.— The  town 
was  situated  in  Lower  Galilee,  in  the  ancient  territo- 
ry of  the  tribe  of  Zebulon  (Lightfoot,  Ifora;  Hebr.  p. 
918),  to  the  south  of  Cana,  not  far  from  Mount  Ta- 
bor. It  lay  in  a  rocky  hollow  among  the  mountains, 
and  was  surrounded  by  beautiful  and  grand  scenery. 
The  modern  Nazareth  is  a  small,  but  pretty  town. 
According  to  Robinson,  it  has  three  thousand  inhab- 
itants (see  Schubert  iii.  169  ;  Robinson,  ill.  421,  Eng. 
ed.  ii.  333  ;  and  other  books  of  travels).  Compare 
also  the  article  in  Winer  and  other  Encycls.  The 
name  of  Galilee  was  derived  from  b'^bj  ,  which  orig- 
inally signifies  a  circle, — hence  Galilee,  the  circuit  or 
surrounding  country.  The  whole  country  received 
its  name  from  the  district,  which  was  afterward 
named  Upper  Gahlee,  as  distinguished  from  Lower 
Galilee.  Accordingly,  in  common  conversation,  the 
tei-m  Galilee  was  used  to  denote  Upper  Galilee,  or 
the  Galilee  par  excellence.  This  explains  such  ex- 
pressions as  Matt.  iv.  12  and  John  iv.  44.  One 
might  be  said  to  go  from  Nazareth  to  Galilee,  just  as 
we  might  speak  of  travelling  from  Berlin  to  Prussia 
(Proper),  or  from  Geneva  to  (the  interior  of)  Swit- 
zerland. "  The  word  Nazareth  is  supposed  to  be 
derived  from  "iSD  ^  surculus,  virc/ultum,  as  the  sur- 
rounding district  abounds  in  brushwood  or  shrubs  ; 
Burckhardt,  '■  Reisen,''  ii.  683  (Matt.  ii.  23  is  an  aUu- 
sion  to  12:3  ,  surculus,  in  Isa.  xi.  1,  which  Hofmann, 
in  his  '  V/eissac/ung,''  ii.  64,  denies  on  insufficient 
grounds)."      Winer. 

He  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene. — ^As  the 
word  Nazarene  is  not  employed  in  any  prophetic 
passage  of  the  Old  Testament  to  designate  the  Mes- 
siah, various  explanations  have  been  proposed: — 1. 
According  to  Jerome,  some  "  eruditi  Hebrasi "  had 
before  his  time  traced  the  term  to  the  expression  ^::3 , 
sprout,  in  Isa.  xi.  1,  by  which  the  Messiah  is  desig- 
nated ;  which  view  is  followed  by  many  modem  ex- 
positors, as  also  by  Piscator  and  Casaubon.  Heng- 
Btenberg,  in  his  Christology,  ii.  1,  supports  this  ex- 


planation, by  showing  that  the  original  name  of  the 
place  was  "i:£3 ,  and  not   nia:  .      2.    Chrysostom, 
and  many  others  after  him,  consider  the  words  in 
question  a  quotation  from  a  prophetic  book  now  lost. 
But  in  quoting  from  the  Old  Testament,  the  inspired 
penmen  evidently  regarded  the  Old  Testament  canon 
as  closed,  and  referred  only  to  books  which  had  been 
received  into  it.     This  also  disposes  of  the  opinion 
that,  3.  The  quotation  is  from  some  apocryphal  book 
(Gratz,  Ewald).     Still  more  untenable  is,  4.  the  no- 
tion that  the  term  Nazarene  is  equivalent  to  ")"''!3  . 
For  Jesus  was  neither  a  Nazarite  (Matt.  xi.  10),  nor 
is   He   so   called   in   any  prophetic   passage.     This 
vague  conjecture  is  rendered  even  more  improbable 
by  the  suggestion  of  Ewald,  that  the  quotation  was 
taken  from  a  lost  apocryphal  book,  in  which  the 
Messiah  was  represented  at  His  first  appearance- as  a 
Nazarite,  and  that  from  this  verbal  similarity  the 
Evangelist  had  derived  his  reference  to  Nazareth. 
5.  Some  commentators  have  given  up  the  idea  of  a 
verbal  reference.     They  argue  that   the  expression 
Nazarene  was  used  by  the  Jews  to  designate  a  slight- 
ed person ;  and  the  Messiah  is  represented  as  such 
in  Ps.  xxii.,  Isa.  liii.  (Michaelis,  Paulus,  RosemiiiiUer, 
etc. ;  comp.  the  author's  Leben  Jesu,  vol.  ii.  p.  48). 
This,  or  the  explanation  (1)  proposed  by  Jerome, 
seems  the  most  likely.     Meyer  supports  the  allusion 
to  •IS;  by  referring  to  the  similar  expression  riTDIi 
(Isa.  iv.  2;  Jer.  xxiii.  5,  xxxiii.  15;  Zech.  iii.  8,  vi. 
12),  which  would  also  account  for  the  use  of  the 
plural  number — "spoken  by  the  jirophets.'"     But  it 
seems  to  us  impossible  to  suppose  that  the  allusion 
of  the  Evangelist  should  have  been  based  merely  on 
the  similarity,  and  not  on  the  meaning  of  the  two 
words.      Such  a  view  could  neither  be  reconciled 
with  the  suggestion  of  Meyer  about  Zemach,  nor 
would  it  tally  with  Isa.  xi.  1,  where  the  term  *i:i3 
is  used  only  in  allusion  to,  but  not  as  a  designation 
of  the  Messiah ;  so  that  the  idea  of  a  mere  verbal 
fulfilment  is  out  of  the  question.     The  conclu.^ion  at 
which  we  have  arrived  is,  that  the  title  Nazarene 
bears  reference  to  the  outward  lowliness  of  the  Mes- 
siah ;  accordingly,  the  "i!i3_  in  Isa.  xi.  1  is  analogous 
to  the  expressions  used  in  Isa.  liii.  2,  and  to  other 
descriptions  of  the  humble  appearance  of  the  Mes- 
siah.    In  other  words,  the  various  allusions  to  the 
despised  and  humble  appearance  of  the  Messiah  are, 
so  to  speak,  concentrated  in  that  of  Nezcr.     The 
prophets  applied  to  Hun  the  term  branch  or  bush,  in 
reference  to  His  insignificance  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world ;    and  this  appellation  was  specially  verified 
when  He  appeared  as  an  inhabitant  of  despised  Naza- 
reth, "the  town  of  shrubs"  {Leben  Jesu,  vol.  ii.  120 
fif.). 

Meyei-  has  recently  repeated  the  assertion,  that,  accord- 
ing to  the  account  of  Matthew,  Bethlehem,  and  not  Kaza- 
reth,  was  the  original  residence  of  Joseph  and  Mary;  and 
that,  in  this  respect,  there  is  a  discrepancy  between  Matthew 
and  Luke.  This  comnaentator  controverts  the  view  of  Ne- 
ander,  Ebrard,  Holfuinnn,  and  others,  who  have  succofsfully, 
as  we  think,  reconciled  the  statements  of  the  two  Kvanfje- 
lists  (see  Lehen  Jem,,  ii.  122).  In  reply,  it  may  be  sufficient 
to  say,  that  in  all  probability  Joseph  and  Mary  deemed  it 
their  duty  to  reside  at  Bethlehem  after  the  birth  of  Jesus 
until  otherwise  directed,  more  especially  as  the  mafri  had 
been  directed  to  Bethlehem  in  their  search  after  the  Messiah. 
Indeed,  Matthew  himself  furnishes  the  key  for  solving  the 
apparent  difficulty,  when  he  mentions  it  as  a  new  circum- 
stance that  the  birth  of  Christ  took  place  "at  Bethlehem." 
A  discrepancy  could  only  have  been  alleged  if  Joseph  and 
Mary  had,  in  the  first  chapter,  been  represented  as  residing 
at  Bethlehem.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  easy  to  account  for 
the  special  notice  of  the  town  of  Nazareth  in  the  pas.saee  be^ 
fore  us,  as  the  Evangelist  wished  to  call  attention  to  the  cf 


I 


CHAP.  II.  13-23. 


65 


cnmstance  of  Christ's  residence  at  Nazareth,  ami  to  the  pro- 
phetic allusions  thereto. 

Tlie  fdlldwin:;  appears  to  have  been  the  chronological 
order  of  events:— Soon  after  the  hirth  of  Christ  the  wise 
men  arrived  from  the  East.  Tliis  was  followed  by  tlie  flight 
into  Ejrypt.  and  the  sojourn  there,  which  must  have  been 
very  brief,  as  Herod's  death  occurred  soon  afterward.  The 
presentation  in  the  temple  must  have  taken  place  after  the 
return,  as,  according  to  the  law,  it  could  not  occur  before 
the  fortieth  day,  but  did  not  necessarily  take  place  on  that 
dav.  After  the  presentation,  Joseph  and  Mary  settled  in 
Galilee;  and  there,  at  Nazareth,  the  Lord  resided  for  thirty 
years  (see  my  Leben  Jesu,  vol.  ii.  110). 


DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Joseph's  dreams,  in  which  angelic  communica- 
tions were  made  for  the  deliverance  of  the  holy  child, 
afford  us  a  glimpse  into  the  spiritual  nature  of  man, 
and  into  the  spiritual  world  bej'ond.  A  contest  en- 
sues between  the  kingdom  of  light  and  the  kingdom 
of  darkness  about  the  holy  child.  The  craft  of  Herod 
assumes  the  form  of  satanic  rage.  The  Jewish  scribes 
have  been  successfully  duped  by  him,  and  made  sub- 
servient to  the  purposes  of  the  tyrant.  By  their 
scriptural  reply  to  his  inquiry  they  have  unconscious- 
ly delivered  the  infant  Messiah  into  the  power  of  the 
crafty  monarch.  But  the  deep  and  earnest  spiritual- 
ity of  the  pious  heathen  worshippers  proved  sufficient 
to  defeat  his  plans.  Warned  of  God  in  a  dream, 
they  escaped  from  the  meshes  of  his  iniquitous  poli- 
cy. By  an  unusual  route  they  returned  into  their  own 
country,  and,  to  appearance,  the  holy  child  was  safe. 
But  Herod's  fury  knew  no  bounds.  The  thought  of 
having  been  outwitted  by  the  magi  was  an  additional 
incitement  to  wreak  his  vengeance  on  the  object  of 
their  veneration.  He  now  employed  a  band  of  ruffi- 
ans as  the  instruments  of  his  last  desperate  attempt 
on  the  life  of  Jesus.  No  doubt  he  expected  that  in 
the  slaughter  of  the  uafants  of  Bethlehem  the  infant 
Jesus  would  perish.  Thus  did  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness put  forth  its  utmost  efforts,  which,  on  the  other 
hand,  were  counteracted  by  those  of  the  kingdom  of 
hg'ot.  But  if  the  powers  of  darkness  proceed  warily, 
those  of  light  act  still  more  warily.  The  calculations 
of  a  sleepless  policy  were  baffled  by  the  sleep  of  the 
pious.  On  the  nature  and  signiScancy  of  dreams, 
see  Schubert's  SijmboUk  des  Traumes ;  and  the 
author's  dissertation  entitled :  "  Von  dem  zwiefachen 
Bewusstseiii,'"  etc.,  in  the  ^'■Deutsche  Zeitschrift  filr 
christliche  ]Visse7ischaft  und  christliches  Zeben"  Ber- 
lin, 1851,  N.  30  ff.  On  angeUcal  communications, 
see  the  author's  Leben  Jesu,  i.  48. 

In  regard  to  the  influence  of  the  spiritual  world 
on  the  human  mind,  the  following  principle  may  be 
laid  down :  The  more  vividly  the  soul  is  roused  in  its 
inmost  being  by  wants  and  perplexities  around,  the 
more  are  we  prepared  for  influences  from  the  spirit- 
ual world,  good  or  evil,  according  to  the  spiritual 
condition  of  the  soul.  Again,  in  proportion  as  the 
spiritual  condition  of  the  soul  is  undeveloped,  though 
earnest  in  its  aspiratioas  after  God,  or  as  a  person  is 
engrossed  with  cares  and  toils  in  the  ordinary  course 
of  his  life,  the  more  Ukely  is  the  influence  of  the 
spiritual  world  to  be  felt  in  dreams  and  visions  of  the 
night.  As  instances  in  point,  we  may  here  refer  to 
the  ecstatic  state  of  Hagar,  of  Gideon,  of  Mary  Mag- 
dalene, of  the  Christian  martyrs  in  the  Primitive 
Church,  of  the  French  Camisardes,  [the  Scotch  Cov- 
enanters], the  Jansenists,  and  others. 

2.  The  anxious  care  of  Joseph  for  the  safety  of 
the  child  and  its  mother  may  be  regarded  as  a  proof 
that  Divine  Providence  always  raises  up  faithful  ser- 
vants to  protect  and  to  promote  His  own  kingdom, 


and  with  it  the  sphitual  welfare  of  mankind.  But 
in  this  instance  the  salvation  of  the  world  was  con- 
nected with  the  safety  of  a  babe,  threatened  by  the 
craft  of  a  despot,  whose  dagger  had  on  no  other  oc- 
casion missed  its  mark.  Hence  the  care  of  Provi- 
dence for  the  safety  of  this  child  was  unremitting ; 
Joseph's  vigilance  did  not  cease  even  in  his  sleep, 
while  the  mother's  solicitude  was  undoubtedly  still 
more  eager.  Every  other  consideration  seems  sec- 
ondary to  that  of  the  safety  of  the  child.  Thus  has 
the  Lord  ever  prepared  instruments  for  His  work. 
By  God's  grace,  devoted  and  faithful  servants  have 
never  been  wanting  in  the  world,  and  the  Kmg  Eter- 
nal has  always  had  His  faithful  ones. 

3.  The  tractate  of  Lactantius,  dc  morie  persem- 
torimi,  commences  with  an  account  of  the  death  of 
Herod.  It  is  a  tale  of  persecution  and  retribution, 
renewed  in  every  age. 

4.  The  mysterious  import  of  Egypt  in  the  world's 
history  appears  constantly  anew.  "  Out  of  Egypt 
have  I  called  Mi/  so)i"  is  an  expression  wliich  per- 
vades the  whole  course  of  history.  But  t'nis  calling 
implies  not  only  the  Son's  residence  in  Egypt,  but 
also  his  departure  from  it. 

5.  The  wail  of  Rachel  is  here  a  symbol  of  the 
sympathy  of  the  theocracy  in  general,  called  forth  by 
the  sufferings  inflicted  by  the  outward  representatives 
of  the  theocracy  on  its  genume  children.  The  wail 
of  Rachel  is  renewed  in  the  Church  as  often  as  the 
witnesses  of  the  truth  are  put  to  death  by  carnal  and 
worldly  men,  who  profess  to  be  the  representatives 
of  the  Church. 

6.  We  do  not  include  the  slaughtered  infants  of 
Bethlehem  in  the  number  of  Christian  martyrs  prop- 
erly so  called,  as  they  did  not  of  their  own  free  choice 
and  will  bear  testunony  to  the  Saviour.*  They  per- 
ished snnply  because  they  were  male  children — chil- 
dren of  Bethlehem,  under  two  years  of  age.  Still, 
they  have  been  justly  considered  the  prototypes  of 
Christian  martyrdom  {Feast  of  the  Innocents,  Dec. 
28),  as  they  were  cut  off,  1.  in  then-  innocency ;  2.  ad 
children  of  Bethlehem,  and  children  of  the  promise ; 
3.  from  hatred  to  Christ ;  4.  for  the  purpose  of  with- 
drawing attention  from  the  flight  of  the  holy  child, 
and  to  secure  His  safety  in  Egypt. 

1.  Nazareth  is  the  perpetual  symbol  of  the  out- 
ward lowliness  and  humble  condition  of  Christ  and 
of  Christianity  in  the  world.  It  is  the  emblem  of 
that  poverty  which  apparently  so  ill  accords  with  the 
exalted  nature  of,  ami  the  depth  of  spiritual  life 
brought  to  light  by,  the  Gospel.  But  what  to  the 
world  seems  unfitting,  is  in  reality,  and  in  the  sight 
of  God,  most  fitting;  for  Christianity  is  based  and 
reared  on  deepest  humiUty.  Hence  the  path  by 
which  God  leads  His  elect  is  first  downward,  and 
then  upward;  both  the  descent  and  the  ascent  in- 
creasing as  they  proceed,  as  we  see  in  the  history  of 
Jacob,  of  Joseph,  of  Moses,  of  David,  and  of  others. 
The  prophets  were  fully  and  experimentally  acquaint- 
ed with  this  fundamental  principle  of  the  Divine  gov- 
ernment.   Hence  they  prophesied  of  the  lowliness 

*  [The  Church  distin^ruishes  anil  celebrates  a  threefold 
martyrdom  :  1.  martyrdom  both  in.  will  and  m/at'<,— Fes- 
tival of  St.  Stephen  the  jjrotoraartyr,  Dec.  26 ;  2.  martyrdom 
■in  will,  though  not  in  fact,— Festival  of  St.  John  the  Evau- 
frelist,  Dec.  27 ;  3.  martyrdom  in  fact,  thougli  not  in  will,— 
The  Innocents'  Day,  Dec.  28.  These  three  festivals  folh>w 
Christmas,  because  Christian  martyrdom  was  regarded  as  a 
celestial  birth,  which  is  the  consequence  of  Christ's  terrestrial 
birth.  Christ  was  born  on  earth  that  His  saints  miichl  be 
born  in  heaven. — On  the  Holy  Innocents  compare  the  old 
poem  of  Prudentius:  Salveie,  jlorc  martyium,  and  John 
Kehie's  Christian  Tear,  p.  4T.— P.  S.] 


06 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


of  the  Messiah  during  the  earlier  period  of  His  life, 
of  His  subsequent  humiliation,  and  of  His  death  at 
the  conclusion  of  His  earthly  career. 

8.  In  the  life  of  children,  as  in  that  of  mechanics 
and  laborer.'!,  the  mind  is  taken  up  during  the  day 
with  surrounding  objects.  Hence  their  inner  life  dur- 
ing the  night  is  more  widely  awake  and  susceptible 
to  dreams  and  visions.  This  is  the  basis  for  the 
prophetic  dreams  of  Joseph  in  the  Old  Testament, 
and  Joseph  in  the  New. 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

The  homage  which  Christ  receives  is  the  ground 
of  his  persecution  and  sufferings ;  but  persecution 
and  sufferings  always  lead  to  more  abundant  glory. 
— The  wise  of  this  world  are  unable  to  protect  Jesus 
and  His  Church.  For  this  purpose  God  employs  His 
heavenly  messengers,  and  His  despised  children  on 
earth. — Divine  Providence  brought  to  nought  all  the 
designs  of  the  wicked  against  the  life  of  the  holy 
child. — Children  as  under  the  protection  of  angels. — 
Warning  angel-voices  during  the  course  of  our  life. — 
Obedience  to  the  voice  of  the  Spirit. — Joseph's  awak- 
ening in  the  morning.  A  short  time  before,  he  had 
risen  to  vindicate  the  mother :  he  now  rises  to  rescue 
the  child  with  its  mother. — How  the  whole  day  is 
blessed  when  commenced  with  faith  and  obedience. 
— Joseph  the  model  of  all  foster-parents. — Sacrifices 
for  the  Lord  are  the  noblest  gain. — The  holy  flight 
of  the  Lord  in  its  happy  results. — The  holy  with- 
drawal of  the  Lord  the  emblem  of  every  holy  with- 
drawal:  1.  of  that  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets; 
2.  of  that  of  Christians ;  3.  of  the  spiritual  with- 
drawal from  the  world  in  the  inner  life. — Egj-pt,  the 
land  of  tombs,  the  cradle  of  God's  people. — The  per- 
secuted Church  of  God  ever  at  home  with  the  Lord : 

1.  in  flight ;  2.  in  the  desert ;  3.  in  a  strange  land. 
— The  Lord  continues,  while  all  who  rise  against  Him 
perish. — The  children  of  Bethlehem  as  types  of  Chris- 
tian martyi-dom.  1.  They  are,  so  to  speak,  the  seal 
of  the  faith  of  Old  Testament  believers  in  the  Mes- 
siah. 2.  They  confirm  the  fiiith  of  behevers  in  all 
tune  coming. — Christ  among  the  children  of  Bethle- 
hem.    1.  They  die  for  Him,  in  order  to  Uve  for  Him. 

2.  He  lives  for  them,  in  order  to  die  for  them. — No 
expenditure  of  blood  and  tears  can  be  too  great  for 
the  rescue  of  Jesus  :  1.  because  His  life  is  the  ran- 
som of  the  world ;  2.  because  His  life  transforms 
every  sacrifice  of  blood  and  of  tears  into  Hfe  and 
blessedness. — The  death  of  children  is  of  deep  im- 
port in  God's  sight. — Lamentation  in  the  Church  of 
God.  a.  The  cry  of  Abel  for  vengeance  ;  b.  Rachel's 
cry  of  sorrow  ;  c.  Jesus'  cry  of  love. — "  They  are 
dead  which  sought  the  young  child's  Ufe."  Thus  it 
was  (1)  formerly.  Thus  it  is  (2)  still.  Thus  it  will 
be  (3)  at  the  end  of  time. — Archelaus  liis  father's 
son.  1.  Personal  guilt ;  2.  hereditary  guilt ;  3.  the 
judgment. — The  savor  of  despotism  banishes  happi- 
ness from  the  land. — Christ  the  Nazarene  :  1.  as  an 
inhabitant  of  the  earth ;  2.  as  an  inhabitant  of  Ju- 
daea ;  3.  as  an  inhabitant  of  Galilee  ;  4.  as  an  mhab- 
itant  of  Nazareth  ;  5.  as  the  carpenter's  son  even  in 
Nazareth. — The  lowhness  of  Jesus  prefigured  His 
humiliation,  but  also  His  exaltation. — The  obscurity 
of  Christ,  implying,  1.  His  ignominy :  2.  His  safety  ; 

3.  His  ornament. — Jesus  the  great  teacher  of  humil- 


ity. The  thirty  years  of  Christ's  obscurity  the  foun- 
dation of  His  three  years'  manifestation. — The  inward 
unfolding  of  Christ  had  to  be  guarded  from  the  in- 
fluences of  a  corrupt  world,  and  of  corrupt  ecclesias- 
tical institutions. — Christ  the  Divine  nursling  under 
the  fostering  care,  1.  of  pious  maternal  love ;  2.  of 
the  anxious  solicitude  of  God's  hidden  ones ;  3.  of 
nature  in  all  its  beauty  and  grandeur. — Christians  as 
Nazarenes  in  the  train  of  the  Nazarene. — Nazareth 
itself  usually  does  not  know  the  Nazarene. — The  hea- 
venly youth  of  the  Lord  a  mystery  of  the  earth. — 
The  glory  of  God  in  the  lowliness  of  Christ. — The 
Joseph-dreams  in  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament. 

Starke  :* — Joy  and  suffering  are  at  all  times  next- 
door  neighbors.  When  faith  is  strengthened,  trials 
generally  ensue.  The  Lord  knows  how,  at  the  right 
moment,  to  withdraw  His  own  from  danger,  and  how 
to  anticipate  the  enemy. — God  often  wonderfully  pro- 
tects his  own  by  small  means  and  humble  instru- 
mentalities, as  he  protected  Jesus  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  Joseph,  a  carpenter. — Whoever  will  love 
the  infant  Christ  must  be  prepared  to  endure,  for  His 
sake,  every  sort  of  tribulation. — Jesus  has  sanctified 
even  the  afliictions  of  our  childhood. — No  sooner  are 
we  bom  again  from  on  high,  than  persecution  arises 
against  us. — Rejoice,  ye  who  suffer  with  Christ.  1 
Pet.  iv.  13. — H  thine  own  people  will  not  bear  thee, 
God  will  provide  a  place  for  thee  even  among  stran- 
gers. Rev.  xii.  4-6. — Tyrants  must  die,  and  thy  suf- 
ferings will  come  to  an  end.  Job  v.  19. — What  the 
enemies  of  the  Church  cannot  accomplish  by  craft, 
they  attempt  to  effect  by  force. — If  we  suffer  with 
Christ,  we  shall  also  reign  with  Him.     2  Tim.  ii.  11. 

Heubner: — Providence  watches  over  the  life  of 
the  elect. — Augustin :  0  parvuli  beati,  modo  nati, 
nondum  ientati,  nondum  luctatl,  jam  coronati. — The 
kingdom  of  light  was  from  its  very  commencement 
assailed  by  the  kingdom  of  darkness. — In  times  of 
suffering  the  disciples  of  Jesus  have  often  been  obliged 
to  shelter  their  light  in  the  retirement  of  secret  asso- 
ciations, and  in  strange  places  of  refuge. — Joseph  an 
example  of  obedient  trust  in  God  amid  signal  dan- 
gers.— "  Duties  are  ours,  events  are  God's."  (Cecil.) 
— Herod  a  warning  picture  of  a  hardened,  hoary  sm- 
ner. — Mary  the  model  of  suffering  mothers. — What 
trials  a  pious  mother  may  have  to  endure  ! — The  early 
death  of  pious  children  a  token  of  Divine  favor  to- 
ward them. — The  wickedness  and  violence  of  men 
are  of  short  duration ;  God  will  always  gain  the  day 
against  them. — Let  us  affectionately  remember  what 
protection  our  heavenly  Father  has  accorded  us  from 
our  youth  upward. — The  wonderful  guidance  of  God 
experienced  by  the  pious. — Schleiermacher^s  Predig- 
ten  (vol.  iv.) :  The  narrative  in  the  text  a  picture  of 
sin,  which  ever  attempts  to  arrest  the  progress  of 
Christianity. —  Wimrner :  One  Lord,  one  faith.  The 
misery  of  those  who  harden  themselves,  as  apparent, 
1.  in  their  anguish  during  Ufe  ;  2.  in  the  folly  of  all 
their  measures  ;  3.  in  their  despair  in  death. — iJein- 
hard :  On  the  deaUngs  of  God  with  our  children. 

*  [The  Edinb.  transl.  uniformly  has  iS'trc^-f,  following  the 
first  edition.  But  Dr.  Lange,  in  the  second  ed.,  as  also  in  all 
the  other  vols,  of  the  Com.,  changed  it  into  Starke.  The 
ditference  in  spelling  arises  from  an  inconsistency  of  Starke 
himself,  or  his  printer,  in  the  various  volumes  of  the  Synopsis 
BibliothecoR  ExegeticcB.  His  last  mode  of  spelling,  however, 
was  Starke,  which  is  also  etymologically  more  correct.— 
P.  8.] 


CHAP.  m.  1-12. 


67 


FOURTH    SECTION. 

ON  ENTERING  UPON  HIS  MINISTRY,  JESUS  REMAINED  STILL  UNKNOWN,  EVEN  TO  THOSE 
WHO  HAD  HUMBLED  THEMSELVES  AND  PROFESSED  PENITENCE  IN  ISRAEL.  IN  THE 
BAPTISM  UNTO  REPENTANCE,  HE  RECEIVED  HIS  SOLEMN  CONSECRATION  UNTO 
DEATH ;  WHILE  AT  THE  SAME  TIME  HE  IS  OWNED  AND  GLORIFIED  BY  THE  FATHER 
AS  HIS  BELOVED  SON,  THE  WHOLE  BLESSED  TRINITY  SHEDDING  THEIR  LUSTRE 
AROUND  HIM,  AND  HIS  ADVENT  BEING  ANNOUNCED  BY  HIS  SPECIAL  MESSENGER 
JOHN. 

CuAPTER  III.  (Mark  i.  1-11 ;  Luke  iii.  1-22  ;  Jolin  i.  19-34). 

Sttmmart  :— This  sectidn  gives  an  account  of  John  the  Baptist  as  the  forerunner  of  Jesus,  and  of  his  ministry,  which  com- 
menced by  calling  the  people  to  repentance,  and  subjecting  them  to  a  general  purification,  preparatory  to  the  advent  of 
the  Messiah.  His  ministry  culminated  in  the  baptism  of  Christ  Himself,  whom  John  recognized  by  miraculous  tokens 
from  heaven,  and  proclaimed  on  this  occasion  as  the  Messiah.  The  section  is  divided  into  two  parts:  John  as  forerun- 
ner of  the  Lord,  and  as  preacher  and  baptist,— (1)  in  his  relation  to  the  people ;  (2)  in  his  relation  to  the  Lord  Himself, 
or  the  baptism  and  glorifying  of  Jesus.  "We  note  the  marked  contrast  between  the  baptism  of  Jesus  and  that  of  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees. 

A.     Chapter  IIL  1-12. 


1         In  those  days  came  John  the  Baptist,  preaching  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea,  And 

3  saying,  Eepent  ye :  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.     For  this  is  he  that  was 
spoken  of  by  the  prophet   Esaias  [Isaiah],   saying,   The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the 

4  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight.     And  the  same 
John  had  his  raiment  of  camel's  hair,  and  a  leathern  girdle  about  his  loins ;  and  his 

5  meat  was  locusts  and  wild  honey.     Then  went  out  to  him  Jerusalem,  and  all  Judea, 

6  and  aU  the  region  round  about  [the]  Jordan,  And  were  baptized  of  [by]  him  in  [the] 

7  Jordan,  confessing  their  sins.     But  when  he  saw  many  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees 
come  to  his  ^  baptism,  he  said  unto  them,  0  generation  of  vipers,  who  hath  warned  you 

8  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?    Bring  forth  therefore  fruits  meet  for  repentance  :  And 

9  think  not  to  say  within  yourselves.  We  have  Abraham  to  [for]  our-  father :  for  I  say  unto 

10  you,  that  God  is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  rmto  Abraham,  And  now 
also  the  axe  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees :  therefore  every  tree  which  bringeth  not 

11  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire.  I  indeed  baptize  you  with  [in] 
water  unto  repentance :  but  he  that  cometh  after  me  is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  ^  I 
am  not  worthy  to  bear :  he  shall  baptize  you  with  [in]  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  ivith  fire : 

12  "Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  wiU  thoroughly  purge  his  [threshing-]  floor,  and 
gather  his  wheat  into  the  garner ;  but  he  will  burn  up  the  chafi"  with  unquenchable  fire. 


1  Ver.  7.— [Lachmann  and  Tregelles  omit  avTou  ;  Tischendorf  retains  it.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  11. — [Literally :  sandals,  i.  e.  soles  merely,  of  wood  or  leather,  bound  under  1 
virodeo).     But  the  C.  V.  is  more  generally  intelligible  and  may  be  retained.— P.  S.] 


feet;  hence  inroS-qnaTa  from 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  In  those  days,  nnn  Q-'^*3  ,Ex.ii.  11, 
23  ;  Isa.  xxxviii.  1. — This  indefinite  mode  of  mark- 
ing time  always  refers  to  a  preceding  date.  Here  the 
reference  is  to  the  residence  of  Jesus  at  Nazareth 
during  the  period  of  His  obscurity;  the  contrast 
being  all  the  more  striking,  when  we  bear  in  mind 
that  during  that  season  His  inner  life  was  maturing 
to  the  full  glory  of  His  theanthropic  consciousness. 
(For  other  explanations  of  eV  raTs  vfiep.  iK.  comp. 
Meyer,  p.  79.) 

From  the  naiTative  of  Luke  we  learn  thai  John 
the  Baptist  was  about  half  a  year  older  than  Jesus. 
The  dates  between  the  commencement  of  Christ's 
ministry  and  that  of  His  forerunner  also  correspond. 
It  is  not  probable  that  either  John  or  Jesus  would 
have  entered  on  their  ministry  before  the  completion 


of  their  thirtieth  year.  According  to  the  law  of 
Moses  (Num.  iv.  3,  47),  the  age  of  thirty  was  required 
for  commencing  the  exercise  of  the  priestly  functions. 
The  Levites  (ch.  viii.  24)  could  not  enter  on  their 
duties  before  the  age  of  twenty-five.  Suljsequently, 
however,  this  was  reduced  to  the  age  of  twenty  (1 
Chron.  xxiv.  24;  2  Chron.  xxxi.  17).  Although 
there  was  no  law  confining  the  exercise  of  the  projjhet- 
ic  office  either  to  a  particular  age,  or  even  to  the  male 
sex,  it  seems  natural  that  persons  who  claimed  pub- 
lic authority  as  prophets  would  wait  till  they  had 
attained  the  canonical  age  for  the  priesthood.  On 
the  other  hand,  neither  John  nor  Jesus  could  have 
been  more  than  thirty  when  they  entered  on  their 
ministry.  According  to  this  calculation,  Jesus  must 
have  commenced  His  public  career  in  the  year  780 
from  the  foundation  of  Rome  (sec  Leben  Jem,  vol.  i. 
p.  161),  and  John  a  short  time  before.  From  Luke 
iii.  1,  we  infer  that  John  began  his  ministry  in  the 


08 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


fifteenth  year  of  tlie  rcij^ii  of  Tiberius.  But  Tiberius 
was  associated  in  the  empire  two  years  before  the 
deatli  of  Augustus,  that  is,  about  the  year  '765.  Ac- 
cordiuj^ly,  it  is  understood  that  Luke  reckoned  the 
reisn  of  Tiljcrius  from  that  year.  This  makes  John's 
uiiiiislry  commence  in  771). 

In  the  wilderness  of  Judah  (Judg.  i.  10  ;  Josh. 
XV.  01). — It  was  also  called  JcsMraon^  1  Sam.  xxiii. 
19  ;  xxvi.  1,3.  It  con.-^isted  of  a  rocky  district  in 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  territory  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah,  toward  the  Dead  Sea.  In  this  district  the 
town  of  Eugedi,  and  other  places  mentioned  in  the 
Old  Testament,  were  situated.  Josh.  xv.  02  ;  Judg.  i. 
1(3.  It  terminated  oh  the  northwest  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Thekoa  ;  on  the  southeast  in  the  wilderness 
of  Engedi,  the  wilderness  of  Ziph,  and  the  wilderness 
of  Mara.  Sec  the  corres]wnding  art.  in  the  Encycls. 
Tradition,  however,  attaches  the  designation  of  "the 
wilderness  of  John  "  not  to  the  places  where  he  ex- 
ercised his  ministry,  but  to  the  district  where  from 
early  youth  he  Uved  in  retirement  (Luke  i.  80).  This 
wilderness  was  situated  amid  the  mountains  of  Ju- 
daea, about  two  hours  to  the  southwest  of  Bethle- 
hem. The  term  "  wilderness "  (13'7'9  ,  as  distin- 
guished from  n3"l5  ,  a  steppe)  was  given  to  a  dis- 
trict which  was  not  regularly  cultivated  and  inhabit- 
ed, but  used  for  pasturage  (from  "^5"^  ,  to  drive),  be- 
ing generally  without  wood  and  defective  in  water, 
but  not  entirely  destitute  of  vegetation. 

John  the  Baptist. — The  Hebr.  name  'jni'' , 
"  the  Lord  graciously  gave,"  *  is  akin  to  the  Phcenician 
and  Punic  brn^Sn  .  John,  the  son  of  Zacharias 
tlie  priest,  and  of  Elizabeth  (Luke  i.),  a  near  kins- 
man of  Jesus,  and  only  six  months  older  than  He 
(Luke  i.  36),  was  bom,  according  to  rabbinical  tradi- 
tion, at  Hebron,  but  according  to  modern  expositors, 
at  Jutta,  in  the  tribe  of  Judah.  From  earliest  child- 
hood he  was  of  a  thoughtful  disposition,  and  lived  in 
retirement  in  the  wilderness  (Luke  i.  80)  as  a  Naz- 
arite  (ver.  1.5),  agi-eeably  to  the  Divine  ordinance. 
Thcic  the  spiritual  gifts  with  which  he  had  been  en- 
riched by  tlie  Holy  Ghost,  who  had  sanctified  hmi 
from  the  womb,  developed  and  took  shape  in  con- 
formity with  his  high  and  holy  calling  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  Messiah.  In  his  own  person  he  embod- 
ied, so  to  speak,  the  Old  Testament  dispensation  in 
ics  legal  bearing,  just  as  the  Virgin  Mary  embodied 
and  represented  the  evangelical  aspect  of  the  Old 
Testament  as  set  forth  in  Abraham  and  the  prophets. 
John  was  the  personification  of  Old  Testament  right- 
eousness according  to  the  law ;  Mary  was  the  per- 
sonification of  Old  Testament  faith  in  the  promise, 
and  of  deep  and  earnest  waiting  for  the  promised 
salvation.  Hence  John  appeared  in  Israel  as  the 
preacher  of  repentance,  and  the  baptist,  f  He  com- 
menced his  public  ministry  in  the  wilderness  of  Judsa 
in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Tibe- 
rius, appearing  in  the  garb,  and  foUowing  the  manner 
of  life,  of  a  Nazarite.     Summoning  the  people  to  re- 

*  [The  German  GotthoM,  Gotiliel.] 

t  IJohn  represents  also  the  prophetic  or  evangelical  ele- 
ment of  the  Old  Testament  religion  by  pointing  to  "  the 
Lamb  of  God  which  talceth  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  He 
united  the  spirit  of  Moses  and  that  of  Isaiah,  and  stood  near- 
est to  Christ,  who  was  the  end  of  the  law  and  the  promise. 
Hence  ho  is  called  the  greatest  among  those  that  are  born  of 
women,  and  yet,  as  still  belonging  to  the  preparatory  dispen- 
sation of  the  Old  Testament,  less  than  the  least  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  (Matt.  si.  11).  The  comparison  is  not  one  of 
personal  merit,  but  of  stand-point  and  official  position.— 


pentance,  he  announced  to  them  the  near  approach 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (the  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
siah— Dan.  xi.  44  ;  vii.  13,  14).  On  the  desert  banks 
of  Jordan,  in  the  solitary  district  near  Jericho,  he 
began  what,  from  its  special  Divine  appointment,  and 
the  prophetic  authority  wi!h  which  it  was  adminis- 
tered, was  really  a  new  ordinance — the  hupthni  unto 
repentance,  and  admission  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, with  a  view  to  the  roce])tJon  of  the  coming  Mes- 
siah. His  baptism  imj)lied  that  the  whole  people 
were  unclean,  and,  in  their  present  condition,  unfit 
for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (according  to  Haggai  ii. 
14).  So  far  as  Israel  was  concerned,  the  rite  origin- 
ated in  the  Levitical  lustration  appointed  for  the  un- 
clean (Gen.  XXXV.  2  ;  Ex.  xix.  10 ;  Num.  xix.  7  ;  Ju- 
dith xii.  7 ;  Joseph,  cle  hello  Jud.  ii.  8,  1 ;  Wetstein 
hi  Joe. ;  Nork,  Mythologischcs  Wijrterhucli,  Wasser- 
taufe,  etc.).  But  it  also  bore  analogy  to  the  symbol- 
ical purifications,  by  water  and  otherwise,  common 
among  the  various  nations  of  the  world,  and  to  the 
baptism  of  Jewish  proselytes,*  viewing  these  cere- 
monies in  the  light  of  the  predictions  of  the  prophets 
(Ezek.  xxxvi.  25  ;  Isa.  xliv.  3  ;  Zech.  xiii.  1).  This 
baptism  was  administered  by  immersion,  and  not 
merely  by  sprinkUng.  It  denoted  purification  by, 
not  only  washing,  but  by  submitting  to  sufferings 
akin  to  death.  So  far  as  is  known,  this  rite  was  not 
accompanied  by  the  usual  sacrifices  ;  but  the  deepest 
spiritual  part  of  the  sacrificial  service — the  confession 
of  sins — preceded  the  immersion.  This  confession 
of  sins,  however,  was  not  made  over  the  head  of  an 
animal,  as  in  the  Levitical  sin-ofi'crings  (Lev.  xvi.  21 ; 
Num.  v.  7),  because  the  spiritual  truth,  that  he  who 
offered  the  sacrifice  luust  himself  be  the  sacrifice,  or 
offer  up  himself,  was  nearing  its  grand  reahzation. 
In  one  respect,  however,  the  baptism  of  John  resem- 
bled the '  sacrificial  services  of  the  priests,  as  John 
administered  the  rite  of  submersion  himself;  where- 
as, in  ordinary  lustrations,  the  person  to  be  baptized 
sprinkled  himself  whh  the  water  of  baptism.  The 
immediate  object  of  John's  baptism  was  to  prepare 
the  people  for  the  Messiah  and  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven (Matt.  iii.  11);  its  final  and  highest  object,  the 
manifestation  of  the  Messiah  to  His  people  (John  i. 
31  ;  see  Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  452  ;  iii.  49).  The  Lord's 
manifestation  to  John,  and  the  public  witness  of  the 
JBaptist  to  Jesus,  as  the  Lamb  of  God  that  iaketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world,  completed  the  pjrophetic  tnission 
of  John.  This  appears  from  the  fact,  that  henceforth 
the  rite  of  baptism  and  the  most  distinguished  of 
John's  disciples  became  connected  with  Jesus  Him- 
self. 

Meanwhile  John  pursued  his  ministry  even  be- 
yond its  goal,  which  had  now  been  reached.  His 
course  was,  m  consequence,  marked  by  some  degree 
of  hesitation,  although  his  sole  and  earnest  desire 

*  This  view  was  for  a  long  time  generally  entertained 
(for  example,  by  Selden,  Lightfoot,  Danz,  Zieglfer,  etc.);  but 
has  latterly  been  called  in  question  hy  Schneckenburger 
("  Das  Alter  der  jud.  Proselytentav.fe"  Berl.  1S2S),  by 
Meyer,  and  others,  on  the  ground  that  "the  earliest  mention 
of  baptism  in  the  case  of  Jewish  proselytes  occurs  in  the 
Gemura  Babyl.  Jebamoth,  46,  2,  while  neither  Philo,  Jose- 
phus,  nor  the  older  Targums  refer  to  such  a  rite.  It  seems 
to  have  originated  after  the  destruction  of  the  temple.  Be- 
fore that,  proselytes  were  admitted  by  circumcision  and  the 
offering  of  a  sacrifice,  which  latter,  like  every  other  sacrifice, 
was  preceded  by  a  Levitical  purification  with  water,  which 
the  proselyte  administered  to  himself."  Eut  this  very  lus- 
tration wa8  the  germ  of  the  later  baptism  of  proselytes,  only 
that  it  formed  an  adjunct  of  circumcision,  and  not  of  the  sac- 
rifice which  was  offered.  After  the  destruction  of  the  tem- 
ple, when  sacrifices  censed,  the  rite  of  baptism  necessarily 
acquired  much  greater  importance  than  formerly. 


CHAP.  III.  1-12. 


69 


Btill  was  to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  to  pro- 
mote His  cause  (John  i.  36  ;  iii.  23  ;  Matt.  xi.  o). 
But  the  manifest  contrast  between  tlie  baptism  of 
John  and  that  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus, — between 
John's  disciples  and  those  of  the  Lord — between  the 
rigid  asceticism  of  the  former,  and  the  social,  genial 
deportment  of  the  latter, — suggested  comparisons 
which,  from  the  legal  notions  of  the  Jews,  led  to 
conclusions  derogatory  to  the  teaching  of  Christ,  and, 
in  the  end,  even  to  the  rejection  of  both  teachers. 
Besides,  this  contrast  between  the  Old  Testament 
type  of  righteousness  and  that  of  the  New,  subse- 
quently gave  rise  to  odious  dissensions,  and  at  a  \atcv 
period  induced  some  of  the  disciples  of  John  to  alian- 
don  Jesus,  and  form  a  sect,  which  still  waited  for 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  or  even  acknowledged 
John  as  its  Messiah  (see  Gieseler,  KirchencfescJufhie 
i.  69).  This  result,  however,  the  Baptist  had  not  an- 
ticipated, when  continuing  the  exercise  of  his  minis- 
try. His  sole  and  growing  ami  was  to  accelerate  the 
triumph  of  Messiah's  kingdom.  Hence  his  denuncia- 
tions of  wickedness  became  more  and  more  vehe- 
ment. His  denunciation  of  the  adulterous  connec- 
tion between  Herod  Antipas  and  his  brother  Philip's 
wife  led  to  his  imprisonment.  Like  his  prototype  at 
Horeb,  he  could  not  understand  or  fall  in  with  the 
Divine  arrangement  of  events.  In  order  to  liring 
about  an  immediate  and  full  manifestation  of  judg- 
ment and  vengeance,  the  Baptist  now  despatched  his 
embassy  to  Jesus  (Matt,  xi.),  to  induce  the  Messiah 
at  once  to  reveal  His  power.  Sucli  being  his  views 
and  motives,  the  scene  at  Horeb  was  once  more  en- 
acted (1  Kings  xix.).  It  was  necessary  that  not  only 
the  contrast  between  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ment, but  the  spiritual  superiority  of  Jesus,  should 
]je  fully  exhibited.  It  was  not  in  his  intellectual  dis- 
cernment, but  through  his  feelhigs,  that  John  erred 
in  regard  to  Jesus :  he  was  "  oiFended  "  where,  in 
analogous  circumstances,  Abraham,  Moses,  Elijah, 
Mary,  and  Peter  stumbled.  With  divine  gentleness, 
Jesus  corrected  his  mistake ;  and  this  correction 
served  at  the  same  time  as  his  vindication  before  the 
people.  John  is  the  greatest  among  the  prophets  of 
the  Old  Covenant ;  but  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven — in  the  New  Covenant — is  greater  than  he  in 
all  that  is  distinctive  of  the  New  Testament,  espe- 
cially in  clearness  of  faith  and  patience  of  suffering. 
Those  who  imagine  that  there  is  an  inconsistency  be- 
tween John's  testimony,  John  i.  36,  and  his  message, 
Matt.  xi.  3,  apparently  forget  that  this  testhnony  was 
the  utterance  of  his  loftiest  fahh,  while  his  subse- 
quent embassy  was  that  of  his  deepest  temptation. 
Nor  is  there  any  ground  for  maintaining  that  the 
narrative  of  John  and  those  of  the  synoptic  Gospels 
differ  in  regard  to  the  Baptist.  That  Christ  consid- 
ered the  cause  of  John  as  identiSed  with  His  own, 
and  the  Baptist  himself  as  His  forerunner  and  ser- 
vant, appears  from  the  fact,  that  He  treated  the  ini- 
quitous execution  of  John,  which  Antipas  was  in- 
duced to  order,  as  an  act  of  hostihty  against  Himself 
and  His  kingdom  (Matt.  xiv.  13).  For  historical  de- 
tails, comp.  the  article  in  the  Encyclops.  See  Joseph. 
ArUiq.  xviii.  5,  1  (also  a  monograph  by  Rohden, 
"  Johannes  der  Tdufer^''  Lubeck,  1838). 

Ver.  2.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  {of  the  hea- 
vens, riuv  ovpafwu). — Viewing  the  kingdom  of  God 
in  its  entire  historical  extent  and  development,  we 
mark  in  it  two  periods.  In  the  first  it  appears  in  its 
typical  form,  as  the  Old  Testament  theocracy  ;  in  the 
second,  as  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  ij  ^aatXeia  roiv 
oOpavaiv.    The  contrast  between  the  new  manifesta- 


tion, and  the  old  form  of  the  kingdom,  had  alrc^uly 
been  specified  by  Daniel  (ch.  ii.  and  ch.  vii.).  The 
use  of  the  jilural  number  in  the  original — the  kinti- 
dam  of  the  liMuienj^,  which  also  occurs  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer — may  be  explained  by  the  conception  of 
seven  heavens  (comp.  2  Cor.  xii.  2  :  "  the  third 
heaven  "),  Ijut  especially  by  the  fact,  that  the  king- 
dom of  God  extends,  in  its  various  spheres,  through- 
out infinity.  The  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  appears 
from  the  prophecies  of  Daniel,  is  the  kingdom  of 
the  Messiah ;  while  the  Lord's  Prayer  teaches  us 
that  it  is  the  kingdom  of  God's  Spirit,  in  which 
the  will  of  man  is  made  conformable  to  the  will 
of  God — a  kingdom  which  comes  from  heaven,  is 
heaven  on  earth,  and  ends  in  heaven.  The  expres- 
sion is  only  found  in  Matthew  (and  in  the  rabbinical  ' 
writings) ;  but  the  same  idea  pervades  the  whole  New 
Testament,  where  it  frequently  recurs  mider  tlie  des- 
ignation of /8ao-(A.6iaToD  0foD,  or  fiacriX.  rnv  Xpiarov, 
or  sometimes  simply  "  the  kingdom."  Matthew  no 
doubt  chose  the  expression  "kingdom  of  luovnt,^'' in 
order  to  distinguish  the  Christian  kingdom  of  God 
more  fully  from  the  Jewish  theocracy.  (Monograph  : 
Fleck,  De  Regno  Diimio,  Lips.  1829.) 

The  contrast  between  the  common  Jewish  ex- 
pectations of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  (or  the  revela- 
tion of  the  Messiah  with  miraculous  signs  from  hea- 
ven, resuscitation  of  the  race  of  Abraham,  war  and 
victory  over  the  Gentiles,  subjugation  of  the  Roman 
world  to  the  Jews,  a  reign  of  a  thousand  years,  etc.), 
and  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  its  true  and  spiritual 
manifestation,  is  already  clearly  indicated  by  the 
preaching  of  John.  It  lias  sometimes  been  said  that 
the  repentance  inculcated  by  John  was  merely  that 
of  the  Old,  not  that  of  the  New,  Testament.  But, 
even  granting  this,  we  must  remember  that  John 
cherished  the  spiritual  views  of  repentance  pi-opound- 
ed  by  the  prophets,  and  not  the  common  legal  no- 
tions of  the  Jews,  and  that  he  represented  the  Old 
Testament  in  its  point  of  transition  to  the  New.  The 
Baptist  evidently  regarded  repentance  as  a  furavoelv 
— a  change  of  mind.  He  was  aware  of  the  difference 
between  mere  outward  and  real  repentance — between 
transient  feelings  and  that  deep  change  whicli  mani- 
fests itself  by  corresponding  fndts  of  righteousness. 
His  idea  of  repentance  exceeded  the  outward  re(|uire- 
ments  of  the  Slosaic  law  as  much  as  his  rite  of  im- 
mersion that  of  sprinkling.  In  his  view,  repentance 
implied  an  entire  renunciation  of  the  world — dying 
to  the  old,  and  consecration  to  a  new  life.  Besides, 
it  is  important  to  bear  in  raind  that  the  Baptist  seems 
to  have  already,  in  some  measure,  realized  the  rejec- 
tion of  the  unworthy  portion  of  the  race  of  Abraham, 
and  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles.  But  the  great  point 
of  distinction  lies  in  this,  that  the  repentance  which 
he  enforced  must  have  sprung  from  faith  in  the  pre- 
dictions regarding  the  coming  Messiah.  Tlie  circum- 
stance, that  Josephus,  in  his  notice  of  the  Baptist 
{Antiq.  xviii.  5,  2),  omitted  any  allusion  to  John's 
testimony  to  the  Messiah,  is  readily  explained  from 
his  perfidious  subserviency  to  Roman  domination, 
which  led  him  to  '•enounce  every  hope  dear  to  the 
Jewish  heart  and  people. 

Ver.  3.  For  tliis  is  he  that  was  spoken  of  by 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  Isa.  xl.  3.— The  quotation  is 
made  by  the  EvangelisJ,  and  no:  Ijy  the  Baptist.  In 
this  case,  also,  we  have  the  fulfilment  of  a  typical, 
not  a  verbal  prophecy.  In  its  pi'imary  historical  ap- 
plication, the  passitgc  (Isa.  xl.  3,  quoted  from  the 
Septuagint)  contahis  a  summons  to  prepare  the  way 
of  Jehovah,  who  v/as  about  to  bring  back  His  people 


70 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


from  exile.  There  is  an  allusion  to  the  well-known 
Orientiil  custom  of  preparing  the  way  for  pi-incos  in 
their  travels  (Wetstein  in  loc).  the  summoning 
voice  is  that  of  a  herald.  The  application  of  the 
passage  by  the  Evangelist  shows  that,  in  his  mind, 
the  advent  of  Christ  was  that  of  Jehovah  Himself, 
and  the  true  deliverance  of  God's  children  from  bon- 
dage ;  and  that  he  regarded  John  as  the  real  herald 
of  the  Lord.  Many  expositors  of  the  original  passage 
join  the  expression,  iv  ry  eprjfxco,  with  eToiixdaart ; 
but  the  Evangelist  evidently  connects  it  with  ^ouvros, 
as  John  was  actually  in  the  wilderness.  The  sense 
would  be  the  same  in  both  cases,  the  object  of  the 
Evangelist  being  to  give  a  symbolical  import  to  the 
wilderness  where  the  Baptist  exercised  his  ministry. 

What  Isaiah  uttered  as  a  typical  prophecy,  be- 
came a  distinct  prediction  in  Malachi  (iii.  1),  who  re- 
garded the  mission  of  the  forerunner  of  the  Lord  as 
corresponding  to  that  of  Elijah,  and  hence  assigned 
to  him  even  the  name  of  Elijah  (iv.  5).  It  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  the  prophet  referred  to 
two  forerunners, — one  heralding  the  Lord's  coming 
to  deliver  His  people,  and  merely  resembling  Elijah  ; 
the  other,  Elijah  himself,  come  to  make  preparation 
for  the  day  when  Messiah  should  return  to  judge  the 
earth.  The  prophet  evidently  regarded  the  day  of 
judgment  and  tlie  day  of  deliverance  as  the  same. 
Similarly,  the  angel  Gabriel  also  referred  to  John's 
ministry  as  a  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  regarding 
Elijah :  "  He  shall  turn  the  heart  of  the  fathers  to 
the  children,  and  the  heart  of  the  children  to  their 
fathers"  (Mai.  iv.  6,  comp.  Luke  i.  1*7).  Lastly, 
Christ  Himself  blended  the  two  predictions  of  Mala- 
chi, and  applied  them  to  the  Baptist  (Matt.  xi.  10, 
comp.  ver.  14  and  ch.  xvii.  11).  Among  Jewish 
theologians,  different  views  obtained  about  the  return 
of  one  of  the  old  propliets  preparatory  to  the  coming 
of  Messiah  (Berthold,  Christoloffie,  p.  58). 

Yer.  4.  The  same  John  had  his  raiment,  etc. 
— The  expression  implies  that,  as  in  the  case  of  Eli- 
jah (2  Kings  i.  8),  the  austere,  ascetic  appearance  of 
the  Baptist  corresponded  with  the  character  of  his 
preaching,  being  an  emblem  of  renunciation  of  the 
world,  and  of  repentance.  (1.)  His  (peculiar  and 
distinctive)  dress  was  of  camel's  hair.  Not  of  cam- 
el's skin,  but  of  camel's  hair,  from  which  a  coarse 
kind  of  cloth,  used  for  clothing  and  for  the  covering 
of  tents,  was  manufactured  (see  Meyer,  p.  83).  (2.) 
He  had  a  leathern  girdle.  (3.)  His  food  consisted 
of  locusts,  ctKpiSe!.  "Several  kinds  of  locusts  were 
used  for  food,  especially  by  the  poorest  of  the  peo- 
ple. Lev.  xi.  22  ;  comp.  Plin.  Hist.  Natur.  vi.  35  ; 
xi.  32,  35.  This  is  still  the  case  m  the  East,  espe- 
cially among  the  lower  classes.  After  throwing 
away  the  wings  and  legs,  they  cover  the  body  with 
salt,  and  eat  it  either  boiled  or  fried.  (Niobuhr, 
'■  Reise,'  i.  p.  402,  etc.)  The  older  expositors,  under 
the  impression  that  locusts  were  unfit  for  eating, 
conjectured  that  the  original  reading  must  have  been, 
not  cifcpiSes,  but  iynpldis,  cakes,  or  /capi5fs,  shrimps, 
or  something  else.  But  these  conjectures  do  not  de- 
serve further  consideration."  See  Meyer,  p.  83.  (4.) 
Wild  honey  was  also  part  of  his  food.  The  question 
has  been  started,  whether  this  honey  was  derived 
from  trees  or  from  bees  ?  The  latter  flowed  in  abun- 
dance from  clefts  of  rocks  in  the  wilderness;  the 
former  was  a  kind  of  honey  which  issued  from  fig- 
trees,  palms,  and  other  trees.  Meyer  adopts  the  view 
of  Suidas,  that  it  was  honey  from  trees ;  but  surely 
it  is  needless  to  discuss  whether  the  Baptist  used  one 
or  both  kinds  of  honey. 


Ver.  5.  Then  went  out  to  him,  etc. — That  is, 
to  the  banks  of  Jordan,  T^'^^H  (Gen.  xiii.  10,  11 ; 
1  Kings  vii.  47;  2  Chron.  iv.  17),  from  lni  to  run 
or  flow  (as  the  German  Rhcin  from  rinnen^.  For  a 
description  of  the  scene,  see  Winer  and  other  Ency- 
clops.  and  geographical  works,  especially  Robinson  ; 
comp.  also  a  beautiful  sketch  of  the  quiet  around  the 
scene,  in  the  Travels  of  Pastor  Schulz  of  Miihlheim. 
Note  particularly,  that  Jerusalem  herself,  the  holy 
city,  goes  into  the  wilderness  as  a  penitent, — the 
wilderness  being  considered,  according  to  Old  Testa- 
ment notions,  as  an  unclean  locality,  the  habitation 
of  demons  (Lev.  xvi.  21).  A  prelude  this  of  Christ 
going  forth  to  Golgotha,  and  of  Christians  going  "be- 
yond the  camp,"  Ileb.  xiii.  13.  Hence  also  Jerusa- 
lem is  first  mentioned,  though  in  strict  historical  suc- 
cession it  would  have  been :  the  district  about  Jor- 
dan, JudiEa,  Jerusalem. 

Ver.  6.  And  were  baptized,  immersed,  in  the 
Jordan,  confessing  their  sins. — Immersion  was  the 
usual  mode  of  baptism  and  the  symbol  of  repent- 
ance. According  to  Meyer,  repentance  was  symbol- 
ized by  immersion,  because  every  part  of  the  body 
was  purified.  But,  in  that  case,  the  whole  body  might 
have  been  washed  without  immersion.  We  must 
keep  in  view  the  idea  of  a  symbolical  descent  into 
the  grave,  or  the  death  of  sin,  although  this  view,  as 
explained  in  Rom.  vi.,  could  not  yet  have  been  fully  re- 
ahzed  at  the  time  (comp.  Leben  Jesu  ii.  177.  See  also 
Ebrard,  Wissensch.  Kritik  257,  who  maintains  that 
John  fully  understood  the  import  of  Christian  bap- 
tism, and  administered  it  accordingly).  A  full  con- 
fession of  sins  accompanied  the  act  of  immersion. 
The  compound  i^ofj.okoyov/j.evoi  denotes  public  con- 
fession. Hence  it  may  perhaps  be  inferred  that  the 
confession  was  definite  and  specific, — the  more  so,  as 
we  might  otherwise  infer  that  a  Jew  would  on  such 
an  occasion  confess  his  special  sins  rather  than  his 
general  sinfulness.  The  particular  form  of  confession 
was,  however,  undoubtedly  left  to  each  individual. 

Ver.  7.  But  when  he  saw  many  of  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  etc. — Circumstances 
now  arose  of  a  character  to  perplex  the  Baptist  about 
the  propriety  of  his  administering  baptism.  When 
the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  presented  themselves, 
he  might  refuse  to  administer  the  sacred  rite,  for 
which  their  impenitence  rendered  them  unfit ;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  a  baptism  of  repentance  seemed 
inapplicable  in  the  case  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

The  Pharisees,  Tahn.  "pWTiS;  according  to 
Suidas,  a(po)fHa/j.evoi,  separated,  disthictively-  pious, 
from  IIJ'^3,  to  separate  or  divide, — not  from  the  Par- 
ticip.  Act.,  "  those  who  divide  or  make  sharp  distinc- 
tions "  (teachers  of  the  law),  but  from  the  passive  or 
reflective  foi-m,  in  the  sense  of  "separating  them- 
selves." They  did  not,  however,  constitute  a  sect, 
but  a  school  or  party,  actuated  by  the  most  intense 
sectarianism.  They  were  the  living  expression  of 
outward,  traditional,  and   legalistic   Judaism ;    and 

I  their  strict  separation  was  in  reference  to  Gentiles, 
Samaritans,   publicans,   and   sinners.     They   prided 

'  themselves  on  the  most  rigid  observance  of  those 
legal  prohibitions  and  lustrations,  prescribed  in  their 
traditions,  which  detracted  so  grievously  from  the 

I  spirituality  of  the  law,  and  perverted  its  object.     On 

I  their  history,  doctrines,  and  religious  and  political 
importance,  see  Josephus,  Antiq.  xiii.  5,  9 ;  xiii.  10, 
5,  etc.  Their  true  character  can  only  be  thoroughly 
gathered  from  the  Gospels,  from  the  narrative  of  our 

i  Lord's  sufferings,  from  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and 


CHAP.  m.  1-12. 


71 


the  history  of  Ebionism.  Compare  the  article  on  the 
subject  inWiner  [and  other  Encyclops.],  and  also  the 
author's  Leben  Jesu  ii.  1,  p.  15,  the  Gesch.  (hs  apos- 
tol.  Zc'daliers,  i.  p.  296,  [aud  works  on  Jewish  His- 
tory]. 

The  Sadducees,  2a85ou(coTo:  (derived,  ac- 
cording to  Epiphauius,  Hceres.  i.  14,  airb  ZiKaioav- 
tn)s,  i.  e.  from  p"'^^,  but,  accorduig  to  Jewish 
tradition,  from  a  person  called  Zadok). — They  were 
the  party  opposed  to  the  Pharisees.  On  negative, 
antitraditional,  foreign,  and  philosophical  grounds, 
they  rejected  not  only  traditionalism,  but  also  the  in- 
spired writings,  except  the  books  of  Moses  ;  aud  de- 
nied, along  with  the  authority  of  the  prophets,  all  the 
deeper  truths  of  revelation,  such  as  the  immortaUty 
of  the  soul,  and  the  resurrection,  and  its  higher 
manifestations,  such  as  the  apparitions  of  angels. 
On  all  these  points  comp.  Winer  [and  other  Ency- 
clops.], and  the  passages  of  Josephus  relating  to  the 
Bubjcct,  etc. 

The  third  school  or  religious  party  of  the  Jews 
at  this  period,  the  Essenes,  constituted  a  regular  and 
fully  organized  sect.  Comp.  regarding  them,  Joseph. 
De  Bello  Jud.  ii.  8 ;  Anl'iq.  xiii.  5,  9 ;  and  Philo's 
dissertation :  Quod  omnis  prohus  liber.  The  Es- 
senes (a  name  derived  from  oatos^  or  T^Of;,  or  better 
from  SDX,  to  heal — hence  the  healers,  Bepuirevral) 
did  not 'submit  to  John's  baptism.  This  is  easily 
accounted  for  from  the  fact,  that  daily  lustrations 
formed  part  of  their  ordinary  religious  observances. 
Hence  they  probably  considered  themselves  as  far 
beyond  the  baptism  of  John,  which  was  only  once 
administered,  and,  as  a  community,  prepared  to  re- 
ceive the  Messiah.  Lastly,  from  their  blending  of 
Alexandrian  philosophy  with  Jewish  notions  of  legal 
purifications,  then?  views  and  expectations  concerning 
the  Messiah  must  have  undergone  considerable  modi- 
fication. 

These  three  parties  represented  the  three  great 
deviations  from  the  spirit  and  tendency  of  genuine 
Judaism.  The  Pharisees,  like  the  Roman  Catholics, 
exalted  tradition  into  revelation,  and  superstitiously 
based  their  whole  system  on  the  principle  of  a  right- 
eousness procured  by  external  observances.  The 
Sadducees  limited  revelation  to  the  law  of  Moses,  and 
degraded  the  Mosaic  faith  into  a  rationalistic  morali- 
ty, a  mere  obedience  of  the  law.  The  Essenes  com- 
bined their  Oriental  and  Alexandrian  theosophy  with 
revelation,  excluded  the  idea  of  typical  sacrifices,  in- 
troduced duaUstic  doctrines,  and  based  on  it  an  eso- 
teric righteousness  pecuUar  to  the  members  of  their 
religious  order.  The  Essenes  formed  a  distinct  sect ; 
and,  although  the  closest  approximation  in  the  syna- 
gogue to  a  deeper  and  more  spiritual  view  of  Juda- 
ism, and  m  some  measure  even  anticipating  the  idea 
of  a  universal  priesthood  (as  Ritschl  has  sho^vn),  they 
also  adopted  a  greater  admixture  of  views  entirely 
heathen  than  any  other  school.  Hence  the  idea  of 
any  connection  between  them  and  Christ,  or  even 
John,  cannot  for  a  moment  be  entertained  (a  state- 
ment, however,  which  does  not  apply  to  the  later 
followers  of  John).  By  their  lifeless  orthodoxy,  the 
Pharisees  perverted  Judaism  itself  into  a  sect ;  while 
the  Sadducees  formed  an  accommodating,  negative, 
and  sectarian  party,  who  considered  themselves,  and 
acted  chiefly  as,  a  philosophic  school. 

The  authority  of  John  as  a  prophet,  which,  ac- 
cording to  this  passage,  seems  at  first  to  have  been 
recognised  by  a  large  portion  of  the  dominant  par- 
ties, and  which  probably  occasioned  the  embassy,  or 


at  least  private  deputation,  from  the  Sanhedrim,  re- 
ceived a  serious  blow  when  John  commenced  his  de- 
nunciations. "^  The  dislike  thus  engendered  became 
strengthened  and  rooted  when  the  scribes  saw  Him 
whom  John  announced  as  the  Messiah  of  Israel, — 
one  so  entirely  difi'erent  from  what  they  had  expect- 
ed ;  and  lastly,  when  the  Baptist  promulgated  views 
wholly  opposed  to  those  of  the  Pharisees  on  the 
question  of  divorce,  and,  consequently,  fell  a  victim 
to  the  resentment  of  Herod  and  his  wife.  Accord- 
ingly, when  afterwards  challenged  to  give  an  opinion 
on  the  divine  authority  of  John's  bapt  ism,  the  Phari- 
sees dechned  to  do  so.  Luke  (\ii.  30)  refers  to  this 
subsequent  attitude  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  in 
reference  to  the  baptism  of  John. 

It  deserves  notice,  that  Matthew  does  not  repeat 
the  article  before  "XaSSovK. ;  "  he  includes  them  and 
the  Pharisees  in  one  and  the  same  imworthy  cate- 
gory." 

Ver.  1.  When  he  sa-w  them  come  sttI  rh 
fidirrKTix  a.— The  meaning  is  not,  against  the  baptism, 
as  Olearius  and  some  others  would  interpret  the  pas- 
sage. The  contrary  is  to  be  inferred  from  what  fol- 
lows :  vho  has  tvarned  you  ?  The  expression  does 
not,  however,  denote  simply  their  coming /or  ^/iejOMr- 
pose  of  being  baptized.  The  Baptist  regards  them  as 
unfit  and  improper  candidates  who  presented  them- 
selves for  baptism  only  to  strengthen  their  self-right- 
eous conceit.  The  suggestion  of  Meyer  (p.  86),  that, 
immediately  on  their  arrival,  they  were  deterred  by 
John's  denunciations  from  submitting  to  baptism,  is 
equally  unfounded.  Such  conduct  would  have  placed 
them  in  open  conflict  with  the  Baptist ;  a  course 
which  even  prudence  forbade.  But  the  effect  of  these 
denunciations  was  to  diminish,  and  ultimately  to  stop, 
the  crowds,  belonging  to  their  party,  which  had  flock- 
ed to  the  scene  of  John's  ministrations  This  ex- 
planation removes  the  imagmary  contradiction,  which 
some  have  pretended  to  discover,  between  the  narra- 
tive of  Matthew  and  that  of  Luke,  Schneckenburger 
in  favor  of  Luke,  de  "VVette  hi  favor  of  Matthew. 

According  to  Luke  iii.  Y,  these  denunciations  were 
addressed  to  the  multitude  (rots  oxAots) ;  according 
to  Matthew,  to  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  Their 
mterest  in  and  sanction  of  the  movement,  no  doubt, 
attracted  crowds  to  the  place  of  baptism.  The  pres- 
ence of  a  multitude  thronging  to  submit  to  what,  after 
all,  was  to  them  only  an  outward  rite,  ill  accorded 
with  the  real  aim  of  John,  who  was  anxious  not  for 
a  general  profession,  but  for  individual  conversions. 

O  generation  (brood)  of  vipers. — r  evvq/xa- 
ra  e'x'Si/ajv  denotes  persons  at  once  deceitful  and 
maUcious.  Isa.  xiv.  29  ;  fix.  v. ;  Ps.  Iviii.  5.  The  ex- 
pression would  convey  to  an  Israelite  the  idea  of  re- 
presentatives of  pernicious  doctrines  and  principles, — 
instruments  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  Such  were 
preeminently  doomed  to  punishment.  Gon.  iii. ; 
Matt.  xiii.  41 ;  2  Thess.  ii.,  etc. — Who  hath  warned 
you  ? — An  indication  of  his  distrust  of  the  sincerity 
of  their  ostensible  motives.  It  could  only  have  been 
by  a  special  miracle  that  you  would  have  been  direct- 
ed hither  by  the  Spirit  of  God.— To  flee.— To  flee, 
and  thus  to  escape  from,  '(0  nnS.  The  infin.  Aorist 
denotes  their  being  already  ostensibly  in  the  act  of 
fleeing. — From  the  wrath  to  come,  anh  t  r)  s 
tj.e\\ova-ios  opyris . — The  wrath,  or  the  holy  penal 
justice  of  God,  is  here  identified  with  punishment  it- 
self.    Rom.  i.  18;  Eph.  ii.  3. 

Ver.  8.  Bring  forth,  therefore. — Olv,  a  conclu- 
sion relating  partly  to  the  charge  brought  against 


TUE   (JOSFEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


them,  and  partly  to  their  profession  of  repentance. 
Fruits. — I'roper,  suitable  fruits.  Conip.  Matt.  vii. 
17  if,  also  with  special  reference  to  the  Pharisees. 
Such  good  fruit  as  could  not  be  produced  without  an 
entire  change  in  the  fruit-tree  itself. 

Ver.  9.  And  think  not — do  not  imagine  you 
might  say  'within  yourselves, — i.  e.,  think ; 
"iaba  ipX,  to  say  in  one's  heart :  Ps.  iv.  5  ;  x.  6  •, 
xiv.  i  ;  Matt.  ix.  21  ;  Luke  iii.  8  ;  yii.  49. — We  have 
Abraham  for  our  father ; — /.  c,  we  sluill  be  saved, 
because,  as  descendants  of  Abraham,  we  are  nicm- 
bcis  of  the  theocracy,  and  partakers  of  the  promise 
given  to  our  father.  This  view  is  clearly  propounded 
in  later  rabbinical  writings.  See  Meyer,  p.  87.  Com- 
pare John  viii.  39  ;  Rom.  ix.  As  to  the  genuine  chil- 
dren of  Abraham,  see  Rom.  iv. — God  is  able. — 
God's  ahnighty  power  and  liberty  are  not  limited  by 
hereditary  right.  He  may  reject  them  as  spurious 
children  of  Abraham  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  He  is 
able  to  create  out  of  the  stones  in  the  wilderness 
genuine  children  of  Abraham  by  faith,  i.  e.,  to  trans- 
form uncultivated  portions  of  the  human  race, — un- 
doubtedly a  reference  to  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles. 

Ver.  10.  And  now  also  the  axe  is  laid,  etc. — 
The  preceding  sentence  only  implied  that  the  punish- 
ment of  the  spurious  descendants  of  Abraham  was 
possible  ;  that  now  under  consideration  asserts  that 
it  was  not  only  possible,  but  near, — nay,  that  it  had 
already  begun.  Hence  the  tise  of  the  present  tense. 
Now  already  the  axe  lies  at  the  root  of  the  tree, 
ready  for  its  work  of  destruction.  The  statement 
implies  that  they  are  unfruitful  trees,  or  trees  of  a  bad 
kind  (ch.  vii.  19).  The  punishment  will  equally  de- 
scend on  all ; .  every  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good 
fruit,  etc.  This  evidently  refers  to  the  exclusion  of 
the  unbelieving  Jews  from  the  kingdom  of  Messiah. 

Ver.  11.  I  indeed  baptize  you  in  (eV)  water 
(immersing  you  in  iho  element  of  water)  unto  repen- 
tance.— The  Baptist  thus  declares  that  he  is  not  the 
judge,  and,  at  the  same  time,  that  by  his  baptism  of 
water  he  does  not  secure  their  salvation,  but  merely 
calls  them  to  repentance.  Lastly,  he  teaches  them  that 
his  was  merely  a  symbolical  and  temporary  mission 
as  the  forerunner,  to  prepare  for  the  higher  mission 
of  the  Messiah.  He  that  cometh  after  me  (imme- 
diately following  me),  =  the  Messiah.  The  Bap- 
tist here  describes  his  personal  relation  to  the  Mes- 
siah :  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear  iiis  sandals,  to 
carry  them  and  to  take  them  away — in  Mark  and 
Luke,  to  tie  on  and  to  unloose.  Among  the  Jews, 
Greeks,  and  Romans,  this  was  the  function  of  the 
meanest  slaves.  (See  Wetstein,  Rosenmiiller,  Jahn.) 
— He  proceeds  to  point  out  the  relation  of  his  bap- 
tism to  that  of  Christ.  He  shall  baptize,  or  im- 
merse, you  in  the  Holy  Ghost  and  in  fire. — He 
will  either  entirely  immerse  you  in  the  Holy  Ghost  as 
penitents,  or,  if  impenitent.  He  will  overwhelm  you  with 
the  fire  of  judgment  (and  at  last  with  hell-fire).  This 
interpretation  of  the  expression  "Jire"  has  been  pro- 
pounded by  many  of  the  Fathers  (some  of  whom, 
however,  referred  it  to  the  fire  of  purgatory) ;  and 
among  modern  expositors,  by  Kuinoel,  Schott,  Nean- 
der  [de  Wette,  Meyer].  But  some  commentators — 
among  them  Erasmus  [Chrys.,  Calv.,  Beng.,  O.lshaus., 
Ebrard,  Ewald,  Alford,  Wordsworth] — apply  the  ex- 
pression to  the  kindling,  sanctifying  fire  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  warning  tone  of  the  passage,  and  the  ex- 
pression unquenchable  fire,  in  ver.  12,  are  against 
this  interpretation.*     In  some  Codd.  the  words  Kal 

*  [Not  necessarily  so.  It  is  harsh  to  separate  "  the  Holy 
Spirit "  and  "fire,"  as  referring  to  opposite  classes  of  persons, 


TTvpi  are  omitted,  probably  from  the  en-oneous  suppo- 
sition that  they  were  e(|uivalent  to  Holy  Ghost. 

Ver.  12.  Whose  fan. — Here  we  have  another  fig- 
ure of  judgment,  showing,  even  in  a  more  striking 
manner  than  the  preceding,  the  necessity  and  pro- 
priety of  such  judgment.  The  theocracy  is  the  hus- 
bandry of  God.  But  if  the  wise  husbandman  removes 
from  his  garden  all  such  trees  as  merely  encumber 
the  ground,  much  more  will  he  in  harvest-time  sepa- 
rate on  the  threshing-floor  the  wheat  from  the  chaff, 
and  deal  with  each  according  to  the  rules  of  husban- 
dry. But  the  theocracy,  or  the  kingdom  of  God,  is 
with  great  propriety  represented  as  God's  special 
field,  of  which  both  the  sowing  and  the  harvest  are 
His  (Matt.  xiii.  3).  The  fan  in  His  hand,  or  the  in- 
strument for  the  separating  or  purging,  is  the  word, 
or  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel. — ^Threshing-floor, 
aKoiv,  '("iJ — a  circular  space,  beaten  down  or  paved, 
on  the  fami.  The  com  was  either  trodden  by  oxen 
[or  horses],  or  crushed  by  means  of  a  threshing, 
sledge  drawn  by  oxen  [or  horses].  Robinson,  ii.  306. 
The  threshing-floor  denotes  Messiah's  sphere  of  ac- 
tion (Ewald), — the  holy  land  in  an  ideal  rather  than 
a  material  and  literal  sense  (Meyer) ;  not  mankind 
(Baumgai'ten-Crusius),  or  the  Jewish  people  (de 
Wette).  The  extent  of  this  threshing-floor  necessa- 
rily increases  from  century  to  century.  The  starting- 
point  was  the  land  of  Judfea  ;  the  farthest  verge  is  the 
earth's  remotest  boundary, — being  then  ground  beaten 
for  threshing,  and  no  longer  a  field  which  requires  to 
be  sowed.  The  purging  of  the  threshing-floor  is  eflect- 
ed  by  separating  the  wheat  and  the  chaff  of  the 
sheaves  collected  on  it.  He  will  ^laKaQapi^nv, 
i.e.,  thoroughly  purge. — The  Wheat. — True  and  pen- 
itent believers,  the  precious,  pure  produce  of  God's 
husbandry. — The  gamer,  a  tt  o  6  V;  k  77 ,  the  granary ; 
usually  dry,  subterranean  vaults.  An  emblem,  first, 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  on  earth  ;  and,  secondly, 
of  the  heavenly  inheritance. — The  chaff. — In  the 
widest  sense,  whatever  is  crushed,  cut  small.  Here 
it  means  the  whole  refuse  of  God's  husbandry:  First, 
the  agencies  applied  to  bring  out  the  wheat ;  and, 
secondly,  the  persons  whose  hearts  have  clung  to 
these  agencies  alone,  and  who,  l^y  their  vain,  formal 
services,  have  themselves  become  chaff.  Whatever 
is  to  be  assigned  to  the  fire,  the  judgment-fire  (Mai. 
iv.  1),  hell-fire  (Matt.  xxv.  41),  is  chaff.  Chaff  was 
used  for  fuel. — The  expression,  unquenchable  fire 
(see  Isa.  Ixvi.  24),  points  beyond  the  figure  to  the 
reality,  although  it  denotes,  in  the  first  place,  the  vio- 
lent, uncontrollable  blaze  of  a  straw  fire.  When  the 
fiery  judgment  begins,  it  continues  without  interrup- 
tion, till  the  unquenchable  fire  of  Gehenna  is  kindled. 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  almost  simultaneous  appearance  of  two 
such  personages  as  John  and  Jesus  indicated  that 
this  was  a  unique  period  of  extraordinary  commotion 
in  the  history  of  the  world.  John  the  Baptist  was 
the  personal  embodiment  of  the  Old,  Christ  that  of 
the  New,  Testament ;  and  as  John  was  the  forerun- 
ner of  Christ,  it  follows  that  the  Old  Testament  was 
the  forerunner  of  Christ  in  respect  of  the  inward  and 
spiritual  obedience  and  righteousness  which  it  de- 
manded. This  spiritual  legaUsm  John  represented, 
just  as  the  Virgin  was  the  representative  of  the  pro- 

when  they  are  clearly  united  in  i',""^)  and  by  the  copulative 
Kai  (not  the  disjunctive  i;,  aut).  Moreover  this  prophecy 
was  litiTally  fulfilled  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  Holy 
Spirit  descended  upon  the  disciples  in  tongues  of  fire,  Acta 
ii.  3.-P.  S.] 


CHAP.  m.  1-12. 


73 


phetic  hope  and  the  evangelical  aspirations  of  the 
Old  Testament.  Hence,  Mary  brings  the  Lord  to 
the  people;  John  brings  the  people  to  the  Lord. 
But  both  were  merely  the  means  for  introducing  the 
New  Testament  and  the  Lord :  He  Himself  is  the 
new  and  perfect  revelation  of  the  divine,  theanthrop- 
ic,  and  redeeming  life. — The  contrast  between  John, 
the  rigid  preacher  of  repentance,  and  Jesus,  the  gen- 
tle preacher  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  had  already 
been  typified  among  the  ancient  prophets  by  the 
similar  contrast  between  EUjah  and  Elisha.  Elijah, 
for  the  most  part,  performed  miracles  of  vengeance 
and  judgment,  pointmg  forward  to  the  final  catastro- 
phe, the  fiery  judgment,  and  the  end  of  the  world. 
Hence  he  was  appropriately  snatched  from  the  world 
in  a  fiery  chariot.  On  the  other  hand,  Elisha  per- 
foiTned,  for  the  most  part,  miracles  of  mercy  and  de- 
liverance, thus  preparing  the  way  for  the  Messianic 
prophets.  This  contrast  in  the  typical  missions  of 
Ehjah  and  Elisha  was  itself  an  emblem,  which  had 
its  entire  fulfilment  in  the  great  contrast  between 
Old  and  New  Testament  times,  as  exhibited  in  the 
twofold  advent  of  the  Baptist  and  of  Christ. 

2.  The  Old  Testament  contains  the  most  varied 
references  to  the  New,  by  its  promises,  its  law,  its 
types,  and  its  prophecies.  Its  most  striking  refer- 
ence, however,  is  that  with  which  it  closed,  present- 
ing as  it  did,  in  the  person  of  the  Baptist,  the  most 
faithful  embodiment  of  the  old  dispensation.  Thus 
the  relation  of  the  Baptist  to  Christ  was  that  of  the 
Old  Testament  itself  to  the  Saviour.  The  grand  mis- 
sion of  John  was  the  baptism  unto  repentance.  Its 
elements  and  commencement  existed  in  the  Old,  Tes- 
tament ;  but  the  ordinance  itself  can  only  be  under- 
stood if  viewed  as  a  new  act  of  Divine  revelation,  a 
Divine  mission,  a  prophetic  creation.  Its  real  im- 
port appears  from  the  declaration  that  the  whole 
people  of  Israel  were  utterly  unclean.  Once  of  old 
they  walked  over  the  dried  bed  of  Jordan :  now 
they  must  be  immersed  in  the  current  of  Jordan  in 
their  old  state,  in  order  to  come  out  of  it  thoroughly 
renewed.  But  this  declaration  of  the  Baptist  implied 
also  the  idea,  that  mere  legal  lustrations  were  incapa- 
ble of  purifying  the  people, — a  truth  which  was  also 
conveyed  to  their  minds  by  the  solemnities  of  the 
great  day  of  atonement  (Lev.  xvi.).  Lastly,  all  this 
indicated  that  the  baptism  unto  repentance  was  it- 
self only  a  symbol,  being  an  outward  expression  of 
the  fact,  that  legal  institutions  were  incapable  of  de- 
livering the  Jewish  nation  from  sin.  Accordingly, 
the  baptism  of  John  was  at  the  same  time  a  baptism 
unto  repentance  and  in  preparation  for  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah,  and  its  last  and  highest  aim  Avas  to 
point  the  people  to  the  person  of  the  Messiah. 

3.  That  John  appeared  in  the  wilderness  as  a 
preacher  of  repentance,  and  there  administered  his 
rite  of  purification,  is  another  evidence  of  the  great 
change  which  the  views  of  Israel  were  about  to  un- 
dergo. According  to  Old  Testament  ideas,  the  camp 
would  be  considered  clean,  and  the  wilderness  un- 
clean (Lev.  xvi.).  This,  however,  is  now  reversed ; 
and  Jerusalem  must  go  forth  to  the  wilderness,  there 
to  seek  her  purification.  Typically,  this  contrast 
points  forward  to  Golgotha,  to  the  accursed  place 
without  the  city,  and  to  the  Church  of  Christ  dis- 
owned and  excommunicated  by  the  synagogue.  But 
it  also  points  backward  to  the  voice  of  him  who  cried 
in  the  wilderness.  Isa.  xl.  3  (comp.  John  i.  23). 
Again,  the  wilderness  is  a  symbol  of  the  nation  it- 
self, or  at  least  of  the  state  of  the  Jews  at  the  tune. 
In  that  wilderness  the  prophet  can  find  no  path  for 


the  advent  of  the  Lord.  Hence  a  way  has  now  to  be 
prepared  for  Him  by  repentance ;  and  this  forms  the 
burden  of  his  message.  Such  was  the  grand  mission 
of  John :  his  work  and  commission  was  mainly,  if 
not  exclusively,  to  call  to  repentance.  Besides  the 
sj-mbolic  character  attaching  from  its  nature  to  a 
wilderness,  the  sojourn  of  John  in  the  desert  pointed 
to  those  deeper  experiences,  resulting  from  contem- 
plation, retirement,  and  constant  prayer,  which  marked 
the  spiritual  development  of  genuine  Judaism  even 
at  an  earlier  period  (Moses,  Elijah,  John,  Christ,  the 
Anchorites). 

4.  The  expression,  "  Repent  ye,"  is  not  equivalent 
with  "  Do  penance."  *  The  original  means.  Change 
your  minds,  your  mode  of  thinking  and  of  viewing 
things, — not  in  order  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
may  come,  but  heca.use  it  is  coming  or  approaching 
(for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand).  Tliis 
change  of  mind  could  only  spring  from  a  sense  of  the 
free  mercy  of  God  in  manifesting  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  from  the  revelation  of  Christ  in  His 
grace  and  truth.  Nor  can  it  ever  be  otherwise ;  for 
without  repentance,  change  of  mind,  conversion,  re- 
generation (John  iii.),  it  is  unpossible  to  enter  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

5.  We  have  already  indicated  the  pecuHar  mean- 
ing attaching  to  the  expression,  kingdom  of  God,  as 
distinguished  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The 
former  is  the  general  conception  and  includes  the 
entire  kingdom  of  God,  in  every  sense  and  bearing. 
Thus  the  theocracy  was  the  kingdom  of  God  in  its 
typical  and  Old  Testament  form ;  while  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  the  kingdom 
of  God  in  its  reality,  or  the  real  theocracy.  Viewed 
as  a  whole,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  the  higher  mani- 
festation of  the  universal  supremacy  and  rule  of  God 
in  nature  and  in  history,  and  the  preparation  for  the 
kingdom  of  glory  (kingdom  of  power,  kingdom  of 
grace,  kingdom  of  glory).  In  direct  contrast  to  the 
kingdom  of  grace  is  that  of  darkness.  It  appears 
along  with  the  kingdom  of  grace,  and  keeps  pace 
with  it ;  and,  though  appearing  to  conquer,  ultimate- 
ly is  always  conquered.  At  last,  when  the  kingdom 
of  God  shall  have  been  perfected,  it  will  also  have 
reached  its  full  and  final  development,  and  be  ripe 
for  the  self-annihilation  which  awaits  it.  Then  shall 
it  also  appear  that  all  along  it  had  been  entirely  sub- 
ject to  the  kingdom  of  omnipotence,  and  subservient 
to  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  glory.  In 
New  Testament  times,  the  Christian  Church  and  the 
Christian  State  may  be  regarded  as  the  twofold  man- 
ifestation of  the  kingdom  of  God ;  which,  however, 
must  not  be  confounded  with  the  essence  of  the  king- 
dom of  God.  Lastly,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  both  in  respect  of  its  origin  and 
its  goal,  its  essence  and  its  manifestation,  its  King 
and  its  people,  its  law  and  its  citizenship — the  royal 
dominion  of  God  in  the  souls  of  beUevers,  through 
Christ  and  his  Holy  Spirit. 

6.  We  may  view  the  asceticism  and  austerity  of 
John  under  a  twofold  aspect.  On  the  one  hand,  it 
marks  him  out  as  a  perfect  Nazaritc.  The  institu- 
tion of  Nazarites,  with  its  various  prohibitions,  was 
from  the  first  intended  as  something  sunilar  to,  nay, 

*  ["Z>o  penance,^''  is  the  Roman  Catholic  version,  made 
at  Eheims,  A.  D.  15!i2.  It  follows  closely  here,  iis  elsewhere, 
the  Latin  Vulgate  which  renders  the  Greek  iXiravoiiTi, 
Matt.  iii.  2,  etc.  :  Poenitentiam  ugete.  This  difference  of 
translation  affects  materially  the  whole  conception  of  repent- 
ance. Luther  translates:  "■  Thut  Buase;"  but  there  is  a 
difference  between  B>ms6,  repentance,  a.n(\.  B'us8ung,pen- 
ance.—V.  S.] 


74 


THE   GOSl'EL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


as  a  higher  completion  of,  the  legal  priesthood 
(Leben  Jesu,  i.  63  ;  apost.  Zeitaller,  ii.  303  and  398  *). 
Hence  the  circumstance,  that  both  John  and  the 
Apostle  James  were  Nazarites,  may  be  regarded  as 
forming  an  appropriate  transition  from  the  Old  Tes- 
tament priesthood  to  that  of  the  Spirit  under  the 
New  Testament,  just  as  the  synagogue  was  a  tran- 
sition fiom  the  temple  to  the  church.  In  other 
words,  the  Nazarites  were  the  connecting  Unk  be- 
tween the  Old  and  New  Testament  priests,  just  as 
the  synagogue  was  between  the  temple,  the  church, 
and  the  washing  with  water,  between  circum- 
cision and  baptism,  and  the  breaking  of  bread  and 
the  cup  of  thanksgiving,  between  the  passover  and 
the  Lord's  Supper.  It  was  necessary  that  John 
should  occupy  the  position  of  a  Nazarite  in  order  to 
pronounce  sentence  of  impurity,  not  only  upon  the 
Jewish  people,  but  upon  their  priesthood.  Nor  was 
his  profession  merely  symbolical,  implying  a  symbol- 
ical renunciation  of  the  world.  He  actually  renounced 
the  pomp,  the  luxury,  and  the  pursuits  of  his  age  and 
nation,  and  appeared  before  his  eotemporaries  free 
to  utter  his  solemn  denunciations  against  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees,  against  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue 
and  the  rulers  of  the  people. 

v.  It  is  most  important  to  note  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  grounds  on  which  John  was  unwilling  to 
baptize  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  and  those  on 
which  he  shrunk  from  baptizing  the  Lord.  In  his 
judgment,  the  former  did  not  come  up  to  the  law  of 
the  Old  Testament,  while  Jesus  went  far  beyond  the 
Old  Testament.  The  Pharisees  were  unfit  for  bap- 
tism ;  baptism  was  unfit  for  the  Lord  Jesus.  The 
rulers  of  his  people  appear  in  the  presence  of  the 
Baptist  as  "  children,"  or  rather  as  a  race  degenerate, 
and  alien  to  true  Judaism ;  while  before  Christ  the 
Baptist  lowly  bends  as  the  humblest  servant  in  pres- 
ence of  the  most  glorious  Lord.  How  different,  then, 
the  picture  here  presented  of  the  spirit  of  the  Old 
Testament  from  that  drawn  by  some,  who  would 
identify  the  religion  of  the  Old  Covenant  with  Phari- 
saical Judaism ! 

8.  The  circumstance,  that  the  Baptist  is  here  in- 
troduced as  denouncing  sinners,  sufficiently  accounts 
for  the  diiference  between  his  delineation  of  the  ad- 
vent of  Christ  as  the  Judge,  in  the  passage  before  us, 
and  his  description  of  Christ  as  the  suffering  Saviour 
m  His  address  to  His  disciples,  John  i.  Besides, 
throughout  the  Old  Testament,  and  indeed  through- 
out Scripture,  judgment  and  salvation  are  closely 
connected ;  and  it  has  been  too  much  the  practice 
of  scholastic  theologians  to  sever  and  disjoin  these 
two  ideas.  Further,  the  picture  presented  to  the 
mind  of  the  Baptist  was  evidently  that  of  the  advent 
of  Christ,  in  all  its  phases  to  its  final  manifestation, 
commencing  with  the  first,  and  including  the  second 
appearance  of  the  Saviour.  The  judgment  of  separa- 
tion, which  was  to  be  completed  at  His  second  ad- 
vent, commenced  at  the  first.  The  "  fruits  meet  unto 
repentance,"  which  the  Baptist  required,  were  evi- 
dence of  a  genuine  religious  and  moral  renovation 
and  regeneration,  which  implied  the  opposite  of  mere 
externalism  and  feigned  repentance. 

9.  The  baptism  of  wate-r,  and  the  baptism  ofjlre, 
— the  one  administered  by  John,  the  other  by  Christ ; 
the  one  bearing  reference  to  the  advent  of  the  Mes- 
siah, the  other,  to  the  Messiah  Himself,  who  had  al- 
ready appeared ;  the  one,  imto  repentance  in  the 
sense  of  renoimcing  aud  dying  unto  the  world,  the 

*  [The  original  substitutes  hero  a  (— )  for  a  (,).  I  looked 
at  the  work,  quoted  and  rectified  the  reference. — P.  S.] 


Other,  unto  repentance  in  the  sense  of  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  Christ;  the  one,  with  water,  which 
can  only  purify  externally  (legally  and  symbolically), 
the  other,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  whose  fire  purifies 
internally,  aud  purges  away  all  dross  ;  the  one,  to  a 
forgiveness  of  sins  which  as  yet  was  only  matter  of 
hope,  and  was  to  be  really  obtained  in  -the  baptism 
of  the  Spirit ;  the  other,  as  the  seal  of  actual  forgive- 
ness of  sins.  The  baptism  of  John  contained  only 
the  germ  of  a  sacrament  in  the  peace  of  hope  which 
it  conveyed,  and  the  conditional  assurance  of  a  future 
baptism  of  the  Spirit  or  reception  into  the  kingdom 
of  the  Messiah ;  while  Christ's  baptism  of  the  Spirit 
finds  its  appropriate  expression  in  the  sacrament  of 
Christian  Baptism  as  the  sign  and  seal  of  the  inward 
baptism  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  indeed  true  that  the 
baptism  of  the  Saviour  by  John  constitutes  both  the 
origin  and  the  basis  of  Christian  baptism ;  but  it 
were  to  detract  from  the  full  meaning  of  that  sacra- 
ment to  assimilate  it  with  the  baptism  of  John,  in- 
stead of  viewing  the  latter  as  gradually  advancing 
from  the  baptism  of  disciples  to  the  baptism  of 
Christ.  Christian  baptism,  on  the  other  hand,  in  the 
seme  proportion  in  which  it  degenerates  in  the  church, 
relapses  into  the  baptism  of  John,  i.  e.,  it  approaches 
to  the  character  of  mere  water-baptism.  But  what- 
ever way  we  regard  it,  this  great  difference  remains, 
that  while  the  disciples  of  John  still  waited  for  the 
formation  of  the  Church,  we  behold  it  m  all  its 
beauty,  and  with  aU  its  blessings  of  forgiveness  and 
of  peace.  In  other  words,  in  the  one  case,  the  full 
idea  of  baptism,  in  its  objective  import  as  a  sacra- 
ment, is  reahzed, — the  only  requirement  being,  that 
he  who  receives  the  ordinance  receive  it  in  spirit  and 
in  faith  ;  while,  in  the  other,  the  objective  aspect  of 
baptism — or  the  Church — was  still  awanting.  Hence 
the  baptism  of  John  might  be  repeated  ;  not  so  Chris- 
tian baptism.  The  baptism  of  John  was  not  com- 
plete :  in  it  the  full  idea  of  the  rite  was  not  exhaust- 
ed ;  *  while  we,  who  are  baptized  into  the  death  of 
Christ,  can  fully  enter  into  its  meaning. 

10.  The  transcendent  majesty  of  the  Lord  ap- 
pears, as  He  stands  side  by  side  with  the  Baptist, 
the  greatest  among  them  born  of  women  under  the 
Old  Covenant.  But  the  greatness  of  John  consisted 
mainly  in  his  almost  unexampled  humility,  which 
from  the  first  led  him  to  designate  his  work  which 
shook  Israel  to  its  centre  as  merely  preparatory, 
and  to  subordinate  himself  at  once  to  Him  who  was 
far  greater  than  he. 

11.  The  baptism  of  fire — in  the  sense  of  its  puri- 
fying efficacy — had  been  already  predicted  by  Mala- 
chi  (in.  3).  Hence  we  conclude  that  the  baptism  of 
John  must  have  conveyed  at  least  some  of  the  effects 
of  this  purifying  fire.  In  another  respect,  also,  there 
is  a  close  connection  between  John  and  Malachi,  as 
the  denunciations  of  the  Baptist  were  only  a  further 
development  and  application  of  the  great  truths  pro- 
pounded by  the  prophet  about  the  insufficiency  of  the 
old  theocracy;  and  just  as  Malachi  pointed  to  the 
Baptist,  so  the  Baptist  pomts  to  Christ.  Although 
the  awakening  produced  by  John,  as  every  legal 
awakening,  was  not  of  a  lasting  character,  its  effects 
were  permanent  in  the  hearts  of  the  elect,  and  more 

*  [Dr.  Lange :  "Die  Tavfe  des  Johannes  ging  noch  nicht  in 
die  voUe  7'ie/i  ;  " — a  play  on  words  with  reference  to  the  ety- 
mology of  y'aufe  from  teu/en,  tiefen,  i.  e.,  to  phmge  into  the 
deep,  to  submerge.  With  the  same  reference  Dr.  Lange 
calls  Christian  b.iptism  "die  absolute  Vertiefung,'''  which  13 
equivalent  in  meaning  to  the  apostle's  figure  of  burial  with 
Christ :  '•  Therefore  we  are  buried  with  Him  by  baptism 
into  death."  Eom.  vi.  4.— P.  S.l 


CHAP.  III.  1-12. 


75 


especially  among  his  own  disciples.  This  was  suffi- 
cient— the  Lord  found  a  soil  ready  and  prepared. 

12.  The  most  marvellous  evidence  of  the  spiritual 
power  wielded  by  John  was,  that  he  induced  the  self- 
righteous  and  hypocritical  professors  of  his  age  to 
submit  to  a  baptism  unto  repentance,  and  that  in 
such  numbers,  that  it  became  a  kind  of  agreeable 
fashion  to  go  into  the  wilderness  to  be  baptized 
(John  V.  35). 

nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 
John  and  Christ ;  or  the  Founder  of  the  New 
Covenant  accredited  by  the  lust  prophet  of  the  Old 
Covenant. — John  a  connecting  Unk  between  Malachi 
and  Christ. — Old  Testament  prophecy  pointing  to 
Christ  in  the  Baptist. — The  baptism  of  John  in  its 
import,  1.  as  a  token  from  God  ;  2.  as  conchidmg  the 
Old  Dispensation ;  8.  as  a  prophecy  of  the  baptism  of 
Christ. — As  the  renunciation  of  the  world  initiated 
by  the  Baptist  only  reached  its  completion  in  the 
death  of  Christ  on  the  cross,  so  the  baptism  of  John 
in  that  of  Christ. — Baptism  implies  a  descent  into 
the  depths,*  1.  of  self-knowledge ;  2.  of  repentance; 
3.  of  renunciation  of  the  world ;  4.  of  self-surrender 
to  the  grace  of  the  Lord. — The  call  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  at  hand :  1.  The  agreement  between  John  and 
Christ  in  this  call ;  2.  the  difference  in  their  meaning 
and  application ;  3.  the  call  of  John  fully  understood 
and  completed  in  that  of  Christ. — The  eternal  basis 
and  fundamental  idea  of  all  preaching — repentance 
and  faith. — Baptism  and  preaching  always  go  to- 
gether.— John  the  prototyj^e  of  preachers  of  repent- 
ance, as  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness : 
1.  The  whole  man,  in  all  his  saying  and  doing,  a 
voice  i  2.  only  a  voice  ;  3.  a  voice  crying  ;  4.  a  voice 
sounding  through  the  wilderness,  and  awakening  it. 
— Consistency  of  practice  and  teaching  as  giving 
point  to  our  preaching — which  is  the  voice  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  world.  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord. 

1.  How  it  sounds:  a.  It  soimds  from  every  direc- 
tion ;  6.  in  every  place ;  c.  at  every  hour ;  d.  for  every 
heart.  2.  What  the  voice  requires :  a.  A  way  for 
the  Lord  ;  b.  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  Lord  ;  c.  to 
prepare  it  in  the  wilderness. — The  way  of  the  Lord 
is  prepared  by  making  a  plain  path.  1.  The  heart 
which  was  Ufted  up  must  be  abased  by  repentance. 

2.  The  heart  that  was  abased  must  be  Ufted  up  by 
faith.  3.  The  heart  which  was  wavering  must  have 
a  straight  path  marked  out  by  spiritual  decision  of 
life. — The  outward  renunciation  of  the  world  by  the 
Baptist  an  emblem  of  that  inward  renunciation  which 
every  one  has  solemnly  vowed  in  baptism. — Spiritual 
life  is  that  state  in  which  we  freely  renounce  all 
things. — Wonderful  eifect  upon  the  world  of  a  be- 
lieving renunciation  of  the  world. — When  judgment 
is  at  hand,  our  safety  Ues  in  being  ready  to  part  with 
all  things. — Times  of  awakening  are  times  of  bud- 
ding. 1.  Their  presence  marks  a  spring-time  from 
on  high  ;  2.  the  blossoms  must  decay  ;  3.  many  blos- 
soms are  empty  and  fruitless  ;  but,  4.  some  lasting 
fruit  also  remains. — The  baptism  of  John  the  last 
festive  hour  of  the  Old  Covenant. — Legal  repentance 
must  be  followed  up  by  evangelical  repentance  ;  i.  e., 
sorrow  for  sin,  caused  by  fear,  must  be  followed  by 
sorrow  for  sin,  caused  by  love. — Genuine  confession 
of  sin  marking  spiritual  decision  and  action. — Genu- 
ine confession  of  sin  the  foundation  of  every  con- 
fession of  faith. — Christ  submitted  to  the  baptism  of 

•  ["Die  Tau/e  geht  mit  una  in  die  Ke/e."— Comp.  the 
preceding  note.— P.  S.] 


John,  although  even  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  had 
received  the  rite. — The  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees 
applying  for  baptism,  or  professing  penitence.  1, 
Both  parties  were  equally  hypocritical.  2.  They 
differed  in  the  peculiar  form  of  their  hypocrisy.  3. 
They  were  equally  overwhelmed  by  the  judgment 
which  descends  on  all  hypocrites. — The  self-right- 
eousness of  reUgious  formalism  always  produces  a 
generation  of  vipers  hypocritically  conforming  to  its 
demands:  1.  A  low  and  unimpressiblc  generation; 
2.  a  cunning ;  3.  a  malicious  and  dangerous,  genera- 
tion.— The  genuineness  of  our  repentance  must  be 
proved  by  good  fruits. — Our  spiritual  state  must  be 
brought  to  the  test  of  everyday  duty,  or,  Christian 
virtue  must  imply  and  perfect  natural  virtue. — 
There  are  in  every  age  those  who  appeal  to  their 
descent  from  Abraham.  Such  appeal  has,  1.  always 
the  same  meaning ;  is,  2.  different  in  different  ages  ; 
and  yet,  3.  m  every  age  equally  vain  and  pernicious. 
— "  God  is  able  from  these  stones  to  raise  up  children 
to  Abraham  ;"  or,  the  creative  power  of  free  grace : 

1.  It  can  create  children  of  Abraham  from  the  stones 
of  the  wilderness  (the  hard  hearts  of  the  heathen), 
— for  a  stone  has  manifestly  no  Ufe.  2.  Such  a 
change  may  be  expected  rather  than  in  those  who 
hypocritically  profess  to  be  Abraham's  children ;  for 
empty  profession  simulates  life. — The  Lord  as  Judge, 
under  the  figure  of  a  husbandman:  1.  among  His 
trees  ;  2.  on  His  threshmg-floor. — "  Tlie  axe  is  laid 
to  the  root  of  the  trees ;"  1.  Its  meaning :  judgment 
has  already  commenced  ;  there  is  no  time  to  be  lost. 

2.  Its  apphcation :  be  changed  into  good  trees ; 
bring  forth  fruits  of  righteousness ;  there  is  still 
time  for  it. — The  majesty  of  Christ,  as  manifest  in 
the  contrast  between  John  and  Christ. — The  baptism 
of  water  and  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit ;  the  baptism 
of  the  Spirit  and  the  baptism  of  fire. — The  baptism 
of  the  Spirit  is  itself  a  baptism  of  fire. — The  grand 
final  harvest  in  history  ;  or,  judgment  and  salvation. 
1.  The  fan  on  the  threshing-floor;  or,  the  word  of 
God  separating  the  two  classes.  2.  The  gathering 
of  the  wheat  into  the  kingdom  of  love ;  or,  the  com- 
plete salvation  of  God's  people.  3.  The  chaff  in  un- 
quenchable fire ;  or,  the  judgment  of  hypocrites. — 
The  burning  chaff,  or  the  judgment :  1.  As  consuming 
all  those  outward  fonns,  whether  secular  or  spiritual, 
which  had  served  as  the  vehicle  of  life  ;  2.  as  fiery 
torments  of  mere  professors  of  religion,  who  sought 
for  life  in  those  forms  alone, — a.  throughout  the 
course  of  history, — b.  at  the  end  of  the  world. — All 
empty  profession  as  continually  self-destroying  and 
self-consuming — a  hell :  1.  an  emblem  of  hell ;  2. 
that  which  really  constitutes  hell ;  3.  the  final  object 
of  hell. — The  judgment  of  the  world  is  at  the  same 
time  the  completion  of  the  kingdom  of  God  and  of 
His  children. 

Starke : — The  sum  and  substance  of  all  Divine 
teaching  is,  repentance  and  faith. — He  that  would 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  must,  with  heart 
and  soul,  forsake  the  kingdom  of  the  world. — Wher- 
ever Christ  goes  with  His  Gospel,  He  finds  nothing 
but  a  wilderness. — The  law  must  rouse  the  conscience 
and  open  the  door  for  the  Gospel. — Teachers  of  re- 
ligion must  neither  be  flatterers,  nor  self-seekers, 
nor  servants  of  men. — A  Christian  is  satisfied  with 
such  provision  as  he  can  get.  Let  a  minister  be  con- 
tent even  though  he  be  placed  in  a  wilderness. — 
Worldly  men  tremble,  indeed,  in  view  of  judgment 
and  of  wrath  ;  but  although  they  dissemble  and 
humble  themselves,  they  are  not  sincere  in  Christ. — 
It  is  quite  possible  to  combme  a  holy  zeal  with 


76 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


genuine  love. — Preachers  should  be  acquainted  with 
the  prejudices  of  men. — We  become  Christians, 
not  by  birth,  but  by  regeneration. — Outward 
communion  with  tlie  (,'liurcli  will  only  ensure  heavier 
judgment  to  those  who  enjoy  it  without  becoming 
true  believers. — The  less  merit  a  minister  claims  for 
himself  in  the  work  of  his  Master,  the  more  success- 
ful will  he  be. — Holiness  and  humiUty  advance  at 
equal  pace. — A  preacher  must  know  both  how  to 
allure  and  how  to  arouse  his  hearers. 

Gerlach: — The  tree  which  is  unfit  for  bearing 
good  fruit  is  fit  at  last  for  firewood.  The  man  who 
will  not  be  a  monument  of  saving  grace  shall  show 
forth  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God. 

Heubner : — To  become  a  preacher  in  the  wilder- 


ness, requires  moral  heroism. — The  doors  of  the 
heart  must  be  thrown  wide  open  if  the  King  of  glory 
is  to  enter  in. — The  confession  of  sinners  (of  sins)  is 
of  incalculable  value. — "  Generation  of  vipers :" 
there  is  frequently  much  of  the  serpent  ahout  the 
human  heart,  both  in  its  malice  and  inclination  to- 
wards faleehood  and  deception. — The  plainness  and 
unsparing  severity  of  John  is  far  preferable  to  weak 
gentleness  ;  the  former  rouses  and  excites  juj '  appre- 
hension, while  the  latter  lulls  asleep  :  iid  cau.-.s  false 
security. — The  false  confidence  of  the  Jews  and  their 
ancestors  a  warning  to  all. — National  pride. — Only 
that  which  is  good  and  pure  can  be  admitted  into 
the  kingdom  of  Christ :  all  that  is  impure  will  be 
cast  out. 


B.    Chapter  IH.  IS-IT. 


{Second  Pericope  on  Sunday  after  the  Feast  of  Circumcision  or  New  Year.) 

Contents. — He  who  baptizes  with  the  Spirit,  and  with  fire,  humbles  Himself  to  submit  to  the  baptism  of  water,  adminis- 
tered to  a  sinful  community.  From  this  communion  with  sinners  the  Father  exalts  Him  into  communion  with  the 
blessed  Trinity.    The  Baptist  points  Him  out  to  the  people  as  the  Messiah  promised  to  the  fathers. 

13  Then  cometh  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  [the]  Jordan  unto  John,  to  be  baptized  of  [by] 

14  him.     But  John  forbade  him,  saying,  1  have  need  to  be  baptized  of  [by]  thee,  and 

15  comest  thou  to  me?     And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  him,  Suffer  it  to  he  so'^  now:  for 

16  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness.  Then  he  suffered  him.  And  Jesus, 
when  he  was  baptized,  went  up  straightway  out  of  [from]  the  water:  and,  lo,  the 
heavens  were  opened  unto  him,  and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending  like  a  dove, 

17  and  lighting  [coming]  upon  him :  And,  lo,  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Tliis  is  my 
beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased. 

1  Ver.  15. — [The  words  to  de  «o,are  unnecessary.    Sufer  it  now,  is  sufficient  for  &<pes  &pri. — p.  S.] 

the  Messiah,  as  if  by  that  act  He  had  been  inwardly 
transformed  into  the  Messiah ;  the  expression, 
■wpiiTov  iarXv  i^fjuv  (ver.  15),  implies  that  He  was  con- 
scious of  being  the  Messiah,  and  of  the  relation  in 
which,  as  such,  John  stood  towards  Him." — We 
thankfully  admit  the  value  of  the  comprehensive 
summary  furnished  by  Meyer  of  the  various  views 
propounded  on  the  subject  of  Christ's  b.aptism.  But 
his  own  explanation  does  not  make  it  any  clearer, 
either  on  what  grounds  Jesus  submitted  to  a  baptism 
unto  repentance^  or  in  what  sense  we  are  to  under- 
stand the  words  of  the  Saviour,  "  Thxis  it  becomes  us 
to  fulfil  all  righteousness,^'' — an  expression  which 
must  evidently  refer  to  Old  Testament  righteous- 
ness. With  this  remark  we  return  to  our  own  ex- 
planation. In  strict  application  of  the  law  of  Moses 
as  expounded  by  Haggai  (ii.  14),  John  had  pronoun- 
ced the  whole  people  of  Israel  uupure.  Jesus  Him- 
self, although  sinless  and  holy,  was  included  in  this 
general  declaration ;  His  connection  with  His  people 
rendering  Him  levitically  unclean.  This  unplied 
that,  from  His  coimection  with  the  people,  He  must 
needs  sufl:er,  or  that  He,  being  innocent,  must  suffer 
for  the  people.  And  thus  he  lulfilled  all  righteous- 
ness. Meyer  is,  of  course,  right  m  suggesting,  that 
when  the  Saviour  thus  freely  yet  obediently  submit- 
ted Himself  to  the  judgment  resting  upon  His  people, 
He  was  preparing  for  His  own  glory,  and  hence, 
also,  for  "  the  declaration  of  His  Messianic  dignity." 
But  this  formed  the  second  or  last  element  in  the 
baptism  of  Christ,  not  its  basis  or  fundamental  idea. 
It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  our  explanation 
includes  that  of  Ebrard  ;  only  that,  m  our  view,  the 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  13.  Then  (rcire). — In  contrast  with  the 
baptism  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  we  have 
here  the  baptism  of  Jesus.  At  that  time  Jesus  came 
from  GalUee  to  Jordan,  to  be  baptized  of  him. 
Meyer  suggests  the  following  as  the  object  of  Christ's 
baptism  (p.  91) : — "  Jesus  did  not  come  to  be  bap- 
tized from  a  feeling  of  personal  sinfulness  (Bruno 
Bauer,  comp.  Strauss) ;  nor  because,  according  to 
the  Levitical  law,  His  personal  connection  with  an 
impure  people  rendered  Him  impure  (Lange) ;  nor 
for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  there  was  no  incom- 
patibility between  His  aap'(^  aa-devda^  and  life  in  the 
Spirit  (Hoffinann,  Weissagung  und  Erfullung^  vol.  ii. 
82) ;  nor  because  baptism  implied  a  declaration  of 
being  subject  to  the  penalty  of  death  (Ebrard) ;  nor 
in  order  to  elicit  the  Divine  declaration  that  He  was 
the  Messiah  (Paulus) ;  nor  to  confirm  the  faith  of  His 
followers,  inasmuch  as  baptism  was  a  symbol  of  the 
regeneration  of  His  disciples  (Ammon,  L.  J.  vol  i. 
268) ;  nor  to  sanction  the  baptism  of  John  by  His 
example  (Kuinoel,  Kern) ;  nor  to  indicate  His  obliga- 
tion to  obey  the  law  (Hofiinann,  Krabbe,  Osiander) ; 
nor,  lastly,  because,  before  the  descent  of  the  Spirit, 
He  acted  hke  any  other  ordinary  Israelite  (Hess, 
Kuhn,  comp.  Olshausen).  The  true  explanation  of 
this  act,  as  furnished  in  ver.  15,  is,  that,  as  the 
Messiah,  He  felt  that,  according  to  the  Divine  will. 
He  had  to  submit  to  the  baptism  of  His  forerunner 
in  order  to  receive  the  Divine  declaration  of  His 
Messianic  dignity  (vers.  16,  17).  It  was  not  in  bap- 
tism that  He  first  became  conscious  of  His  dignity  as 


CHAP.  lU.  13-17. 


77 


idea  of  consecratiou  unto  death  was  not  yet  fully  ex- 
pressed in  the  baptism  of  Jolrn,  which  only  implied 
sufterings  similar  to  death. 

Vcr.  14.  But  John  forbade  Him  [sought  to 
hinder  him]. — According  to  Strauss  and  de  Wette, 
this  passage  is  inconsistent  with  the  statement  in 
John  i.  23,  "Ikncto  Him  not."  But  this  passage 
refers  only  to  the  prophetic  or  divine  certitude  of  the 
Baptist  concerning  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus.  Such 
certitude  could  neither  be  the  result  of  what  liis 
mother  Elisabeth  would  tell  him,  nor  of  his  previous 
acquaintanceship  with  Jesus:  it  could  only  be  ob- 
tained by  a  distinct  sign  from  on  high.  Still  he  was 
sufficiently  impressed  with  the  reUgious  and  moral  ex- 
altation of  Jesus  to  feel  that  He  required  not  baptism 
at  His  hands  (Hoffmann).  Add  to  this  the  wonderful 
impression  produced  by  the  personal  appearance  of 
the  Lord,  and  by  the  increasing  conviction  of  John 
that  what  his  parents  had  formerly  told  hun  would 
now  prove  to  be  true.  Accordmgly,  he  felt  as  the  less 
in  presence  of  the  greater — as  a  sinner  in  presence  of 
the  Holy  One.  The  obvious  inference  from  the  bap- 
tism which  He  administered,  and  to  which  Jesus 
waa  about  to  submit,  seemed  so  strange  to  the  Bap- 
tist, that  he  shrunk  from  it.  Hence  the  expression 
he  forbade  Him,  SiacwKvev — ^the  composite  being 
stronger  than  the  simple  verb.  Jesus  removed  these 
objections  by  simply  referring  to  the  requirements 
of  righteousness ;  by  which  our  Lord  must  have 
meant  the  Levitical  consequences  of  John's  prophetic 
mission,  and  not  that  John  would  see  what  miracu- 
lous sign  should  accompany  the  rite.  The  great 
object  was  simple  obedience.  How  to  own  and 
glorify  the  obedience  of  His  dear  Son,  God  reserved 
to  Himself.  Any  confession  of  sin  was,  of  course, 
out  of  the  question  :  there  was  only  a  profession  on 
the  part  of  Jesus,  that  as  an  Israehte  He  became 
subject  to  the  law,  and  that  He  was  connected  with 
humanity  by  the  ties  of  blood,  of  history,  of  suffer- 
ing, and  of  love.  The  apocryphal  Prcedicatio  Pauli 
(see  Credner,  Beiirarje  i.  p.  360)  first  set  forth  the 
false  notion  that  Jesus  made  a  confession  of  sin ; 
while  in  the  Evang.  sec.  Hehr.  (see  Hieronymus, 
Contr.  Pel.  iii.  2),  Jesus  rephes  to  the  soUcitations 
of  His  mother  and  brethren  to  be  baptized  along 
with  them  :  "  Quid  peccavi,  ut  vadam  et  haptizer  ah 
eo  ?  nisi  forte  hoc  ipsum  quod  dixi,  ignorantia  est." 
On  the  discussion  between  John  and  Jesus  in  the 
Evang.  sec.  Hehr.,  see  Meyer,  p.  92. 

Ver.  15.  Thus  it  becomes  us. — The  baptism  of 
Jesus  was  a  duty,  not  only  on  the  part  of  the  Lord, 
but  also  on  the  part  of  the  Baptist. 

Ver.  16.  Went  up  straightway. — A  special 
meaning  attaches  to  the  word  s  ii  0  u  s ,  as  if  He  had 
fiown  upwards  from  out  of  the  water.  This  miracu- 
lous ascent  from  the  deep  was  connected  with  the 
equally  miraculous  descent  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
from  on  high. 

Lo,  the  heavens  were  opened  unto  Him ; 
ivecpx^vra-  v. — The  contradictory  [rationahstic]  ex- 
planations of  Paulus,  who  speaks  of  a  clearing  up  of 
the  sky,  and  of  Kuinoel  and  Ammon,  who  speak  of 
a  thunderstorm,  may  neutralize  each  other.  Meyer 
maintains  that  it  must  not  be  considered  as  a  poetic 
description  of  what  took  place,  but  that  the  heavens 
were  literally  opened,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  descend- 
ed through  this  opening.  It  is  difficult  to  under- 
stand the  exact  meaning  of  Meyer,  as  this  view  im- 
plies that  the  event  itself  was  mythical,  and  hence 
also  poetical.  In  another  place  {Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  1,  p. 
183),  wo  have  ventured  to  suggest  that  even  the 


outward  phenomena  attending  this  great  event  were 
unique,  the  stars  making  their  appearance  on  the 
occasion.  In  this  way  it  would  seem  to  bear  analo- 
gy with  the  darkening  of  the  sun  at  midday  during 
the  crucifixion,  even  as  Clu-ist's  baptism  was  analo- 
gous, and  formed  a  prelude  to,  His  final  sufferings. 
But  there  was  also  undoubtedly  a  vision,  in  which, 
although  mainly  designed  for  the  Saviour,  the  Bap- 
tist had  also  a  part  (comp.  John  xii.  28  ;  Acts  ix. 
V;  xxii.  9).  For  the  Baptist  must  evidently  have 
heard  the  voice  by  which  Jesus  was  designated  as 
the  "  beloved  Son."  Although  the  woid  eiSe  refera 
primarily  to  Jesus  Hunself,  we  conclude  that  John 
also  participated  in  the  vision, — 1.  from  his  having 
heard  the  voice  ;  2.  from  the  account  given  by  Luke 
and  by  John.  Thus,  while  the  vision  was  primarily 
designed  for  Christ,  it  must  have  been  beheld  by 
both. 

Like  a  dove  (Luke :  (To>p.arLKui  eifSei  dxrel 
irepiaTepdv). — The  expression  cannot  lie  meant  as 
symbolical  simply  of  the  manner  in  whicli  the  Spirit 
descended — rapid  (Fritzsche),  quiet  (Ncander),  pure 
(Olshausen),  creative  (Baumgarten-Crusius).  Meyer 
very  appropriately  calls  attention  to  the  parallel 
passage  in  Luke ;  nor  must  we  lose  sight  of  the 
import  of  the  term  ei^f.  The  Gospel  of  the  Hebrews, 
as  quoted  by  Epiph.  xxx.  13,  correctly  interprets  the 
phrase  as  implying  that  he  saw  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God  descending  in  the  form  (or  rather  in  the  vision- 
ary form,  eifSei)  of  a  dove.  It  was  not  a  real  dove ; 
but,  to  his  vision,  it  appeared  as  the  form  of  a  dove 
descending.  A  symbol  this  of  perfect  gentleness, 
purity,  fulness  of  life,  and  of  the  power  of  communi- 
cating it. 

Ver.  1*7.  And  lo  a  voice. — Comp.  Luke  v.  12  ; 
xix.  20 ;  Acts  viii.  21 ;  Rev.  iv.  1 ;  vi.  2 ;  vii.  9. 
Along  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Father  and  the  Son 
also  now  manifest  themselves.  The  term  Son  is 
apphed  to  the  Messiah  (Ps.  ii.  V ;  Isa.  xlii.  1),  not 
merely  in  reference  to  His  official  character,  but 
more  especially  to  His  Divine  nature.  There  is  evi- 
dently an  allusion  here  to  the  miraculous  origin  of 
Christ  by  the  Holy  Ghost  (Matt.  i.  20  ;  Luke  i.  35). 
The  expression,  6  a.ya-K7]r6s,\s,  neither  equivalent 
to  our  "  most  beloved "  (in  the  superlative  degree), 
nor  to  " only  one"  but  means  "  only  beloved "  or 
beloved  in  a  unique  sense. — 'Ev  &  evSoKiia-a,  In 
whom  I  am  well  pleased. — The  verb  is  put  in 
the  Aorist  to  denote  the  eternal  act  of  loving  con- 
templation with  which  the  Father  regards  the  Son. 
There  is  a  rhythmical  connection  between  this 
event,  the  testimony  to  the  Son  heard  in  the  tem- 
ple, and,  lastly,  the  voice  from  heaven  heard  on 
the  Mount  of  Transfigui-ation.  Nor  must  we  omit 
noticing  the  pecuUar  demonstrative  form  of  the  ex- 
pression, in  Matthew,  "  This  is  My  beloved  Son," 
not,  '■'■Thou  art  My  Son:"  implying,  1.  that  this 
voice  was  specially  designed  as  a  revelation  to  John ; 
2.  that  it  was  granted  to  him  for  the  purpose  of  his 
mission,  which  was  to  introduce  Jesus  as  the  Mes- 
siah to  the  people.  In  the  Gospels  of  Mark  and 
Luke,  there  is  a  more  particular  reference  to  Jesus 
Himself  as  the  source  and  spring  of  the  vision, 
"  Thou  art  3Iy  beloved  Son  ;"  while  John  lays  spe- 
cial stress  upon  the  part  which  the  Baptist  sustamed 
in  the  vision. 

Oenkrai.  Notes  on  the  "Whole  Section.— The  ob- 
jections raised  by  modern  criticism  against  the  /mtori- 
cal  character  of  this  narrative  fall  to  the  ground  the  mo- 
ment we  acknowledge  the  supernatural  element  in  tho 
life  of  our  Saviour.  "We  cannot  even  admit  with  Meyer, 
that  there  Is  a  real  difference  between  tho  account  as  given 


78 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTDEW. 


by  John  and  the  other  Evangelists ;  far  less  can  -we  agree 
with  him  in  reducing  the  fact  in  the  case  to  the  vision  of  a 
dove.  The  fact,  that  this  was  a  vision,  does  not  exclude  tlie 
objective  reality  of  this  miraculous  event;  on  the  contrary, 
it  is  in  perfect  accordance  with  it.  The  question,  whetlu-r 
before  that  time  the  dove  wiis  regarded  as  a  symbol  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  is  one  of  considerable  interest.  Among  the  Sy- 
rians, the  dove  was  held  sacred,  as  the  symbol  of  the  frwcti- 
fving  power  of  nature  (Oreuzer,  Symbolik,  ii.  SO).  This 
throws  fresh  light  upon  the  expression  in  Gen.  i.  2,  that 
"  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters :  " 
the  Talmud  has  it,  that  He  moved  over  it  like  a  dove.  But 
the  symbol  is  not  farther  carried  out  in  the  Old  Testament, 
thougli  there  is  much  significance  in  the  dove  of  Noah's  ark, 
and  the  dove  in  the  Song  of  Solomon.  Our  Lord  also  alludes 
to  it  in  Matt.  x.  16.  Taking  a  general  survey  of  these  em- 
blems, we  gather  the  impression,  that  the  symbol  of  a  dove 
referred  more  particularly  to  the  Church,  as  indeed  the  Holy 
Spirit  manifests  Himself,  and,  so  to  speak,  assumes  shape  in 
the  Church.  On  the  Talmudical  and  rabbinical  interpreta- 
tions of  this  symbol,  comp.  Meyer,  p.  98. 

According  to  Str.iuss,  the  statement  of  the  Evangelist, 
that  "  Christ  was  conceived  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  cannot  be  reconciled  with  the  narrative  in  the  text, 
that  at  His  baptism  He  was  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Critics  of  his  school  have  attempted  to  connect  this  baptism 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  the  view  of  some  of  the  Gnostics 
(Cerinthus,  Basilides,  Valentinns,  etc.).  that  the  man  Jesus 
received  at  His  baptism  the  heavenly  Logos.  But  all  these 
assertions  ignore  the  truth  of  the  human  development  of 
our  Lord.  At  His  hirtk.  He  was  filled  and  actuated  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  so  far  as  His  talent  and  disposition  was  con- 
cerned. This  implied  His  perfect  sinlessness.  But  at  His 
baptism,  He  attained  t\ie  fall  consciousness  of  His  nature 
and  mission  as  the  God-Man  and  Saviour.  From  that 
moment  He  became  the  organ  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  not  mere- 
ly so  far  as  He  was  personally  concerned,  but  also  as  fully 
realizing  His  mediatorial  character  and  work,  and  its  relation 
to  the  salvation  of  mankind.  He  now  received  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  His  capacity  as  founder  of  the  spiritual  community 
about  to  be  instituted.  But  this  fulness  of  the  Spirit  re- 
mained still  concealed  under  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  in 
the  lowliness  of  His  walk  and  work.  It  was  only  after  the 
work  had  been  finished  and  accepted,  that  the  "Spirit  was 
poured  out  in  all  His  fulness  upon  His  believing  people  ;  and 
the  dove,  which  had  erst  descended  into  His  heart,  now 
issued  forth  to  move  and  to  brood  over  the  waters  of  the 
nations  of  the  earth. 

In  the  passive  baptism  of  Jesus  (that  by  John),  we  have 
the  first  glimmer  of  a  distinct  revelation  of  the  mystery  of 
the  J/ulij  Trinity.  It  brightens  into  full  glory  at  the  active 
baptism  of  Jesus,  or  the  institution  of  Holy  Baptism  in 
Matt,  ssviii.,  which  is  in  the  n.ame  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. — The  connection  between  the 
two  events  is  manifest. 

DOCTPJNAL  AND  ETHIC.\X. 

1.  Jesus  Cometh  from  Galilee  to  the  lower  Jordan 
unto  John,  to  be  baptized  of  him.  From  this  we  draw 
the  following  inferences  :  1.  The  influence  of  the  bap- 
tism of  John  had  extended  over  the  whole  people  of 
Israel.  2.  Jesus  came  under  the  direct  and  irresistible 
impulse  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  was  His  first  act  after 
attaining  manhood,  since  the  time  when,  at  twelve 
years  of  age,  He  manifested  Himself  in  the  temple, 
and  agam  retired  to  the  obscurity  of  Nazareth.  Yet 
this  act,  so  enigmatic  to  many  of  our  modern  theolo- 
gians, was  performed  without  any  doubt  or  hesitation 
on  the  part  of  our  Lord.  The  Divine  call  had  reached 
Him,  that  He,  the  Holy  One,  should,  according  to  the 
demands  of  the  law,  submit  to  the  judgment  of  sin- 
ners. And  this  constituted,  so  to  speak,  the  conse- 
cration for  His  work,  to  which  He  submitted,  in  an- 
ticipation both  of  the  sufierings  and  the  glory  which 
were  to  come. 

2.  John  was  surprised  when  he  saw  Jesus  coming 
to  be  baptized.  The  Baptist,  no  doubt,  knew  the 
prophecies  which  his  parents  had  uttered  concerning 
Jesus  ;  proba))ly,  he  was  even  personally  acquainted 
with  Him.  Add  to  this  the  impression  produced  by 
the  appearance  of  Jesus  Himself  But  all  this  was 
not  sufficient  to  warrant  him  in  presenting  Jesus  as 
the  Messiah  to  the  people  :  He  had  yet  to  await  a  dis- 
tinct revelation  to  that  effect.    But  it  was  more  than 


sufficient  to  make  him  feel  that  baptism  for  purifica- 
tion was  entirely  inapplicable  to  the  Lord,  viewing 
Him  in  His  personal  character  and  dignity.  Hence 
he  could  not  but  shrink,  for  the  moment,  from  the 
tremendous  consequences  of  his  baptism ;  aU  the 
more,  that  in  the  presence  of  Jesus  he  felt  more  deep- 
ly than  ever  his  own  unworthincss  and  sinfulness : 
hence  his  refusal  and  his  confession  :  "  I  have  need 
to  be  baptized  of  Thcc."  But  Jesus  judged  other- 
wise. The  inference  from  the  baptism  of  John  was 
none  other  than  that  from  the  law  itself,  which  agam 
only  reflected  the  sacred  and  solemn  object  of  His 
incarnation  and  life.  There  is  a  Imforical  connection 
between  the  Holy  One  and  His  sinful  brethren  ;  there- 
fore must  he  suffer  with  and  for  them.  Thus  the 
baptism  of  John  was  not  only  applicable  to  Jesus,  but 
attained  its  real  meaning  and  object  only  by  the  bap- 
tism of  Jesus.  Thus  it  became  the  symbol  of  His  con- 
secration unto  death,  for  the  salvation  of  the  world. 
Hence  the  exclamation  of  John,  after  the  baptism  of 
Jesus,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  I " 

It  seems  as  if,  in  this  controversy  between  Jesus 
and  John,  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament  had,  for 
the  time  being,  changed  sides.  John  appears  almost 
the  representative  of  the  liberty  of  the  New,  Christ 
that  of  the  legal  rigor  of  the  Old  Testament.  "  Thus 
the  rods  of  Old  Testament  and  of  New  Testament 
righteousness  are  here  joined  into  a  cross  {Leben  Jesu, 
ii.  1,  p.  17Y).  But  the  connection  and  unity  between 
the  two  dispensations  appears  in  this  intertwining 
of  its  ultimate  links. — Jesus  conquers  in  this  contest. 
More  than  ever  before  does  the  Ijaptist  now  humble 
himself,  under  a  sense  of  the  deep  responsibility  of 
his  office.  The  Lord  also  humbles  Himself  under  the 
law,  to  which  he  now  formally  becomes  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross  (Phil.  ii.). 

3.  This  is  the  only  instance  in  which  there  is 
neither  confession  of  sin  on  the  part  of  Him  who  is 
baptized,  nor  reproof  and  exhortation  on  the  part  of 
the  Baptist.  The  baptismal  address  comes  from  hea- 
ven itself;  but  the  blessings  of  the  baptism  descend 
upon  all  mankind.  Heaven  once  again  opened  at  the 
baptism  of  Jesus — primarily  for  Him,  and,  through 
Him,  for  all  mankind.  The  blessing  which  flowed 
from  this  baptism — the  prophetic  import  of  which 
attained  its  fulfilment  in  the  death  on  the  cross — ap- 
peared at  the  close  of  Christ's  mission  on  earth,  iu 
the  institution  of  holy  baptism  for  His  people,  with 
the  gracious  blessing  of  the  Trinity — Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost — attaching  to  it.  For  this  purpose 
did  the  Father  reveal  Himself  on  this  occasion  ;  for 
this  purpose  did  Jesus  obtain  without  measure  the 
anointing  of  the  Spirit ;  for  this  purpose  did  He  as 
the  Son  throw  open  the  portals  of  heaven,  and  offer 
himself  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  Father,  for  the  sal- 
vation of  the  world. 

4.  The  germs  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  which 
occur  in  the  Old  Testament,  are  taken  up  in  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Gospel  history,  where  the  miracu- 
lous conception  of  Jesus  through  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
announced  (Matt.  i. ;  Luke  i.).  This  mystery  is  more 
clearly  brought  out  in  the  narrative  of  Christ's  bap- 
tism, and  is  more  fully  developed  in  the  progress  of 
the  Gospel  history.  This  shows  that  what  is  called  the 
Trinity  of  revelation  depends  on  the  Trinity  of  essence. 
For  the  relation  Ijetween  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  as  here  revealed,  is  preeminently  that  of 
nature  or  essence  (ontological) ;  wliile  afterwards,  in 
Matt,  xxviii.  19,  it  appears  more  especially  as  a  rela- 
tion of  manifestation  or  of  revelation. 

5.  The  glorification  of  Jesus  by  the  voice  from 


CHAP.  in.  13-1 7. 


79 


heaven,  heard  at  his  baptism,  may  be  regarded  as  the 
second  stage  iu  the  miraculous  events  attending  His 
life,  by  which  he  was  gradually  and  increasingly  man- 
ifested as  the  absolute  Wonder,  and  hence  as  the 
Wonderful  or  Wonder-worker.  The  first  of  these 
heavenly  attestations  was  His  miraculous  birth,  and 
with  it  the  star  and  the  angels'  hjTnn.  Then  fol- 
lowed the  manifestation  of  Jesus  at  His  baptism, 
when,  instead  of  the  voice  of  angels,  that  from  hea- 
ven is  heard,  and  which,  from  its  utterance,  we  re- 
cognize as  the  voice  of  the  Father.  Instead  of  the 
star  standing  over  Bethlehem,  we  have  now  the  vis- 
ion of  a  dove  descending  upon  the  Lord.  This  glo- 
rious manifestation  becomes  still  brighter  at  the  trans- 
figuration of  Jesus  on  the  Mount.  Here  also  the 
voice  of  the  Father  descends  in  the  cloud  upon  the 
Mount — it  is  heard  close  by ;  while  the  fulness  of  the 
Spirit  resting  on  Jesus  shines  forth  in  His  personal 
appearance,  as  He  stands  transfigured  before  His 
disciples.  Once  more  is  the  same  voice  heard  :  this 
time  in  the  Temple,  and  in  the  midst  of  His  people  ; 
and  although  it  only  conveys  to  Him  personally  the 
assurance  that  the  name  of  the  Father  shall  be  glori- 
fied in  Him,  it  appears  to  his  followers  to  be  the 
voice  of  an  angel,  to  the  people — the  sound  of  thunder. 
This  is  the  third  occasion  on  which  the  voice  from 
neayen  is  heard.  Lastly,  on  the  Mount  of  OUves  He 
is  carried  upward  to  the  Father  in  a  cloud  of  glory, 
and  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit.  The  various  stages 
of  this  direct  attestation  from  heaven  may  thus  be 
marked  : — 1.  The  miraculous  origin  of  Christ  from 
heaven  ;  2.  the  consecration,  among  His  chosen  ones, 
for  His  appearance  in  the  form  of  a  servant  upon 
earth  ;  3.  the  prelude  of  the  transformation  of  His 
earthly  appearance  as  a  servant,  celebrated  among 
His  disciples  ;  4.  the  same  as  celebrated  among  the 
people  ;  5.-  the  resurrection-glory,  and  the  final  trans- 
figuration, 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

The  mighty  impulse  of  the  Spirit  leading  Christ 
to  Jordan.  This  appears  from  the  circumstance,  1. 
that  He  came  from  a  great  distance  ;  2.  that  He  came 
alone  ;  3.  that  He  came  fully  decided  on  the  course 
before  Him. — Christ  resolved  on  submittmg  to  bap- 
tism.— Jesus  does  not  shrink  from  the  same  baptis- 
mal bath  which  the  "  generation  of  vipers  "  had  re- 
ceived.— The  various  humiliations  to  which  Jesus 
submitted  during  His  youthful  course :  1.  from  Beth- 
lehem to  Egypt ;  2.  from  the  temple  to  Nazareth  ; 
3.  from  His  sacred  retirement  to  the  baptism  of  sin- 
ners.— How  the  Lord  owned  the  Divine  institution 
of  baptism. — How  He  honored  the  sacred  office. — 
The  twofold  difficulty  of  John's  work :  1.  He  was 
obliged  to  baptize  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees ;  2. 
he  had  to  baptize  the  Lord. — John  hunself  required 
the  grace  of  the  Lord. — How  the  Baptist  confessed 
that  he  stood  in  need  of  the  baptism  of  Jesus. — How 
the  holy  office  entrusted  to  ministers  must  tend  to 
humble  those  who  are  in  earnest,  but  how  it  also 
elevates  them. — The  greatness  of  John  as  appearing 
most  fully  in  his  humihty. — He  who  was  baptized 
greater  than  he  who  baptized. — "  Suffer  it  to  be  so 
now."  The  infinite  import  of  the  word  now ;  1.  A 
summing  up  of  eternity  in  time,  and  of  time  in  "  to- 
day," and  of  "  to-day  "  in  the  moment  which  claims 
our  decision  ;  2.  an  enigma  propounded  by  the  past 
and  solved  by  the  future ;  3.  an  altar  on  which  our 
obedience  is  claimed,  and  a  blessing  promised  ;  4.  a 
passing  phase  of  earth,  which  may  be  transformed 


into  a  revelation  of  heaven. — "  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now : 
1.  Suffer  it  at  last  to  be  so  ;  2.  suffer  it  quickly  to 
be  so  ;  3.  suffer  it  to  be  so  for  a  moment ;  4.  suffbr 
it  to  be  so  once  for  all. — The  baptism  of  Jesus  the 
fulfilment  of  all  righteousness,  1.  so  far  as  the  mis- 
sion of  John  was  concerned;  2.  so  far  as  the  de- 
mands of  the  law  were  concerne  1 ;  3.  so  far  as  the 
dealings  of  God  with  men,  according  to  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  His  administration,  were  con- 
cerned.— Import  of  the  fact  that  the  Holy  One  sub- 
mitted to  the  baptism  of  sinners  :  1.  Sinners  must  be 
immersed  in  the  waters  of  judgment.  2.  The  Sinless 
One  is  immersed  along  with  them,  in  order  to  give 
them  courage  for  the  judgment.  3.  He  must  be  im- 
mersed for  them  to  change  that  judgment,  so  far  as 
they  are  concerned,  into  salvation. — The  glory  of  the 
Lord  in  this  great  act  of  His  humiliation. — The  man- 
ifestation of  the  Messiah. — The  manifestation  of  the 
Messiah  in  the  glorious  light  of  the  Trinity. — "  Out 
of  the  water"  a  watchword  of  life.  1.  The  earth  out 
of  water ;  2.  Noah  and  his  race  out  of  the  water ;  3. 
Moses  and  his  people  out  of  the  water  ;  4.  Christ  and 
His  Church  out  of  the  water. — Heaven  opened  on  the 
occasion  of  baptism.  1.  Heaven  is  opened,  a.  for  all 
the  blessings  which  come  down  from  above ;  b.  for 
all  the  prayers  which  ascend  from  below.  2.  It  is 
opened  over  hun  who  is  baptized  :  a.  over  the  Lord 
Himself;  b.  over  all  who  are  baptized  in  His  name. 
— Heaven  opened  :  the  heart  of  the  Father  opened. 
— "  The  Spirit  of  God  descending  like  a  dove : "  1. 
In  His  purity  like  a  dove ;  hence  He  finds  at  first 
only  one  resting-place — the  head  and  heart  of  Jesus, 
2.  In  His  gentleness  like  a  dove ;  hence  addressing 
Himself  to  man.  3.  In  His  harmlessness  like  the  dove ; 
hence  conquering  the  wicked  one.  4.  In  His  love  as 
the  dove  ;  hence  imparting  Ufe  to  the  Church. — The 
voice  from  heaven  in  the  manifestation  of  Christ,  and 
its  echo  in  the  justification  of  the  sinner. — How  the 
three  tokens  accompanying  the  baptism  of  Christ  are 
spiritually  repeated  in  every  baptism.  1.  Heaven  is 
opened  to  the  child  which  is  now  placed  by  the  side 
of  the  Son.  2.  The  dovehke  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  imparted  by  the  Son  to  the  child.  3.  In  the  testi- 
mony to  the  Son  the  child  hears  the  testimony  of 
sonship,  and  of  the  Father's  good  pleasure. — The 
baptism  of  Jesus  as  the  seahng  of  His  name. — The 
baptism  of  Jesus  the  manifestation  of  His  humiliation 
and  exaltation :  1.  As  His  first  actual  and  personal 
humiliation  and  exaltation ;  2.  as  throwing  light  upon 
the  humiliation  and  exaltation  of  His  childhood  ;  3. 
as  the  token  of  His  future  humiliation  and  exaltation ; 
4.  as  the  act  deciding  the  future  humiliation  and  ex- 
altation of  His  whole  Ufe. — Jesus  undertaking  His 
work  in  full  consciousness  of  what  awaited  Him,  and 
being  attested  by  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost. — 
The  blessedness  springing  from  certitude  of  the  Di- 
vine call. 

Starke : — God  has  in  His  wisdom  fixed  for  every 
one  of  us  the  proper  time  when  we  are  to  come  forth. — 
However  highly  placed  a  man  may  be,  he  should  pay 
all  becomiqg  reverence  to  the  Divine  institution  of 
the  word  and  sacraments. — Humility  a  jjrecious  gem. 
— Christ  has  consecrated  the  washing  of  regenera- 
tion.— Let  us  be  careful  to  know  what  "  becometh 
us "  at  every  time. — Heaven,  which  was  closed  by 
the  first  Adam,  is  opened  again  over  the  Second. — 
To  us  also  lias  heaven  again  been  opened  by  Christ, 
the  Lord  from  heaven. 

Gossner : — As  soon  as  the  sinner  opens  his  heart 
to  God  m  repentance,  God  opens  the  heavens  and 
owns  hkn  as  His  child. 


80  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


FIFTH     SECTION. 

JESUS  RENOUNCING  THE  WORLD,  AND  COMMENCING  HIS  CONQUEST  OF  IT.  WHILE  PRE- 
PARING FOR  THE  PUBLIC  DISCHARGE  OF  HIS  OFFICE,  HE  HAS  TO  ENCOUNTER  THE 
THREEFOLD  TEMPTATION  OF  SATAN,  CORRESPONDING  TO  THE  THREEFOLD  FORM 
IN  WHICH  A  WORLDLY-MINDED  PEOPLE  HAVE  SHAPED  TO  THEMSELVES  THEIR 
HOPES  OF  THE  MESSIAH.  THUS  JESUS  IS  CONSTRAINED  TO  CONCEAL  HIS  DIGNITY 
FROM  THE  PEOPLE,  AND  TO  COMMENCE  HIS  WORK  IN  THE  DESPISED  DISTRICT  OF 
GALILEE.  BUT  GOD  GLORIFIES  HIM  IN  THE  HOMAGE  PAID  TO  HIM  BY  HIS  DIS- 
CIPLES AND  THE  PEOPLE. 

Ohaptee  IV.  (Mark  i.  12-20;  Luke  iv.  1-13;  v.  1-11;  John  i.  19-28;  iv.  43-46). 

Contents  : — The  threefold  temptation  of  Christ  by  Satan  through  the  secular  notions  of  the  Jews  concerning  the  Messiah, 
and  His  threefold  victory  over  the  Tempter. 

A.     Chapter  IV.  1-11. 
(The  Gospel  for  Invocavit^  or  First  Sunday  in  Lent.) 

1  Then  was  Jesus  led  up  of  [by]  *  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness,  to  be  tempted  of 

2  [by] '  the  devil.     And  when  he  had  fasted  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  he  was  after- 

3  ward  a  hungered.*     And  when  the  tempter  came  to  him,  he  said.  If  thou  be  the  Son 

4  of  God,  command  that  these  stones  be  made  bread.  But  he  answered  and  said.  It  is 
written,  Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of 

5  the  mouth  of  God.     Then  the  devil  taketh  him  up  into  the  holy  city,  and  setteth  him 

6  on  a  [the] '  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  And  saith  unto  him,  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God, 
cast  thyself  down :  for  it  is  written,  he  shall  give  his  angels  charge  concerning  thee : 
and  in  their  hands  they  shall  bear  thee  up,  lest  at  any  time*  thou  dash  thy  foot  against 

7  a  stone.     Jesus  said  unto  him.  It  is  written  again,^  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy 

8  God.     Again,  tbe  devil  taketh  him  up  into  an  exceeding  high  mountain,  and  sheweth 

9  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them ;  And  saith  unto  him,  All 

10  these  things  will  I  give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me.  Then  saith  Je- 
sus unto  him.  Get  thee  hence,  Satan :  for  it  is  written,  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy 

1 1  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve.  Then  the  devil  leaveth  him,  and,  behold,  angels 
came  and  ministered  unto  him. 

»  Ver.  1.— [-By  is  more  expressive  of  vvi  as  distinct  from  iic.} 

'  Ver.  2.— [Brit.  cd. :  an  hungered.    Better  in  modern  and  usual  English :  ITe  afterward  hungered,  or  zcas  hungry.'] 

s  Ver.  5.— [Gr.  rh  nrepvyiov.    See  Com.]  "«  Ver.  6.— [Lest  haply,  jU^Trore.] 

»  Ver.  7— [Again  it  is  w.,  ■KaXiv  yeypairrai.] 

EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

On  the  LiTKRATTjEE  of  the  History  of  the  Temptation, 
comp.  Danz,  p.  993,  and  Supplement,  p.  109;  Winer,  i.  556, 
Supplement,  p.  T9;  Hase,  Leben  Jesu,  §55.  On  the  history 
itself,  comp.  Ullmann  on  the  Siiilessness  of  Jemis ;  Alex. 
Schweizer,  Ueber  die  Dignitdt  dea  Religionsstifters,  in  the 
"■'Tlieol.  Stud.  u.  Kritiken;'  vii.  564.  For  other  works, 
comp.  Meyer's  "  Commentary,"  p.  100.  See  also  especially 
Kiinemann,  Ueber  die  Versuchungngesohichte  in  "Eudel- 
bach's  Zeitachriff'  for  1S50;  and  Laufs  in  the  ''■Stud.  u. 
Kritiken''  for  1853,  p.  355. 

We  have  no  rii;ht,  with  Ewald  and  Meyer,  to  infer  from 
the  m.vsl'Ti  lus  character  of  the  history  before  us,  and  from 
the  cleiniiiil  ami  circumstantial  manner  in  which  it  is  relat- 
ed, thai  :],■■  arciiunt  given  by  Matthew  (and  by  Luke)  is  a 
later  oiiilitir.hmc-nt  of  the  more  simple  and  older  tradition 
recordod  in  the  Gospel  by  M.ark.  Evidently,  Mark  fur- 
nishes only  a  general  summary  of  the  event,  which  requires 
to  be  supplemented  by  the  details  furnished  by  Matthew 
and  Luke. 

Ver.  1.  Thsn  -ro-as  Jesus. — ^To't  e,  i.  e.,  after  the 
Spirit  had  descended  upon  Him.     The  first  operation 


of  the  Holy  Spirit,  when  the  Lord  had  attained  to 
the  full  consciousness  of  His  character  as  the  God- 
Man,  and  of  His  work  as  the  Redeemer,  was,  not  to 
lead  Him  into  that  world  which  He  was  to  save,  but 
to  drive  Him  out  of  it  into  the  wilderness.  No  doubt 
the  primary  object  of  this  was  to  afford  an  opportu- 
nity for  blessed  rest  and  joy,  in  the  consciousness  of 
His  character  and  mission.  But,  secondly,  the  Sa- 
viour had  now  to  consider  the  difficult  question,  how 
to  reveal  Himself  to  His  people,  without  confoi-ming 
to  their  spurious,  secularized  views  and  hopes  con- 
ceniing  the  Messiah.  It  was  this  counterfeit  of  the 
true  Messiah  among  Israel  which,  so  to  speak,  re- 
pelled Him,  and  drove  Him  into  the  wilderness. 
The  third  motive  for  His  going  into  the  wilderness 
lay  in  the  fact,  that  the  i-eign  of  Satan  was  the  cause 
of  all  the  misery  in  the  world.  Hence  Christ  had 
to  commence  His  work  by  conqueriug  Satan ;  and 
this  He  did  for  the  whole  world,  when  He  met  and 


CHAP.  IV.  1-11. 


81 


overcame   him    in    the  personal   contest    here   de- 
Bcribed. 

He  was  led  up,  av-hx^  '?> — *•  ^-i  ^''^"^  *^®  ^'^^' 
ert  banks  of  the  river  to  the  wilderness  of  Judisa 
properly  so  called.  Tradition  has  given  to  this  wil- 
derness the  name  of  Quarantania  (wilderness  of  Jeri- 
cho, Josh.  xvi.  1).  Comp.  Robinson  II.  65'i  [i.  567] ; 
Schubert  iii.  73  ;  v.  Raumcr,  p.  47.  "  From  Joppa, 
on  the  Mediterranean,  the  road  leads  by  Ramhih  for 
about  seven  hours  through  the  beautiful  plain  of 
Sharon.  Other  six  hours'  journey  over  the  calcare- 
ous and  desert  mountain  tract  of  Judah  brings  you 
to  Jerusalem.  The  road  is  exceedingly  dilfieult, 
going  alternately  up  and  down  hill.  From  Jerusa- 
lem the  mountain  tract  extends  for  other  five  h.r.'.r:' 
eastward,  when  it  descends  into  the  valley  of  Jordan 
by  Jericho.  At  this  eastern  slope  of  the  chain  is 
the  steep  mountain  called  Quarantania.,  where,  ac- 
cording to  tradition,  the  temptation  of  Christ  took 
place.  The  name  is  derived  from  the  Lord's  fasting 
for  forty  days.  According  to  Hasselquist,  the  moun- 
tain is  high  and  conical,  and  most  dangerous  of 
ascent.  A  deep  precipice  descends  at  the  side  of  it. 
On  the  summit  are  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  Greek 
monastery,  perhaps  that  built  by  the  Empress  Hele- 
na. All  along  the  mountain  are  caves  and  holes, 
which  formerly  were  tenanted  by  hermits;  at  the 
base  a  brook  springs, — according  to  tradition,  the 
same  wliich  Ehsha  healed  (2  Kings  ii.  19-22)."  For 
further  particulars,  comp.  v.  Raumer,  as  above,  Note 
78.  The  district  is  better  explored  in  the  direction 
from  the  Mount  of  Olives.  "  The  wilderness  of  Jeri- 
cho, extending  between  that  town  and  the  Mount  of 
Ohves,  or  rather  Bethany,  is  a  district  full  of  precipi- 
tous rocks  and  deep  hollows  (comp.  Joseph.  Aniiq. 
X.  8,  2).  The  scene  presents  the  appearance  of  a 
most  desolate  wilderness,  especiaUy  after  passing  the 
Caravansary  which  now  laears  the  name  of  the  Khan 
of  the  Samaritan  (comp.  Luke  x.  30),  about  two 
hours  from  Jerusalem:  comp.  Mauudrell,  Journei/, 
p.  109.  From  this  wilderness  the  road  descends, 
after  a  further  journey  of  two  hours,  down  a  precipi- 
tous height  into  the  plain  of  Jericho.  At  the  north- 
em  boundary  of  this  plain  rises  a  steep,  calcareous 
mountain,  very  difficult  of  ascent,  which  bears  the 
name  of  Quarantania,  because,  according  to  tradition, 
Jesus  passed  forty  days  fasting  in  one  of  the  many 
caves  on  its  side.  The  northern  portion  of  this  desert 
was  connected  with  the  wilderness  of  Bethany,  Josh, 
xviii.  12."  Winer,  art.  "irii-ste,"  No.  4. — As  the 
wilderness  of  Quarantania  lies  close  by  the  banks  of 
Jordan,  there  is  no  sufiicient  reason  to  doubt  the 
correctness  of  this  tradition.  The  wildness  of  this 
.  desert,  as  indicated  ui  the  expression  of  Mark :  "  He 
was  with  the  wild  beasts,"  points  to  the  same  con- 
clusion. 

Of  (by)  the  Spirit.— The  context  shows  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  here  meant.  The  idea  that  it  referred 
to  the  personal  spii-it  of  Christ,  or  to  a  state  of  ecsta- 
sy (Paulus),  could  only  have  been  broached  from  de- 
fective theological  views.  The  expression  oa^rixdv 
implies,  indeed,  an  extraordinary  state  of  mind  on 
the  part  of  the  Lord,  indicating  a  wonderful  impulse, 
but  not  a  miraculous  transportation  (which  is  not 
meant  even  in  Acts  viii.  39,  or  in  2  Kings  ii.      " 


3)— a 
^1  pa 


idea  still  more  clearly  expressed  in  the  parallel  pas- 
sage in  Mark  i.  12.  Meyer  aptly  remarks:  "The 
two  opposite  principles,  vrrh  rou  TruivfxaTos  and  uirh 
rov  SiaffoKov,  arc  evidently  here  placed  in  pragmatic 
correspondence  or  juxtaposition.  Besides,  the  whole 
circumstances  of  this  history,  occurruig  immediately 


after  the  descent  of  the  Spirit  upon  Jesus,  show  that 
the  Evangelist  intended  to  relate  the  victory  of  Jesus, 
full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  over  the  devil  (comp.  Luke 
iv.  1,  2).  This  consideration  alone  is  sufficient  to  re- 
fute the  arbitrary  invention  of  Olshausen,  that,  dur- 
ing the  forty  days  in  the  wilderness,  Jesus  had  been 
forsaken  by  the  Spirit." 

To  be  tempted  of  (by)  the  devil ;  TretpaaSfi- 
V  a  I. — Such  was  the  final  oVyect.  The  Holy  Spirit  led 
Him  purposely  to  this  contest  with  Satan.  In  this 
conflict  He  was  to  be  tempted  by  the  devil,  to  show 
whether  or  not,  in  the  exercise  of  His  free  determina- 
tion. He  would  prove  Himself,  and  continue,  the  or- 
gan of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  opposition  to  that  satanic 
principle,  or  spirit  of  the  world,  by  whicli  the  hopes 
of  Israel  concerning  the  Messiah  had  been  perverted, 
so  as  to  become  even  matter  of  temptation  to  Him. 
The  basis  and  commencement  of  the  work  of  salva- 
tion was  necessarily  a  personal  contest  and  victory 
of  the  Saviour  over  the  principle  of  evil,  as  manifest- 
ed in  the  corruption  of  the  world.  For  further  re- 
marks on  the  tremendous  coUision  between  these  an- 
tagonistic principles,  comp.  the  author's  ^'■Lebeu 
Jesu"  ii.  1,  p.  205. — Aid^oKos,  from  Sm/SaAAa-,  to 
throw  over,  carry  across,  to  slander,  accuse,  calumni- 
ate ;  hence  Sid^oAus,  the  slanderer  in  general,  and  also, 
in  the  most  particular  sense  (Job  i. ;  Rev.  xii.  10), 
the  accuser.  In  the  Old  Testament  he  is  called  Satan, 
"I'-ifl  (Job  i.  6-12).  The  term  means,  adversary  in 
general,  adversary  in  war  (1  Kings  v.  4 — in  the 
Hebr.  text,  v.  18;  xi.  14);  and  with  the  article,. 
"|dan,  the  adversary  or  enemy  kut'  ii^ox^'iv:  the 
prince  of  the  fallen  spirits  (Gen.  iii. ;.  2  Cor.  xi.  3 ; 
Rev.  XX.  2  ;  John  viii.  44,  etc.). 

As  the  cause  and  origin  of  the  fall  of  man,  Satan 
is  the  prince  of  the  kmgdom  of  darkness,  which  has 
sprung  up  and  developed  on  earth  in  opposiiiou  to 
the  theocracy ;  the  seducer  of  man  to  their  destruc- 
tion,, and  hence  the  principal  enemy  of  Jesus  (Matt, 
xiii.  28).  Comp.  works  on  Dogmatics  (among  others 
my  Positive  Dogmatik,  p.  559  sqq.)  on  the  question 
whether  the  devil  should  be  regarded  as  a. person,  or 
merely  as  the  symbol  of  what  is  called  the  principle 
of  evil  (as  if  what  is  evil  could  have  a  real,  and  not 
what  merely  appears  to  be  a  principle). 

Ver.  2.  And  when  He  had  fasted  forty  days. 
— Besides  the  mythical  theory,  wliich  we  at  once  set 
aside,  there  ai'e  four  different  viev.-s  entertained  by 
commentators  in  connection  with  this  event.  First, 
as  regards  Christ's  fasting,  some  refer  it  only  to  the 
want  of  Iiis  common  nourishment  (RosenmuUer, 
Kuinoel,  Kuhn,  etc.) ;  while  most  interpreters  imder- 
stand  it  as  meaning  absolute  and  entire  abstinence 
from  food  (comp.  Luke  iv.  2 ;  Deut.  ix.  9).  Secondly., 
as  regards  the  duration,  seme  critics  regard  the 
"  forty  days  "  as  a  sacred  number,  and  hence  as  de- 
noting an  indefinite  period  of  time  (Kostcr,  Heriue- 
berg,  Neander);  while  most  commentators  take  it 
literally.  In  favor  of  the  literal  view,  we  refer  to  the 
circumstance  that  Jloses  and  Elijah  fasted  for  forty 
days  (Ex.  xxxiv.  28,  and  1  Kings  xix.  8),  in  both 
which  instances  we  have'  a  record  of  supernatural 
and  miraculous  events.  Besides,  the  addition  of  the 
clause,  ^' forty  nights,''^  and  the  remark  in  Luke  iv.  2, 
"  He  did  cat  nothing,"  show  that  both  the  time  and 
the  act  are  not  meant  figuratively.  Still  the  expres- 
sion must  not  be  understood  as  implying  a  legal  and 
absolute  fast  of  forty  days.  Similarly,  Jesus  said  of 
John  that  he  came  "neither  eating  nor  drinking," 
although  we  know  that  his  nourishment  consisted  of 


82 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


locusts  and  wild  honey.  The  feature  which  charac- 
terized this  solemn  fast,  and  distinguished  it  from 
every  similar  event,  was,  that  the  Saviour  was  wholly 
absorbed  by  spiritual  realities ;  a  state  which,  although 
never  fully  attained  by  any  person,  yet,  even  in  the 
modified  degree  reached  by  ordinary  men,  renders 
them,  for  a  considerable  period,  independent  of  the 
common  necessaries  of  life.  The  fast  of  Jesus  form- 
ed a  striking  contrast  to  the  worldly-mindeducss  of 
the  Jews  (a  that  of  Moses  and  of  Elijah  had  been) ; 
it  was  a  higher  expression  of  the  feelings  and  of  the 
fasting  of  the  Baptist ;  and  at  last,  when,  after  the 
lapse  of  forty  days.  He  was  an  hungered  [or 
hungry],  it  became  the  occasion  for  the  grand  as- 
sault of  the  tempter.  Comp.  our  remarks  on  the 
freedom  of  some  men  from  common  wants  under 
extraordinary  circumstances  in  the  "Zeben  Jesu" 
ii.  1,  p.  212 ;  Heubuer,  p.  34. 

Ver.  3.  And  the  tempter  came  to  Him. — The 
participle  ire ipd(i>i !>  is  here  used  as  a  substantive, 
as  characteristic  of  the  person.  It  is  one  of  the  chief 
characteristics  of  Satan  that  he  is  the  tempter.  First, 
the  tempter  in  the  guise  of  a  friend,  then  the  accuser 
and  open  enemy.  Various  views  are  entertained  as 
to  the  manner  in  which  the  tempter  approached  the 
Lord,  or,  in  other  words,  as  to  the  mode  of  this  tempt- 
ation. We  may  reduce  the  different  explanations  to 
five  classes.  The  temptation  has  been  regarded,  1. 
as  an  external  occurrence ;  2.  as  a  supernatural  in- 
ternal occurrence,  or  a  vision ;  3.  as  an  inward  ethi- 
cal transaction,  or  a  psychological  occurrence ;  4.  as 
a  parable ;  5.  as  a  myth. — Again,  viewing  it  as  an 
objective  or  external  occurrence,  it  has  been  regarded, 
(a)  as  real,  in  the  sense  of  having  been  a  literal  ap- 
parition of  Satan  in  the  form  of  a  man  or  an  angel. 
This  is  the  view  of  many  orthodox  commentators. 
But  against  this,  we  set  the  fact,  that  under  no  other 
circumstances,  and  at  no  other  period,  Satan  had 
ever  assumed  human  form ;  and  also,  that  there  are 
other  circumstances  in  this  narrative  which  cannot 
be  taken  in  their  Uteral  sense, — such  as,  that  Satan 
took  the  Lord  to  the  holy  city,  or  that  he  placed  Him 
on  a  high  mountain,  from  which  all  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world  and  their  glory  could  be  seen.  It  has 
been  argued,  (b)  that  what  the  Evangelist  here  de- 
scribes as  a  real  objective  occurrence,  must  be  traced 
to  earhest  tradition,  which  invested  the  sjTnbolical 
idea  of  a  contest  between  Messiah  and  Satan  in  this 
mythical  form  (Strauss) ;  or  else,  that  the  misunder- 
standing must  be  ascribed  to  the  Evangehsts  them- 
selves, who  viewed  and  recorded  as  something  exter- 
nal what  in  reality  was  an  inward  transaction,  and 
either  told  them  in  the  form  of  a  parable,  or  else  was 
only  intended  as  a  parable  (Schleiermacher).  To 
this  view,  in  a  somewhat  modified  shape,  we  shall 
again  advert  in  the  sequel.  Meantime  suffice  it  to 
say,  that  the  idea  of  a  myth  must  be  at  once  discard- 
ed, whatever  we  may  say  of  the  other  suggestions 
advanced.  Or,  (c)  it  has  been  maintained  that  an 
external  occurrence  is  here  described  in  symboUcal 
language,  and  that  the  tempter  was  an  ordinary  man. 
"  This,"  says  Meyer,  "  is  the  case  with  the  absurd 
suggestion  of  some  interpreters,  who  substitute  for 
the  devil  an  ordinary  personage,  such  as  a  member 
of  the  Sanhedrim,  or  a  priest,  who  had  come  to  f;uos- 
tion  and  to  gain  over  Jesus,  or  to  lay  a  snare  for 
Him."  (V.  der  Hardt,  Venturini,  Moller,  Rosenmiil- 
ler,  Kuinoel,  Feilmoser ;  see  also  Bengel,  who  thinks 
that  Satan  had  a.])pea.red  "sub  :ii'hc/nate  ypa^MTews 
quia  rh  yeypawTai  ei  icr  opponilur.")  Hovrever,  the 
suggestion  that  the  devil  employed  some  member  of 


the  Sanhedrim  as  his  special  instrument — which,  of 
course,  Rationalists  would  repudiate  [but  which  is 
evidently  the  meaning  of  the  orthodox  and  pious 
Bengel — P.  S.] — can  scarcely  be  characterized  either 
as  rationalistic  or  as  absurd.  We  know,  for  exam- 
ple, that  Satan  did  employ  Judas  as  his  special  in- 
strument (John  xiii.  27),  and  that  "  this  devil "  came 
out  against  the  Lord  as  His  enemy  (John  xiv.  30). 
Still,  this  view  does  not  quite  agree  with  the  sj-mbol- 
ical  elements  contained  in  the  narrative  before  us. — 
According  to  the  second  interpretation  above  men- 
tioned, the  whole  occurrence  was  merely  a  vision. 
In  that  case,  it  may  be  regarded,  (a)  as  a  vision  called 
forth  by  the  devil  (Origen,  Cyprian,  Theodoras  of 
Mopsuestia  on  Luke  iv.  1,  Olshausen,  and  latterly 
again  Heubner,  p.  39).  Against  this  we  urge,  that 
the  devil  could  not  have  possessed  the  power  of  pre- 
senting to  the  Lord  in  a  vision,  either  his  own  appa- 
rition, or  the  pictures  of  these  temptations.  (6)  As 
called  forth  by  God  Himself  (Farmer,  Enquiry,  etc., 
London,  1761), — a  view  which  would  render  this  oc- 
currence wholly  mysterious  and  unintelhgible ;  or  (c) 
as  called  forth  by  natural  causes  (Clcricus,  Paulas, 
Gratz,  and  many  other  commentators), — not  a  his- 
torical event,  but  a  psychological  and  ecstatic  state 
of  mind ;  or  lastly,  {d)  a  "  significant  morning  dream  " 
(Meyer  [not  the  commentator,  H.  A.  W.,  so  often 
quoted  in  this  work,  see  below]  in  the  "  Studien  u. 
Eritiken"  for  1831,  p.  319  sqq.).  But  it  is  sufficient 
to  reply  that  decisive  ethical  conflicts  do  not  take 
place  in  the  form  of  dreams. — According  to  the  third 
view  above  mentioned,  this  narrative  must  be  con- 
sidered as  an  inward  ethical  transaction  or  conflict: 
(a)  A  conflict  which  took  place  in  the  imagmation 
of  Christ  (Eichhorn,  Dereser,  Weisse,  etc.).  Against 
this  view  it  has  been  urged,  that  such  an  inward  con- 
flict, arising  from  a  felt  sense  of  the  allurements  of 
evil,  could  not  be  reconciled  with  the  sinlessness  of 
Jesus.  (6)  An  inward  conflict  excited  by  the  devil 
(Krabbe) ;  but  we  are  at  a  loss  to  know  the  medium 
through  which  the  enemy  assailed  Christ,  (c)  An 
inward  transaction  to  which  the  disciples  gave  an  ob- 
jective form,  as  if  it  had  been  an  external  event  (re- 
jection of  the  false  conceptions  concerning  the  Mes- 
siah— Ulhnann) ;  but  if  we  dismiss  the  idea  that  they 
consciously  and  purposely  clothed  the  event  in  a  sym- 
bolical form,  we  are  shut  up  to  the  mythical  theory. 
{d)  A  fragmentary,  symboHcal  representation  of  trans- 
actions in  the  iimer  life  of  Jesus  (Neander).  But 
this  were  to  spiritualize  away  and  to  weaken  a  great 
historical  fact. — According  to  the  fourth  view  above 
mentioned,  we  are  to  regard  this  narrative  as  a  para- 
ble, not  so  much  of  what  Jesus  Himself  had  experi- 
enced,  but  of  what  His  disciples  should  keep  in  view 
and  guard  against  (J.  E.  Chr.  Schmidt,  Schleierma- 
cher, Usteri,  Alex.  Schweizer,  Baumgarten-Crusius). 
But  de  Wette  rightly  objects,  that  in  that  case  the 
whole  meaning  of  a  temptation  woiild  be  lost— and, 
let  us  add,  of  tlie  temptation  Ko.r  ^^uxv"-  (Against 
this  parabohc  view,  comp.  also  Hasert,  in  the  '■'■Stud, 
u.  Krity  for  1830.) — Lastly,  according  to  the  fifth 
view  above  proposed,  we  must  regard  this  narrative 
as  a  pure  myth  (Strauss,  de  Wette,  Gfrorer,  Meyer). 
Thus  Meyer  boldly  asserts,  that  "  nothing  is  left  but 
to  conclude  that  what  the  Evangelists  considered  and 
described  as  an  actual  event,  was  merely  an  ideal 
event,  or  a  myth."  *     In  reply,  we  simply  remark 

*  [H.  A.  W.  Meyer  .id  Matt.  iv.  p.  109,  pronounces  the 
Temptation  an  ideal  history,  i.  e.  a  mi/th,  which  arose  among 
the  Jewish  Christians  from  the  anti-diabolical  idea  of  the 
Messiah,  hut  which  already  St.  John  silently  excluded  from 


CHAP.  IV.  1-11. 


that  modern    theology  has   happily   overcome  the 
mythical  theory.     The  only  thing  mythical,  in  our 
opinion,  is  the  view  entertained  by  some  divines,  by 
which  the  sacred  history,  so  full  of  sjnnbolical  signifi- 
cance and  religious  life,  is  transformed  into  a  purely 
external  transaction. — The  main  objection  to  the  v.a- 
rious  explanations  which  we  have  just  sketched,  is 
that  they  proceed  on  the  old  scholastic  plan  of  jire- 
dicating  an  absolute  alternative  (a  mode  of  interpre- 
tation which  has  frequently  obstructed  the  right  in- 
terpretation of  Scripture),  and  that  they  do  not  suffi- 
ciently appreciate  the  various  moral  agencies  brought 
into  play,  and  their  mutual  influence.     Nothing  ap- 
pears to  ys  more  natural,  than  that  immediately  after 
the  baptism,  in  which  Christ  entered  upon  His  work 
as  Saviour  of  the  world,  He  should  have  encountered 
and  entered  upon  a  spiritual  conflict  with  the  spuri- 
ous ideas  which  the  men  of  His  age  entertained  about 
the  Messiah.     The  influence  of  these  perverted  views 
concerning  the  Messiah  upon  His  own  mind,  would 
necessarily  give  rise  to  an  assault  and  temptation  of 
Satan.     In  truth,  Satan  had  thus  perverted  the  hope 
of  Israel  concerning  the  Messiah,  for  the  very  pur- 
pose of  turning  aside  the  Messiah  Himself.     Thus 
far,  then,  the  narrative  presents  an  inward  transac- 
tion indeed ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  also  a  real  and 
actual  transaction  between  Christ  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  popular  expectations  and  the  kingdom  of  Sa- 
tan on  the  other.     But  what  had  at  first  been  an  in- 
ward transaction,  concluded  with  an  outward  event, 
which  in  some  respects  is  mysterious.     Satan  really 
employed,  it  seems  to  us,  some  of  the  chief  priests 
and  scribes  as  his  instruments  to  tempt  Christ  to  un- 
dertake the  part  of  such  a  worldly  Messiah  as  the 
Jews  at  the  time  expected.     (Comp.  the  owlao}  /xov 
here  and  Matt.  xvi.  23.)     The  whole  history  of  this 
temptation — both  in  its  inward  and  outward  fjhases 
— Jesus  afterward  communicated  to  His  disciples  in 
the  form  of  a  real  narrative,  clothed  in  sjTnbolical 
language.     The  difference  between  this  and  a  mere 
myth  lies  in  the  simple  fact,  that  it  really  took  place, 
partly  as  an  inward,  and  partly  as  an  outward  trans- 
action;    and  in  the  circumstance  that  speaker  and 
hearers  employed  and  listened  to  the  symbolical  lan- 
guage in  which  the  narrative  was  partly  clothed,  in 
the  full  consciousness  that  it  was  such.     The  various 
interpretations  to  which  we  have  above  adverted  ig- 
nore several  important  circumstances ;  such  as,  that, 
in  accordance  with  his  mission,  it  was  the  duf;/  of 
John  to  point  out  the  Messiah  to  His  people,  and,  of 
course,  more  especially  to  the  representatives  of  the 
people ;  that,  at  the  very  time  when  Jesus  was  in  the 
neighborhood,  a  deputation  from  the  Sanhedrim  at 
Jerusalem  had  arrived  to  inquire  whether  he  was  the 
Messiah;  that   John   returned,  and  must   have   re- 
turned, a  truthful  reply ;  and  lastly,  that  this  depu- 
tation could  not  but  take  some  notice  of  the  direc- 
tions which  the  Baptist  had  given  them.     Besides, 
we  must  remember  that,  at  the  commencement  of 
Christ's  work,  it  was  not  merely  some  kind  of  temp- 
t<ation,  but  the  great  temptation,  which  had  to  be 
overcome — i.e.,  the  temptation  arising  from  the  lust 

the  ev.ingelical  record.  Still  he  nfterward  claims  for  this 
myth  a  hhtoHcal  truth,  inasmuch  as  it  symbolizes  the  real 
faH  of  Christ's  victory  over  the  empire  of  Satan,  which 
runs  through  his  ufwie  life.  But  this  concession  removes 
the  ground  for  all  v.alid  objection  to  the  real  historical  char- 
acter of  the  narrative.  For  what  is  internally  true  and  cim- 
Bistent  may  become  a  real  fact.  Of  Hegel's  maxim :  AlUs 
Vernuiiftirje,  int  xcirklich^  und  alle^  Wirkliahe  i»t  verniinf- 
tig.  the  first  clause  (everythinfj  reasonable  is  real)  is  more 
truthful  than  the  second.— P.  8.] 


of  the  world,  even  as,  at  the  close  of  His  course.  He 
had  to  encounter  the  temptation  from  the  burden 
and  grief  of  the  world.  Lastly,  it  is  manifest  that 
so  decisive  an  inward  conflict  could  not  be  merely 
the  result  of  an  extraordinary  state  of  mind,  without 
having  been  called  forth  by  some  deep  historkal  arv- 
tagonism;  and  that,  as  it  could  be  neither  wholly 
internal  nor  wholly  external,  it  must  have  combined 
both  these  elements,  or,  in  other  words,  that  it  was 
caused  and  excited  by  the  devil,  and  carried  into  ex- 
ecution through  a  human  medium.  We  can  readily 
conceive  how  human  sympathies,  more  particularly 
Jewish  chiliastic  influences,  may  have  acted  upon  the 
human  nature  of  Christ.  Nor  can  we  doubt  that  a 
definite  outward  instrumentahty  was  employed.  Such 
could  not  have  been  wanting  in  this  grand  decisive 
moment  of  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God;  and 
the  glorious  reality  and  the  consequences  of  such  an 
era,  are  themselves  suflicient  to  sweep  away  the  cob- 
web structures  of  any  m}-thical  theory.  Hence  we  ' 
agree,  1.  with  Ullmann,  in  acknitting  that  the  trans- 
action was  inward,  but  caused  by  external  agency ; 
2.  with  V.  d.  Hardt  and  Bengel,  in  beheving  that  the 
transaction  concluded  with  an  outward  event,  to 
which  only  allusion  is  made  in  the  narrative ;  3.  with 
Schleiermacher,  in  concluding  that  the  history  is 
clothed  m  a  symboUcal  and  paraboHc  garb. 

Vers.  3  and  4.  First  temptation. — The  first  temp- 
tation is  occasioned  by  a  feeling  of  hunger  on  the 
part  of  Jesus,  and  by  the  expression  of  it.  If  Thou 
be  the  Son  of  God,  v.  3 — couched  in  the  form  of  a 
doubt  to  incite  the  Saviour  to  prove  Himself  such. 
The  word  f  /  o  ?  is  put  first,  to  lay  emphasis  on  the 
Sonship.  The  expression  implies  three  things :  First, 
that  if  the  Son  of  God  had  come,  He  must  be  the  ex- 
pected Messiah.  Secondly,  that  the  Messiah  could 
not  be  any  lower  personage  than  the  Son  of  God  Him- 
self, in  the  metaphysical  sense  of  this  term.  Third- 
ly, that  the  greatest  miracles  might  be  expected  to  be 
wrought  by  Hun. — Eitte,  Tva,  Speak,  in  order 
that.  The  effect  is  to  be  produced  by  a  creative,  or 
rather  a  magical  utterance.  It  may  be  asked  wheth- 
er the  tempter  meant  this  in  the  literal  or  the  sym- 
bolical sense,  hke  the  statement  of  the  Baptist :  "  God 
is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abra- 
ham." Whatever  view  we  take  of  this  point,  it  was 
a  covert  suggestion  to  give  Himself  up  to  the  satanic 
principle,  either  by  arbitrarily  perverting  the  spiritu- 
al power  of  working  miracles  into  an  unholy  art  of 
magic,  or  as  a  call,  in  pompous  Oriental  phraseology, 
to  transform  the  wilderness  into  a  storehouse,  by 
pronouncing  a  formula  of  surrender  to  the  vanity  of 
the  world.  Probably  the  tempter  intended  that  it 
should  bear  a  double  meaning,  as  was  also  the  case 
with  the  second  temptation.  ^'  The  point  of  the  temp- 
tation lay  in  the  suggestion  that  it  seemed  incompati- 
ble for  the  Son  of  God,  who  could  do  all  things,  to 
suffer  hunger.  But — doubt  would  ad-d — to  suffer 
hunger  seems  to  imply  that  you  are  not  the  Son  of 
God.  Thus,  in  the  present  instance,  the  doubt  would 
appeal  to  His  power,  to  His  reason,  and  even  to  the 
duty  of  confirming  the  declaration  that  He  was  the 
Son  of  God.  The  Son  of  God  cannot  be  limited  or 
hardly  beset ;  He  cannot  suffer  or  participate  in  the 
wants  of  humanity;  He  must  at  once  sweep  away 
every  difficulty  and  want  by  an  act  of  omnipotence. 
The  Lord  resisted  this  temptation  by  quoting  the 
Scripture,  Deut.  viii.  3, — the  passage  being  quoted  by 
the  Evangelist  according  to  the  Septuagiut.  The 
original  (addressed  to  Israel)  reads :  "  Jehovah  suf- 
fered thee  to  hunger,  and  fed  thee  with  mam;a  (which 


84 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


thou  knowest  not,  nuitlicr  did  thy  fatlierr,  know),  that 
lie  might  make  thee  know  that  man  doth  not  live  by 
bread  (upon  bread)  only,  but  by  everything  (upon 
everything)  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  moutli  of  the 
Lord  doth  man  live."  Tlic  Septuagint  renders:  dAA' 
enl  iravTi  priixaTi  rcji  (Krropevu,u^vci>  Sia  a-runarns  ®iou 
^j'/^rjTai  b  &v6pu>-os.  In  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  v.-e 
have  tV  instead  of  eirl — in,  or  by,  every  word  (not 
thing)  that  proceedetii  out  of  the  mouth  of 
God  shall  man  live.  According  to  Olshausen,  the 
Saviour  intended  to  point  out  an  autitliesis  between 
earthly  and  heavenly  food.  De  Wette  suggests  the 
following  exphmation :  "  If  ordinary  means  of  nour- 
islunent  fail,  the  Lord  will  employ  extraordinary 
means  to  preserve  us  alive  by  His  creative  Word." 
But  these  extraordinary  means — the  manna — are 
here  generalized  as  "  everything  that  proceedeth  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord,"  and  applied  in  a  symbol- 
ical sense,  to  indicate  that  man  is  not  absolutely  de- 
pendent upon  any  kind  of  external  nourishment,  and 
tliat  his  real  life  is  sustained  by  the  word  of  God. 
Hence  the  meaning  of  Christ's  reply  is  this :  If  even 
man  is  not  absolutely  dependent  upon  the  bread  that 
perisheth, — if  he  does  not  live  upon  bread  only,  but 
rather  upon  the  word  of  God, — how  much  more  must 
this  be  true  of  the  Son  of  God,  whose  life  flows  from 
the  Father,  and  not  from  the  bread  of  earth,  and  who 
accordingly  depends  for  the  preservation  of  His 
earthly  Ufe,  not  on  any  arbitrary  interference,  nor  on 
.«atauic  device  or  agency,  but  on  the  Father  ?  But 
the  Son  of  God  has  condescended  to  become  man, 
.and  a=?  such  is  willing  to  share  the  wants  and  sufter- 
ings  of  humanity.  In  conclusion,  the  difference  be- 
tween the  idea  of  miracles  as  laid  down  in  the  Bible, 
and  that  entertained  by  the  tempter — or  even  by 
some  modern  theologians — deserves  notice. 

Vers.  5-7.  Second  temptation. — In  the  Gospel  of 
Luke  this  is  mentioned  as  the  third  temptation.  This 
divergence  arises  not  from  any  historical  inaccuracy, 
but  from  the  symbolical  view  which  each  of  the  Evan- 
gelists connected  with  these  assaults.  The  symboli- 
cj,l  element  which  appeared  in  the  first  temptation, 
"  Command  that  these  stones  be  made  bread,"  comes 
out  more  distinctly  in  the  present  instance.  We  trace 
it,  first,  in  the  significant  expression,  Tro.pa\a/j.^dve  i 
anT  liv,  he  takes  Him  by  force  with  him,  or  takes  Him 
to  himself  as  a  companion  (in  his  journey) ;  and,  sec- 
ondly, in  the  term  ih  ttw  h.'^io.v  itaKiv,  "^"ipT^  ^•^'S_ 
(Is.  xlviii.  2;  Neh.  xi.  1),  to  denote  Jerusalem, — so 
called  on  account  of  the  temple.  (To  this  day  the 
Arabs  call  Jerusalem  the  place  of  the  Sanctuary,  or 
the  Holy  City.)  The  devil  is  here  represented  as 
liaving  free  access  to  the  most  sacred  places,  and  as 
familiar  with  them :  He  setteth  Him  (i'o-  t  77  o- 1  v) — 
not  by  force,  for  such  he  cannot  exercise ;  besides, 
he  had  not  yet  dropt  the  mask  and  shown  himself 
the  evil  one.  He  appears  as  wearing  a  religious 
garb,  as  one  who  had  authority  in  the  temple,  and 
setteth  Jesus  as  his  guest  in  a  spot  which  commanded 
the  most  extensive  view.  The  supposition  of  Jerome, 
that  Jesus  was  carried  thither  through  the  air,  is 
purely  fantastic  ;*  equally  unsatisfactory  is  the  sug- 
gestion of  Olshausen,  that  He  was  in  a  state  of  men- 
tal transport.  •  It  is  quite  possible  that  Jesus  had  at 
the  time  gone  for  a  day  to  Jerusalem,  and  that  tliis 

*  Connected  with  this  view  are  other  similar  notions  for- 
merly entertained,  such  as,  that  the  wilderness  was  that  of 
Arabia, — the.  mountain,  Mount  Sinai,  or  Mount  Tabor,  or 
ilount  Nebo;  that  Jesus  was  in  a  state  of  lowest  humilia- 
tion, and  passive  in  the  hands  of  Satnn,  who  earned  him 
away  through  the  air,  etc.     Comp.  Starke. 


circumstance  may  have  foi-med  the  external  basis  for 
this  temptation.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  fact  that  Sa- 
tan set  Jesus  on  the  (not  a)  pinnacle  [literally :  the 
wing]  of  the  temple  (rb  -impvyiov  tov  Upov),  im- 
phed  the  suggestion  that  He  sliould  by  Satanic  means 
become  the  priest-king  of  that  temple.  It  is  true, 
the  expression  rov  Upnv  here  used,  was  applied  to 
tiie  whole  set  of  buildings  connected  v>'ith  the  temple, 
v/hile  the  word  uaos  referred  to  the  principal  building 
of  the  temple.  But  the  more  general  expression  of 
course  included  the  temple  itself,  to  which,  besides, 
the  word  tmpvyiov  specially  points.  Nor  is  there 
anything  inconsistent  in  the  account  of  Josephus, 
that  the  roof  of  the  temple  was  covered  itarh.  Koputf-iiv 
with  pointed  rods  to  protect  it  from  being  occupied 
by  birds,  as  the  Kopvf-q  of  the  temple  was  probably 
only  the  most  holy  place.  Nor  can  the  great  sacred- 
ness  of  the  locality  be  urged  as  an  argument,  since 
the  special  object  in  view  was  to  place  Jesus  in  the 
most  sacred  locality.  The  real  difficulty  of  taking 
the  statement,  that  the  Lord  was  set  upon  a  pinnacle 
of  the  temple,  in  its  literal  meaning,  lies  in  this,  that 
Christ  was  neither  priest  nor  Levite,  and  that  the 
idea  of  setting  Him  publicly  in  such  a  place  is  en- 
tirely incompatible  with  a  secret  conflict  between 
Christ  and  Satan.  On  the  same  ground  we  must  dis- 
miss the  notion,  that  the  devil  set  bun  on  any  other 
prominent  place  of  the  temple.  Some  commentators 
have  supposed  that  this  "  pinnacle  "  belonged  to  an 
out-building  of  the  temple,  such  as  the  hall  of  Solo- 
mon on  the  east  side  (Joseph.  Antig.  xx.  9,  7),  or  the 
a-Tiia  PaatKiKv  on  the  south  side  (ibid.  xv.  11,  5), 
both  of  tl'.em  rismg  along  a  frightful  precipice.  Kui- 
noel,  Meyer,  and  others  suppose  that  the  scene  must 
have  occurred  at  the  south  side  of  the  temple,  from 
the  description  which  Josephus  gives  of  its  dizzy 
height.  But  this  would  necessitate  the  strange  sup- 
position, that  the  Evangelist  represented  the  tempter 
as  proposing  to  the  Lord  a  descent,  either  into  the 
poor  valley  of  Kidron,  or  into  that  of  the  Cheesema- 
kers.  If  the  narrative  is  taken  literally,  the  object 
must  have  been  rather  to  work  some  ostentatious 
miracle  for  the  proud  city  of  Jerusalem  itself.  In 
this  respect,  also,  the  temptation  had  its  double 
meaning,  the  main  point  lying  ia  the  suggestion 
that  Jesus  should  yield  to  Satan,  place  Himself  at 
the  head  of  the  priesthood,  and  in  that  character  be 
presented  to  the  people.  With  this  object,  and  in 
this  sense,  Jesus  was  set  on  the  pinnacle  of  the  tem- 
ple, and  probably  somehow  or  somewhere  in  the 
temple  itself.  The  spiritual  attitude  which  He  was 
to  assume  is  the  main  point. 

As  Jesus  had  turned  aside  the  first  suggestion  of 
the  tempter  by  the  word  of  God,  the  enemy  support- 
ed his  second  assault.  If  Thou  be  the  Son  of 
God,  cast  Thyself  down,  by  a  quotation  from  Ps. 
xci.  11,  12,  "For  He  shall  give  His  angels 
charge  over  thee,  to  keep  thee  in  all  thy 
ways  :  they  shaH  bear  thee  up  in  their  hands, 
lest  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone."  This 
passage  seemed  all  the  better  suited  for  the  purpose  in 
view,  since  in  its  primary  apphcation  it  referred  not 
exclusively  to  the  Messiah.  The  plain  inference  was, 
that  if  such  a  promise  had  been  granted  to  aU  pious 
men,  it  must  apply  all  the  more  forcibly  to  the  Mes- 
siah. But  the  apphcation  of  this  promise  was  evi- 
dently false,  as  the  expression,  in  all  thy  ways, 
was  not  equivalent  to  the  ways  of  thine  own  choosing. 
Indeed,  the  tempter  wholly  omitted  this  clause  when 
adducing  the  passage.  Jesus  replied  to  this  quota- 
tion— which  in  its  original  form  was  a  poetical  de- 


CHAP.  IV.  1-11. 


85 


scription  of  the  promised  help,  and  now  was  grossly 

misinterpreted  in  its  literal  application — by  referring 
to  a  passage  in  the  law :  Ye  shall  not  tempt  Jeho- 
vah your  God,  ver.  '7.  Dent.  vi.  16.  In  tlie  present 
instance,  Christ  addressed  it  to  Satan  personally, 
Thou,  instead  of  Ye, — a  change  all  the  more  ap- 
propriate, that  every  tempting  of  God  on  the  part  of 
man  is  directly  caused  ly  the  enemy  of  souls.  Ud- 
\iv  does  not  mean  "  on  the  other  hand  "  (Erasmus 
Liud  others),  but  again  (Meyer,  Engl.  C.  Ver.).  Ben- 
gel  :  Scriptura  per  Scripturam  intcrpretanda — more 
especially  a  poetical  phrase  by  the  precise  statements 
of  the  law.  This  reply  to  Satan  is  already  an  attack 
upon  him,  since  he  is  here  characterized  as  temptmg 
the  Lord. 

Vers.  8-10.  TJdrd  iemptaiion.—"  The  high 
mountain  (ver.  S)  from  which  all  the  kingdoms  of 
the  world  could  be  seen,  must  not  be  looked  for  upon 
any  of  our  maps  ;  it  neither  refers  to  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  nor  does  k6<t/uos  mean  Palestine  (Kuinoel), 
but  it  applies  to  the  heathen  world  over  which  Satan 
held  exclusive  dominion  "  (Meyer).  Luke  adds,  cV 
cTTtyur]  xp^vov,  to  indicate  the  magic  character  of 
the  vision.  And  the  glory  of  them,  t^iu  Sn^av 
aiiruv.  " The  rich  country,  the  splendid  cities  and 
palaces,  perhaps  also  the  riches  which  they  contain- 
ed (although  these  could  scarcely  have  been  seen 
from  the  top  of  a  mountain)." — De  Wette.  The  idea 
of  any  magical  influence  of  Satan  upon  the  vision  of 
the  Lord  seems  to  us  quite  inappropriate  (comp. 
Lange :  "  Worte  der  Abwehr,"  p.  41).  It  is  not  worth 
while  to  show  at  length  that  Satan  could  not  have 
exercised  such  influence  over  the  eyes  of  the  Saviour. 
In  our  opinion,  the  prospect  from  such  a  high  moun- 
tain as  that  of  the  wilderness  of  Quarantania,  or  near 
Jerusalem,  was  sufficient  to  ofi'er  an  appropriate  basis 
for  a  rhetorical  description  of  the  world,  its  king- 
doms, and  their  glory.*  Of  course  the  mountain 
must  still  be  viewed  as  a  symbolical  expression,  to 
designate  the  political  and  chiliastic  prospects  which 
the  Jews  portrayed  to  themselves  at  the  time  when 
Messiah  should  come  to  conquer  ihe  world  by  world- 
ly means.  Xor  must  we,  with  Meyer,  exclude  Pales- 
tine from  this  vista,  since  the  course  of  the  ambitious 
conqueror,  as  sketched  by  the  enemy,  was  to  com- 
mence at  the  temple  itself.  For,  although  it  is  true 
that  Satan  had  greater  power  over  the  heathen  world 
than  over  Palestine,  we  must  not  confound  (as  Meyer 
does,  p.  105)  the  later  views  of  the  Jews  (as  given 
in  Eisenmenger's  "  Entdecktes  Judcnihum,''''  ii.  p.  820, 
etc.)  with  those  of  the  New  Testament.  In  the  New 
Testament  Satan  is  designated  as  apxav  tov  Kon/xov 
(Johnxii.  31),  with  special  reference  to  his  sway  over 
Palestine  in  opposition  to  Jesus ;  while  the  expres- 
sion KciaixoKpdrwp,  in  Eph.  vi.  12,  alludes  more  par- 
ticularly to  the  heresies  by  which  the  Church  of 
Christ  was  endangered.  We  must  not  look  in  the 
word  of  God  for  the  gross,  fanatical,  and  mythical 
ideas  of  later  rabbinical  Judaism.  The  passage  be- 
fore us  refers  to  the  moral  reign  of  darkness  which 
extended  over  the  whole  ancient  world,  although  we 


[*J(is.  A'ldison  Alrxaiider  on  Matt.  iv.  8  (p.  S5),  places 
the  scene  of  this  temptation  on  the  Mount  of  Olives, 


tnus  explains  the  vision  of  all  the  kingdoms:  '■'■  Sheweth, 
optical  illusion  .  . ;  but  either  by  u  voluntary  and  miraciilou.s 


causes  Him  to  see,  not  upon  a  map  or  picture  . 


nor  by  an 


extension  of  Ilis  vision  on  His  own  part,  or  by  u  combii 
tion  of  sensible  perception  with  rhetorical  description  .  .  an 
actual  exhibition  of  what  lay  withiu  the  boundary  of  vision, 
and  an  enumeration  of  the  kingdoms  which  in  different  di- 
rections lay  beyond  it,  with  a  glowinjrrefircsentation  of  their 
wealth  and  power  (and  the  glory  of  them)." — 1'.  S.] 


must  ever  be  careful  not  to  admit  the  validity  of  Sa- 
tan's pretension  that  he  exercised  in  any  sense  abso- 
lute sway  over  the  world. 

In  this  third  temptation,  Satan  appears  in  his 
proper  character.  Hence  also  it  is  not  prefaced  by 
"  If  Thou  be  the  Son  of  God."  On  the  contrary,  he 
rather  seems  to  claim  this  honor  for  himself,  as  Luke 
plainly  indicates  in  the  words,  '6ti  ifxul  vapaSiSorai. 
The  awful  proposal,  that  Jesus  should  fall  down  and 
worship  Satan,  and  do  him  homage,  is  to  some  ex- 
tent modified,  when  we  bear  in  mind  the  pecuhar  po- 
litical and  religious  import  of  the  word  trpociKwuv 
among  Orientals.  We  do  not  imagine  that  Satan  in- 
tended to  demand  an  act  of  absolute  adoration,  but 
an  act  of  homage,  which,  however,  necessarily  im- 
plied worship.  Primarily,  it  was  not  (as  Strauss 
supposes)  a  temptation  to  idolatry,  though  it  is  true 
that,  in  its  ultimate  meaning  and  bearing,  all  idolatry 
is  devil-worship.  Nor  does  this  demand  involve  a  di- 
rect threat  on  the  part  of  Satan  that  he  would  let 
loose  against  Jesus  the  whole  power  of  evil  (Ebrard), 
although  Satan's  claim  to  absolute  sway  over  the 
"whole  world  implied  that  he  was  its  lor^l  aud  master. 
Viewed  in  this  light,  the  third  temptation,  from  the 
lust  of  the  world,  pointed  already  to  that  which  Christ 
had  to  endure  at  the  close  of  His  course  from  the 
sorrow  and  misery  of  the  v.-orld.  The  incredible  pre- 
sumption and  impudence  of  Satan's  demand  (which, 
indeed,  was  covertly  implied  even  in  the  first  and  sec- 
ond temptations)  is  in  some  measure  accounted  for 
by  his  well-known  axiom,  "  that  every  man  has  his 
price  at  which  his  virtue  may  be  bought."  The 
point  of  the  temptation  lay  in  tiie  boldness  of  the  de- 
sign— Satan  spreading  out  all  at  once  a  rushing  pic- 
ture of  absolute  sway  over  the  world  and  of  its  glory, 
and  then  offering  all  this  to  the  lowly  and  rejected 
Son  of  David,  who  of  right  could  claim  all  the  nur 
tions  of  the  world  as  His  inheritance,  and  the  utmost 
ends  of  the  world  as  His  possession.  Gerlaeh  sug- 
gests that  the  proposal  to  found  the  kingdom  of 
Messiah  by  outward  power  and  pomp,  and  not  that 
of  paying  outward  worship  to  Satan,  formed  the  main 
point  of  the  temptation,  ili.t  this  must  evidently 
have  been  the  consequence  of  a  surrender  and  hom- 
age to  Satan. 

Ver.  10.  Then  saith  Jesus  unto  him. — At  last 
the  mask  was  thrown  oif :  Satan  appears  in  his  real 
character,  and  is  treated  accordingly.  Hitherto  the 
Lord  had,  in  compliance  with  the  usual  forms  of  in- 
tercourse, dealt  with  him  according  to  his  assumed 
character,  as  one  who  seemed  anxious  to  promote 
the  mission  of  the  Messiah,  although  He  sufficiently 
showed  that  he  had  read  the  motives  of  Satan, — 
having  in  His  first  reply  designated  hnn  as  one  who 
held  men  in  contempt,  and  in  Ilis  second  as  the 
tempter.  But  now  he  meets  the  pretensions  of  Sa- 
tan to  absolute  power  by  a  dis{:lay  of  His  own  su- 
preme authority.  Get  "thee  hence,  Satan.  [In 
Greek  a  single  word,  'On  aye,  begone,  out  of  mi/  siffkt.'\ 
(The  addition  otzktqi  iuov  is  not  sufficiently  authenti- 
cated, and  apparently  an  ancient  interpretation  de- 
rived from  Matt.  xvi.  23,  which  seems  to  apply  not 
to  Satan,  but  to  Peter,  whose  right  place  as  a  follow- 
er of  the  Lord  was  behmd,  not  before  Him.)  The 
passage  with  which  Christ  dismisses  the  enemy  (Deut. 
vi.  13)  is  none  other  than  the  fundamental  principle 
of  Monotheism.  It  is  given  in  the  form  of  a  free 
quotation  from  the  Sep'tuagint ;  the  word  irposKwh- 
.7  6/5,  which  Satan  hal  used,  being  retained,  instead 
of  <jio/3rj0i^(r77.  Laying  emphasis  on  the  main  idea  of 
the  Old  Tcstameac  passage,  our  Lord  says,  "Him 


80 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


only  shalt  thou  serve."  The  devil  is  expressly  des- 
ignated as  Satan,  because  in  this  temptation  he  dis- 
played his  real  character  as  the  adversary  of  Christ. 
Lastly,  tlie  answer  of  the  Lord  conveys  the  expres- 
sion of  His  enmity  to  all  that  is  Satanic  in  the  world, 
and  to  the  carnal  hopes  and  views  entertained  about 
the  Messiah.  It  is,  so  to  speak,  a  declaration  of  war 
on  the  part  of  Jesus  against  Satan,  and  that  on  ac- 
coinit  of  the  daring  promise  to  make  Jesus  Lord  of 
the  world  if  He  only  submitted  to  his  conditions. 
"  Tentatorem,  quum  is  maxime  favere  videri  vult, 
Satanam  appcllat." — Bengel. 

In  looking  back  on  this  threefold  temptation,  we 
conclude  that  Satan  offered  to  the  Lord  immediate 
possession  of  His  Messianic  inheritance  on  condition 
of  His  employing  satanic  agency,  in  the  form  of 
magic,  of  false  rehgious  enthusiasm  or  fanaticism, 
and  of  false  and  demoniacal  worship.  His  first  propo- 
sal was  to  confer  on  Jesus  the  office  of  a  magician-pro- 
phet ;  his  second,  to  make  Him  the  chief  and  prince 
of  a  grand  hierarchy  ;  liis  third,  to  invest  him  with 
the  office  of  demoniacal  and  all-powerful  monarch  of 
the  world.  But,  manifestly,  these  were  the  three 
great  traits  of  the  carnal  and  perverse  expectations 
which  Israel  entertained  concerning  the  Messiah :  the 
first  temptation  representing  more  especially  the  er- 
roneous tendency  of  the  Essenes,  who  lived  in  the 
wilderness  ;  the  second,  the  spurious  rehgion  of  the 
Pharisees,  whose  centre  was  the  temple  service  ;  and 
the  third,  the  godless  policy  of  the  Sadducees,  whose 
ruUng  passion  was  worldhness.  The  common  psy- 
chological applications  of  this  narrative — such  as, 
that  the  first  temptation  was  to  sensual  enjoyment, 
the  second  to  fanatical  pride,  and  the  third  to  ambi- 
tion— do  not  exhaust  the  deep  bearing  of  the  event, 
although  they  are  impUed  in  the  interpretation  above 
proposed. 

The  following  is  the  chronological  order  of  events : 
1.  The  baptism  of  Jesus.  2.  The  forty  days'  fast- 
ing. 3.  The  deputation  to  John  the  Baptist  from 
Jerusalem  (John  i.).  4.  The  temptation  of  Jesus. 
5.  The  return  of  Jesus  to  John  by  the  banks  of  Jor- 
dan (John  i.  35).  6.  His  return  to  Galilee  (ver. 
43). 

Ver.  11.  The  victory. — The  triumph  of  the  Saviour 
appears  in  these  two  facts :  The  devil  leaveth  Him ; 
angels  come  and  minister  unto  Him,  thus  paying 
Him  real  homage,  Sirj/coVouj'  avTw.  Bengel :  "&'>ie 
dubio  pro  eo,  ac  turn  opus  erat,  sc.  allato  cibo  [un- 
doubtedly, by  doing  that  which  was  then  necessary, 
namely,  )3y  bringing  Him  food].  Comp.  the  feeding 
of  Elijah  by  an  angel,  1  Kings  xix.  5."  Thus  Pisca- 
tor,  Wolf,  and  many  others, — among  them,  Meyer. 
Others  understand  the  expression  as  denoting  super- 
natural Divine  support  (Maldonatus,  Kuinoel,  01s- 
hausen,  Kuhn,  Ammon,  Ebrard).  It  deserves  notice, 
that  most  critics  who  at  present  defend  the  view  that 
the  text  imphes  a  miraculous  supply  of  food  by  the 
ministry  of  angels,  characterize  the  whole  narrative 
as  a  mere  myth.  When  Jesus  had  undergone  these 
temptations,  He  returned  from  the  wilderness  into 
the  company  of  men.  Hence  any  such  miraculous 
supply  of  food  for  the  body  by  angels  would  have 
been  unnecessary.  In  our  view  of  the  passage,  the 
Lord  having  conquered  Satan,  and  established  His 
glorious  supremacy,  not  only  over  man,  but  also  over 
the  spiritual  world,  now  entered  into  converse  with 
ministering  angels  (John  i.  51),  realizing  in  the  su- 
pernatural and  heavenly  support  which  He  now  en- 
joyed, in  the  fullest  sense.  His  own  declaration,  that 
man  lives  not  by  bread  alone. 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  narrative  before  us  establishes,  in  our 
opinion,  two  facts — that  Jesus  could  be  tempted,  or 
the  possibility  of  His  falling ;  and  again,  that  He  was 
tempted,  yet  viithout  sin.  This  threefold  victory  of 
His  sinless  soul  marks  another  stage  in  the  Gospel 
history.  Before  that,  the  God-man  had,  in  the  free 
exercise  of  His  will,  risen  to  full  and  joyous  con- 
sciousness of  His  character  and  mission  ;  now  this 
consciousness  became  a  settled  divine-human  mind 
or  disposition  over  against  all  temptations  and  allure- 
ments of  the  world.  From  His  first  and  decisive  con- 
flict with  evil,  which  ever  and  again  tempted  Him 
during  the  three  years  of  his  earthly  ministry.  He 
came  forth  victorious  to  rear  His  kingdom  on  a  spir- 
itual and  eternal  foundation. 

2.  Solemn  celebration  in  the  wilderness  of  His 
full  attainment  to  consciousness  of  His  character  and 
vocation,  victory  over  the  temptations  of  Satan,  and 
maturing  of  the  plan  for  His  work — such  are  the 
three  great  phases  in  the  preceding  narrative,  none 
of  which  can  be  separated  from  the  other. 

The  first  of  these  three  phases  was  that  of  solemn 
celebration.  Bearing  in  mind  that  Jesus  was  led  into 
the  wilderness  by  the  Spirit,  we  infer  that  He  went 
up  in  the  full  and  deep  consciousness  of  His  vocation 
as  the  God-man.  Heaven  had  been  opened  over  Him, 
the  wings  of  the  blessed  Spirit  had  been  upon  and 
around  Him.  He  had  the  testimony  of  His  Sonship, 
and  of  the  delight  of  the  Father  in  Him.  In  the 
blessed  enjoyment  of  these  glorious  realities,  forty 
days  passed  without  His  feeling  the  common  wants 
of  humanity.  But  Jesus  did  not  shut  up  within  His 
own  breast  this  His  "  being  equal  with  God,"  as  if 
it  had  been  robbery  (Phil,  ii.), — least  of  all  when  He 
had  just  submitted  to  that  baptism,  in  which,  while 
humbling  Himself  to  become  the  companion  in  sor- 
row of  sinners.  He  had  also  attained  the  full  con- 
sciousness of  His  theanthropy.  Hence  the  solemn 
inward  feast  celebrated  in  the  wilderness  served  as 
preparation  for  His  Work  :  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit, 
the  fulness  of  love,  the  fulness  of  fife  within  His  soul 
— all  summoned  Hun  to  be  the  DeUverer  of  His  peo- 
ple and  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  even  as  the  Fatlier 
had  called  Him  by  His  baptism  and  by  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  and  in  the  depth  of  His  sympathy  with  hu- 
manity, He  heard  not  only  His  own  people  but  a 
fallen  world  entreating  deliverance. 

But  this  very  cry  of  the  world  contained  a  shrill 
discord  which  constituted  His  temptation.  With  in- 
finite longing  Israel  waited  for  the  advent  of  Messiah. 
But  this  glorious  hope  had  become  fearfully  distorted 
in  the  false  theology  of  the  synagogue,  m  the  ideas 
current  among  the  people,  in  the  hierarchical  ten- 
dencies of  the  age,  and  in  the  general  vanity  of  this 
world.  Hence,  while  this  longing  for  salvation  in 
the  inmost  heart  of  humanity  was  a  loud  call  for 
Jesus  to  reveal  Himself  to  the  world  as  the  long- 
expected  Redeemer,  He  was  repelled  by  the  false  and 
unspiritual  picture  of  the  Messiah  who  was  the  ob- 
ject of  the  carnal  hopes  of  Israel.  The  Holy  One 
recognized  in  these  perversions  the  agency  of  Satan. 
Thus  far  there  could  be  neither  doubt  nor  tempta- 
tion. But  that  which  in  itself  was  evil  had  assumed 
a  human  form  ;  it  had  been  embodied  m  human  rep- 
resentations, ideas,  and  aspirations ;  and  in  this  its 
human  form  it  made  its  appeal  to  His  sympathies. 
This  spurious  and  unholy  Messianic  expectation  ap- 
peai'ed  most  closely  intertwined  with  the  loftiest  as- 
pirations and  the  hoUest  hopes  of  humanity.    It  was 


CHAP.  IV.  1-11. 


87 


this  seeming  combination  of  two  very  dififerent  ele- 
ments which  might  give  rise  to  doubt  and  diCRculty. 
The  Saviour  must  now  discern  the  spuriousness  of 
this  combination  ;  and,  to  separate  its  heterogeneous 
elements,  He  had  to  overcome  the  temptation  arising 
from  the  fanatical  sympathies  of  Hi-^  people  and  of 
the  world.  This  constituted  His  triuptatiou.  Its 
point  lay  in  the  attractions  of  human  sym;3athy,  al- 
lurement, and  entreaty  ;  as  also,  in  the  apparent  con- 
nection between  what  was  perverse  and  what  was 
holy.  In  His  conflict  with  this  temptation,  it  assumed 
a  threefold  form.  In  the  first  assault,  the  Prophet, 
in  all  the  pride  and  self-sufficiency  of  a  Magician, 
stands  before  His  mind's  eye ;  in  the  second,  the 
High  Pricftf,  in  all  the  pride  and  self-sufficiency  of 
hierarchical  pomp  ;  and  in  the  last,  the  Kinff,  in  all 
the  pride  and  self-sufficiency  of  secular  policy  and 
power.  All  these  pictures  are  presented  in  their  most 
attractive  features,  as  painted  in  the  bright  anticipa- 
tions of  an  expectant  world,  as  drawn  with  all  the 
cunning  of  Satan,  and  as  reflecting  in  a  distorted 
form  His  own  person  and  vocation. 

But  He  has  overcome  the  threefold  inward  assault 
upon  His  soul  (comp.  the  Gospel  of  Luke) — and  the 
cravings  of  hunger  indicate  the  weai-incss  consequent 
upon  this  tremendous  conflict.  The  victory  which 
He  has  achieved  in  inward  conflict,  must  now  also 
appear  in  actual  and  historical  incidents,  and  the 
outward  temptations  of  Satan  succeed  His  inward 
struggle. 

This  threefold  historical  victory  of  the  Lord  over 
the  tempter  also  marks  the  grand  scheme  on  which 
His  work  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world  was  to  be  car- 
ried on.  In  opposition  to  the  false  principle  of 
the  world,  He  clearly  reaUzed  the  truth ;  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  spurious  plans  of  Messiah's  kingdom 
cherished  by  the  world,  He  chose  what  was  spir- 
itual ;  in  opposition  to  the  uilse  ideas  entertained 
about  the  work  of  salvation.  He  manifested  Himself 
as  the  true  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King.  To  reject 
the  spurious  plans  of  the  synagogue,  was  at  the  same 
time  to  adopt  the  true  scheme  of  His  mission.  Mod- 
ern [German  evangelical]  theology  commenced  with 
a  more  full  appreciation  of  the  human  nature  [and 
sinless  perfection]  of  Jesus,  and  first  spoke  of  His 
plan  or  design.  Thus  Remhard  has  written  a  work 
on  the  Plan  of  Jesus ;  UUmann  has  rejected  the  idea 
of  any  such  scheme,  but  Neander  has  vindicated  its 
higher  bearing.  If  by  the  expression,  "  plan,"  or 
"  scheme,"  we  mean  that  the  Saviour  was  distinctly 
conscious  of  the  principle,  the  development,  the 
means  and  the  goal  of  His  work,  the  Lord  had  un- 
doubtedly a  matured  "  plan."  But  it  was  the  lead- 
ing characteristic  of  this  plan,  that  it  rejected  and 
eliminated  all  that  was  merely  external,  every  secu- 
lar calculation  ;  and  that,  in  unfolding  its  own  glori- 
ous proportions  and  spiritual  phages,  it  proved  mauily 
a  negation  of  all  the  chiliastic  schemes  of  the  syna- 
gogue. One  of  its  principal  features  consisted  in 
this,  that  while  these  spurious  pictures  of  the  Mes- 
siah presented  a  Saviour  who  was  such  in  name  and 
appearance  only,  Jesus  would  manifest  the  character 
and  the  works  of  the  true  Messiah,  and  that  He 
would  avoid  even  he  designation  of  Messiah,  until 
by  His  working  He  had  redeemed  and  purified  its 
idea,  which  had  been  so  fatally  perverted  (comp. 
the  "  Lebeii  Jesu"  ii.  1,  p.  231).  Then  Jesus  chose 
the  path  of  sufliering  instead  of  that  of  joy ;  humil- 
iation unto  obedience,  instead  of  glory  by  self-exalt- 
ation.     Hence,  when  at  the  close  of  His  course  the 


accuser  tempted  Him  to  despair,  amidst  the  sorrows 
and  under  the  burden  of  a  guilty  world,  the  Re- 
deemer once  more  conquered,  and  entered  upon  the 
path  of  glory.  Indeed,  the  most  difficult  part  of  His 
work  was  accomplished  at  the  outset  of  His  mission, 
when,  in  the  power  ofthc  Spirit,  He  overcame  Satan 
and  the  satanic  temptation,  connected  with  the  spu- 
rious messianic  expectations.  He  conquered  Satan 
as  the  tempter  m  all  the  temptations  of  worldly  al- 
lurement. Thus  was  the  kingdom  of  darkness  shaken 
in  its  inmost  principle.  This  threefold  victory  un- 
folded and  appeared  in  His  ministry  upon  earth ;  and 
His  triumph  over  the  temptations  of  allurement,  or 
over  the  tempter,  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  term, 
formed  the  prelude  to  His  victory  over  the  tempta- 
tions of  sorrow  and  sufiering,  or  over  the  accuser, 
which  awaited  Him  at  the  close  of  Ilis  course. 

Thus  the  history  of  Christ's  temptation  is  of  in- 
finite import.  The  destruction  of  the  foundations 
on  which  rested  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  and  the 
structure  of  the  basis  on  which  the  salvation  of  man 
was  reared,  are  connected  with  the  mystery  of  those 
solitary  conflicts  which  had  been  fought  and  gained 
before  He  entered  on  the  discharge  of  His  pubUc 
ministry. 

3.  The  following  contrasts  are  significant  for 
christology.  The  first  Adam  in  paradise,  Christ  in 
the  wilderness. — Moses  (Ex.  xxxiv.  28 ;  Deut.  ix.  9, 
18)  and  Elijah  (1  Kings  xix.  8)  in  the  wilderness, 
Christ  in  the  wilderness. — The  fasting  of  John,  the 
fasting  of  Christ. — The  magic  of  the  world,  the  pro- 
phetic office  of  Christ. — The  hierarchy  of  the  world, 
the  priesthood  of  Christ. — The  political  despotism  of 
the  world,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ. — Essenism 
and  Christ. — Pharisaism  and  Christ. — Sadduceism 
and  Christ. — Chiliastic  tradition  and  perversion  of 
Scripture  by  Satan;  the  word  of  God,  and  ever  only 
the  word  of  God,  as  adduced  by  Christ. — Christ  in 
the  wilderness  tempted  by  the  allurements  of  the 
world. — Christ  in  the  garden  tempted  by  the  sorrow 
and  burden  of  the  woii;!. — The  tempter  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  public  ministry  of  Jesus ;  the  ac- 
cuser at  the  close  of  it. — The  offers  of  Satan,  and  the 
triumph  of  Christ  am!  its  results. 

4.  The  symbolical  import  of  the  number  40  lies  in 
this,  that  it  contains  multiples  of  ten  and  four : — ten 
is  the  perfect  number  for  life,  law,  and  freedom; 
four  is  the  number  for  the  full  circle  of  the  world. 
During  these  forty  days,  Christ,  by  the  free  act  of  his 
will,  7-eaUy  overcame  the  world  and  the  spirit  of  the 
world,  even  as  Moses  had  done  typically.* 

5.  As  it  was  fitting  that  Christ  should  commence 
His  work  by  conquering  Satan,  so  also  was  it  m 
keeping  with  the  tendency  of  evil  to  overturn  the 
kingdom  of  God  first  of  all  in  its  Founder — and  that 
by  means  of  pretended  but  false  friendship. 

6.  By  His  victory  over  the  tempter,  Christ  has 
for  ever  separated  His  kingdom  from  the  demoniac 
principles,  plans,  and  manifestations  of  Jewish  and 
carnal  Christian  chiliasm. 

7.  The  first  consequence  of  Christ's  threefold  re- 
nunciation of  the  world  in  His  victory  over  Satan, 
was,  that  He  betook  himself  to  GaUlee. 

*  [Here  the  Edinb.  trsl.,  misled  by  a  strange  error  of  tho 
first  edition  of  the  oriijlnal,  substitutes  twice  the  number 
seven  for  ten,  the  work  of  God  io\- life,  law  &nd  freedom-, 
world  and  time  {Weltzeit)  tor  orb  or  circle  of  the  world 
( Weltkreis),  etc.,  and  thus  obscures  or  perverts  the  sense  of 
the  passaee  completely.  Dr.  Lance  anticipated  the  correc- 
tion of  the  later  editions  of  M.att.  in  the  preface  to  the  first 
edition  of  his  Com.  on  Mark.— P.  S.] 


88 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Seasons  of  great  quickening  and  joy  are  gene- 
rally followed  by  great  temptations.  1.  This  ap- 
pears from  the  history  of  Abraham,  of  David,  of  Pe- 
ter, and  of  the  Lord.  2.  The  reason  of  this  is,  that 
the  Lord  would  lead  His  own  to  perfection  from 
stage  to  stage. — Christ's  festive  season  a  fast,  and 
Hirist's  fasting  a  festive  season. — From  His  festive 
c.'lebration  as  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  as  the  Son  of 
man  enters  immediately  into  conflict,  in  order  to 
prove  the  truth  of  the  testimony  concerning  His  Di- 
vme  Sonship. — The  temptation  of  Christ,  a  manifes- 
tation by  historical  facts  of  the  choice  and  decision 
of  which  His  baptism  was  tlie  sacramental  sign. — 
By  his  threefold  temptation  and  victory,  Christ 
manifests  Himself  as  the  victorious  Messiah,  or  the 
Christ  of  God:  1.  as  the  infallible  Prophet;  2.  as  the 
faithful  High  Priest;  3.  as  the  Supreme  King.— The 
decisive  conflict  between  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit  in 
Christ  and  the  appearance  of  spirituality  in  Satan. 
— The  Holy  Ghost  leads  the  Lord  to  this  decisive 
conflict  with  the  devil. — Christ  attacking  human  cor- 
ruption at  its  root  by  conquering  Satan. — The  vic- 
tory of  Christ  the  preservation  of  Cliristians. — The 
threefold  temptation  and  the  threefold  victory  of  the 
Lord. — How  and  in  what  manner  our  trials  may  be- 
come temptations  of  Satan. — Every  temptation  of 
■  Satan  is,  to  the  child  of  God,  in  reality  a  trial  of 
faith. — What  constitutes  temptation  is,  that  through 
the  influence  of  the  enemy  we  misunderstand  and 
misinterpret  the  trial  of  our  faith. — Temptation  as- 
sails us  through  earthly  instrumentality :  more  espe- 
cially, L  through  our  wants;  2.  through  spiritual  de- 
lusions ;  3.  through  worldly  prospects  and  hopes. — 
How  victory  over  one  may  become  the  occa-sion  of 
another  temptation. — How  our  first  victory  opens 
the  prospect  of  the  triumphs  to  follow. — Our  temp- 
tations are  numbered. — By  the  word  of  God,  Christ 
triumphs  even  over  the  chiliastic  traditions  connected 
with  the  word  of  God. — Christ  ever  and  again  con- 
quers by  the  word  of  God:  1.  by  His  first  quotation, 
over  fiilse  doctrine ;  2.  by  His  second  quotation,  over 
a  false  interpretation  of  Scripture ;  3.  by  His  third 
quotation,  over  false  and  assumed  authority. — The 
power  of  this  saying:  "  It  is  wriiien." 

The  first  tcmptuiion.  Christ  has  undergone  for 
us  the  temptation  of  human  want  and  sufibving. — 
Let  not  the  contrast  between  our  spiritual  high  es- 
tate and  our  outward  circumstances  become  a  snare 
to  us. — According  both  to  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ment, temptation  commences  with  doubt.— The  tempt- 
er in  the  form  of  an  angel  of  light. — Temptation  to 
distrustfulness. — Magic  and  miracles. — The  magician 
and  the  prophet. — Miraculous  sustenance  and  magi- 
cal sustenance*  are  two  different  things. — The  magi- 
cal manna  [das  Zauberbrod]  which  the  world  pre- 
pares for  itself  in  its  wilderness.  1.  Its  origin:  {a) 
by  wicked  devices;  (6)  by  wicked  works.  2.  Its 
apparent  character :  (a)  boundless  wealth ;  (b)  bound- 
less enjoyment.  3.  Its  real  character;  (a)  guilt;  (6) 
bankruptcy.!  4.  Its  final  consequences:  (a)  poverty 
and  want  of  the  inner  man ;  (b)  poverty  and  want  of 
the  outer  man. — He  who  would  selfishly  seek  to  con- 

*  {^'WanderhroduxiA.Zau'btr'bvod^''^ — literally:  wonder- 
hread  .and  miKjlc.  bread.  The  sense  is  plain  enough.  But 
the  term  admits  of  a  wide  application.  Not  only  magicians, 
sorcerers  and  soothsayers,  but  all  those  who  live  of  dishon- 
est gain  and  humbug,  may  be  said  to  eat  Zauberbrod.— V.  S.] 

t  [Hclmld  ;  SohiUd6n,—\ii(i\-j.\\y  :  guilt ;  debts.  The 
Edb.  trsl.  has  difficulties,  which  is  too  general.— P.  S.] 


vert  Stone  into  bread,  will  in  reality  convert  even 
bread  into  stone. — Satnn  watches  for  the  distress  of 
man,  to  make  it  an  occasion  for  transfonning  him 
into  a  beast  of  prey  and  a  wicked  spirit. — Such  is 
the  high  calling  of  man,  that  he  lives  not  by  bread 
only. — Whoso  depends  on  the  mouth  of  God,  his 
mouth  shall  not  want  food. — The  judgment  of  Satan 
and  that  of  Christ  eonceniing  man,  in  his  want  and 
distress.  Satan  in  effect  says :  Man  is  a  wretched 
being,  suffering  hunger ;  Christ  says :  So  far  as  the 
real  life  of  man  is  concerned,  ho  is  infinitely  exalted 
above  the  mere  animal  cravings  of  hunger. — Christ 
would  rather  suffer  hunger  with  man,  than  commit 
sin  with  supernatural  spirits. — Trust  in  (iod  ensures 
victory  over  the  wants  of  the  world. — The  empty 
phrase  of  Satan  rebutted  by  the  simple  word  of 
Christ. — The  bread  of  earth  becomes  transformed 
by  the  bread  of  heaven. — Christ  has  also  conquered 
spurious  anchoresism  and  asceticism. 

7^he  second  temptation.  The  holiest  things  may 
be  perverted  to  become  the  most  vile  temptation:  1, 
A  stay  in  the  holy  city.  2.  The  prospect  from  the 
pinnacle  of  the  temple.  3.  The  promise  contained 
in  an  inspired  psalm. — The  victory  of  the  Lord  over 
religious  fanaticism. — Destruction  of  the  temple  of 
spurious  enthusiasm. — Victory  of  the  great  High 
Priest  over  the  priestcraft  of  the  world. — Christ  and 
the  show-miracles  of  the  hierarchy. — The  pomp  of  the 
temple,  and  worship  in  the  spirit. — The  giddy  height 
on  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple  and  the  holy  calm  of 
the  Lord. — Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God ; 
for,  1.  to  tempt  God  is  to  impute  evil  to  God  Him- 
self, since  it  is  an  attempt  to  drag  Him  into  the  ways 
of  our  own  choosing ;  2.  to  tempt  God  is  to  suffer 
oneself  to  be  tempted  by  the  evil  one ;  3.  hence,  to 
tempt  God  were  to  attempt  rendering  the  Spirit  of 
light  subservient  to  the  spirit  of  darkness. — To 
tempt  God  is  to  involve  oneself  in  contradictions ; 
for  it  implies,  L  faith  without  obedience;  2.  prayer 
without  self-surrender ;  3.  action  without  warrant 
from  on  high  ;  4.  success  without  comfort  or  assur- 
ance.— Even  the  dictates  of  common  sense  may  serve 
as  a  warning  against  fanaticism. — Where  a  way  is 
already  prepared,  we  are  not  warranted  in  attempt- 
ing to  make  dangerous  experiments  for  ourselves. — 
Pride  goes  before  a  fall. — The  temple-stair  itself 
a  sermon. — Fanaticism  mistakes  excitement  for  spir- 
itual emotion. — Fanaticism  and  priestly  pretensions 
spring  from  one  and  the  same  religious  delusion. — 
Christ  vanquishes  the  fanatical  pride  of  the  priest- 
hood by  calm  reverence  for  the  Godhead. 

The  third  temptation.  Christ  vanquishes  the  se- 
cular spirit  of  the  world:  1.  in  its  pomp;  2.  in  its 
pretensions ;  3.  in  its  cunning  and  deceit. — The 
kingdom  of  Christ  as  contrasted  with  those  of  the 
world. — When  Satan  offers  to  give  away  the  world 
in  exchange  for  an  act  of  humble  adoration,  he  shows 
himself  to  be,  1.  a  har ;  2.  a  deceiver ;  3.  a  maligner 
of  God  and  man. — The  attractions  of  power,  and  the 
desire  of  exercising  it  absolutely  and  indiscriminately, 
are  the  two  greatest  temptations. — Satan  has  only 
the  right  of  claiming  as  his  own  the  worldliness  of 
the  world:  1.  its  vain  show  ;  2.  its  guilt;  3.  its  de- 
spair.— Despotism  and  spurious  worldly  cunning, 
and  their  dark  background. — When  wickedness 
shows  itself  undisguised,  we  ought  to  designate  it  by 
its  proper  name. — Christians  must  meet  every  spu- 
rious claim  to  authority  over  their  consciences,  by  an 
appeal  to  the  word  of  Him  jvho  wields  rightful  author- 
ity over  the  conscience. — Daring  usurpers  will  at 
last  be  met  and  confounded  by  the  royal  dignity  and 


CHAP.  rV.  12-1 7. 


89 


authority  which  belongs  even  to  the  humblest  be- 
liever.— By  serving  God,  Christ  vanquishes  the  sin- 
ful service  of  the  creature. — "  Ilim  only  shalt  thou 
serve." — Resist  the  devil,  and  he  will  flee  from  you. 
— The  ministry  of  angels  after  the  assault  of  tlie  dev- 
il.— Christ  the  Prince  of  angels,  by  his  victory  over 
the  prince  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness. — The  greater 
the  conflict,  the  more  glorious  the  victory. — In  all 
temptations  Christ  is  our  victory. 

Starke: — We  must  prepare  in  retirement  for  im- 
portant pubUc  undertakings. — God  often  permits  His 
dear  children  to  be  visited  by  the  mo-st  grievous 
temptations. — Sohtude  a  training-school  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. — Solitude  is  frequently  the  occasion  of  tempt- 
ation.— In  our  temptations,  let  us  ever  distinguish 
between  what  comes  from  God  and  what  from  Satan. 
— Such  a  High  Priest  became  us  who  was  tempted 
in  all  things,  Heb.  iv.  15. — Frequent  conflicts  ren- 
der the  Christian  strong. — They  fit  ministers  for 
their  work. — Or  alio,  mediiatio,  tentatio  fac'mnt  theo- 
logum. — We  may  readily  recognise  the  bird  of  hell 
by  its  song. — Fasting  as  perverted  by  tlie  Papacy, 
etc. — Moderation  and  temperance  a  continuous  fast- 
ing.— Christ  hungered  because  He  partook  of  our  in- 
firmities.— Christ  can  have  compassion  on  us  when 
we  suflfer  from  hunger  or  thirst. — The  devil  adapts 
his  temptations  to  the  nature  and  circumstances  of 
man. — If  the  devil  ventured  to  approach  the  Son  of 
God,  how  can  the  most  advanced  among  us  expect 
to  be  secure  from  his  assaults  V — Outward  prosperity 
is  not  an  evidence  of  sonshlp. — The  word  of  God  our 
?a-mory. — Even  the  devil  cannot  set  aside  the  Scrip- 
tures.*— All  depends  on  the  blessing  which  the  Lord 
gives. — Outward  means  cannot  sustain  us,  but  God 
by  outward  means. — God  is  a  supply  which  never 
falls  or  leaves  unsatisfied. — If  Satan  does  not  suc- 
ceed In  one  way,  he  will  try  another. — In  his  own 
way,  the  devil  Is  learned  In  the  Scriptures. — To  per- 
vert Scripture  Is  to  follow  in  the  wake  of  the  devil. 
— Satan  fell  by  his  pride  and  arrogance,  and  now 
seeks  to  ruin  others  In  the  same  manuer. — To  ex- 
pose oneself  to  danger,  except  In  the  way  of  our  call- 
ing, from  necessity,  or  with  the  direct  warrant  of  the 
word.  Is  presumption. — Satan  encompasses  the  fall 
of  carnal  men  by  showing  them  even  a  small  portion 
of  this  world. — Satan  promises  his  servants  what  he 

*  [Comp.  Shakspeare,  Merohant  of  Venice,  Act  I.,  Scene 
3,  wliere  Antonio  says  to  Bassanio : 

"  The  devil  can  cite  Scripture  for  his  purpose. 
An  evil  soul,  producing  holv  witness, 
IB  lite  a  villain  with  a  smiling  cheek ; 
A  goodly  apple  rotten  at  the  heart ; 
O,  what  a  goodly  outside  falsehood  hath  I  "—P.  S.] 


himself  does  not  possess,  nay,  what  God  has  in  Christ 
already  promised  and  given  to  His  own. — It  Is  not 
right  to  hear  blasphemy  without  reproving  It. — He 
who  would  prevent  us  from  serving  God,  and  per- 
suade us  to  serve  the  world,  Is  Satan  so  far  as  we 
are  concerned. — There  Is  a  "  hitherto  and  no  fur- 
ther" In  every  temptation. — Every  honest  conflict 
win  certainly  be  followed  by  victory. — Christ  has 
triumphed  for  us. 

Gerlach :- — The  word  of  God  is  our  armor  against 
Satan. — Christ  takes  as  His  shield  the  law  of  God : 
Thou  shalt !  He  was  made  under  the  law  (Gal. 
iv.  4). 

Heubner : — If  solitude  has  its  advantages,  it  has 
also  its  great  dangers. — Satan  appears  here  In  his 
true  character :  he  arrogates  to  himself  what  belongs 
to  God  alone — dominion  over  the  soul ;  In  sliort,  he 
claims  to  be  God. — The  man  who  In  his  alms  Is  actu- 
ated by  ambition  and  love  of  power,  is  thereby  ren- 
dered unfit  for  the  service  of  God  ;  yet  how  many 
theologians  are  Impelled  by  such  motives! — The 
temptation  of  Christ;  1.  wherein  It  consisted,  and 
how  It  was  resisted  (three  stages,  three  victories) ; 
2.  its  consequences :  Jesus  proving  Himself  to  be 
the  Holy  One  ;  Jesus  our  model  in  similar  conflicts ; 
Jesus  our  refuge  and  strength. — How  temptations 
followed  Christ  throughout  His  course. — The  Impo- 
tence of  all  temptations  In  the  case  of  Christ. — Com- 
parison between  the  temptation  of  Christ  and  that  of 
Adam. — Marheineke: — How  closely  good  and  evil 
border  upon  each  other  in  our  human  nature !— ■ 
Harms : — The  conflict  between  good  and  evil.  This 
conflict  is  threefold;  1.  A  conflict  between  doubt  and 
trustfulness ;  2.  a  conflict  between  presumption  and 
modesty ;  3.  the  conflict  between  the  lust  of  the 
world  and  the  love  of  God. — Schleiermacher  : — The 
temptation  of  the  Lord  viewed  with  reference  to  our 
state  and  position  In  this  world. — Bachmann : — The 
temptation  of  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  in  the  wilder- 
ness. It  was  a  temptation,  1.  to  doubt  the  word  of 
God ;  2.  to  presume  upon  the  word  of  God ;  3.  to 
reject  the  word  of  God. —  Greiliny : — The  three  pas- 
sions by  which  men  are  commonly  tempted  to  sin 
(covetousness,  pride,  ambition). — Rcinhard : — The 
decisive  periods  which  commonly  occur  in  the  life 
of  every  man. — Ahlfeld: — The  conflict  of  Chris- 
tians with  the  tempter:  1.  His  attack;  2.  their 
defence;  3.  the  victory. — (Comp.  also  Three  Ser- 
mons on  the  History  of  the  Temptation  by  J.  P. 
Lange,  Barmen,  1836.  Bruckner:  The  History 
of  the  Temptation  of  our  Lord.  Four  Meditations. 
Leipzig,  1857.) 


B.    Chapter  IV.  12-lY. 
Contents:— First  appearance  of  Jesus  as  the  light  of  the  world  amidst  the  darkness  of  the  land  of  Galilee. 


12  Now,  when  Jesus  had  heard  that  John  was  cast  into  prison,  [dehvered  up,*]  he  de- 

13  parted  into  Gahlee'';  And  leaving  Nazareth,  he  came  and  dwelt  in  Capernaum,  which  is 

14  upon  the  sea  coast,  in  the  borders  of  Zabulon  and  Nephthalim^:  Tliat  it  might  be  ful- 

15  filled  which  was  spoken  by  Esaias  [Isaiah]  the  prophet,  saying,  The  land  of  Zabulon, 
and  the  land  of  NephthaUm,  hy  the  way  of  the  sea,  beyond  [the]  Jordan,  Galilee  of  the 

16  Gentiles;  The  people  which  sat  in  darkness  saw  great  hght;  and  to  them  which  sat 
in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death  light  is  sprung  up. 


90 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


17         From  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach,  and  to  say,  Repent:   for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  at  hand, 

'  Ver.  12.— [irapfSJ^Tj,  Lange:  uherliefert.  AVicl.,  Tynd.,  Cranm.,  Geneva:  was  taken;  the  Bishop's  Bible  (and  the 
Horn.  C;itb.  Vers,  of  Rheiins)  correctly:  delivered  up,  with  the  inarsinal  explanation:  ^'■that  is,  cast  into  prison,"  which 
the  Auth.  Vers,  received  into  the  text,  while  it  put  the  translation  into  the  margin,  influenced  perhaps  (as  Dr.  Conant  sug- 
gests) by  Bcza's  vcr.sion:  tradUum  esse  in  custodiam,  and  his  note:  id  est,  in  carcerem  conjectum  esse. — P.  S.] 

'■'  Vor.  \i. — Galilee  proper  in  the  narrower  sense  of  the  term. 

3  Ver.  13.— [Or:  Zehulun  and  Naphtuli,  after  the  Hebrew  spelling,  which  is  followed  by  the  Auth.  Vers,  in  the  Old 
Test.    See  the  Hebrew  concordances.— P.  S.J 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  12.   Now,  when  Jesus  had  heard. — 

The  Evangelist  passes  over  a  number  of  intervening 
events,  viz. :  1.  the  return  of  Jesus  to  Galilee  (John 
i.  41,  etc.);  2.  the  marriage  in  Cana,  the  journej'  to 
Capernaum  in  company  with  His  relatives  and  disci- 
ples, and  that  to  Jerusalem  to  the  passover  (John 
ii.) ;  3.  the  stay  of  Jesus  at  Jerusalem  and  in  the 
land  of  Judaja  previous  to  the  imprisonment  of  John 
(John  iii.);  4.  the  return  of  Jesus  by  way  of  Sama- 
ria, and  His  stay  there  (John  iv.  1-42). — The  event 
recorded  in  the  text  took  place  at  the  time  referred 
to  in  John  iv.  43-46.  In  the  passage  before  us,  Mat- 
thew briefly  alludes  to  the  stay  of  Jesus  at  Nazareth, 
— the  same  which  is  mentioned  Luke  iv.  14  sqq., — but 
dilates  on  it  more  fully  in  ch.  xiii.  53.  We  account 
for  this  transposition  from  the  peculiar  structure  of 
the  Gospel, — the  object  of  the  Evangelist  being  to 
group  events  so  as  to  present  a  continuous  narra- 
tive. The  actual  succession  of  events  is  more  accu- 
rately indicated  in  the  Gospel  by  Luke,  although  it 
also  contains  no  mention  of  the  first  passover  which 
Jesus  attended  at  Jerusalem,  nor  of  His  stay  in  Ju- 
daea and  Samaria.  From  the  narrative  of  Luke  we 
learn  that  Jesus  was  even  at  that  time  rejected  by 
the  people  of  Nazareth,  and  that  he  then  uttered  the 
saying,  that  "  a  prophet  had  no  honor  in  his  own 
country."  But,  according  to  John,  Jesus  spoke 
these  words  when  returnmg  from  Jerusalem  to  Gali- 
lee through  Samaria.  Commentators  have  felt  a  dif- 
ficulty in  explaining  the  circumstance,  that  (accord- 
ing to  John)  Jesus  should  have  been  saying  that  "  a 
prophet  had  no  honor  in  his  own  country,"  at  the 
very  time  when  He  was  on  His  journey  to  Galilee. 
It  might  seem  that  such  a  statement  would  rather 
imply  His  departure  from  Galilee.  But  the  diffi- 
culty is  removed  by  recalling  to  mind  the  precise 
geographical  arrangements  of  the  country.  In  John 
iv.  43,  the  Evangelist  uses  the  word  Gahlee  not  in 
the  general  sense,  but  as  a  man  familiar  with  the 
district  would  apply  the  term— a  circumstance  which 
may  be  regarded  as  an  indirect  evidence  of  the  truth- 
fulness of  his  narrative.  What  he  calls  Galilee  is 
not  the  province  in  question  as  contradistmguished 
from  Judasa,  but  the  district  of  Upper  (xalilee  in  op- 
position to  Lower  Gahlee,  in  which  Nazareth  was 
situate.  The  boundary-line  between  Upper  and 
Lower  Galilee  ran  due  east  and  west  between  Naza- 
reth and  Cana.  In  John  iv.  43,  44,  the  Evangehst 
makes  only  a  passing  allusion  to  the  rejection  of 
Jesus  at  Nazareth,  and  dwells  in  preference  on  the 
fact,  that  the  Saviour  was  gladly  received  by  the  in- 
habitants of  Galilee  proper.  From  what  we  have 
said,  it  will  be  clear  that  the  accounts  of  Matthew 
and  John  are  not  inconsistent,  as  Meyer  imagines  ; 
although  that  commentator  is  right  in  maintaining, 
against  Wieseler,  that  the  passage  in  the  text  does 
not  refer  to  the  journey  to  Galilee  recorded  in  John 
vi.  1.     Finally,  we  gather  from  the  account  in  Mat- 


thew that  the  imprisonment  of  John  by  Antipas  took 
place  some  time  after  the  celebration  of  the  first  pas- 
sover which  Jesus  attended,  and  after  His  stay  in 
Judaea. 

That  John  was  delivered  up,  {i.  e.  into  pris- 
on).— The  ground  on  which  the  Baptist  was  impris- 
oned is  afterwards  recorded,  on  the  occasion  of  his 
execution  (xiv.  4).  Fritzsche  supposes  that  the  impris- 
onment of  John  induced  Jesus  to  appear  in  Galilee, 
lest  the  people  of  that  country  should  be  deprived 
of  spiritual  support ;  while  Meyer  regards  this  event 
as  a  motive  for  His  retirement  to  that  province, 
since  "  the  more  remote  district  of  Galilee,  although 
under  the  rule  of  Ilerod  Antipas,  would  naturally 
attract  less  attention,  and  thus  afford  shelter."  But 
although  Capernaum  lay  in  Upper  Galilee,  yet,  from 
its  proximity  to  Tiberias — the  residence  of  Herod — 
and  the  intercourse  between  these  two  places,  both 
situate  on  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  anything  which  oc- 
curred in  Capernaum  would  much  more  readily 
attract  attention  than  what  took  place  in  Nazareth, 
which  lay  out  of  the  way  among  the  mountains.  Be- 
sides, it  was  at  this  very  time  that  Jesus  commenced 
His  pubhc  ministry,  and  called  disciples  around  Him. 
The  connection  between  the  imprisonment  of  John 
and  the  appearance  of  Jesus  in  "  Galilee  of  the  Gen- 
tiles," as  well  as  the  cessation  of  the  preparatory 
baptism  which  the  disciples  of  Jesus  had  for  a  time 
admmistered  (John  iv.  1,  2,)  may  readily  be  other- 
wise explained.  The  imprisonment  of  John,  and  the 
tame  acquiescence  of  the  country  in  this  act,  had 
put  an  end  to  the  hope  of  preparing  the  people  for 
the  kingdom  of  Messiah  by  Levitical  purifications, 
or  legal  purity.  Now  that  the  attempt  at  outward 
purity  had  been  thus  rudely  stopped,  Jesus  might, 
in  the  consciousness  of  His  own  inward  and  eternal 
purity,  all  the  more  readily  commence  His  work  in 
Gahlee  of  the  Gentiles,  amidst  publicans  and  sin- 
ners, by  gathering  around  Him  a  circle  of  disciples. 

Ver.  13.  He  came  and  dwelt  in  Capernaum. 
— Kacpapvaovfi,  D^TO  nCS,  meaning,  according 
to  Hesychius,  Origen,  and  Jerome,  vicus  consolationia, 
but  according  to  others  (Winer,  Meyer),  the  village 
of  Nahum.  The  town  lay  on  the  borders  of  the 
tribes  of  Zebulun  and  Naphtah,  on  the  western  shore 
of  the  Lake  of  Gennesareth,  probably  near  where 
the  Jordan  entered  that  lake.  It  was  a  thriving 
commercial  place,  on  the  road  from  Damascus  to  the 
Mediterranean.  Capernaum  was  inhabited  both  by 
Jews  and  Gentiles ;  in  Jewish  writings  it  is  charac- 
terized as  the  residence  of  heretics  and  free-thinkers 
(von  Ammon,  "  Leben  Jcsu,"  p.  359).  The  contrast 
between  Capernaum,  where  Jesus  dwelt,  and  Tibe- 
rias, the  residence  of  Antipas — a  city  which  the  Lord 
uniformly  avoided,  but  which,  after  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  became  one  of  the  holy  places  of  the 
Jews,* — is  striking.     But  the  prediction  of  Christ  in 

*  [The  rise  of  Tiberias,  as  a  Jewish  city,  is,  however,  of 
much  later  date.  For  an  account  of  the  circumstances  con» 
ntcted  with  its  final  "Levitical  purification,''  see  Eders- 
heim's  Hist,  of  the  Jewish  ^ration,  p.  488.— The  Edinb.  Te.] 


CHAP.  IV.  12-17. 


91 


regard  to  Capernaum,  once  so  highly  favored,  has 
been  most  signally  and  literally  fulfilled  (Matt.  xi. 
23).  At  this  moment  every  trace  of  the  site  of 
Capernaum  has  disappeared.  Wilson  and  others  re- 
gard the  ruins  of  Tell  Hum  (i.  e.  Nahura)  as  the  an- 
cient site  of  Capernaum.  As  the  town  is  not  men- 
tioned in  the  Old  Testament,  it  seems  probable  that 
it  was  built  after  the  return  from  the  Babylonish  ex- 
ile. Josephus  (  Vita,  '72)  calls  the  town  Ka(papvw/j.-n. 
In  another  place  {De  JBello  Jud.  iii.  10,  8)  he  assigns 
the  name  of  Kac^a/^vaoiy/i  to  a  fountain  in  Galilee. 
According  to  Robinson,  this  fountain  is  the  modern 
''Aln  et  Tin,  by  the  Lake  of  Gcnnesareth,  near  the 
Khan  Minyeh,  which  he  regards  as  the  site  of  an- 
cient Capernaum.  But  this  opinion  is  not  generally 
entertained.  Comp.  the  art.  Capernaum  in  the  Bibl. 
Encycls. 

Vers.  14  and  15.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled.— 
In  this  mstance  we  have  the  fulfilment  of  a  verbal 
prophecy,  the  passages  in  Isa.  viii.  22 ;  ix.  1,  2,  be- 
ing strictly  Messianic  in  their  primary  meaning,  al- 
though the  prophet  seems  also  to  have  had  in  view 
the  oppression  of  the  Assyrians,  under  which  at  that 
time  Northern  Palestine  groaned.  But,  as  in  every 
other  similar  instance,  the  event  recorded  in  ver.  13 
did  not  take  place  simply  on  account  of  this  predic- 
tion, but  on  independent  grounds.  The  passage  is 
cited  freely  from  the  original  Hebrew :  "  At  the  first 
(in  ancient  times)  He  brought  to  shame  the  land  of 
Zebulun  and  the  land  of  Naphtali ;  but  afterward  (in 
later  times)  He  brought  to  honor  the  (despised)  way 
of  the  sea,  beyond  Jordan,  the  circuit  (Galilee)  of  the 
Gentiles.  The  people  that  walked  in  darlmess  have 
seen  a  great  Ught ;  and  they  that  dwell  in  the  land 
of  the  shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath  the  hght 
shined."  In  the  quotation  as  given  by  Matthew,  the 
despised  district  is  even  more  pointedly  indicated  as 
the  land  of  Zabulon  and  the  land  of  Nephthalim,  the 
•way  of  the  sea  (the  road  by  the  sea,  or  the  great 
road  of  the  traffic  of  the  world),  the  beyond  Jordan, 
(even)  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles.  In  our  opinion, 
the  kiea  of  Galilee  was  not  so  important  a  highway 
for  the  traffic  of  the  ancient  world  as  to  give  to  the 
district  around  the  designation  of  "  the  way  of  the 
sea,"  more  especially  as  the  three  expressions  in  the 
text  are  not  intended  to  designate  three  different  ob- 
jects, but  one  and  the  same  thing  viewed  under  dif- 
ferent aspects.  In  the  first  clause,  Galilee  is  desig- 
nated as  profane,  being  the  way  of  the  sea  for  all 
the  world  ;  in  the  second  clause,  as  extending  north- 
ward beyond  the  sources  of  Jordan,  the  holy  river ; 
finally,  in  the  third  clause,  as  being  really  a  heathen 
district,  largely  inhabited  by  Gentiles.  But  the  ex- 
pression 77),  without  the  article,  may  be  regarded  as 
the  nommative.  Before  o^hv  eaAacro-Tjjwe  must 
again  supply  the  77)  of  the  former  clause, — toward 
the  sea,  or  the  way  of  the  sea.  The  absolute  accu- 
sative 65^1'  is  a  Hebraistic  form  like  Tp'^ ,  and  equiv- 
alent to  the  Latin  versus  (comp.  Meyer,  p.  111).  The 
expression  iripav  rod  '  lopS dvov  cannot  in  this 
instance  mean  Peraea,  or  the  country  east  of  Jordan. 
A  reference  to  that  district  would  be  here  quite  out 
of  place,  as  the  name  "  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles  "  is 
intended  again  to  designate  the  tribes  of  Naphtali 
and  Zebulun.  The  territory  of  Naphtali  extended 
nortnward  beyond  the  source  of  the  Jordan ;  and 
from  a  theocratic  point  of  view,  this,  and  not  Peraea, 
would  constitute  the  irfpav  r.  'I.,  although  that  ex- 
pression was  commonly  applied  to  Peraea.  Besides, 
Peraea  was  not  the  first  scene  of  Christ's  ministry. 
Meyer,  indeed,  maintains  that  the  Evangelist  over- 


looked the  historical  meanmg  of  the  passage  in 
Isaiah,  which  was  only  Messianic  in  a  theocratic  and 
political  sense,  referring  to  the  deliverance  of  North- 
ern Galilee  from  the  oppression  of  the  Assyrians, 
But  this  commentator  forgets  that  Isa.  ix.  1  sqq.  is  a 
strictly  Messianic  prediction,  although  it  rests,  of 
course,  on  the  historical  basis  of  the  age  of  the  pro- 
phet. 

Ver.  16.  The  people  -which  sat  in  dark- 
ness.— Apposition  to  the  preceding  designation  of 
the  locality  which  was  to  be  illuminated  by  the 
light  of  the  Messiah.  The  darkness  of  the  country 
is  explained  by  the  sad  spiritual  state  of  the  people. 
In  view  of  the  spiritual  condition  of  the  people 
at  the  time,  the  Evangelist  modifies  the  distinction 
made  by  Isaiah  between  those  that  loalk  in  darkness, 
who  see  a  great  light,  and  those  that  dwell  or  sit  in 
the  land  of  the  shadow  of  death.  In  the  passage  as 
quoted  by  Matthew,  the  state  of  matters  has  appa- 
rently become  worse  than  in  the  days  of  Isaiah,  and 
even  those  who  formerly  "  walked  "  are  now  repre- 
sented as  "  sitting "  in  darkness.  But  the  grada- 
tion of  the  original  is  retained ;  and  we  have  still 
the  contrast  between  those  who  sit  in  darkness  and 
see  a  great  hght,  and  those  who  sit  in  the  region  and 
shadow  of  death,  and  only  become  aware  of  the 
light  because  it  has  sprung  up  for  therq.  In  the 
Hebrew  their  passiveness  is  even  more  strongly  ex- 
pressed— Sn"''??  "^5^ '  ^P'^^^  ^^*<^'^  liglit  hath  shined. 
"  Ka0ii)/i€i/oy'sedendi  verbum  aptum  notandae  sohtu- 
dini  inerti," — (the  verb  to  sit  aptly  denotes  a  sluggish 
sohtude). — Bengel.  S/cia  davdrov,  ni5Dbs  ,  tenebrm 
mortis.  On  the  darkness  of  Sheol,  comp.  Job  x.  21, 
etc. 

Ver.  17.  From  that  time  Jesus  began. — Mat- 
thew calls  attention  to  the  circumstance,  that  with 
the  settlement  of  Jesus  at  Capernaum,  in  Upper 
GaUlee,  a  new  period  in  His  public  ministry  began. 
The  Kripva-aeiv  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  the  strict- 
est sense  now  commenced,  and  for  this  pui-pose  He 
set  apart  some  of  His  disciples  to  be  His  Apostles. 
The  call.  Repent,  ixiravoelre,  has  now  a  higher 
meaning  than  when  first  uttered  by  John  the  Bap- 
tist (ch.  iii.  2),  and  a  more  full  manifestation  of  His 
miraculous  power  proves  that  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  really  at  hand.  Although  He  does  not 
designate  Himself  to  the  people  as  the  Messiah,  yet 
the  kingdom  of  Messiah  was  appearing.  From  the 
manifestation  of  that  kingdom  now  vouchsafed,  the 
people  are  to  recognise  the  Prince  of  Peace  m  His 
true  and  New  Testament  character.  (The  assertion 
of  Strauss,  that  Jesus  had  not  regarded  Himself  at 
first  as  the  Messiah,  requires  no  special  answer ;  the 
suggestion,  that  Christ  gradually  changed  His  origi- 
nal plan,  has  been  discarded  even  by  the  writer  who 
proposed  it.) 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  As  John  carried  on  his  public  ministry  at  the 
extreme  boundary  of  the  Holy  Land,  in  the  wilder- 
ness, so  Jesus  also  appeared  first  at  another  extreme 
limit  of  the  country,  in  Upper  Galilee.  Capernaum 
became  His  earthly  residence.  This  choice  had  a 
twofold  advantage.  For  while  He  thereby  gave  a 
practical  denial  to  the  carnal  Messianic  hopes  and 
expectations  of  the  people  of  Judaea,  He  also  oc- 
cupied a  field  most  suitable  for  His  own  pecuhar 
activity.  There  He  found  the  greatest  suscepti- 
bihty  for  the  kingdom,  and  readiness  to  receive  Him, 
especially  among  those  retired  worshippers  of  Jeho- 


92 


THE  GOSrEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


vah  who  lived  by  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  and  particu- 
larly among  the  disciples  of  John,  whom  He  had 
already  attracted  around  Him.  This  residence  of 
the  Saviour  in  GaUlce  had  been  predicted,  and  was  a 
signal  fulfilment  of  the  great  Messianic  prophecy  of 
Isaiah.  Lastly,  His  abode  among  the  fishennen  of 
Gahlee  was  in  complete  harmony  with  what  His 
baptism  and  the  victory  over  the  tempter  implied  ; 
being,  in  truth,  a  perfect  renunciatiou  of  the  world 
in  reference  to  its  carnal  views  concerning  the  the- 
ocracy and  the  Messiah. 

2.  But  we  may  also  regard  this  as  a  manifesta- 
tion of  His  Spirit  and  of  His  Gospel.  Just  as  He 
commenced  His  destruction  of  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness, by  conquering  the  power  of  Satan  in  his  chief 
temptations,  so  He  commenced  the  building  up  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  among  the  most  despised 
portion  of  His  people,  the  most  needy  and  the  most 
destitute  of  the  means  which  the  synagogue  provided 
for  cultivating  spiritual  life.  It  was  among  these 
that  the  Saviour  first  publicly  and  unreservjedly  pro- 
claimed the  kingdom  of  heaven. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Complete  renunciation  of  the  world  on  the  part 
of  the  Lord  is  followed  by  His  full  proclamation  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. — When  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  arrives,  the  symbolical  administration  of 
priests  is  at  an  end. — When  the  work  of  John  ceases, 
that  of  Christ  begins. — The  kingdom  of  God  will 
never  want  messengers  of  God  who  stand  in  the  gap. 
— If  one  prophet  is  imprisoned,  a  greater  one  will  be 
sent  in  his  place.  If  they  burn  the  goose,  a  swan 
will  arise  from  its  ashes.* — Jesus  a  stranger  both  at 

*  [This  sentence:  "  Verbrennen  sie  die  Gans,  so  kommt 
der  Schwan^"  which  Dr.  Edersheim  omitted,  is  an  allusion 
to  an  apocryphal  prophecy  ascribed  to  the  reformer  Hus, 
who  was  burnt  at  the  stake  for  heresy,  July  6, 1415,  by  order 
of  the  Council  of  Constance,  and  is  said  to  have  uttered,  in 
his  last  hour,  the  words:  "  To-day  you  roast  a  goose,"— oX- 
luding  to  his  name  which  is  the  Bohemian  word  for  goose — 
"  Mit  from  mine  ashes  will  arise  a  svjan" — the  armorial 
device  of  Luther — '■'■whom  you  will  not  be  able  to  destroy.''' 
This  prediction  occurs  first  in  the  Latin  works  of  Luther 
(Altenburg  ed.,  vol.  v.,  p.  599,  etc.),  and  seems  to  have  arisen 
in  the  age  of  the  Reformation  from  certain  vague  and  gen- 
eral sayings  of  Hus  concerning  the  ultimate  triumph  of  his 
doctrines  (comp.  Gieseler,  Kirchengeschichte,  vol.  ii.,  Part 
IV.,  p.  417  eq.).  The  sentence  has  assumed  a  somewhat 
proverbial  significance,  although  very  rarely  used.— P.  S.] 


Nazareth,  where  His  youthful  years  were  spent,  and 
at  Capernaum,  where  He  appeared  after  attaining  to 
manhood. — Obscurity  of  that  which  is  holy  in  its 
own  home,  showing :  1.  The  corruption  of  the  world ; 
2.  the  spiritual  glory  of  the  heavenly  Hfc. — The  light 
of  salvation  rising  upon  dark  places:  1.  Upon  the 
earth,  in  opposition  to  the  external  heavens ;  2. 
ujjon  Galilee,  in  opposition  to  the  land  of  Judtea;  3. 
upon  the  Gentile  world,  in  opposition  to  tho  Jews ; 
4.  upon  the  despised  Germanic  rac*^,  in  0;i;.osition 
to  the  ancient  Romanic  Church.— The  land  of  the 
shadow  of  death:  1.  The  home  of  sinners;  2.  the 
heart  of  the  sinner. — The  difference  between  those 
who  see  a  great  light,  and  those  upon  whom  a  great 
hght  rises.  1.  The  former  look  upwards,  the  latter 
look  downwards.  2.  The  former  descry  the  star  of 
salvation,  the  latter  only  the  light  which  it  sheds. — 
From  that  time  Jesus  began.  The  ancient  the- 
ocratic institutions  of  Israel  may  be  said  to  have  been 
abrogated  when  John  was  cast  into  prison. — The 
call  to  repentance,  from  the  commencement  to  the 
end  of  the  world,  1.  always  the  same  in  substance; 
2.  always  different  in  form. — The  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  as  closely  at  hand  as  Christ  is. — The  call :  Repent, 
for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.  1.  It  con- 
tains two  things :  («)  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
hand ;  (6)  therefore  repent.  2.  It  may  be  summed 
up  in  the  expression,  "  kingdom  of  heaven ;"  for, 
(«)  repentance  is  only  the  gate  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  ;  (6)  the  kingdom  of  heaven  h  the  grand  ob- 
ject and  goal  of  repentance. — In  His  humiUation, 
Christ  has  manifested  His  exaltation.  1.  Rejected 
on  earth.  He  opened  up  His  kingdom  of  heaven. 
2.  Obscure  and  unknown  by  man.  He  revealed  the 
spiritual  world  in  aU  its  blessedness.  3.  Renounc- 
ing all,  He  bestows  every  blessing. 

Starke : — Let  us  show  holy  obedience  in  being 
ready  to  change  our  habitation  when  the  Lord  calls. 
-—Many  live  under  the  full  blaze  of  the  Gospel  as  if 
they  sfill  sat  in  the  shadow  of  death. — When  the 
world  silences  one  honored  servant  of  the  Lord,  God 
raises  up  others  ;  the  Church  shall  never  be  left  des- 
titute of  them. — Repentance  without  faith  is  no  re- 
pentance (and  faith  without  repentance  is  no  faith). 
— Agreement  subsisting  between  all  pure  teachers  of 
the  Church  (John  and  Jesus). 

Heuhner : — It  is  God's  method  to  cause  light  to 
arise  from  humble  and  despised  places. — Jesus  would 
not  be  far  distant  even  from  the  Gentiles. 


O.    Chapter  IV.  18-22. 

{^The  Oospel  for  St.  Andrew's  Bay.) 

Contents:— In  His  obscurity  and  retirement  from  the  world,  which  He  had  renounced,  the  Saviour  commences  the  con- 
quest of  the  world  by  calling  four  fishermen  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 

18  And  Jesus,  walking  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  saw  two  brethren,  Simon  called  Peter, 

19  and  Andrew  his  brother,  casting  a  net  into  the  sea:  for  they  were  fishers.     And  he 

20  said  unto  them,  Follow  me,  and  I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men.     And  they  straight- 

21  way  left  their  nets,  and  followed  him.     And  going  on  from  thence,  he  saw  other  two 
brethren,  James  the  son  of  Zebedee,  and  John  his  brother,  in  a  [the]  ^  ship  with  Zebedee 

22  their  father,  mending  their  nets;  and  he  called  them.     And  they  immediately  left  the 
ship  and  their  father,  and  followed  him. 


>  Ver.  21. — [eV  tw  irAoi'a 
Kheims:  in  a  ship.— 2.  S.)  ' 


Tynd.,  Cranm.,  and  the  Bishop's  Bible  correctly:  in  the  ship;  Wicl..  Gen.,  Auth.  V.,  and 


CHAP.  IV.  18-22. 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  18.  By  the  Sea  of  Galilee. — Lake  Gcn- 
nesaret,  AiVvjj  revvi]a-ap(T,  Luke  v.  1  (also  rewrjadp, 
FfwriaapTTts,  Gcucsara,  n"|i3  D^);  V  OdKaaara  ttjs 
TiPfpidoos,  John  xxi.  1 ;  r;  da\.  tT;?  TakiXaias,  Matt. 
XV.  29,  etc.  The  lake,  which  is  formed  by  the  river 
Jordan,  is  about  six  hours,  or  150  stadia  long,  and 
about  half  as  broad  [twelve  or  fourteen  miles  long, 
six  or  seven  miles  in  breadth,  and  105  feet  deep. — 
r.  S.].  The  water  is  salubrious,  fresh,  and  clear;  it 
contains  abundance  of  fish ;  the  banks  are  pictur- 
esque, although  at  present  bare;  toward  the  west 
they  are  intersected  by  calcareous  mountains, — to- 
ward the  east  the  lake  is  bounded  by  high  mountains 
(800  to  1,000  feet  high),  partly  of  chalk  and  partly 
of  basalt  formation.  It  is  of  an  oval  form,  being  a 
deep  depression  in  an  upland  country  (according  to 
Schubert,  its  level  is  535  feet  below  the  Mediterra- 
nean).* Besides  these  remarkable  natural  features, 
the  contrast  between  the  present  desolation  of  its 
shores  and  their  flourishing  state  at  the  time  of  Je- 
sus, when  covered  with  cities  and  inhabited  by  a 
busy  throng, — above  all,  the  solemn  remembra:uce  of 
theLord'slabors,  render  it  a  most  striking  object. 
On  the  difference  between  the  accounts  of  Schubert 
and  of  Robinson  in  regard  to  the  beauty  of  the  lake, 
comp.  Winer,  art.  Genezareth.  Recent  travellers 
have  furnished  ample  details  of  the  district  (comp. 
Josephus,  De  Bdlo  Jud.  iii.  10,  7). 

Simon  called  Peter. — The  designation  Peter  is 
given  by  way  of  historical  anticipation.  Simon,  con- 
tracted from  Simeon,  I'iS'^lIf  (liearing,  favorable 
hearing).     On  the  name  Peier,  comp.  ch.  xvi.  18. 

Andrew. — A  purely  Greek  name  (see  Winer 
mb  verba) ;  which,  however,  also  occurred  among  the 
Jews  at  a  latea  period.  Andrew  and  John  were  the 
earliest  disciples  of  Jesus, — the  first  who  joined  the 
Saviour,  following  the  direction  of  John  the  Baptist, 
whose  disciples  they  had  been  (John  i.  39).  It  is 
uncertain  whether  Andrew  was  the  elder  brother  of 
Peter.  His  home  was  at  Bethsaida  (John  i.  44). 
For  further  particulars  about  this  disciple,  see  ch.  x. 

Casting  a  net  into  the  sea. — The  circumstance 
that  they  were  just  about  to  commence  their  daily 
labor,  is  mentioned  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  out 
the  significancy  of  their  mstantly  following  Christ. 
The  same  remark  applies  to  the  narrative  of  the  call- 
ing of  the  sons  of  Zebedee  when  preparing  their 
nets. 

Ver.  19.  Pollow  me. — Meyer  has  again  repeat- 
ed the  old  objection,  so  frequently  refuted,  that  this 
passage  is  incompatible  with  John  i.  37,  and  with 
Luke  V.  4.  But  John  only  refers  to  the  first  sum- 
moning of  disciples,  while  here  we  have  an  account 
of  their  express  call  to  follow  the  Lord,  in  the  sense 
of  becoming  His  servants  and  messengers.  In  Luke 
V.  4  we  have  the  details  of  a  scene  connected  with 
this  calling.  Wieseler  rightly  distinguishes,  1.  be- 
tween their  preUminary  call,  implying  discipleship  in 
general  and  adoption  of  His  cause,  but  without  any 
special  obligation,  John  i.  35  sqq. ;  2.  their  selection 
as  continuous  and  regular  followers  of  the  Lord, 
Matt.  iv.  18  sqq.  (also  Luke  v.  4) ;  and  3.  the  choice 
of  twelve  to  be  Apostles,  Matt.  x.  2-4.  These  stages 
may  also  be  arranged  as  follows:  1.  Reception  as 

*  [Accordins  to  Lieut.  Symonds  it  is  32'?,  according  to 
Lieut.  Lynch  653  feet  below  the  level  of  the  Mediterranean. 
^'e«  the  various  Biblic.  Dictionaries. — P.  S.] 


disciples  in  the  most  general  sense  (catechumens) ; 
2.  selection  for  service,  by  continuous  following  of 
the  Lord  (Evangelists) ;  3.  selection  to  be  tlie  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Lord,  with  bestowal  of  the  power  to 
work  miracles  (Apostles).  The  latter  distinction 
was,  however,  bestowed  upon  the  Apostles  with  cer- 
tain conditions  and  hmitations,  until  after  the  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  day  of  Pentecost 
(Acts  ii.  4). 

I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men. — The  mean- 
ing evidently  is,  that  by  devotion,  [)rudcncc,  and  per- 
severance, they  were  to  gain  soids  for  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  from  the  sea  of  the  world.  Thus  the  im- 
agery employed  by  the  Saviour  connects  their  former 
with  their  new  vocation, — their  secular  employment 
serving  as  emblem  of  their  spiritual  calling.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  words  indicate  the  infinite  superiori- 
ty of  the  work  to  which  they  were  now  called. 

Ver.  21.  James  the  son  of  Zebedee. — From 
this  passage  it  has  rightly  been  inferred,  that  James 
was  the  elder  brother  of  John.  The  sons  of  Zebedee, 
too,  immediately  relinquished  their  former  occupa- 
tion at  the  moment  when  they  were  about  to  resume 
it  with  fresh  ardor.  Another  feature  in  their  spirit- 
ual history  is,  that  along  with  their  nets,  they  are 
called  to  leave  their  father  also.  The  narrative  seems 
to  imply  that  Zebedee  gave  his  consent. 

DOCTRINAL   AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  "  The  sea  is  the  emblem  of  the  world.  The 
number  four  is  the  symboHc  number  of  the  world." 
The  first  step  in  the  conquest  of  the  world  was  taken 
when  Jesus  summoned  these  four  Apostles  to  become 
fishers  of  men  to  all  the  world. 

Christ's  spiritual  renunciation  of  the  world  forms 
the  commencement  of  its  spiritual  conquest.  Thia 
conquest  is  accomplished  by  the  power  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  and  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  of 
which  Jesus  has  become  the  king  by  His  renuncia- 
tion of  the  world.  Among  these  four  disciples,  Pe- 
ter may  be  regarded  as  representing  the  foundation 
of  the  new  church ;  James  the  elder  (as  James  the 
younger  at  a  later  date)  the  government  and  preser- 
vation of  the  same.  Upon  Andrew  it  devolved  to 
prepare  the  way  of  the  Gospel,  and  its  extension 
throughout  the  world ;  wlide  John  sounded  the  in- 
most depths  of  spiritual  realities.  In  striking  con- 
trast with  the  practice  sanctioned  by  corrupt  tradi- 
tionalism, the  Lord  chose  as  His  instruments  pious 
though  unlearned  fishermen,  and  not  Rabbins. 
These  humble  men  had,  indeed,  also  their  prejudices, 
which  required  to  be  overcome,  but  in  vastly  diflerent 
measure  from  the  learned  of  that  age.  It  is  there- 
fore an  entire  mistake  on  the  part  of  some  older  di- 
vines, to  speak  of  the  want  of  proper  quaUfication 
and  preparation  in  the  disciples. 

2.  Luther: — "If  the  Gospel  required  the  poten- 
tates of  this  world  for  its  planting  and  preservation, 
God  would  not  have  committed  it  to  fishermen." 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Christ's  retirement  by  the  Sea  of  GMilee  the 
inauguration  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The  com- 
mencement of  the  new  era. — The  Lord's  walking 
His  most  glorious  work. — The  irresistible  power  of 
the  call  of  Jesus  in  the  hearts  of  the  elect.  1.  As 
inherent  in  the  call  itself.  It  is  the  irresistible 
power,  (a)  of  the  Redeemer,  the  God-Man ;  {b)  of  the 
Holy  Spuit  setting  us  free ;  (c)  of  blessed  love ;  (d) 


94 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


of  supreme  power  guiding  and  directing  us.  2.  As 
springing  from  spiritual  influence  on  the  heart  of  the 
disciples :  (a)  The  Father  drawing  them,  (b)  by  the 
word  of  prophecy ;  (c)  by  their  first  converse  with 
the  Lord. — Only  the  call  of  the  Lord  can  confer  the 
ministerial  office. — Faithfulness  in  a  lower  sphere  is 
the  condition  and  preparation  for  a  higher. — The 
call  of  the  Lord,  Follow  me,  1.  an  invitation  to 
full  communion  with  Him ;  2.  a  demand  of  perfect 
self-renunciation  for  His  sake ;  3.  an  announcement 
of  a  new  sphere  of  activity  under  Him ;  4.  a  promise 
of  rich  reward  from  Him. — The  call  of  Jesus  to  fol- 
low Him,  1.  a  call  to  faith;  2.  a  call  to  labor;  3.  a 
call  to  suffering  and  cross-beai-ing ;  4.  a  call  to  our 
blessed  home. — How  the  Lord  transforms  our  earth- 
ly calling  into  an  emblem  of  our  heavenly. — The 
work  of  apostleship  under  the  simile  of  the  art  of 
fishing.  1.  We  must  know  the  lake;  2.  we  must 
know  how  to  allure ;  3.  we  must  be  able  patiently  to 
wait ;  4.  we  must  be  ready  to  hazard  our  lives ;  5. 
we  must  cast  out  the  net  in  confidence ;  6.  we  must 
expect  a  draught. — The  Divine  character  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  as  manifest  in  this,  that  it  was 
founded  by  unlearned  fishermen  and  publicans. — 
Christ  manifesting  Himself  as  the  heavenly  Master, 
in  the  selection  of  His  first  Apostles. — He  who 
would  follow  the  Lord,  must  be  ready  to  leave  all 
things, — The  four  Apostles,  brethren  after  the  flesh, 


and  brethren  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  1.  A  token 
how  true  brotherly  feeling  leads  to  the  Lord ;  2. 
how  the  highest  brotherhood  is  that  in  the  Lord ;  3. 
how  heavenly  brotherhood  sheds  a  halo  around 
earthly  relationship. — The  four  friends  by  the  Lake 
of  Galilee,  or  the  blessing  of  true  friendship.  1.  It 
leads  to  seeking  the  Lord ;  2.  it  springs  from  finding 
the  Lord. — How  the  sovereignty  of  Christ  over  the 
world  appears  by  His  making  four  fishermen  from 
the  Sea  of  Gahlee  princes  in  the  kingdom  of  God. — 
If  we  are  to  win  others  for  the  Lord,  we  ourselves 
must  have  been  first  won  by  Him. — The  ideal  per- 
fectness  of  every  art  and  vocation  in  Christ. — That 
which  Christ  teaches  He  also  works  in  us. — The 
calling  of  the  Apostles  the  commencement  of  a  new 
creation. 

Starke: — Jesus  still  chooses  teachers  for  His 
work,  nay.  He  has  chosen  them  from  all  eternity. — 
Let  none  fancy  that  he  can  succeed  by  himself;  even 
Christ  chose  assistants. — A  minister  must  be  called 
of  God. — We  must  first  follow  Jesus  ourselves  be- 
fore bringing  others  to  Him. — Let  us  not  only  call 
each  other  brethren,  but  prove  ourselves  such. — He 
who  would  enter  upon  the  ministry  in  the  spirit  of  the 
Apostles,  must  be  ready  to  renounce  every  human  tie. 

Heuhner : — If  Christ  asks  much.  He  also  prom- 
ises much. — The  Apostles  are  our  ensample  how  to 
follow  Christ. 


D.    Chapter  IV.  28-25. 
Contents:— Jesus  passing  through  Galilee  like  an  ordinary  Eatbi,  but  manifesting  Himself  as  the  Saviour  of  all  nations. 


23  And  Jesus  went  about  all  Galilee,  teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and  preaching  the 
gospel  ^  of  the  kingdom,  and  healing  all  manner  of  sickness,  and  all  manner  of  disease, 

24  among  the  people.  And  his  fame  went  throughout  all  Syria :  and  they  brought  unto 
him  all  sick  people  that  were  taken  with  divers  diseases  and  torments,  and  those  which 
were  possessed  with  devils,  and  those  which  were  lunatic,  and  those  that  had  the  palsy ; 

25  and  he  healed  them.  And  there  followed  him  great  multitudes  of  people  from  Galilee, 
and /rom  Decapohs,  and/rom  Jerusalem,  and /rom  Judea,  and/rom  beyond  Jordan. 

'  Ver.  23.— [Lange  liljewise  translates;  Bas  Erangelivm.  I  cannot  agree  with  Dr.  Conant  and  others  who  think  that 
where  evayyeMov  occurs  in  its  original  literal  sense,  it  should  always  be  translated  ffood  news,  or  glad  tidings,  and  that 
gospel  should  be  retained  only  where  the  Greek  has  taken  a  later  tropical  sense.  This  change  is  unnecessary;  for  gospel 
(God's  spell,  or  good  s^jell  =  good  news)  is  the  old  Saxon  equivalent  for  the  Gr.  evayyiMov,  and  so  universally  under- 
stood.'  The  E.  V.  always  translates  the  noun  ihayyiKiov  gospel  {in  77  passages),  but  renders  the  verb  evayyehi^nv 
sometimes  to  preach  the  gospel,  sometimes  to  bring  or  to  declare  glad  tidings.  Comp.  Luke  i.  19 ;  ii.  10 ;  Acts  xiii.  32 ; 
Kom.  X.  15;  1  Thess.  iii.  6.— P.  S.] 

the  Jordan  and  the  Lake  of  Tiberias,  and  on  the 
south  by  Samaria,  where  in  the  west  the  brook  Ki- 
shon,  and  farther  east  a  line  drawn  from  Mount  Ta- 
bor to  Scythopolis,  and  the  promontory  of  Carmel, 
formed  its  boundary.  Originally  the  name  ^"^-pyfl 
(Josh.  XX.  V,  xxi.  32)  was  confined  to  the  circuit  of 
Upper  Galilee ;  afterward  the  province  was  divided 
into  Upper  and  Lower  Galilee.  The  former  was  a 
mountainous  country,  the  latter  partly  level.  Upper 
Galilee  extended  from  Beersheba  to  the  village  of 
Baca,  and  from  the  village  of  TheUa,  near  Jordan,  to 
Meroth.  According  to  Strabo,  it  was  partly  inhabit- 
ed by  Gentiles  (by  Phcenicians,  Syrians,  Arabs ;  ao 
cording  to  Joseph.,  Vita,  xii.,  also  by  Greeks) ;  hence 
the  name,  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles.     The  district  is 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  23.  And  Jesus  went  about  all  Galilee. — 

The  term  probably  implies  only  Upper  Galilee.  The 
passage  may,  however,  be  regarded  as  giving  a  sum- 
mary or  general  view  of  Christ's  activity  throughout 
Galilee.  This  activity  formed  part  of  His  work  in 
the  various  districts  of  Palestine,  since  Matthew  also 
specially  notes  His  labors  in  Persea  and  Judasa.  Gal- 
ilee, in  the  more  general  sense  of  the  term,  formed 
the  northernmost  part  of  Palestine,  being  ten  geo- 
graphical miles  long  and  four  to  five  geographical 
miles  broad,  and  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  sea  and 
Phoenicia,  on  the  north  by  Ccelesyria,  on  the  east  by 


CHAP.  IV.  23-25. 


95 


alpine,  and  of  the  chalk  formation.  Its  mountains 
do  not  rise  to  any  considerable  height ;  the  valleys 
are  very  romantic.  GaUlee  was  a  most  fertile  coun- 
try, equally  adapted  for  agriculture  and  pasturage, 
besides  having  the  lake  within  its  district.  Hence 
the  large  number  of  its  inhabitants  (Joseph.,  De 
Bello  Jud.  iii.  3,  1).  It  contained  404  towns  and 
villages.  The  people  of  Galilee  were  brave,  indus- 
trious, and  intelligent ;  although  the  inhabitants  of 
Judaea  proper  looked  down  upon  them  on  account 
of  their  contact  with  the  heathen  and  their  uncouth 
dialect.  For  further  particulars,  comp.  Winer  [Kit- 
to,  W.  Smith],  and  the  works  on  the  Holy  Land. 

Teaching  in  their  synagogues. — The  general 
sketch  of  Christ's  sphere  of  activity  is  followed  by  a 
description  of  its  peculiar  mode.  Conforming  to 
Jewish  custom,  He  appeared  as  a  travelling  Rabbi 
in  the  various  synagogues  of  Galilee.  The  awayu- 
■)^  (from  (rvuiyw,  the  congregation),  in  the  Sept.  for 
ni^  and  blip.  The  name  embodied  the  idea  that 
each  synagogue  represented  the  congregation  of 
Israel  as  a  whole,  just  as  we  designate  each  particu- 
lar Christian  community  a  church,  in  the  sense  of  its 
embodying  and  representing  the  whole  Church. 
After  the  Babylonish  exile,  the  solemn  gathermg  in 
the  temple,  which  could  only  be  enjoyed  on  special 
occasions,  and  not  without  dlflQculty,  led  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  synagogues,  accessible  in  every  place  and 
to  all,  which  may  be  regarded  as  the  revival — with- 
out the  admixture  of  former  errors — of  the  ancient 
monotheistic  or  orthodox  worship  of  the  "high 
places,"  and  which  unconsciously  served  as  the  pro- 
totype for  the  arrangement  and  form  of  the  Church 
under  the  New  Testament.  According  to  Jewish 
tradition,  the  institution  of  synagogues  dates  from  a 
very  early  period  (comp.  the  art.  in  Winer's  [W. 
Smith,  vol.  iii.,  1396  sqq.,  and  other]  Bibl.  Encycls., 
and  especially  Vitringa,  De  Synagoga  vetere,  1696). 
The  statement  is  correct,  in  so  far  as  it  implies  that 
a  provision  ior  religious  communion  and  edification 
must  have  existed  even  previous  to  the  temple. 
"  During  the  Babylonish  exile,  when  the  Jews  were 
shut  out  from  the  Holy  Land  and  from  the  appoint- 
ed sanctuary,  the  want  of  places  for  religious  meet- 
ings, in  which  the  worship  of  God,  without  sacri- 
fices, could  be  celebrated,  must  have  been  painfully 
felt.  Thus  synagogues  may  have  originated  at  that 
ominous  period.  When  the  Jews  returned  from 
Babylon,  synagogues  were  planted  throughout  the 
country  for  the  purpose  of  affording  opportunities  for 
publicly  reading  the  law,  independently  of  the  regu- 
lar sacrificial  services  of  the  temple  (Neh.  viii.  1, 
etc.).  At  the  time  of  Jesus  there  was  at  least  one 
synagogue  in  every  moderately  sized  town  of  Pales- 
tine (such  as  Nazareth,  Capernaum,  etc.),  and  in  the 
cities  of  Syria,  Asia  Minor,  and  Greece,  in  which 
Jews  resided  (Acts  ix.  2  sqq.).  Larger  towns  pos- 
sessed several  synagogues ;  and  it  is  said  that  there 
were  no  fewer  than  460,  or  even  480,  of  them  in 
Jerusalem  itself." — Winer.  A  kindred  Lastitution 
were  the  -rrpoaevxai,  or  places  where  prayer  was  wont 
to  be  made — oratories,  commonly  situate  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  some  river,  for  the  sake  of  lustra- 
tions (Acts  xvi.  13)';  while  synagogues  were  general- 
ly built  in  some  elevated  situation  (in  allusion  to  the 
position  of  the  temple).  The  synagogue  may  be  re- 
garded as  forming  in  every  respect  the  germ  of  our 
local  Christian  churches.  1.  Their  foundation:  by 
communities,  or  by  private  individuals.  2.  Character : 
sanctuaries.    8.  Time  of  meeting :  on  the  Sabbath,  on 


feast  days ;  afterward  also  on  the  second  and  fifth 
days  of  the  week.  4.  Arrangement :  seats,  separation 
of  sexes.  5.  Mode  of  worship :  prayer,  reading  of  por- 
tions of  Scripture  (the  Law,  the  Prophets,  and  other 
Old  Testament  books — Parashotli,  Haphtharoth,  Me- 
gilloth)  by  a  priest  or  elder ;  expo.-ition  of  the  section 
read,  and  address ;  Uberty  of  putting  questions,  of  ex- 
pressing opinions,  and  of  "dehvering  addresses  (the  pro- 
phetic element) ;  at  the  close,  the  priestly  blessing 
and  prayer  of  the  congregation.  6.  Ofiicials  of  the 
synagogue :  the  president,  or  chief  ruler  {apxoov  rrjs 
(Twayuyn's,  apx^crwaycoyoi) ;  the  elders  {irpea^vrtpoi, 
TToi.uez/es),  who  administered  the  affairs  of  the  syna- 
gogue ;  then  the  servant  or  messenger  of  the  con- 
gregation {legaius  ecclesice),  who  acted  as  precentor, 
clerk,  and  messenger;  and  the  officer,  or  uTrTjperrjy 
[the  attendant  or  minister  who  handed  the  volume 
to  the  reader  and  returned  it  to  its  place,  Luke  iv. 
20]  ;  with  the  addition,  probably,  of  ofiicials  to  col- 
led; the  alms.  7.  Furniture :  seats,  pulpit  or  desk, 
and  bookcase.  8.  Discipline:  greater  and  lesser 
excommimication,  and  bodily  punishments.  Every 
Jewish  town  possessed  its  Sanhedrim,  which  was 
subordinate  to  the  great  Sanhedrim  in  Jerusalem. 
These  Sanhedrims  were  no  doubt  attached  to  the  va- 
rious synagogues  (comp.  Winer,  sub  Synedrium). 
Thus,  in  the  providence  of  God,  the  synagogue  was 
destined  to  form  a  transition  from  the  symbolical 
worship  of  the  Old,  to  the  worship  in  spirit  and  in 
truth  of  the  New,  Testament.  Hence  the  circum- 
stance, that  the  Lord  and  His  Apostles  made  use  of 
the  arrangements  of  the  s}Tiagogue,  must  be  regard- 
ed not  only  as  an  act  of  legal  obedience,  but  also  of 
inissionary  foresight. 

From  various  passages  we  infer  that  at  first  Jesus 
was  regarded  by  His  disciples  as  a  Rabbi  (Mark  ix. 
5  ;  John  i.  38,  etc.).  But  in  their  minds  this  title 
implied  acknowledgment  of  His  claims  as  prophet 
and  Messiah,  and  it  gradually  gave  place  to  full  re- 
cognition of  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God  (Matt.  xvi.  16). 
The  people  also  regarded  the  Lord  at  first  as  a  Rabbi 
(Mark  x.  51 ;  John  xx.  16),  although  the  leading  men 
in  Jerusalem  were  not  willing  to  accede  to  Him  that 
designation  (John  vii.  15).  The  title  Habbi  ("^nn  , 
vir  amplissimus)  was  the  honorary  designation  given 
to  Jewish  teachers  of  the  law  and  scribes  {Magister, 
Doctor).  At  the  time  of  Christ,  there  was  no  formal 
graduation,  as  at  a  later  period ;  although  several 
characteristics  served  to  distmguish  the  regular  order 
of  scribes.  These  were,  1.  adherence  to  a  certaia 
school,  and  to  scholastic  traditions;  2.  a  pecuhar 
method  of  explaming  the  law  and  interpreting  the 
Scriptures ;  3.  connection  with  the  hierarchy  and 
the  orthodoxy  of  the  time  (Pharisaism),  although  a 
number  of  the  scribes  belonged  to  the  sect  of  the 
Sadducees  ;  4.  the  commencement  of  a  regular  organ- 
ization of  the  order.  Some  of  the  Rabbins  were  mem- 
bers or  assessors  of  the  Sanhedrim ;  others  presided 
over  schools ;  while  yet  others  were  employed  as  le- 
gal advisers,  etc.  The  Rabbins  were  regarded  by 
the  people  as  successors  of  the  ancient  prophets,  with 
certain  modifications  adapting  their  oflice  to  the 
wants  of  the  time.  Accoi'dingly,  Ezra  already  bears 
the  title  of  "'£0.  When  the  Lord  Jesus  therefore 
appeared  as  a  Rabbi,  without  having  previously  pass- 
ed through  a  regular  scholastic  training.  He  only 
asserted  the  ancient  right  and  title  of  a  prophet. 

And  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom. 
— Here  it  is  more  definitely  called  the  Gonpd  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven ;  i.  e.,  the  Gospel  which  consti- 


96 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


tuted  the  kingdom  of  lieaven,  and  which  increasingly 
manifested  itself  as  the  (jospel  concerning  Christ,  the 
Lord  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  concerning  rccon- 
cihation  through  Him  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — 
Ei'O77e'A.(0f.  Tlie  meaning  of  the  term  in  classical 
Greek  is,  primarily,  reward  for  good  tidinyn  ;  and, 
secondarily,  the  good  tidings  themselves ;  in  the  New 
Testament,  it  is  used  simply  for  good  tidings.  The 
announcement,  that  the  kingdom  of  Messiah  was  at 
hand,  made  throughout  the  synagogues  of  Galilee, 
was  of  such  deep  and  decisive  importance  as  to  re- 
quire some  confirmation  of  the  prophetic  character 
of  Him  who  declared  it.  Hence  Jesus  jiroved  by  His 
miracles  that  He  was  able  to  heal  all  manner  of 
sickness,  and  all  manner  of  disease  ;  thereby 
confirming  His  word.  But  the  ultimate  aim  of  these 
miracles  was  the  manifestation  of  Jesus  Himself,  and 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  whereby  the  kingdom  of 
darkness  was  vanquished. 

Ver.  24.  His  fame  went  tliroughotit  all  Syria. 
— On  the  one  hand,  throughout  Palestine ;  and,  on 
the  other,  beyond  its  limits  to  Phreuicia  and  Syria 
proper.  Probably  His  fame  spread  along  the  road 
frequented  by  caravans,  which  led  Irom  Damascus  to 
the  Mediterranean  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 

And  they  brought  unto  Him  all  sick  peo- 
ple.— The  passage  must,  of  course,  be  taken  in  a  re- 
stricted sense :  as  far  as  faith  in  His  miraculous  power 
extended,  they  brought  such  sufierers  to  Him. 

That  were  taken  with  divers  diseases  and 
torments. — The  latter  tei-m,  though  refenmg  to  a 
distinct  class  of  suffering,  is  still  a  general  expression. 
Three  peculiar  kinds  of  disease  are  specially  mention- 
ed :  viz.,  those  which  were  possessed  with  dev- 
ils {dononiacs,  Sai,uoi'i(6,u€voi),  lunatics  (epileptics, 
ceKTiuia^uixevoi),  and  those  that  had  the  palsy 
{^nervous  disorders,  ■jrapaKvTiKoi).  Formerly,  com- 
mentators were  wont  to  regard  the  demoniacs  as  per- 
sons whose  bodies  were  possessed  by  the  devil,  or 
by  devils,  but  who  labored  under  no  physical  ailment. 
Rationalistic  interpreters,  on  the  other  hand,  applied 
these  expressions  to  bodily  or  mental  diseases  exclu- 
sively, as  to  mania,  epilepsy,  melancholy,  etc.,  which 
— according  to  their  statement — popular  ignorance 
and  prejudice  regarded  as  a  possession  by  devils. 
Of  late,  however,  sounder  views  have  obtained  ;  and 
we  have  learned  to  recognize  both  elements  in  these 
unfortunate  persons,  viz.,  demoniac  influences,  and 
excitements  produced  by  unclean  spirits,  along  with 
bodily  or  mental  derangements  (see  the  author's  Le- 
ben  Jesu,  ii.  1,  p.  285).  Meyer  (note  to  p.  115)  dis- 
poses rather  summarily  of  this  view,  and  repeats  the 
old  rationalistic  theory.*      The   diiference  between 


*  [Meyer's  view  is  thus  stated  by  liim :  "  Besessene  warcn 
characterisiiche  naturliche  KranJce—Manie,  Fallanckt, 
Melancholie,  Zustdnde  der  Contractheit,  iemporure 
Stummheit  u.  dergl. — deren  Leiden  man  hei  sehcinhar 
physischer  Gesundheit  nicJit  im  abnormen  Organigmus 
Oder  ill  naturlichen  Storungen  des  physischen  I/abitux, 
sondern  in  teufelischer  Besessenheit  begrundet  glaubta.^'' 
He  urges,  among  four  reasons  against  the  old  orthodox 
view,  mainly  the  entire  silence  of  St.  John,  which  he  re- 
t'ards  the  more  significant,  as  John  lays  special  stress 
on  the  destruction  oi'the  works  of  the  devil  by  Christ.  But 
this  silence  concerning  the  healing  of  demoniacs  mnst 
be  accounted  for  on  the  same  ground  as  the  omission  of 
other  and  more  important  facts  in  the  Gospel  of  John,  such 
as  the  parabolic  discourses  of  tJhrist,  the  institution  of  bap- 
tism, and  the  Lord's  Supper,  etc.  This  silence  is  rather  the 
silence  of  approval  of  what  was  already  generally  known  and 
read  in  the  churches  when  he  wrote  his  Gospel.  Aside  from 
doctrinal  considerations  connected  with  the  personal  exist- 
ence of  Satan  and  his  supernatural  agents,  Meyer's  and 'do 
Wette's  view  is  even  e.\egetically  untenable",  unless  we 
choose  to  involve  Christ  in  a  popular  error,  or  to  rellect  on 


the  three  classes  consists  in  this,  that  the  demoniacs 
were  subject  to  disease  through  the  influence  of  un- 
clean spirits,  the  hmatics  through  that  of  the  sidereal 
bodies  (change  of  the  njoon,  etc.),  the  palsied  through 
tliat  of  atmos)jheric  changes.  The  common  charac- 
teristic of  all  these  afflictions  was,  that  their  victims 
were  under  the  absolute  control  of  some  outward 
influence,  whether  spiritual,  psychical,  or  physical. 
They  were,  so  to  speak,  the  representatives  of  those 
more  obscure  and  refined  psychical  and  physical  suf- 
ferings and  dissonances  which  have  been  introduced 
in  the  psychical  and  external  world  by  the  moral  power 
of  darkness.  (For  a  list  of  books  on  Pastoral  Medi- 
cine or  Cure  of  Souls,  see  Ueubncr,  p.  43.) 

Ver.  25.  And  there  followed  Kim  great 
multitudes. — Even  at  this  stage  of  His  ministry, 
multitudes  had  gathered,  who  externally  followed  the 
Lord.  These  v/ere  drawn  in  the  first  instance  from 
Galilee  itself,  and  swelled  by  others  coming  from 
Decapolis,  and  even  from  Jerusalem,  from  the 
land  of  Judeaa,  and  from  beyond  Jordan,  i.  e., 
Perpca.  Decapoiis,  or  the  Ten  Cities,  chiefly  in- 
habited by  Gentile  settlers :  see  Phnius,  Hist.  Nat. 
16,  and  the  Encyclops.  According  to  Ritter,  the  De- 
capolis was  founded  principally  by  veterans  from  the 
army  of  Alexander  (hence  one  of  the  towns  was  call- 
ed Pella,  from  the  city  of  that  name  in  Macedonia). 
The  expression,  Peraea,  refers  probably  to  the  north- 
ern part  of  that  province.  On  the  division  of  Perasa 
into  three  distinct  districts,  comp.  von  Raumer,  Pal- 
estine, p.  205. 

DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Note  the  contrast  between  Jesus  going  from 
place  to  place,  and  the  Baptist  remaining  stationary. 
It  seems  to  represent  the  moving  and  kindly  charac- 
ter of  the  Gospel,  as  embodied  in  a  personal  form. 

2.  From  the  conduct  of  Jesus,  we  infer  that  He 
recognized  the  use  and  place  of  the  synagogue  in  the 
arrangement  of  Divine  Providence.  The  Apostles 
also  observed  the  same  line  of  conduct.* 

3.  The  Lord  now  proclaimed  everywhere  the 
Gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  announce- 
ment, that  a  new  spiritual  order  of  things  was  at 
hand,  was  everywhere  received  as  a  message  of  com- 
ing salvation.  But  the  Lord  also  proclaimed  at  the 
same  time  the  fundamental  laws  and  promises  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  as  appears  from  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount.  By  the  numerous  miracles  which  Jesus 
now  wrought.  He  proved  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
was  really  at  hand  ;  that  its  character  was  spiritual ; 
that  it  was  a  kingdom  of  regeneration ;  and  that  this 
new  spiritual  life  consisted  in  a  heavenly  influence 
and  a  Divine  power,  which  restored  not  only  the  dis- 
eased and  departed  life,  but  also  the  dead  and  dis- 
eased heart.  Thus  it  also  clearly  appeared  that  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  was  indissolubly  connected  with 
the  person  of  Jesus.  By  His  miracles,  He  revealed 
Himself  in  His  glory  as  the  centre  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.     On  miracles,  comp.  below,  ch.  viii. 

His  veracity,  which  is  not  to  be  thought  of  for  a  single  mo- 
ment. For  the  haiixovi^Sn^voi.  are  dearly  and  repeatedly 
distinguished  in  the  Gospels  from  ordinary  physical  diseases, 
and  represented  as  persons  who  are  epiritually  afflicted  and 
possessed  or  interpenetrated  as  it  were  by  a  double  con- 
sciousness and  a  double  will,  the  one  being  foreign  to  tht^m 
and  taking  forcible  possession  of  their  physical  frame  for  a 
time.  Christ  moreover  addresses  the  evil  spirits  as  distinct 
from  the  persons  possessed  by  them;  and  these  spirits  pass 
out  from  one  person  into  another,  or  even  into  a  herd  of 
swine.  Comp.  also,  on  the  general  subject,  the  remarks  of 
Dr.  Trench,  On  the  Miracles,  "p.  160,  and  Dr.  Altbrd  on 
Matt.  viii.  32  (4th  ed,  vol.  i.  p.  79  sq.).— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  V.  1-16. 


97 


4.  Like  John,  Jesus  produced  by  His  preaching 
a  general  impression  upon  the  people,  but  in  a  higher 
measure.  John  remained  stationary,  Jesus  went 
about ;  John  announced  the  wrath  to  come,  Jesus 
brought  to  light  the  hfe-giving  power  of  the  Gospel ; 
John  displayed  only  one  miracle,  that  of  self-renunci- 
ation and  the  moral  greatness  of  a  true  prophet  as 
exhibited  in  his  own  history ;  he  did  no  wonders ; 
while  it  appeared  as  the  inmost  and  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  Christ's  life  to  work  miracles  of  heal- 
ing, of  deliverance,  of  comfort,  and  of  salvation. — To 
John  the  people  flocked  in  numbers,  again  to  return 
to  their  homes ;  while  of  those  who  betook  themselves 
to  Jesus,  many  remained  to  follow  Him  whithersoever 
He  went. 

5.  In  measure  as  the  kingdom  of  heaven  shall 
appear  in  the  Church,  the  same  Divine  power — the 
same  power  of  faith,  of  love  and  of  hfe,  and  the  same 
heavenly  courage  which  ascends  to  heaven  and  de- 
scends from  it,  to  diffuse  that  which  is  heavenly,  will 
also  manifest  itself. 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

Christ  went  about  doing  good  to  all. — 1.  He  went 
about  in  the  omnipotence  of  His  love.  2.  He  did  good 
to  all  in  the  omnipotence  of  His  love. — The  labors  of 
ministers  should  extend  to  all  withhi  the  sphere  of 
their  activity. — Galilee,  or  the  circuit  of  the  Gentiles, 
becomes  the  chcuit  of  the  new  life. — In  preaching 
the  Gospel,  we  should  follow  up  God's  preparatory 
agencies  and  dispensations. — Evangehsts  should  en- 
deavor to  find  proper  starting-points  for  their  work. 
— The  teaching  of  Jesus  in  its  fulness.  It  is,  1.  a 
preaching  (an  appeal  to  the  heart,  announcing  some- 
thing new) ;  2.  it  is  Gospel ;  3.  it  is  the  Gospel  of 
the  kingdom ;  4.  it  conveys  salvation. — Defects  to  be 


avoided  in  the  Church  :  1.  It  is  sad  when  teaching 
ceases  to  be  preaching ;  2.  more  sad  when  preaching 
ceases  to  be  teaching  ;  3.  most  sad  when  preaching 
ceases  to  be  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  ;  4.  not  less 
sad  when  destitute  of  the  pov.'cr  of  life. — In  oifr  days 
also,  demonstration  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  which 
we  preach  is  indispensable. — The  practical  demon- 
stration of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  should  be  as  fol- 
lows :  1.  Our  preachmg  should  always  bear  the  un- 
press  of  the  love  of  Christ,  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
of  power.  2.  It  should  always  be  adapted  to  the 
wants  of  the  age. — The  secret  of  Christ's  power  of 
helping  His  people  lay  in  their  spiritual  boldness  :  1. 
Based  on  spiritual  humility  ;  2.  springing  from  spirit- 
ual faith ;  3.  manifestmg  itself  in  spiritual  love ;  4. 
evidenced  by  spiritual  life. — Spiritual  cowardice  opens 
the  door  to  the  enemy. — Jesus  still  removes  every 
manner  of  sickness  and  disease. — The  fame  of  Jesus 
prepares  the  way  for  the  word  of  Jesus. — The  Sa- 
viour from  sin  is  also  the  Saviour  from  evil. — He 
healed  all  that  came  unto  Him. — In  trouble  and  ne- 
cessity we  learn  to  know  our  Deliverer. — The  king- 
dom of  Christ  commencing  amidst  poverty  and  mis- 
ery. The  relation  between  those  who  follow  the  won- 
der-worker, and  those  who  follow  the  Crucified  One. 
— Conversion  the  evidence  of  true  awakening. — Jesus 
gathers  His  people.  1.  How  ?  2.  For  what  pur- 
pose? 

Starke: — Christ  extends  His  kingdom  by  the 
Gospel,  not  with  carnal  weapons. — It  is  a  small  thing 
for  Him  who  gives  us  eternal  life  to  restore  our  bod- 
ily life. — AU  Christ's  miracles  are  blessings. 

Heuhner : — These  cures  of  Jesus  are  important ; 
as  being  so  many  blessings  and  deUverances  of  wretch- 
ed and  needy  persons  ;  as  revelations  of  His  goodness 
and  love ;  as  evidence  of  His  divine  mission ;  as 
pointing  to  the  spiritual  deliverance  which  He  wrought 


PART     SECOND. 

Christ  manifesting  Himself  in  outward  obscm-ity  as  the  true  Saviour,  by  His 
"works ;  and  proving  Himself  the  promised  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King,  in  His  contin- 
ual conflict  ^7ith  the  spurious  notions  entertained  by  the  Jews  concerning  the  Mes- 
siah (ch.  v.-x\'i,  12). 


FIRST    SECTION. 

CHRIST  MANIFESTING  HIMSELF  AS  THE  PROPHET.     A.  AS   TEACHER  OF  THE  KINGDOM 
OF  HEAVEN.     THE   SERMON   ON  THE   MOUNT,  CH.  V.-VH. 


Structure  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mourd. — The  grand  fundamental  idea  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  is  to 
present  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  its  relation  to  that  of  the  Old  Testament  theoc- 
racy. This  idea  is  arranged  in  three  parts.  Part  first,  which  comprises  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  in 
the  narrower  sense,  presents  the  nature  and  character  of  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
from  the  commencement  of  spiritual  life  to  its  completion.  Ch.  v.  1-16. — At  the  close  of  this  sectiou, 
7 


98 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


the  contrast  between  this  righteousness  and  that  of  Jewish  traditionalism  is  brought  out  in  its  fullest 
manifestation  (to  suifer  persecution  for  Christ's  sake).  Tliis  induces  the  Lord  to  explain,  in  Part  2, 
the  relation  between  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  licaven  (in  doctrine  and  life)  and  that  of  the 
Jewish  theocracy.'  The  former  is  the  genuine  fullihnent  of  the  Old  Testament  theocracy  (of  the  Law 
and  the  Prophets),  in  opposition  to  that  false  development  of  Jewish  traditionahsm,  which  only  pre- 
served the  letter  of  the  law  and  the  prophets.  Ch.  v.  lY-vii.  6. — As  the  first  section  contained  a  de- 
scription of  the  elevation  of  (he  blessed  to  their  final  reward  in  heaven,  although  their  course  seems  to 
the  world  one  of  continual  humiliation ;  so  the  second  section  exhibits  the  i-ighteousness  of  the  Piiari- 
sees  in  its  real  character  and  results,  to  the  judgment  which  shall  finally  sweep  it  away  (beneath  "  dogs 
and  swine  "),  although  to  the  world  it  seems  to  rise  to  the  greatest  height  of  exaltation.  Lastly,  Christ 
shows  in  the  third  and  practical  section,  how  to  avoid  the  false  and  choose  the  right  way ;  indicating, 
at  the  same  time,  the  mode  and  manner  of  genuine  spiritual  life  (ch.  vii.  7-27).  The  concluding  verses 
(vers.  28  and  29)  record  the  impression  produced  by  this  sermon  of  Jesus. 

LiTERATiTEE :— Comp.  Tholuck,  Comment,  on  the  Serm.on  on  the  Mount,  4th  ed..  1856  [transl.  into  End.  by  E.  Lundin 
Brown,  Kdinb.  and  Pliilad.,  1860] ;  Klinff,  Die  Berqpredigt  Ohrinti,  Marburg,  1841 ;  Arndt,  Die  Bergpredigt  Jem  Christi, 
Magdeb.,  1837  and  1838;  Braune,  Die  Bergpredigt  umeres  Ilerrn  Jesu  Ohristi,  2d  ed.,  Altenburg,  1855.— For  the  older 
literature  of  tlie  subject,  see  Winor,  Danz,  and  Heubner. 


The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  in  the  narrower  sense.  The  law  of  the  Spirit.  The  fundamental  laws  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  as  fundamental  promises  and  beatitudes  of  the  Gospel.  Gradual  progress  upward 
to  perfectness  in  righteousness,  or,  what  is  the  same,  in  Christ. 

Chapter  V.  1-16. 
(^Vers.  1-12,  the  Gospel  for  the  l^th  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 


And  seeing  the  multitudes,  he  went  up  into  a  mountain ;  and  when  he  was  set  [had 
sat  down],  his  disciples  came  unto  [to]  him :  And  he  opened  his  mouth,  and  taught 
them,  saying.  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit:  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Blessed  are  they  that  mourn:  for  they  shall  be  comforted.  Blessed  are  the  meek: 
for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth.'  Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness :  for  they  shall  be  filled.  Blessed  are  the  merciful :  for  they  shall  obtain 
mercy.     Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see  God.     Blessed  are  the  peace- 

10  makers:  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  God.     Blessed  are  they  which  are  per- 

1 1  secuted  for  righteousness'  sake :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Blessed  are  ye, 
when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against 

12  you  falsely,^  for  my  sake.     Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad;  for  great  is  your  reward 

13  in  heaven:  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets  which  [who]  were  before  you.  Ye  are 
the  salt  of  the  earth :  but  if  the  salt  have  lost  its  savour,  wherewith  shall  it  be  salted  ? 
it  is  thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out,  and  to  be  trodden  under  foot  of 

14  men.     Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world.     A  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill  cannot  be  hid. 

15  Neither  do  men  light  a  candle  and  put  it  under  a  [the]  ^  bushel,  but  on  a  candlestick; 

16  and  it  giveth  light  unto  all  that  are  in  the  house.  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men, 
that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven. 

'  Ver.  5. — The  transposition  of  the  second  and  third  beatitudes  in  Lachmann's  and  Tischendorf  s  editions  is  not  suflS- 
ciently  sustained  by  the  testimony  of  Uod.  D.,  the  Vulgate,  etc.,  and  is  at  war  with  the  logical  order  of  the  beatitudes. 

^  Ver.  11. — Falsely,  ^^evSofjiffoi,  is  poorly  supported,  and  superfluous  on  account  of  the  words  :  for  My  saJce.  [The 
evidence  against  i^ewSoMfO'  is  hardly  sufficient  to  justify  its  removal  from  the  text.  The  Vatican  codex  (as  given  by 
Buttmann)  and  other  weighty  MSS.  and  ancient  versions  have  it,  and  Alford,  Wordsworth,  and  Tregelles  retain  it,  but 
Trcgelles  marks  it  as  doubtful.    As  to  the  connection,  ^evZ6ii.evoi.  belongs  to  stiTuai,  or  all  the  three  preceding  verbs,  but 

not  to  iirtKiV  fJJ.OV. — P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  15.— [The  definite  article  here  indicates  the  fimiliar  household  measure.— P.  S.] 

central-point  of  Christ's  ministry  in  Galilee.  It  was  de- 
livered during  the  first  year  of  His  public  career,  some 
time  between  the  winter  of  781  and  the  spring  of  782 
A.  U.  "  The  activity  of  John  by  the  banks  of  Jor- 
dan probably  continued  till  toward  the  winter  of  the 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

General  Remarks  on  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 
-The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  may  be  regarded  as  the 


CHAP.  V.  1-16. 


99 


year  781.  While  lie  baptized  in  Galilee,  Christ  la- 
bored in  Judoea.  About  the  time  that  John  was  im- 
prisoned in  Galilee,  tlie  Sanliedrim  of  Jerusalem  be- 
gan to  view  witli  dislike  the  growing  authority  of 
Jesus.  On  this  account.  He  left  Judfpa,  and  retired 
to  GaUlce.  In  the  spring  of  the  year  782,  John  was 
still  in  prison.  At  that  time  he  sent  the  well-known 
embassy  to  Christ.  From  Matt.  xi.  1,  2,  we  gather 
that  this  inquiry  was  made  at  the  close  of  the  first 
journey  of  Clirist  through  Galilee ;  hence  before  His 
attending  the  least  of  Purim,  which  is  related  in  the 
Gospel  of  John  (ch.  v.).  Soon  afterward  the  execu- 
tion of  John  took  place,  probably  between  Purim 
and  Easter  of  the  year  782  "  {see  my  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  ] , 
p.  162). 
I  'V\'  e  mark  three  stages  in  the  journey  of  Jesus 
through  Galilee.  The  first  comprises  the  journey  of 
Christ  through  the  mountainous  district  of  Upper 
Galilee.  This  is  alluded  to  in  general  terms  by  Mat- 
thew in  ch.  iv.  23.  The  calling  of  the  first  four 
Apostles,  together  with  tlie  miraculous  draught  of 
fishes,  Luke  v.  1,  and  the  sermon  of  the  Lord  by  the 
Lake  of  Galilee,  preceding  that  miracle,  formed  the 
commencement  of  this  journey.  Its  close  is  marked 
by  the  Sermon  on  tlie  Mount.  On  His  second  jour- 
ney, the  Lord  passed  beyond  the  bounds  of  Galilee 
proper  into  Upper  Pera;a.  This  tour  commenced 
with  His  second  sermon  by  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  on 
which  occasion  the  Lord  probably  uttered  the  greater 
part  of  the  parables  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Other  three  Apostles  were  now  added  to  the  former. 
That  journey  closed  with  the  expulsion  of  the  Lord 
from  Gadara,  and  some  conflicts  between  Jesus  and 
the  Pharisees,  and  a  few  of  the  disciples  of  John 
(Matt.  ix.).  During  His  third  tour,  the  Lord  passed 
through  the  towns  on  the  Lake  of  Galilee  to  Lower 
Galilee,  and  toward  Samaria  and  Judsea.  The  num- 
ber of  the  assistants  and  followers  of  Jesus  was  now 
increased  from  seven  to  twelve,  who  are  set  apart  as 
His  Apostles.  The  four  companions  of  His  first 
journey,  and  the  seven  who  attended  Him  during 
the  second,  had  only  been  His  followers ;  but  others 
are  now  added  to  their  number.  They  are  set  apart 
to  be  His  Apostles ;  and  the  Lord  sends  them  before 
Him, — as  yet,  however,  with  Umited  powers,  and  for 
a  definite  purpose.  The  narrative  of  this  journey 
commences  with  the  calling  of  the  Apostles,  and 
with  the  instructions  given  to  them.  While  the 
Apostles  precede  the  Lord,  holy  women  gather 
around  and  minister  unto  Him  (Luke  viii.  1-3).  The 
towns  of  Magdala,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  west- 
em  shore  of  the  lake,  and  Nain,  between  the  south- 
em  side  of  Mount  Tabor  and  the  Lower  Hermon,  are 
mentioned  as  special  points  touched  during  this  jour- 
ney. Its  goal — as  appears  from  the  sending  of  the 
twelve  Apostles — was  Jerusalem,  where,  according 
to  John  v.,  Jesus  attended  the  feast  of  Purim.  This 
journey,  wliich  was  intended  to  terminate  in  Judaea, 
was  interrupted  by  two  events — the  resolution  of  the 
Sanhedrim  at  Jerusalem  to  compass  the  death  of 
Jesus  (John  vii.  1),  and  the  execution  of  John  tlie 
Baptist  (Matt.  xiv.  12  ;  Mark  vi.  30  ;  Luke  ix.  10). 

A  close  review  of  this  tour  shows  that  Jesus  un- 
dertook three  public  journeys  to  Jerusalem  in  order  to 
awake  the  attention  of  His  people,  and  to  lead  them 
to  decide  for  the  truth  (John  ii.  13  ;  v. ;  xii.  9) 

It  is  important  to  understand  the  relation  be- 
tween the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  as  given  by  Matthew 
and  the  account  of  it  in  Luke  vi.  1 2  sqq. 

According  to  Augustine  {De  consensu  evanj.  ii. 
19),  Andr.  Osiander,  Biisching,  Hess,  Storr,  Gratz, 


and  others,  the  two  sermons  were  delivered  at  differ- 
ent times.  But  most  modern  interpreters  are  agreed 
that  they  are  only  two  different  accounts  of  one  and 
the  same  sermon  of  Jes\is.  Calvin,  Schneckeubur- 
ger,  and  Olsliauson  hold  that  the  account  in  Matthew 
is  the  less  authentic  of  the  two ;  while  Tholuek,  Eb- 
rard,  and  Meyer  (p.  1(38),  think  that  Luke  derived 
his  narrative  from  Matthew.  Lastly,  according  to 
Strauss,  neither  of  the  two  accounts  is  strictly  au- 
thentic. In  our  opinion,  they  should  be  regarded  as 
two  different  sermons  delivered  in  close  succession, 
— the  one  on  the  summit  of  a  mountain  in  Galilee, 
the  other,  on  a  lower  ridge  of  the  same  mountain ; 
the  one,  addressed  only  to  His  disciples  ;  the  other, 
to  all  the  people  who  had  followed  Him.  Still,  so  far 
as  their  fundamental  ideas  and  real  subject-matter 
arc  concerned,  the  two  sermons  are  identical,  differ- 
ing only  in  form  and  adaptation, — that  reported  by 
Matthew  being  addressed  to  the  disciples,  and  hence 
esoteric  in  its  form ;  while  that  given  by  Luke  is  ex- 
oteric, being  addressed  to  the  people.  The  funda- 
mental idea  of  both  is  evidently  the  same — the  ex- 
altation of  the  humble  and  the  humiUation  of  the 
proud.  This  idea  is  couched  so  as  to  correspond  to 
the  description  of  the  Jewish  year  of  jubilee,  and 
expressed  in  the  form  of  beatitudes.  But  the  differ- 
ent aspects  under  which  this  fundamental  truth  is 
presented,  show  that  originally  two  sermons  had  been 
delivered  by  the  Lord  ;  for,  1.  the  number  of  the  be- 
atitudes is  not  the  same  in  the  two  sermons,  and  the 
beatitudes  themselves  are  differently  couched  ;  2.  in 
the  Gospel  by  Luke,  there  is  always  a  woe  to  corre- 
spond to  each  of  the  beatitudes.  This  contrast  ap- 
pears, indeed,  also  in  that  portion  of  the  sermon,  as 
reported  by  Matthew,  which  treats  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  Pharisees  and  its  consequences,  but  in  a 
form  quite  different  from  that  in  Luke.  Add  to  this, 
3.  the  difference  in  the  account  of  the  locaUty  and  the 
audience.  According  to  Matthew,  Jesus  delivered 
the  sermon  on  the  top  of  a  mountain,  and  sitting ; 
while  Luke  relates  that  He  came  down  and  stood 
in  the  plain  or  on  a  plateau,  to  preach  to  the  people. 
According  to  Matthew,  "  seeing  the  multitudes,"  He 
retired  among  His  disciples  ;  while  Luke  records  that 
He  came  down  with  His  disciples,  and  stood  among 
the  multitude  in  order  to  address  them.  "  Thus  we 
have  evidently  two  different  discourses  on  the  same 
subject,  and  containing  the  same  elements ;  and,  be- 
fore we  adopt  any  hypothesis  which  would  represent 
the  one  as  inferior  to  the  other,  we  should  first  endea- 
vor to  study  them  more  closely,  and  to  understand  the 
peculiar  characteristics  of  the  two  Gospels.  Viewed 
in  that  light,  these  discourses  bear  each  a  distinctive 
character.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  strictly  so 
called,  is  a  discourse  which  Christ  could  not,  at  the 
time,  have  addressed  to  the  people  generally.  This 
remark  specially  applies  to  His  description  of  the 
Pharisees  and  scribes,  and  of  their  righteousness,  and 
to  His  exposition  of  the  contrast  between  His  own 
teaching  and  theirs.  Manifestly,  Jesus  could  not 
have  addressed  in  this  manner  the  Jewish  people  gen- 
erally, without  thereby  needlessly  exposing  His  own 
followers.  Nor  were  the  people  prepared  to  under- 
stand or  receive  such  doctrine.  And  even  though 
we  were  to  assume  that  the  Evangelist  had  introduced 
into  this  discourse  some  things  said  on  other  occa- 
sions, yet  this  sermon  is  so  thoroughly  connected  in 
its  structure,  that  it  is  impossible  to  ascribe  its  com- 
position, so  far  as  its  leading  features  are  concerned, 
to  the  Evangelist  himself."  (Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  369.) 
Manifestly,  this  discourse  is  esoteric — an  exposition 


100 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven in  their  ri.'lation  to  the  teacliing  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  to  the  ordhiances  and  practices  of  a  spuri- 
ous traditionalism,  which  could  only  have  been  in- 
tended for  the  disciples.  Hence  the  choice  of  the  lo- 
cality, the  retirement  from  the  multitude,  and  the  gath- 
ering of  the  disciples  around  Him.  The  Evangelist, 
indeed,  records  at  the  close,  "  that  the  people  were 
astonished  at  His  doctrine ; "  but  this  apparent  inac- 
curacy— on  our  supposition — only  confirms  the  view 
that,  after  His  descent  from  the  mountain,  the  Lord 
addressed  to  the  people  generally  the  discourse  com- 
municated by  Luke.  The  latter  is  just  what  we  would 
have  expected  in  the  circumstances — a  popular  and 
lively  address,  short,  and  illustrated  by  similes.  This 
exoteric  form  agrees  with  the  context  as  mentioned 
by  Luke,  who  records  that  Jesus  delivered  this  ad- 
dress standing  among  the  people,  though  His  eye 
would,  no  doubt,  chiefly  rest  in  blessing  upon  the 
disciples. 

Tlio  time  w/ien  tlicRe  two  discourses  were  delivered. 
— From  some  events  recorded  by  Luke  before  his 
account  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  (ch.  vi.  1,  etc.), 
it  might  appear  to  have  liecn  deUvcred  at  a  later 
period.  But  this  aj)parent  inaccuracy  must  have 
been  occasioned  by  considerations  connected  with  the 
structure  of  his  Gospel.  The  context  shows  that  both 
Evangehsts  record  it  qs  having  taken  place  at  the 
same  tune.  Both  in  Lnke  and  in  Matthew  the  history 
of  the  centurion  of  Capernaum  immediately  follows 
the  Sermon  on  tlie  Mount.  Manifestly,  then,  the  two 
discourses  were  delivered  during  the  same  jouj-uey  of 
Jesus  through  Galilee.  Similarly,  the  circumstances 
mentioned  by  Luke  prove  that  the  discourse  reported 
by  him  followed  immediately  upon  that  reported  by 
Matthew.  According  to  Matthcv/,  Jesus  left  the  multi- 
tude, and  retired  with  His  disciples  to  the  top  of  the 
Diountam  ;  while  Luke  relates  that  He  again  descend- 
ed from  the  mountain,  with  His  disciples,  "  into  the 
plain  "  (fVl  rijitov  TTe^ivov),  among  the  waiting  multi- 
tude. If  to  this  we  add  the  manifest  internal  connec- 
tion between  the  two  discourses,  we  obtain  a  very 
distinct  view  of  the  subject.  On  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tain Jesus  addressed  to  His  disciples  the  discourse 
about  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  an  esoteric  form : 
while  unmediately  afterward  He  repeated  it  in  an  ex- 
oteric form,  in  the  midst  of  the  people,  on  a  plateau 
of  the  same  mountain. 

The  locality,  or  the  mountain. — According  to 
Latin  tradition,  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes  was  what  is 
now  called  the  "  Horns  of  Hattin.,''^  between  Mount 
Tabor  and  Tiberias.  Robmson  gives  the  following 
description  of  this  mountain  (ii.  p.  3V0) :  "  The  road 
passes  down  to  Hattin  on  the  west  of  the  Tell;  as 
we  approached,  we  turned  off  from  the  path  toward 
the  right,  m.  order  to  ascend  the  Eastern  Horn. — As 
seen  on  this  side,  the  Tell  or  mountain  is  merely  a 
low  ridge,  some  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  height,  and  not 
ten  minutes  in  length  from  i  ast  to  west.  At  its  east- 
ern end  is  an  elevated  point  or  horn,  perhaps  sixty 
feet  above  the  plain ;  and,  at  the  western  end,  another 
not  so  high ;  these  give  to  the  ridge,  at  a  distance, 
the  appearance  of  a  saddle,  and  are  called  Kurun 
Hattin,  '  Horns  of  Hattin.'  But  the  singularity  of 
this  ridge  is,  that,  on  reaching  the  top,  you  find  that 
it  lies  along  the  very  border  of  the  great  southern 
plain,  where  this  latter  sinks  off  at  once  by  a  precip- 
itous offset,  to  the  lower  plain  of  Hattin,  from  which 
the  northern  side  of  the  Tell  rises  very  steeply,  not 

much  less  than  400  feet The  summit  of  the 

Eastern  Horn  is  a  little  circular  plain  ;  and  the  top 


of  the  lower  ridge  hdviecn  the  two  horns  is  also  flat- 
tened to  a  plain.  The  whole  mountain  is  of  lime- 
stone."— The  situation  and  the  appearance  of  this 
mountain  agree  well  with  the  supposition  that  it  was 
the  Mount  of  Beatitudes.  It  lay  in  a  southwesterly 
direction,  about  seven  miles  from  Capernaum.  We 
can  well  conceive  that,  when,  on  His  return  from  the 
journey  tlirough  Galilee,  Jesus  reached  this  point, 
lie  partly  dismissed  tlie  multitudes  who  had  followed 
Him.  The  description  of  the  top  of  the  mountain, 
and  of  "  the  plain,"  agrees  with  the  requirements  of  ' 
the  case.  Robinson  has  indeed  shown  that  no  weighty 
grounds  can  be  urged  in  favor  of  this  tradition  (li.  p. 
371).  It  is  found  only  in  the  Latin  Church,  and  is 
first  mentioned  in  the  13th  century  by  Brocardus 
[about  A.  I).  1283]  ;  while  this  tradition  is  apparent- 
ly contradicted  by  another,  which  designates  the  same 
mountain  as  the  spot  where  Christ  fed  the  five  thou- 
sand with  the  five  loaves.  Still,  no  valid  ground  can 
be  urged  against  it.  A  striking  historical  illus- 
tration, by  way  of  contrast,  is  connected  with  the 
Homs  of  Hattin,  assmuing  that  ridge  to  be  the  Mount 
of  Beatitudes.  On  the  spot  where  Jesus  had  de- 
scribed the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  pronounced  the 
meek  and  the  peacemakers  blessed,  the  most  bloody 
battles  have  been  fought !  {See  C.  v.  Raumer,  p.  37.) 
On  the  5th  of  July,  1187,  the  celebrated  battle  of  Hattin 
took  place,  in  which  the  last  remnant  of  the  Crusa- 
ders was  destroyed  on  the  height  of  Tell  Hattin,  after 
the  army  had  been  beaten  by  Sultan  Saladin  in  the 
valley.  Again,  on  the  plain  of  Jezrcel,  Bonaparte 
defeated,  in  1799,  with  3000  men,  an  army  of  25,000 
Turks. — From  the  frequent  repetition  of  the  expres- 
sion, Jesus  went  up  into  a  moiuitain,  eis  rh  6pos, 
Gfrorer  and  Bruno  Bauer  have  inferred  that  the 
mountain  was  merely  mythical,  and  that  it  always 
referred  to  one  and  the  same  locality.  But  m  all 
these  narratives,  the  term  "  mountain "  is  used  in 
contradistinction  to  the  places  where  the  people  -were 
encamped  {Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  670).  Ebrard  {Krit- 
ik,  etc.,  p.  349)  suggests  that  the  expression  is  suffi- 
ciently explained  by  the  circumstance,  that  through- 
out Palestine  there  was  no  plain  from  which  moun- 
tains rose,  but  that  the  country  was  an  extended 
plain  intersected  by  valleys.  But  this  is  only  par- 
tially true,  as  there  are  considerable  mountain-tops 
in  tlic  country  ;  although  the  configuration  of  Pales- 
tine may  partly  have  given  rise  to  such  a  general 
mode  of  expression  as  "  to  c/o  up  into  a  moimtain.''^ 

Occasion  of  this  address. — Accordmg  to  Wiesc- 
ler  (Chronologische  Si/nopse,  p.  205),  the  year  from 
the  autumn  779  to  that  of  780  had  been  a  sabbatical 
year.  Thus  the  remembrance  of  the  jubilee  was  still 
fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  people.  For,  although  the 
peculiar  ordinances  coimected  with  the  jubilee  were 
no  longer  observed  even  at  the  time  of  the  prophets, 
the  symboUcal  import  of  the  institution  must  still 
have  been  cherished  by  the  people.  The  passage 
from  Isaiah  Ixi.,  which  Jesus  had  shortly  before  read 
in  the  synagogue  at  Nazareth  (Luke  iv.  14,  etc.),  re- 
ferred to  the  year  of  grace  of  the  Lord.  The  sym- 
bolical idea  of  this  institution  which  had  pervaded  the 
song  of  Mary,  was  fully  unfolded  and  developed  in 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.    (Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  571.) 

Relation  between  tlie  Sermon  on  the  Mount  as 
reported  by  Matthew,  and  the  parallel  passages  in 
Luke  and  Mark. — This  relation  is  explained,  1.  by 
the  difference  between  the  two  discourses ;  2.  by  the 
circumstance  that  Luke  records  in  other  passages  the 
admonitions  which  were  specially  addressed  to  the 
1  disciples.     This  remark  applies  more  especially  to 


CHAP.  V.  1-16. 


101 


the  Lord's  Prayer,  Luke  xi.  1-4 ;  to  the  admonition 
to  prayer,  vers.  9-13  ;  to  the  simile  in  vers.  84-30  ; 
and  to  the  warning  against  excessive  care  for  the 
things  of  this  Ufo,  Luke  xii.  22-31.  Still,  it  is  possi- 
ble that  some  of  the  statements  in  the  first  Sermon 
on  the  Mount,  which  recur  in  the  other  Gospels,  may 
have  been  repeated  on  other  occasions  :  for  example, 
Mark  ix.  50  ;  Luke  xii.  34  ;  xiii.  24;  xvi.  13,  17,  18. 
Others,  again,  may  have  been  introduced  by  the 
Evangehst  in  another  context:  for  example,  Luke 
xii.  58. 

Ver.  1.  And  seeing  the  multitudes,  iS^v  5 6, 
K.  T.  A. — This  is  evidently  meant  to  account  lov  the 
delivery  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Jlount.  Jesus  fre- 
quently saw  multitudes  around  Him,  but  here  a  pe- 
culiar emphasis  is  laid  on  that  circumstance.  The 
question  then  arises,  whether  the  crowding  of  the 
multitude  around  had  induced  Him  to  deliver  the  Ser- 
mon on  the  llount  in  their  presence,  and  that  with  all 
which  it  contains  concerning  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  ; 
or  whether,  on  the  contrary,  it  had  induced  Him  to 
explain  these  truths  in  a  confidential  manner  to  His 
disciples  alone.  We  adopt  the  latter  view,  which  is 
supported  by  the  analogy  of  Mark  iii.  12,  13  ;  Luke 
vi.  12,  13  ;  John  vi.  23,  comp.  with  ver.  15. 

His  disciples. — It  is  evident  that  at  that  period 
Jesus  had  already  made  a  separation  between  His 
disciples  and  the  people.  But  Matthew  distinguishes 
between  this  and  the  later  choice  of  the  twelve  Apos- 
tles, ch.  X.  1.  The  expression  implies  that  a  larger 
circle  of  friends  and  assistants  had  gathered  around 
Jesus,  among  whom  the  twelve  occupied  a  prominent 
place. 

Ver.  2.  And  He  opened  His  mouth. — The 
phrase  h-voi-y^iv  rh  (TTo'^a,  PiQ  nrS  ^  is,  in  the  first 
place,  oriental  and  pictorial ;  secondarily,  it  indicates 
an  important  element,  that  of  confidential  and  solemn 
communication:  Job  iii.  1  ;  Dan.  x.  16.  This  ap- 
plies especially  to  the  moment  when  the  Incarnate 
Word  opened  His  mouth  to  enunciate  the  eternal 
principles  of  the  New  Covenant.  We  note  here  the 
contrast,  as  between  Sinai  and  the  Mount  of  Beati- 
tudes, the  law  and  the  Gospel,  so  also  between  the 
speaking  of  God  during  the  Old  Testament,  accom- 
panied as  it  then  was  by  thunder  and  lightning,  and 
Jesus  "  opening  His  mouth  "  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

Vers.  3-16.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  in  the  nar- 
rower sense  (vers.  3-16)  comprises  the  seven  beati- 
tudes, and  their  appUcation  to  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
imder  the  twofold  smiile  of  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and 
the  light  of  the  world  ;  the  latter  being  again  ar- 
ranged under  two  similes — that  of  the  city  on  the  hill, 
and  that  of  the  candlestick.  The  seven  admonitions 
are  rightly  characterized  as  so  many  beatitudes.   From 


this  we  mfer,  above  all,  the  evangelical  character  of 
this  discourse  of  Jesus,  since,  1.  He  designates  each 
stage  in  the  development  of  the  spiritual  life  a  beati- 
tude, because  it  imparts  beatitude.  The  blessedness 
which  Himself  at  the  first  imparts,  is  succeeded  by 
beincf  blessed,  even  unto  perfect  beatitude  in  glory. 
2.  ■  Since,  on  that  account.  He  does  not  prescribe  any 
course  of  action  conformable  to  the  law  or  to  His 
teaching,  but  a  life  conformable  to  the  law,  as  a  man- 
ifestation of  His  teaching.  3.  He  presents  the  great 
outlines  of  New  Testament  righteousness  as  consist- 
ing in  self-knowledge,  felt  want,  suffering,  emptiness, 
or  susceptibility,  wluch  the  Lord  will  meet  out  of  the 
heavenly  fulness  of  His  own  kingdom.  4.  He  pre- 
sents the  blessings  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  their 
perfectness  as  spiritual  in  their  character,  and  as  the 
property  of  the  beatified.  5.  In  the  succession  of 
these  beatitudes  He  marks  the  development  of  the 
new  life  from  its  commencement  to  its  completion. 
Luther  :  "  This  is  indeed  a  fair,  sweet,  and  pleasant 
commencement  of  His  preaching  and  teaching.  For 
He  docs  not  come  in  like  Moses,  or  like  a  teacher 
of  the  law,  with  commands,  threats,  and  terrors,  but 
in  the  most  kindly  manner,  with  attractions,  and  al- 
lurements, and  most  sweet  promises."  The  old  ar- 
rangement into  seven  beatitudes  is  perfectly  correct. 
The  seventh  beatitude,  "  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers^'' 
marks  the  climax :  "  They  shall  be  called  the  children 
of  God.''''  In  the  eighth  beatitude,  the  other  seven 
are  only  summed  up  under  the  idea  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  its  relation  to  those 
who  persecute  it  ;  while  the  ninth  is  a  description 
of  the  eighth,  with  reference  to  the  relation  in  which 
these  righteous  persons  stand  to  Christ.  The  seven 
beatitudes,  therefore,  describe  the  blessedness  of  the 
righteousness  of  God,  as  it  appears  in  the  last  in- 
stance, on  the  one  hand,  in  being  persecuted  for 
righteousness'  sake,  and  on  the  other,  for  Christ's 
sake.  This  also  casts  a  new  fight  upon  each  of  the 
seven  beatitudes :  they  are  a  conflict  with  false  right- 
eousness for  true  righteousness'  sake  :  they  are  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  they  are  a  conflict  for  His  sake. 

The  seven  beatitudes  form  an  ascending  line,  in 
which  the  new  life  is  traced  from  stage  to  stage, 
from  its  commencement  to  its  completion.  At  the 
basis  we  have  poverty  in  spirit,  the  grand  final  re- 
sult of  the  Old  Testament  discipline.  But,  in  study- 
ing this  ascending  line  of  Christian  righteousness  or 
virtue,  which  rests  on  the  basis  of  spiritual  poverty, 
we  must  not  lose  sight  of  the  parallels  which  they 
contain.  Manifestly,  each  of  the  beatitudes  ex- 
presses a  new  (religious)  relationship  toward  God, 
and,  side  by  side  with  it,  a  new  (moral)  relationship 
toward  the  v/orld.  This  will  appear  more  clearly 
from  the  following  table : — 


The  poor  in  spirit. 


Thev  that  mourn. 


The  meek. 


They  which  do  hunger  and 
thirst  after  righteousness. 


The  merciful. 


The  pure  in  heart.  The  peacemakers. 

Blessed  are  ye,  the  disciples,  if  ye  are  such.     Thus  shall  ye  be : — 
(a)  The  salt  of  the  earth.     (6)  The  light  of  the  world. 

1.  A  city  set  on  an  hiU. 

2.  A  candle  put  on  a  candlestick. 

Ver.  3.   Blessed,  Ma^apiot,  ''"!^'<,  Ps.  i.  1.  I  mence  with  "m  (vers.  3-10),  we  gather  what  blessed- 
— "  From  the  explanatory   sentences,   which  com-  |  uess  Jesus  has  in  view — that  of  the  kingdom  of 


102 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


Messiah."  Again,  Jesus  declares  those  blessed 
v/hom  the  men  of  the  woild  would  hold  to  bo  most 
unhappy  IW  designates  by  that  term  circumstaucus 
which,  to  those  looking  mcnely  at  the  outside,  would 
appear  far  from  enviable,  and  traits  of  character 
I'unning  directly  contrary  to  the  carnal  views  and 
the  legal  righteousness  of  the  Jews.  Hence  these 
sentences  are  so  many  jwradoses.  "  Although  these 
statements  of  Christ  run  tlirectly  counter  to  the  car- 
nal prejudices  of  His  contemporaries,  His  utterances 
contain  nothing  that  was  cither  entirely  new  or  un- 
known, since  all  these  beatitudes  are  based  upon 
passages  of  the  Old  Testament  (Isa.  Ivii.  15;  Ixi. 
1-3;  Ps.  xxxiv.  11-19;  xxxvii.  11;  Ixxiii.  1;  1 
Sam.  ii.  5;  Ps.  li.  19;  Eccles.  vii.  4,  etc.)."  0.  von 
Gerlaeh.  It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that,  like  the  be- 
atitudes of  Jesus,  that  in  Ps.  i.  both  presupj^oses  a 
corresponding  state  of  mind,  and  admonishes  believ- 
ers to  cherish  and  seek  such  a  spiritual  disposition. 

The  poor  in  spirit,  oi  tttcoxo'  to?  irvev- 
ixar i . — The  dative  is  here  used  to  designate  them 
more  particularly :  in  their  spirit,  or  iu  reference  to 
their  spirit,  or  spiritual  life ;  those  who  feel  themselves 
spiritually  poor,  and  hence  reaUze  their  deep  and  in- 
expressible want  of  the  Spirit,  and  long  for  the  leli- 
gion  of  the  Spirit.  (The  opposite  of  this  in  Rev.  iii. 
17.)  Ilencc  the  expression  does  not  imply  poverty 
of  spirit  in  reference  to  man,  far  less  intellectual 
poverty  (as  Fritzsche  thinks).  The  idea,  that  it  re- 
fers to  external  poverty,  voluntarily  chosen,  or  to  a 
vow  of  voluntary  poverty,  as  some  of  the  older  Ro- 
man Catholic  commentators  imagine  (Maldonatus, 
Cornelius  h.  Lap.),  deserves  no  further  notice.  The 
addition,  t  w  ttv  tv ixar  i,  forms  a  primary  and  es- 
sential characteristic  of  Christianity.  Although 
wanting  in  the  corresponding  passage  in  Luke,  the 
expression  refers  there  also  to  spiritual  poverty. 
Kcistlin  fancies  that  the  omission  in  Luke  is  due  to 
Ebionite  leanings;  while  Matthew  purposely  added 
the  words,  "  in  spirit,"  to  mark  the  difference. 
But  this  hypothesis  is  only  an  attempt  to  carry  out 
the  theory  of  Baur,  that  the  fii'st  Christians  had  been 
Ebionites.  It  is  indeed  true  that  the  expression 
bears  special  reference  to  the  poor  and  needy  of  the 
Old  Testament  theocracy  (Isa.  Ixi.  1 ;  Ixvi.  2).  But 
those  Ebionites  were  not  poor  in  the  sense  of  their 
entertaining  carnal  expectations  of  the  Messiah,  but 
in  that  of  spiritual  longing  for  true  righteousness. 
This  feeling  of  spiritual  poverty,  which  appeared  at 
the  time  of  the  prophets,  had  now  attained  full  ma- 
turity. It  had  been  '■'■fulfilled;"  and  hence  coin- 
cided with  the  fxiTavoia  in  its  origin,  as  this  grace 
unfolds  in  the  two  succeeding  beatitudes,  and  forms 
the  germ  of  the  Ta-rreivocppoaiivT).  The  full  meaning 
of  the  expression  is  brought  out  in  the  following  re- 
mark of  Tholuck :-"  To  translate  accurately,  we  must 
render  the  term  by  egeni  and  mendici,  for  this  is  the 
meaning  of  TTTw^oJ)  while  TrtVrjr  corresponds  to  the 
Latin  pauper T  On  the  humility  cherished  by  Gen- 
tile sages,  especially  on  that  of  Socrates,  comp. 
Heubner,  p.  50. 

Ver.  4.  They  that  moiim,  ol  Trevdodyre^, 
Isa.  Ixi.  2. — We  must  not  apply  the  term  (with  Chry- 
soBtom  and  most  of  the  older  interpreters)  to  deep 
mourning  on  account  of  sin,  nor  yet  to  sadness  and 
soiTOw  iu  general.  This  state  of  mind  is  explained 
by  the  poverty  in  spirit  from  which  it  springs,  and 
tends  toward  hungering  and  thirsting  after  righte- 
ousness. From  the  first,  the  righteousness  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  was  the  great  object  aimed  after, 
—even  in  poverty  of  spirit,  much  more  in  mourning. 


But  as  yet  this  object  has  not  been  clearly  realized  by 
the  consciousness.  Hence  it  implies  spiritual  mourn- 
ing, divine  sorrow,  in  opposition  to  the  sorrow  of  the 
world  (2  Cor.  vii.  10).  This  mourning  in  God  (by 
His  Spirit),  after  God  (His  blessings),  and  for  God 
(His  glory),  includes  not  only  mourning  on  account 
of  sin,  but  also  on  account  of  its  consequences; 
more  particularly,  is  it  the  expression  of  a  state  of 
mind  when  the  world,  with  its  possessions  and  pleas- 
ures, is  no  longer  capable  of  satisfying,  gladdening, 
or  comforting.  Those  who  thus  mourn  are  to  be 
comforted — of  course,  in  the  same  sense  in  which 
they  mourn  ;  but  their  consolation  is  to  be  abso- 
lute (see  Rom.  viii.  18  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  17 ;  John  xiv.  3). 
This  comfort  necessarily  implies  the  forgiveness  of 
sins  ;  it  also  includes  the  promise  that  their  godly 
sorrow  shall,  in  every  respect,  be  removed  by  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  which  is  promised  to  the  poor 
in  spirit. 

Ver.  5.  The  meek. — Ps.  xxxvii.  11,  according  to 
the  Septuagint :  ol  Se  -irpafh  KA-qpoyo/x'fiiTovffi  yriv. 
They  who  suffer  in  love,  or  love  in  patience ;  they 
who,  in  the  strength  of  love,  boldly  yet  meekly, 
meekly  yet  boldly,  bear  injustice,  and  thereby  con- 
quer. In  this  beatitude,  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
Land  (the  enemies  being  drive  nout)  is  a  symbol  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven;  still,  outward  possession, 
and  that  in  all  its  fulness,  is  also  referred  to  in  the 
expression  :  the  land,  the  earth. 

Ver.  6.  Hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness.— A  figurative  mode  of  indicating  a  desire  so 
intense  as  to  be  painful.  Wetstein.  (The  substan- 
tive is  here  in  the  accusative,  tV  oiKaioawT^v,  though 
commonly  in  the  genitive.)  AiKaioavy-q,  with  the  ar- 
ticle, the  only  genuine  righteousness,  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but,  above  all, 
righteousness  not  as  a  work  of  our  own,  but  as  a 
gift, — a  fact  not  of  the  outer,  but  of  the  inner  life. 
Hence  the  expression  refers  neither  to  the  Christian 
religion  (Kuinoel)  nor  to  uprigldness,  the  restora- 
tion of  wihch  was,  according  to  Meyer,  the  grand 
object  of  Christ.  Righteousness  is  correspondence  to 
the  law ;  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, that  to  the  law  of  the  Spirit. 

They  shall  be  filled,  i.  e.,  with  righteousness. — 
This  promise  applies  neither  exclusively  to  justifica- 
tion by  faith,  nor  to  final  acquittal  in  judgment ;  but 
includes  both  justification,  sanctification,  and  final 
acquittal, — all  of  which,  indeed,  are  inseparably  con- 
nected with  justification. 

Ver.  7.  The  merciful,  according  to  the  stand- 
ard of  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  De 
Wette  appUes  this  in  the  first  place  to  the  members  of 
the  theocracy,  who,victorious  over  the  Gentiles,  should 
not  execute  vengeance  upon  them.  The  idea  is  correct, 
if  taken  in  a  higher  and  a  spiritual  sense.  They  are 
the  meek,  who,  having  formerly  been  on  the  defensive, 
have  now  taken  the  offensive.  The  meek  bear  the  in- 
justice of  the  world ;  the  merciful  bravely  address 
themselves  to  the  wants  of  the  world.  They  shall  ob- 
tain mercy,  as  being  the  objects  of  mercy.  As  mourn- 
ing, they  are  delivered  from  the  sorrows  of  life ;  as 
longing  after  righteousness,  from  the  guilt  of  Ufe ;  and 
now  as  the  merciful,  from  all  the  misery  of  life.  But 
this  is  only  the  negative  element ;  the  positive  ap- 
pears in  the  gradation:  they  shall  be  comforted, 
they  shall  be  satisfied,  they  shall  obtain  mercy,  be 
inwardly  renewed  and  restored.  And  all  this,  in 
accordance  with  the  grand  fundamental  principle  of 
the  kingdom  of  God.     See  Matt.  vii.  2. 

Ver.  8.  The  pure  in  heart,  oi  KadapoX  Tfi  Kap- 


CHAP.  V.  1- 


103 


5  ia. — This  must  refer  to  righteousness  as  the  ruling 
principle  of  the  heai-t  and  inner  life.  Purity  of  heart 
consists  in  that  steady  direction  of  the  soul  toward 
the  divine  life  which  excludes  every  other  object 
from  the  homage  of  the  heart.  Hence  "  inward 
moral  integrity  "  is  not  sufficient ;  ir;'i}spectivG  of  the 
fact,  that  such  integrity  bears  refere.'ce  to  an  exter- 
nal moral  standard.  Our  Lord,  however,  does  not 
require  absolute  purity;  else  He  would  have  said: 
Thei/  behold  God.  The  term  refers  to  a  life  pure  in 
the  inmost  tendency  and  direction  of  the  heart,  be- 
cause it  is  entirely  set  upon  what  is  eternally  and 
absolutely  pure.  Hence  it  applies  to  walking  in  the 
Spirit,  or  to  a  life  of  sanctification,  or  to  being  born 
of  God  (1  John  iii.  9).  When  thus  the  inmost  heart 
is  pure,  its  outgoings  in  life  will  also  be  pure.  The 
inner  life  will  ever  manifest  itself  more  and  more 
clearly  as  "  seeing  God." 

They  shall  see  God. — The  expression  does 
not  refer  merely  to  an  internal  knowledge  of  God  (ac- 
cording to  Gregory  of  Nyssa,  Theophylact,  Tholuck, 
etc.),  nor  (according  to  de  Wette)  to  direct  spiritual 
communion  with  God  here  and  hereafter, — far  less 
to  Messianic  beatitude  generally  (Kuinoel  and  others), 
under  the  Oriental  figure  of  a  man  beholding  his 
king,  or  appearing  before  him.  These  ideas  are, 
however,  included  in  the  final  and  perfect  seemg  of 
God.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  cannot  agree  with 
Meyer,  that  it  refei's  to  the  beatific  vision  of  saints, 
when  in  the  resurrection  body  they  shall  behold  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  kingdom  of  His  Son  (Rev.  xxii. 
4).  For  it  is  evident  that  in  aU  these  seven  promises 
no  interval  of  space  or  time  intervenes  between  the 
longing  and  the  satisfaction.  This  vision  of  God 
commences  when  the  eye  of  the  soul  opens,  or  when 
spiritual  vision  begins  in  the  regenerate  heart  (Eph. 
i.  18):  it  is  perfected  when  in  eternity  we  shall  see 
Him  face  to  face  (1  Cor.  xiii.  12  ;  1  John  iii.  2). 

Ver.  9.  The  peacemakers,  ol  (Ipriv  oir  o  toi . 
— The  peacemakers  of  the  true  theocracy,  not  merely 
the  peaceful,  dpriviicai,  James  iii.  lY.  It  denotes  the 
exertions  made  by  the  pure  heart  on  behalf  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  alluding  more  particularly  to  the 
messengers  of  peace  under  tlie  New  Testament, — not 
with  reference  to  their  official  capacity,  but  to  the 
power  and  truth  of  the  word  which  they  bear  (Col. 
i.  20 ;  Prov.  xii.  20).  The  promise  which  imme- 
diately follows,  corresponds  with  their  exalted  posi- 
tion as  here  indicated. 

They  shall  be  called  the  sons  of  God  (in 
the  full  theocratic  sense,  as  children  of  age,  vioi,  and 
not  merely  re/cva). — The  terra  is  not  simply  equiva- 
lent to  such  expressions  as  vlodeaia  and  KAripoi/uuia, 
in  Rom.  viii.  17,  and  Gal.  iv.  5-7  (Meyer),  nor  to 
being  beloved  of  God  (Kuinoel),  nor  to  being  like 
imto  God  (Paulus) ;  but  indicates  that,  by  their  fel- 
lowship with  the  Son,  and  their  dependence  upon 
Him,  they  enjoy  the  exalted  rank  of  full-grown 
children  of  God.  They  are  the  children  of  God  as 
the  messengers  of  Christ,  the  instruments  of  His 
kingdom,  and  the  organs  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The 
terra  sons  may  have  been  used,  because  the  only  be- 
gotten Son  had  not  yet  fully  revealed  Himself  in  that 
character  ;  after  which  they  appear  as  His  friends, 
His  representatives,  His  messengers,  and  His  organs. 
Their  dignity  and  glory  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven — 
viewed  spii'itually — constitutes  the  promise  given  to 
them.  Hence  "  KKrjBr^a-ovTat,  not  crunt  (Kuinoel), 
but  what  they  really  are,  is  here  expressly  recognised 
by  the  7iame  given  to  them." — Meyer. 

Ver.  10.  They  which  are  persecuted,  BfSiuiy- 


1^4 vol. — Here  the  conflict  between  the  new  spiritual 
theocracy  and  its  old  degenerate  form  is  introduced, 
forming  a  transition  from  the  ideal  representation  of 
the  disciples  to  the  circumstances  in  which  they  were 
actually  placed,  and  which  are  specially  referred  to 
in  the  following  verse. — Ey  righteousness  is  not 
merely  meant  here  the  grace  alluded  to  in  ver.  6  ;  it 
rather  comprises  the  substance  of  all  the  seven  be- 
atitudes,— i.  e.,  righteousness  not  merely  in  its  grand 
manifestation,  but  also  in  its  first  origin  and  final 
completion,  tnore  especially  in  the  form  in  which  it 
appears  in  the  peacemakers,  exciting  the  resistance 
of  the  world  (see  Matt.  x. ;  1  Pet.  iii.  14.) 

Theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The 
same  expression  as  in  ver.  3.  Nor,  indeed,  could  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  be  here  different  from  what  it 
was  at  the  outset;  only  the  manner  of  its  possession 
and  enjoyment  is  now  other  than  it  had  been.  To 
the  poor  in  spirit  the  kingdom  of  heaven  consists,  in 
the  first  place,  in  their  being  comforted ;  while  those 
who  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake  will,  ac- 
cording to  ver.  12,  partake  of  that  great  reward  in 
heaven  itself  which  is  promised  to  all  who  suffer  for 
the  sake  of  Christ.  In  ver.  3,  we  have  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  with  all  that  it  imphes, — here,  with  all 
that  it  imparts ;  there'  as  objectively  set  before  us, 
— here,  as  our  own  personal  and  actual  possession. 

Ver.  1 1.  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  re- 
vile you,  etc.,  for  my  sake.— Tlds  is  the  special 
application  of  what  the  Lord  had  above  declared,  or 
the  interpretation  of  the  language  used  in  ver.  10. 
The  disciples  are  those  who  are  blessed ;  righteous- 
ness is  personiiied  in  tlie  Lord.  Yet  there  is  this 
difference :  the  Lord  is  so  unconditionally ;  the  dis- 
ciples conditionally,  viz.,  in  as  far  as  they  prove 
themselves  disciples.  We  are  not  inclmed,  with 
Beza,  to  limit  the  expressions,  "  revile  and  perse- 
cute," to  outward  sufferings  by  the  civil  magistrate. 
The  expression  iv^K^  v  i fj.uv  refers  to  all  the 
three  verbs,  and  the  word  \\)  evBo  txevoi  is  accord- 
ingly supcrtluous. 

By  pointing  to  the  great  reward  in  heaven,  the 
Lord  sets  the  fact  more  clearly  than  ever  before  His 
hearers,  that  the  kingdom  of  Messiah  is  not  of  this 
world,  and  that  perfectness  will  only  be  attained 
there,  while  here  we  are  to  prepare  for  it  by  suffer- 
ing and  witness-bearing  on  behalf  of  Christ. 

Ver.  12.  For  so  persecuted  they  the  proph- 
ets.— The  example  of  the  prophets  was  intended 
to  show  the  disciples  that  this  struggle  between 
them  and  carnal  Judaism  was  not  of  recent  date,  but 
had  been  carried  on  even  at  the  time  of  the  prophets 
(Acts  vi.  7).  But  it  would  also  convince  them  that 
they  stood  on  the  same  level  with  the  seers  of  old, 
and  that  they  were  to  continue  and  complete  Divine 
revelation  under  the  New  Testament. 

Ver.  16.  The  liigh  calling  of  the  disciples  had 
been  announced  in  the  beatitudes.  The  Lord  now 
proceeds  to  show  more  fully  bot!i  its  necessity  and 
its  glory.  Viewing  tueir  calling,  1.  in  its  spiritual 
and  inward  aspect,  the  disciples  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth ;  2.  viewed  externalhj,  and  in  their  corporate 
capacity,  they  are  the  light  of  the  world,  viz.,  (a)  a 
city  set  on  a  hill,  as  being  the  Church  of  God,  and 
(6)  candle  on  a  candlestick,  in  their  capacity  as 
Apostles.  These  tv/o  ideas,  however,  must  not  be 
viewed  as  exclusive  of  each  other. 

Ver.  13.  The  salt  of  the  earth.— A  figure  of 
the  element  of  nourishment  and  preservation  in  the 
Idngdom  of  heaven,  preventing  corruption,  preserv- 
ing nutriment,  giving  savor  to  it,  and  rendering  it 


104 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


hceltby.  A  similar  U38  of  the  term  "  saft"  occurs 
in  many  of  the  proverbs  and  symbols  of  the  ancients. 
— The  idea,  that  the  term  salt  is  here  used  to  indi- 
cate an  indispensable  commodity  (Fritzsche),  is  far 
too  vague ;  nor  does  it  exclusively  refer  to  the  use 
of  salt  in  sacrifices, — the  expression  implying  that 
they  were  the  salt  of  the  whole  earth. — The  term 
"  eartJV  is  figurative,  denoting,  not  mankind  gener- 
ally, but  society  as  tlien  existing,  both  in  the  the- 
ocracy and  the  Gentile  world, — being  the  definite 
form  which  the  world  had  assumed  (Ps.  xciii. ;  John 
iii.  12;  Rev.  xiii.  11).  The  disciples  were  destined, 
as  the  salt  of  the  ancient  theocratic  world,  to  arrest 
the  corruption  which  had  commenced,  and  to  impart 
a  fresh  and  lasting  savor. 

But  if  the  salt  have  lost  its  savor,  /jLcvpav- 
drj. — In  Mark  ix.  50,  avaAoi/  yfirjrai.  Gomp.  with 
this  the  following  extract  from  Maundrell's  Journey 
to  Palestine :  "  In  the  salt-valley,  about  four  hours 
from  Aleppo,  there  is  a  declivity  of  about  twelve 
feet,  caused  by  the  continual  removal  of  salt.  I 
broke  off  a  piece  where  the  ground  was  exposed  to 
the  rain,  the  sun,  and  the  air ;  and  found  that,  while 
it  glittered  and  contained  particles  of  salt,  it  had 
wholly  lost  its  pecuUar  savor.  But  the  portions 
within,  which  were  in  juxtaposition  to  the  rock,  still 
retained  the  savor  of  salt."  Comp.  also  Winer  sub 
Salz  [and  other  Biblical  Encyclops].  Salt  whicli  is 
quite  pure  cannot  lose  its  savor,  but  only  if  it  have 
any  foreign  admixture.  The  same  remark  applies 
to  our  spiritual  life.  Viewed  in  itself,  it  remains 
pure  salt;  but  in  its  human  form,  and  with  the  ad- 
raixtui'e  of  human  elements,  it  may  lose  its  savor. 
At  the  same  time  the  Lord  here  speaks  hypotheti- 
cally  :  if  the  salt  have  lost  its  savor.  The  point  of 
comparison  hi  the  figure  lies  in  the  idea :  salt  which 
has  lost  its  savor  cannot  be  salted  again,  nor  a  cor- 
rupted evangelist  be  evangelized  anew.  Jansen:  no?i 
datur  sal  sails.  (Comp.,  however,  2  Pet.  ii.  21 ;  Heb. 
vi.  4.)  For  the  salt  is  the  thing  to  be  salted  [as  the 
Com.  E.  Vers,  correctly  translates  :  "  wherewith  shall 
it  be  salted  ?  "],  comp.  the  following  ets  ovUv,  etc., 
and  not  the  food,  as  Luthei-'s  version  would  make  it : 
"  Womit  soil  man  salzen  ?  "  ("  Wherewith  shall  men 
salt  ?  ")  An  apostate  from  the  faith  has,  so  far  as 
he  is  concerned,  made  void  the  saving  power  of  sal- 
vation ;  nor  is  there  another  and  higher  substitute 
for  the  spiritual  office  of  the  ministry,  if  once  it  have 
become  degenerate. 

There  remains,  then,  only  the  judgment.  Salt 
which  has  lost  its  savor  is  only  fit  to  be  cast  out,  and 
trodden  under  foot  of  men.  tliose  who  are  hence- 
forth to  carry  on  and  continue  the  history  of  the 
world,  will  tread  it  under  foot  as  they  pass  on  their 
way.  According  to  Theophj'Iact,  it  refers  to  exclu- 
sion from  the  office  of  teacher ;  according  to  Chry- 
sostom,  to  greatest  contempt ;  according  to  Luther, 
to  rejection  by  Christ. 

Ver.  14.  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world. — 
Comp.  John  ix.  5.  In  all  these  descriptions  of  the 
disciples,  the  Lord  presupposes  that  His  Spirit  and 
His  righteousness  have  become  the  principle  of  their 
life.  Tliey  are  the  light  of  the  world,  as  deriving 
their  light  from  Him  who  is  the  true  light  of  the 
world  (Eph.  iii.  9  ;  Phil.  ii.  15),  just  as  they  are  the 
sons  of  God  in  Him  who  is  the  eternal  Son  of  God. 
— Thus  He  awakens  in  them  the  knowledge  of  His 
own  dignity  by  a  sense  of  their  destmy. 

A  city  set  on  a  hill.— It  is  generally  supposed 
that  Jesus  had  at  the  time  the  town  of  Sated  in 
view,  which  lies  on  the  top  of  a  hill.     But  Robin- 


son has  shown  [iii.  p.  425]  that  this  supposition  is,  to 
say  the  least,  improbable,  since  it  is  doubtful  whether 
Safcd  then  already  existed. 

Ver.  15.  Under  a  bushel. — The  common  meas- 
ure used  in  houses,  holding  about  a  peck.  "  In  the 
East,  the  practice  is  to  place  a  candle  on  the  floor, 
and  to  cover  it  with  a  measure  used  for  corn,  when 
it  is  desired  to  keep  it  burning  and  yet  to  prevent 
its  effects  for  a  time  "  (?). — Tholuck.  Just  as  the  can- 
dlestick is  the  means  of  diffusing  the  light,  so  the 
bushel  that  of  confining  it ;  or,  realizing  the  full  idea 
of  an  upturned  bushel,  confining  it  within  very  nar- 
row limits.  The  same  relation  exists  between  the 
limited  measure  of  officialism,  of  intellect,  of  asceti- 
cism, of  traditionalism  in  life  or  teaching,  and  the 
infinite  fulness  of  light  issuing  from  living  Christian- 
ity. 

The  candle  on  the  candlestick.^^ — The  min- 
istry should  not  conceal  the  light  of  knowledge,  but 
hold  it  up,  so  that  its  brightness  may  be  diflfused  as 
widely  as  possible  throughout  the  apartment. 

Ver.  16.  Your  light. — This  proves  that  the 
light  by  which  they  become  candlesticks  is  not  their 
own,  but  given  from  above.  It  is  this  light  which 
is  to  shine  before  all  men ;  in  other  words,  they  are 
openly  and  boldly  to  come  forwai-d  with  the  mes- 
sage of  the  New  Testament,  in  accordance  with  their 
vocation  as  disciples. 

That  they  may  see  your  good  works. — 
From  the  wording  of  the  passage,  we  infer,  that  by 
the  good  works  something  different  is  meant  from 
the  Ught  mentioned  above.  We  regard  them  as  the 
special  graces  and  manifestations  of  the  disciples 
(such  as  miracles,  the  creation  of  a  new  life,  the 
fruits  of  regeneration),  which  must  be  viewed  in  the 
light  of  Christianity,  and  may  serve  as  a  practical 
commentary  on  the  word. 

Glorify  your  Father. — A  most  glorious  pros- 
pect is  here  opened  up  to  those  who  are  reviled  and 
persecuted.  A  lively  representation  this,  also,  of  the 
conviction  wrought  in  men,  and  of  the  blessed  certi- 
tude resultmg  from  the  conduct  of  the  disciples. 
Men  shall  glorify  the  Father  of  the  Christians ;  and 
hence,  also,  adopt  their  faith  and  their  acknowledg- 
ment of  God  in  Christ,  and  thus  become  blessed.  But 
all  the  glory  is  to  be  the  Lord's. 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  In  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  the  whole  doc- 
trine of  Christ  is  exhibited  in  the  first  stage  of  its 
development,  as  afterward  it  is  expounded  in  a  some- 
what analogous  manner  in  the  Epistle  of  James.  Wo 
have  here  the  new  Christian  life  as  the  eternal  law 
of  the  Spirit,  or  else  the  old  law  in  its  Christian  trans- 
formation as  a  new  life.  If  it  is  said  that  the  Lord 
here  exhibited  the  law,  or  Old  Testament  right- 
eousness, in  all  its  fulness,  we  add,  that  this  fulness 
of  the  law  removed  the  legal  character  of  the  law. 
The  spirit  of  the  law  transforms  the  outward  letter 
into  something  internal,  into  a  power  of  life  and  vital 
principle ;  it  substitutes  one  reality  in  place  of 
many  ordinances  ;  and  instead  of  the  series  of  ten 
commandments  (and  ten  is  the  number  of  the  world, 

*  [Dr.  Conant  substitutes  lamp  on  the  lamp  stand,  since 
the  C.  V.  may  make  a  false  imi)ression ;  the  candlestick  being 
necessary  to  this  use  of  the  candle,  whether  hid  under  a  ves- 
sel or  not.  "The  lamp  {Kvxi'os),  being  low,  was  placed  on 
a  siijiport  (Kvxy'^a)  sufficiently  high  to  give  light  through, 
the  room;  and  this  latter  would  be  equally  necessary  to  th« 
caudle  with  its  candlestick,  as  we  use  the  terms."— P.  B.] 


CHAP.  V.  1-16. 


105 


while  seven  is  that  of  the  sanctuary),  a  succession  of 
seven  stages  of  sacred  and  spiritual  development  of 
the  new  Hfe.  The  former  contrast  between  the  de- 
mands of  God  and  the  performances  of  man — be- 
tween the  Judge  and  the  guilty  sinner — becomes  now 
that  of  blessing  and  receiving,  between  a  gracious 
Father  and  merciful  Saviour,  and  the  humble  believ- 
er. In  short,  righteousness  in  all  its  fulness  consists 
in  this,  that  Christ  Himself  is  all  righteousness,  and 
that  His  righteousness  is  imparted  to  man  through 
the  grand  medium  of  reception,  viz.,  poverty  in 
spirit. 

As  the  passage  under  consideration  describes  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  in  its  principles,  power,  and 
graces,  so  Matt.  x.  details  its  organization,  which 
marks  the  second  stage  in  the  development  of  the 
teaching  of  Christ. 

2.  The  contrast  between  the  Old  and  the  New 
Covenant  is  here  strikingly  brought  out, — («)  In  its 
representations  and  outward  manifestation :  Moses 
and  Christ. — Mount  Sinai  in  the  rocky  wilderness, 
and  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes  in  the  midst  of  a  popu- 
lous district  in  the  Holy  Land. — Moses  alone,  con- 
cealed from  view  by  the  clouds  of  an  awful  thunder- 
stoi-m ;  Christ  surrounded  by  His  disciples,  and  sit- 
ting among  them. — Mount  Sinai,  with  bounds  set 
about  it,  and  the  people  at  a  distance  ;  the  Mount  of 
Beatitudes  encompassed  by  multitudes. — In  the  one 
case,  the  people  fleeing  from  the  mountain ;  in  the 
other,  crowding  toward  its  summit,  and  waiting  on 
its  ridge,  (b)  In  its  essential  characteristics :  Moses 
received  the  law  from  Jehovah  by  the  ministry  of 
angels,  while  in  a  state  of  ecstasy ;  but  Christ  brought 
it  forth  from  the  depths  of  His  theanthropic  heart, 
in  full  and  calm  consciousness. — The  law  of  Moses 
written  upon  tablets  of  stone,  the  word  of  Christ  on 
the  hearts  of  His  disciples. — In  the  one  case,  thunder 
and  lightnings ;  in  the  other,  only  beatitudes. — In 
the  one  case,  successive  demands,  each  isolated,  and 
each  taking  away  all  hope  of  life  ;  in  the  other,  suc- 
cessive blessings,  connected  together  and  creative, 
almost  like  the  six  days  of  creation. — In  the  one  case, 
the  first  tables  of  the  law  broken  in  pieces  by  Moses, 
in  his  wrath  at  the  apostasy  of  the  people,  and  other 
tables  substituted  with  sacrificial  injunctions,  stricter 
than  the  former ;  in  the  other  case,  the  first  sermon 
delivered  on  the  Mount,  and  at  its  second  deUvery, 
adapted  to  the  wants  and  the  weaknesses  of  the  peo- 
ple.— In  the  one  case,  everything  from  without,  in 
the  objective  form  of  outward  commandments  ;  in 
the  other,  everything  committed  to  the  heart — every- 
thing from  within,  wafted,  so  to  speak,  in  the  Ufe- 
giving  breezes  of  the  holy  mountain. — In  the  one 
case,  the  ancient  Gospel-promise  transformed  into 
law  ;  in  the  other,  even  the  law  with  its  demands — 
such  as  poverty  of  spirit,  etc. — transformed  into  Gos- 
pel.— In  the  one  case,  the  theocracy  founded  in  the 
shadows  of  the  letter  ;  in  the  other,  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  the  reahty  and  life  of  the  Spirit,  (c)  In 
its  results :  Sinai  was  adapted  to  a  particular  era,  to 
a  particular  nation,  and  for  a  definite  educational 
purpose.*     But  the  word  of  Christ  equally  appUes  to 

*  We  note  here,  how  Sir  Humphry  Davy  and  Coccejus 
independently  arrive  at  the  same  conclusion:  "The  usages 
and  ceremonies  which  Moses  instituted,  appear  to  have  been 
superadded  to  its  Sj'iritual  worship,  for  the  purpose  of 
adapting  th.at  religion  to  a  ceitain  elimate,  and  to  the  pecu- 
liar Slate  of  the  Jewi.sh  people.  They  served  rather  as  the 
pari)  of  that  religion,  than  as  forming  an  essential  part  of  it." 
We  should  rather  say,  that  tliey  were  the  legal  and  symbol- 
ical form  of  that  religion, — a  form  in  which  even  the  moral 
law  was  clothed. 


all  times  and  to  all  peoples,  being  the  guide  to  salva- 
tion.— The  law  terrifies  the  people,  and  makes  them 
flee ;  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  addresses  itself  to 
their  hearts,  and  draws  them  to  the  Lord. 

3.  There  is  an  obvious  connection  between  the 
Mount  of  Beatitudes  and  the  other  holy  mountains. 
The  first  beatitude  (that  of  the  poor  in  spirit)  brings 
us  to  Sinai ;  the  second  and  third  (the  mourning,  and 
the  meek)  point  to  Moriah  and  Zion ;  the  fourth  and 
fifth  (those  who  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness, and  the  merciful)  direct  to  Golgotha,  in  its  two- 
fold import  (as  the  Mount  of  the  Curse  and  that 
of  ReconciUation) ;  while  the  sixth  and  seventh  re- 
mind us  of  Gethsemane  and  the  Mount  of  OUves,  and 
of  Bethany  and  the  Mount  of  Olives,  or  also  of  Mount 
Tabor. 

4.  It  were  a  great  mistake  to  place  the  seven  be- 
atitudes of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  in  the  same 
category  with  the  ten  commandments  of  the  law. 
This  were  not  to  enrich,  but  to  make  them  all  the 
poorer.  Their  fulness  consists  in  this,  that  each  of 
these  beatitudes  comprises  all  the  ten  commandments, 
only  from  a  higher  and  more  comprehensive  point 
of  view,  as  summed  up  in  the  law  of  the  Spirit.  Even 
the  first  quality  of  poverty  in  spirit  comprises  Mount 
Sinai,  with  all  its  commandments,  inasmuch  as  this 
state  of  feeling  is  the  aim,  the  object,  the  spiritual 
efiect,  and  the  substance  of  the  entire  legislation; 
and  hence,  also,  the  germ  of  the  whole  new  life.  It 
is  impossible  to  feel  poor  in  spirit,  without  at  the 
same  time  longing  for  the  riches  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
or  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Hence  we  draw  the 
following  inferences  as  to  the  succession  of  the  beat- 
itudes: (1)  Each  new  stage  contains  again  the  first 
stage  in  a  new  form.  (2)  Each  new  stage  preserves  all 
the  former  stages.  (3)  In  the  last,  they  are  summed 
up  and  presented  under  the  form  of  life  which  has 
attained  its  perfection.  For,  first,  it  is  evident  that 
the  seven  beatitudes  are  in  reality  only  one  beatitude. 
Secondly,  the  seven  graces  or  spiritual  states  consti- 
tute one  grand  direction  in  reference  to  God  and  to 
our  neighbor,  even  the  direction  of  the  heart  unto 
truth.  Lastly,  the  seven  promises  are  not  seven  dis- 
tinct elements,  but  seven  successive  forms  under 
which  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  presented.  Under 
the  first  form,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  itself  is  pre- 
sented, but  mainly  objectively ;  while  in  the  last 
form  it  reappears,  but  this  time  mainly  subjectively, 
as  finally  possessed  by  the  saints. 

5.  The  following  contrasts  exhibit  the  relation 
between  the  apparent  descent,  and  the  actual  ascent 
of  souls,  as  presented  in  the  seven  beatitudes. 

(1)  To  be  poor  in  spirit,  and  — To  possess  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  as  the  object  set 
before  us,  or  as  possession 
of  the  heart. 

-To  be  comforted  without 
measure. 

•To  obtain  the  dominion  of 
the  earth  by  spiritual  tri- 
umphs. 

-To  be  satisfied  in  the  high- 
est sense,  and  absolutely 
(to  obtain  food  and  drink). 


(2)  To  mourn  without  mea- 

sure, 

(3)  Meekly  to  bear  injustice 
upon  earth, 

(4)  To  hunger  and  thirst  in 
spirit  "after  righteous- 
ness (to  bear  the  judg- 
ment of  God), 

(5)  In  the  service  of  mercy, 
to  devote  our  life  to  the 
wants  of  the  world, 

(G)  Purity  of  heart:  absolute 
renunciation  of  the  world, 
death  of  our  own  will, 

(7)  To  bo  peacemakers.  To 
be  sent  and  crist  into 
every  burning  controver- 


-To  rest  in  the  bosom  of  in- 
finite mercy. 

-To  behold  God.  Absolute 
possession  of  all  in  this  vis- 
ion of  God.  Blessed  enjoy- 
ment of  this  vision. 

-The  glory  and  beauty  of 
the  sons  of  God,  or  of  thoso 
who  are  princes  in  His  eter- 


106 


TUE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


sy  of  the  world.    To  de-        iiiil  kingdom.   The  vehicles 
Bcend  as  mediators  to  llio        oJtlio  ble.ssiiig  whicli  coin- 
very  gates  of  hell,  etli  from  God.    Transform- 
ed into  the  image  of  the 
Son  of  God. 
Generally : 
To  siilfer  for  righteousness'    —Actual    inward  possession 
sake,  of  tho  kingdom  of  heaven. 
To  sutler  for  Christ's  sake,         — A  new  world  :  tho  eternal 
inheritance,  the  great  re- 
ward in  heaven. 

6.  The  paradox  exhibited  iu  these  contrasting 
statements,  which  probably  comes  out  most  distinct- 
ly in  tho  first  beatitude,  indicates  the  relationship  be- 
tween Christianity  and  the  world,  and  the  judgment 
of  the  world  generally.  Christianity  itself  is  that 
"  foolishness  of  God  "  which  is  wiser  than  the  wis- 
dom of  this  world,  and  that  truth  of  God  which 
sweeps  away  the  delusive  appearances  of  the  world 
(comp.  1  Cor.  1.  17,  etc.). 

7.  It  is  evident  that  the  seven  stages  here  de- 
scribed may  be  arranged  under  twice  three  stages, 
based  upon  poverty  in  spirit,  and  indicating  a  three- 
fold relationship  toward  God  and  toward  the  world : 
1,  religious  and  moral  relationship  to  God :  mourn- 
ing, hungering,  and  thirsting;  purity  of  heart;  2, 
moral  and  rehgious  relationship  toward  the  world : 
meekness,  mercy,  peacemaking.  But  besides,  it  is 
important  to  notice  how  each  of  these  stages  is  al- 
ways the  result  of  that  which  precedes  it.  Thus  pov- 
erty in  spirit  leads  to  mourning ;  mourning  renders 
meek ;  meelaiess  obtains  a  view  of  eternal  righteous- 
ness; hungering  and  thirsting  after  this  righteous- 
ness renders  infinitely  merciful  and  compassionate ; 
mercy  surrenders  everything,  renounces  all,  and  thus 
becomes  purity  of  heart,  which  surrenders  all,  and 
devotes  all.  Purity  of  heart  is  the  disposition  requi- 
site for  the  Divine  commission  of  bringing  peace  into 
the  world.  The  peacemakers  necessarily  suffer  for 
righteousness'  sake  (Isa.  lii.  7) ;  and  in  measure  as 
they  apprehend  the  kingdom  of  love  in  its  essential 
features,  will  they  see  and  understand  that  all  is  but 
suffering  for  Christ's  sake. 

This  progress  from  poverty  in  spirit  to  the  high- 
est stage  of  peacemaking  and  suffering  for  Christ's 
sake,  is  the  effect  of  Divine  grace  acting  upon  and 
influencing  the  soul  which  is  humbled  under  a  sense 
of  spiritual  poverty.  Accordingly,  the  first  effect  of 
beholding  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  is  to  mourn. — 
Similarly,  to  be  really  comforted,  leads  to  meekness. 
— The  consciousness  of  special  victory  achieved  by 
bearing  wrong,  issues  in  hungering  and  thirsting  after 
righteousness. — Those  who  are  satisfied  are  merciful, 
etc. 

8.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  which  embodies  the 
spiritual  principles  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  all  its 
bearings  and  aspects,  may  be  compared  with  other 
forms  of  religious  and  moral  legislation.  In  the  passage 
succeeding  it,  a  comparison  is  instituted  between  this 
new  form  of  the  eternal  law  and  the  law  of  Moses 
and  the  traditions  of  the  Pharisees.  Not  that  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  is  a  rectification,  but  a  harmo- 
nious development,  the  continuation  and  appHcation, 
of  the  law  of  God  under  the  Old  Covenant ;  while  the 
contrast  with  traditionaUsm  is  strongly  and  markedly 
brought  out.  (On  the  relation  between  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount  and  the  sayings  of  heathen  sages, 
comp.  Tholuck's  Commentarii.  On  the  false  applica- 
tion of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  to  civic  and  polit- 
ical relationship,  by  Quakers  and  other  sectaries, 
comp.  Stier's  Discourses  of  Jesus.) 


nOMILETlCAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Glorious  accomplishment  of  the  prediction  of 
Moses :  "  A  Prophet  like  unto  me,"  etc. ;  Deut.  xviii. 
If). — Mount  Sinai,  and  the  obscure,  unknown  Mount 
of  Beatitudes. — The  sacred  mountains. — Import  of 
the  expression :  "  He  went  up  into  a  mountain."  * — 
The  law  of  the  letter  spiritually  explained,  and  the 
law  of  the  Spirit  expressed  in  the  letter. — Outward 
and  inward  tradition :  Cain  and  Abel,  Ishmael  and 
Isaac,  Esau  and  Jacob,  Caiaphas  and  Christ. — The 
first  and  the  second  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  or  the 
disciples  and  the  people. — The  place  whence  Christ 
taught,  a  symbol  of  Christian  teaching:  1.  A  stone 
on  the  summit  (let  our  doctrine  be  simple) ;  2.  the 
summit  of  a  mountain  (let  our  doctrine  be  exalted) ; 
3.  a  place  of  prayer  (let  it  be  holy,  derived  from  hea- 
ven) ;  4.  a  place  of  pilgrimage  (let  it  be  from  life,  and 
for  life). — "iTe  opened  His  mouth:  "  this  the  comple- 
tion of  revelation.f — The  Old  Covenant  with  its  ten 
commandments ;  the  New  with  its  seven  beatitudes. 
— The  law  given  by  Moses  :  grace  and  truth  appear- 
ed by  Jesus  Christ. — The  one  beatitude  of  Christians 
unfolding  into  seven  beatitudes. — "  Blessed  are :  "  we 
must  be  blessed  in  order  to  become  blessed. — Neces- 
sity of  a  state  of  grace  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  1. 
Such  a  state  is  the  condition  of  further  attainments. 
2.  It  precedes  all  gracious  action. — The  seven  beati- 
tudes marking  deepening  humiliation. — The  seven 
beatitudes  marking  (/rowing  exaltation. — Correspon- 
dence of  this  humihation  and  exaltation. — '^Blessed  are 
the  poor  in  spirit :  for,''''  etc.  (Similarly  each  of  the 
other  beatitudes  by  itself  furnishing  a  theme  for  pre- 
cious meditation.) — The  kingdom  of  heaven  in  its 
grand  outlines :  comfort,  gain,  satisfaction,  enjoyment 
of  mercy,  vision  of  God,  adoption  into  the  family  of 
God. — Or  again,  the  kingdom  of  peace  and  of  joy ; 
of  love  and  of  meekness ;  of  righteousness  ;  of  mer- 
cy ;  of  blessed  knowledge  ;  of  heavenly  peacemaking 
and  of  glory. — Poverty  in  spirit  the  fruit  of  the  law 
(of  the  Old  Covenant),  and  the  germ  of  the  Gospel 
(of  the  New  Covenant). — The  crowning  glory  of  the 
law  is  poverty  in  spirit. — The  triumph  of  the  law 
consists  in  that  iu  makes  poor  ;  that  of  the  Gospel, 
in  that  it  makes  rich. — A  well-marked  and  definite 
state  consists  in  a  definite  and  well-marked  tendency 
of  mind  and  heart :  poverty  in  spirit  is  longing  for 
the  entire  kingdom  of  heaven. — A  view  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  in  its  nearness  leads  to  mourning. — 
He  who  has  been  comforted  by  a  manifestation  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  becomes  meek. — Victory 
over  men  and  the  earth  leads  to  hungering  and  thirst- 
ing after  the  righteousness  of  God. — If  we  have  been 
satisfied  in  the  house  of  God,  we  shall  learn  to  be 
merciful. — He  who  reposes  on  eternal  mercy  may 
well  surrender  all,  and  be  pure  in  heart. — One  glimpse 
of  this  vision  of  God  converts  man  into  a  messenger 

*  [Chr.  Wordsworth,  in  Matt.  v.  1 :  "  Christ  had  four  places 
of  spiritual  retirement  from  the  bustle  of  the  world — all,  in 
a  certain  sense,  exemplary:  1.  "^V"  ^P'lMo;',  for  fasting  and 
temptation,  conflict  with  Satan.  2.  r'b  upo^,  for  prayer, 
teaching,  miraculous  feeding,  transfiguration,  finally  ascen- 
sion. 3.  rh  -nXoiov  (type  of  the  Church),  for  teaching  and 
miracles.    4.  The  garden  of  Gethsemane,  agony."— P.  S.] 

t  [Dr.  Wordsworth,  quoting  from  the  fathers  on  avoi^as 
Tb  arofxa  avrov  :  "He  who  before  had  opened  the  mouth 
of  Moses  and  all  tho  Prophets,  now  opens  His  own  mouth, — 
He  who  had  taught  tho  world  by  them  concerning  Himself, 
now  teaches  in  His  own  Person — God  with  us,  and  He  de- 
livers in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  a  perfect  code  of  Chris- 
tian Duty."— P.  8.] 


CHAP.  V.  1-16. 


107 


of  peace.  1.  He  has  seen  the  peace  of  the  Spirit, 
and  carries  it  to  other  spirits ;  2.  he  has  seen  the 
peace  of  the  blessed,  and  brings  it  to  men ;  o.  he  has 
seen  the  peace  of  nature,  and  introduces  it  into  soci- 
ety.— The  children  of  God,  the  image  of  the  Son  of 
God. — The  rigliteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
springing  from  a  sevenfold  sense  of  unrighteousness : 
poverty,  mourning,  etc. — To  suffer  for  righteousness' 
sake,  is  to  suffer  for  Christ's  sake,  and  vke  versa. — 
Holy  sutlering  the  most  glorious  doing:  1.  As  the 
crown  and  seal  of  every  deed  of  faith ;  2.  as  the  vic- 
tory over  temptation  to  evil-doing ;  3.  as  the  victory 
over  the  evil  deeds  of  men ;  4.  as  a  testimony  to  the 
deed  of  God. — " Faheli/"  or  "/or  3/)/  sake." — It  is 
only  if  we  really  suffer  for  His  sake  that  the  Lord 
charges  Himself  with  it. — Blessed  are  they  which  are 
persecuted  for  Christ's  sake. — Even  revilers  contrib- 
ute to  our  blessedness. — Christians  as  companions  of 
the  prophets,  1.  in  their  sufferings ;  2.  in  their  bless- 
edness.— The  persecutions  of  the  world  designed  to 
prepare  believers  for  being  the  salt  of  the  eartli  and 
the  Ught  of  the  world. — The  disciples  of  the  Lord, 
the  salt  of  the  earth,  the  light  of  the  world. — The 
disciples  are  to  be  the  sail  of  the  earth,  1.  by  con- 
suming death,  2.  by  preventing  corruption,  8.  by  pro- 
moting life. — If  the  salt  have  lost  its  savor,  nothing 
can  remedy  the  evil ;  so  also  with  a  dead  profession, 
and  a  dead  ministry. — Salt  that  has  lost  its  savor  is 
cast  on  the  great  road  of  life,  as  exemplified,  1.  by 
heathen  antiquity,  2.  by  theocratic  Judaism,  3.  by 
mediaeval  traditionalism. — The  disciples  of  the  Lord 
the  light  of  the  world  through  the  great  light  of  hea- 
ven.— Only  in  the  light  of  the  Lord  can  we  diffuse 
light.— The  Church  of  God  a  citij  set  on  a  hill.— The 
candle  of  the  ministry  in  the  house  of  God. — The 
candle  is  not  to  be  put  under  the  bushel,  but  on  a 
candlestick :  (a)  Not  under  the  bushel  of  the  letter 
merely,  or  of  officialism,  or  of  our  limited  understand- 
ing, or  of  our  narrow  sympathies ;  but  (b)  on  the  can- 
dlestick of  a  sound  confession,  of  ecclesiastical  order, 
of  spiritual  liberty,  and  of  a  Christian  life. — The  stake 
of  martyrs  the  lofty  candlestick  of  the  Church. — Let 
your  light  shine,  1.  to  enlighten  men,  2.  to  throw 
light  on  Christian  works,  3.  to  glorify  the  Father  of 
lights  (James  i.). — Our  Father  in  heaven  is  glorified 
by  poverty  in  spirit,  1.  because  He  bestows  it;  2.  be- 
cause it  leads  to  Him ;  3.  because  in  Him  it  obtains 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Starke : — Christ  will  give  us  also  a  mouth  and 
wisdom,  Luke  xxi.  15. — A  preacher  must  open  bis 
moutli  without  fear  or  liesitation ;  confess  the  truth 
without  being  afraid ;  nor  spare  any  one,  whoever 
he  be,  Isa.  Iviii.  1. — The  larger  the  audience,  and 
the  more  anxious  it  is,  the  more  gladly  should  the 
preacher  open  his  mouth. — It  ouglit  to  be  the  great 
concern  of  man  to  obtain  eternal  life,  Phil.  ii.  12. — 
By  pride  have  we  fallen  from  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  by  humility  must  we  again  enter  it,  James  iv.  16. 
— God  bestows  all  in  return  for  all,  or  rather,  in  re- 
turn for  nothing. — The  greater  our  faith,  the  deeper 
our  humility. — The  more  wretched  a  man  is  in  his 
own  eyes,  the  more  exalted  and  acceptable  is  he  in 
the  sight  of  God. — Sufferings  borne  for  the  sake  of 
God,  and  tears  shed  for  our  own  sins  and  for  those 
of  our  neighbors  (Ps.  cxis.  136)  are  the  well-spring 
of  true  comfort,  Isa.  Ixi.  3. — The  comfort  of  man 
only  increases  our  sorrow.  Job  xvi.  2  ;  but  Divine 
consolation  makes  the  lieart  joyous  and  assured,  Ps. 
xciv.  19. — Meekness  builds  up,  while  hot  and  rash 
zeal  pulls  down. — The  ungodly  have  no  title  to  their 
possessions  in  this  world,  and  death  shall  at  last  de- 


prive them  of  all,  Ps.  xlix.  18. — Luther:  Where 
real  hunger  and  earnestness  are  awanting,  fair  ap- 
pearances will  lead  to  no  result. — True  hunger  seeks 
for  that  which  affords  nourishment  and  satisfaction. 
— Whoever  showeth  mercy  shall  obtain  fresh  mercy 
from  God. — You  forgive  a  small  error,  but  God  will 
forgive  all  your  sins.  But  woe  to  the  unmerciful, 
James  ii.  13 ;  Matt.  xxv.  42 ;  Luke  xvi.  25. — By  na- 
ture no  man  is  pure  in  heart,  Jer.  xvii.  9  ;  Gen.  viii. 
21 ;  Prov.  xx.  9:  God  creates  it  in  us,  Ps.  Ii.  12. — 
Without  hoUness  no  man  can  see  the  Lord,  Heb. 
xii.  14. — Happy  he  who,  having  been  born  blind,  ob- 
tains his  sight;  but  more  blessed  by  far  the  man 
who,  being  born  spiritually  blind,  is  enabled 
to  see  God,  Rev.  iii.  1*7,  18. — Those  who  love  to 
quarrel,  to  dispute,  and  to  make  strife,  are  the  chil- 
dren of  the  devil. — It  is  a  sigTi  that  we  ai-e  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  if  we  love  peace  and  advance  it. — Not 
only  what  we  do,  but  what  we  suffer,  is  a  fruit  of 
faith,  Heb.  xi.  33,  36. — Behevers  are  hated,  reviled, 
and  persecuted  on  account  of  the  things  for  which 
they  should  be  loved  and  blessed,  John  x.  32. 
— Persecution  for  righteousness'  sake  has  a  great 
reward. — The  more  painful  to  flesh  and  blood 
the  preaching  of  the  cross,  the  more  readily 
should  it  be  received,  Luke  ix.  44. — Luther: 
What  comfort  that  the  Son  of  God  Himself 
calls  us  blessed,  let  whoever  may  speak  ill  of  us! 
1  Cor.  iv.  3-5. — Christians,  and  especially  ministers, 
must  submit  to  reviling  and  persecution:  this  has 
always  been  the  lot  of  the  Church ;  nor  is  it  a  good 
sign  when  a  servant  of  God  is  without  it.  Gal.  vi.  12. 
— The  Church  is  preserved  despite  the  fury  of  Satan. 
— Let  persecutors  rage,  since  Christ  offers  us  such 
blessed  comfort. — He  who  in  his  inmost  heart  re- 
joices not  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  is  not  worthy  of 
Him,  James  i.  2. — To  be  reviled  and  persecuted  by 
the  world  for  conscience'  sake,  is  to  be  commended 
and  crowned.  Rev.  ii.  10. — By  suffering  we  enter 
into  communion  with  the  prophets  and  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Himself — The  inheritance  of  the  saints  is  m 
heaven. — Teachers  are  not  only  to  have  salt  in  them- 
selves, but  also  to  make  right  use  of  their  salt,  so  as 
to  apply  neither  too  much  nor  too  little  of  the  pun- 
gent, 1  Tim.  iv.  16. — When  the  children  and  ser- 
vants of  God  remain  stedfast  under  persecutions, 
they  prove  themselves  good  salt;  but  If  they  give 
way,  the  salt  has  lost  its  savor. — While  attemptnig 
to  avoid  persecution,  we  sliall  all  the  more  expose 
ourselves  to  it. — Believers  should  be  united,  that  the 
world  may  recognize  a  visible  Church,  Heb.  x.  29. — 
The  eyes  of  all  are  set  upon  religious  men,  especially 
upon  those  who  are  teachers,  and  placed  over  a 
church :  if  they  act  in  accordance  with  their  profes- 
sion, many  are  edified  ;  if  otherwise,  the  scandal  is 
all  the  greater,  2  Cor.  vi.  3. — Every  Christian  must 
be  anxious  to  bring  others  to  the  hght  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,  Luke  xxii.  32. — A  candle  does 
not  put  itself  upon  a  candlestick,  neither  does  a  min- 
ister take  upon  himself  the  sacred  office,  Eph.  iv.  11. 
— He  who  hides  the  grace  of  sanetification,  shall 
lose  it. — Blessed  the  household  over  which  even  one 
beheving  soul  sheds  its  light. — Faith  alone  leads  to 
truly  good  works. — Faith  does  not  stop  to  inquire 
whether  it  is  necessary  to  do  good  works :  it  is  its 
nature  to  manifest  itself  in  good  works. — The  grand 
object  of  good  works  is  the  glory  of  God,  1  Cor.  x. 
31. 

lAsco : — In  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  possession  of 
the  world  is  attained,  not  by  might,  but  by  meek- 
ness.— What  the  sun  is  to  this  world  as  the  hght  of 


108 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


the  cartli,  that  the  disciples  of  Christ  should  be  to 
nianlcind  generally. 

Ga-lach  : — The  first  four  beatitudes  apply  to  those 
who  arc  seeking ;  the  last,  to  those  who  know  how 
to  preserve  what  they  have  found. — The  meek  sliall 
inherit  the  earth.  Possession  of  his  inheritance 
commences,  spiritually,  immediately,  since  all  things 
belong  to  believers,  and  all  contributes  to  their 
salvation  (1  Cor.  iii.  21-23 ;  Rom.  viii.  28).  But  it 
also  literally  commences  on  earth,  since  tlie  Church 
of  God  outlasts  all  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  (Dan. 
vii.  IV,  18),  and  is  destined  to  become  the  most  ex- 
tensive kingdom  of  this  world.  Lastly,  it  shall  be 
fully  accomplished,  when  Christ,  who  is  our  life, 
shall  appear,  and  we  shall  appear  with  Him  in 
glory. — The  highest  reward  of  love  to  God,  is  the 
love  of  God. — If  salt  is  pungent,  it  is  also  savory ; 
if  liglit  penetrate  and  reveal,  it  also  quickens  and 
revives :  similarly  the  servants  whom  the  Lord  has 
furnished  for  His  own  work. 

Heuhner : — If  we  would  listen  to  the  Saviour,  we 
also  must  ascend  with  Him  from  what  is  earthly  to 
what  is  heavenly. — On  the  manifestations  of  God 
witnessed  in  sacred  mountains. — When  Jesus  opens 
His  mouth  let  us  open  our  hearts. — Luther  on  the 
passage :  These  are  the  three  points  which  go  to 
make  a  good  preacher:  He  must  come  boldly  for- 
ward; 2.  he  must  open  his  mouth  before  all  men, 
and  say  something  worth  hearing ;  3.  he  must  know 


when  and  where  to  stop.* — Spiritual  poverty.  Pa. 
xxxiv.  19  ;  11.  19  ;  Isa.  xh.  1*7  ;  liv.  6  ;  Ivii.  25  ;  Ixi.  1 ; 
Ixvi.  2. — Humility  stands  at  the  top  of  all  the  Beati- 
tudes.— Luther:  It  is  the  prerogative  of  God  to  make 
something  out  of  nothing. — To  be  destitute  of  spiritual 
poverty,  is  to  be  destitute  of  all  practical  religion. — 
Auffustine,  Enarr.  in  Fs.  cxxxvi. :  "  multi  flent  fletu 
Babylouio,  quia  et  gaudent  gaudio  Babylonio.  Qui 
gaudent  lucris  et  iient  damnis,  utrumquc  do  Baby- 
lonia est.  riere  debes  sed  recordandi*  Sion." — Let  us 
always  bear  in  mind  Rev.  vii.  17,  and  xxi.  4:  "  God 
will  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes."  But  how 
can  we  hope  to  enjoy  this  blessed  privilege,  if  we 
have  not  actually  shed  tears  on  earth  ? — Spiritual 
hungering  and  thirsting  an  evidence  of  spiritual 
health. — It  is  our  highest  honor  to  bear  the  cross  of 
Christ. — "We  shall  be  rendered  perfect  by  enduring 
affliction. — The  gradation  here  uidicated  is  absolute- 
ly necessary ;  not  one  of  the  steps  may  safely  be  left 
out. — Vers.  12.  (Pericopc.)  The  order  of  grace,  or 
of  beatitude:  1.  It  commences  with  repentance  (vers. 
3-5) ;  2.  it  rests  on  faith  (ver.  6) ;  3.  it  requires  con- 
tinual sanctificatiou  (vers.  7-9) ;  4.  it  is  evidenced  by 
suffering  (10-12). 

*  [If  I  remember  rightly,  Luther  once  gave  this  homileti- 
cal  advice  (derived  from  the  words:  Jle  opened  His  mmith) 
in  a  more  pointed  form  than  Heubner,  viz. :  TVitt  frisch 
auf;  thu  '«  2Iaul  auf;  Iwr  huld  aufl  i.  e.,  "Get  up  bold- 
ly; open  the  mouth  widely;  be  done  quickly." — P.  S.] 


n. 

The  doctrine  and  righteousness  of  Christ  the  genuine  development  and  fulfilment  of  the  Old  Testament, 
as  being  the  true  and  absolute  fulfilment  of  the  law  in  contradistinction  to  spurious  traditionahsm, 
or  the  ossification  and  perversion  of  the  law  exliibited  in  the  righteousness  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes, 
in  respect  both  of  their  teaching  and  in  their  practice.  Christ  and  Moses ;  Christ  and  traditionalism. 
— Descent  from  the  Mount  of  Divine  Revelation  to  the  arbitrary  dispensations  and  ordinances  of  man. 
Ch.v.  iT-ch.  vii.  6. 

(Ch.  V.  20-26,  the  Gospel  for  the  6th  Sunday  after  Trmity.— Ch.  vi.  24-34,  the  Gospel  for  the  15th  Sunday 

after  Trinity.) 


1.    Christ  and  the  Law  ;  or,  Christ  the  absolute  fulfilment. 
Chapter  V.  17-19. 


17  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law,  or  the  prophets:  I  am  not  come  to 

18  destroy,  but  to  fulfil.     For  verily  I  say  unto  you.  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or 

19  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled.  Whosoever  there- 
fore shall  break  one  of  these  least  commandments,  and  shall  teach  men  so,  he  shall  be 
called  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  but  whosoever  shall  do  and  teach  them,  the 
same  shall  be  called  great  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

and  custom — to  be  accustomed,  to  think,  to  imagine 
(to  suppose  according  to  custom).  Hence  the  expres- 
sion here  points  to  a  legal  prejudice:  Do  not  sup- 
pose that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law.* 

The  connection  between  this  and  what  precedes,  is 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  17.  Think  not,  ^^  votJii<T-r\r t . — The 
choice  of  the  expression,  voixi^^iv,  in  connection  with 
the  word  v6^los  mamediately  following,  must  not  be 
overlooked.     The  verb  implies :  to  recognize  as  use 


*  [German :  das  Geneiz  zu  enfsetzett,  which  might  perhaps 
be  rendered:  to  illegalize  or  to  outlaw  the  law.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  V.  17-19. 


109 


evident,  although  Meyer  denies  it.  Immediately  be- 
fore, Jesus  had  spoken  of  persecution  for  righteous- 
ness' sake  and  for  His  sake.  This  implied  a  con- 
trast between  His  righteousness  and  that  of  the  Pha- 
risees and  scribes.  Accordingly,  the  question  would 
naturally  arise  as  to  the  relation  between  His  doc- 
trine of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  law,  and  the 
Old  Testament  generally,  since  the  disciples  could 
not,  at  the  time,  have  been  fully  alive  to  the  con- 
trast between  Jewish  traditionalism  and  the  law  of 
Moses.  Evidently  the  prejudice  might  arise  in  their 
minds,  that  Jesus  intended  to  destroy  the  law. 

This  difficulty  is  immediately  met  by  the  declara- 
tion, that  He  was  come,  not  to  destroy,  but  to 
fulfil  the  law;  nay  that  he  was  Himself  its  fulfil- 
ment, and  that  not  merely  in  respect  o^  its  types, 
but  of  all  the  spnbols  of  truth  which  were  afloat 
among  men,  whether  specially  Jewish,  or  in  heathen 
religions,  or  even  of  those  presented  by  history  and 
nature  generally.  Still,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that 
Matthew  always  chiefly  points  to  the  fulfilment  of 
the  Old  Testament  in  Christ.  The  idea  of  an  abso- 
lute fulfilment  of  all  types,  is  brought  out  in  the  Gos- 
pel by  John. 

The  law,  or  the  prophets. — Xot  merely  the 
Pentateuch  as  a  book,  or  the  prophets  as  the  other 
portions  of  the  Old  Testament,  but  also  the  gradual 
spiritual  development  of  Old  Testament  revelation 
which  they  embody.  The  ^  is  never  used  for  Kai, 
but  always  as  a  particle  of  distinction  (comp.  Winer, 
Crram.  of  the^.  T. ;  Fritzsche  ad  Marc,  p.  276  sqq.). 
"  In  the  present  instance  it  means,  to  abrogate  the 
one,  or  the  other."  The  Jews  were  guilty  of  vari- 
ous kinds  of  abrogation  of  the  law.  The  Sad- 
ducecs  destroyed  the  prophets,  the  Pharisees  the 
law,  the  Essenes,  in  part,  both  the  law  and  the 
prophets.  But  Christ  preserved  the  Old  Testament 
in  all  its  entirety,  and  fulfilled  it  in  its  deepest  mean- 
ing. As  everywhere  else,  so  here,  the  word  f  d  w  o  s 
refers  to  the  ivhole  law,  and  not  merely  to  tlie  Deca- 
logue ;  although  we  recognize  in  the  Old  Testament 
a  manifest  distmction  between  the  moral  law,  the 
ceremonial  law,  and  the  national  or  civil  law.  The 
ceremonial  was  intended  to  supplement  the  moral 
law;  while  the  civil  law  supplemented  both,  and 
formed  their  basis.  "  The  special  quotations  from 
the  moral  law  which  are  afterward  adduced  by  the 
Saviour,  are  only  intended  as  examples  of  the  whole 
law  (or  of  what  was  most  important) — consisting  of 
some  of  those  moral  precepts  which  would  most 
readily  occur  in  the  circumstances.  He  fulfilled  the 
whole  law, — not  the  smallest  ceremonial  or  national 
ordinance  being  destroyed  in  its  ultimate  idea,  while 
everything  which  the  law  prescribed,  and  of  which 
the  ancient  ordinances  were  only  the  (ttoix'^m,  was 
carried  out  to  its  fuU  ideal"  (Meyer).  "The  ex- 
pression, Tovs  Trpo<p7)Tas,  cannot  possibly  refer 
to  the  predictions  contained  in  their  writings  (the 
Greek  Fathers :  Beza,  Calovius,  and  others, — among 
them,  Tholuck  and  Xeander),  as  nobody  would 
imagine  that  the  Messiah  would  destroy  fhem. 
Taken  in  coimection  with  the  \>6iJ.os  (comp.  also  ch. 
vii.  12 ;  xxii.  40),  it  must  refer  to  the  injunctions  of 
the  prophetic  writings."  But  carnal  Judaizers  might 
regard  the  contrast  between  the  life  of  Jesus  and 
their  fanciful  and  secularized  views  of  what  the  lan- 
guage of  the  prophets  conveyed,  as  destroying  not 
only  the  law,  but  the  prophets. 

To  destroy,  KaraKvaa  i, — in  the  sense  of  ab- 
rogating, a  revolutionary  destruction  of  existmg  in- 
stitutions. 


But  to  fulfil,  a\Ao  iT\rjp£cTa i. — The  expres- 
sion is  differently  interpreted,  as  meaning:  1.  actually 
to  fulfil  (Eisner,  Woli;  Bleek,  and  others);  2.  to 
complete  doctrlnally,  =  TeAeituirai,  to  interpret  more 
fully,  to  perfect,  i  c,  to  bring  out  its  spiritual  mean- 
ing (Lightfoot,  Hammond,  etc.);  3.  combining  the 
two  views :  to  make  perfect  as  doctrine,  and  to  ex- 
hibit perfectly  in  the  life.  In  adopting  the  latter 
interpretation,  we  must  keep  in  mind  that  this 
ir\vpai(7ii  is  not  to  be  understood  as  implying  that 
an  imperfect  revelation  was  to  be  completed,  but  that 
a  preliminary  and  typical  revelation  was  to  be  pre- 
sented in  all  its  fulness,  and  completely  realized  by 
word  and  deed.  [Dr.  Wordsworth  :  "  Christ  fulfilled 
the  law  and  the  prophets  by  obedience,  by  accom- 
plishment of  types,  ceremonies,  rites,  and  prophecies, 
and  by  explaining,  spiritualizing,  elevating,  enlarg- 
ing, and  perfecting  the  moral  law,  by  writing  it  on 
the  hea7-t,  and  by  giving  p-ace  to  obey  it,  as  well  as 
an  example  of  obedience,  by  takmg  away  its  curse ; 
and  by  the  doctrine  of  free  justification  by  faith 
in  Himself,  which  the  law  prefigured  and  antici- 
pated, but  could  not  give."  Augustine :  "  Aide  Christi 
adventimi  \c\jubcbat,  non  juvabat ;  post,  etjubet  et 
juvaty  Maldonatus:  "  Abolet  non  dmolveiido  sed 
absolvendo,  non  ddendo  sed  pcrjiciendo. — ^P.  S.] 

Ver.  18.  For  verily,  ajUT;;/  7ap;  "|t3X 
aK-qeSi y, — a  solemn  asseveration,  used  to  introduce 
important  announcements.  In  such  cases,  St.  John  * 
always  repeated  the  word. 

Till  heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away. 
— 1.  In  the  sense  of  never:  Calvin,  Luther,  Zwin- 
gle,  etc., — heaven  and  earth  being  regarded  as  ever- 
lasting: Baruch  iii.  32,  comp.  Luke  xvi.  17.  2.  To 
the  end  of  the  world:  Paulus,  Tholuck.  The  law  shall 
last  till  a  new  order  of  things  shall  be  introduced. 
Proof :  According  to  the  New  Testament,  heaven  and 
earth  are  to  pass  away.  The  old  and  symbolical 
shape  and  arrangements  of  this  world  shall  pass 
away  sooner  than  the  old  symbolical  law,  just  as  the 
extremities  of  the  body  die  before  the  centre,  or  the 
heart.  But  the  law  can  only  pass  away  in  the  letter  by 
being  accomplished  in  the  spirit  and  in  truth.  View- 
ed as  a  shadow  and  type  of  things  to  come,  the  law 
disappears  in  Christ ;  but  as  to  its  substance,  it  is 
part  of  the  word  of  God,  and  as  such  it  abideth  for 
ever,  even  in  heaven. 

The  Iota  refers  to  the  smallest  Hebrew  letter  i ; 
the  tittle,  K^paia,  to  a  stOl  smaller  mark,  by  which 
similar-looking  letters  were  distinguished,  or  else  to 
the  little  dot  inserted  in  the  i.      The  meaning  is, 


*  [The  Edinb.  translator  hern  erroneously  snbstitutt>s  the 
Baptist  for  the  Evangelist.  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke,  in 
the  discourses  of  the  Saviour,  uniformly  (in  more  than  50 
passases)  use  the  single  a/x-hv,  while  the  Saviour,  in  the 
Gospel  of  John,  always  (in  24  p,Tss3ges)  uses  the  double 
aixriv  (a  Hebrew  (pizeuxis,  or  emphatic  repetition  of  the 
same  word,  comp.  ~XS  ~xr).  See  John  i.  61  (52);  iii.  3,  5, 
11 ;  V.  19,  24,  25:  vi.  26,  3l>,'  47,  53 ;  viii.  .34,  51,  58,  etc!  etc. 
The  uniformity  of  this  usage  in  the  mouth  of  the  Saviour, 
and  the  Saviour  only,  is  significant.  Tholuck,  Olshausen, 
de  "Wetle,  and  Meyer  state  the  fact,  but  attempt  no  explana- 
tion. Bengel  (Gnomon  ad  Joh.  i.  51)  accounts  for  it  on  the 
ground  that  the  Saviour  spoke  in  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  in  His  own,  and  adds  that  at  the  time  when  the  first 
three  Gospels  were  written  it  was  not  yet  se.isonablc  to  re- 
cord the  double  o.ix'i}i',  and  the  argument  for  the  Divinity  of 
Christ  implied  in  it.  1  venture  to  suggest  that  John,  or 
rather  Christ  himself,  desired  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  He 
was  the  absolute,  the  personal  Truth,  as  He  says,  John  xiv. 
6,  or  the  Amen,  as  He  is  called.  Eev.  iii.  14.  For  no  one  else 
in  the  N.  T.  ventures  to  use  the  phrase :  Verily  (not  even 
once)  I  say  unto  you. — P.  S.] 


no 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


that  the  most  delicate  and  apparently  smallest  de- 
terminations and  distinctions  were  to  be  preserved 
in  tlie  delicate  and  finer  outlines  of  spiritual  life. 

Till  all  be  fulfilled. — Tims  the  law  has  a  two- 
fold termination,  a  ncj;ative  and  a  positive.  Nega- 
tively, it  terminates  with  the  old  world;  positively, 
it  is  realized  in  the  new  and  spiritual  world,  now  in- 
augurated.    Comp.  Luke  xvi.  IV. 

Ver.  19.  Whosoever  therefore  shall  break, 
or  iav  olv  Kixttj. — In  the  Conj.  Aor.,  indicating 
what  may  take  place  at  some  future  period  (the  pos- 
sible futurum  exactum).  The  term  used  is  Xvatj,  not 
KaraXvari,  since,  according  to  the  Divine  arrange- 
ment, none  could  in  the  old  woi'ld  acliieve  the  koto- 
Xvaai.    of  the  law. 

One  of  these  least  commandments ;  referring 
to  the  iota  and  tittle. — The  expression,  least,  does 
not  apply  to  the  pharisaical  distinction  between 
great  and  small  commandments  (according  to  Wet- 
stein),  but  to  the  difference  made  by  the  Lord  Him- 
self, between  tlie  law  generally  and  its  iota  and  tittle. 
"  Such  a  person  is  not  entirely  excluded  from  the 
kingdom,  because  his  opposition  is  not  one  of  prin- 
ciple, nor  directed  against  the  law  itself,  but  only 
against  its  minutiae." — Meyer. 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  hiimilihi  and  majesty  of  Christ  in  defining 
his  relation  to  the  "law.  He  declares  at  once  his  sub- 
ordination to  the  Old  Testament,  and  his  superiority 
over"  it. 

2.  Christ  destroys  nothing  but  sin,  which  indeed 
destroys  itself.  All  that  is  divine  in  this  world,  nay, 
even  all  that  is  truly  human.  He  elevates  and  spirit- 
uahzes.  Thus  Christ  is  the  absolute  fulfilment  of 
the  Old  Testament  and  of  the  old  world — and  that, 
both  in  His  hfe  and  doctrine.  "  All  that  is  transient 
— it  is  only  a  likeness,  incomplete  here — but  reahty 
there."  *-r-"  Generally,  and  in  every  respect,  I  have 
come,  not  to  destroy  aught  that  is  right  or  true :  the 
object  of  My  advent  has  been  to  preserve,  to  carry 
on,  and  to  perfect  every  commencement,  prepara- 
tion for,  and  expectancy  of,  the  kingdom  of  God 
throughout  humanity.  Thus  the  Saviour  lifts  His 
eyes  beyond  Israel  on  the  heathen  world,  for  whose 
sake  also  He  has  come,  and  where  his  advent  marks 
a  fulfilment  of  spiritual  aspirations,  which,  though 
dim,  were  already  in  existence,  and  only  waited  for 
their  unfolding  and  accompUshment.  He  looks  into 
the  depths  of  humanity,  as  opened  up  before  Him, 
and  views  all  history  in  its  highest  import  as  tending 
toward,  and  as  expectancy  of.  Himself." — Stier.    ., 

3.  The  fulfilment  of  the  law  and  prophets  is  im- 
plied in  the  appearance  of  Jesus :  it  has  been  car- 
ried out  in  His  life;  it  is  still  developing  in  His 
Church ;  and  will  continue  until  it  becomes  perfectly 
manifest  in  the  reappearing  of  Christ,  or  the  mani- 
festation of  the  new  order  of  things,  of  which  He  is 
the  centre. 

4.  "  There  is  a  fulfilment  of  the  law  in  its  mere 
letter,  which  is  really  a  transgression  of  the  law,  as 
expressed  in  that  true  saying:  summum  jus,  summa 
injuria.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  transgression 
of  the  letter  of  the  law,  which  may  be  a  fulfilment  of 


*  [Allusion  to  the  mysterious  conclii 
part  of  Goethe's  Faust: ' 


of  the  second 


'  Alles  VergaenglicheUtnuTein  Gleichniss ; 
Pas  Vnzulaengliche  hier  v:ird's  JSreigmss ^ 
T>as  Unbegreifiiche  hier  v:ird's  gethan; 
Das  ewig  n'eiUiche  zielit  una  hman."—P.  S."| 


its  spirit."— Tholuck  (p.  148).  We  add,  that  there 
is  a  seeming  destruction  of  the  old,  which,  in  reality, 
is  its  fulfilment;  while  its  ."i/iMWoMS  preservation  im- 
phes  real  destruction. 

5.  The  Lord  here  sets  before  us  the  contrast,  not 
between  entire  opposition  to  the  law  and  its  perfect 
fulfilment,  but  between  partial  opposition  and  per- 
fect fulfilment.  To  attempt  destroying  the  law  en- 
tirely, were  to  be  an  enemy  of  the  kingdom  of 
lieaven,  and  hence  beyond  its  pale.  But  even  the 
attempt  to  destroy  it  partially  in  its  least,  but,  at 
the  same  time,  most  deUcate  injunctions,  brings 
down  the  punishment  of  being  called  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  So  far  as  it  goes,  every  such 
destruction  is  a  revolution,  not  a  reform.  "  He  shall 
be  called  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  because 
his  spirit  is  least  capacious,  and  because  he  finds  it 
impossible  to  realize  the  life  of  the  law  without 
surrendering  its  special  directions,  and  confining 
himself  to  a  few  abstract  principles." — Leben  Jesu, 
ii.  2,  p.  593. 

6.  The  order  which  Christ  estabhshes,  is  that  of 
doing  and  teaching,  not  the  reverse.  But  this  order 
of  life  becomes  a  disorder,  where  doing  and  teaching 
have  a  negative  tendency.  If,  on  the  contrary,  we 
do  and  teach  the  law  in  a  proper  spirit,  we  shall  be 
the  means  by  whicli  Christ  fulfils  and  accomplishes 
His  regeneration  and  transformation  of  the  world. 
Hence  we  shall  also  be  called  great  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

7.  In  connection  with  this  subject,  we  recall  to 
mind  the  various  antinomian  tendencies ;  not  merely 
those  in  direct  opposition  to  tlie  law,  but  such,  when, 
under  the  guise  of  obedience,  the  spirit  of  the  law 
was  contravened.  The  context  shows  that  our  Lord 
referred  to  the  latter  as  well  as  to  the  former.  For 
nothing  is  more  revolutionary  than  rigid  and  tyran- 
nical traditionalism. 

8.  Jesus  carefully  guards  Himself  against  the  sus- 
picion that  He  was  about  violently  to  put  an  end  to 
the  Old  Dispensation  and  the  ancient  theocratic  order 
of  things.  The  same  line  of  argument  was,  at  a 
later  period,  adopted  by  the  Apostle  Paul,  when  de- 
fending himself  against  a  similar  charge,  Rom.  hi.  31. 
When  Paul  speaks  of  the  abrogation  of  the  law,  he 
always  refers  only  to  its  temporary,  transient,  and 
traditional  form  (Eph.  ii.  15;  Col.  ii.  14).  In  this 
sense  the  law  must  pass  away,  in  order  that  its  real 
nature  as  the  law  of  the  spirit  may  appear. — But  it 
is  important  to  remember,  that  in  this  passage  the 
Lord  passed  over  the  aljolition  of  outward  and  tem- 
[lorary  ordinances,  while  He  laid  emphasis  upon  the 
fulfilment  of  the  law  in  the  Gospel,  and  that  not 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  rebutting  the  antinomian 
expectations  hitherto  entertained,  as  if  the  revela- 
tion of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  implied  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  law.  We  rather  conceive  that  His  argu- 
ment was  mainly  directed  against  the  popular  prej- 
udice, that  He  intended  to  detract  from  the  charac- 
ter and  obligations  of  the  law. 

nOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

Even  on  His  first  appearance,  Christ  felt  that  He 
would  be  represented  as  a  rebel  and  destroyer  of  the 
authority  of  the  law. — Against  such  suspicions  He  sol- 
emnly protested. — Christ  has  guarded  His  Gospel  and 
His  Cliurch  from  the  suspicion  of  revolutionary  ten- 

i  dencies.— The  old  error,  which  seeks  to  identify  the  re- 
ligion of  the  Spirit  with  rebelhon,  as  appearing,  1. 

I  in  the  history  of  Christ ;  2.  m  that  of  His  Church.— 


CHAP.  V.  20-48. 


Ill 


Christ  the  fulfiUer  of  the  law. — The  law  and  the 
prophets. — The  absolute  fulfilment :  1.  in  His  doc- 
trine; 2.  in  Ilis  hfe;  3.  in  His  history;  2  Cor.  i. 
20 ;  Heb.  xiii.  8. — Import  of  the  name  of  Jehovah, 
Rev.  i.  4. — Tlie  law  in  its  essence  is  eternal. — The 
law  must  be  fulfilled  in  all  its  parts :  1.  As  spiritual 
requirement,  which  must  be  spiritually  accomplished ; 
2.  as  an  emblem  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  to  be  real- 
ized by  the  Spirit;  3.  as  a  promise  of  the  Spirit, 
which  the  Spirit  will  fulfil. — Every  sacred  emblem 
has  its  corresponding  reality  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ. — Christ  has  fulfilled  the  law:  1.  The  moral 
law  by  His  obedience;  2.  the  sacrificial  law  by 
His  suflPeriugs ;  3.  the  civil  or  national  law  by  His 
institutions. — Even  the  laws  and  emblems  of  our 
lives  must  become  reaUty. — The  law  fulfilled  by 
the  manifestation  of  the  spirit  of  the  law,  since 
the  Spirit  brings  out,  1.  the  one  grand  principle 
of  the  law,  instead  of  its  many  injunctions;  2. 
the  life  of  the  law  in  the  individual ;  3.  reveals  the 
infinite  depth  of  the  law. — The  law  is  transformed 
and  glorified  in  its  fulfilment. — A  mere  carnal  ob- 
servance of  the  letter  may  in  reality  be  an  abroga- 


tion of  the  law. — To  resist  the  spiritual  unfolding  of 
the  law,  is,  under  the  guise  of  allegiance,  to  rebel 
against  its  authority. — The  Gospel  ju-esents  the  law 
in  its  spiritual  aspect. — He  who,  by  his  interpreta- 
tions of  the  law,  attempts  to  make  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  small,  cannot  himself  be  great  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. — Grandeur  of  free  obedience. — Do- 
ing and  teaching:  such  is  the  order  of  Christ. — The 
righteousness  of  Christ,  and  that  of  the  Pharisees 
and  scribes. 

Slarke  : — The  word  of  God  abideth  for  ever,  Luke 
xvi.  17. — There  is  no  commandment  of  God  too 
small  to  be  obeyed,  James  ii.  10. 

Gerlach: — The  law  was  essentially  spiritual;  but 
on  account  of  the  hardness  of  the  Jewish  heart,  it 
was  fenced  in  under  the  Old  Testament  by  outward 
ordinances,  which,  for  the  time,  prevented  the  full 
manifestation  of  its  depth.  Hence,  in  order  to  "  ful- 
fil it,"  Christ  broke  through  the  barriers,  and  thus 
unfolded  its  true  glory ;  while  the  Pharisees  contra- 
vened the  spirit  of  the  law  by  the  observance  of  its 
letter,  which  in  reaUty  destroyed,  instead  of  fulfil- 
ling it. 


2.  Relation  between  the  Doctrine  of  Christ  and  the  Law  ;  and  between  the  latter  and  the  Doctrine  of  the 
Pharisees  and  Scribes,  or  Jewish  Traditionalism,  as  exhibited  in  five  special  instances, — showing  tlie 
spurious  in  opposition  to  the  genuine  development  of  the  Law,  its  narrowing  by  the  letter,  and  its  fulness 
in  the  spirit. 

Chapter  V.  20-48. 
{Ch.  V.  20-26,  the  Gospel  for  the  Gih  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 

20  For  I  say  unto  you,  That  except  your  righteousness  shall  exceed  the  righteousness 
of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

21  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  by  [toj^  them  of  old  time,  Thou  shalt  not  kill ;  and 

22  whosoever  shall  kill  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judguient :  But  I  say  unto  [to]  you,  That 
whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother  without  a  cause  [without  cause]  ^  shall  be  iu 
danger  of  tlie  judgment:  and  whosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother,  Raca,  shall  be  in 
danger  of  the  council :  but  [and]  whosoever  shall  say,  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of 

23  hell  fire.     Therefore  if  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there  rememberest  that  thy 

24  brother  hath  aught  against  thee ;  Leave  there  thy  gift  before  the  altar,  and  go  thy 

25  way;  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift.  Agree  with 
thine  adversary  quickly,  while  thou  art  in  the  way  with  him ;  lest  at  any  time  the  ad- 
versary deliver  thee  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  thou  be 

26  cast  into  prison.  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out  thence,  till 
thou  hast  paid  the  uttermost  farthing. 

27  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  by  [to]  them  of  old  tirae,^  Thou  shalt  not  commit 

28  adultery  :   But  I  say  imto  [to]  you.  That  whosoever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her 

29  hath  committed  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart.  And  if  thy  right  eye  offend 
thee  [cause  thee  to  offend],  pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from  thee :  for  it  is  profitable  for 
thee  that  one  of  thy  members  should  perish,  and  not  that  thy  whole  body  should  be 

30  cast  into  hell.  And  if  thy  right  hand  offend  thee  [cause  thee  to  offend],  cut  it  ojff,  and 
cast  it  from  thee :   for  it  is  profitable  for  thee  that  one  of  thy  members  should  perish, 

31  and  not  that  thy  whole  body  should  be  cast  [depart,  aTrikOrf]  into  hell.  It  hath  been 
said,  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  let  him  give  her  a  writing  of  divorcement: 

32  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  saving  [save]  for  the 
cause  of  fornication,  causeth  her  to  commit  adultery :  and  whosoever  shall  marry  her 
that  is  divorced  committeth  adidtery. 


112 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


33  Again,  ye  have  lieard  tliat  it  hatli  been  said  by  [to]  them  of  old  time,  Thou  slialt 

34  not  forswear  thyself  [swear  falsely],  but  shalt  perform  mito  the  Lord  thine  oaths:  But 

35  I  say  unto  you,  Swear  not  at  all;  neither  by  heaven;  for  it  is  God's  throne:  Nor  by 
the  earth ;   for  it  is  his  footstool ;  neither  by  Jerusalem ;   for  it  is  the  city  of  the  great 

36  King.     Neither  shalt  thou  swear  by  thy  head,  because  tliou  canst  not  make  one  hair 

37  wliite  or  black.     But  let  your  communication  [word,  Aoyos]  be.  Yea,  yea;  Nay,  nay: 
for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  coraeth  of  evil. 

38  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth: 

39  But  I  say  unto  }^ou,  That  ye  resist  not  evil :  but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right 

40  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.     And  if  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take 

41  away  thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  also.     And  whosoever  shall  compel  [impress] 

42  thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him  twain  [two].     Give  to  him  that  asketh  thee,  and  from 
him  that  would  borrow  of  thee  turn  not  thou  away. 

43  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour,  and  hate 

44  thine  enemy.  But  I  say  unto  you.  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them   that  curse  you,  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  you,*  and  pray  for  them  which   [who]  despitefully  use  you, 

45  and  ^  persecute  you ;  That  ye  may  be   the  children  of  your  Father  which  [who]  is  in 
heaven :  for  he   m.aketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain 

46  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust.     For  if  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward  have 

47  ye?  do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same?     And  if  ye  salute  your  brethren  only,  what 
do  ye  more  than  others  [tliat  excels,  ti  Trepia-a-ov]  ?   do  not  even  the  publicans  [the 

48  heathen]  ®  so  ?     Be  ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven 
is  perfect. 

J  Yer.  21. — [To7y  apx^'O'^j  to  the  ancients,  is  the  interpretation  of  the  Greek  fathers,  the  ancient  versions,  and  all  the 
English  versions  from  Wiclif 's  to  the  Genevan  inol.,  and  also  that  of  Eheims.  This  is  certainly  much  more  natural  than 
the  rare  and  mostly  questionable  abkitire  use  of  the  dative  case,  which  Beza,  in  his  later  editions,  preferred,  and  which 
passed  into  the  E.  V.  of  1611.  Bensel  {Gnomon  in  loc.)  remarks:  "Antitheton,  ro&f«;  unde  patet,  to7s  apxaiois, 
itntiquis  (patribus,  tempore  Mosis)  non  esse  casu  sexto:  faciliorque  est  constructio :  dictum  est  antiquis,  id  est,  ad  anti- 
quos,  quam  ab  antiquis.''''  The  word  ippv^rj  is  always  followed  in  the  N.  T.  or  the  Septuagint  by  the  substantive  which 
denotes  the  person  to  tchom  (not  by  whom)  the  words  were  spoken,  comp.  Eom.  ix.  12,  26 ;  Gal.  iii.  16;  Eev.  vi.  11;  ix.  4. 
Comp.  also  Com. — P.  S.] 

-  Ver.  22. — Eirt^,  without  cause,  omitted  by  Cod.  B.,  several  minuscule  MSS.,  translations,  and  fathers.  [Lachmann 
and  Tischendorf  omit  it,  and  Tregelles  marks  it  as  very  doubtful.  Alford  retains  it,  and  there  is  sufficient  ancient  authori- 
ty for  it  to  justify  its  continuance  in  the  popular  translations.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  27.— [The  critical  authorities  are  against  ro7s  apx^iots  of  the  text.  rec.  in  this  verse,  and  throw  it  out  of  the 
text.    But  Dr.  Lange  retains  it  in  his  transl.     Comp.  vers.  31,  38,  and  43,  where  these  words  are  likewise  omitted.— P.  S.] 

■J  Ver.  4-}.— [The  clauses  of  the  received  text:  "bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  rjood  to  them  that  hate  you,"  are  marked 
as  doubtful  by  Uriesbach,  and  omitted  in  the  modern  critical  editions;  but  they  are  genuine  in  the  parallel  passage,  Luke 
vi.  27,  23.     Hence  Dr.  Lange  retains  them  here  in  his  translation.— P.  S.] 

6  Ver.  44. The  words:    "ichich  despitefully  use  you  and  \tuiv  iirripfa^Si'Twv  v/J-as   Kai]  are   omitted  by  some 

authorities.  [Lachmann,  Tischendorf;  Tregelles,  and  Alford  omit  them,  and  Meyer  is  disposed  to  regard  them  as  an  inter- 
polation from  Luke  vii.  28.— P.  S.l 

8  Yor.  47.— [Dr.  Lange  translates:  die  Ileiden,  the  heathen,  following  the  reading:  ol  tbpiKoi  (Vulgata:  ethnici), 
which  is  better  authenticated  in  ver.  47  than  reXwyai,  publicani.  The  latter  seems  to  have  been  taken  from  ver.  46i 
where  T^Koovai.  is  universally  sustained.    See  Tischend.,  Lachm.,  Tregelles,  and  Alford  ad  loc.—V.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

General  Remarks  on  the  lohole  Section. — (1)  Real 
abolition  of  the  law  under  guise  of  rendering  its  in- 
junctions more  rigid ;  hedging  in  of  the  law  in  its 
spirituality  and  perfectness  by  the  traditions  of  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  resulting  in  perversion  of  doc- 
trine by  converting  the  law  into  a  series  of  outward 
and  finite  ordinances. 

First  Instance:  Abrogation  of  the  law  through 
observance  of  the  letter,  by  the  conversion  of  a  mo- 
ral precept  into  a  purely  civil  law,  thus  secularizmg 
it,  and  destroying  its  spirit — as  shown  in  the  tradi- 
tions connected  with  the  commandment:  "TJiou 
shall  not  kill."  Second  Instance :  Abrogation  of  the 
law  by  weakening  its  force,  and  converting  a  Umited 
permission  into  an  encouragement — as  shown  in  the 
traditions  connected  with  the  commandment:  '■'■Thou 
shalt  7ioi  commit  adultery."  Third  Instance:  Abro- 
gation of  the  law  by  the  perversion  of  a  solemn  assev- 


eration into  a  common  mode  of  assurance,  or  into 
cursing — as  exhibited  in  the  injunctions  connected 
vnth  oaths.  Fourth  Instance:  Abrogation  of  the  law 
by  the  conversion  of  an  ordinance  of  criminal  law 
intended  to  put  an  end  to  private  vengeance  into  a 
moral  law,  which,  in  reaUty,  sanctioned  vengeance — 
as  shown  in  the  law  of  retaliation.  Fifth  Instance : 
AboUtion  of  the  law  by  sectarian  interpretation  and 
false  inferences — as  exhibited  in  connection  with  the 
great  commandment :  "  TIiou-  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor." 

(2)  In  opposition  to  these  perversions,  we  have 
five  instances  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  law  by  the  teach- 
ing of  Christ,  "in  each  of  which  the  law  is  traced 
back  to  the  mind  and  heart,  or  to  the  moral  and  re- 
ligious life  generally.  In  the  first  of  the  above  in- 
stances, the  law  is  traced  back  to  the  passion  of 
anger ;  in  the  second,  to  adulterous  desires ;  in  the 
third,  to  the  sinful  want  of  reverence ;  in  the  fourth, 
to  yielding  to  the  power  of  evil ;  in  the  fifth,  to  sel- 
fishness and   sectarianism,  which  are  incompatible 


CHAP.  V.  20-48. 


113 


with  the  requirements  of  universal  love.  In  reference 
to  the  first  of  these  instances,  the  Lord  requireth 
from  us  brotherly  feeling ;  in  reference  to  the  second, 
He  demandeth  sanctity  in  the  relationship  between 
the  sexes ;  in  reference  to  the  third,  calm  assurance 
in  the  fear  of  God,  so  that  our  "  yea  be  yea,  and  our 
nay  nay  ;"  in  reference  to  the  fourth,  meekness  and 
mercy,  which  overcometh  injuries;  while  in  refer- 
ence to  the  fifth.  He  points  out  the  infinitude  of 
love. 

(3)  In  all  these  examples,  Christ  shows  that, 
viewed  as  a  principle,  in  its  true  import  and  bearmg, 
the  law  goes  far  beyond  the  mere  letter,  demanding 
not  only  a  definite  outward  compliance,  but  reaching 
also  the  mind  and  heart.  This  boundless  extent  of 
the  law  in  its  application  to  the  inner  man  is  here 
presented  in  a  definite  form,  and  as  special  precepts ; 
which,  however,  must  not  be  interpreted  Uterally,  but 
regarded  as  so  many  symbols  designed  to  illustrate 
the  spirituality  and  depth  of  the  law.  Thus  the  car- 
nal literalism  and  perversion  of  truth  which  appear 
in  the  rabbinical  interpretation  of  "  Thou  shalt  not 
kill,"  is  met  by  a  more  literal  yet  infinitely  deeper 
application  of  the  commandment.  The  dull  stupidity 
of  their  literalism  is  met,  so  to  speak,  bij  a  certain 
irony  of  lUerality.  Similarly,  the  lustfulness  which 
was  legalized  by  the  cunning  perversion  of  the  com- 
mandment, "  Tliou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,"  is  met 
by  an  uncompromising  demand  of  the  most  complete 
self-denial.  In  opposition  to  the  third  perversion  of 
the  law,  by  which  that  -which  was  holy  was  thought- 
lessly and  sinfully  dragged  down,  we  have  here  a  ma- 
jestic prohibition  uttered  in  the  name  of  the  highest 
authority.  Instead  of  the  spirit  of  strife,  fostered  by 
an  abuse  of  the  principle  of  retaliation,  the  Saviour 
inculcates  readiness  to  surrender  even  our  own  rights ; 
while,  lastly,  the  national  pride  and  narrow  sectarian- 
ism of  the  Pharisees  were  to  give  place  to  the  influ- 
ences of  a  love  so  wide,  as  to  break  through  all  the 
narrow  bounds  of  bigotry.  Thus  Jesus  refutes  the 
literaUsm  of  the  scribes  by  literality ;  and  shows  that 
even  in  its  literal  hUerpretation,  the  letter  of  the  law 
was  from  the  first  only  the  symbol  of  its  spirit. 

Yer.  20.  Except  your  righteousness  shall 
exceed,  e^c,  iav  /u?j  TTepia a-eua-r; . — The  general 
idea,  to  be  better,  or  to  excel,  does  not  exhaust  the  ex- 
pression, which  implies  to  grow  up  beyond  the  right- 
eousness of  the  scribes — to  exceed  it.  The  antithesis 
lies  in  the  statement,  that  the  Pharisees  have  all  their 
reward  here,  while  the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  not  only  lasting,  but  extends  to  the  king- 
dom of  glory.  The  word  ZiKawauvr}  does  not  merely 
refer  to  righteousness  by  faith,  but  in  general  to  the 
righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  lieaven  as  a  princi- 
ple, both  in  respect  of  doctrine  and  of  life. 

The  directions  here  given  by  the  Lord  are  man- 
ifestly not  intended  by  way  of  improvement  upon 
the  law  (Maldonatus  and  others),  but  as  expressing 
its  true  fulfilment  in  opposition  to  its  destruction  by 
the  traditions  of  the  Pharisees.  At  first  sight,  it  might 
appear  as  if  Christ  were  setting  aside  the  letter  of  the 
Old  Testament ;  while  in  reality  He  only  refutes  the 
literaUsm  of  tradition,  by  which  the  true  import  of 
the  law  was  perverted.  Against  every  other  abroga- 
tion of  the  law,  the  Lord  protested  on  every  occasion. 

Ver.  21.  By  them,  or  more  correctly :  To  those 
of  old,  or  to  the  ancients,  to'ls  apxa-ioi  s. — Beza, 
Schottgen,  [our  authorized  version],  and  others,  ren- 
der, "  by  them  of  old."  But  this  interpretation  is  ev- 
idently strained,  nor  does  it  bring  out  the  antithesis 
in  the  words  of  our  Lord,  "  But  I  say  unto  you." 


They  of  old,  or  the  ancients,  are  evidently  the  old  re- 
cipients of  tradition,  the  Jewish  synagogue, — not  the 
Lawgiver  himself.  The  reference  to  traditionalism 
in  the  word  i  pp  tdi}  is  peculiarly  apt.  It  were  im- 
possible to  fix  upon  any  one  who  had  first  propound- 
ed these  traditions ;  they  rather  originated  from  the 
general  spirit  of  interpretation  common  in  the  syn- 
agogue.* 

Thou  shalt  not  kill,  Ex.  xx.  13.— To  this  the 
traditions  of  the  scribes  added,  "  Arid  whosoever  shall 
kill,"  etc. — a  gloss  which  destroyed  the  spiritual  and 
moral  character  of  the  law,  and  converted  it  into  a 
rigid  and  merely  external  legal  enactment.  For,  in 
the  addition  made  by  the  scribes,  the  term  kill  man- 
ifestly referred  only  to  actual  murder ;  thus  implying 
that  the  law  itself  applied  only  to  the  outward  act  of 
murder. — Shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment : 
Kpiais,  which,  according  to  ver.  22,  vras  subject  to 
the  Sanhedrim.  Every  town  had  such  a  local  court, 
the  Council  of  Seven  (consisting,  accorduig  to  the 
rabbins,  of  twenty-three  members),  which  had  the 
power  of  pronouncing  sentence  upon  crimes,  and  of 
inflictmg  execution  by  the  sword  (Joseph.  Ant.  iv.  8, 
14 ;  Deut.  xvi.  18).  The  Sanhedrim,  or  the  Council 
of  Seventy,  alone  had  authority  to  pronounce  sen- 
tence of  stoning,  or  to  adjudicate  in  cases  of  grievous 
heresy  and  of  blasphemy. 

Ver.  22.  The  word  (Iktj  (omitted  in  Cod.  B,  and 
by  some  of  the  Fathers)  is  not  of  doubtful  authority ; 
at  any  rate,  it  would  have  to  be  mentally  suppUed,  as 
the  Scriptures  do  not  condemn  anger  on  proper  occa- 
sions, or  moral  indignation  (see  Eph.  iv.  20 ;  the  ex- 
ample of  the  Lord  and  His  parables),  f  The  passage 
not  only  condemns  unjust  anger,  but  also  the  want  of 
love. — By  the  term  brother,  our  Lord  referred  not 
merely  to  Jews,  but  to  our  neighbors  generally. — Ra- 
ca.  Variously  interpreted  as,  1.  A  mere  interjection 
by  way  of  reproach  ;  2.  Xp"'"} ,  empty  head  !  a  common 
term  of  reproach  at  the  tune.  {See  Buxtorf,  Lex. 
Tahn.  ;  also  Ewald,  who  derives  it  from  the  Aramajan 
N"p"i  J  and  renders  it  6?ac^^i<arc?.)  3.  From  pp'^j 
to  spit  out — the  prolonged  imperative :  Spit  out,  used 


*  [Dr.  Alfonl,  ad  loc. :  "Meyer  (ed.  2)  has  well  observed 
[Dr.  Bengrel  did  it  before  him]  that  4ppy\d-q  roh  apxaiois 
corresponds  to  Xeyu  Se  vtilv,  and  the  iydi  to  the  understood 
subject  of  ip'p.  He  has  not,  however,  apprehended  the 
deeper  truth  which  underlies  the  omission  of  the  subject  of 
ipp.,  that  it  was  the  same  Person  who  said  both.  It  will  be 
noticed  that  our  Lord  does  not  here  spc.ilc  against  the  aMise 
of  the  law  bv  tnadition,  but  that  every  instance  here  given 
is  eitlier  from  the  law  itself,  ovsuoJi  traditional  teaching  as 
■?0(/.s  in  accordance  with  it.  The  contrasts  here  are  Dot  be- 
tween the  law  misunderstood  and  the  Imo  rightly  under- 
utood,  but  between  the  law  and  its  ancient  escposiiion,  which 
in  their  letter,  and  as  given,  were  ksco — and  the  same  as 
f.jd/'iiualized,  TreTrA.7jpoyu.eVo,  l»j  Christ  ;  not  between  two 
laic(/irer8,'M.oses  and  Christ,  but  between  ol  apxcuoi  and 
vlu'ls  ;  between  (the  idea  is  Clirysostom's)  the  children  by 
tlie  same  husband,  of  the  bo»d^coman  f.id  of  thc./reewo- 
man."  Dr.  Wordsworth  :  "  toTs  apxaiois—to  those  of  old 
(Chrys.,  Theoph.,  Maldon.,  Beng.),  at  the  beginning  of  God's 
written  revelation,  contradistingutshcd  from  viuv,  '■to 
%vhom  I  now  speak  face  to  face.'  Our  Lord  not  only  opposes 
tlic  Pharisaic  corruptions  of  the  decalogue,  but  lie  unfolds 
it.  Ho  gives  the  kernel  of  it,  its  spirit,  in  opposition  to 
those  who  dn-elt  only  on  the  letter;  foi  the  letter  (?.  «., 
talcen  alone)  killeth,  but  the  spirit  {added  to  it)  giveth  life, 
Kom.  vii.  14  ;  a  Cor.  iii.  6."— P.  S.] 

+  [Orotius,  ad  loc,  makes  the  appropriate  remark: 
"  Merito  gi'/cv  odditum.  Neque  eum  iracundus  est  quisquis 
irasci  solet,  sed  qui  ols  ov  Se?,  Koi  icp'  oh  ov  Se?,  Kal  /j.ci\- 
\ov  ^  5eT,  at  Aristoteles  loquitur."— P.  S.] 


114 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


as  an  interjection  to  designate  Jierdics,  at  whom  it 
was  customary  to  spit.  In  support  of  this  interpre- 
tation it  might  be  argued,  tliat  the  party  so  reproach- 
ed was  thereby,  as  it  were,  arraigned  before  the  San- 
hedrim.— The  v,-ord  fool,  ixoip6s,  bz':  ^  indicates  the 
hopeless,  helpless  fool  or  atheist  (Ps.  xiv.). — Shall 
be  in  danger  of  hell  fire,  evoxo<!  ea-rai  eiv 
TiV  yievfav.  Here  the  dative  is  awantlng,  as 
mention  is  no  longer  made  of  any  tribunal,  but  of  the 
punisliment  at  once  awarded  to  such  a  person.  The 
New  Testament  term  yiefi'u,  or  hdl,  must  be  careful- 
ly distinguished  from  the  Jewish  SJieol  or  Hades, 
which  means  merely  the  realm  of  the  dead  or  the  re- 
gion of  the  departed.*  Originally,  CSn  N"!;  ,  the 
Valley  of  Hinnom ;  more  precisely,  the  Valley  of  the 
Sons  of  Hinnom,  at  the  southern  declivity  of  Jerusa- 
lem. Afterward,  the  place  where,  during  the  apos- 
tasy, the  service  of  Moloch  was  celebrated,  1  Kings 
xi.  V.  King  Josiah  converted  it  into  a  place  of  abom- 
ination, where  dead  bodies  were  thrown  and  burnt 
(2  Kings  xxiii.  13,  14).  Hence  it  served  as  a  symbol 
of  condemnation,  and  of  the  abode  of  lost  spirits 
(comp.  Lightfoot,  Eisenmenger,  ErUdeckies  Juden- 
thum,  and  others). 

Accordingly,  the  following  are,  in  symbolic  lan- 
guage, the  three  gradations  of  punishment : — 

(1)  The  sin  of  anger  without  a  cause — in  danger 
of  the  local  court. 

(2)  The  sin  of  imputing  heresy — in  danger  of  the 
Sanhedrim,  or  the  highest  spiritual  judicatory. 

(8)  The  sin  of  condemning  one's  neighbor — in  dan- 
ger of  immediate  condemnation. 

These  awards  of  the  Lord  are  evidently  not  harsh 
judgments,  but  in  strict  accordance  with  what  is 
absolutely  right.  He  who  pronounces  judgment  with- 
out cause,  is  justly  liable  to  the  same  judgment  he 
had  pronounced,  in  contravention  of  the  law  of  love 
and  of  truth.  The  expression  eroxos  icrrai  is  pe- 
culiarly apt,  as  meaning,  he  is  liable,  or  justly  subject. 
This  implies,  not  that  he  is  lost  in  these  judgments, 
but  that  he  stands  in  need  of  Divine  grace.  In  His 
explanation  of  the  sixth  commandment,  the  Lord  does 
not  allude  to  actual  murder, — according  to  Meyer — 
because  such  a  crime  could  not  be  supposed  among 
beUevers,  or,  as  we  tliink,  because  the  Lord  intended 
to  trace  baclc  every  action  to  tlie  state  of  mind  from 
which  it  sprung.  In  that  respect,  he  who  is  angry 
without  cause  stands  on  the  same  level  with  the  mur- 
derer, just  as  lust  m  the  heart  is  in  reality  adultery 
(1  John  iii.  15). 

Vers.  23  and  24.  Going  to  the  temple.  There- 
fore, if  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar. — If  thou 
art  about  to  bring  an  offering.  In  accordance  with 
the  above  principles,  the  party  who  deems  himself 
offended  is  treated  as  if  he  were  the  offender,  or 
as  debtor  to  his  brother.  In  short,  the  Lord  addres- 
ses  Hunself  to  offenders  generally.      The  passage 

[The  English  0.  V.,  as  also  Luther's  German  V.,  have  al- 
most obliterated  the  distinction  between  hell  and  hades  in 
the  popular  mind,  by  translating  •yitvva  and  norj?  alike 
hell  {Ilijlle).  The  tern-i  yievva  occurs  12  times  in  the  N. 
T.,  viz.,  Matt.  v.  22,  29,  SO;  x.  28;  xviii.  9;  xxiii.  15,  S3; 
Mark  is.  4-3, 45,  47;  Luke  xii.  5;  James  iii.  6,  and  is  always 
correctly  rendered  hell.  The  term  aSijs  (sheol,  spirit- 
world,  region  of  the  departed,  underworld,  Tndtcnrich, 
Untencelt)  occurs  11  times  in  the  N.  T.,  viz.,  Matt.  xi.  23; 
xvi.  18;  Luke  x.  15;  xvi.  23;  Acts  ii.  27,  81 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  55; 
Kev.  i.  18  ;  vi.  8 ;  xx.  13,  U,  and  U  inaccurately  rendered 
hell  in  all  cases  except  1  Cor.  xv.  .W,  where  the  authorized 
Version  translates  £7mi^<3.  The  diffircnce  of  the  two  terms 
has  an  important  bearing  on  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  dcsct-nt 
into  Hades,  and  of  the  ^atm  intermedius  between  death 
and  the  resurrection.— P.  B.] 


teaches,  1.  That  when  approaching  the  sanctuary,  we 
learn  to  fo^l  our  personal  guilt.  2.  In  such  case,  it 
is  more  urgent  to  pay  our  brother  the  debt  of  love 
than  to  discharge  our  debt  to  the  temple;  since  an 
offering  presented  by  one  who  is  chargeable  with 
wrong  could  not  be  acccptal>le  to  God,  and  the  moral 
purification  of  man  is  the  great  object  of  the  worship 
of  God:  see  Matt.  ix.  13  (the  imwrov  must  be  con- 
nected with  vTtayi). — In  the  ancient  Church,  it  was 
customary  for  members  of  a  family  to  ask  each 
other's  forgiveness  before  going  to  the  table  of  the 
Lord. 

Ver.  25.  Going  to  the  judgment-seat.  This  may  be 
regarded  as  supplementary  to  what  preceded.  Agree, 
show  thyself  agreeable,  evv  oiiv,  ready  for  recon- 
ciliation, x(7ith  thine  adversary,  or  the  opponent 
in  thy  cause, — applying  to  the  legal  accuser,  not  to 
the  devil  (Clement),  nor  to  God  (Augustine),  nor  to 
the  conscience  (Euthymius  Zig.).  It  is  a  mistake  to 
regard  this  as  a  mere  prudential  rule  (Theophylact, 
Paulus) ;  it  embodies  a  principle  of  moral  right  in 
the  form  of  a  symbohc  ordinance.  Accordingly,  the 
whole  passage,  as  that  about  going  to  the  temple,  has 
a  symboUcal  meaning.  The  term  prison,  <pv\aK-n, 
does  not  refer  to  purgatory  (Roman  Cath.  interpre- 
ters), but  to  the  fuU  measure  of  punitive  justice, 
which  may,  indeed,  extend  to  Sheol  (Olshausen: 
"  transition  state  "). 

Ver.  26.  Farthing. — The  word  Kodf)dvrTis, 
quadrans,  a  quarter  of  an  as,  implies  that  the  debt  is 
exacted  to  the  last  balance.*  Meyer  suggests  that 
6  (11  y,  till,  indicates  a  term,  which,  however,  caimot  be 
reached. 

Ver.  28.  Whosoever  loolreth  upon  a -woman. 
— The  explanation  of  our  Lord  here  follows  immedi- 
ately upon  the  mention  of  the  commandment  in  Ex. 
XX.  14,  to  show  that  the  scribes  applied  the  com- 
mandment only  to  actual  adultery.  But  while  the 
matrimonial  law  of  the  Old  Testament  (although  not 
the  seventh  commandment)  accorded  certain  privi- 
leges to  man  in  his  relation  to  woman  (such  as  the 
permission  of  polygamy  and  of  divorce),  the  Lord 
here  attacks  and  rebukes  chiefly  the  sins  of  man. 

To  lust  after  her,  irphs  to  4iTi.euijLT)irai  av- 
T  r)  s. — "The  word  '^pos  manifestly  indicates  the  mental 
object  or  aim  "  (Tholuck,  p.  208).  The  statement, 
therefore,  refers  to  intentional  and  conscious,  not  to 
unintentional  desires.f  Even  the  latter  are  sinful ; 
but,  as  Luther  expresses  it,  a  sinful  thought,  without 
the  consent  of  the  mind,  is  not  mortal  sin.  "  Never- 
theless it  is  a  sin,  but  included  in  the  general  forgive- 
ness" (Tholuck,  p.  210).  In  its  strict  grammatical 
bearing,  the  statement  would  imply  that  the  most 
general,  intentional  desire  of  a  carnal  nature,  is  con- 
trary to  the  spirit  of  marriage. — In  his  heart. — The 
heart  as  the  centre  of  hfe,  and  the  seat  of  feeling  and 
desire. 

Vers.  29  and  30.  And  if  thy  right  eye  offend 
thee. — The  word  aKavSaKiC^iv  ref  is  to  incitement 
to  sin,  which  leads  to  the  actual  commission  of  it, 
and  not  merely  to  incitement  generally.  The  eye 
and  the  hand  are  mentioned  as  the  organs  of  temp- 
tation :  the  former,  as  the  symbol  of  dehght  in  look- 

*  [As  KoSpdvTrts  is  one  of  the  smallest  denominations  of 
coin,  the  English  farthing  and  the  German  Heller  are  the 
precise  equivalents  as  to  meaning,  and  therefore  good  trans- 
lations.—P.  S.] 

+  [Dr.  Alford,  aci  ^oc;  "The  ^Xiitwv  vpoi  rh  tmS, 
must  not  be  interpreted  of  the  casual  evil  thought  which  is 
checked  by  holy  watchfulness,  but  the  gazing  with  a  view 
to  feed  that  desire  (for  eo  Trphs  rS  with  an  Infinitive  most 
mean)."— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  V.  20-48. 


115 


ing  (sense  of  beauty);  the  latter,  as  the  symbol  of 
converse  and  intercourse  (social  feeling,  converse, 
friendship).  The  right  eye  and  the  right  hand,  i.  e., 
according  to  the  popular  view,  the  best :  in  the  pres- 
ent case,  symbolically  refenmg  to  the  fairest  view 
and  the  highest  intercourse.  The  hijunction  must 
neither  be  taken  U/eralhj  (Fritzsche),  nor  as  symbol- 
ical of  self-denial  in  the  right  and  lawful  use  (Grotius), 
but  as  a  figure  of  absolute  and  painful  renunciation. 

It  is  profitable  for  thee. — This  cutting  oi!'  and 
tearing  out  will  be  useful  to  thee.  The  word  'lua, 
which  follows,  shows  tliat  av^rptpn  refers  to  the  pre- 
vious clause. — This  painful  self-denial,  this  seeming 
self-deprivation  of  life  and  enjoyment,  is  real  gain. 
For  in  that  case  only  one  organ  of  life  is  lost  (/.  e., 
only  in  one  particular  aspect)  for  this  world,  while  in 
the  other  the  whole  life — here  indicated  by  the  body 
— is  given  over  to  hell.  The  word  body  is  used  for 
life,  on  account  of  the  nature  of  this  sin. 

Yer.  ;>1.  It  has  bsen  said,  Whosoever  shall 
put  away  Iiis  wife,  let  hini  give  her  a  writing 
of  divorcement. — Christ  here  lirst  takes  up  the 
later  perversions  of  the  law  about  divorce,  and  re- 
turns to  the  ordinances  given  by  Moses,  which  He 
then  further  explains  and  develops.  "  According  to 
Deut.  xxiv.  1,  ~rT  ri"i" — '^^"'^''.5  '  uncleanness,' 
'matter  of  nakedness,'  something  abominable  in  a 
female — is  admitted  as  a  ground  of  divorce  (Ewakl, 
Alferfkumer,  p.  234).  Rabbi  Shammai  and  his  scliool 
explained  this  as  referring  to  adultery,  while  Hillel 
and  his  school  appUed  it  to  anything  displeasing  to 
a  husband  (comp.  Joseph.  Antiq.  iv.  8,  23).  Rosen- 
miiller,  Sckol.  on  Deut.  xxiv.  1,  sqq.  Rabl)i  Akiba 
went  even  further,  and  permitted  divorce  in  case  a  man 
should  meet  with  a  more  pleasing  v/oman ;  see  Wet- 
stein."— jleyer.  The  difference  between  the  two  schools 
consisted  not  merely  in  this,  that  while  Sliammai  lim- 
ited divorce  to  adultery,  Hillel  allowed  it  in  a  great 
variety  of  cases  ;  but  that  Shammai  insisted  on  the 
necessity  of  a  criminal  and  legal  cause  for  divorce, 
vfhile  Hillel  left  it  to  the  inclination  of  the  individ- 
ual. The  terms  employed  by  Moses  implied  at  least 
the  germ  of  those  spiritual  views  concerning  mar- 
riage which  were  the  aim  of  the  theocracy.  But 
the  teaching  of  Hillel  destroyed  that  germ,  and  con- 
verted the  law  of  Moses  into  a  cloak  for  adulterous 
lust.  As  the  Lord  shows  in  another  place,  Moses 
allowed  a  bill  of  divorce  in  the  case  of  moral  aljerra- 
tions  on  the  part  of  a  wife,  in  order  to  limit  the 
number  of  divorces.  The  Rabbins  reversed  the 
meaning  of  the  law  by  saying  Moses  has  command- 
ed, Matt.  xix.  7.  The  practice  of  divorce  was  an 
ancient  and  traditional  custom,  which  Moses  hmited 
by  insisting  on  a  definite  motive,  and  on  a  regular 
bill  of  divorce.  Hence,  ?»s  h.u  a-rruKvari  (according 
to  custom),  SoToj  airoffrdiTioi'  (according  to  the  new 
arrangement  in  Israel).  Its  object  was  not  merely 
to  serve  "  as  evidence  that  the  marriage  had  been 
legally  dissolved,  and  that  the  woman  was  at  lib- 
erty to  marry  another  man  "  (Ewald),  but  to  render 
divorce  more  difficult. 

Vcr.  32.  Save  for  the  cause  of  fornication. 
IT  ap  e  KT  h  t  \  6y  o  V  Tropffias . — This  exceptional 
case  is  not  mentioned  in  Mark  x.  ll,nor  inLuke  xvi. 
18  ;  but  occurs  again  in  Matt.  xix.  9  {d  fi-q  enl  Tropeiia), 
and  must  be  supphed  in  the  parallel  passages, — the 
more  so,  as,  according  to  Lev.  xx.  18,  adultery  was  to 
be  punished  with  death.  Calov,  Meyer,  and  others, 
maintain  that  the  mention  of  this  one  ground  of  divorce 
excludes  every  other ;  while  de  Wette  thinks  that  this 


one  implies  others  also.  But  the  question  is  not  so 
simple  as  appears  at  first  sight.  We  must  distinguish 
between  the  legislation  of  the  theocracy  and  that  of 
the  state  which  is  intermediate  between  Moses  and 
Christ ;  and  again,  between  these  two  and  the  spirit- 
ual law  binding  upon  Christians,  and  derived  from 
the  word  of  Christ.  Moses  permitted  a  bill  of  di- 
vorce, not  to  weaken,  but  to  protect  the  marriage  re- 
lationship. Absolutely  to  forbid  all  divorce,  would 
have  amounted  to  a  practical  sanction  of  the  then 
customary  low  views  on  the  subject  of  marriage,  and 
to  a  rejection  of  the  spiritual  principles  connected  with 
it.  Hence  Moses  introduced  the  bill  of  divorce,  which 
rendered  separation  difficult,  by  requiring  an  ade- 
quate cause  for  it,  as  in  Deut.  xxiv.  1.  This  arrange- 
ment was  intended  as  a  lever  gradually  to  elevate  the 
views  of  the  people  from  the  former  customary  laxity 
to  the  spiritual  ideal  ultimately  aimed  at.  It  was  left 
to  the  gradual  development  of  spiritual  life  in  Israel 
more  clearly  to  determine  and  to  settle  the  only  suf- 
ficient motive  for  divorce,  at  which  Moses  had  darkly 
hinted.  This  Christ  did  when  He  exhibited  the  full 
ideal  of  the  law,  by  the  words  Trape/cr^j  \oyou  irop- 
i-eiciv.  But  the  practical  difficulty  which  the  State 
has  to  encounter  in  its  legislation  on  this  point,  is 
tliat  it  cannot  anticipate  this  interpretation  of  the 
Lord  without  raising  the  legal  ordinances  higher  than 
the  idea  of  marriage  commonly  entertained  by  the 
people.  Still,  this  interpretatiou  must  always  be  the 
goal  aimed  at.  Standing  at  that  goal,  our  Lord  does 
not  refer  to  the  recognition  of  an  actual  divorce,  but 
to  a  positive  divorce,  when  a  man  repudiates  his  wife. 
To  make  such  a  divorce,  is  certainly  not  allowed  ex- 
cept for  the  sake  of  fornication.  But  it  is  another 
question,  whether,  if  the  divorce  is  actually  accom- 
plished by  the  other  party,  we  are  warranted  in  re- 
garding and  accepting  it  as  accompHshed.  To  tlus 
question  Paul  gives  an  affirmative  reply  in  1  Cor.  vii. 
15.  The  only  difficulty  lies  in  the  question,  Under 
what  circumstances  other  than  fornication  a  divorce 
may  be  regarded  as  actually  accompHshed  by  the  se- 
ceding party  ?  In  this  respect,  the  explanations  which  ' 
our  Lord  adds,  may  be  taken  as  a  final  directory. 

Cause  th  her  to  commit  adultery — viz.,  by 
contracting  another  marriage.  Strictly  speaking, 
the  actual  adultery  consists  in,  and  dates  from,  the 
re-marriage  of  the  woman  who  had  been  divorced. 
The  following  is  the  state  of  the  case  as  laid  down 
by  the  Lord.  In  the  passage  under  consideration, 
we  are  told  that  he  causeih  her  to  commit  adultery ; 
and  in  Matt,  xix.,  that  he  wlio  divorces  a  woman, 
and  marrieth  another,  himself  committeth  adultery. 
In  the  former  case,  the  husband  who  divorces  his 
vnfo  is  morally  the  cause  of  her  committing  adul- 
tery, and  in  that  respect  even  more  culpable  than 
she.  Still,  the  stigma  of  adultery  is  only  attached  to 
marriage  after  divorce,  or  to  fornication  before  di- 
vorce. This  implies,  that  where  the  guilty  or  the 
divorcing  party  has  not  actually  committed  the  act 
of  adultery  (as  above  defined),  the  other  party  is  in 
Christian  duty  bound  to  wait  in  f\vith  and  patience. 
This  is  the  intermediate  stage,  or  separation  a  men^a 
et  ihoro,  which  is  the  only  kind  of  divorce  allowed  by 
the  Roman  Church :  another  species  of  legalism,  by 
which  the  words  of  our  Saviour  are  first  converted 
into  a  literal  ordinance,  and  next,  the  letter  of  the 
commandment — the  napiKTls  Aoyuv  Tropviias — itself 
is  annulled.  The  bad  consequences  of  this  arrange- 
ment are  sufliciently  notorious  in  the  degeneracy  of 
the  marriage  relation  in  Roman  Catholic  countries, 
especially  in  South  Amei-ica. 


IIG 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


"  Our  Lonl,"  says  ^leyer,  "  docs  not  refer  to  the 
case  of  adultery  committed  by  the  man, — there  be- 
ing no  occasion  for  it,  since  a  woman,  according  to 
the  law  of  Moses,  could  not  divorce  her  husband. 
But  the  spirit  of  Christian  ethics  fully  justifies  and 
requires  the  application  of  the  statement  to  the  other 
case."  However,  it  ought  to  be  noted,  that  Christ 
speaks  three  different  times  of  the  siu  of  the  wan, 
but  never  of  the  woman:  (1)  Whosoever  lookctli  on 
a  woman,  etc. ;  (2)  whosoever  shall  put  away  his 
wife,  etc. ;  (3)  whosoever  shall  marry  her  who  is 
divorced,  etc. — Comp.  Heubner,  j).  (58. 

Ver.  33.  Thou  shalt  not  forswear  thyself, 
ouK  ^TriopKVffeis  {swear  fulsehj):  Ex.  xxvii. ; 
Lev.  xix.  12. — In  this  instance,  also,  the  Lord  first 
reverts  to  the  law  as  given  by  Moses,  showing  its 
full  and  spiritual  import,  and  then  condemns  the 
perversions  of  it  introduced  by  traditionalism.  Like 
divorce,  the  practice  of  taking  an  oath  was  an  an- 
cient custom,  which  existed  before  the  time  of  Moses. 
Considering  it  indispensable  in  civil  causes,  the  legis- 
lator adopted  it  in  his  code  (Ex.  xxii.  11,  comp. 
Heb.  vi.  16),  just  as  he  admitted  divorce.  But  as  all 
license  was  restrained  by  the  enactment  concerning 
the  bill  of  divorce,  so  all  levity  by  the  ordinances 
attacliing  to  an  oath,  viz. :  (1)  by  the  condemnation 
of  a  false  oath,  Ex.  xx.  7;  Lev.  xix.  12;  (2)  by  the 
injunction  to  regard  vows  as  sacred,  and  to  fulfil 
them,  Num.  xxx.  3 ;  (3)  by  the  direction  to  take  an 
oath  only  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  Deiit.  vi.  13. 
Honce,  when  Christ  ordains,  Swrear  not  at  aU, 
He  enters  fully  into  the  spirit  of  this  legislation,  and 
fulfils  this  law,  or  carries  it  to  its  ideal.  The  internal 
agreement  between  the  saying  of  the  Lord  and  the 
law  of  Moses  is  evident.  As,  in  the  case  of  the 
law  of  divorce,  Jesus  had  brought  out  the  latent  pro- 
hibition of  Moses,  by  presenting  it  without  the  tem- 
porary and  conditional  permission  attaching  to  it; 
so  here  also  the  same  latent  prohibition  appears 
when  the  Saviour  carries  out  the  spirit  of  the  fimit- 
ations  introduced  by  Moses,  which  ultimately  aimed 
at  the  complete  abrogation  of  the  oath.  But  the 
law  of  Moses  was  intended  to  bring  out  the  spiritual 
nature  of  marriage,  and  not  as  absolute  legislation  on 
the  subject.  Similarly,  his  ordinances  concerning 
oaths  were  not  mtended  to  abrogate  them  complete- 
ly, but  to  bring  out  the  ultimate  idea  of  an  oath — 
the  yea,  yea,  nay,  nay! — both  as  before  God.  In 
these  instances,  however,  Christ  aims  not  merely 
after  a  negative,  but  after  a  positive  result, — in  the 
present  case,  to  introduce  the  oath  in  its  spiritual 
aspect.  Accordingly,  He  now  shows  the  difference 
between  it  and  the  practice  common  among  the 
Jews.  This  consists  not  merely  in  the  fact,  that 
what  had  been  sanctioned  for  ju(icial  procedure  was 
now  used  in  every-day  life,  but  also  in  the  introduc- 
tion of  additional  asseverations  and  of  self-impreca- 
tions in  the  common  mode  of  taking  oaths,  bfxoaai. 
These  asseverations  by  heaven,  by  earth,  etc. — this 
pledging  as  it  were  of  things  over  which  we  have  no 
control — are  manifestly  sinful.  In  a  certain  sense, 
they  convert  an  oath  into  a  curse.  Hence,  rendering 
the  words  of  Christ  according  to  their  import,  we 
might  almost  translate  them :  But  I  say  unto  you. 
Curse  not,  not  at  all !  Since  the  oath,  in  the  proper 
sense  of  the  term,  had  thus  degenerated,  and  been 
ahnost  completely  perverted,  it  was  to  cease,  but 
only  in  order  to  give  place  to  what  was  implied  in 
the  true  idea  of  the  oath — the  cahn  and  solemn  at- 
testation :  yea,  yea ;  nay,  nay ;  as  in  the  presence  of 
God.     The  relation  in  which  the  Christian  State  and 


the  Christian  citizen  stand  to  this  absolute  spiritual 
law,  is  the  same  as  we  formerly  noticed  in  reference 
to  marriage.  So  far  as  our  own  personal  conduct  ia 
concerned,  we  are  to  adopt  in  the  fullest  sense  the 
New  Testament  direction  (James  v.  12);  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  State  to  aim  after  realizing  the  ideal 
here  set  before  it,  while  the  Christian  citizen  is  bound 
humbly  to  submit.  (In  this,  and  in  similar  respects, 
it  is  important  to  distinguish  between  the  duty  of 
bearing  testimony  and  that  of  obedience.  There  is 
no  inconsistency,  for  example,  in  the  Christian  min- 
ister, who  as  an  evangelist  is  opposed  to  all  war, 
and  yet  acts  as  an  humble  and  efficient  military 
chaplain.)  This  explanation  Christ  has  sanctioned 
by  llis  example.  Like  the  patriarchs  of  old  (Gen. 
xxi.  23,  24;  xxxi.  34;  xlvii.  31),  He  acknowledged  the 
lawfulness  of  the  adjuration  before  the  Sanhedrim 
(Matt.  xxvi.  64).  It  is  not  an  isolated  error  when 
certain  sectarians — as  the  Anabaptists  of  the  Refor- 
mation period,  the  Mennonites,  and  the  Quakers — 
confound  the  duty  of  the  individual  Christian  as 
such  with  that  of  the  citizen ;  the  mistake  goes  far 
deeper.  They  deny  in  principle  the  moral  and  edu- 
cational character  and  object  of  the  State,  which  is 
intended  to  be  subservient  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
and  to  promote  it.  From  the  example  of  Paul  (Rom. 
ix.  1 ;  2  Cor.  xi.  10)  we  gather  how  the  spiritual  na- 
ture of  the  oath  appears,  when  the  Christian  appeals 
to  his  fellowship  with  God  in  support  of  the  reality 
and  certainty  of  his  assertions.  Viewed  in  this  light, 
the  oath  of  the  Christian  is  based  even  on  that  of  the 
Lord  Himself  (Isa.  xlv.  23  ;  Heb.  vi.  13).  God  swears 
by  Himself,  i.  e.,  He  appeals  to  His  absolute  and 
personal  certitude;  and  the  Christian  swears  before 
God,  when  he  solemnly  attests  his  statement  xmder 
a  calm  sense  of  the  presence  of,  and  of  communion 
with,  God.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  State  more  and 
more  to  modify  the  oath  in  conformity  to  the  spuit 
of  the  gospel,  and  to  acknowledge  a  simple  Christian 
assurance  as  equivalent  to  an  oath.  The  Church 
cannot  require  an  oath  without  obscuring  the  con- 
sciousness of  standing  before  the  Lord  with  all  the 
solemn  affirmations  and  vows  of  her  members.  Comp. 
on  the  different  explanations  Heubner,  Com.  p.  71 
[and  Tholuck,  Bergpredigt,  p.  258-275]. 

The  scribes  insisted  on  the  obligatory  character 
of  vows,  but  distinguished  between  oaths  which  were 
binding  and  others  which  were  not  binding.  Mai- 
monides  :  Si  quis  jurat  per  caelum,  p)er  tcrram,  per 
solem,  non  est  juramentum..  Comp.  Matt,  xxiii.  16 
Similarly,  Philo  regarded  oaths  by  heaven,  by  earth, 
etc.,  as  not  very  important,  and  advised  that  they 
should  be  employed  rather  than  a  direct  appeal  to 
the  Most  High  God. 

Ver.  34.  Swear  hot  at  all.— For  the  diffiarent 
interpretations  of  this  prohibition,  comp.  Tholuck. — 
To  swear  not  at  all,  if  it  be  incompatible  with  due 
reverence  toward  God  (Tholuck). — ^Not  to  swear 
lightly  in  ordinary  life  (Berlepsch), — not  to  swear 
after  the  manner  and  in  the  sense  of  the  Jews 
(Matthiii). — Strict  prohibition  which  is  binding,  so 
far  as  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  concerned,  but  not 
applying  to  our  duty  as  citizens  in  the  State  (de 
Wette,  Meyer). — Absolute  prohibition  binding  at  all 
times,  and  under  all  circumstances  (the  Quakers) 
Comp.  also  Winer,  Heubner,  Goschel  {Der  JSid),  etc.* 

*  [Wo  add  the  explanations  of  the  latest  English  and 
American  commentators  on  Matthew.  Dr.  Ai.fokd  (Epis- 
copalian), 4th  Ensrl.  ed.  ad  loc. :  "  In  the  words,  Swear  not 
at  all,  our  Lord  does  not  so  much  make  a  positive  enact- 
ment by  which  all  swearing  is  to  individuals  Ibrbiddcu,  e.  g. 


CHAP.  V.  20^8. 


117 


Vers.  34-36.  Neither  by  heaven,  etc. — "  These 
modes  of  swearing  were  eustomiiry  at  the  time 
among  the  Jews.  Comp.  Philo,  De  spec.  Icff.  7*76 ; 
Lightlbot ;  Meuschen,  Novum  Testam.  ex  Talm.  il- 
htstr.  p.  58." — Meyer.  [Dr.  Thomson  in  his  ex- 
cellent work,  77ie  Land  and  the  Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  284, 
says  of  the  modern  Orientals  that  they  "  are  feaifully 
profane.  Everybody  curses  and  swears  when  in 
a  passion.  No  people  that  I  have  ever  known 
can  compare  with  these  Orientals  for  profuueness 
in  the  use  of  the  names  and  attributes  of  God.  .  .  . 
They  swear  by  the  head,  by  their  life,  by  heaven,  and 
by  the  temple,  or,  what  is  in  its  place,  the  church. 
The  forms  of  cursing  and  swearing,  however,  are 
almost  infinite,  and  fall  on  the  pamed  ear  all  day 
long."— P.  S.] 

Ver.  3*7.  But  let  your  communication  be, 
Yea,  yea,  Nay,  nay. — Similar  expressions  in  the 
Rabbins,  "n  "n  and  xb  xis.  Beza:  Let  your  af- 
firmative communication  be  yea,  your  negative,  nay. 
Grotius:  Let  your  affirmation  and  negation  be  in 
accordance  with  fact.  Meyer:  The  repetition  in  the 
formula  indicates  emphasis  in  the  assurance.  James 
V.  12:  Let  your  yea  be  yea,  and  your  nay  be  nay. 
Luther :  A. yea  that  is  yea.  (The  same  as  Grotius.) 
Undoubtedly,  the  intention  is  to  combine  decidedness 
of  assurance  with  the  certitude  of  the  fact.  But  the 
positive  import  of  the  "  yea,  yea,"  is  overlooked  by 
those  who  imagine  that  the  Lord  concludes  with  a 
mere  negative  result.  The  true  oath  consists  in  the 
sunple  asseveration,  uttered  in  perfect  consciousness 

on  solemn  occasions,  and  for  the  satisfaction  of  others  (for 
that  TvouUl  be  a  mere  technical  Pharisaism  wholly  at  vari- 
ance with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  and  inconsistent  with  tlie 
example  of  God  Himself,  Heb.  vi.  13-17;  vii.  21 ;  of  the  Lord 
when  on  earth,  whose  aM.7V  a/Lti)c  \iyw  vixiv  was  a  solemn 
asseveration,  and  who  at  once  respected  the  solemn  adjura- 
tion of  Caiaphas,  ch.  xxvi.  63,  64;  of  His  Apostles,  writing 
under  the  guidance  of  His  Spirit,  see  Gal.  i.  20;  2  Cor.  i.  23; 
Rom.  i.  9 ;  Phil.  i.  8,  and  especially  1  Cor.  xv.  31 ;  qflTis  holy 
angels,  Kev.  x.  6),  as  declare  to  us,  that  the  proper  state  of 
Christians  is,  to  require  no  oaths ;  that  when  to  iroi>r)p6v 
is  expelled  from  among  them,  every  vai  and  ou  wdl  be  as 
decisive  as  an  oath,  every  promise  as  binding  as  a  vow.  We 
observe  (<0  that  these  verses  imply  the  unfitness  of  'oows  of 
every  kind  as  rules  of  Christian  action ;  {b)  that  the  greatest 
reg.ard  ought  to  be  had  to  the  scruples  of  those,  not  only 
sects,  but  individuals,  who  object  to  taking  an  oath,  and 
every  facility  given  in  a  Christian  state  for  their  (?)  ultim:.te 
entire  abolition."  -(Does  their  refer  to  scruples,  or  is  it  a 
mistake  for  its,  i.  e.  the  oath's?) — Dr.  WoRDSwoRTn  (Epis- 
copiilian)  gives  a  similar  interpretation,  though  not  so  fully, 
and  quotes  from  St.  Augustine :  JSTon  tim.es,  von  affecti>s,  non 
appetas  jmjwandum,  which  is  hardly  sufficient.  He  also 
remarks  that  the  corresponding  Hebrew  verb  J'S'iJ  (from 
!?2'1)  ,  seven,  the  holy  number  of  the  covenant)  is  used  only 
in  Niphal  (i.  e.,  to  be  made  to  swiar,  or  rather  to  seven  one- 
self i.  e..  to  take  an  oath  confirmed  by  seven  victims  offered 
as  sacrifice  to  God,  Gen.  xxi.  28  sq..  or  before  seven  wit- 
nesses), and  in  JTiphil  (i.  e.,  to  cause  to  sweur,  to  bind  by  an 
oath);  as  much  as  to  intimate  that  no  one  ought  to  swear 
except  when  compelled  to  do  so.— Alb.  Barnes  (N.  S.  Pres- 
byterian) :  -'Swear  not  at  all.  That  is,  in  the  manner  which 
He  proceeds  to  specify.  Swear  not  in  any  of  the  common 
and  profane  ways  customary  at  that  time."— Dr.  Jos.  Addis. 
Alexander  (O.  S.  Presbyterian):  "Christ  teaches  that  the 
Bin,  where  there  is  any,  consists  not  in  swearing  falsely, 
which  is  a  distinct  offence  punished  both  by  God  and  man, 
nor  in  any  particular  form  of  oath,  but  in  swearing  at  all 
without  necessity  or  warrant."— Dr.  D.  D.  Whedon  (Metho- 
dist) ad  loo.:  "Neither  in  his  prohibition  of  swearing  nor 
of  violence  (3'<-42)  is  our  Lord  giving  any  law  for  the  masis- 
trate  or  the  governmental  regulations,  but  for  private  con- 
duct. The  officer  of  government  has  still  a  right  to  use 
force,  and  the  magistrate  to  administer  an  oath.  In  fact,  to 
forbid  these  things  in  private  life  secures  that  they  may  be 
done  madstratively  with  better  effect.  None  of  the  oaths 
which  our  Lord  adduces  as  specimens  are  judicial  oaths,  but 
the  ordinary  profanities  of  the  Orientalists.'"— P.  S.] 


and  under  a  sense  of  the  presence  of  God,  before 
Him,  and  in  Him. 

Cometh  of  evil,  he  rov  Trovi]pou. — 1.  Eu- 
thym.  Zig.,  4k  -rod  5ia/3(iAou.  Similarly  Clirysostom, 
Theophylact,  Beza,  Zwingle,  Fritzsche,  Meyer,  and 
others.  2.  From  the  -rrovnpuv,  of  evil,  as  a  neuter. — • 
The  two  in  so  far  agree,  as  Christ  uniformly  traces  all 
■Kou-r}p6v,  or  evil  i\\  the  world,  to  the  irov-npos.  The 
statement,  however,  is  not  to  be  interpreted  as  mean- 
mg,  that  the  traditional  mode  of  swearing  is  of  the 
devil,  but  as  implying  that  the  kingdom  of  darkness 
has  occasioned  tiiis  kind  of  asseverations ;  and  that 
actual  evil  also  attaches  to  them,  in  as  far  as  they  in- 
dicate a  want  of  reverence,  a  pledging  of  things  which 
belong  to  God,  and  a  kind  of  imprecation. 

Ver.  38.  An  eye  for  an  eye,  Ex.  xxi.  24. — The 
right  of  retrilnition,  jus  talionis.  A  general  princi- 
ple of  law,  presented  here  in  the  form  of  a  proverb, 
and  applied  to  a  special  case.  This  principle  was 
undoubtedly  introduced  into  the  judicature,  not  to 
foster  revenge  (as  de  Wette  imagines),  but  to  sub- 
stitute law  for  private  vengeance  (Lev.  xix.  18). 
We  agree  with  Tholuck,  that  the  Pharisees,  in  this 
instance,  converted  a  principle  of  judicature  into  a 
rule  of  everyday  hfe.  But  Meyer  is  likewise  right  in 
adding,  that  a  Christian  should  not  exact  even  judicial 
vengeance  from  his  neighbor,  as  also  appears  from 
the  word  Kptdrivai,  which  follows. 

Vers.  39-42.  But  I  say  unto  you,  Resist  not 
T  w  -K  ovi]p  a>. — Chrysostom  and  Theophylact  refer 
this  to  the  devil;  Augustin  and  Calvin,  to  wrong;  Tho- 
luck, to  evil;  de  Wette  and  Meyer,  to  an  evil  person. 
The  words  oo-rtj  <t  e  p  a-w  iae  l  are  apparently  in 
favor  of  the  latter  interpretation.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  idea  of  evil  men  scarcely  applies  to  the  va- 
rious cases  afterward  enumerated.  We  are  not  to 
resist — as  we  understand  it — the  evil  that  is  in  the 
world  (the  combination  of  sin  and  evil) : — 

(1)  As  we  encounter  it  in  violent  offenders; 

(2)  As  we  encounter  it  in  litigious  accusers ; 

(3)  As  we  encounter  it   in   intrusive  apphcants 

for  favors,  or  else  slavish  instrimients  of 
superior  powers ; 

(4)  As  we  encounter  it  in  beggars  and  borrow- 

ers. 
Beggars  and  borrowers  can  scarcely  be  ranked 
among  evil  men.  Hence  our  Lord  must  refer  to  the 
sin  and  evil  in  the  world  which  is  conquered  by  wise 
and  Christian  submission,  rather  than  by  strenuous 
resistance.  In  all  fiie  instances  just  mentioned,  we 
do  not  yield  from  weakness  to  the  course  of  events, 
but  voluntarily  desist  from  our  just  claims  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  self-denying  love.  This  yielding,  in  reality, 
constitutes  true  heroism,  by  which  alone  injustice 
can  be  conquered.  To  be  merely  passive  or  non-re- 
sistant were  weakness ;  but  a  passiveness  which 
springs  from  Christian  ptinciple,  and  has  a  spiritual 
object  in  view,  is  true  strength  and  real  victory.  To 
present  the  left  cheek  to  him  who  smites  us  on  the 
right,  is  to  return  the  blow  in  the  right  sense ;  to 
give  the  cloak,  is  to  have  gained  the  suit  about  the 
coat ;  to  go  two  miles  instead  of  the  one  that  is  im- 
posed on  us,  is  to  overcome  the  arbitrary  power  that 
would  coerce  us ;  to  meet  the  wants  of  others,  is  to 
i;ender  begging  impossible;  and  not  to  turn  away 
from  him  who  would  borrow,  is  to  train  him  to  right 
independence. 

Of  course,  these  expressions,  in  their  paradox 
form,  must  not  be  taketi  literally.  Tlie  fundamental 
idea  of  the  passage  is,  that  Christian  love  must  make 
us  willing  to  bear  twice  as  much  as  the  world,  in  its 


118 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


injustice,  could  demand.  But  in  this  case  also,  the 
requirements  of  the  moral  law  must  guide  us  in  ap- 
plymg  the  principle  here  laid  down  to  every  par- 
ticular instance  (comp.  the  example  of  the  Lord, 
John  xviii.  22). 

Ver.  40.  KpiOvvai,  liiiffare,  to  stie  at  law. — X i - 
T'liv  (coat),  the  undergarment. — 'I  fx.ariov,  the  more 
expensive  upper  garment  or  cloak,  which  was  also 
used  for  a  covering  at  night,  and  hence  coidd  not  be 
retained  as  a  pledge  over  night  (comp.  Luke  vi.  20). 

Ver.  41.  Compel. — ''Kyyapevfiv,  a  word  in- 
troduced from  the  Persian  into  the  Greek  and  into 
rabbinical  language ;  meaning,  to  compel  for  the  pur- 
poses of  transport,  or  for  conveying  messengers,  in 
accordance  with  the  postal  arrangements  of  Cyrus, 
who  authorized  messengers  to  compel  others  to  con- 
vey them :  Herod,  viii.  98.*  This  compulsion  is  men- 
tioned third,  because  those  who  did  it  were  officially 
obliged  to  resort  to  such  measures.  Besides,  the 
word  is  here  used  in  a  more  general  sense,  referring 
to  a  traveller  who  exacts  under  the  stress  of  neces- 
sity. From  the  above  we  conclude,  that  those  men- 
tioned in  the  fourth  example  do  not  belong  to  a  dif- 
ferent category,  as  Ewald  suggests. 


Ver.  43.  Thy  neighbor,  tt  A  tj  rr , 


ns-ib  Lev. 


xix.  18. — This  passage  referred  in  the  first  instance, 
as  the  context  shows,  to  Jews,  although  ver.  34 
proves  that  it  includes  love  to  our  neighbors  gen- 
erally. The  Pharisees  argued,  that  the  injunction  to 
love  our  neighbor  implied  that  it  referred  only  to 
such,  and  that  all  Gentiles  were  to  be  hated.  They 
went  even  further,  and  regarding  those  only  as  Jews 
■who  adhered  to  traditionalism,  stigmatized  as  strang- 
ers not  merely  Gentiles,  but  pubhcaus,  and  every  one 
who  shared  not  their  pecuUar  views.  But  their 
great  argument  was,  that  every  one  who  was  not  a 
Jew  was  an  enemy,  and  that  every  enemy  should  be 
hated.  Hence  their  pride  and  contempt  of  men,  the 
odium  generis  Jminani.  Meyer  adds,  that  "  the  casu- 
istic tradition  of  the  Pharisees  explained  the  word 
'  neighbor '  as  meaning  friend,  and  inferring  from  it 
— perhaps  in  connection  v/ith  Deut.  xxv.  17-19 
(comp.  Mai.  i.  3) — that  every  enemy  should  be  hated, 
— a  principle,  as  is  well  known,  shared  also  by  the 
Greeks."  But  ive  see  no  reason  for  identifying  the 
system  of  the  Pharisees  with  the  popular  prejudices 
of  the  Gentiles.  According  to  Grotius,  the  inference 
— to  hate  our  enemies — was  derived  jjiy  the  Phari- 
sees from  the  command  of  God  to  destroy  the  Ca- 
naanites,  etc., — a  statement  whigli  scarcely  deserves 
the  serious  refutation  of  Heubncr  and  Gerlach.  The 
latter  was  manifestly  a  special  theocratic  injunction, 
bearing  reference  to  the  heathen  institutions  of  the 
Canaanites,  and  not  to  the  people  as  individuals  (as 
appears  from  the  history  of  Rahab). 

Ver.  44.  Love  your  enemies, — is  the  princi- 
ple from  which  all  the  following  directions  flow.  The 
expression  must  be  taken  in  all  its  hterahty,  and  the 
injunction  is  universally  appUcable. — By  his  very  ha- 
tred, our  enemy  becomes   our  neighbor,  since   his 

*  [Also  Xenophon,  Cyrop.  viii.  6,  17.  Comp.  the  classical 
dictionaries  sub  verbo  Angaria.,  and  Tholiick.  Meyer,  Conant, 
and  Alford  ad  loa.  Tlie  corresponding  English  word  for 
ayyapevetv  in  its  proper  technical  sense  is  to  impress,  i.  e.. 


32,  aud  Mark  xv.  21,  where  it  is  used  of  Simon  who  was  im- 
pressed to  bear  the  cross  of  our  Saviour  to  Calvary.  The 
Jews  were  strongly  opposed  to  the  duty  of  furnishing  posts 
for  the  hated  iloman  srovernment.  The  eVicrrad/i/a, 
or  billeting  of  the  Eoman  soldiers  and  their  horses  on  the 
Jews',  was  one  kind  of  this  ayyapia.—V.  S.] 


hatred  tempts  us  to  retaliate,  and  leaves  us  no  choice 
but  to  fall,  or  else  to  defend  ourselves  by  the  wea- 
pons of  love.  In  the  latter  case,  cursing  is  met  with 
blessing  ;  hatred,  which  leads  to  injuries,  by  well-do- 
ing ;  threatening,  or  calumniating  in  secret  (eTn^ped- 
(av,  from  iwfipeia,  threat,  contumely),  and  persecijL- 
tion,  by  prayer  and  intercession  on  our  part.  Comp. 
Cyprian,  Dc  mortalifate,  and  Ileubner,  p.  '76. 

Ver.  45.  That  ye  may  be. — The  expression  re- 
fers not  merely  "  to  final  salvation  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  but  means,  that  ye  may  prove  yourselves 
really  the  children  of  God,  His  sons,  in  the  pecuUar 
sense  explained  in  ch.  v.  9.  For  this  constitutes 
the  evidence  of  being  "  peacemakers,"  whose  great 
model  is  Christ  Himself. — The  Lord  appeals  to  the  ex- 
ample of  His  Father,  in  order  to  show  the  nature  and 
universality  of  highest  love  ;  while  the  publicans  and 
the  heathen  exemplify  the  egotism  and  narrow-mind- 
edness of  a  selfish  community, — a  sin  of  which  the 
Pharisees  also  were  guilty,  and  -which  they  sought  to 
invest  with  the  halo  of  special  sanctity. 

Ver.  46.  The  publicans,  TfXuvai,  partly  natives 
and  partly  Romans,  employed  in  the  service  of  the 
Roman  knights  who  had  leased  the  taxes  of  the  coun- 
try. They  were  disliked  as  being  tlie  representatives 
of  Roman  domination,  and  for  their  rigor  and  exac- 
tions. The  Pharisees  no  doubt  regarded  them  as 
under  the  ban,  ami  in  the  same  category  as  Gentiles 
(comp.  Matt,  xviii.  17). 

Ver.  47.  And  if  ye  salute. — The  persons  saluted 
are  here  designated  as  brethren,  meaning  co-relig- 
ionists. Hence  the  salutation  indicates  friendliness 
and  readiness  to  serve.* 

Ver.  48.  Be  ye  therefore  perfect, — in  the 
moral  sense,  perfectness  being  your  ultimate  aim.f 

DOCTRINAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

I.  The  Lord  purposely  makes  no  reference  to 
pure  Antinomianism,  because  such  opposition  to  the 
law  exposed  or  condemned  itself.  But  He  rends  the 
veil  of  pretended  adherence  to  the  law  under  which 
traditionalism  sought  to  hide  its  real  Antinomianism, 
and  shows  how  in  all  its  essential  features  it  is  de- 
structive of  the  law — a  hostility  which  at  last  mani- 
fested itself  in  all  its  fulness  in  the  crucifixion  of 
Christ.  This  tendency  springs  from  a  rigid  and  car- 
nal adherence  to  the  letter,  which  takes  away  the 
symbolical  import  of  the  letter,  and  at  the  same  time 
converts  the  law  into  a  series  of  secular  and  external 
traditions.  Traditionalism  first  converts  the  law  it- 
self into  traditions,  and  then  adds  its  own  special  tra- 
ditions by  way  of  explanation.  It  assumes  various 
forms  :  extcrnalism,  which  results  from  the  spiritual 
deadness  of  legaUsm  ;  perversion  or  detraction  from 
the  true  import  of  the  law,  as  prompted  by  the  dic- 
tates of  lust  or  passion ;  and,  finaUy,  apparent  in- 
crease of  rigidness  resulting  from  egotism,  fanaticism, 
and  spiritual  pride.  Thus,  what  was  meant  to  serve 
as  the  eternal  foundation  of  humanity  became  chang- 

*  ['AaTrdffTirrSte  may  as  well  be  taken,  with  Alfovd  and 
others,  in  its  literal  sense.  Jews  did  not  salute  Gentiles, 
as  Mohammedans  even  now  in  the  East  do  not  salute  Chris- 
tians.—P.  S.] 

t  [Comp.  Alford,  Wordsworth,  Whedon,  and  other  Eng- 
lish commentators  on  this  passage  and  its  bearing  on  the 
doctrine  of  perfectibility  or  the  attainability  of  mor.al  per- 
fection in  this  life,  which  Alford  opposes  as  inconsistent 
with  the  whole  discourse,  especially  vers.  22,  29,  32,  as  well 
as  with  Phil.  iii.  12  ;  while  Wordsworth  and  Whedon  favor 
it,  the  former  in  the  patristic  sense,  quoting  from  St.  Je- 
rome, the  latter  in  the  sense  of  modern  Methodism.- -P.  S.] 


CHAP.  V.  20-48. 


119 


ed  into  hatred  of  mankind. — Wliat  is  here  said  of 
Old  Testament  traditionalism  equally  applies  to  that 
of  the  mediaeval  Church,  in  its  relation  to  the  Gos- 
pel. 

2.  Some  have  dilTiculty  in  regarding  Christianity 
as  the  genuine  development  of  the  teaching  of  Moses 
and  of  the  propliets.  This  partly  u.ises  from  the 
circumstance  that,  notwithstanding  the  express  state- 
ments of  the  Lord,  many  imagine  that  Christ  abol- 
ished the  law  of  Moses  in  its  substance.  The  state- 
ments of  Paul  about  the  abolition  of  the  law,  so  far 
as  its  temporary  form  was  concerned  (Eph.  ii.  15; 
Col.  ii.  11),  are  similarly  misinterpreted,  while  his 
declaration  in  Rom.  iii.  31  is  entirely  overlooked.  It 
is  only  when  we  learn  to  trace  throughout  all  history 
a  double  course  of  tradition — one  internal  and  ideal, 
the  other  external  and  ever  lapsing  into  secularism — 
that  we  fully  understand  the  diiference  and  the  agree- 
ment between  the  Old  and  the  New  Dispensation. 
Hegel,  too,  only  knew  of  the  external  tradition,  and 
assumes  that  Socrates  and  Christ  died  according  to 
law. 

3.  The  positive  idea  underlying  this  section  is, 
that  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ  the  teaclung  of  Moses 
was  fulfilled  and  carried  to  its  spiritual  ideal.  Mur- 
der, adultery,  profane  swearing,  revenge,  and  the 
rancor  and  selfishness  of  party  spirit,  are  destroyed, 
not  merely  in  their  outward  manifestations,  but  in 
their  root.  In  their  stead,  Jesus  sets  before  us  a 
holy,  spiritual  gentleness,  a  holy  and  spiritual  mar- 
riage, a  holy  and  spiritual  oath,  a  holy  and  spiritual 
retribution,  and  a  holy  and  spiritual  love  toward  our 
neighbor.  These,  however,  are  only  instances  by 
which  the  whole  law  must  be  explained.  Five  are 
mentioned  as  being  the  symbolical  number  of  liberty 
and  moral  development,  whether  for  good  or  evil. 

4.  Christ  is  the  end  and  the  fulfilment  of  the  law 
(Rom.  X.  4  ;  xiii.  10).  Here,  then,  we  have  another 
picture  of  the  life  of  Jesus.  The  Sermon  on  the 
Mount  presents  to  our  view  the  righteousness  of 
Jesus  in  itself;  here,  we  have  it  in  its  contrast  with 
that  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes.  Himself,  how- 
ever, in  holy  meekness,  stands  in  the  background,  and 
only  presents  to  His  disciples  this  picture,  as  consti- 
tuting their  heavenly  calling. 

•5.  It  is  strangely  and  sadly  characteristic  of  the 
Church  of  Rome,  that  it  should  have  converted  these 
fulfilments  of  the  law  of  Moses  into  so-called  "  cort- 
silia  evanc/elica"  and  thus  declared  them,  (1)  not 
universally  binding  ;  (2)  a  directory  for  a  species  of 
higher  legal  righteousness, — such,  for  example,  as 
that  of  the  monks.  Similar  instances  of  strange — 
we  had  almost  said,  fatal — misinterpretation  by  the 
same  Church,  occur  in  connection  with  the  two 
swords,  Luke  xxii.  38,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  laws 
on  matrimony,  etc. 

[6.  Ver.  48.  Be  ye  perfect,  etc.  "  We  who  are 
created  in  God's  image,  and  restored  in  Christ,  and 
made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature  in  Him,  are 
bound  by  the  conditions  of  our  creation,  redemption, 
and  sanctification,  to  endeavor  to  be  like  Him  here, 
that  we  may  have  the  fruition  of  His  glorious  (Jod- 
head  hereafter.  Eph.  iv.  1  ;  1  Pet.  i.  15  ;  1  John 
u.  1."] 

nOMILETICAL  AND   PKACTICAL. 

The  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and 
that  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes:  1.  The  former 
spiritual,  from  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  the  latter  worldly, 
and  from  the  spirit  of  the  world.     2.  The  former  im- 


plying a  state  of  mmd  ;  the  latter,  outward  and  mere- 
ly apparent  service.  3.  The  former  continuing 
throughout  eternity ;  tlie  latter  passing  away  with 
the  world. — A  living  and  true  faith,  and  dead  ortho- 
doxy.— Antagonism  between  the  spirit  of  the  law 
and  the  mere  letter  of  the  law. — True  and  false  tra- 
dition.— The  ordinances  of  man  an  abolition  of  the 
commandments  of  God. — While  pretending  to  make 
a  "  hedge  "  around  the  lav/  (which  itself  was  a  hedge), 
the  Pharisees  trod  down  the  plants  in  the  garden  of 
the  Lord. — The  perveisions  of  truth  which  appear 
under  the  guise  of  enforcing  truth. — On  the  differ- 
ence between  "  It  is  written,''  and  "  It  has  been  said.'* 
— "  It  has  been  said,"  as  pointing  to  the  impure 
source  of  tradition.  1.  It  has  been  said;  but  we 
know  not  by  whom,  where,  or  when ;  2.  It  has  been 
said,  by  religious  indolence,  by  carnality  and  dead- 
ness. — "  It  has  been  said,"  or  the  origin  of  tradition 
witldn  the  kingdom  of  God. — Our  proper  respect  for 
what  is  ancient  appears  in  proper  reverence  for  what 
is  eternal,  which  is  at  the  same  time  both  old  and 
new. — The  hearts  of  the  fathers  must  be  turned  to 
the  children,  then  shall  the  hearts  of  the  children 
also  be  turned  to  the  fathers  (Mai.  iii.  7  ;  Lukei.  11). 
— The  word  of  the  Lord  :  "  But  I  say  unto  you." — 
If  the  letter  of  the  law  were  carried  out  to  its  full 
length,  it  would  consume  the  world,  as  did  the  fire  of 
Elijah. — Christ  condemning  the  service  of  the  letter 
by  the  spirit  of  the  letter. — Contrast  between  "  It  has 
been  said  to  them  of  old,"  and  "i?M<  I  say  unto  you." 
1.  In  the  one  case,  it  is  the  general  unspiritual  mass 
that  speaks ;  here,  it  is  the  highest  Personage — the 
Lord  Himself.  2.  In  the  former  case,  it  has  been 
said  to  past  generations ;  in  this,  the  Lord  speaks  to 
those  around  Him.  3.  The  former  is  a  tradition 
from  the  grave ;  the  latter,  a  word  of  life  to  the  liv- 
ing.— The  explanation  given  by  the  Lord  of  the  com- 
mandment. Thou  shalt  not  kill.  1.  His  correction  of 
traditionaHsm ;  2.  the  law  of  the  spirit. — (The  same 
remarks  apply  to  our  Lord's  explanation  of  the  other 
commandments.) — The  anger  of  passion,  the  way  to 
judgment  and  to  hell. — The  passion  of  anger  appear- 
ing in  reproaches. — He  that  judgeth  set  right  in  judg- 
ment :  1.  Sudden  passion  set  right  by  the  dignity  of 
the  secular  judgment-seat.  2.  He  who  charges  others 
with  heresy  set  right  by  the  judgment  of  the  Chui-ch. 
3.  He  who  condemns  set  right  by  history,  or  the 
prospect  of  condemnation. —  Goiny  to  the  temple,  an 
admonition  to  reconciliation. —  Going  to  the  judge,  an 
exhortation  to  render  satisfaction. — The  sanctity  of 
marriage,  as  opposed  both  to  concupiscence  and  to 
divorce. — The  sacred  oath  under  the  New  Covenant 
is  Yea,  yea  ;  Nay,  nay. — The  law  of  retribution:  1. 
Private  vengeance  giving  place  to  law ;  2.  vengeance 
left  to  the  proper  authorities ;  3.  vengeance  left  to 
I'he  Lord. — Our  enemy  becomes  our  neighbor  by  his 
aggressions  upon  us,  which  leave  us  no  choice  but 
either  to  hate  or  to  love. — Love  toward  our  enemies 
the  weapon  of  spiritual  defence  against  them. — Sun- 
shine and  rain  preaching  toleration  and  love. — The 
Divine  rule  equally  over  the  good  and  the  evil. — Sa- 
cred meditations  during  sunshine.^Sacred  medita- 
tions during  the  rain. — Party  spirit  only  a,  diiferent 
form  of  egotism. — Party  spirit  under  the  guise  of 
sanctity  :  1.  So  far  as  our  own  nation  is  concerned  ; 
2.  so  far  as  our  religion  is  concerned ;  8.  so  far  as 
our  own  ecclesiastical  denomination  is  concerned. — 
Love  the  bond  of  perfectness  in  spiritual  life. — To 
feel  that  maUce  is  weakness  leads  to  pity. — The  chil- 
dren of  the  Father  in  heaven  :  1.  Like  their  Father,, 
they  care  for  the  world ;  2.  they  bring  it  sunshine 


120 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


and  rain  ;  3.  in  their  Father  they  are  hid  from  the 
world. 

Starke : — Pharisaical  legalists  cannot  but  explain 
the  law  falsely. — The  law  is  spiritual. — The  Gospel 
has  regard  to  the  spirit,  not  to  the  letter,  2  Cor.  iii. 
6. — As  one  sin  is  more  grievous  than  another  (John 
xix.  11),  so  the  temporal  and  eternal  punislmients  of 
God  also  (vers.  11,  22,  24). — A  genuine  Christian 
will  abstain  from  all  opprobrious  epithets. — All  your 
worship  is  vain,  so  long  as  your  heart  retains  enmity. 
Rcconcihation  is  more  necessary  than  anything  else. 
— God  has  made  our  forgivenetss  the  condition  of 
His,  Job  xlii.  8  ;  1  Pet.  iii.  7. — He  who  neither  for- 
gives nor  asks  forgiveness,  nor  makes  restitution, 
renders  himself  unworthy  of  the  Lord's  table. — Let 
us  not  lose  the  season  of  grace. — True  repentance  is 
painful,  but  salutary. — If  thine  eye  offend  thee,  etc. ; 
see  Coll.  iii.  5. — Men  hke  to  interpret  the  Scriptures 
according  to  their  corrupt  inclinations. — We  must 
enter  into  the  married  estate  in  the  fear  of  God,  if 
our  union  is  to  prove  happy. — If  we  sulFer  violence 
and  bear  it  patiently,  we  shall  be  able  to  derive  ad- 
vantage even  from  the  injustice  of  men. — To  give  and 
to  lend  are  both  fruits  of  love,  Ps.  cxii.  5. — Even  to 
love  our  enemies  is  regarded  as  too  difficult ;  but  who 
among  us  thinks  of  blessing  them  and  of  praying  for 
them  ? — Oh  where  shall  we  find  Christians  among 
these  Christians  ?  Hos.  iv.  1. — By  faith  we  become 
the  children  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  14  ;  Gal.  iii.  26.  But 
love  proves  that  we  resemble  our  Father  (1  John  iii. 
10),  who  is  love,  1  John  iv.  8. — If  God  had  not  loved 
us  when  we  were  still  His  enemies,  we  should  never 
have  become  His  children,  Rom.  v.  8,  9  ;  and  now 
we  should  cease  to  be  the  children  of  God  if  we 
ceased  to  follow  Him  in  love,  Eph.  v.  12. — God  would 
disarm  our  enemies  by  His  long-suffering  and  by  our 
kindness. — Love  toward  our  enemies  is  both  an  evi- 
dence of  sonship  and  a  means  of  strengthening  it,  2 
Pet.  i.  10. — Let  us  set  more  by  the  example  of  God 
than  by  that  of  the  world,  with  its  hatred  and  callous- 
ness, Luke  vi.  36. — God  rewards  only  such  virtue  of 
which  Himself  is  the  beginning  and  the  end. — God  is 
, willing  to  help  all  men,  and  His  own  people  share  the 
same  mind,  Rom.  x.  1. — Many  are  ready  to  imitate 
God  in  His  punitive  justice,  but  few  in  His  love. 

I/lsco : — (The  pericope  v.  20-26.)  Those  who 
have  part  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  cannot  rest  sat- 
isfied with  the  righteousness  which  Judaism  regarded 
as  sufficient,  and  which  consisted  in  mere  legalism 
and  outward  morality^  without  regard  to  the  mind 
and  heart. — True  love  is  the  sacrifice  of  all  sacrifices. 
— Sinful  lust  must  die  in  our  hearts,  and  purity  spring 
up,  ch.  xviii.  8  ;  Mark  ix.  43. — Every  oath  is  a  sol- 
emn asseveration  of  truth,  in  which  God  is  invoked 
as  witness  of  the  truth  and  avenger  of  untruth. 
Hence  it  always  bears  reference  to  God  ;  and,  wheth- 
er it  be  in  the  form  of  witness-bearing  or  solemn 
promise,  it  is  always  an  act  of  worship. — True  love 
must  bear  and  submit,  and  thus  prevail.  But  this 
does  not  imply  that  we  are  not  allowed  to  seek  assis- 
tance or  protection  from  magistrates  or  judges,  who 
are  instituted  by  God  for  that  very  purpose  (Rom. 
xiii.  4). — There  is  in  these  commandments  of  Christ 
a  progression  from  what  is  easier  to  what  is  more 
difficult. — To  love  our  enemies  was  commanded  even 
in  the  Old  Testament,  Ex.  xxiii.  4,  6  ;  Prov.  xxv.  21. 


Hence  it  was  a  lying  addition  to  the  command  of 
God,  to  say.  Thou  shall  hate  thine  eiumy. — Christ 
says.  Your  Father  and  My  Father,  but  never.  Our 
Father;  the  distinction  is  always  marked,  John  i.  12. 
— Perfect  love  is  perfect  bhss. 

Gerlach : — The  Old  Testament  itself  contained 
the  germ  which  was  destined  to  burst  through  all 
husks. — Luther :  Thinkest  thou  that  God  refers  only 
to  thy  fist  when  He  says,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill "  ? 
Whosoever  does  not  love  is  a  murderer,  1  John  iii. 
15. — Every  one  of  us  is  on  his  way  to  the  Judge, 
without  knowing  how  long  the  road  may  be. — The 
heart  belongs  to  God,  it  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Who  would  not  be  afraid  to  commit  adultery 
in  a  temple  made  of  stone  ?  and  shall  we  not  be  afraid 
to  do  it  in  our  hearts  ?  * — Chrysostom :  Have  you 
noticed  how  many  steps  He  has  gone  up,  and  how 
He  has  now  placed  us  on  the  very  summit  of  virtue  ? 
Look  back !  The  first  step  upward  was  to  do  no 
wrong  to  our  neighbor ;  the  second,  not  to  reward 
evil  for  evil,  if  he  had  done  us  wrong ;  the  third,  not 
to  revile  him,  but  to  remain  silent ;  the  fourth,  to  offer 
our  persons  in  order  to  take  wrong ;  the  fifth,  to  offer 
more  than  the  offender  demands ;  the  sixth,  not  to  hate 
him  who  had  done  us  wrong ;  the  seventh,  even  to 
love  him ;  the  eighth,  to  do  him  good ;  the  ninth,  to 
entreat  God  for  him.  Do  you  now  perceive  the  full 
height  of  Christian  virtue  V — Every  further  explana- 
tion of  His  requirements  on  the  part  of  God  is  based 
on  a  fresh  manifestation  of  His  holy  character  and 
love. 

Heuhner  : — If  you  are  angry  with  a  child  of  your 
Father,  how  can  you  venture  to  approach  the  Father? 
Pericope  for  the  6th  Sunday  after  Trinity :  False  and 
true  righteousness  :  1.  their  character ;  2.  their  mani- 
festations ;  3.  their  effects. — Spener's  sermon  on  this 
text  preached  at  Frankfort,  a. d.  1669.— "Thou  hast 
cleft  my  heart  in  twain.  Oh  !  throw  away  theworser 
part  of  it,  and  live  the  purer  with  the  other  half: " 
Shakspeare  (Hamlet,  iii.  4). — Not  to  resist,  does  not 
mean  to  submit  patiently  and  passively  to  all  aggres- 
sions, but  not  to  meet  evil  by  evil. — Harms :  The 
close  connection  between  love  to  our  neighbor  and 
true  religion.  [1.  Love  to  our  neighbor  is  one  of  the 
grounds  of  true  rehgion,  and  leads  to  it.  2.  Love 
to  our  neighbor  is  part  of  true  religion,  and  belongs 
to  it.  8.  Love  to  our  neighbor  is  a  consequence  of 
true  religion.]! — Marhebieke:  What  that  righteous- 
ness is  which  excels  the  righteousness  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  scribes :  1.  Love  to  the  commandment,  yet 
not  disjoined  from  love  to  God ;  2.  love  to  God,  yet 
not  disjoined  from  love  to  man ;  3.  love  to  man,  yet 
not  disjoined  from  love  to  our  neighbor. — Schleier- 
macher  (Sermons,  vol.  iv.) :  What  the  Lord  would 
have  us  to  learn  from  these  words,  especially  with 
reference  to  united  worship  and  service.  — Kniewel : 
The  righteousness  of  the  Pharisees  (its  character; 
how  to  avoid  it). 

*  [This  sentence  should  be  credited  to  Starke,  from  whom 
Otto  von  Gerlach  {ad  Matt  v.  2&)  almost  literally  borrowed 
it.  Starke  remarks  to  Matt.  v.  28  (N.  T.,  vol.  i.,  p.  13T)  : 
"  J/rrra  scheuet  sich  vor  den  Augen  der  MenBchen  m  einer 
sfeinerneii  Kirehe  einen  dusserlichen  Etiehruch  zu  bege- 
hen  ;  ■uvd  ncheuet  sich  nicht  vor  Gottes  Augen  viel  Ehe- 
IrucJif  im  Tempel  seines  Herzens  zu  hegehen.'''' — P.  S.] 

t  [Omitted  in  the  third  edition,  but  retained  here  from 
the  transl.  of  the  first.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  VI.  1-18.  121 


8.  Christianity  and  Pharisaism  in  their  relation  to  the  great  virtues  of  the  law ;  or,  three  examples  from, 
life,  showing  the  perversions  of  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes,  and  the  spiritual  elevation  of  true  Chris- 
Uanity. 

CnAPTER  YI.  1-18. 
Fahe  Spirituality  of  Traditionalism. 

1  Take  lieed  that  ye  do  not  your  alms  [righteousness]  ^  before  men,  to  be  seen  of  [by] 
them :  otherwise  ye  have  no  reward  of  your  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven. 

2  Therefore,  when  thou  doest  thine  ahns,  do  not  sound  a  trumpet  before  thee,  as  the 
hypocrites  do  in  the  synagogues  and  in  the  streets,  that  they  may  have  glory  of  men. 

3  Ycrily  I  say  unto  you.  They  have  [all]  ^  their  reward.     But  when  thou  doest  alms,  let 

4  not  thy  left  hand  know  what  thy  right  hand  doeth :  That  thine  alms  may  be  in  secret : 
and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret  Himself  shall  reward  thee  openly.^ 

5  And  when  thou  prayest,*  thou  shalt  not  be  as  the  hypocrites  arc :  for  they  love  to 
pray  standing  in  the  synagogues  and  in  the  corners  of  the  streets,  that  they  may  be 

6  seen  of  [by]  men.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  They  have  [all]  their  reward.  But  thou, 
when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet ;  and,  when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to 
thy  Father  which  [who]  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father  which  [who]  seeth  in  secret  shall 

7  reward  thee  openly.^     But  when  ye  pray,  use  not  vain  repetitions,  as  the  heathen  do : 

8  for  they  think  that  they  shall  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking.  Be  not  ye  therefore 
like  unto  them :  for  your  Father  knoweth  what  things  ye  have  need  of,  before  ye  ask 

9  him.     After  this  manner  therefore  pray  ye  : 

10  Our  Father  which   [who]  art  in  heaven,  Hallowed  be  Thy  name.     Thy  kingdom 

come.     Thy  will  be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  m  heaven  [lit. :  as  in  heaven,  so  also  on 

12  earth].     Give  us  this  day  our  daily*  bread.     And  forgive  us  pur  debts,  as  we  forgive' 

13  our  debtors.     And  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil:  For  thine  is 

14  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory,  for  ever.     Amen.^     For  if  ye  forgive  men 

15  their  trespasses,  your  heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive  you:  But  if  ye  forgive  not  men 
their  trespasses,  neither  will  your  Father  forgive  your  trespasses. 

16  Moreover  when  ye  fast,  be  not,  as  the  hypocrites,  of  a  sad  countenance:  for  they 
disfigure  their  faces,  that  they  may  appear  unto  men  to  fast.     Verily  I  say  unto  you, 

17  They  have  [all]  their  reward.     But  thou,  when  thou  fastest,  anoint  thine  head,  and  wash 

18  tliy  face;  That  thou  appear  not  unto  men  to  fast,  but  unto  thy  Father  which  [who]  is  in 
secret :  and  thy  Father  which  [who]  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly.^ 

1  Ver.  l.—[Text^t,s  reo. :  e\ei!}fioavvnv.  But  Dr.  Lange  translates:  Eure  Gerechtigkeit,  ymir  righteousness  adopting 
ZiKaioavvriv  as  the  correct  reading,  which  is  much  better  authenticated,  and  preferred  by  the  principal  editors  of  the 
Greek  test.  See  the  critical  apparatus  in  Griesbach,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf.  Alford,  and  Tregelles,  also  Green:  Devel- 
oped Criticism,  p.  8.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  2.-[The  full  force  of  a  it  e  xovai  is  not  given  in  the  E.  V.,  but  in  the  German :  aie  hahen  dahin,  i.  e.,  they  haye 
their  reward  in  full,  they  have  received  all  of  it,  and  need  not  expect  any  more.    See  the  Greek  diet,  mb  direxfo. P.  S.] 

=  Ver.  i.—iv  tw  (pui-fow  {openly)  are  omitted  in  Cod.  B.  D.  Z.,  etc.  [and  in  Lange's  version]. 

■I  Ver.  5.~Tea-t.  rec. :  urav  Trpoaevxri.  [But  the  plural  irpoa^evxV'rde,  yepjray,  and  ohK  eatade,  ye  shall  not  ie,  is 
well  su.stained  and  adopted  by  Dr.  Lange.— P.  S.] 

s  Ver.  G.— Openly  is  better  sustained  here  (E.  K.  L.,  etc.)  than  in  ver.  4. 

«  Ver.  11. — ['^Daihj  bread,"  or  "tagliches  Brot,"  is  a  free  but  substantially  correct  and  generally  intelligible  transla- 
tion of  &PTOS  eirtnvffios,  and  very  properly  retained  by  Dr.  Lange  from  Luther's  version,  with  which  here  the  Author. 
English  and  all  other  English  versions  (Tyndale,  Cranmer,  and  Geneva)  correspond,  except  Wiclif.  who  renders:  hreed 
ouir  other  siibstaunce,  and  the  Eomi.sh  V.  of  liheims  and  Douay,  which  follows  the  Vulgate  and  renders:  supersuhKtan- 
tial  bread.  Daily  is  also  found  in  the  Jtala  of  the  second  century  (panem  nostrum  quotidiamim)  in  the  Vulgata  in  Luke 
xi.  3  (but  not  in  Matt.  vi.  11,  where  the  Vulgate  reads  Hupermhstantialem),  and  in  most  of  the  modern  European  ver- 
sions, the  French  (pain  fjitotidien),  the  Dutch  {dagelicks  Broot),  the  Italian  of  Diodati  (pane  cotidiano).  The  only  other 
translation  which  is  admissible  and  gives  good  sense,  is  that  of  the  Peschito:  "out  needful  bread"  (comp.  Murdock's 
transl.  of  the  Peschito,  New  York,  1852),  or  bread  miited  to  our  nature,  or  as  others  modify  it:  bread  necessary  for  oii/r 
suhxiHtence,  sufficient.  This  is  the  explanation  of  Origen,  Cbrysost.,  Theophyl.,  Beza,  tholuck,  Ewald,  Arnoidi,  and 
amounts  in  meaning  to  the  same  as  the  more  popular  translation  "  daily  bread."  'J'he  precarious  etymology  and  explanation 
now  in  vogue  and  adopted  by  such  eminent  biblical  philologists  as  Winer  in  his  Grammar  of  the'N.  T.,  and  Fritzsche  and 
Meyer  in  their  Com.  on  Matthew,  derives  iirtovaio^  from  iiritvai,  after  the  form  of  the  fem.  part.  eTriovrra  sc.  ^m^P* 
(dies  cr.^stinns),  and  would  tluis  make  us  pray  to-day  for  the  bread  which  we  may  need  to-morro^c.  But  this,  as  Lange 
(in  the  Com  ),  Alford  and  others  observe,  is  e\idently  inconsistent  with  the  Saviour's  warning  in  ver.  34,  and  as  Conant  re- 
marks in  a  judicious  note  ad  loc.,  would  make  us  pray  for  an  absurdity,  since  we  have  no  need  to-day  of  to-morrow's 
bread  :  "Taking  the  word  Iread  in  the  literal  sense  (as  sustenance  for  the  body),  the  only  thing  we  can  ask,  without  a 
manifest  absurdity,  is  bread  sufficient  for  the,  day,  or  daily  bread."    Salmasius  made  the  same  objection,  and  asked : 


122 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


"Quid  est  ineptius,  quain  panoin  crnstini  diei  nobiu  quotidio  postularo?"  Scbottgen  quotes  passages  from  the  Kabbis, 
which  show  that  even  anion;,'  tlio  most  pious  of  the  Jews  it  was  not  customary  to  pray  for  the  things  of  the  morrow  As 
fTTtovTios  is  found  only  here  and  in  the  parallel  passage,  Luke  xi.  8,  but  in  no  other  Greek  writings,  its  meaning  cannot 
be  ascertained  from  usage,  nor  from  etymology  alone.  Meyer,  however,  admits  that  iviovffios  may  be  derived  from  the 
noun  ohaia  (or  from  the  fern,  participle  of  eicaf,  as  Trapovtria,  /.ierovaia).  The  objection  that  then  it  would  be  (Trovaios 
instead  of  imovatos,  is  not  decisive,  since  we  have  (ttotttos  (visible),  and  the  poetic  form  eirt'ovrTos ;  comp.  also  (iriopKos 
(from  opicdi),  4niji.'pdS  (from  oitpos),  ftrioySoos,  seven  and  a  half,  iexquioctavus  (from  07S00S).  Nor  does  ovrrla 
only  mean  existence  and  essence,  but  also  substance,  property,  subsistence;  comp.  Luke  xv.  12:  rh  iiri^aWov  fxfpos  rrjs 
ovaia^,  the  portion  of  goods  that  falleth  to  me,  der  zufaUende  Tlieilden  VermoOens.  And  even  if  we  take  ouaia  in  the 
sense  of  existence,  t.novffios  might  still  bo  explained:  needful  or  sufficient  for  our  existence.  Jos.  Mede  observes  that 
the  petition  may  be  thus  paraphrased:  rhv  apTov  TiiJ.m',  ixv  irfpiovcriov  (not  abundant  or  superfluous),  aXAa  rhv 
f  TT 10  licr  10;/ (but  sufficient)  sis  7/;uTi' o-TJ^fpof.  He  identifies  the  apros  iiriovaioi  with  the  iehein  huki  in  Agur's 
prayer,  Prov.  xxx.  S,  and  derives  this  petition  from  it.  So  Lange  in  Com. — Bread,  like  the  Hebrew  CHb  is  a  synec- 
doche for  everything  iiecesfiary  to  sustain  life,  comp.  Gen.  xliii.  25,  31,  34. — P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  12.— TVa'i.  rec. :  a'pie/j.ti',  which  is  sufficiently  sustained.  For  a.(j)7)Ka/j.€v  are  Cod.  B.  Z.  and  ancient  fathers. 
Perhaps  it  arose  from  liturgical  arrangements  (the  reconciliation  of  men  before  the  holy  communion). 

«  Ver.  13.— The  doxology  [from:  "For  77iine—Amen'"]  is  omitted  in  B.  D.  Z.,  etc.  [Alford  ad  ioa.  says:  "The  doit- 
oiogy  must  on  every  ground  of  sound  criticism  be  omitted.  .  .  .  Wo  find  absolutely  no  trace  of  it  in  early  times,  in  any 
family  of  MSS.  or  in  any  expositions  "  But  on  the  other  hand  the  Peschito  already  has  it,  and  Stier  eloquently  defends 
it,  though  on  subjective  grounds.  It  was  probably  inserted  in  the  beginning  of  the  4th  century  from  the  liturgies  and  the 
primitive  hahit  of  the  Christians  in  praying  the  Lord's  Prayer.    Comp.  Com.  below.— P.  S.] 

»  Ver.  18.— eV  t^  (pavipcS  is  omitted  in  many  Codd.,  as  in  ver.  4. 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CPvITICAL. 

Having  exposed  the  corruptions  of  doctrine,  our 
Lord  exhibits  those  of  religious  life  under  three  ex- 
amples, which  present  the  tliree  great  forms  in  which 
the  self-righteousness  and  hypocrisy  of  the  Pharisees 
and  scribes  manifested  itself.  They  were,  alms-giv- 
ing, prayer,  and  fast'mg.  These  were  the  three 
principal  manifestations  of  practical  piety  among  tlie 
Jews  (Tobias  xii.  8,  9  ;  xiv.  10 ;  Judith  iv.  9  ;  Sirach 
xxix.  11),  and  were  abused  by  the  Pharisees  to  ex- 
hibit their  superior  piety.*  The  Church  of  Rome 
still  designates  them  as  good  works  in  a  pre-emment 
sense.  The  Pharisees  imagined  that  they  had  reach- 
ed the  highest  eminence  in  these  three  phases  of 
spiritual  life,  which  mark  a  right  relationship  toward 
our  neighbor  (alms-giving),  toward  God  (prayer),  and 
toward  ourselves  (fasting);  while  their  spirit  of  bond- 
age and  hypocrisy  entirely  destroyed  the  spiritual 
character  of  these  works,  and  morally  placed  them  on 
a  level  with  the  saddest  and  most  sinful  perversions 
of  the  heathen. 

Ver.  1.  Your  lighteouaness  [not:  your  alms]. 
— We  read  ii.Kaio(Tvvi)v,  and  not  iKirifjioavvi}v, 
with  Griesbach,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  and  others, 
according  to  Codd.  B.  D.,  etc.  Jiighieousness,  njD  12  , 
is  upright  and  pious  conduct  generally.  Thus  we 
have  in  the  first  verse  a  description  of  righteousness 
generally,  which  afterward  is  followed  by  a  statement 
of  the  threefold  manifestation  of  that  righteousness. 
The  reward  with  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven  (Matt. 
XXV.  31,  etc.)  is  mentioned  in  opposition  to  that 
which  the  Pharisees  arrogated  to  themselves,  or  to 
the  outward  acknov/ledgment  which  they  claimed 
from  men. 

Ver.  2.  When  thou  doest  alms,  do  not  sound 
a  trumpet  before  thee. — A  figurative  expression, 
meaning,  to  attract  attention.  So  Theophylact  and 
many  other  commentators.  Calovius,  Wolf,  Paulus, 
etc.,  understand  it  literally,  that  the  Pharisees  gath- 
ered the  poor  together  by  sounding  a  trumpet.  Oth- 
ers connect  it  with  the  modern  custom  of  beggars  in 
the  East,  who  blow  the  trumpet  before  him  from 

*  Even  in  Tobias  iv.  11,'13,  alms  are  represented  as  right- 
eousness before  God,  and  as  the  means  of  obtaining  forgive- 
ness. In  the  ancient  Church  they  were  regarded  as  njeans 
of  indulgence.  Comp.  the  Sermons  of  Loo  the  Great.  Hee 
Heubner,  p.  78,  , 


whom  they  ask  alms  (Henneberg).  Lastly,  some 
refer  it  to  the  cUnking  of  the  money  in  the  chest, 
which  is  supposed  to  have  been  shaped  like  a  trum- 
pet. Manifestly  the  metaphorical  interpretation  alone 
is  correct. — In  the  synagogues  the  alms  were  collect- 
ed ;  on  the  streets  the  benevolent  were  accosted  by 
beggars.  These  additions,  then,  only  indicate  the 
occasion.  The  emphasis  rests  on  the  ^t/  o-aATrio-j/s. 
— They  have  their  reward. — ' Air^xova-iv, 
they  have  it  in  fuU,  or  have  wholly  received  their  re- 
ward [and  will  get  no  more].  The  only  thing  they 
wished  was  the  praise  of  the  multitude ;  and  that 
they  have  got  in  all  its  vanity. — The  expression 
vTroicpiTTis  occurs  frequently  in  the  Gospels,  as  in 
ver.  16,  vii.  16,  and  in  other  places.  The  verb  vtto- 
Kpivea6ai  (Luke  XX.  20)  has  much  the  same  significa- 
tion as  anoKpivcadat,  to  answer,  but  probably  to 
answer  under  a  mask,  to  play  the  actor,  to  feign. 
"  In  the  New  Testament  it  is  apphed  to  a  form  of 
religion,  where  the  reality  is  awanting." 

Ver.  3.  Let  not  thy  left  hand  know. — "  Not 
a  parsimonious  counting  of  the  money  from  the  right 
hand  into  the  left  (Paulus,  de  Wette),  nor  a  search- 
ing to  take  away  again  with  the  left  hand  (Luther) ; 
but  complete  modesty,  secret  and  noiseless  giving, 
metaphorically  expressed  (Chrysostom)."  Gerlach: 
"  If  the  left  hand  does  not  know  what  the  right  hand 
does,  neither  is  the  soul  which  animates  both  con- 
scious of  it."  We  can  find  no  sense  in  this  explana- 
tion, and  prefer  his  quotation  of  an  Eastern  proverb : 
"  If  thou  doest  any  good,  cast  it  into  the  sea :  if  the 
fish  shall  not  know  it,  the  Lord  knows  it."  * — He 
who  sees  in  secret,  or  who  is  ever  present.  Avros, 
He.  You  are  not  to  take  your  own  reward :  He  will 
give  it  you.  A  reward  of  grace  this,  in  the  kingdom 
of  God.' 

Ver.  5.  And  when  ye  pray. — On  many  grounds 
we  prefer  the  plural  instead  of  the  singular  (see  Lach- 
mann, etc.). — They  love  to  pray.  Their  position 
in  prayer  is  a  matter  of  reflection  and  of  choice,  and 
they  love  it  so. — Standing.  "  The  Jews  prayed 
standing  with  their  face  toward  the  temple,  or  toward 
the  most  holy  place, — 1  Sam.  i.  26  ;  1  Kings  viii.  22  ; 
Mark  xi.  25;  Luke  xviii.  11  ;  Lightfoot,  Ho^-ee,  292 
sq. — or  else  kneeling,  or  prostrate  on  the  earth." — 
Meyer.     But  the  word  earures  indicates  a  conscious 

*  r"  Tiiusi  d-u  was  Gutes,  so  wirfes  in''s  Meer, 

Weiss  es  der  Fisch  nicht,  so  toeisa  ea  der  Herr.'"] 


CHAP.  Via-18. 


123 


and  ostentatious  assumption  of  the  posture ;  comp. 
Luke  xviii.  11,  6  ^apiffoios  cna6ei%. — In  the  cor- 
ners, eV  Tah  yuviais.  The  Pharisees  probably  took 
care  that  the  hour  iised  for  prayer  should  overtake 
them  at  a  cross-road  or  the  corner  of  a  street,  in  or- 
der to  afford  them  the  desired  opportunity  of  per- 
forming their  devotions  in  the  most  public  places. 

Ver.  6.  Into  thy  closet,  tty  rh  rauilnv  aou. — 
The  room  specially  used  for  prayer  was  called  vite- 
pwof,  the  Ahjah,  on  the  house-top.  Vitringa,  Si/n. 
151.  Although  this  apartment  is  not  exclusively 
here  referred  to,  there  is  evidently  an  allusion  to  it, 
as  being  pre-eminently  "the  closet"  of  a  Jew  when 
engageei  in  devotional  exercises.  The  antithesis  be- 
tween "  the  closet,'"  and  "  the  synagogue  and  corners 
of  streets  "  is  manifest.  Of  course,  the  passage  is 
not  aimed  against  public  prayer.  As  Theophylact  has 
it:  0  to'ttos  ou  /8/\a7rTei,  aW'  o  rpdvo'i,  Kal  o  aKoirus 
[it  is  not  the  place  wliich  hurts,  but  the  manner  and 
the  aim].  All  display  should  be  avoided  in  devo- 
tion: He  who  addresses  God  must  be  wholly  en- 
grossed with  thoughts  of  his  own  wants,  and  of  Him 
whose  grace  he  entreats.  Such  abstraction  wOl  con- 
vert the  most  public  place  into  a  ratxi'iov.  The  met- 
aphorical expression,  K\elaai  tV  Ovpav,  also  refers 
to  the  latent  desire  of  gaining  the  applause  of  men. 

Ver.  7.  Use  not  vain  repetitions,  /j.-/;  ^ar- 
ro\oyvaT]re . — Another  perversion  of  prayer 
closely  connected  with  the  former,  and  implying  an 
attempt  to  gain  merit  before  God  by  superstitious 
practices,  just  as  the  former  abuse  was  intended  to 
gain  merit  with  men.  BaTTo\oydv  occurs  very 
rarely  in  classical  writers  (Simplic.  ad  Epict.  p.  340). 
It  has  been  variously  derived  from  Battus,  the  name 
of  a  king  who  stammered,  or  from  Battus,  a  poet 
whose  compositions  were  full  of  tautologies,  or  from 
C'na ,  Job  xi.  3.  Probably  it  is,  as  Hesychius  sug- 
gests, an  onomatopoeticon,  after  the  analogy  of 
^arTapi(eiv, — an  imitation  of  stammering,  and  then 
of  garrulity.  The  explanation  of  its  meaning  is  fur- 
nished by  the  expression,  much  speaking,  iroXv- 
Aoyia,  which  follows.  These  vain  repetitions  of  the 
heathen  are  alluded  to  in  1  Kings  xviii.  2G  ;  Terent. 
Heautont.  v.  1. — On  the  vain  repetitions  of  the  Jews, 
see  Matt,  xxiii.  15 ;  Sir.  vii.  14 ;  Wetstein,  Schott- 
gen,  and  others ; — on  those  of  the  Mohammedans, 
Hottinger,  Hist.  Eccles.  vii.  ad  Lectorem. — The  vain 
repetitions  of  the  mediaeval  Church  (Gieseler,  Kir- 
chengcsch.  ii.  1.  p.  294),  and  of  some  modern  sects, 
are  well  known. 

It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  Christ  ranks  benefi- 
cence and  fasting  along  with  prayer  as  rehgious 
actions,  and  as  the  evidence  of  practical  piety.  This 
impUes,  that  almsgiving  and  fasting  are  the  neces- 
sary accompaniment  and  manifestation  of  true  pray- 
er, which,  so  to  speak,  stands  intermediate  between 
them ;  the  spirit  of  prayer  being  reflected  in  attention 
to  the  wants  of  our  indigent  brethren,  and  to  those 
of  our  own  inner  life.  The  inferences  from  tins  are, 
1.  that  almsgiving,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  does  not 
merely  consist  in  care  for  the  temporal  wants  of  the 
poor,  by  the  instrumentality  of  established  boards 
and  committees,  but  must  take  form  after  the  ex- 
ample which  the  Lord  Himself  gave  when  He  reUeved 
the  wants  of  the  needy ;  2.  that  religious  fasting  can- 
not be  reduced  merely  to  principles  of  temperance, 
sobriety,  and  order,  but  forms  a  distinct  and  special 
exercise,  which,  however,  must  be  reserved  for  spe- 
cial eras  in  our  lives,  or  for  seasons  of  pecuhar  expe- 
rience. 

Vers.  9-13.  The  Lord's  Prayer.— General  lie- 


marks. — In  this  prayer  our  Lord  shows  His  disciples 
how  an  infinite  variety  of  wants  and  requests  can  be 
compressed  into  a  few  humble  petitions.  It  em- 
bodies every  possible  desire  of  a  praying  heart,  a 
whole  world  of  spiritual  requirements,  yet  all  in  tho 
most  simple,  condensed,  and  humble  form,  re- 
sembling in  this  respect  a  pearl  on  which  the  light 
of  heaven  plays.  It  expresses  and  combines,  in  the 
best  order,  every  Divine  promise,  every  human  sor- 
row and  want,  and  every  Christian  aspiration  for  tho 
good  of  others.  In  the  opening  address  we  have 
Theism  in  its  purest  manifestation,  which  ever  owns 
and  recognises  the  God  of  heaven  as  our  Father. 
From  tbe  three  first  petitions,  in  their  relation  to 
the  succeeding  ones,  we  learn  that  man  must  not  be 
bent  on  entreating  God  merely  for  that  which  affects 
himself,  but  that  his  spiritual  well-being  will  be  pro- 
moted by  self-surrender  to  God,  and  by  primarily 
seeking  that  which  pertains  to  His  kingdom. 

The  Lord's  Prayer  is  commonly  arranged  into 
three  parts — the  preface,  the  petitions,  and  the  con- 
clusion {see  Luther's  Smaller  Catechism,  the  Heidel- 
berg Cat.,  qu.  120  sqq.,  and  the  Westminster  Cats.). 
Then  follows  the  arrangement  of  the  separate 
petitions.  Bengel :  Petita  sunt  septem,  quae  universa 
dividuntur  Mt  duas  partes.  Prior  continet  tria  pri- 
ora,  Patrem  spectantia :  tuum,  tuum,  tua  ;  posterior 
quatuor  reliqua,  nos  spectantia. — Olshausen :  Viewed 
as  a  whole,  the  pi-ayer  contains  only  one  idea,  even 
deep  longing  after  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  forms 
the  substance  of  all  the  prayers  of  the  children  of 
God  (for  whose  behoof  Christ  here  gives  us  a  model). 
But  this  one  idea  is  set  forth  under  a  twofold  aspect. 
In  the  first  three  petitions  it  is  presented  to  us  in  the 
fight  of  God's  relation  to  men,  exhibiting  the  king- 
dom of  God  absolutely  and  in  its  perfectness, — the 
final  aim  of  God  being  always  the  burden  of  the  be- 
liever's desire.  The  four  succeeding  petitions,  on 
the  other  hand,  bear  reference  to  the  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  present  this 
spiritual  longing  of  the  children  of  God  in  the  light 
of  the  existing  relation  between  man  and  God, 
Hence  it  is  that  in  the  first  part  of  the  Lord's  Prayer 
the  infinite  riches  of  God  are  unfolded : — 

Hallowed  be  Thy  name ; 

Thy  kingdom  come ; 

Thy  will  be  done ; 
While  in  the  second  part,   the  poverty  of  men  is 
brought  to  view : 

Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread ; 

Forgive  us  our  debts  ; 

Lead  us  not  into  temptation  ; 

Defiver  us  from  evil. 
Lastly,  the  rich  doxology  expresses  the  certain  hope 
that  our  prayers  shall  be  heard,  in  view  of  the  char- 
acter of  God,  who,  being  Himself  the  highest  good, 
will  also  bring  to  pass  the  highest  good,  even  His 
own  kingdom.  The  Lord's  Prayer  is,  at  the  same 
time,  the  utterance  of  the  desires  of  individual  be- 
lievers, although  the  plural  number  in  the  petitions 
indicates  their  feeling  of  fellowship  with  others,  and 
that  of  the  aspirations  of  mankind  generally.  Ex- 
pressing as  it  does  the  inmost  feelings  and  wants  of 
humanity,  and  tlie  relation  betv/een  God  and  sinful 
man,  it  both  meets  the  requirements  of  all,  and  satis- 
fies the  desires  of  the  individual,  provided  his  be  a 
hfe  of  faith.  Every  special  request  not  directly  con- 
nected with  things  that  pass  away,  but  bearing  on 
what  is  eternal,  is  included  and  implied  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer." — De  Wctte :     "  The  sacred  numbtr  of  tlreso 


124 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


petitions — seven — indicates  that  they  exhaust  every 
religious  want.  In  the  first  three  petitions,  the  soul 
rises  directly  to  God ;  in  the  three  following,  we  have 
the  hindcrances  to  these  aspirations — from  a  feeling 
of  dependence  upon  what  is  earthly,  and  from  a  con- 
flict with  sin ;  while  the  last  petition  sets  before  us 
the  solution  of  all  these  difficulties." — Somewhat 
better  Meyer :  "  Having  rhen  to  what  forms  the 
highest  and  holiest  object  of  believers,  the  soul  is 
engrossed  with  its  character  (first  petition),  its  grand 
purpose  (second  petition),  and  its  moral  condition 
(third  petition) ;  iu  the  fourth  petition,  the  children 


of  God  humble  themselves  under  the  consciousness  of 
their  dependence  upon  Divine  mercy  even  in  tem- 
poral matters,  but  much  more  in  spiritual  things, 
since  that  which,  according  to  the  first  portion  of 
this  prayer,  constituted  the  burden  of  desire,  can 
only  be  realized  by  forgiveness  (fifth  petition),  by 
gracious  guidance  (sixth  petition),  and  deliverance 
from  the  power  of  the  devil  (seventh  petition)." — 
Stier  (i.  198)  draws  a  parallel  between  the  two  tables 
of  the  Decalogue  and  the  two  sections  of  tlic  Lord's 
Prayer. — Weber  (Lat.  Programme  quoted  by  Tho- 
luck,  p.  360)  suggests  the  following  outhne : — 


IIpoAoyos. 


1.  ndrep. 

2.  rjjxoov. 

3.  6  eV  Tois  oupavols. 


Ady( 

1.  aytacrdriTcc      rh      uvofjid 

cov. 

2.  iKderai  -i]  fiaaiX^la  ffov. 

3.  yevrjOriTca      rh      BeArtfjia, 

aov,  K.T.X. 


Tholuck :  "  The  attentive  reader,  who  has  otherwise 
learned  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  will  find  a  dis- 
tinct reference  to  it  in  the  arrangement  of  this  pray- 
er. The  first  petition  in  each  of  the  first  and  second 
portions  of  the  prayer,  refers  to  God  as  the  Creator 
and  Preserver;  the  second,  to  God  the  Redeemer; 
and  the  third,  to  God  the  Holy  Spirit." — Devotion  to 
God,  and  acceptance  of  His  gifts  are  contrasted  in 

1.  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit:  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 

of  heaven. 

2.  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn:   for  they  shall  be  com- 

forted. 

3.  Blessed  are  the  meek :  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth. 


4.  Blessed  are  they  that  hiwRer  and  thirst  after  righteous- 

ness: for  they  shall  be  filled. 

5.  Blessed  are  the  merciful:  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 

6.  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart:  for  they  shall  see  God. 

7.  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers,  etc. 

It  has  been  remarked,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  simply 
taught  His  disciples  to  pray,  "  Forgive  us  our  debts," 
but  could  not  Himself  have  offered  that  petition 
(comp.  Tholuck,  p.  375).  If  we  take  it  hterally, 
this  is,  of  course,  true ;  though  we  must  always  bear 
in  mind,  that  in  the  depth  of  His  human  sympathy, 
Christ  felt  more  than  any  other  the  sins  of  human- 
ity, and  that  He  entreated  their  forgiveness  as  that 
of  a  debt  due  liy  the  whole  family  of  man. 

Ver.  9.  After  this  manner  therefore  pray 
ye. — According  to  Schleierraacher,  Olshausen,  de 
Wette,  and  Neander,  Christ  taught  His  disciples  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  not  on  this,  but  on  a  later  occasion 
(Luke  xi.  1).  Tholuck  and  Stier  hold  that  the  Lord's 
Prayer  was,  so  to  speak,  twice  taught :  the  first  time 
as  an  example  how  to  pray  without  vain  repetitions  ; 
the  second  time,  when  His  disciples  expressly  asked 
Him,  "  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray."  But  this  explana- 
tion is  forced,  and  at  variance  with  Christ's  ordinary 
mode  of  instruction,  which  was  always  in  the  first 
place  ilireeted  to  the  disciples,  and  then  to  the  peo- 
ple. But  if  we  call  up  before  our  minds  that  inner 
circle  to  which  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  was  first 
addressed,  we  can  readily  imderstand  how  the  disci- 
ples would  on  that  occasion  proffer  such  a  request. 
After  this  manner,  ovrw  s. — In  what  respect  ov- 
TtosV  Grotius:  inhuncsensum.  Calovius, Maldonatus, 
Fritzsche,  Tholuck,  Meyer :  in  this  manner,  i.  e.,  thus 
briejly.     De  Wette :  in  these  words,  as  a  formula  of 


h'lTriixaTa. 
1.   rhv  &pToi'  r]fJi<'>y,  k.t.K. 


xt  acpes  W'")  K.T.K 
il  fxr]  eliTeyeyKTis  fjfi.ai, 

K.T.A. 


ETTtA-oyos. 


1.  oTi  (Tov  fcrrtv  t]  ^affi 

Ae'ia, 

2.  ffov  iartv  t)  Siyafiis. 

3.  aov  etrrtv  t}  5({|a. 


the  Lord's  Prayer.  1.  Devotion  to  His  name,  to  His 
kingdom,  and  to  His  will ;  heaven,  heaven  and  earth, 
earth :  the  place  of  His  manifestation.  2.  Accept- 
ance of  His  gifts  in  reference  to  the  present,  the 
pa^t,  and  the  future. — We  place  in  parallel  columns 
the  seven  petitions  and  the  seven  beatitudes,  to  ex- 
hibit their  internal  agreement : — 


— Hallowed  be  Thy  name  (the  name  of  God  our  riches, 

opening  to  us  the  kingdom  of  heaven). 
—Thy  kingdom  come  (and  with  it  comes  heavenly  comfort 

to  ourliearts). 
—Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven  (meekness, 

the  characteristic  of  heaven,  the  outstanding  feature  of 

the  new  earth). 
— Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread  (which  above  all  includes 

the  Bread  of  life,  John  vi.). 
— And  forgive  us  our  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors. 
— And  lead  us  not  into  temptation  (grant  us  victory  in  our 

hearts). 
— But  deliver  us  from  evil  (gi-ant  victory  over  the  world). 

prayer.  We  may  call  it  a  formula,  provided  we  re- 
member that  its  leading  characteristic  is  to  be  free 
from  iroXvXoyia  and  formality,  and  that  in  briefest 
form  it  bodies  forth  the  deepest  and  the  fullest 
thoughts  and  feelings.  And  as,  in  the  present  case, 
contents  and  form  agree  in  this  respect,  the  word 
oi/TCT  refers  equally  to  the  rich  vein  of  thought,  and 
to  the  concise  brevity  of  form  in  this  prayer.* 

'  *  [Among  British  and  American  commentators  those 
belonging  to  the  Presbyterian,  Congregational,  Methodist, 
Baptist,  and  other  non-Episcopal  denominations  general- 
ly maintain  that  the  Lord's  Prayer  was  intended  not  a^  a 
formula  to  be  literally  and  invariably  used,  although  it  is 
iindoubtedly  very  proper  to  use  it  within  certain  lim^its,  but 
as  a  general  pattern  rather  for  all  our  prayers,  private  and 
public.  See  Henry,  Barnes,  Alexander,  Owen,  Jacobus, 
Whedon,  Nast  ad  Matt.  vi.  9.  Episcopalian  commentators 
differ  like  the  Germans.  Dr.  Alford  (a  liberal  Anglican) 
says:  "It  is  very  improbable  that  the  prayer  was  regarded 
in  the  very  earliest  times  as  a  set  form  delivered  for  liturgical 
use  by  our  Lord.  The  variations  of  Tas  a/xaprlai  i)fJ.&v ' 
Kol  yap  avrol  d<piofj,ev  ttavrl  otpeiAovTL  iffJ^v,  and  rh 
icafl'  i]p:.ipav  in  Luke,  for  the  corresponding  clauses  in  our 
text,  however  unimportant  iu  themselves,  have  been  re- 
garded as  fatal  to  the  supposition  of  its  being  used  liturgical- 
ly  at  the  time  when  these  Gospels  were  written.  It  must 
be  confessed  that  we  flud  very  few  traces  of  such  use  in  ear- 
ly times,"  Di-.  Wordsworth  (conservative  Anglican)  on  the 
other  hand  remarks  ad  Matt.  vi.  9 :  "  Our  Lord  here,  by 
this  prayer  (comp.  the  Benediction,  Num.  vi.  23;  Deut. 
xxvi.  13)  authorizes  forms  of  pr.ayer  (and  adopts  petitions 
already  in  use  in  Forms  of  Prayer  among  the  Jews),  and  de- 
livers a  particular  forjn  of  prayer  to  be  used,  and  to  serve 


CHAP,  YI.  1-18. 


125 


On  the  resemblance  between  this  prayer  and 
other  Jewish  prayers,  comp.  Heubner  (p.  87),  Tho- 
luck,  and  de  ^Vet"te.  "  It  derogates  in  no  way  from 
the  Lord's  Prayer,  that  to  a  certain  extent  it  em- 
bodies ideas  expressed  in  other  Jewish  prayers,  since 
it  was  not  a  mere  repetition  of  these  forms.  Nay,  in 
the  circumstances,  it  would  hare  been  surprising  if 
every  such  allusion  had  been  avoided.  But  Wetstcin 
goes  much  too  far  in  maintaining,  '  tota  hccc  oratio 
ex  for  111  u!  is  Ilebrceoriiia  concinnata  est.''  After  Light- 
foot,  Schottgen,  AYetstein,  Drusius,  Yitriuga,  Witsius, 
and  Surenhusius  have  laid  under  requisition  every 
conceivable  parallel  passage,  even  from  much  later 
Jewish  prayer  books,  the  result  of  their  learning  and 
industry  shows  that  only  the  first  two  petitions  of 
the  Lord's  prayer  contain  what,  after  all,  amounts  to 
no  more  than  allusions  to  well-known  Old  Testament 
or  Messianic  ideas  and  expressions.  Besides,  it  is 
quite  possible  that  the  Jews  may  have  borrowed 
even  these  from  the  Lord's  Prayer."  De  Wette. — Nor 
should  it  be  forgotten  that  the  characteristic  features 
of  this  prayer  consist  in  the  brevity  and  distinctness 
of  its  petitions,  in  their  order  and  succession,  and 
lastly,  in  their  fulness  and  comprehensiveness. 

With  reference  to  the  criticism  of  the  text,  01s- 
hausen  remarks :  "  The  doxology  at  the  close  is  un- 
doubtedly of  later  origin,  and  added  for  liturgical 
purposes.  It  first  appears  in  the  Constit.  Apost., 
where  it  reads,  on  aou  icrnv  ?;  ^acriXeia  els  aiwva?. 
'Kix-hv.  But  its  meaning  is  so  deep  and  so  much  in 
accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  prayer,  that  it  must 
have  originated  at  a  period  when  the  genuine  spirit 
of  the  apostolic  Church  still  prevailed.  It  is  want- 
ing in  Codd.  B.  D.  L.  (Z.),  and  in  many  others,  as 
shown  by  Griesbach.  But  it  occurs  already  in  the 
Peshito,  where,  however,  it  may  be  an  interpolation. 
Sinailarly  the  petitions,  yivTqSi]ro>  rh  Qi\-r]ixa  aou  ojs 
fv  oiipavco  Kal  inl  {rrji)  yr/s,  and  aAAa  puaai  rjfxas  airb 
Tov  TTovnpov,  are  wanting  in  the  text  of  Luke.  They 
are  not  found  in  B.  and  L.,  nor  do  they  occur  in  the 
oldest  of  the  Fathers — such  as  Origen,  who  expressly 
mentions  the  omission.  But  it  does  not  follow  that 
they  are  spurious  in  the  prayer  as  given  by  Matthew. 
In  all  likehhood,  Luke  simply  abbreviated  the  ac- 
count." Similarly,  some  read  only  wdrep  in  the 
opening  address. — On  the  transposition  of  the  second 
and  third  petitions  in  Tertullian,  see  Dr.  Nitzsch  in 
the  '■^ Studkn  und  Kriiiken"  for  1830,  iv.  846. 

After  Augustine  and  Luther,  the  nimiher  of  the 
petitions  has  been  fixed  at  seven.  But  Chrysostom, 
and  after  him  the  Reformed  Churches,  enumerate 
only  six.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  petition,  "  De- 
liver us  from  evil,''''  expresses  more  than  that,  "  Lead 
us  not  into  temptation  ;"  and  in  this  respect  it  may 

as  a  pnttern  for  the  subject  and  order  of  our  desires  and  pray- 
ers, and  therefore  as  a  euide  for  our  practice." — There  is  truth 
here  on  both  sides.  This  matchless  grayer  was  undoubtedly 
given  both  as  a  form  to  be  rightly,  i.  e.,  devoutly  and  reve- 
rently used  on  all  proper  occasions  (comp.  the  A  e  7  e  t  e 
in  Luke  xi.  2),  and  as  a  model  for  all  other  prayers.  The  for- 
mer abuse  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  as  an  empty  formula  oft  re- 
peated without  devotion  and  profit  in  the  Roman  Church 
(hence  Luther  called  it  tbe  greatest  martyr),  led  some  sec- 
tions of  Protestantism  to  the  opposite  extreme  of  neglect  of 
this  shortest  and  richest,  simplest  and  deepest  of  all  prayers 
ever  uttered  by  man  or  angel,  the  perfect  model  prayer 
which  could  only  jirococd  from  the  lips  of  the  Son  of  God. 
Dr.  Thom.as  Scott  has  hit  the  right  medium  in  the  following 
note:  "It  may  often  be  [better:  it  nndonhtecUy  is]  proper 
to  use  the  very  words,  but  it  is  not  always  necessary;  for 
we  do  not  find  that  the  apostles  thus  used  it:  but  we  ought 
Blways  to  pray  after  the  manner  of  It,  that  is,  with  that  re- 
verence, humility,  seriousness,  confidence  in  God,  zeal  for 
His  glory,  love  to  mankind,  submission,  and  moderation  in 
temporal,  and  earnestness  about  spiritual  things,  which  it  in- 
culcates;  avoiding  vain  repetitions,  and  using  grave   and 


be  regarded  as  a  separate  petition.  On  the  other 
hand,  however,  it  must  not  lie  overlooked,  that  the 
word  a  A  A  o  connects  the  two  parts  of  one  and  the 
same  petition.*  Besides,  symbolically,  we  should 
expect  to  find  the  number  six  rather  than  seven — the 
former  being  expressive  of  mental  labor,  the  latter  of 
holy  rest.  Yiewcd  as  a  sacred  number,  six  is  always 
followed  by  a  seven,  which  sums  up  the  whole ;  just 
as  in  this  case  the  six  petitions  are  summed  up  in 
the  doxology,  or  originally  in  the  close  of  the  sixth 
petition,  or  in  the  continuous  inward  prayer  of  be- 
lievers,— concerning  which  Luther  rightly  says,  "  The 
Christian  prays  a  never-ending  Lord's  prayer." 

Yer.  9.  Our  Father,  -war  ep  -o/xw v. — Although 
the  spiritual  experience  of  adoption  sprung  from  the 
atoning  death  of  Christ  on  the  cross,  it  was  from  the 
first  implied  in  Christ's  message  of  reconciliation. — 
Who  art  in  the  heavens,  iv  to'ls  ohp avals. 
The  words  show  the  infinite  difference  between  this 
and  every  other  human  relationship  of  a  similar  kind : 
Our  Father  in  heaven  ;  not  a  weak,  helpless,  earth- 
ly parent  (comp.  ch.  vii.  11  ;  Eph.  iii.  15;  iv.  6). 
The  expression  also  indicates  the  place  where  tho 
glory  of  God  dwelleth  (Isa.  Ixvi.  1 ;  Acts  vii.  55,  56, 
etc.),  but  without  the  limitations  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment— not  in  heaven,  but  in  the  heavens.  Finally,  it 
is  both  a  symbol  of  the  contrast  between  the  glory, 
the  purity,  the  infinitude,  and  tbe  unchangeableness 
of  heaven  and  this  world,  and  of  the  riches  of  God, 
and  the  source  whence  the  kingdom  of  heaven  de- 
scended upon  earth. 

Thy  name. — The  expression  refers  neither  to  His 
Divine  being,  nor  to  His  perfections ;  as  in  that  case 
the  petition,  "  Hallowed  be  Thy  name,"  would  be  un- 
intelligible. What  is  holy  cannot  be  made  holy. 
The  "  name  of  God "  is  the  impress  of  His  being 
upon  the  hmnan  mind,  the  manifestation  of  His  be- 
ing in  the  world  ;  hence  nearly  equivalent  to  religion 
as  based  upon  Divine  revelation.  Comp.  1  Pet,  iii. 
15  :  "  Sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts." 

Yer.  10.  Thy  kingdom. — The  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven. As  Christ  announces  and  introduces  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  so  His  people  arc  to  pray  for,  and  to 
anticipate  it.  The  import  of  the  expression,  "  king- 
dom of  heaven,"  appears,  1.  from  its  contrast  to  the 
symbolical  kingdom  of  heaven  under  the  0,  T,  the- 
ocracy ;  2.  from  its  contrast  to  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness. Other  explanations  :  The  spread  of  Christian- 
ity (Kuinoel) ;  the  victorious  development  of  the 
Christian  Church  (Tholuck).  But  these  are  only  in- 
dividual phases ;  the  grand  fact  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  its  spiritual  reahty,  which  includes  both 
time  and  eternity,  f 

As  in  heaven, — i.  e.,  in  absolute  purity  and  per- 
fectness,  as  apparent  in  the  obedience  of  the  angels. 

comprehensive  expressions."  Comp.  also  tho  remarks  of 
Ad.  Clarke,  and  Dr.  D.  Brown  ad  loc.—V.  S.] 

*  [Alford  takes  a  similar  view :  "  oAAa  must  not  be  taken 
as  equivalent  to  tl  5e  fj.rj,  q.  d.  '■but  if  thou  dost,  deliver,'' 
etc. ;  but  is  rather  the  opposition  to  the  former  clause,  and 
forms  in  this  sense  but  one  petition  with  it,—'  briiiff  us  not 
into  convict  with  evil,  Mt  rather  deliver  (rid)  us  from  it 
altogether.^  In  another  view,  however,  as  expressing  the 
deep  desire  of  all  Christian  hearts  to  bo  delivered  from  all 
evil .  .  .  these  words  form  a  seventh  and  most  affecting  peti- 
tion, reaching  far  beyond  the  last."  So  also  D.  Brown  ad 
loc.—V.  S.] 

t  [Alford:  "'Tiiv  kinodom'  here  is  the  fulness  of  the 
accomplishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  so  often  spoken  of 
in  prophetic  Scripture-;  and  by  implication  all  th.at  process 
of  events  Which  lead  to  that  accomplishment.  Meyer  in  ob- 
jecting to  all  ecclesiastical  and  spiritual  meaning?  of  'Thy 
kingdom,'  forgets  that  the  one  for  which  he  contends  exclu- 
s'wcly,  the  Me-fsinnio  kingdom,,  Coca  in  fact  include  or  im- 
ply them  all."— P.  S.] 


12G 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCOKDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Vcr.  11.  Owe  daily  bread, — ti proi,  like  cnb  ^ 
the  requirements  of  daily  life. — T hv  iir t  ovu lov 
occurs  again  in  Luke  xi.  3,  but  nowhere  else.  Ex- 
planations:— 1.  The  nourishment  necessary  for  sub- 
sistence, olxria.  So  Origen  and  many  others.  "  This 
explanation  [says  Meyer]  has  led  to  the  inaccurate 
rendering,  '  daily  bread '  (the  "Vulgate,  Chrysostom, 
Luther,  etc.)."  Meyer  objects  that  ohaia.  does  not 
mean  subsistence,  but  being  or  existence.  But  surely 
the  .subsistence  of  a  man  consists  in  the  preservation 
of  his  human  being.  2.  Jerome  and  Zwingli :  "  Epiu- 
sion,  hoc  est  supersubstantialem  petamns,  plus  de  ani- 
mce  cibo,  quam  corporis  solliciii."  Of  course  it  were 
a  mistake  to  apply  the  passage,  with  Olshauscn  and 
Bome  of  the  Fathers,  to  spiritual  nourishment  exclu- 
sively, or  even  to  the  Eucharist.  Manifestly,  our 
Lord  alludes  to  daily  bread — only  not  to  merely  ma- 
terial bread,  destined  for  tlie  sensuous  part  of  man 
alone.  Man  requires  earthly  bread ;  the  Christian, 
Christian  bread,  yet  not  supersensuous,  but  adapted 
to  all  the  parts  of  his  being,  which  implies,  above 
all,  heavenly  and  spiritual  nourishment.  3.  By  some 
the  word  is  identified  with  iiriovtra,  dies  crastinus — 
to-morrow's  bread.  So  the  Arabic  aud  Ethiopian  ver- 
sions, Scaliger,  Meyer,  etc.  (Jerome :  in  Evangelio, 
quod  appellatur  secundum  Hebraos^  pro  supersicbstan- 
tiali  pane  repcri  mahar,  "niQ  ^  i.  c.,  to-niorroiv's 
bread.)  But  this  explanation  agrees  not  with  (ni.uf- 
poc,  nor  with  the  statement  in  vi.  34. — Explaining  it 
as  referring  to  bread  suitable  to  our  being,  we-  in- 
clude in  the  term  the  idea  of  what  is  required  fdr 
our  daily  subsistence,  corresponding  to  '■'pr\  V^rh 
("  food  convenient  for  me  "),  in  Prov.  xxx.  8.* 

Ter.  1 2.  Debts,  o^eiKi)^ar a , — equivalent  to 
TTapaTTTa'uaTa,  regarding  them  either  in  the  light  of 
imputation,  or  of  one's  o^vn  conscience. 

As  wo  forgive. — '  a  s  expresses  neither  tlie 
measure  (Baumgarten-Crasius)  nor  the  ground  of  fox-- 
giveness  (nam,  Fritsche,  Meyer),  but  indicates  the  rela- 
tion to  our  feelings  of  conciiiation  toward  our  neighbor ; 
the  assurance  of  our  own  forgiveness  being  connect- 
ed with  and  regulated  by  our  vow  of  readiness  to  for- 
give our  neighbors.  We  feel  assurance  in  Thy  for- 
giveness, perceiving  within  ourselves  a  readiness  to 
forgive  others,  which  Thou  hast  implanted ;  and  we 
pray  for  forgiveness  while  vowing,  under  a  sense  of 
this  gracious  experience. 

Ver.  1 3.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation. — 
A  difficult  passage :  1.  Because  God  does  not  tempt 
man,  James  i.  13  ;  2.  because  man  should  not  shrink 
from  trial.  Hence  some  have  taken  elcrcpfpetv,  others 
6 1  y ,  and  Others  vreipno-^oy,  in  an  emphatic  sense. 
But  tlio  "  temptation  "  here  spoken  of  is  only  a  trial 
increased  by  the  guilt  which  had  formerly  been  con- 
fessed as  a  debt;  and  the  prayer,  ^^ Lead  us  not,'''' 
is  simply  a  consequence  of  the  petition  for  forgive- 
ness. Let  us  not  experience  in  intense  temptations 
the  consequences  of  our  guilt,  etc.  (comp.  L.  Jem,  ii. 
2,  p.  615).     The  popular  sense  is,  that  God  may  pre- 

*  [Alford  takes  iTriovcrios  likewise  in  the  sense:  proper 
/or  our  sustenance,  after  the  analogy  of  eTriyaf.ios,  Jit  for 
marriage,  fiTLS6f)iTios,Jitfor  the  hanquet,  and  cunsiilers  it 
equivalent  to  t«  itriTri^eia  too  ffdifjLaTos  in  James  ii.  IG 
(rendered  in  Syriac  transl.  by  the  s.-vmc  word).  He  also 
tliinks  we  may  safely  understand  the  expression  spiritn.ally, 
of  the  bread  of  life,  provided  we  keep  in  the  foreground  its 
primary  physical  meanine,  and  view  the  other  as  involved 
by  implication  in  that.  Tlie  Andican  Catech.  understands 
the  daily  bread  to  mean  "all  things  that  be  needful  for  our 
souls  «nd  bodies."  On  the  different  explanations,  see  espe- 
cially Tholuck,  Meyer,  and  Conant.— P.  S.] 


serve  us  from  such  temptations  as  might  lead  us  into 
sin  (ch.  xxvi.  41  ;  1  Cor.  vii.  5) ;  or  else  that  God 
would,  with  the  temptation,  give  a  way  of  escf^pe,  1 
Cor.  x.  13. 

But  deliver  us  from  evil,  p  vcr  at  r/juas. — 
The  full  sense  of  botli  these  petitions  can  only  be 
understood  if  we  bear  in  mind  the  literal  meaning  of 
(la-fpfpeiv  and  pv(,i.iai — to  carry  in,  and  to  pull  out. 
The  expression,  pulling  out,  or  delivering,  impUes 
bondage  and  inabiUty. — 'A nh  rod  -k ovtipov.  Ex- 
planations: 1.  (5  TTovTjpu'i,  the  Evil  One,  the  Devil. 
So  the  older  commentators,  Erasmus,  Beza,  Kuinoel, 
Fritzsche,  Meyer.  2.  rh  ■wovr]p/>v.  So  Augustine  and 
Tholuck,  after  John  xvii.  15  ;  Rom.  xii.  9  ;  2  Thess. 
iii.  3.  3.  From  evil,  or  misery.  Luther. — \fhy  Tcov1^p6v 
the  power  of  darkness  is  meant,  as  manifested  in  the 
kingdom  of  darkness,  it  would  include  not  only  that 
kingdom  itself,  but  also  its  author,  and  even  its  out- 
ward .ind  temporal  consequences.  Such  is  undoubt- 
edly the  meaning  of  the  text.  "  The  whole  sphere 
and  bearing  of  the  Treipao-^ao!,"  Tholuck. 

For  thine  is  the  kingdom. — This  doxology  is 
traced  back  to  1  Chron.  xxix.  11. — 2  Tim.  iv.  18  may 
be  regarded  as  containing  the  germ  of  this  liturgical 
addition  to  the  text,  although,  according  to  Stier,  it 
only  serves  as  an  evidence  of  the  genuineness  of  the 
passage  in  Matthew.  The  words  show  that  the  ful- 
ness of  God,  or  His  majesty,  forms  the  basis,  the 
soul,  and  the  aim  of  the  whole  prayer.  On  the  foun- 
dation of  the  kingdom  of  power,  which  rests  in  God's 
might  and  appears  m  His  glory,  the  kingdom  of  grace 
is  to  be  unfolded  and  perfected.     [See  Addenda."] 

Amen,  "iliX  certainly,  truly. — This  certainty  is  de- 
rived from  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God  (n:!i?:N), 
Christ  introduces  His  most  solemn  statements  with 
this  word ;  and  with  it  believers  close  their  prayers, 
in  sign  and  testimony  that  all  human  faithfulness  and 
human  certitude  springs  from  the  faithfulness  of 
God.  This  word,  Amen,  has  its  great  history  in  bib- 
lical theology,  in  the  Divine  services  of  the  Church, 
and  in  the  lives  of  believers.  But  at  the  close  of 
the  Lord's  Prayer,  "  the  Amen  of  every  prayer  antici- 
pates that  of  the  world."     (Stier.) 

Ver.  14.  For  if  ye  forgive  men.  Comp.  Mark 
xi.  25. — An  explanation  of  the  fifth  petition,  specially 
important  in  this  place,  as  showing  that  forgiveness 
and  readiness  to  forgive  were  among  the  leading 
ideas  in  the  Lord's  Prayer.  This  was  all  the  more 
necessary,  as  the  Lord  could  not  yet  speak  of  the 
work  of  redemption  which  He  was  about  to  accom- 
plish. De  Wette  is  right  in  observing,  that  the  circum. 
stance  of  His  not  adverting  to  it,  is  itself  an  evidence 
of  the  authenticity  of  the  Lord's  Prayer. — Ta  trapa.- 
irTu.'/j.aTa  alnSiv,  After  Cod.  D.  and  other  witnesses, 
Tischendorf  has  omitted  these  words,  though  without 
sufficient  reason. 

Ver.  16.  When  ye  fast. — This  refers  primarily 
to  voluntary  or  private  fasting,  Luke  xviii.  12.  But 
it  equally  appUes  to  the  great  annual  public  fast.  Lev. 
xvi.  29.  "  By  the  law  of  Moses,  the  Jews  were  enjoined 
to  fast  on  the  Day  of  Atonement  from  one  evening  to 
the  following  (Lev.  xvi.  29).  Tradition  prescribed 
similar  fasts  in  autumn  if  the  latter  rains  did  not  fall, 
or  if  the  harvest  was  threatened  {Taanith,  p.  iii. 
§  8).  To  these  we  have  to  add  a  number  of  extra- 
ordinary fasts.  The  Pharisees  regarded  the  practice 
as  meritorious,  and  fasted  twice  (Luke  xviii.  12),  or 
even  four  times,  in  the  week, — makmg  their  appear- 
ance in  the  synagogue,  negligently  attired,  pale  and 
sad,  in  order  to  exhibit  their  superior  ascetic  sanctity 


CHAP.  VI.  1-18. 


127 


before  the  people."  Von  Ammon. — It  was  the  prac- 
tice to  wear  mourning-dresses  when  fasting.  2Kv9pco- 
iTol,  Luke  xxiv.  17;  Gen.  xl.  '7.— Disfigure,  atpafi- 
Ce  1 1;  with  ashes  and  dust,  Isa.  Ixi.  3.  Here  a  figura- 
tive expression  for  the  mournful  gestures  and  the  neg- 
lected appearance  of  the  head  and  beard. — "  There 
is  a  play  upon  the  words,  cKpayi^ovcri  and  cpavcicn. 
They  make  their  faces  miappearable,  that  they  may 
appear  unto  men."  So  Meyer,  who  also  suggests 
that  the  expression  alludes  to  the  covering  of  the 
face,  as  in  2  Sam.  xv.  SO  ;  Esther  vi.  12. 

Ver.  17.  Anoint  thine  head. — In  the  East,  it 
was  customary  to  anoint  the  head  when  going  to  a 
feast,  in  opposition  to  the  deportment  observed  on 
fast  days.  Hence  the  advice  must  not  be  taken  Uter- 
ally.  Of  course,  the  opposite  dissimulation  cannot 
have  been  enjoined.  Our  outward  appearance  when 
fasting  is  to  betoken  spiritual  triumph  and  rest, 
which  elevates  above  mere  outward  alistinence. 

Ver.  18.  In  secret. — 'Ev  r(2  Kpvpalw  [twice  for 
the  text  rec,  tV  t^  Kpvwrtf.'] — So  Lachmann  and  Tis- 
chendorf  after  B.  D.  The  word  does  not  again  occur 
in  the  New  Testament,  but  is  several  times  found  in 
the  Septuagint.  [This  note  belongs  properly  to  the 
critical  notes  below  the  text. — P.  S.] 

DOCTraNAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  one  radical  perversion  of  religious  life 
consists  in  the  desire  to  appear  before  men.  Spirit- 
ual religion  has,  indeed,  its  outward  and  becoming 
expression, — chiefly,  however,  in  the  meek  and  de- 
vout worship  of  the  Church,  where  the  piety  of  indi- 
vidual believers  is  lost  to  outward  view.  The  worship 
of  the  Church  is,  so  to  speak,  the  shadow  in  which 
the  humility  and  meekness  of  the  individual  worship- 
per finds  shelter  and  protection. 

Hence  perversion  of  religious  life  first  manifests 
itself  in  separatism  of  worship,  which  gradually  in- 
trudes upon  the  worship  of  the  Church,  and  ultimately 
perverts  it.  The  consequences  of  this  speedily  appear 
in  the  three  departments  of  practical  piety.  Thus, 
instead  of  charity  toward  our  neighbors,  we  have  re- 
Ugious  self-righteousness  on  the  one  hand,  and  reli- 
gious idleness  on  the  other — a  show  of  kindness,  and 
a  corresponding  spirit  of  mean  dependence.  Simi- 
larly, the  worship  of  God  assumes  the  form  of  length- 
ened prayers  and  tedious  processions  without  devo- 
tion, while  asceticism  degenerates  into  hypocritical 
fasts  and  monastic  extravagances.  But  if,  in  our  re- 
ligion, we  consciously  and  purposely  aim  after  mere 
externalism  and  show,  we  enter  upon  a  course  of 
hypocrisy,  setting  up  in  our  outward  forms  a  coun- 
terfeit of  what  is  sacred.  The  commencement  of  this 
fiilse  religionism  consists  in  painful  service  and  out- 
ward works.  Although  a  man  may  at  that  stage 
still  set  God  before  him,  it  is  only  in  an  external  man- 
ner. In  worshipping  Him,  he  no  longer  has  regard  to 
the  character  and  the  love  of  God,  because  he  realizes 
not  that  God  has  regard  to  his  affections  and  state 
of  heart.  He  is  only  anxious  that  God  should  have 
regard  to  his  work,  and  his  service,  just  as  he  has 
only  regard  to  the  v/ork  of  God  and  the  reward  of 
God ;  and  as  he  regards  this  reward  as  merely  exter- 
nal, like  his  own  work,  he  gi-adually  comes  to  seek  it 
among  men.  His  externalism  now  leads  him  to  merge 
his  God  in  the  opmion  of  men.  Hence  the  outward 
show  which  marks  the  second  stage  of  religious  per- 
version. His  great  object  now  is  to  let  his  benefi- 
cence, his  prayers,  and  his  fasts  appear  as  fully  and 
as  pompously  as  possible.     From  this  spiritual  oride 


and  spiritual  servility  the  transition  is  easy  to  the 
thiid  stage,  which  is  that  of  deception  and  imposition, 
when  the  hypocrite  conceals  his  hardness  of  heart 
under  the  mask  of  beneficence,  his  coldness  and  dead- 
ness  under  that  of  singular  devotion,  and  his  love  of 
the  world  and  lustfulness,  with  the  corresponding 
works  of  darkness,  under  that  of  asceticism. 

2.  A  piety  which  primarily  tends  to  externalism 
and  show,  is  not  only  falsehood  but  folly.  It  may 
be  compared  to  a  root  growing  upward.  The  proper 
and  genuine  tendency  of  religion  is  inward,  to  secrecy 
— to  that  God  who  rules  in  the  secret  sanctuary  of 
spiritual  life.  Hence  also  Christ  urges  in  so  strenu- 
ous terms  the  importance  of  this  matter.  Let  bene- 
ficence remain  a  secret  of  our  right  hand — a  shame- 
faced and  holy  affection — an  act  of  genuine  pity,  from 
which  we  immediately  pass  without  self-complacency. 
Let  true  prayer  be  concealed  in  our  closet,  and  let 
us  shut  the  door  behind  us.  Let  sincere  fasting  be 
concealed  under  the  cheerful  garb  of  holy  festivity. 
This  concealment  is  necessary,  because  true  piety 
consists  in  full  self-surrender  to  God,  leading  us  to 
seek  His,  not  ours ;  and  because  we  cherish  the  firm 
confidence,  that  the  Lord  will  o^vn  openly,  by  His 
leadings  and  by  His  blessings,  in  the  domain  of  moral 
and  of  pubhc  life,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  here, 
and  yet  niore  hereafter,  whatever  is  done  in  and  for 
His  name,  and  that  He  will  in  His  own  time  and  way 
attest  both  its  reality  and  its  value.  Thus  the  root 
spreads  deep  in  the  earth  where  no  human  eye  sees, 
in  the  assured  hope  that  it  shall  spring  all  the  high- 
er, and  spread  all  the  more  richly,  in  measure  as  its 
life  is  hid  beneath  the  ground. 

3.  In  this  instance  also  the  Lord  sets  before  His 
disciples  a  picture  which  reflected  His  own  life.  In 
the  gracious  dispensation  of  His  benefits.  He  alike 
removed  the  occasion  of  laendicancy  and  avoided  the 
pomp  of  spurious  kindness.  By  His  intercession, 
He  restored  the  Ufe-tree  of  humanity,  by  restoring 
its  root,  and  planting  it  in  good  soil,  even  in  God.  So 
also  He  fasted  and  renounced  the  world  as  the  Bride- 
groom of  the  Church, — thereby  and  therein  laying 
anew  the  foundation  of  true  enjoyment  and  peace. 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

Outward  manifestations  of  piety,  genuine  and 
spurious:  1.  Genuine,  if  springing  from  within,  and 
an  evidence  of  what  is  within :  or  if  in  them  man 
seeks  God,  lives  in  God,  and  desires  to  glorify  God ; 
2.  spurious,  if  in  contrariety  to  the  state  of  the  heart, 
if  carried  on  to  the  detriment  of  our  kiner  man,  or 
leading  to  his  ruin ;  lastly,  if  man  seek  his  oivn 
glory  in  divine  things. — True  and  false  outward  mani- 
festations :  1.  True, — the  destiny  of  Adam  ;  false, — 
the  fall.  2.  True, — Christ's  advent ;  false, — the  state 
of  the  world  at  the  time.  3.  Acknowledged  by  God 
as  true, — the  bride  of  Christ ;  condemned  as  false  in 
the  final  judgment, — the  Baljylonish  harlot. — How 
false  appearances  have  rendered  life  hollow,  and  how 
they  threaten  to  render  hollow  the  life  of  the  Church. 
— Spiritual  vanity  tending  toward  spiritual  pride,  and 
thus  exposing  men  to  greatest  danger.  But  if  we 
have  sounded  the  depths  of  life,  we  will  not  become 
giddy  on  its  heights. — Externalism  in  individual  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  may  give  rise  to  externahsm  in 
the  Church,  or  to  carnal  chiUasm :  1.  Proof  from 
history,  —  the  Pharisees  v/ere  chiliasis,  and  yet 
they  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory ;  2.  from  the  nature 
of  the  thing, — when  many  are  seized  with  the  spirit 
of  extemaUsm,  they  will  be  anxious  to  form  a  Church 


128 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


pretending  to  outward  perfectness,  but  which  in  re- 
ality is  only  a  Church  of  outward  appearance ;  3. 
from  the  diversity  of  this  morbid  externahsra  in  the 
Church  :  with  some  it  manifests  itself  in  works ;  with 
others,  in  devotions  ;  with  others,  in  pretended  asceti- 
cism.— Make  sure  that  you  give  yourself  wholly  to 
God,  and  in  due  time  He  will  own  you. — Take  care 
of  the  root ;  and  the  leaves,  the  blossoms,  and  the 
fruit  will  appear  in  due  season. — In  what  way  may 
art,  with  its  fair  appearance,  be  rendered  subservient 
to  Christian  truth  ? — Hypocrisy  is  religious  play-act- 
ing.— Whatever  we  may  have  or  want,  let  us  eschew 
anything  like  religious  comedy  in  the  Church. — Who 
can  dispense  with  false  appearances  i'  1.  He  who 
firmly  trusts  in  the  living  Cod.  2.  He  who  sincerely 
cleaves  to  the  truth.  3.  He  who  patiently  waits  for 
the  day  of  the  appearing  of  the  Lord. — Let  us  exhibit 
before  men,  not  our  own  righteousness,  but  the  light 
which  we  have  received  from  the  Lord. — The  three 
great  virtues  of  hypocrites  are  only  splendid  vices. — 
The  three  great  graces  of  saints  are  secrets  with  the 
Lord. — Piety  seeking  concealment  in  its  principal 
outward  manifestations  :  1.  The  open  hand;  2.  the 
door  of  the  closet  shut ;  3.  the  countenance  open, 
yet  veiled. — The  right  hand  in  its  wonderworking,  or 
our  beneficence  i-estoring  the  poor. — Pure  benefi- 
cence :  pure  poverty. — The  door  of  the  closet  shut, 
yet  open:  1.  Open  to  God,  closed  to  the  world;  2. 
open  to  any  one  who  would  join  us  in  prayer,  closed 
to  mere  idle  onlookers ;  3.  open  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  closed  to  the  kingdom  of  darkness. — True 
prayer  will  everywhere  find  a  closet. — True  fasting  a 
joyous  renunciation  of  the  world. — The  Father  who 
sees  in  secret,  and  the  open  reward. — The  reward 
which  man  takes  to  himself:  1.  A  theft;  2.  a  rob- 
bery ;  3.  a  self-deception. — The  reward  which  God 
bestows  :  1.  a  reward  of  grace ;  2.  a  reward  of  love ; 

3.  a  spiritual  reward ;  4.  a  reward  of  eternal  life. — 
The  progress  of  hypocrisy  :  1.  Service  ofvjorkfi,  when 
man  loses  sight  of  the  character  and  the  love  of  God 
whom  he  serves,  and  forgets  or  denies  that  the  God 
whom  he  serves  looks  to  the  heart  and  affections  of 
him  who  offers  worship.  2.  Mere  outward  service, 
where  externahsm  takes  the  place  of  real  service,  and 
yet  even  professed  extemalism  is  rendered  impossible 
by  a  show  of  service.  3.  Service  of  sin,  when  devo- 
tion, becomes  a  he,  which  is  speedily  overtaken  by 
judgment. — Progress  of  piety  from  concealment  to 
open  manifestation :  1.  It  is  a  secret  between  the 
Lord  and  the  hearts  of  believers,  hid  from  the  eyes 
of  the  world.  2.  The  light  which  proceedeth  from 
Him  who  is  invisible,  shines  through  the  hearts  of 
behevers  into  the  world,  and  becomes  manifest  there. 
S.  The  divine  life  fully  manifested  iu  the  great  day  of 
revelation. 

The  Lord's  Prayer,  as  the  prayer  of  Christian 
behevers. — The  Lord's  Prayer  a  precious  jewel,  which 
reflects  the  Ught  of  Christianity :  1.  The  teaching  of 
the  Gospel ;  2.  the  life  of  the  Lord  ;  3.  His  grace ; 

4.  the  discipline  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  5.  the  power 
of  the  new  life  ;  6.  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of 
God. — The  Lord's  Prayer,  as  expressing  our  adoption 
and  reconciUation :  1.  There  the  promises  of  God  and 
our  requirements  meet ;  2.  there  the  ways  of  God 
and  our  ways  meet ;  3.  there  the  Amen  of  God  responds 
to  our  Amen. — The  sad  state  of  Christendom,  as  ap- 
pearing in  connection  with  the  Lord's  Prayer  :  1.  It 
was  intended  against  vain  repetitions,  and  has  itself 
become  a  mere  formula  ;*  2.  it  was  intended  to  obviate 


*  [Hence  Luther  somewhere  calls  the  Lord's   Prayer 
"the  greatest  martyr."— P.  S.] 


all  discord,  and  has  become  the  shibboleth  of  many 
a  separation.* — The  three  portions  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer  :  The  address — the  petitions — the  conclusion. 
— "  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven  ;  "  or,  the  tnie  in- 
ward posture  of  him  who  addresses  God. — The  Lord's 
Prayer  viewed  as  an  intercession. — The  address, 
"  Our  Father,"  so  simple,  and  yet  so  novel :  1.  infi- 
nitely easy,  and  yet  infinitely  diflicult ;  2.  natural,  yet 
supernatural ;  3.  humble,  yet  exalted ;  4.  the  com- 
mencement and  the  conclusion  of  all  prayer. — Sur- 
render to  God,  as  implying  our  acceptance  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven:  1.  The  first  three  petitions  ex- 
press, that  while  surrendering  ourselves  to  God,  we 
own  and  seek  His  kingdom ;  2.  the  last  petitions, 
that  while  owning  ami  seeking  His  kingdom,  we  sur- 
render ourselves  to  Him. — The  name  of  God  consti- 
tutes the  first  object  of  our  petitions ;  1.  From  its 
glory ;  2.  from  the  dishonor  which  men  cast  upon  it ; 
3.  from  its  sanctification. — The  name  of  God  includ- 
ing and  opening  up  the  whole  kingdom  of  heaven. — 
If  you  would  have  the  name  of  God  hallowed  in  the 
world,  see  that  you  first  hallow  it  in  your  own  hearts. 
— Learn  to  know  the  name  of  God  ;  or,  how  readest 
thou  ?  how  seekest  thou  ?  how  knowest  thou  ?  what 
believest  thou  ?  how  stands  it  with  thy  learning  and 
with  thy  teaching  ? — "  77m/  kingdom  come ;  "  1.  That 
the  Old  Testament,  both  in  its  law  and  in  its  types, 
may  be  fulfilled ;  2.  that  the  kingdom  of  darkness 
may  be  destroyed  ;  3.  that  the  three-fold  kingdom  of 
grace,  of  power,  and  of  glory  may  be  manifested. — 
The  petition,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  a  missionary 
prayer. — A  pi'ayer  for  the  final  reconcihation  of  State 
and  Church  iu  the  perfect  kingdom  of  heaven. — Is 
both  your  ruling  and  your  obeying  in  conformity 
with  this  fundamental  principle  ? — "  Thy  will  be 
done,'"  etc. :  1.  Filialness  of  this  petition :  Thy  will ; 
2.  humihty  of  tins  petition :  on  earth  ;  3.  boldness 
of  this  petition :  as  in  Jieaven. — Are  your  will  and 
conduct  regulated  by  this  principle  ? — The  three  first 
petitions  viewed,  1.  as  the  promise  descending  from 
heaven  to  earth — Thy  name  in  heaven.  Thy  kingdom 
between  heaven  and  earth.  Thy  will  on  earth :  2.  as 
a  sacrifice  ascending  from  earth  to  heaven — the  sur- 
render of  our  own  name,  of  our  own  power,  and  of  our 
own  win. — As  exhibiting,  with  increasing  clearness 
and  power,  the  union  of  heaven  and  earth  :  the  rev- 
elation of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. — "  G-lve  us  this  day  our  daily  breads  Appar- 
ently one  of  the  smallest,  yet  one  of  the  greatest 
petitions.  I.  Smallness  of  the  petition:  1.  We  ask 
what  most  men  already  possess ;  2.  we  ask  it  only 
for  the  small  circle  of  those  around  our  table ;  3.  we 
ask  only  daily  bread;  4.  we  ask  it  only  for  to-day. 
II.  Greatness  of  the  petition:  1.  We  ask  that  earthly 
bread  should  be  converted  into  heavenly  bread,  or 
manna ;  2.  we  ask  that  He  would  feed  all  those  who 
are  ia  want;  3.  we  ask  that  He  would  meet  the  daily 
requirements  of  a  waiting  world ;  4.  v^e  ask  it  to-day, 
and  ever  again,  to-day. — The  fourth  petition  as  a  vow, 
1.  of  sonship;  2.  of  trustfulness;  3.  of  labor;  4.  of 

*  [Dr.  Lange  alludes  here  more  particularly  to  the  dif- 
ference between  the  German  Lutherans,  who  pray:  '•Vaier 
miser,"  '■'■Father  our"  (which  is  the  ancient  form  and  cor- 
responds to  the  Latin  Pater  noster),  and  the  German  Pve- 
formed,  who  pray  "■Unser  Vater,"  "  Our  Father,"  which  is 
the  modern  German  and  was  used  by  Luther  himself  in  his 
German  version  of  the  Bible,  Matt.  vi.  9 ;  Luke  xl.  2.  This 
difference,  insignificant  as  it  is,  has  often  been  exaggerated 
and  been  a  cause  of  alienation  of  feeling  and  disturbance  in 
devotion.  So,  also,  the  Lord's  Supper,  intended  to  be  a  sacred 
feast  of  love  and  union  with  Christ  and  His  people,  has  in- 
nocently become  the  occasion  of  tlie  most  bitter  theological 
strifes.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  VI.  1-15 


129 


grcatitude ;  5.  of  kindness. — Prayer  before  meals  in 
its  wider  sense  :  1.  A  prayer  of  the  husbandman ;  2.  a 
prayer  for  our  ordinary  calling ;  3.  a  prayer  for  our 
daily  work  ;  4.  a  prayer  in  our  distress  ;  5.  a  prayer 
in  ail  our  earthly  wants. — This  grace  before  meat  in 
its  more  restricted  sense. — Moderation  and  content- 
ment a  fruit  of  trustfulness. — The  prayer  of  content- 
ment.— True  conteutmeut  proceeding  from  a  view  of 
the  hidden  riches  of  God. — Hungering  and  thirsting 
after  spiritual  supplies  will  render  us  contented  with 
our  earthly  supplies. — The  prayer  of  penitence :  "  For- 
give us  onr  debts :''''  1.  It  realizes  sin,  and  reahzes  it 
as  a  debt ;  2.  it  realizes  the  burden  of  sin  as  a  debt 
resting  on  mankind  generally ;  3.  it  realizes  forgi\  g- 
ness  as  a  free  grace  and  a  free  gift. — How  true  ];c-k'!- 
tence  appears  in  the  prayer  of  faith. — Assurance  of 
forgiveness  calling  forth  the  prayer,  "  Forgive  us." 
— Forgiveness  and  readiness  to  foi'give  cannot  be  sep- 
arated. Connection  betv.-een  the  two  :  1.  Forgiveness 
makes  us  ready  to  forgive ;  2.  readiness  to  forgive 
inspires  us  with  courage  to  seek  forgiveness ;  3.  the 
spirit  of  forgiveness  ever  joins  the  two  more  closely 
together. — He  who  cannot  forgive  man,  cannot  find 
forgiveness  with  God  :  1.  Because  he  will  not  believe 
in  forgiving  love ;  2.  because  he  will  not  act  upon  its 
directions. — In  what  sense  is  it  true  that  he  who  for- 
gives shall  be  forgiven  ?  1.  His  forgiving  is  not  the 
ground,  but  the  evidence  of  his  forgiveness ;  2.  his 
forgiving  is  an  evidence  that  the  forgiveness  of  God 
preserves  hun ;  3.  his  forgivmg  shows  the  truth  of 
his  testimony,  that  there  is  forgiveness. — He  who 
strictly  reckons  with  his  fellow-men  in  outward 
matters,  cannot  have  experienced  the  gift  of  free 
grace  in  his  inner  life. — Forgiveness  and  readiness  to 
surrender  all  are  inseparably  connected. — "  Lead  us 
not  into  temptation.'''' — How  our  trials  by  God  may 
become  temptations  to  sin  :  1.  By  the  supervention 
of  our  own  evil  inclinations  ;  2.  of  "the  world,  with  its 
allurements ;  3.  of  the  great  tempter  himself. — Every 
temptation  is  at  the  same  time  a  judgment  for  the 
past  and  a  danger  for  the  future. — Even  our  neces- 
sary contact  with  a  sinful  world  is  a  source  of  con- 
tinual temptation. — God  tempteth  no  man  (James  i. 
13),  yet  may  He  lead  us  into  temptation  :  1.  Because 
He  leads  us,  and  temptation  is  in  the  way ;  2.  because 
He  tries  us,  and  temptation  supervenes ;  3.  because 
He  deals  with  us  according  to  our  faith,  and  tempta- 
tion exerts  its  power  through  our  unbelief. — The  dark 
cloud  which  rests  upon  our  future :  1.  Not  want,  but 
temptation ;  2.  not  the  enmity  of  the  world,  but 
its  temptation ;  3.  not  death,  but  again  temptation. — 
Because  we  have,  in  our  sinfulness,  not  trembled  in 
anticipation  of  danger,  we  must,  when  pardoned, 
tremble  afccr  the  danger  is  past. — A  pardoned  simier 
has  only  one  fear  left,  which  leads  to  genuine  fear  of 
God,  but  dcUvers  from  all  other  dread  :  1.  The  fear 
of  defiUng  the  white  garment,  of  losing  the  ring,  of 
being  excluded  from  the  man-iage  feast.  2.  This  Teads 
to  true  fear  of  God :  he  recognizes  God  everywhere 
even  in  the  midst  of  temptation ;  he  hides  in  pray- 
er under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty ;  his  love  casts 
out  fear. — The  courage  and  boldness  of  Christ's  sol- 
diers srprLngs  from  their  fear  of  temptation,  just  as  in 
battle  the  courage  whicli  defies  death  springs  from  a 
calm  view  of  the  danger  incurred. — Perfect  love  cast- 
eth  out  fear. — ^'■Deliver  us  from  evil!" — Along  witli 
the  anticipation  of  the  last  assault,  the  believer  will 
also  obtain  anticipation  of  final  deliverance. — Dehv- 
erancc  in  its  threefold  form : — at  the  commence- 
ment, in  the  middle,  and  at  the  end  of  our  journey  to 
heaven. — DeUver  us  from  evil :  1.  From  sin  here  and 


hereafter  ;  2.  from  evil  here  and  hereafter. — The  last 
petition  the  commencement  of  triumph. — The  inter- 
cession of  tlic  three  [or  four]  last  petitions. — Our 
confidence  m  prayer  derived  from  the  assurance  that 
God  is  able  and  willing  to  help  us. — The  climax  of 
our  prayer  is  praise :  "  Thine  is  the  kingdom,'''  etc. — 
The  kingdom  of  God  in  its  threefold  form  :  the  king- 
dom of  nature,  of  grace,  and  of  glory. — The  three- 
fold manifestation  of  the  poiuer  of  God  :  creation,  re- 
demption (the  resurrection  of  Christ),  and  final  judg- 
ment and  glory. — Threefold  manifestation  of  the 
glory  of  God :  1.  The  image  of  God  glorified ;  2.  the 
Church  of  God  glorified  ;  3.  the  city  of  God  glorified 
(God  all  in  all). — "  Amen,'"  or  calmness  and  assur- 
ance the  fruit  of  prayer. — The  Holy  Spirit  alone 
grants  the  li'ue  Amen,  in  prophciic  anticipation  of 
the  answer  in  peace. — The  "  Amen  "  as  combining  the 
promise  of  God  and  the  vow  of  man. — Christ  our  Yea 
and  Amen. — How  in  this  prayer  Christ,  1.  Hallows 
the  name  of  God ;  2.  brings  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; 

3.  reveals  and  fulfils  upon  earth  the  will  of  heaven ; 

4.  appears  as  the  manna  from  heaven ;  5.  introduces 
pardon  and  peace  ;  6.  manifests  Himself  as  the  Shep- 
herd and  Guardian  of  His  people  ;  7.  as  perfect  Sav- 
iour and  Deliverer ;  and  hence  as  the  Burden  of  the 
new  song  of  the  redeemed. — Prayer  an  outgoing  of 
faith,  through  Christ,  to  God. — Prayer,  or  personal 
converse  with  God,  is  holy  love. — The  right  relation- 
ship of  Christians  toward  their  neighbors,  toward 
God,  and  toward  themselves. — To  give — to  give  one- 
self, and  to  surrender* — is,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  to 
lend,  to  receive,  and  to  enjoy. 

Starke: — Jesus  the  Patron,  the  Advocate,  and 
the  Provider  of  the  poor,  John  xsi.  5. — God  loveth  a 
cheerful  giver,  and  His  righteousness  endureth  for 
ever,  2  Cor.  ix.  7,  9 ;  Prov.  xxii.  9. — It  is  proof  of 
the  folly  of  men,  that  they  seek  honor  of  each  other, 
John  .xii.  43  ;  and  not  rather  that  they  may  find  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  Ps.  xxxi.  8. — Our  best  v,'orks  be- 
come sin,  if  done  only  for  the  sake  of  appearance. — 
Our  alms  form  part  of  our  treasure ;  he  who  does 
uot  hide  it,  seems  like  one  anxious  to  have  it  stolen, 
Mark  xii.  42-44. — Pray  without  ceasing,  1  Thess.  v. 
17. — The  prayer  of  the  righteous  availeth  much,  if  it 
be  earnest,  Ps.  cxiv.  18;  Jnmcs  v.  16;  but  that  of 
the  hypocrite  availeth  nothing,  Luke  xviii.  10,  14. — 
"We  may  everywhere  find  a  place  for  prayer,  1  Tim. 
ii.  8  ;  Jonah  ii.  2,  3  ;  but  the  prayer  of  the  hj-pocrite 
is  a  lie  wherever  it  be  offered,  Ps.  1.  16,  17. — Sinful 
intentions  in  the  heart  may  destroy  the  most  holy 
outward  acts,  Luke  xviii.  U),  14. — Prayer  presup- 
poses solitude,  at  least  of  the  heart, — the  most  se- 
cret place  in  the  house  of  God  which  is  within,  where 
we  should  close  the  door  behind  us,  even  though  it 
be  in  public  prayer,  or  in  the  largest  assembly,  2 
Kings  iv.  4  ;  Ps.  Ixxvii.  3. —  Qucsnel:  Prayer  requires 
heart  rather  than  tongue,  sighing  rather  than  words, 
faith  rather  than  reason,  Mark  xi.  23. —  Wiirtemherg 
Bible:  Those  brief  ejaculatory  prayorsf  sent  up  to 
heaven  in  few  words,  and  which  may  be  uttered  even 
while  engaged  in  our  daily  labor,  arc  by  far  the  rich- 
est and  best,  ch.  xv.  25. —  Quesnel:  Prayer  is  not  in- 
tended to  inform  (lod,  but  to  set  before  man  his 
misery,  to  humble  his  heart,  to  awaken  his  desires, 
to  kindle  his  faith,  to  encourage  his  hope,  to  raise 
his  soul  toward  heaven,  and  to  remind  him  that  his 
Father,  his  home,  and  his  eternal  mheritance  are 
above,  Phil.  iii.  20, 

*  [In  German :  Geien,  Rlngehen,  Aufgehen.—I 
t  [Called  by  Luther ;  Kurze  Stusuffelietleiti.—] 


130 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


The  Lord's  Prayer. — Quesnel: — A  king  who 
himself  draws  up  the  petition  which  is  to  be  pre- 
sented, must  surely  take  great  pleasure  in  granting 
it,  Isa.  Ixv.  24 ;  John  xvi.  23. — It  is  not  wrong  for 
an  unlettered  Christian  to  make  use  of  a  form  of 
prayer ;  but  it  is  well  to  accustom  ourselves  to  bring 
our  wants  before  God  m  our  own  words. — Our  heav- 
enly Father  alone  is  to  be  worshipped,  and  no  crea- 
ture, ch.  iv.  10. — Maj.  Harm. :  The  kingdom  of  God 
comes  from  heaven  to  earth,  in  order  that  earth  may 
become  heaven.  None  of  us  can  ascend  from  earth 
to  heaven,  unless  the  kingdom  of  God  have  first 
descended  on  us  from  heaven  to  earth,  Luke  vii.  20, 
21. — Poor  sinful  man ! — we  are,  so  to  speak,  afflict- 
ed with  spiritual  impotence,  so  that  we  cannot  come 
to  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  the  kingdom  of  God 
must  come  to  us,  John  vi.  44. — The  will  of  God  can- 
not be  done  unless  we  are  willing,  so  much  as  lieth 
in  us,  to  deny  the  will  of  our  flesh,  of  Satan,  and  of 
an  evil  world,  Piom.  xii.  21. — Our  daily  bread  comes 
from  God,  and  not  by  blind  fortune,  or  by  fate,  Ho- 
sea  ii.  8. — Let  us  be  satisfied  with  what  is  absolutely 
necessary,  and  not  ask  God  for  more  than  that,  1 
Tim.  vi.  8  ;  Prov.  xxx.  8. — The  ungodly  receive  their 
bread  by  the  intercession  of  the  saints.  Gen.  xli.  54. 
— The  poor  equally  pray  for  the  rich,  and  the  rich 
for  the  poor. — If  we  are  not  ready  to  forgive,  we  only 
pray  against  ourselves,  or  invoke  wrath  and  ven- 
geance, which  God  will  execute  upon  us,  even  as  we 
reserve  vengeance  against  our  nciglibor,  Sirach 
xxviii.  14. — The  life  of  the  Christian  a  continual  con- 
flict.— 3faj.  Harm. :  Our  comfort  under  all  tempta- 
tions is  this,  that  God  is  with  us,  that  He  sets 
bounds,  and  will  make  all  things  work  together  for 
our  salvation,  1  Cor.  x.  13 ;  2  Tun.  iv.  17. — We  en- 
dure under  temptation,  not  in  our  own  strength,  but 
in  that  of  God,  1  Cor.  x.  13 ;  2  Pet.  ii.  9 ;  Isa.  xli. 
10-14. — Quesnel:  Ah!  how  many  snares  are  there, 
how  many  liindrances  to  what  is  good,  how  many  oc- 
casions to  sin,  how  many  enemies  of  salvation,  how 
much  sorrow  and  misery !  Ps.  cvi. — Thou  who 
temptest  others  to  sin,  who  exposest  thyself  wan- 
tonly to  temptation,  or  who  in  temptation  fightest 
yet  not  with  the  armor  of  God,  why  wilt  thou  mock 
God  by  praying,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation  ?  "  1 
Pet.  V.  C;  Eph.  vi.  11. — Canst  thou  be  afraid  of 
death,  and  yet  pray,  "  Deliver  us  from  evil  ?  " — He 
has  already  delivered  us  from  evil.  He  does  deliver 
us,  and  He  will  perfectly  deliver  us,  2  Tim.  iv.  18  ;  2 
Cor.  i.  10. — The  honor  of  God  should  be  the  first 
and  the"  last  object  of  our  prayers  (Thy  name,  etc. ; 
for  Thine  is,  etc.),  Ps.  Ixix.  31,  cxv.  1. — Spiritual 
fasting  consists  in  ceasing  from  evil,  Isa.  Iviii.  6,  7 ; 
and  in  temperance  in  all  things,  Luke  xxi.  34. — The 
popish  fasts  are  a  constraint  of  conscience,  a  mock- 
ery, a  hypocrisy,  and  a  superstition,  1  Tim.  iv.  3. — 
The  more  a  sinner  seeks  to  attract  the  attention  of 
men,  the  further  does  God  turn  His  compassion  from 
him.  Acts  xii.  21,  23. — In  order  to  be  a  sincere 
Christian,  it  is  not  necessary  to  hang  our  head  like 


a  bulrush,  Isa.  Iviii.  5. — The  life  of  believers  is  hid 
with  Christ  in  God ;  but  when  Christ,  who  is  their 
life,  shall  appear,  they  also  shall  appear  with  Him  in 
glory,  Col.  iii.  3,  4;  "2  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.— Our  good 
works,  though  done  in  secret,  are  not  lost. 

Lisco : — True  righteousness  :  It  consists  not  in 
appearance,  but  in  reality  and  truth ;  its  objects  are 
not  earthly,  but  heavenly ;  it  has  respect  to  the  judg- 
ment of  God,  not  to  that  of  man.  "  Reference  "  to 
God  the  sole  motive  of  truly  good  works. 

Gcrlach: — A  comparison  of  this  passage  with 
ch.  V.  16  shows  that  in  this  instance  also  our  Lord 
teaches  by  contrasts.  He  unmasks  selfishness  in  all 
its  forms,  both  when  it  conceals  unbehef  under  the 
garb  of  humility  and  retirement,  and  when  it  exhib- 
its its  fancied  treasures  to  the  view  of  men.  It  may 
be  equally  wrong  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hide  our 
good  works  (ver.  4)  as  to  display  them. — If  you 
would  have  your  most  ardent  desire  accomplished, 
pray,  "  Thy  will  be  done." — The  object  of  fasting  is 
to  set  us  free  from  the  power  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
world ;  but  if  we  employ  it  to  further  our  worldly 
views,  it  will  only  serve  to  increase  the  gulf  between 
God  and  our  souls. 

Braune : — The  address,  leather,  is  also  found  Isa. 
Ixiii.  16  :  "  Thou,  0  Lord,  art  our  Father,  our  Re- 
deemer." This  was  a  temporary  anticipation  of 
the  higher  life  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  prophet 
(1  Pet.  i.  11).  The  name,  Father,  awakens  in  us  the 
sense  of  our  relationsliip  to  God,  the  feeling  of  fiUal 
love  and  trust.  We  have  received  the  spirit  of  adop- 
tion, Rom.  viii.  1 5 ;  Gal.  iv.  6. 

Heubner : —  Chrysostom :  If  you  have  not  heard 
your  own  prayers,  how  can  you  expect  that  God  shall 
hear  them  ? — The  will  of  God  is  in  the  first  place  His 
will  with  reference  to  us,  whicli  we  are  to  do.  The 
petition  therefore  means :  Take  away  our  own  will, 
and  let  Thy  will  be  my  rule.  But,  further,  the  will 
of  God  also  implies  His  purposes  concerning  us. 
Hence  the  petition  means :  Give  us  such  a  mind  as 
to  be  satisfied  with  whatever  Thou  sendcst,  and  never 
to  murmur. — A  Christian  must  learn  also  to  have  do- 
minion over  his  body. 

Literature. — Fr.  Arndt  [of  Berlin] :  Zehn  Pre- 
(ligten  iiber  das  Gebet  des  Herrn,  1836;  Niemann: 
Zehn  Predigten  iiber  das  Vaier  Unser,  1844. — [Also 
Tertullian  :  De  oratione  (who  calls  the  Lord's 
Prayer :  Breviarium  evangelii) ;  Cyprian  :  De  ora- 
tione Dominica  ;  Augustine  :  De  serrn.  M.  ii.  4-8  ; 
Serrn.  56-58 ;  Origen  :  Xiipi  ei'x'7^ !  Gregory  of 
Nyssa:  De  oratione  Dominica;  Cyril  of  Jerusa- 
lem :  Catech.  xxiii. ;  Bp.  Anurewes  (Anglican,  who 
calls  the  Lord's  Prayer  "  a  compendium  of  faith  ") : 
Works,  Oxf.,  1841  sqq.,  vol.  v.,  300-476);  the  ex- 
planations of  this  Pra)'er  in  the  leading  Catechisms 
of  Luther,  Calvin,  Heidelberg,  Westminster,  of 
Trent,  etc. ;  Lohe  (Germ.  Luth.) :  Sermons  on  the 
Lord's  Prayer ;  Wm.  R.  Williams  (Baptist):  LeC' 
tnres  on  the  Lord's  Prayer,  New  York,  1850. — 
P.  S.] 


CHAP.  VI.  19-34. 


131 


4.  Spurious  worldliness  of  the  Pharisees  in  their  righteousness  ;  or,  the  Pharisees'  sharing  of  the  cares  of  the 

heathen. 

Chapter  VI.  19-34. 
{Vers.  24-34  the  Pericope  for  the  I5th  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 

19  Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt 

20  [consume],  and  where  thieves  break  through  and  steal :  But  lay  up  for  yourselves 
treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt  [consumeth],  and  where 

21  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal:  For  where  your^  treasure  is,  there  will  your 

22  heart  be  also.     The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye :  if  therefore  thine  eye  be  single,  thy 

23  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light.  But  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  whole  body  shall  be 
full  of  darkness.     If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be  darkness,  how  great  is  that 

24  darkness !  No  man  can  serve  two  masters :  for  either  he  Avill  hate  the  one,  and  love 
the  other ;  or  else  he  will  hold  to  the  one,  and  despise  the  other.     Ye  cannot  serve  God 

25  and  mammon.  Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  Take  no  [anxious]  thought  for  your  life, 
what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  ye  shall  drink ;  ^  nor  yet  for  your  body,  what  ye  shall  put 

26  on.  Is  not  the  life  more  than  meat,  and  the  body  than  raiment?  Behold  the  fowls  of 
the  air :  for  they  sow  not,  neither  do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns ;  yet  your  heav- 

27  enly  Father  feedeth  them.      Are  ye  not   much  better  than  they?      Which  of  you 

28  by  taking  thought  can  add  one  cubit  unto  his  stature  [age]  ?  And  why  take  ye 
thought  for  raiment?     Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow;  they  toil  not, 

29  neither  do  they  spin:  And  yet  I  say  unto  you,  That  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was 

30  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these.  "Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  which 
to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall  he  not  much  more  clothe  you,  0 

31  ye  of  little  faith?     Therefore  take  no  thought,  saying,  What  shall  we  eat?  or.  What 

32  shall  we  drink?  or.  Wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed?  (For  after  all  these  things  do 
the  Gentiles  seek :)  for  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these 

33  things.     But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness;*  and  all  these 

34  things  shall  be  added  unto  [to]  you.  Take  therefore  no  thought  for  the  morrow :  for  the 
morrow  shall  take  thought  for  the  things  of  itself.  Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil 
thereof. 


^yeT.2l.—Jiecepta:  vnuv.  [Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Fritzsche,  Meyer,  and  Alford  give  the  preference  to  aov, 
thy  treasure. — P.  S.] 

-  Vcr.  25.— Lachinarin  if,  following  Cod.  B.,  etc.,  ^  t(  vriTjTe.  The  ad<iition  is  omitted  by  the  younger  authorities 
and  Tischendorf. 

5  Ver.  33. — [Cod.  B. :  t.  ZiKaioaiivf]v  k.  T?jr  ^aai\iia.v  aurov.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Connection. — Considerable  importance  attaches 
to  the  question  as  to  the  connection  between  this 
and  the  preceding  section.  According  to  Strauss 
and  others,  the  two  are  wliolly  unconnected.  De 
Wette  remarks :  "  Hitherto  the  discourse  proceeded 
upon  a  definite  plan  ;  but  now  the  connection  seems 
loose,  and  longer  and  shorter  sayings  follow  each 
other."  Even  A'eander  regards  the  verses  under  con- 
sideration as  an  interpolation  of  Matthew.  Meyer 
misses  only  the  connecting  link  with  the  preceding  sec- 
tion, but  maintains,  against  de  Wette,  the  connection 
of  what  follows,  without,  however,  tracing  it  out. 
[He  adds,  p.  154,  that  we  must  not  confound  the 
unity  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  with  the  unity  of 
a  modern  sermon. — P.  S.]  Tholuck  maintains,  that 
while  in  all  probability  this  section  belongs  to  the 
context  as  given  in  Luke  xii.  22-34,  it  is  impossible 
to  deny  that  its  position  in  the  Gospel  by  Matthew  is 
the  correct  one.     "  The  transition  was  natural  from 


the  idea  that  good  works  should  be  done  only  with 
reference  to  Him  who  is  invisible,  to  the  conclusion 
expre.ssed  in  ver.  33,  that  in  all  our  aims  and  under- 
takings the  mind  should  be  set  upon  the  things  of 
eternity."  In  our  opinion  (as  expressed  previously  in 
the  Leberi  Jemi,  ii.  2,  619),  the  internal  connection 
between  the  two  sections  appears  from  Matt,  xxiii. 
14:  "Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypo- 
crites !  for  ye  devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a  "pre- 
tence make  long  prayer."  The  false  spiritualit;/  of 
these  hypocrites  arose  from  the  worldly-ndndedncss 
with  which  they  are  specially  charged  in  the  text. 
The  external  connection  with  the  previous  section 
lies  in  the  relation  between  the  fxyj  dTirravpiCeTf,  and 
the  an-exoua-tv  tuv  /xtaObv  avruiv  of  vers.  2,  5,  16. 
Having  shown  how  tlie  Pharisees  by  their  false  spiritu- 
ality sought  to  lay  up  for  themselves  treasures  in  a 
figurative  sense,  the  Lord  next  exhibits  their  hypoc- 
risy and  worldliness  in  seeking  to  gather  trea.sures  in 
the  literal  sense.  Thus  far  Tholuck  is  right  in  say- 
ing that  the  admonition  to  lay  up  for  themselves 
treasures  in  heaven  is  closely  coimected  M'ith  what 


132 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


was  formerly  said  about  doing  good  works  in  secret, 
which  the  Father  would  reward  openly.  But  that 
our  Lord  refers  to  worldly-mindeduess  in  the  garb  of 
hypocrisy,  and  not  to  ordinary  worldly-mindedness, 
appears  from  the  expression,  "  Ye  cannot  serve  God 
and  mammon ;"  and,  again,  from  that  most  impor- 
tant declaration,  "  If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in  thee 
be  darkness,"  etc.  The  history  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
of  monasticism,  and  of  the  hierarchy,  has  ami)ly 
proved  that  false  spirituality  is  closely  connected  with 
worldly-mindedness,  long  prayers  with  covetousness 
and  ambition,  almsgiving  with  avarice,  and  fasting 
with  feasting.  Indeed,  this  love  of  the  world,  while 
ajiparently  fleeing  from  it,  is  the  characteristic  feature 
of  monasticism. 

Ver.  19.  Qncravpovs,  treasures. — Treasures 
of  any  kind,  but  more  closely  defined  by  the  addition 
of  the  tenn  upon  earth,  and  ])y  the  possibility  of 
their  being  corrupted  )jy  moth  and  rust,  or  carried 
away  by  thieves.  The  moth  attaches  itself  princi- 
pally to  garments  which  are  not  u.scd,  especially  to 
precious  robes  of  office. — Consumption,  ^pS>ais 
(the  Vulgate  and  our  authorized  version  render  it 
rust,  James  v.  2,  3  ;  Kuinoel  and  Baumgarten-Cru- 
sius  refer  it  to  a  species  of  wonns ; .  Casaubonus  and 
others  speak  of  a  %v  hia  ouolu,  hence  ai)s  ^pwaKovaa) ; 
a  general  expression,  but  points  primarily  to  provi- 
sions, to  accumulations  of  food  and  corn ;  while  the 
breaking  through  of  thieves  refers  to  the  possession 
of  gold  and  silver.  The  meaning  seems  to  be,  that 
everything  which  is  passing  away  has  its  own  princi- 
r)le  of  destruction,  suited  to  its  special  nature,  whe- 
ther vegetable,  animal,  or  moral.  In  general,  it  ex- 
hibits the  vanity  of  all  earthly  possessions,  and  the 
unsatisfactory  character  of  the  enjoyments  which  they 
yield.  Irrespective  of  their  use,  these  possessions 
are  dead,  exposed  to  the  moth,  to  consumption,  and 
to  tliieves, — to  the  organs  of  physical  and  moral  an- 
niliilation.  It  scarcely  requires  to  be  added,  that  the 
pltuv  of  these  treasures,  the  ki?id  of  treasures,  and 
the  manner  in  which  they  are  collected,  are  in  this 
i  Instance  equally  of  the  earth,  earthy. 

Ver.  20.  Treasures  in  heaven. — Our  attention 
is  iimt  directed  to  the  place  where  genuine  treasures 
are  to  be  found,  viz.,  heaven,  where  God  reveals  Him- 
self, and  where  all  is  eternal.  The  kind  of  treasures 
is  in  nccordance  with  their  place,  or  with  heaven. 
Similarly,  these  treasures  must  be  gathered  in  a  hea- 
venly manner — by  kindness,  by  spiritual  fellowship 
with  God,  by  self-denial;  in  short,  by  a  surrender  to 
our  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  It  is  therefore  quite  erro- 
neous (with  Chrjsostona  and  others)  to  apply  it  to 
almsgiving,  in  the  expectation  of  a  heavenly  reward. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  may  be  necessary  to  remind 
those  \v'ho,  like  Meyer,  seem  to  regard  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  as  something  external  and  future,  that  this 
heavenly  life  begins  upon  earth  by  faith. — The  hea- 
venly possessions  are  characterized  according  to  their 
negative  advantages,  where  no  moth  doth  corrupt, 
etc. ;  comp.  1  Pet.  i.  4. — These  words  are  also  di- 
rected against  the  carnal  anticipations  of  the  Jews, 
especially  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes. 

Ver.  21.  For  where  your  treasure  is. — Our 
treasure,  or  dearest  possession,  forms  the  ideal  on 
which  our  affections  are  set,  and  in  accorJance  with 
wliich  our  feelings  and  desires  assume  shape.  Hence, 
if  our  treasure  is  on  earth,  our  heart  will  also  be 
there,  our  inclinations  and  desires  will  be  earthly ; 
and,  since  this  is  contrary  to  our  heavenly  destiny, 
the  consequence  must  be  eternal  sorrow  and  shame. 
But  if  the  heart  has  its  treasure  in  heaven,  its  affec- 


tions will  also  be  directed  thither,  and  it  will  be  trans- 
formed in  accordance  therewith. 

Ver.  22.  The  light  of  the  body. — Connection. 
Not :  in  order  to  fulfil  this  duty,  you  must  "  preserve 
your  inner  light  or  reason  (Chrysostom:  6  i'i,v<:)  un- 
dimmed  ;  "  but :  ye  must  preserve  your  mental  eye 
undivided  in  its  gaze.  The  Lord  evidently  alludes 
here  to  the  Pharisees,  whose  attention  and  afi'ections 
were  divided  between  what  was  temporal  and  what 
was  spiritual.  Their  state  of  mind  is  illustrated  by 
the  eye.  The  eye  is  the  light  of  the  body  (lit  from 
the  light  of  the  sun).  Everything  now  depends  on 
a  right  condition  of  the  eye.  It  must  be  a-rrKov^, 
i.  e.,  simple,  in  opposition  to  the  irovyjpds,  or  bad, 
spoiled  eye.  If  the  contrai^t  between  a  healtliy  and  a 
diseased  eye  were  intended  (in  the  sense  of  any  ail- 
ment affecting  it),  it  would  have  been  otherwise  ex- 
pressed. We  conclude,  therefore,  that  it  refers  to  the 
contrast  between  proper  sight  and  deceptive  or 
double  sight.  "  The  word  is  never  used  to  indicate 
healthy.  Hence  we  might  agree  with  Eisner  and 
Olshausen  iu  explaining  it  as  an  eye  which  does  not  see 
double — double  sight  being  a  disease;  and,  with 
Quesnel,  apply  it  as  meaning,  that  it  knows  only  one 
object  of  love — even  God.  But  if  we  inquire  what 
Hebrew  word  corresponded  to  the  Greek  term,  we 
find  that  AquiJa  and  the  Sept.  translate  ottAoDs  for 
the  Hebrew  ~n,  "i-i  =  oKoK^ripos,  which  lattei',  like 
integer,  is  related  to  airXovs.  Thus  Theophylact  ex- 
plains airKovs  and  novripos  hy.vytrj^  and  yoawbris." 
Tholuck. — But  we  object  to  any  translation  of  definite 
and  distinct  into  more  general  teims,  in  order  thus  to 
give  them  a  meaning  which  is  not  warranted  by  the 
context.  The  desire  of  serving  at  the  same  time 
(iod  and  mammon  may  be  characterised  as  a  moral 
double  sight,  as  an  evil  eye,  which  is  rightly  desig- 
nated by  TToi/rjpAs,  in  direct  contrast  to  an\ovs.  But 
the  eye  is  oTrAors,  when  it  wholly,  consciously,  and 
calmly  agrees  with  the  state  of  the  mind  and  heart, 
— when  it  is  not  wandering,  and  therefore  not 
double-sighted  nor  untrue,  and  hence  worse,  than 
blind.  On  the  other  hand,  the  eye  is  evil  if  it  lose 
its  power  of  perceiving,  or  begins  to  wander  and 
miss  the  object  set  before  it.  Then  the  whole  body 
will  be  full  of  darkness,  or  enveloped  iu  night.  But 
the  darkening  of  the  mind  has  more  sad  consequences 
than  that  of  the  body.  Jf  there/ore — a  conclusio  a 
minor i  ad  majus — the  light  that  is  in  thee  (the  inward 
light)  be  darkness,  etc. 

Ver.  23.  The  question  as  to  the  meaning  of  the 
light  that  is  in  thee,  is  of  importance.  Chry- 
sostom :  o  I'lni^.  Cahln :  Lumen  vocal  Christus  ra- 
tionem,  quantidaamque  hominibus  reliqua  manct  post 
lapsum  AdcE.  Beza,  Chemnitz,  Gerhard,  Calov: 
"  The  eye  which  is  enlightened  by  the  word  and 
Spirit  of  God."— Tholuck :  That  which  is  left  of  the 
Di\-ijie  unage  in  man,  after  John  viii.  47 ;  xviii.  37 ; 
or,  as  Gerhard  has  it,  lumen  natrirce,  the  hght  of  na- 
ture.— Meyer  :  Reason,  especially  practical  reason. — 
The  capacity  of  the  inner  eye  of  reason  to  become 
the  organ  of  knowledge  is  evidently  here  alluded  to, 
although  the  expression  has  a  more  special  meaning. 
It  is  not  the  inner  eye  itself,  the  vuvs,  but  the  light  o) 
the  inner  eye,  or  the  Old  Testament  revelation  so 
well  known  by  the  Pharisees  and  scribes,  which  ha'i, 
Ijy  their  carnal  views,  been  perverted  into  error. — 
If  tlie  bodily  eye  is  blind,  the  danger  is  less,  because 
precaution  will  be  used.  The  real  peiil  lies  in  tlie 
eye  seeing  falsely  or  double,  because  in  that  case  tlij 
li'^bt  of  the  sun'  will  only  serve  to  blind,  which  ii 


CHAP.  YI.  19-34. 


133 


worse  than  utter  darkness.  The  same  holds  true  of 
the  inner  eye  when  it  converts  the  light  of  revela- 
tion into  a  blinding  and  misleading  Ught.  This  was 
the  case  with  the  Pharisees  and  scribes.  They 
would  have  had  God  and  a  carnal  Messiah, — they 
would  serve  the  Lord  and  mammon. 

As  the  organ  of  light,  the  eye  of  the  body  is,  so 
to  speak,  our  light ;  oq^upying,  so  far  as  we  are  con- 
cerned, the  place  of  the  sun,  and  in  that  respect  re- 
presentmg  the  whole  body,  as  if  the  whole  body  were 
an  eye.  This  makes  it  also  the  organ  and  symbol  of 
the  inner  eye,  or  of  reason,  by  which  the  light  of  the 
spiritual  sun  is  communicated  to  the  inner  lite,  and 
which,  if  healthy,  converts  the  whole  inner  life  into 
a  capacity  of  spiritual  perception.  But  just  as  when 
the  external  eye  is  not  simple  or  double  in  its  sight, 
the  outward  light  only  serves  to  dazzle,  so  also  in 
reference  to  the  inner  eye  and  the  light  of  revelation. 
How  great  is  that  darkness !  The  history  of 
Pharisaical  Judaism  has  amply  corroborated  the  truth 
of  this  statement. 

The  inward  eye  is  intended  to  be  the  eye  of  the 
heart.  Eph.  i.  18.  The  state  of  the  heart  and  the 
state  of  the  eye  influence  each  other.  If  the  heart  is 
set  on  heavenly  treasui-es,  the  eye  must  be  directed 
toward  the  light.  Comp.  the  biblical  psychology  of 
Beck,  and  DeUtzsch. 

Yer.  24.  No  man  can  serve  two  masters. — 
Double  sight  of  the  spiritual  eye  is  both  the  cause 
and  the  consequence  of  duplicity  in  reference  to 
the  desires  of  the  heart  (James  i.  8,  ai'vp  Siipvxos). 
But  the  Pharisees,  in  their  false  spirituality,  reduced 
it  to  a  system,  and  deemed  themselves  capable  of 
combining  the  service  of  Heaven  with  their  earthly 
incUnations.  The  Lord  dispels  in  the  text  this  delu- 
sion. It  is  plam  that  no  man  can  at  the  same  time 
truly  serve  two  masters.  One  of  the  two  services 
must  necessarily  be  merely  outward,  or,  what  is 
worse,  one  of  the  masters  must  be  hated  or  despised, 
— because  true  service  presupposes  love  and  attach- 
ment. Btit  why  two  examples  V  Meyer :  "  He  will 
either  bate  the  one  and  love  the  other,  or  else  hold 
to  the  one  and  despise  the  other."  This  commenta- 
tor correctly  reminds  us  that,  as  in  other  places,  so 
here,  intadu  and  ayairuv  must  have  their  full  mean- 
ing, and  not  be  interpreted  hy  posthabere  and  prce- 
ferre,  as  de  Wette  and  others  propose.  But  then 
there  must  have  been  some  special  object  for  giving 
two  instances.  Perhaps  the  difference  between  them 
may  lie  in  this,  that  the  real  master  cannot  be  de- 
spised, but  may  be  hated,  since  he  must  be  respect- 
ed, and  it  is  imposssible  to  get  away  from  him.  But 
if  the  real  master  is  loved,  the  servant  will  hold  to 
him  and  despise  the  usurper,  who  has  no  real  claim, 
and  from  whose  power  it  is  possible  and  easy  to  with- 
draw. The  application  of  this  to  spiritual  life  is 
plain.  Man  can  have  only  one  master,  or  only  one 
highest  good  and  principle  of  life.  But  if  he  choose 
the  world  as  his  highest  good,  and,  along  with  the 
worship  of  the  true  God,  attempt  the  service  of  an 
idol,  he  must  decide  for  himself.  First,  however,  let 
him  clearly  understand  that  he  cannot  at  the  same 
time  serve  two  masters,  and  that,  in  attempting  this 
double  service,  he  can  only  be  a  traitor  and  a  hypo- 
crite. 

And  Mammon. — Probably  mammon  was  origi- 
nally not  the  name  of  a  mythological  deity,  but  was 
gradually  imported  into  mythology  from  common  life, 
in  a  manner  similar  to  that  in  which  the  term  is  still 
employed.  Bretschneider  :  "  M  a  u  «  v  a  j,  Hebr.  "|i^ -, 


fortasse  significat  id,  cui  confiditur,  ttt  Sept.  ^jilTDN 
Isa.  xxxiil.  6,  Oi^aavpovs,  Ps.  xxxvii.  3,  ttXovtov, 
reddiderunf,  vel  est,  ut  multi  putanf,  nomcn  Idoli  Si/- 
rorum  et  Panorum,  i.  q.  Phitos  Grcecorum.''''  Au- 
gustine remarks  on  this  passage :  "  Congruit  et  pu- 
nicum  nomen,  nam  lucmm  punice  Mammon  dicitur." 
"  Money,  in  opposition  to  God,  is  personified  and  re- 
garded as  an  idol,  somewhat  like  Plutus,  although  it 
cannot  be  shown  that  such  an  idol  was  worshipped." 
— Olshausen. 

Luther :  To  have  money  and  property  is  not  sin- 
ful, provided  it  become  not  thy  master,  but  remain 
thy  servant  and  thou  its  master.* 

Yer.  25.  Take  no  thought.f — Connection.  Anx- 
iety, which  is  distrust  of  God,  is  the  source  of  ava- 
rice. Accordingly,  the  following  sins  follow  each 
other  in  regular  genealogy  :  I .  Anxious  care,  distrust 
of  God,  commencement  of  apostasy;  2.  avarice,  and 
service  of  mammon,  along  with  spurious  and  merely 
external  service  of  God ;  3.  hypocrisy,  and  further 
development  of  external  service  into  religious  parade 
before  men. — Again,  anxious  care  itself  sprmgs  from 
evil  inclination  and  vanity,  from  worldliness  ( \V7tMt 
s/iall  we  eat,  etc. '.'), — which  marks  the  Deginning  of 
apostasy  from  God.  The  word  jitfpiuj/ac,  to  take 
thought,  denotes  not  merely  "  anxious\:sf!& "  (de 
Wette),  which  would  be  a  tautology,  but  inordinate 
or  solicitous  concern  or  grief  beyond  our  immediate 
wants,  calling,  or  daily  oceupa.tion ;  hence  it  is  in  re- 
ality to  weaken  one's  hands  in  prospect  of  the  work 
before  us,  or  the  direct  opposite  of  carefulness.  From 
its  nature,  care  extends  ei's  r^v  a'dpiov,  ver.  34. — By 
its  soUcitude  the  heart  becomes  divided,  which  is 
hinted  in  the  word  /xepiui^ai'  (Tholuck). — T  f)  ^vx^y 
in  reference  to  the  soul  as  the  principle  of  physical 
life. — Is  not  the  life  more  ? — He  who  has  given  the 
greater  will  also  give  the  less. — Solicitude  is  entirely 
at  fault ;  Christ  teaches  us  to  reason, — God  gave  me 
life,  which  is  the  greater  ;  therefore  also,  etc. 

Yer.  26.  The  fowls  of  the  air  [hteraUy:  the 
sky  or  heaven]. — ^''^t^n  C\iv  ,  which  fly  along 
the  heavens, — /.  c,  appear  separated  from  earth  and 
its  provisions,  and   yet  fly  so  cheerily ;  like  the  lilt/, 

*  [The  same  ide.a  is  expressed  by  St.  Jerome  in  loo.: 
"  Non  dixit  (Dominus),  qui  habet, tVwihaa,  sed  qui  servit  divi- 
t!is;  qui  divitianim  servus  est  cuxtodit  ut  nerviis;  qui  ser- 
vitutis  excussit  jH£!um,  distribuit  oas  ut  i/ominuii.'''' — P.  S.] 

t  [Mr;  ij.ipiij.var  a:  Take,  not  thought,  he  not  con- 
cerned about,  care  not  for,  be  not  solicitous,  be  not  dis- 
tracted (from  u.f:f)i^M).^  Enalish  interpreters  generally  tako 
the  word  thought  of  the.  Com.  E.  Vers,  in  the  old  English 
sense  for  solicitude.  «?i»ito«s  care  (Bacon  ami  Sbakspeare; 
e.  g.,  "Queen  Catharine  Parr  died  of  thought''').  Hence 
Campbell  and  others  translate:  '-Be  not  atio-ioKS.'^  \a.y'\n% 
the  stress  wholly  on  the  excexg  of  care  or  solicitude.  Jos. 
Addis.  Alexander,  ad  Mutt.  vi.  25:  "The  idea  of  excess  is 
hen;  essential,  so  that  ordinary  thought  or  care  is  not  ex- 
cluded." Alford:  "The  E.  V.,  'Take  no  thought,^  does 
not  express  the  sense,  but  gives  rather  an  exaggeration  of 
the  command,  and  thus  makes  it  unreal  and  nugatory.  In 
Luke  xii.  29  we  have  iJ-h  neTf<,ip.(i<T8f."'  But  the  prohi- 
bition has  reference  rather  to  the  future  (comp.  ver.  S4: 
"Take  no  thought/or  the  morrow"),  and  to  all  that  exceeds 
our  actual  wa7ifs.SLS  expressed  in  the  petition:  "Give  us 
this  day  our  daili/  bread."  Mkyeu  says:  "Care  is  here 
generally  understood  eiiipliatically  of  anxious  care  (which 
the  word  does  not  mean  even  in  Sir.  .vxxiv.  1),  hut  this  is  an 
arbitrary  assumption.  Ji-mis  prohibits  to  his  disciples  all 
concern  about  eating,  drinkintr,  etc.  (das  Be.sorgtsein  H-ber- 
havpiy  Yet  some  limitation  is  obviously  suggested  by 
v<T.  84,  as  already  remarked,  and  required  by  the  nature  of 
the  case  as  well  as  the  consistency  of  Scripture  ti'aching, 
which  plainly  enjoins  forethought  and  proper  care  in  tem- 
poral thinss,  an<l  condemns  only  that  cire  which  springs 
from  unbelieving  doubt  and  distrust  in  Providence;  comp. 
1  Tim.  V.  S;  2  The.-;s.  iii.  10;  John  xii.  0;  xiii.  29.— P.  8.] 


134 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


'|dTi)  which  in  its  splendid  apparel  stands  in  the 
midst  of  a  desokte  and  dusty  plain. 

Ver.  27.  Age  [Coin.  Version  :  Stature],  ijKiicia. 
— There  are  two  interpretations  of  this  term  :  First, 
stature  of  the  body  ;  Vulgate,  Chrysostom,  Luther  [our 
authorized  version,  also  Fritzsche,  Conant].  Secondly, 
duration  of  life,  aqe  ;  Hammond,  Wolf,  Olshausen, 
Ewald,  Meyer  [de  Wettc,  Tholuck,  Stier,  Alford,  J.  A. 
Alexander,  Dav.  Bro^Ti].  Both  translations  arc  war- 
ranted by  the  use  of  the  language,  but  the  context  is 
decidedly  in  favor  of ."  duration  of  life."  For,  1.  our 
Lord  refers  to  the  preservation  or  the  prolonging  of 
life ;  2.  the  adding  of  a  cubit  to  the  stature  were  not 
something  very  inconsiderable,  as  is  implied  in  the 
text.* — A  cubit  (2  spans),  a  figurative  expression, 
denoting  that  the  duration  of  life  has  its  fixed  mea- 
sure. Similai-ly  also  the  provision  for  our  life  is 
fixed. 

Ver.  28.  Consider  the  lilies,  KaTo.tx6.QiTi 
TO  Kpifa . — Very  significant,  as  much  as  :  learn  to 
understand,  study  the  symbolical  language  of  the 
Hlies. 

Ver.  29.  In  aU  his  glory,  56^a,  which  may  either 
mean  his  royal  pomp,  or  the  pomp  of  his  royal  anny. 
The  word  Trepie^aAero,  which  follows,  is  in  favor  of 
the  first  of  these  explanations.  Solomon  was  to  the 
Jewish  mind  tlie  highest  representative  of  human 
glory  (2  Chron.  ix.  15). 

Ver.  30.  The  grass  of  the  field,  or  every  kind 
of  herb, — among  them  the  lilies,  which  adorn  and  are 
cut  down  with  tliera.  Dried  grass  and  the  stalks  of 
flowers  were  used  for  heating  ovens.  "  A  number  of 
beautiful  flowers  grow  wild  on  the  fields  and  meadows 
of  the  Promised  Land, — among  them  the  splendid  pur- 
ple or  bright  yellow  lily,  of  which  the  stem  is  three 
feet  high,  and  of  a  dark  red  color,  the  flower  forming 
a  crown  which  is  surmounted  by  a  tuft  of  leaves. 
Song  iv.  5  ;  vi.  2  ;  1  Kings  vii.  19.  In  Palestine,  the 
grass  withers  in  the  course  of  two  days  under  a 
strong  east  wind ;  when  it  is  only  fit  for  hay  or  fuel." 
Gerlach.  (Comp.  Heubner,  p.  90,  on  extravagance 
in  dress  and  avarice.) 

Ver.  32.  After  all  these  things  do  the  Gen- 
tiles seek. — Such  is  the  essential  feature  of  heathen- 
ism ;  and  this  worldliness  led  to  their  apostasy,  poly- 
theism, and  idolatry.  It  deserves  notice,  that  Christ 
here  refers  for  the  third  time  to  the  Gentiles,  since 
the  Pharisees  made  it  their  special  boast  that  they 
wtre  free  from  all  heathen  contamination.  But  the 
very  extreme  of  their  traditionalism  led  them  into 
heathen  views  and  practices.     JL' 

Ver.  33.  Seek  ye  first. — Meyer:  '■'■  XlpiiTov, first, 
before  ye  seek  anything  else ;  your  first  seeking. 
There  is  no  room  then  for  any  other  seeking,  as  their 
euiing,  drinking,  etc.,  ■Kpo(niQ-i](jiTaL.  Not 
seeing  this  inference,  a  few  authorities  have  omitted 
the  word  vpwTuv,a.^  in  Luke  xii.  31.  De  Wette  is 
mistaken  in  supposing  that  -KpiiTov  at  least '  indirectly ' 
implies  the  lawfulness  of  subordinately  seeking  other 


*  [The  only  objection  to  the  version  age,  is  that  cuMt  is 
a  measure  of  space,  and  not  of  time.  But  this  objection  is 
oasily  removed  if  we  remember  the  frequent  representation 
of  liuman  life  as  a. journey,  and  the  familiar  phrase:  length 
(if  life,  *•  LebensW/i^e."  Comp.  Ps.  xxxix.  5;  2  Tim.  iv.  7. 
etc.  Meyek:  "  Die  von  Gott  geo.dnele  Lehensdauer  wird 
i/)i  Btlde  eines  bestimmten  Lungenmaassea  gedachV  The 
prim.iry  meaning  ot  r)\LKia  is  age  and  corresponds  better 
with  the  parallel  passage.  Luke  xii.  26:  "If  ye  then  be  not 
able  to  do  that  which  is  leaxt,  why  take  ye  thought  for  the 
rest?"  For  to  add  a  cubit,  i.  e.,  eighteen  inches  or  a  foot 
and  a  half,  to  man's  stature  would  be  doing  something  verv 
great— P.  S.] 


things.  All  Other  seeking,  whether  the  TrpwTov  be 
retained  or  not,  is  excluded  by  ver.  32  {irdi/Ta  y.  rav- 
Tu  TO  e&cTj  eVi(T)T.)and  by  «a2 — irpocrTefljitreTai." — But 
in  this  case  the  word  irpuTov  must  mean  not  merely 
first  in  order  of  time,  but  refers  to  the  principle  which 
actuates  us  in  seeking,  on  which  our  earnestness  in 
our  temporal  calling,  and  the  blessing  upon  that  call- 
ing, depend.  This  principle  of  ever  setting  before  us, 
even  in  temporal  matters,  the  grand  spiritual  object, 
leads  onward  and  upward,  until  that  which  is  second- 
ary and  subordinate  is  wholly  sv/allowed  up  in  that 
which  is  spiritual. — The  dift'erence  between  the  sim- 
ple ^y]Ti'iri  and  its  compound  eiri(riTodtTiu  deserves 
mention.  The  former  refers  to  a  seeking  which  in 
itself  is  healthy  ;  the  other,  to  that  which  is  unhealthy 
and  excessive. 

The  kingdom  of  God,  and  His  righteous- 
ness.— The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  here  called  that 
of  God,  because  the  former  verses  refer  to  God  as 
the  highest  good.  To  seek  the  kingdom  of  God,  is 
to  seek  those  blessings  which  are  expressed  in  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  of  which  the  corresponding  right- 
eousness is  delineated  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 

Ver.  34.  The  morrow,  ?;  avpiov,  is  personified. 
Every  day  brings  its  own  evil — KaKio.,  TaKainupia, 
KaKOTTji — from  an  evil  world,  but  also  its  own  help 
and  dehverance  from  our  heavenly  Father.* 


DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  real  nature  of  false  spirituahty  appears  in 
the  dualism  to  which  it  leads,  in  the  attempt  violent- 
ly to  sever  between  God  and  the  world  ;  and  in  the 
false  worldliness  which  it  cherishes,  in  order  to  make 
up  for  this  deficiency.  Hence,  famim  and  profa- 
num — holiday  and  v/ork-day ;  priest  and  layman ;  clois- 
ter and  the  world ;  spiritual  and  temporal  care  ;  spirit- 
ual and  temporal  power  (the  iwo  swords,  as  they  are 
called) ;  spiritual  and  temporal  gain ;  spiritual  and 
temporal  possessions ;  spiritual  and  temporal  enjoy- 
ment (Carnival  and  Lent).  Or  rather,  more  correct- 
ly, it  is  not  spiritual  and  temporal,  but  temporal  and 
spiritual. 

True  Christianity,  on  the  other  hand,  combines 
spiritual  with  temporal  life,  by  viewing  the  world  it- 
self as  the  symbol  of  God,  and  by  sanctifying  every- 
thing in  it  for  the  service  of  the  Holy  One. 

2.  Moths,  consumption,  and  thieves  corrupt  the 
possessions  and  the  enjoyments  of  the  world,  if  we 
regard  the  world  as  our  lasting  habitation.  See  in 
this  respect  the  whole  Book  of  Ecclesiastes,  or  the 
Preaching  of  Solomon. 

3.  Science,  natural  philosophy,  and  even  the  high- 
est poetry,  have  only  recognized  at  a  comparatively 
late  period  the  sun-like  nature  of  the  eye,  while  here 
it  is  painted  as  with  a  sunbeam.  To  each  of  us,  the 
eye  is  his  sun,  provided  it  be  calm  and  single.     Thus 


*  [Dr.  Dav.  Beown,  in  loc. :  "  Sufficient  unto  the  day  in 
the  evil  thereof.  An  admirable  practical  maxim,  and  better 
rendered  iu  our  version  than  in  almost  any  other,  not  ex- 
cepting the  preceding  English  ones.  Every  day  brings  its 
own  cares;  and  to  anticipate  is  only  to  double  them."  Dr. 
^yoRDSwoRTH,  in  loc. :  "This  adage  is  found  in  the  Talmud 
Berachot,  fol.  9,  2.  Vorst,  De  Adag.  2^.  T.,  p.  806.  Here  it 
may  be  observed,  that  our  Lord  adopts  and  spiritualizes  sev- 
eral proverbial  sayings  in  succession,  which  were  known  to 
the  Jews.  In  the  same  manner  as  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  He 
adopted  and  spiritualized  petitions  from  the  Jewish  Liturgy. 
He  thus  exemplified  His  own  precept  concerning  new  wine 
and  new  bottles  (Matt.  ix.  16,  17),  and  on  bringing  out  of  the 
storehouse  things  new  and  old  (xiii.  52).  In  all  those  cases 
He  animates  the  old  letter  with  the  new  Spirit  of  His  own." 
-P.  S.] 


CHAP.  VI.  19-31. 


135 


our  vision  depends  on  two  conditions, — tlie  outward 
sun  in  tlie  licavens,  and  the  inward  sun  of  the  mind. 
And  thus  the  outward  eye  is  at  the  same  time  a  sym- 
bol aftd  a  medium  of  the  inward  eye,  or  of  intelli- 
gence, the  fovs.  Our  intelligence  serves  as  the  organ 
of  the  sun  of  revelation,  and  becomes  light,  if  it  re- 
flect not  merely  our  own  linite  innljrstanuing,  but 
our  higher  reason,  and  transmit  divine  revelation  to 
the  inmost  soul.  Otherwise  the  light  itself  becomes 
darkness.  And  such  night  is  the  most  dense, — more 
80  than  ordinary  night,  which  is  only  black,  implying 
the  absence  of  light,  or  ignorance.  Less  guilt  at- 
taches itself  to  this  than  to  the  gre)^  of  mist — the  in- 
terruption of  light  by  folly  or  prejudice.  But  worst 
of  all  is  that  splendor  of  false  Ught,  when  the  light 
of  revelation  is  perverted  by  the  worldly  mind  into 
error,  and  truth  itself  converted  into  a  lie. 

4.  Christ  unmasks  the  worldliness  which  hides 
under  the  garb  of  false  spirituality,  and  traces  it  to 
its  ultunate  source :  hypocrisy,  avarice,  solicitude, 
and  worldly  lust.  He  next  invokes,  against  this  spirit 
of  solicitude  in  its  spiritual  garb,  the  testimony  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  nature,  which  the  Pharisees,  in  their 
ultra-piety,  had  overlooked.  Throughout,  nature 
discloses  its  sjTubols  to  the  Lord ;  and  they  all  serve 
as  symbols  for  the  faithfulness  of  God  and  the  trust- 
fulness of  man. 

5.  Christ  Himself  first  sought  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  His  righteousness,  in  the  fullest  and  most 
perfect  sense ;  and  everything  else  has  been  added  to 
Him,  I.sa.  liii.  So  shall  it  also  be  with  His  people 
(Rom.  viii.). 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

How  false  spirituality  always  has  its  root  in 
worldliness  :  1.  Its  source  is  secretly  cherished  world- 
liness ;  2.  it  is  essentially  a  manifestation  of  the  car- 
nal mind,  and  hence  worldliness  (Col.  ii.  18);  3.  it 
seeks  in  vain  to  conceal  the  worldliness  which  it 
everywhere  betrays.  Or,  1.  Proof  from  the  nature 
of  the  thing ;  2.  from  history ;  3.  from  experience  of 
the  twofold  temptations  with  which  every  Christian 
is  familiar. — Temporal  possessions:  1.  What  they 
are  in  themselves ;  2.  what  they  become  by  faith  ;  3. 
what  they  become  to  the  carnal  mind. — "  Treasures 
upon  earth."  A  contradiction,  when  viewed  in  con- 
nection with  our  never-dying  souls :  1.  As  being  out- 
ward treasures ;  2.  as  being  transient ;  3.  as  liable  to 
loss. — Treasures  upon  earth, — so  unsubstantial,  and 
yet  so  dangerous :  1.  Because  they  are  spoiled  by 
moths,  consumption,  and  thieves ;  2.  because  they 
brbig  moths,  consumption,  and  thieves  into  the  heart. 
— The  worm  of  death  in  its  threefold  ravages :  1.  In 
inanimate  nature ;  2.  in  physical  life ;  3.  in  human 
society,  or  in  the  moral  world. — A  thief,  or  a  deceiv- 
er, the  moth  and  consumption  of  the  moral  order  of 
things. —  The  treasures  in  heaven. — The  treasures  in 
heaven,  in  their  unchangeable  character:  1.  They 
cannot  be  corrupted  from  within  ;  2.  they  cannot  be 
consumed  from  without ;  3.  they  cannot  be  taken 
away  from  beneath. — The  treasures  of  earth  and  the 
treasures  of  heaven. — Gathering  in  appearance  and 
gathering  in  reality. — False  gathering  is  a  casting 
away,  under  the  appearance  of  gain. — Real  gathering 
is  gain,  under  the  appearance  of  loss. — True  and 
false  gain. — Wondrous  character  of  the  possessions 
of  heaven:  1.  They  are  hidden,  yet  manifest ;  2.  in- 
finitely far,  yet  infioitely  near ;  3.  one  treasure,  yet 
innumerable  treasures. — Only  in  connection  with  hea- 
ven can  we  again  acquire  earth  as  God's  earth. — 


"  ]Vhe7'e  your  treas^ire  is,  there  will  your  hiart  be 
also."  ] .  The  truth  of  this  saying  (the  heart  ever 
lives  in  its  highest  good).  2.  Inferences  from  this 
saying ;  (a)  As  the  treasure  is,  such  shall  the  heart 
become:  the  heart  will  become  heavenly  or  earthly, 
according  as  its  treasure  is ;  (b)  strictly  speaking,  our 
heart  cannot  become  earthly, — it  rather  becomes 
devilish,  a  prey  to  the  passions  of  hell ;  (c)  our  heart 
is  of  heavenly  origin,  and  cannot  find  rest  or  satisfac- 
tion in  earthly  possessions. — "  The  eye  is  the  light  of 
the  body:"  1.  The  truth ;  2.  the  symbol.— The  body 
in  its  relation  to  the  mind :  1.  It  is  an  instrument  of 
the  mind,  by  which  man  is  to  serve  and  glorify  God  ; 
2.  a  symbol  of  the  mind,  by  which  God  admonishes 
man. — The  eye  and  the  light,  in  their  pliysieal  and 
spiritual  import:  1.  The  eye  is  also  of  the  fight,  and 
shares  the  nature  of  light ;  2.  the  eye  itself  becomes 
fight  by  receiving  fight ;  3.  the  eye  gives  fight  to  the 
whple  body. — The  eye  and  the  sun:  1.  The  eye  is 
sun-like ;  2.  the  sun  is  the  eye  of  heaven ;  3.  the 
eye  and  the  sun  combined  give  liglit  to  the  body. — 
A  single  eye  and  an  evil  eye,  in  their  respective  bear- 
ing on  the  inner  fife :  1.  The  eye,  if  single,  has  an 
undivided,  and  hence  true  vision ;  it  beholds  what  is 
right,  because  it  rightly  beholds.  2.  The  eye  that  is 
evil  is  an  ignis  fatuus :  its  vision  is  divided,  and 
hence  false ;  it  beholds  what  is  false,  because  it  false- 
ly beholds. — The  difference  between  a  diseased  eye 
and  an  evU  eye,  or  him  who  is  really  bfind  and  him 
who  is  blinded. — Not  the  blind,  but  the  blinded,  fall : 
for,  1.  in  their  carelessness,  they  do  not  see;  2.  in 
their  excitement,  they  do  not  behold  the  principal  ob- 
ject ;  3.  in  their  confusion,  they  see  everything  in  a 
dim  and  disordered  manner. — The  inward  eye  and  its 
object:  1.  Its  nature:  to  perceive  that  which  is  eter- 
nal. 2.  Its  light :  the  revelation  of  God  in  its  widest 
sense.  3.  Its  giving  of  fight :  truthful  appfication  of 
the  fight  which  it  has  received. — An  evil  eye  in  our 
hearts,  or  perverted  reason,  may  turn  even  the  fight 
of  revelation  into  darkness. — The  most  dense  dark- 
ness is  that  which  the  hypocrite  makes  to  himself 
from  the  light  of  revelation. — The  threefold  night : 

1.  The  blackness  of  night :  want  of  light,  ignorance. 

2.  The  grey  of  mist :  obstruction  of  light,  prejudice. 

3.  The  bfindiag  light,*  or  abuse  and  perversion  of 
fight,  superstition  and  hypocrisy. — An  evil  heart 
changing  the  inward  light  into  darkness:  1.  By  its 
spiritual  pride ;  2.  by  its  carnal  security ;  3.  by  its 
treating  the  flesh  as  if  it  were  spirit,  and  perverting 
the  si)irit  into  flesh. — "  How  great  is  that  darkness  !  " 

1.  When  the  inner  eye  is  not  only  bfind,  but  bfind- 
ed ;  2.  when  the  inner  light  is  not  only  obscured, 
but  misleads  ;  3.  when  the  day  of  salvation  is  chang- 
ed mto  the  night  of  destruction. — "  No  man  can 
serve  two  masters  :"  1.  The  truth  of  this  statement; 

2.  its  import  and  weight. — Earthly  possessions  as 
mammon. — Mammon  the  greatest  of  aU  idols:  1.  The 
idol  of  all  times ;  2.  the  idol  of  afi  nations ;  3.  the 
idol  of  afi  unconverted  hearts ;  1.  the  origin  of  all 
idolatry;  5.  the  first  and  the  last  among  all  the 
hidden  idols  of  God's  people,  both  under  the  Old 
and  the  New  Testament. — The  service  of  mammon 
converts.the  service  of  God  into  a  lie. — True  service 
of  God  excludes  the  service  of  mammon. — It  is  im- 
possible to  (lisovm  the  service  of  our  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter, by  serving  Him  unfaithfully :  we  may  hate,  but 
we  cannot  cast  off  His  authority. — If  we  despise  him 


*  [Dr.  Lanjro  calls  the  three  nights:  lilack  night;,  gray 
night,  and  white  night,  or  Lichtmangel,  Lichthermrvwng, 
Lichtiersetzung. — P.  S.] 


136 


TPIE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


who  falsely  claims  mastery  over  us,  we  shall  soon 
be   free  from  his  sen'ice. — Solicitude  is  the  mother 
of  avarice. — Anxious  care  the  certam  consequence 
of  worldly  lust. — "  Take  no   [serious   or  anxious] 
thought. '^^     1.  Neither  for  your  life  (your  mainte- 
nance); 2.  nor  for  your  body  (your  attire);  3.  nor 
for  what  may  befall  you  (for  to-morrow). — Spiritual 
reasoning  calculated  to  extinguish  our  solicitude.    1. 
God  has  already  given  us  the  greatest  and  best  gift : 
(a)  The  Hfe  of  the  Ijody  is  more  than  its  nourish- 
ment;  (6)  the  life  of  the  mind  is  more  noble  than 
that  of  its  instrument,  the  body ;  (c)  the  hfe  of  life, 
or  the  divine  hfe,  is  the  highest  gain.     2.  God  will 
also  give  us  all  other  things  in  addition :  nourish- 
ment for  the  body ;  preservation  of  the  body,  and  spir- 
itual sustenance  for  the  life  which  is  from  Him. — The 
birds  of  the  air  and  the  lilies  of  the  field,  preach- 
ers of  trustfulness. — The  difference  between  sohci- 
tudc  and  lawful  providence. — What  solicitude  cannot 
achieve  and  what  it  can  achieve:     1.  What  it  can- 
not achieve :  (a)  It  cannot  pray ;  (b)  it  cannot  work  ; 
(c)  it  cannot  create  anything;    ((/)    it  cannot  alter 
anything.      2.  What    it   can   achieve :    (a)  Conceal 
heaven  from  our  view ;  (i)  spoil  earth ;  (c)  open  hdl. 
— SoUcitude  the  main  principle  of  heathenism.     It 
springs,  1.  from  the  ignorance  of  the  heathen,  who 
know  not  the  living  God  ;  2.  from  their  deifying  the 
things  of  the  world. — "  Your  heavenly  Father  know- 
eth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these  thingsy — God  will 
not  only  nourish,  but  also  adorn  us. — Hovir  strange, 
if  the  httle  bird  were  to  attempt  sewing,  or  the  lily 
spinning  ? — What  solicitude  loses,  and  what  it  gains : 
I.  It  loses,  (a)  the  present^ moment ;  (b)  to-day;  (c) 
all  eternity.     2.  It  gains,  («)  foohsh   projects ;  {b) 
anxious  dreams ;  (c)  a  terrible  awakening. — Christian- 
ity the  source  of  highest  oi-der :  1.  It  restores  proper 
order  in  our  aSections  and  desires ;  2.  it  sets  objects 
before  us  jn  their  proper  order ;  3.  it  sets  our  daily 
work  in  order ;  4.  it  sets  time  and  eternity  in  their 
proper  order. — SoUcitude,  as   indicating   a   divided 
heart,  is  closely  connected  with  the  eye  that  is  evil, 
and  with  the  attempt  to  serve  two  masters. — Care- 
fulness and  freedom  from  care.- — Solicitude  and  ever- 
lasting neghgence. — Solicitude  a  sinful  distrust:  1. 
Of  God ;  2.  of  our  neighbor  ;  3.  of  ourselves. — We 
need  not  be  concerned  for  what   is  least,  since  we 
may  obtain  what  is  highest. — "  Seek  ye  first  the  king- 
dom of  Gody     How  do  we  learn  it?     1.  From  the 
succession  of  things  (Lord's  day  first,  then  work-day ; 
prayer  first,  then  work)  ;*  2.  mainly  from  our  wants  ; 
3.  in  a  unique  manner,  when  we  surrender  ourselves 
to  God. — Our  earthly  calling  is  included  in  our  hea- 
venly calling. — He  who  prays  well,  will  also  work 
well. — All  the  wants  of  the  children  of  God  are  sup- 
plied.— Nourishment  and  raiment  are  supplied  with- 
out money  in  the  kingdom  of  God. — Do  not  allow 
thoughts  of  the  morrow  to  interfere  with  the  duties 
of  to-day :  1.  Let  them  not  distract  you ;  2.  not  tempt 
you ;  3.  not  terrify  you. — Wait  each  day  upon  God 
for  to-day. — Let  to-day's  duty  engross  to-day's  atten- 
tion.— Preparation  for  to-morrow  forms  part  of  the 
duty  of  to-day. — Every  day  brings  its  burden  from 
beneath,  but  also  its  help  from  above. 

Starke : — Parallel  passages :  ch.  xix.  21  ;'Heb.  xi. 
26  ;  xui.  5  ;  1  Tim.  vi.  9-17  ;  James  v.  3  ;  Ps.  Ixii. 
11. — We  ought  not  to  gather  treasures  from  distrust 
of  God's  providence,  nor  from  a  desire  to  become 
rich ;  but  to  save,  in  the  fear  of  God,  to  gather  the 


*  [Remember  the  familiar  adage:    "  Ora  et   labora; 
^  Bete  tiAui  arbeiie.^^ — P.  S.] 


crumbs,  to  make  provision  for  our  childi-en,  2  Cor. 
xii.  14,  is  not  displeasing  to  God. — Hedinger :  What 
does  it  profit  a  man  though  he  gain  the  v/hole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  xvi.  26 ;  Phil.  iii.  7,  8,  19, 
20;  Col.  iii.  1,  2. — Not  to  have  treasures,  but  yet  to 
desire  them  is  also  sinful,  1  Tim.  vi.  9 ;  Ps.  xlix.  17. 
— This  warning  applies  also  to  the  poor ;  for  a  beggar 
may  set  his  heart  as  much  upon  one  crown-piece  as  a 
rich  man  upon  thousands,  Luke  xii.  19  ;  Sir.  xi.  17- 
19  ;  Tob.  iv.  7-9. — The  heart,  which  is  created  only 
for  God  and  for  eternity,  is  dishonored  and  degraded 
if  we  set  it  on  things  which  perish,  and,  so  to  speak, 
convert  it  into  a  moth,  James  v.  1,  2. —  Quesnel:  Ava- 
rice, 1  Tim.  vi.  9. — God  has  given  man  earthly  pos- 
sessions for  use,  1  Cor.  vii.  31 :  he  who  is  unwilhng 
to  employ  them  for  that  object,  will  frequently  ex- 
perience that  they  may  either  be  taken  from  him,  or 
disappear  in  his  hands,  Ps.  xxxix.  7. — If  we  forsake 
our  earthly  possessions  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  wc  lay 
up  for  ourselves   treasures  in  heaven,  ch.   xix.  29. 
The  best  of  all  riches  is  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the 
soul,  Luke  xvii.  21. — If  we  frequently  contemplate 
the  reality,  the  continuance,  and  the  excellency  of 
heavenly  treasures,  our  minds  will  not  be  engrossed 
with  transient  and  contemptible  things.  Col.  iii.  1, 2 ; 
Ps.  Ixxiii.   25. — The  heavenly  treasures,  which  are 
entrusted  to  God's  keeping,  are  best  kept,  Luke  xii. 
21 ;  Gal.  vi.  9. — Passing  possessions  become  ever- 
lasting, if  they  are  employed  for  the  glory  of  God, 
and  in  almsgiving.     In  this  kind   of  exchange  we 
cannot  be  losers,  Prov.  xi.  1 ;  Ps.  Ixi.  2. — For  where 
your  treasure  is,  Phil.  iii.  20  ;  Col.  iii.  1,  2. — What 
we  love  and  esteem  is  always  in  our  mmd. — He  whose 
every  desire  is  in  heaven,  seeks  nothing  upon  earth. — 
Majus: — Totum  mundum  debet  contcmnerc,  qui  sibi 
thesaurizat  in  coelo  ;  Augustine,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25.   Every- 
thing depends  upon  the  heart,  Isa.  xxvi.  8,  9 ;  Matt, 
xii.  35 ;  Ps.  vii.  10. — Be  careful  that  your  heart  be 
single,  sincere,  and  honest,  or  else  all  is  lost. — Say 
not,  in  your  carnal  confidence,  I  have  a  good  heart, 
Jer.  xvii.  9 ;  rather  pray.  Search  me,  0  God,  and  try 
my  heart,  Ps.  cxxxix.  23,  24. — Remain  Thou,  0  God, 
in  my  heart,  and  let  my  heart  remain  in  Thee ;  since 
it  is  created  only  for  Thee,  and  Thou  alone  deservest 
it,  cxsxii.  13,  14. — The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye. 
There  is  nothing  more  single  than  the  eye  of  faith ; 
follov.'  that  light,  and  you  are  safe. — The  eyes  are  the 
road  into  the  heart. — Hedinger,  1  Cor.  xiii.  1. — The 
way  of  the  righteous  is  a  way  of  light,  but  that  of 
sinners  is  only  darkness.     Cramer,  Prov.  xiv.  8. — 
Tlie  service  of  mammon,  Hab.  ii.  9. — Much  here  de- 
pends on  the  little  word  serve. — Whoso  seeks  heaven 
in  the  world,  acts  contrary  even  to  nature  and  sound 
reason,   1   Kings  xviii.  21 ;  2  Cor.  vi.  14,  15. — The 
service  of  mammon  an  abominable  bondage.    Majus. 
— A  covetous  person  i-enounces  God,  for  covetous- 
ness  is  idolatry,  Eph.  v.  5 ;  Col.  iii.  5. — ^Not  cared, 
well  cared  for,  1  Pet.  v.  7. — All  nature  and  every 
creature  is  like  a  ladder  by  which  we  may  ascend  to 
our  lieavenly  Father. — The  birds  of  the  air  are  only 
the  creatures  of  God,  yet  they  are  nourished.     How 
much  more  shall  we  be  provided  for,  who  are  not 
only  His  creatures,  but  called  to  be  His  children ! 
Isa.  Ixiii.  16;  Ps.  ciii.  13. — If  we  would  only  consider 
our  high   origin,   we  should  trust  more  to  mfinite 
goodness  and  wisdom,  Isa.  xliv.  2 ;  Sir.  xi.  23. — Just 
as  solicitude  is  the  punishment  of  unbeUef,  so  much 
complaining  is  the  fruit  of  unbelief. — Christians  must 
differ  from  the  heathen  not  only  in  respect  of  their 
faith,  'iut  .also  of  their  use  of  earthly  things. — All  the 
requirements  of  this  life  are  added  along  with  the  one 


CHAP.  VII.  1-6. 


137 


great  possession  of  the  kinf^dora  of  heaven. — Anxiety 
for  the  kingdom  of  God  makes  rich,  since  it  bestows 
God  Himself  and  all  Ilis  blessings,  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  12, 
Ixxiii.  25. — The  futm-e  belongs  to  God  alone. 

Gossncr: — Yer.  21.  What  man  loves  attracts  his 
heart  like  the  magnet  the  iron.  If  your  treasure  is 
in  the  earth,  your  heart  is  in  the  earth  also ;  if  your 
treasure  is  in  God  and  in  heaven,  your  heart  is  in  God 
and  in  heaven.  Braune : — Every  man  has  a  mastei". 
Being  freed  from  the  service  of  sin,  we  become  serv- 
ants of  righteousness. 

Lisco : — Only  one  direction  of  the  heart  is  right ; 
to  seek  earthly  things  betrays  inward  defilement. — 
To  serve,  means  to  dedicate  all  that  we  are  and  have 
to  another;  in  this  sense  we  ought  to  serve  God 
alone. — Prayer  and  labor. — SoUcitude  is  foohsh,  be- 
ing useless. 

Gerlach : — Our  minds  and  hearts  must  be  fully 
directed  toward  God,  so  that  everything  else  may 
be  subordinate. — "  Lord,  Thou  hast  created  us  in 
Thine  unage,  and  our  heart  is  without  rest  till  it 
finds  i-est  in  Thee."  (Augustine.) — In  this  and  the 
following  passage,  care  means  anxious  and  distractr 
ing  solicitude ;  not  that  carefulness  which  our  calling 
demands  (Phil.  iv.  6  ;  1  Pet.  v.  1 ;  Heb.  xiii.  5).— Ps. 
civ.  27;  cxiv.  15.  The  circumstance,  that  many 
birds  and  other  animals  die  of  cold  and  hunger,  does 
not  afiect  the  argument,  since  this  is  not  the  conse- 
quence of  their  want  of  solicitude. 

Heuhner : — If  the  heart  and  inclinations  are  at 
fault,  the  whole  Ufe  shall  be  at  fault.— But  if  the  will 
is  directed  toward  that  which  is  good,  everything 
will  bear  reference  to  that  one  grand  object:  there 
will  be  harmony  and  light  withm  and  without ;  man 


will  understand  his  wants,  and  where  they  may  be 
satisfied. — God  demands  our  whole  heart. — The  ser- 
vice of  the  world  is  slavery  and  idolatry ;  that  of 
Christ,  liberty. — The  tendency  of  materialism  to- 
ward heathenism. — Difference  between  the  absence 
of  solicitude  in  a  Christian  and  in  a  worldly  man:  1. 
In  the  former,  it  springs  from  earnestness  for  the 
great  concern ;  2.  in  tlie  latter,  from  thoughtlessness. 
— What  is  the  right  state  so  far  as  care  is  concerned : 
1.  Noli  to  place  what  is  heavenly  on  the  same  level 
with  what  is  earthly  (ver.  2-1) ;  2.  not  to  assign  the 
first  place  to  what  is  earthly  (vers.  25-32);  but,  3. 
to  assign  the  first  place  to  what  is  heavenly  (vers. 
33,  31). — Wrctcheil  folly  of  earthly  cares. — The  great 
care  of  the  Christian. — The  decisive  question :  The 
world  or  Christ  ? — How  Jesus  leads  to  true  freedom 
from  care.* 

Sermons  on  the  pericope,  vers.  24-34,  by  Schlei- 
ermacher,  Erchnann,  Liebner,  Reinhard,  Drdseke, 
Steinmeyer,  and  Claus  Harms. 

*  [WoEDBWORTH :  "  Oiir  Lord  does  not  forbid  provident 
forethought  (comp.  1  Tim.  v.  8),  as  was  imagined  by  the 
'Euchites  {'■  qtii  wleliatit  semper  euxecri&ai  etnunquamla- 
horare''),  against  whom  St.  Augustine  wrote  his  booli:  '2>6 
operemonachorum.'  But  He'forbids  anxious,  restless,  and 
distrustful  solicitude  about  earthly  things,  and  this  He  does 
by  seven  considerations :  1.  The  care  which  God  shows  for 
our  life  and  bodies ;  2.  for  the  inferior  creatures  which  exist 
for  our  salie ;  3.  because  all  our  care  is  vain  without  God ; 
4.  from  a  consideration  of  the  flowers  and  grass  which  God 
clothes  and  adorns ;  5.  because  such  solicitude  is  uncliristian 
aud  heathenish ;  6.  because  God  adds  everything  necessary 
to  them  who  seeker**  His  kingdom;  7.  because  sufficient 
unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof.  Comp.  Phil.  iv.  6 ;  1  Pet. 
V.  7."— P.  S.] 


5.  Issue  ar. 


characteristic  manifestations  of  Fliarisceism,  as  wicked  harshness  and  abuse  of  what  is  holy. 
{Inquisitions  and  Indulgences.) 


Chapter  VII.  1- 


1,  2     Judge  not,  that  ye  be  not  judged.     For  with  what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye  shall  be 

3  judged :  and  with  what  measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again.'  And 
why  beholdest  thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye,  but  considerest  not  the  beam 

4  that  is  in  thine  own  eye?     Or  how  wilt  thou  say  to  thy  brother,  Let  me  pull  out  the 

5  mote  out  of  thine  eye  ;  and,  behold,  a  beam  is  in  thine  own  eye  ?  Thou  hypocrite,  first 
cast  out  the  beam  out  of  thine  own  eye ;  and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  cast  out  the 

6  mote  out  of  thy  brother's  eye.  Give  not  that  which  is  holy  unto  the  dogs,  neither  cast 
ye  your  pearls  before  [the]  ^  swine,  lest  they  trample  them  under  [with,  Gr.  iv]  their 
feet,  and  turn  again  and  rend  you. 

1  Ver.  2.— [The  E.  V.  reads  with  the  textusrec.  avr  inerp-n^riffeTar,  hence  again.  But  the  oldest  MSS.,  including 
Cod.  B.  or  Vaticanus  (as  published  by  Angelo  Mai,  and  by  Buttmann),  and  all  the  modern  critical  editors  (Gricsb.,  Scholz, 
Lachm.,  Tischend.,  Tregelles,  Alf ,  Wordsw.)  read  ixerp-q^ri(TeTat.  So  also  Dr.  Lange  who  omits  again  in  his  G.  version. 
The  reading  avTififrp.  was  no  doubt  inserted  from  Luke  vi.  3S.— P.  8.] 

2  Ver.  6.— [The  definite  article  in  the  Gr.,  as  before  dogs.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 
Connection. — De   Wette   and   Tholuck — as   for- 
merly Calvin  and  Bucer — miss  the  connection  between 
this  and  the  preceding  section.     Olshausen  suggests, 


that  it  lies  in  the  idea  that  the  character  of  the  disci- 
ples is  in  direct  opposition  to  prevailing  views.  Stier : 
Transition  from  a  view  of  the  inner  man  to  what  was 
around.  Ewald :  How  the  Christian  ought  to  deal 
kindly  and  charitably  toward  those  who  are  with- 


138 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


out.  Heubncr :  However  earnestly  and  zealously  you 
strive  after  perfection,  be  gentle  and  mild  toward 
others.  Our  own  explanation  has  been  given  in 
another  place,  and  is  substantially  this.  The  spirit 
of  anxious,  corroding  care,  in  opposition  to  cheerful 
confidence  in  God,  marks  the  final  stage  of  religious 
perversion,  which  manifests  itself,  on  the  one  hand, 
by  fanaticism  and  harsh  condemnation  of  our  neigh- 
bor, and  on  the  other,  by  carnal  and  callous  trifling 
with  what  is  holy.  For,  these  two  extremes  of  .fanat- 
icism and  profanity  meet,  just  as  spurious  asceticism 
is  generally  connected  with  love  of  the  world  (Leben 
Jc.iu,  ii.  2,  623).  A  passage  analogous  to  that  under 
consideration  may  serve  to  throw  light  both  on  the 
connection  and  the  meaning  of  what  otherwise  would 
present  some  difficulty.  In  Matt.  xxiv.  48  we  read, 
"  But  and  if  that  evil  servant  shall  say  in  his  heart, 
My  lord  delayeth  his  coming  (worldly-mindedness 
and  worldly  care) ;  and  shall  begin  to  smite  his  fel- 
low-servants (fanatical  judging),  aud  to  eat  and  drink 
with  the  drunken  (misspending  and  profaning  of 
what  is  holy),  etc."  Both  these  passages  evidently 
bear  reference  to  the  judgment  to  come.  Accord- 
ingly, we  have  the  following  antithesis:  Be  not  sur- 
charged with  worldly  cares  for  the  morrow,  but  ra- 
ther be  filled  with  spiritual  anxiety  for  the  day  of 
judgment.  Judge  not,  that  ye  be  not  judged. 
•  Ver.  1.  Judge  not. — The  word  /cpiVeic  here  un- 
doubtedly implies  unkind,  condemnatory  judgment 
(Theoi^hylact,  Kuinoel,  Tholuck,  and  others),  as  ap- 
pears from  the  opposite  clause,  'iva  [xt)  KpidriTf. 
Meyer  denies  this  without  reason,  although  the  simile 
about  the  mote  and  the  beam,  proves  that  the  ex- 
pression cannot  simply  mean  condemnation.  It  is 
general.  Meyer  is  right  in  controverting  the  idea, 
that  the  word  Kpidrire  refers  exclusively  to  the  judg- 
ment of  other  men  (Erasmus,  etc.).  He  applies  it  to 
the  judgment  to  come ;  but  ver.  6  proves  that  judg- 
ment on  earth  precedes  the  judgment  of  the  last  day. 
Uncharitable  judgment  receives  its  meed  here  as 
well  as  there.  Comp.  v.  22;  vi.  14;  the  parable  in 
xviii.  23;  James  ii.  13.  Heubner:  ''■  Judr/e  not.  This 
neither  refers  (imconditionally)  to  our  private  judg- 
ment, nor  to  the  official  expression  of  our  opinion 
which  we  may  be  bound  in  duty  to  give  (which,  how- 
ever, may  run  into  ^e  sinlul  extreme  here  condem- 
ned). Least  of  all  does  it  apply  to  the  sentence  pro- 
nounced by  a  judge  (who  should  always  bear  iumind 
that  he  is  under  the  holy  law  of  God),  but  to  those 
uncalled-for  judgments  which  are  neither  dictated  by 
duty,  nor  prompted  by  love.  Kpivnv  therefore  is 
here  equivalent  to  KaraKplveiv."  Comp.  Luke.* 

Ver.  2.  For  v/ith  what  judgment  ye  judge ; 
i.  e.,  the  strict  measure  of  your  judgment  will  be  made 
tjie  standard  according  to  which  ye  shall  be  judged  (the 

*  [Dr.  Dav.  Brown,  in  his  Com.  on  the  Gospels  (Glas- 
gow, 1S63),  ad  loc:  "To  'judge'  here  {Kpivav)  does  not 
exactly  mean  to  pronounce  condemnatory  judgment  (/cara- 
Kpiv(Lv) ;  nor  does  it  refer  to  simple  judging  at  all,  whether 
favorable  or  the  reverse.  The  context  makes  it  clear  that 
the  thing  here  condemned  is  that  disposition  to  look  unfav- 
orably on  the  character  and  actions  of  others,  which  leads 
invariably  to  the  pronouncing  of  rash,  unjust,  and  unlovely 
judgments  upon  them.  .  .  .  What  the  Lord  aims  at  is  the 
spirit  out  of  which  they  spring.  Provided  we  eschew  this 
unlovely  spirit,  we  are  not  only  warranted  to  sit  in  judgment 
upon  a  brother's  character  and  actions,  but,  in  the  exercise 
of  a  necessary  discrimination,  arc  often  constrained  to  do  so 
for  our  own  guidance.  It  is  the  violation  of  the  law  of  love 
involved  in  the  exercise  of  a  censorious  disposition  which 
alone  is  here  condemned.  And  the  argument  against  it — 
'that  ye  be  not  judged '—confirms  this:  'that  your  own 
character  and  acti<ms  ba  not  pronounced  upon  with  the  like 
Bevority ;'  that  is,  at  the  great  day." — P.  8.] 


eV  is  used  instrumentally).  As  professedly  you  con- 
sider it  right,  you  shall  experience  in  your  own  case 
whether  your  standard  be  true  or  false.  "God  in 
His  righteousness  exercises  the  jus  ialionis.  Truth 
and  e()uiiy  are,  so  to  speak,  elastic ;  and  in  the  moral 
order  of  things,  an  unjust  blow  will  recoil  on  him 
who  has  dealt  it. — And  -with  what  measiire  ye 
mete. — Merpov,  comp.  Luke  vi.  38. — M  erpvo-fTut, 
according  to  the  majority  of  witnesses;  in  Luke, 
a.i/Tiuerpr]eri(TfTai.  A  wider  api)lication  of  the  idea 
of  our  relation  toward  our  neighbor.  The  simile  ex- 
presses the  general  principle,  that  according  to  our 
conduct  toward  our  neighbors  shall  we  receive  at  the 
hand  of  God,  whether  directly  or  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  men.  In  general,  the  figure,  however, 
applies  to  harsh  and  uncharitable  judgment. 

Ver.  3.  The  mote,  the  splinter,  Kdp<pos,  fcstuca. 
"Thus  in  a  Tahnudical  proverb,  the  word  Cpip ,  for  a 
smaU  fault  (Buxtorf,  Lexicon  7abn.  p.  2080).'"  Ao- 
k6s,  trabs,  H V,p ,  h}'perbolically  for  a  great  fault. 
"As  in  eh.  vi.,  the  eye  of  the  body  here  represents  that 
of  the  mind ;  our  own  sinfuhiess  deprives  us  of  the  ca- 
pacity to  judge  the  moral  perversion  of  others."  Do 
Wette  and  Meyer  deny  this  reference.  But  although 
it  is  true  that  the  person  who  has  the  beam  in  his 
eye  is  characterized  as,  in  a  certain  sense,  seeing 
clearly,  yet  his  vision  is  morbid.  It  also  deserves 
notice,  that  the  text  refers  to  faults  which  are  outwardly 
apparent.  Fanaticism  is  specially  bent  on  discover- 
ing and  condemning  errors  of  knowledge,  or  heresies. 
Viewed  in  this  light,  the  mote  in  the  eye  might  indi- 
cate a  comparatively  trifling  dogmatical  error,  wliile 
the  beam  would  refer  to  the  destroying  of  the  whole 
system  and  bearing  of  truth. 

Ver.  4.  Let  me  pull  out  the  mote.  "Ac^er, 
(K^dAoi  (the  conjunctive  of  encouragement).  His 
hypocrisy  consists  not  merely  in  his  refusing  to  see 
the  mote  in  his  own  eye,  but  also  in  his  disguising 
his  want  of  charity  for  his  brother  under  the  garb  of 
compassionate  zeal. 

Ver.  5.  Thou  hypocrite. — He  is  a  hypocrite 
not  merely  in  the  judgment  of  God,  but  also  in  a 
subjective  sense,  since  he  applies  not  unto  himself 
the  measure  by  which  he  judges  his  brother. — A  i  a- 
^\4\p€is.  We  must  not  overlook  the  meaning  of 
the  compound  verb.  Then  shalt  thou  be  able  to  look 
into  it  (properly),  and  really  to  aid  thy  brother.  But 
so  long  as  the  beam  remains  in  thine  own  eye,  thou 
art  ill  fitted  to  perform  the  operation  upon  the  eye 
of  another. 

Ver.  6.  Give  not  that  which  is  holy. — Mal- 
donatus,  de  Wette,  Tholuck,  deny  that  there  is  any 
connection  between  this  aud  the  preceding  context. 
Kuinoel,  Neander,  Bengel,  and  Olshausen  mamtain 
that  vers.  6-11  are  not  in  their  proper  place.  Stier 
suggests  that  Christ  now  proceeds  to  censure  the  op- 
posite extreme  of  excessive  laxity.  Erasmus  and 
Meyer  hold  that  the  expression,  SiaySAe'i^eis,  leads 
to  the  idea,  that  it  must  still  be  our  endeavor  to  im- 
prove our  neighbor,  and  not  to  give  that  which  is 
holy  to  the  dogs.  But,  as  in  former  cases,  the  inter- 
nal cormection  between  this  and  the  precediug  pas- 
sage is,  evidently,  that  the  extremes  of  excessive 
harshness  and  of  moral  laxity  generally  meet.  The 
outward  connection  lies  in  the  contrast  between  the 
brother  whose  benefit  is  apparently  the  object  of  the 
harsh  judgments  pronounced  against  him,  and  the 
dogs  and  swine,  to  whom  that  which  is  holy  is  at  the 
same  time  prostituted.  Indeed,  such  conduct  falls 
imder  the  injunction,  fx^i  KpiVere,  smce  the  judgment 


CHAP.  V.  1-16. 


139 


of  sinners  is  hastened  and  increased  when  what  is 
holy  is  cast  before,  or  even  forced  upon  them  (Matt. 
xiii'.  10).  Hence  to  withhold  that  which  is  holy  from 
the  dogs,  and  pearls  from  swine,  is  the  opposite  of 
judging  them,  and  only  what  is  right  and  proper  in 
the  circumstances. — That  which  is  holy,  rb 
ciyiov. — Von  der  llardt,  Paulus,  and  Tholuck  refer 
it  to  the  sacrificial  meat,  or  to  the  provision  of  the 
priests.  Meyer  controverts  this  view  without  ade- 
quate grounds.  The  difference  between  ScSre  and 
the  /8  a  A  7j  T  6 ,  which  follows,  deserves  notice.  The 
word  5i5()Voi  seems  to  imply — however  horrible  it 
may  seem — that  the  dogs  receive  it.  The  expres- 
sion is  evidently  symbolical  not  only  of  Gospel  truth 
(the  provision  of  the  priests),  but  also  of  Christian 
fellowship,  and  the  privileges  of  the  Church,  such  as 
the  sacraments.  But  if  this  SiSJvai  betokened  a  most 
iniquitous  laxity,  the  ySaAAei;/  of  pearls  before  swine 
is  the  result  of  a  laxity  which  almost  amounts  to 
madness.  Such,  then,  is  the  upshot  of  Pharisaism — 
profanation  of  what  is  holy  and  good  beyond  rational 
belief. — The  pearls,  an  image  of  what  is  most  pre- 
cious. According  to  Gesenius  (in  Rosenm  filler's 
Hepcrtorium,  i.  1'28),  the  figure  is  applied  by  the 
Arabs  to  well-chosen  words  or  apt  sayings.  De 
Wette :  A  figure  of  pure  conviction,  and  of  the  no- 
blest disposition.  But  if  by  what  is  holt/  we  under- 
stand the  highest  religious  possessions,  the  term, 
pearls,  may  be  applied  to  the  highest  moral  posses- 
sions, which  were  specially  prostituted  by  the  Phari- 
sees. It  has  been  suggested,  that  the  figure  alludes 
to  the  resemblance  of  pearls  with  peas  and  acorns. 
Certain  it  is,  that  the  swine  touch  with  their  snouts 
everything  resembling  food.  As  this  casting  of  pearls 
before  swine — however  foolish — must  have  had  some 
show  of  reason,  it  may  perhaps  represent  an  attempt 
of  satisfying  their  cravings.  And  such  indeed  is  the 
true  character  of  laxity ;  it  prostitutes  what  is  high- 
est and  hohest,  to  satisfy  the  animal  and  the  devihsh 
propensities  in  man.  Both  dogs  and  swine  were  un- 
clean animals,  according  to  the  law  of  Moses  (see 
Sept.  1  Kings  xxi.  19 ;  xxii.  38 ;  2  Sam.  iii.  8 ;  ix.  8  ; 
2  Kings  viii.  13;  Matt.  xv.  26;  Rev.  xxii.  15,  etc.); 
and,  indeed,  throughout  antiquity  generally  (Horat. 
Epist.  i.  2,  22  :  vizisset  canis  immundus  vel  arnica 
Into  sus).  The  expression  refers  to  what  is  impure 
and  wild  in  our  nature ;  more  particularly,  the  word 
dogs,  alludes  to  that  which  is  low,  unclean,  heretical ; 
and  swine,  to  the  hostile  element,  and  to  stubborn 
resistance.  Augustine  regarded  the  dogs  as  opjmcj- 
natores,  or  hostile  persecutors,  and  the  swine  as  co7i- 
temtores  veriiaiis,  or  unholy  persons  who  were  inca- 
pable of  being  impressed  by  what  was  spiritual.  But 
the  context  does  not  bear  out  this  distinction,  as  the 
swine  are  represented  as  ultimately  the  oppugnatores. 
"  St.  Bernard  was  wont  to  quote  this  verse,  in  order 
to  incite  the  Christian  knights  to  the  Crusades. 
Schrockh,  Church  Hist.  xxv.  114."     Heubner. 

Lest  they  trample  them  with  their  feet,  etc. 
— Of  course  the  pearls  could  not  be  broken,  but  only 
trampled  in  the  mire. — As  this  refers  only  to  the 
swine,  Theophylact,  Hammond,  .and  others,  apply  the 
crrpacpevTes  pri^aiffiv  to  the  dogs.  But  it  ap- 
plies Ukewise  to  the  swine.  Although  nothing  is  said 
about  the  conduct  of  the  dogs,  the  horrible  sin  of 
giving  that  which  is  holy  to  the  dogs  sufficiently  con- 
demns itself,  even  without  mentioning  ulterior  conse- 
quences. Besides,  the  dogs  ultimately  become  swine, 
just  as  that  which  is  holy  is  further  designated  as 
pearls,  and  the  iniquity  of  the  first  action  passes  into 
the  madness  of  the  second.     At  last  the  full  conse- 


quences appear,  when  the  swine  turn  from  the  gift  to 
the  giver,  and  rend  the  profane  sinners.  It  is  need- 
less to  inquire  whether  swine  can  Uterally  rend ;  at 
all  events,  they  may  tear  off  the  flesh.  (Besides,  the 
word  pii^uaiv,  like  the  dirmnpere  in  the  Vulgate, 
may  allude  to  the  disruption  and  destruction  of  the 
communion  of  the  disciples.)  Srpac^e'vTes,  turn- 
ing [the  again  of  the  E.  V.  is  superfluous],  evidently 
denotes  the  enmity  (Chrysost»m)  and  the  fury  of  the 
swine,  on  account  of  the  deception  practised  upon 
them.  Such,  then,  are  the  twofold  consequences : 
that  which  is  holy,  with  all  its  treasures,  is  lost  in  in- 
i(iuity  and  mire ;  while  its  unfaithful  and  vile  admin- 
istrators also  perish  in  their  sin. 

DOCTRINAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  The  passage  is  evidently  intended  to  describe 
the  judgment  awaiting  the  false  spiritualism  of  those 
worldly-minded  Pharisees  and  scribes.  Hence  the 
passage  contains  no  reference  to  the  proper  conduct 
of  the  disciples,  in  opposition  to  that  of  the  syna- 
gogue. They  are  merely  warned  against  imitating 
those  sinners  ;  the  Lord  in  His  mercy  conceahng  un- 
der a  simile  the  fearful  judgment  that  awaits  all  who 
are  guilty  of  such  profanity. 

2.  It  is  a  historical  fact,  meeting  us  both  during 
the  Old  Testament  dispensation  (at  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem)  and  in  the  annals  of  the  Church,  that  car- 
nal zealots,  while  pronouncing  harsh  judgment  against 
their  brethren,  gave  that  which  is  holy  to  the  dogs. 
Fanaticism  and  indifferentism  were  combined  in  the 
hypocrisy  of  the  Pharisees,  and  we  meet  them  but 
too  frequently  at  later  periods ;  as,  for  example,  in 
the  Inquisition  and  the  trafiic  in  indulgences,  and 
under  many  other,  though  perhaps  more  subtle, 
forms. 

3.  We  may  connect  with  this  passage  the  prophe- 
cy in  Revelation,  which  represents  the  beast  out  of 
the  sea  as  ultimately  bearing  rule  over  the  external 
sanctuary  (Rev.  xiii.  14). 

4.  From  this  disclosure  of  the  lowest  depth  to 
which  the  righteousness  of  the  Pharisees  descends, 
we  may  profitably  look  to  the  opposite  path,  by 
which  the  disciples  of  Jesus  ascend  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  Theirs  is  a  gradual  progress  through  suf- 
fering to  the  glorious  height  of  purity  and  of  love,  to 
fellowship  with  the  prophets,  and  to  that  final  reward 
which  awaits  them  in  the  kingdom  of  God ;  while  the 
Pharisees,  with  their  spurious  sanctimoniousness,  are 
at  last  degraded  to  the  level  of  those  who  are  com- 
pared to  impure  beasts,  and  who  become  the  instru- 
ments of  judgment  upon  them. 

nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

'■'■Judge  not,  that  ye  he  not  judged.''^  For,  1.  with 
your  own  judgment  (according  to  your  own  judicial 
procedure)  shall  ye  be  judged ;  2.  with  your  meas- 
ure (of  punishment)  shall  it  be  measured  to  you ;  3. 
by  your  own  judgment  the  beam  will  be  found  in 
your  own  eye — the  greater  guilt  will  attach  to  you. — • 
By  anticipating  the  judgment  of  God  by  our  own 
judgment,  we  call  down  judgment  upon  ourselves. 
For,  1.  we  take  the  place  of  the  Judge  (anticipate 
Him) ;  2.  of  the  last  day  (anticipate  it) ;  3.  of  inex- 
orable justice  (anticipate  it). — A  tendency  to  judge 
others  is  legalism  in  its  full  development  as  hypoc- 
risy.— To  take  pleasure  in  judging,  is  to  take  no 
pleasure  in  saving.  Hence  it  is  opposed,  1.  to  the 
Gospel ;  2,  to  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  3.  to  the  mercy 


140 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


of  God ;  4.  to  our  calling  as  Christians. — Difference 
between  judgment  in  the  way  of  duty,  and  in  contra- 
vention of  duty  :  1.  The  former  is  done  in  the  prose- 
cution of  our  calling,  and  accompanied  by  pity ;  2. 
the  latter  is  done  contrary  to  our  calling  as  Chris- 
tians, and  accompanied  by  pleasure  in  condemning. — 
Wherein  thou  judgcst  another,  thou  condemnest  thy- 
self, Kom.  ii.  1. — Needless  judgment:  1.  Its  origin 
(self-righteousness  and  want  of  love,  self-exaltation 
and  pride,  self-satisfaction  and  hypocrisy) ;  2.  its 
various  forms  (spealdng  evil,  casting  suspicion,  de- 
tracting, putting  the  worst  construction  upon  matters, 
calumniating,  accusing  of  heresy) ;  3.  its  poisonous 
fruit  (injury  of  evangelical  truth,  injury  to  our  neigh- 
bor v;hom  we  judge,  injury  to  ourselves). — He  who 
judges  without  niercj',  converts  both  heaven  and 
earth  into  a  place  of  judgment.  To  look  upon  the 
world  with  the  eye  of  a  judge,  is  to  see  it  enveloped 
in  the  flames  of  judgment.  The  consequence  is,  that 
we  lose,  1.  our  faith;  2.  our  love;  3.  our  hope. — As 
we  measure  to  our  neighbor,  we  mete  out  to  our- 
selves.— As  we  measure  to  our  neighbor,  it  shall  be 
measured  to  us,  1.  by  God ;  2.  by  man. — When 
tempted  to  judge,  let  us  remember  that  everything 
around  may  rise  up  in  judgment  against  us. — The 
mote  and  the  beam.  The  judgment  about  the  mote, 
sinful,  1.  because  it  is  an  assumption  on  the  part  of 
one  who  himself  needs  to  be  cured ;  2.  because  it  is 
a  hypocritical  offer  of  aid,  on  the  part  of  one  who  is 
destitute  of  love ;  3.  because  it  is  a  lying  pretence 
of  ability  to  help,  on  the  part  of  one  who  himself  is 
helpless. — The  hypocrite  derives  his  own  spiritual 
greatness  from  detraction  of  his  bi'other.  1.  His  ag- 
grandisement springs  from  the  littleness  of  his  broth- 
er ;  2.  his  glory  from  tarnishing  him ;  3.  his  adorn- 
ing from  stripping  him ;  4.  his  vindication  from 
condemning  him. — If  our  justification  flow  from  look- 
ing to  Christ,  we  shall  be  owned  and  exalted  ;  but  if 
from  an  uncharitable  and  harsh  estimate  of  our  neigh- 
bor, we  shall  only  descend  lower  and  lower. — A  Phar- 
isee with  the  beam  in  his  eye  attempting  to  relieve  the 
eye  of  his  neighbor,  the  most  ridiculous,  were  it  not 
the  saddest  sight. — "  He  shall  have  judgment  with- 
out mercy  who  has  shown  no  mercy"  (James  ii.  13). 
— "  G^ive  not  thai  vjhich  is  holy  to  (he  dogs,  neither  cast 
ye  your  pearls  before  swine;"  or,  the  sin  of  prostitut- 
ing what  is  holy  in  faith  and  hfe  :  1.  How  it  is  done ; 
2.  how  it  brings  its  own  condemnation. — Harsh  judg- 
ment and  sinful  prostitution  of  what  is  holy  springing 
from  the  same  root :  1.  as  exemplified  by  the  spirit 
of  traditionalism ;  3.  from  history  (Pharisaism,  Medi- 
cBvahsm,  seventeenth  century) ;  4.  as  apparent  from 
the  temptations  of  our  inner  life. — The  end  of  false 
spirituality  in  profligacy. — The  Pharisees  at  last  the 
prey  of  dogs  and  swine. — The  goal  of  the  disciples  of 
Jesus,  and  that  of  zealots  for  tradition. 

Starke : — Judge  not  from  partiality,  James  ii.  1 ; 
nor  from  suspiciousness  or  want  of  love,  1  Cor.  xiii. 
7 ;  nor  from  self-love  or  censoriousness,  vers.  3,  4 ; 
nor  from  envy  and  maUce,  Job  xxxi.  29  ;  Prov.  xxiv. 
17  ;  Sir.  viii.  6. — That  ye  be  not  judged,  or  incur  Di- 
vine judgment,  Rom.  xiv.  10. — To  judge  is  the  pre- 
rogative of  God.     Hence,  to   assume  this  function 


without  special  authority,  were  to  deprive  God  of  His 
glory,  or  to  have  the  beam  in  our  ov.'n  eye. — The 
Lord  here  warns  young  converts  of  a  danger  to  which 
they  are  peculiarly  liable :  that  of  judging  others,  and 
forgetting  themselves.  Then  He  adverts  to  dangers 
to  which  His  disciples  generally  are  liable,  Luke  ix.  48. 
Such  passages  as  2  Tim.  iii.  6-10;  1  Tim.  v.  1,  13, 
19  ;  Gal.  vi.  1 ;  Rom.  xiv.  4,  refer  to  this  zeal  without 
knowledge. — God  has  reserved  to  Himself  :ilone  to 
judge  the  human  heart.  Learn  \o  knov/  ;hyself, 
Gal.  vi.  1  ;  Luke  xviii.  11. — The  best  remedy  against 
speaking  evil  of  others,  is  to  look  attentively  at  our 
own  heart  and  conduct  before  censuring  others. — He 
who  is  unspiritual,  being  under  the  power  of  great 
sins,  is  incapable  of  showing  to  others  their  trans- 
gressions, Rom.  ii.  19  ;  John  viii.  4-9. — He  who  only 
delights  in  self,  and  looks  down  upon  others,  is  blind- 
ed and  condemned. — Majus :  Rom.  xiv.  1  ;  Prov.  v. 
21,  22. — Difficilius  est,  prcesfare,  quarn  exigere,  meliiis 
exemplo  do^ere,  quarn  dictis.  Hilarius  in  h.  1.  Hab. 
iii.  15. — Let  our  reformation  commence  within,  Ps.  L 
19. — Dogs,  swine;  Prov.  ix.  8 ;  1  Cor.  x.  21  ;  Phil. 
iii.  2.  Sanctity  of  the  Lord's  table,  Rev.  xxii.  15  ;  2 
Pet.  ii.  20-22. 

Goss/ier : — Self-love  makes  blind  toward  ourselves, 
and  sharp-sighted  toward  the  actions  of  our  neigh- 
bor. 

Gerlach : — The  passage  refers  to  the  disposition 
to  judge,  and  the  assumption  of  superiority  over  our 
neighbor. 

Lisco  : — It  is  a  fundamental  principle  of  the  king- 
dom of  God,  that  no  indulgence  shall  be  shown  to 
those  who  have  shown  no  indulgence  to  others  (ch. 
xviii.  23),  but  that  strict  retribution  shall  be  awarded 
them. — Aspire  not  to  be  the  spiritual  adviser  of 
another,  if  thine  own  conscience  is  not  clear,  Luke 
vi.  41,  42. — But,  on  the  otlier  hand,  prudence  and  a 
proper  judgment  of  others  are  indispensable,  if  our 
spiritual  welfare  is  not  to  be  recklessly  exposed  to 
danger. — Beware  of  communicating  the  gracious  ex- 
periences of  your  heart  to  daring,  vicious,  or  hardened 
persons. — Brief  notes :  The  word  of  God  is  the 
sanctuary  by  which  aU  other  things  are  hallowed. 
The  dogs  are  those  v>'ho  persecute  the  word,  upon 
whom  we  may  not  force  what  is  holy ;  the  swine, 
those  who  despise  the  word,  having  surrendered  them- 
selves to  carnal  lusts. 

Heubner  : — Our  conduct  toward  others  wiU  be 
the  measure  by  which  God  will  judge  us. — Cast  out, 
or  pull  out ;  i.  e.,  do  not  spare  thyself,  however  pain- 
ful it  maybe;  after  that,  see  how  thou  canst  take  the 
mote,  etc.,  i.  e.,  deal  gently  and  cautiously  with  thy 
neighbor. — It  is  a  very  difficult  and  delicate  matter 
to  improve  others,  and  requires  great  carefulness. — 
You  do  not  cast  away  your  pearls  to  be  trodden  down 
by  beasts ;  neither  are  you  to  prostitute  to  unholy 
persons  that  which  is  holy, — the  glorious  truths  of 
Christianity,  the  sacraments,  and  your  spiritual  expe- 
riences.— this,  however,  does  not  imply  that  we  are 
not  to  seek  the  spiritual  good  even  of  such  im- 
holy  persons. — Christianity  must  remain  a  mystery 
from  the  profane  world — and  yet  be  publicly  pro- 
claimed. 


CHAP.  YII.  7-20.  141 


III. 

Directions  how  to  avoid  the  errors  and  sins  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes,  and  to  enter  upon  the  way  which 
leads  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Practical  order  of  grace. — Conclusion  of  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount. 

Chapter  VII.  7-29. 

{Vers.  15-23  the  Gospel  for  the  8ih  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 

7  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 

8  opened  unto  you :  For  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh  findeth ; 

9  and  to  him  that  linocketh  it  shall  be  opened^  [it  is  opened].  Or  what  man  is  there  of 
10  you,^  whom^  [of  whom]  if  his  son  ask  bread,  will  he  give  him  a  stone?  Or  if  he  ask 
11a  fish,  will  he  give  liim  a  serpent  ?     If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 

gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven 

12  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  him?  Therefore  all  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that 
men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them :  for  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets. 

13  Enter  ye  in  at  [through,  8ta]  the  strait  gate:  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is  the 
way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  [are  they]  which  [who]  go  in 

14  thereat:  Because  [for]  "^  strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which  leadeth  unto 
life,  and  few  there  be  [are  they]  that  find  it. 

15  Beware  of  false  prophets,  which  [who]  come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inward- 

16  ly  they  are  ravening  wolves.     Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits.     Do  men  gather 

17  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles?     Even  so  every  good  tree  bringeth  fortli  good 

18  fruit;  but  a  [the,  to]  corrupt  tree  bringeth  forth  evil  fruit.     A  good  tree  cannot  bring 

19  forth  evil  fruit,  neither  [nor]  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit.     Every  tree  that 

20  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire,  "Wherefore  by  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them. 

21  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 

22  heaven;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  [who]  is  in  lieaven.  Many 
will  say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name  ?  and  in 

23  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils  ?  and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works  ?  And 
then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you:  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work 
iniquity. 

24  Therefore  whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them,  I  will  liken 

25  him  unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  a  rock  ^:  And  the  rain  descended, 
and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house ;  and  it  fell  not : 

26  for  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock.^  And  every  one  that  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine, 
and  doeth  them  not,  shall  be  likened  unto  a  foolish  man,  which  [who]  built  his  house 

27  upon  the  sand^:  And  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew, 
and  beat  upon  that  house ;  and  it  fell :  and  great  was'the  fall  of  it. 

28  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jesus  had  ended  these  sayings,  the  people  were  aston- 

29  ished  at  his  doctrine :  For  he  taught  them  as  one  having  authority,  and  not  as  the 
[their]  '  scribes. 

1  Ver.  ^.—[It  shall  be  opened  according  to  the  textrec. :  ai>oiyri(TfTa^.  But  some  of  the  oldest  authorities,  among 
which  is  the  Vatican  Cod.  B.  (see  the  ed.  of  Angelo  Mai,  and  Buttmann),  also  Laclmiann,  Tregelles,  and  Conant,  read 
avoiyerai,  it  is  opened,  which  seems  to  correspond  better  to  the  preceding  receiveih,  and  findeth.  lit.  Conant's  remark 
is  not  without  force :  '■  The  beautiful  antithesis,  made  by  the  future  and  present  tenses  in  vers.  7  and  8,  is  marred  at  the 
close  by  the  return  to  the  future,  in  the  faulty  form  of  the  Received  Text,  and  in  the  Versions  that  follow  it.  In  ver.  7  the 
imperative  is  properly  followed  by  the  future  tense,  because  the  compliance  and  its  reward  are  both  in  the  future  time; 
but  in  ver.  8,  the  present  (he  that  asketh)  i3  properly  followed  by  the  same  {receiveth),  and  so  of  the  other  two  clauses. 
The  propriety  and  point  of  expression,  which  are  so  striking  a  characteristic  of  our  Lord's  manner  in  all  His  discourses, 
should  not  be  lost  or  marred  in  the  version  of  them."  Tiscbendorf,  Alford,  Wordsworth,  and  Lange  in  his  G.  version, 
adhere  to  the  Eeceived  Te.xt.  Meyer,  otherwise  so  accurate  in  all  that  pertains  to  verbal  exegesis,  and  Lange  take  no  no- 
tice of  this  difference.— P.  8.] 

2  Ver.  9.— [Tregelles  edits:  ^  Ti'y  e|  vijlSju  &v^pwnos,  omitting  iffTii/,  on  the  authority  of  Cod.  Vaticanus  as  com. 
pared  by  Birch.  But  both  Angelo  Mai  and  Buttmann  in  their  editions  of  the  Vatican  Codex  give  eariv.  The  discrepan- 
cy is  solved  by  the  fact  that  iariv  is  the  marginal  reading,  but  not  a  correctore,  as  Birch  supposed,  but  a  prima  manu, 
as  Vercellone  in  the  second  ed.  of  the  published  text,  and  Buttmann  explain.— P.  S.] 


142 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


3  Ver.  9.— 'Ot-  in  Codd.  B.  C,  etc.  The  Reccpta  adds  iiv,  if.  [Dr.  Conant:  ''Of  whom;  for  whom,  which  is  un- 
pramniatical.  .  .  .  The  construction  of  the  sentence  is  not,  indeed,  rhetorically  exact;  but  it  belonirs  to  that  graceful  neg- 
ligence of  art  and  rule,  which  is  the  peculiar  charm  of  the  colloquial  style,  and  is  no  less  so  in  English  than  in  Greek."— 

p:s.] 

<  Ver.  14.— "Oxi  [for].  This  could  easily  be  changed  into  ti  [how  strait],  -which  is  Bupi)orted  by  many  authoritieE 
and  .idoiited  by  Griesbach,  Lachmann,  Scholz. 

*  Ver.  24. — [It  would  be  better  here  and  in  vers.  25,  26  to  leave  out  the  art.  in  Engl,  and  to  translate  "upon  rock" 
and  "tijion  sarid,"  instead  of  "■aroch'"  (which  might  mean  some  particular  rock),  and  "<Ae  sand."  The  Greek  has  in 
both  cases  the  definite  art.  (ttjj'  -ntrpav  and  ttj  v  &fifJiou),  which  here  designates  classes  of  sub.stances.  Some  com- 
mentators refer  the  rock  to  Christ,  as  Cornel.  A  Lapide :  "  Mystice  petra  est  Chwstus ;  unde  Glossa  '  Ille  iediflcat  in  Christo 
qui  quod  audit  ab  illo  facit.'  "  So  also  Alford  and  Wordsworth.  In  this  case  we  ought  to  translate  "  upon  the  rock,"  and 
"upon  sand."— P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  29. — [The  word  oiie  is  inserted  by  the  E.  V.  and  rather  weakens  the  force  of  the  expression  ds  i^uvaiau  exoov, 
Lange  translates:  icie  im  Besitz  der  Macht—V.  S.] 

'  Ver.  29.— [The  critical  editions  read  ai/Tuiv,  and  Lange  translates  accordingly.  Some  add :  Ko.l  ol  (papiaalot. — 
P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CPJTICAL. 

Connection  with  the  context. — De  Wette  and  Mey- 
er deny  the  connection  with  the  preceding  section. — 
Heubner  correctly :  In  order  to  attain  the  Christian 
wisdom  formerly  mentioned,  it  is  absolutely  necessa- 
ry to  seek  it  by  prayer. 

To  our  mind,  the  transition  is  plain.  In  the  for- 
mer section,  the  awful  danger  of  the  judgment  to 
come  was  set  before  the  disciples.  "Weak,  helpless, 
and  conscious  of  their  inability  to  escape  this  judg- 
ment in  their  own  strength,  or  to  attain  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  encouraging  call 
meets  them,  "Ask.,  and  it  shall  be  given  you,'''  etc. 
Seek  a  refuge  in  the  New  Dispensation,  since  the  Old 
is  to  perish  amid  such  judgments.  But  the  general 
connection  is  even  more  definite.  In  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  properly  so  called,  the  Lord  had  described 
the  righteousness  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  while 
in  its  application,  or  in  the  practical  address  which 
followed  it,  He  had  exposed  the  false  righteousness 
of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes,  both  in  doctrine  and  in 
life.  In  the  passage  before  us,  He  now  teaches  them 
how  to  avoid  the  way  of  destruction,  and  to  enter 
upon  that  of  life.  Methodology  or  order  of  succession 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  1.  What  to  seek,  vers.  1- 
14;  2.  what  to  avoid,  vers.  13-23;  3.  the  evidence 
of  genuine  rehgion,  as  exhibited  in  the  parable  of 
the  judgment,  vers.  24-27. 

Ver.  Y.  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you. — The 
three  terms,  ask,  seek,  and  knock,  alTiln,  (riTilre, 
KpoveT€,  indicate  a  gradation.  Some  critics,  as  de 
Wette  and  Meyer,  hold  that  all  the  three  terms  refer 
to  prayer,  in  accordance  with  the  remark  of  Luther : 
"  By  this  the  Lord  exhorts  us  the  more  strenuously  to 
prayer."  Somewhat  differently,  Bengel  seems  to  refer 
the  terms  to  different  acts :  "  1.  Contra  i7idigentiam 
vestram  dona  petite  ;  2.  qucerite  qv.ce  amisistis  occtdta, 
recipienfes  vos  ex  en-ore  ;  3.  pulsate,  qui  /oris  estis,  ut 
iniromittamini."  [Ask  for  gifts  to  meet  your  needs ; 
seek  the  hidden  thmgs  which  you  have  lost,  and  re- 
turn from  your  error ;  knock  ye  who  are  without,  that 
ye  may  be  admitted  within.]  But  Bengel  evidently 
connects  the  idea  of  prayer  with  the  second  and  third 
degree  as  well  as  with  the  first ;  and  Luther  meant  to 
say  that  the  burden  and  the  object  of  our  prayers 
were  increasingly  to  assume  a  more  definite  shape. 
Tholuck :  "  In  practical  application,  the  term  aiTilre  is 
generally  referred  to  prayer,  Cv^flre  to  our  endeavors, 
and  KpoueTi  to  the  investigation  of  the  Scriptures." 
We  regard  the  passage  as  marking  a  clunax, — the 
word  {7jT6?T6,  like  11";33  in  Jer.  xxix.  13,  14,  indicat- 
ing earnest  desire;  and  Kpoimv  perseverance,  even 
though  an  answer  seemed  denied.     To  ask,  indicates 


the  loant  of  an  object,  which  can  only  be  obtained  by 
free  gift ;  to  seek,  that  it  has  been  lost ;  to  knock,  that 
it  has  been  shut  up — hence  this  prayer  which  is  both 
the  work  of  life  and  the  evidence  of  Hfe. 

Ver.  8.  For  every  one  that  asketh,  receiv- 
eth. — Such,  indeed,  is  the  invariable  rule.  Perse- 
verance in  prosecuting  that  to  which  we  may  fairly  lay 
claim,  is  generally  crowned  with  success  even  among 
men.  How  much  more,  then,  if  our  ol^ject  be  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  and  our  efforts  those  of  prayer ! 
(The  conditions  of  it  appear  from  the  context.)  This 
applies,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  subjective  bearing 
of  our  spiritual  efforts.  The  following  verses  show 
that  it  is  equally  true  objectively,  or  with  reference  to 
Him  from  whom  the  blessing  is  sought. 

Vers.  9  and  10.  Or  -what  man? — The  word  or 
does  not  mark  the  antithesis, — If  it  were  not  so, — 
but  refers  to  the  contrast  Ijetween  the  objective  and 
the  subjective  certitude  of  prayer. — The  sudden  turn 
in  the  address  is  exceedingly  striking :  "  Or  where  is 
there  a  man  of  you  whom  his  son  shall  ask  for  bread 
(and  who  shall — no  !), — he  will  surely  not  give  him 
a  stone  ?  "  The  meaning  is :  However  wicked  any 
of  you  may  be,  if  his  son  were  to  ask  him  for  bread, 
surely  he  would  not  give  him  a  stone,  etc.  Bread 
and  stone,  fish  and  serpent,  however  similar  in  out- 
ward appearance,  are  vastly  different  in  reference  to 
the  nourishment  they  afford.  Tliere  is  evidently  a 
gradation  in  the  expressions.  Ihe  most  hardened^" 
parent  would  not  meet  the  entreaty  of  his  child  by 
such  cruel  deception.  It  is  noticeable  that  the  text 
does  not  refer  to  the  possibility  of  not  being  heard, 
but  that  it  sets  before  us  the  alternative  of  a  genuine 
and  a  deceptive  answer.  This  indicates  that,  if  God 
were  not  to  hear  our  prayer,  our  state  would  not  simply 
continue  what  it  had  been  before,  but  that  the  heart 
would  become  a  stone,  and  meat  for  the  serpent. 

Ver.  11.  Being  evil. — Meyer:  Although,  com- 
pared with  God,  ye  are  morally  evil  {-Kpos  avnoiaaru- 
\))U  rrjs  a.yaQ6ri)ros  rov  Qeod,  Euthymius  Zigabe- 
nus).  But  this  "  comparison  with  God" "  must  not  be 
pressed.  We  had  rather  explain  it :  Before  God, 
measured  even  according  to  the  human  standard,  ye 
are  evil.  The  statement  undoubtedly  imphes  the  sin- 
fulness of  man,  both  in  its  universaUty  and  in  its  lim- 
itation by  traits  of  humanity  and  kindness."  * 

Know  ho-w  to  give  good  gifts — not,  soletis  dare 
(Maldonatus).  The  reference  here  is  not  to  the  abili- 
ty of  man,  in  opposition  to  his  actual  performance, 
but  to  the  powerful  and  ineradicable  instinct  of  pater- 
nal affection,  which,  in  a  certain  sense,  and  for  certain 

*[Not:  "m  its  in^eparalle  connection  with  human 
nature,"  as  the  Edinb.  trsl.  misunderstands  the  original : 
''Bedingtheit  durch  die  Zuge  der  Ilumaniidt,  der  Mensch- 
lichkeif'—P.  S.] 


CHAP.  Vn.  7-29. 


143 


purposes,  is  capable  of  overcoming  even  our  -rrovripia. 
If  the  paternal  feelings  of  man  are  indestructible,  how 
much  more  will  the  goodness  of  God  continue  for  ever ! 
— A  conclusion  a  minori  ad  majus.  Good  things  j 
in  Luke  xi.  13,  more  definitely,  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
object  is  here  left  more  indefinite,  as  opening  up  in 
measure  as  we  seek  it. 

Ver.  12.  Therefore  all  things  whatsoever 
ye  would. — Ewald  maintains  that  this  should  have 
been  inserted  in  ch.  v.  44,  before  the  word  ayaware. 
The  word  "  therefore  "  implies,  indeed,  a  reference  to 
the  preceding  context ;  which,  however,  v/e  find  in 
the  close  of  the  former  verse,  where  the  free  mercy 
of  God  was  set  before  the  disciples.  As  if  it  were  said : 
In  prayer  commit  yourself  with  perfect  confidence 
to  the  God  who  giveth  every  good  and  perfect  gift ; 
but  on  that  very  groimd  imitate  Him  in  your  conduct 
toward  your  neighbors.  God  answers  prayer,  for  it 
is  His  Spirit  who  teaches  us  to  pray.  Do  to  your 
neighbor  what  is  due  to  him  :  the  demand  which  he 
addresses  to  you  will  be  found  in  your  own  heart,  in 
the  shape  of  your  demand  upon  your  neighbor.  Pray 
with  unbounded  confidence,  and  with  the  same  meas- 
ure bestow  your  affection  upon  your  neighbor.  You 
will  descry  m  your  own  hearts  what  this  measure 
should  be.  From  this  the  connection  will  be  evident. 
The  sentence  is  the  ethical  counterpart  to  the  promise : 
"Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you,"  and  is  analogous 
to  the  addition :  "  as  we  forgive  our  debtors,"  in  the 
fifth  petition  of  the  Lord's  Prayer.  On  similar  sa}'- 
iugs  among  heathen  philosophers,  comp.  Tholuck. 
Wetstcin  quotes  the  following  from  the  Rabbins  : 
Quod  tibi  ipsi  odiosum  est^  pj-oximo  ne  facias,  nam 
hcBc  est  tota  lex.  There  the  rule  is  given  negatively, 
but  here  positively ;  and  hence  in  infinitely  richer  and 
deeper  bearing.  De  Wette  thinks  that  the  injunction 
to  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  implies  much  the 
same  thing,  viz.,  moral  equahty,  and  does  not  ex- 
press the  distinctive  excellency  of  Christian  morality, 
which  is  pure,  disinterested  love ;  for  it  refers  not  to 
the  matter  of  our  conduct,  and  we  may  possibly  ex- 
pect from  others  something  that  is  evil,  such  as  flat^ 
tery.  But  it  should  be  noticed  that  the  statement 
applies,  in  the  first  instance,  to  the  form  or  mode  of 
our  conduct.  It  is  not  said,  "Do  ye  even  that  to 
them,"  but,  "  Do  ye  even  so  to  them  (oStoij)."  We 
are  not  to  do  to  people  whatsoever  they  ask  from 
us,  but  we  are  to  act  toward  them  according  to  what 
we  would  expect  at  their  hands.  The  measure  of 
our  demands  is  also  to  be  the  measure  of  our  self- 
denial  and  devotion.  Thus  our  own  heart  will  tell 
us,  by  our  requests  upon  others,  what  is  the  request, 
and  what  the  claim,  of  our  neighbor.  In  other  words, 
our  every  demand  must  become  a  performance.  But 
this  implies  the  mortification  of  egotism ;  and  thus, 
what  in  the  first  place  referred  to  the  manner,  applies 
also  to  the  matter,  of  our  conduct.  Viewed  in  this 
light,  the  statement  contains  an  injunction  of  love  to 
our  neighbor,  accordmg  to  the  measure  of  our  love 
to  ourselves.  The  "  peculiarly  Christian  element "  in 
this  injunction,  is  the  novelty  of  the  measure  which 
we  are  to  apply  to  our  love  to  our  neighbor.  A^one 
of  us  would  ask  flattery  from  our  neighbor,  knowing 
it  to  be  such.  What  we  desire  from  our  neighbors 
is,  that  they  shall  be  ministers  of  good,  not  of  evil, 
angels,  not  devils,  to  us  :  hence  our  duty  toward  them 
corresponds  with  this  our  demand. — For  this  is  the 
law  and  the  prophets. — Matt.  xxii.  39 ;  Rom.  xiii.  9. 
Vers.  13  and  14.  Enter  ye  in  through  the 
strait  gate. — First  the  gate,  and  tlicn  the  way  (Mey- 
er, Bengel) ;  and  not  the  reverse,  as  ascetic  misun- 


derstanding would  have  it, — first  the  way,  and  then 
the  gate  (Calovius :  the  way, — the  life  on  earth ;  the 
gate, — exitus  vitm).  Similarly  de  Wette  and  Tho- 
luck. Perhaps  the  mistake  has  arisen  from  mixing 
up  this  with  another  figurative  expression :  "  It  is 
easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  nee- 
dle," etc..  Matt.  xix.  24.  Nor  can  the  expression 
ela-fpx^o'dai  5ia,in  ver.  1 3,  determine  our  inter- 
pretation, since  the  same  words  are  afterward  ap- 
plied to  the  broad  way  (eiVfpxoVfu'  8i'  aln-qs).  The 
figure  becomes  even  more  striking,  if  we  recall  to 
mind  the  former  advice,  to  knock:  We  see,  as  it 
were,  two  cities  before  us.  The  pilgrim  mu.st  quit 
the  one,  which  is  the  old  world,  over  which  judgment 
is  to  burst  (Bunyan's  Pilgrimage),  and  enter  into  the 
other,  which  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  where  alone 
the  soul  can  find  a  refuge.  Again,  viewmg  the  pas- 
sage in  the  light  of  the  judgment,  which,  according 
to  our  Lord's  prediction,  was  to  overtake  Pharisa- 
ism, we  may  consider  ancient  Jerusalem  as  the  city 
which  must  be  forsaken.  But  there  are  two  gates 
by  wliich  it  may  be  left.  One  of  these  is  strait,* 
being  the  righteousness  of  Christ ;  the  road  is  nar- 
row— the  seven  beatitudes ;  and  few  are  they  that 
enter  in  thereat  to  eternal  life.  But  there  is  also  a 
wide  gate — the  legalism  of  the  Pharisees,  and  a  broad 
way — that  of  external  Judaism ;  and  many  there  are 
which  hurry  along  this  road  to  that  awful  historical 
destruction, — the  great  aTrciJAeia  of  the  Jewish  nation. 
All  this  is  but  the  outward  manifestation  of  the  eter- 
nal contrast  between  the  children  of  light  and  the 
children  of  darkness.  In  this  sense,  the  gate  serves 
as  the  figure  of  their  choice ;  and  the  way,  as  that  of 
their  walk  and  conduct.  By  the  strait  gate  we  un- 
derstand humility,  repentance,  and  renunciation  of 
the  world,  through  poverty  in  spirit.  The  wide  gate 
is  the  self-righteousness  of  the  Pharisees,  or  the  spu- 
rious riches  of  a  piety  which  is  combined  with  the 
service  of  mammon.  Similarly,  the  narrow  way  is 
the  prosecution  of  those  spiritual  attainments  de- 
scribed in  the  seven  beatitudes ;  while  tlie  broad  way 
indicates  that  corruption  in  doctrine  and  life,  which, 
passing  from  one  extreme  to  the  other,  renders  the 
way  so  wide  and  ill-defined.  The  contrast  between 
the  goal  of  these  two  ways  is  exceedingly  significant. 
In  the  one  case,  it  is  life ;  in  the  other,  destruction, 
— first,  as  matter  of  inwai-d  experience,  tlien  of  out- 
ward f;ict,  and,  lastly,  of  eternal  destiny  (rest  and  un- 
rest, deliverance  and  destruction,  salvation  and  con- 
demnation). The  figurative  language  of  this  passage 
is  closely  connected  with  what  precedes  about  the 
relation  of  Christians  to  their  fellow-men.  It  is  your 
duty  to  devote  yourselves  to  others, — not  according 
to  the  measure  which  they  demand  at  your  hand, 
but  according  as  you  would  have  them  do  to  you. 
You  are  not  to  follow  the  multitude  on  the  broad 
way,  but  to  seek  with  the  few,  the  elect,  the  strait 
gate,  in  order  to  knock  at  the  door  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  Such  is  the  transition  from  the  injunc- 
tion of  what  we  are  to  seek,  to  that  of  what  we  are 
to  avoid. 

Ver.  15.  Beware  of  false  prophets. — If  it  ia 
our  duty  to  beware  of  the  dangerous  example  given 
us  by  the  great  crowd  of  those  who  go  astray,  we 
must  be  even  more  careful  against  the  small  but 
sti-ong  influence  of  false  prophets,  derived  from  the 
powers  of  darkness.  Meyer :  "The  i^ei/SorrpncjbrjTai  are 
not  Pharisees,  nor  impostors  such  as  JuJas  of  Gali- 

*  [Chrysostoni :  ffrev^  tj  TriKrj,  ovx  V  TrcJAir,  strait  is 
the  jrato,  but  not  the  heavenly  city  to  which  it  lends.— P.  S.] 


144 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


lee  (Acts  v.  S7 ;  Joseph.  Dc  Bell.  Jud.  ii.  13,  4)^  but 
false  Christian  teachers  (Matt.  xxiv.  11,  24),  as  ap- 
pears from  vers.  21-23.  Comp.  Chrysostom,  Calvin, 
Grotius."  But  the  admonition  "  to  beware"  is  evi- 
dently connected  with  the  last  clause  of  the  former 
verse,  "few  are  they  that  find  it ;  "  showing  that  these 
false  prophets  must  somehow  stand  related  to  the 
Pharisees. — The  great  danger  which  ye  shall  have  to 
encounter  upon  the  new  or  narrow  way,  will  arise  from 
the  infiuence  of  false  prophets.  The  Lord  foresaw 
that  Pharisaism  would  in  part  merge  with  Clnis- 
tianity,  when  its  representatives  would  become  "  false 
prophets,"  or  heresiarchs.  It  was  easy  to  infer, 
that  along  with  such  Jewish  forms  of  error,  the  cor- 
ruptions of  heathen  philosophy  and  mythology  would 
find  their  way  into  the  Church.  The  main  idea  of 
the  simile  is  the  disguise  of  an  old  and  evil  kind  un- 
der a  new  garb  of  piety.  They  come  to  you  {already) 
in  sheep's  clothing.  DeWette:  "  Not  literally  in 
sheep's  skins,  which  the  old  projihets  wore  (Grotius, 
Kuinoel),  but  in  clothing  such  as  sheep  wear,  i.  e., 
gentle  and  meek  in  their  outward  appearance."  Ben- 
gel  :  Vcstibus  ut  si  cssent  oves.  The  expression  re- 
fers, however,  not  merely  to  their  gentle  and  mild 
exterior,  but  also  to  their  profession  of  Christianity 
— the  garb  of  the  lamb ;  while  the  term,  "  inwardly 
ravening  wolvea"  (Acts  xx.  29),  indicates  not 
only  their  malice  generally,  but  the  old  enmity  and 
opposition  to  Christianity,  Matt.  x.  16. 

Yer.  16.  By  their  fruits. — This  is  the  decisive 
evidence.  Jerome,  Calvin,  Calovius,  and  others,  re- 
fer the  expression  '■'■fruits  "  to  the  false  doctrine  of 
these  prophets ;  Tholuck,  Meyer,  and  others,  to  their 
works*  But  the  passage  alludes  not  to  the  works  of 
ordinary  professors,  but  to  those  of  false  prophets. 
These,  as  Spener  remarks,  are  schools,  institutions, 
doctrinal  principles,  etc. ;  which,  of  course,  are 
closely  connected  with  their  moral  characters  and 
conduct  (comp.  1  John  iv.  1 ).  The  character  of  the 
Ebionite  and  Gnostic  heresies  certainly  appeared  in 
the  works  of  their  professors,  in  the  harsh  fanaticism 
of  the  one,  and  the  antinomiunism  of  the  other,  while 
both  exhibited  the  sectarianism,  proselytism,  and 
hyjiocrisy  common  to  all  heresies. 

Vers.  lG-19.  Illustration  of  this  principle  from 
nature.  At  first  sight,  we  might  have  expected  that 
the  idea  should  be  presented  in  the  opposite  form. 
Shall  we  looJc  for  thorns  upon  the  vinc^  etc.  ?  But 
the  Lord  first  shows  what  we  should  seek,  viz.,  good 
fruit,  such  as  yrapes  and  figs.  Compared  with  such 
fruit,  the  false  prophets  are  thorns  and  thistles. 
"  "AKavdai,  or  aicavQa,  is  the  general  name  for  all 
kinds  of  thorns,  of  which  the  most  common  bears 
small  black  berries  not  unlike  grapes,  while  the 
flower  of  the  rpi^oXoi  may  be  compared  with  the 
fig."  The  false  prophets  resemble  sharp  thorns, 
from  their  fanatical  and  harsh  traditionalism ;  and 
thistles,  from  their  proselytizing  spirit,  which  takes 
hold  of  and  clings  to  every  part  of  your  person  and 
dress.     Then  follows  the  general  law  of  nature :  As 

*[Alfokd:  "The  Kapiroi  are  both  their  corrupt  doc- 
trines ami  their  vicious  practices,  as  contrasted  with  the 
outward  shows  of  almsgiving,  prayer,  and  fasting,  their 
sheep's  elothing  to  deceive."  Wordswokth:  "From  the 
fruits  of  their  teaching ;  not  from  their  acts  alone,  because 
acts  seemingly  virtuous  are  often  nothing  more  than  the 
sheep's  clothing  in  which  the  wolf  wraps  himself  in  order 
that  he  may  deceive  and  devour  the  sheep."  Whedon  : 
'■'■Their fruits— i\\Q\x  own  actions  and  the  moral  tendency 
of  their  doctrines."  D.  Brown:  "Not  their  doctrines.  .  . 
for  that  corresponds  to  the  tree  itself;  but  the  practical  ef- 
fect of  their  teaching,  which  is  the  proper  fruit  of  the  tree." 
-P.  S.] 


is  the  tree,  such  is  its  fi-uit ;  as  the  state  of  mind,  so 
the  outward  manifestation.  Nor  can  it  be  other- 
wise. What  applies  to  thorns  and  thistles,  holds 
C(iually  true  of  every  kind  of  tree. — By  the  good 
tree  is  evidently  meant  the  fruit-tree.  It  is  not  so 
easy  to  determine  what  is  meant  by  the  h4v^pov 
(ra-n-puv.  SaTrpo's  signifies,  in  the  first  place,  rotten ; 
but  Meyer  is  wrong  in  applying  the  expression  to  de- 
cayed trees,  which  yielded  only  unwholesome  fruit. 
Sa/TpJv  means  also  what  is  had  ot  iinuseahle ;  Matt, 
xiii.  48,  applied  to  fish  (de  Wette).  Even  old  wine, 
if  acrid,  may  be  designated  as  aa-Kpos.  Hence  the 
idea  here  impUed,  seems  to  be  that  of  the  old  and  wild 
growth  of  nature,  in  opposition  to  the  new  and  pre- 
cious fruit  (comp.  Gen.  ii.  and  Col.  ii.  8.  Philosophy 
icaTo.  TO.  (noix^la  rod  Koffiuov). — The  judgment  de 
nounced  against  false  prophets  in  ver.  19,  is  intended 
to  give  emphasis  to  the  admonition  repeated  in  ver. 
20,  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  knoiv  them.'''' 

Ver.  21.  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  Me, 
Lord,  Lord. — De  Wette:  "A  warning  against 
merely  external  worship  of  the  Saviour,  or  merely 
external  communion  with  Hiin,  ver.  21.  Chrysos- 
tom, Jerome,  Augustine,  Maldonatiis,  and  after  them 
Tholuck,  erroneously  refer  this  to  the  false  prophets, 
as  if  it  were  a  further  explanation  of  the  judgment 
denounced  upon  them  in  ver.  19.  Meyer  regards  it 
as  an  application  of  the  preceding  verses  to  Christian 
teachers.  But  these  are  only  spoken  of  in  ver.  22. 
In  another  point  also  we  dissent  from  this  critic.  He 
considers  this  verse  as  expressing  in  plain  and  literal 
terms  what  had  been  figuratively  conveyed  in  ver. 
16.  The  real  connection  between  this  and  the  pre- 
ceding verses  is  as  follows:  In  vers.  15-20,  the  Loi'd 
had  spoken  of  those  who  taught  destructive  doctrines 
(mark  the  images  of  wolves,  thorns,  and  thistles); 
while  here  He  refers  to  all  (whether  teachers  or 
taught)  who  rest  satisfied  with  a  mere  profession, 
without  reality." — Hot  every  one,  etc.  The  truly 
pious,  therefore,  are  among  the  professors. 

Ver.  22.  Many  will  say  to  Me. — This  marlcs 
another  stage,  being  addressed  to  those  who  have 
done  certain  things  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  but  with- 
out His  Spirit.  De  Wette  rightly  observes,  that  it 
does  not  apply  to  those  wlio  spread  dangerous  doc- 
trines. Meyer  holds  that  the  term  prophesied  points 
back  to  the  false  prophets  of  ver.  16.  Against  this, 
see,  however,  1  Cor.  xiii.  2.  In  general,  the  passage 
is  intended  further  to  develop  the  idea  formerly  ex- 


In  that  day. — ^As  in  ch.  xi.  24,  and  in  Luke  x. 
12,  iv  viJ-^pO'  Kpiaews. 

Tec  (Tw  6v6 uar  I,  by  Thy  name,  or  iJirom/h 
Thy  name,  not  in  Thy  name  (Mark  ix.  38), — i.  e.,  by 
means  of  Thy  name. 

Prophesied,  irpoecp-nTe  if  ixa/j-ey.  —  Grotius 
and  Fritzsche  understand  it  as  j^'t'ophcsying  ;  Meyer, 
as  referring  to  the  prophetic  office  of  the  early  teach- 
ers, 1  Cor.  xii.  10.  But  this  included  prophesying  in 
the  stricter  sense. 

We  have  cast  out  devils,  etc.,  Zai\x6via 
i^i0d\oij.ep,  etc. — On  the  difference  between 
this  and  Swdixeis  TroAAas,  K.  T.  A.,  comp.  1 
Cor.  xii.  The  latter  passage  apphes  more  especially 
to  miracles  of  healing  {xapia-fj-ara  la/j.drui'),  while 
the  casting  out  of  devils  has  its  analogon  in  the 
ivfpyvixara  Supdiufwf.  The  last  clause  of  the  verse, 
however,  must  be  taken  rather  in  a  general  sense 
tlian  as  applying  to  any  particular  manifestation. 
It  appUes  to  religious  enthusiasm  generally,  whether 
operating  on  the  intellect,  the  will,  or  the  sympathies, 


CHAP.  VII.  7-29. 


145 


but  of  a  theurgic  character  (t&J  o-aJ,  not  eV  rdJ  (t^), 
for  purposes  of  self-exaltation,  and  in  the  spirit  of 
boastfidncss,  which  Luther  points  out  by  repeating, 
in  his  version;  the  expression,  "  have  we  not,"  three 
times.  But,  despite  their  works,  the  true  founda- 
tion is  awantiug,- — Christian  love  having  never 
been  called  into  exercise:  1  Cor.  xiii. ;  John  xiii. 
34,  35. 

Ver.  23.  And  then  •will  I  profess  unto  them. 
— The  expression  may  mean,  explain;  altiiough  it 
alludes,  no  doubt,  to  their  profession,  as  if  the  Judge 
Himself  were  grieved  in  having  to  explain  it  to  those 
self-dchided  persons.  At  any  rate,  it  indicates  that 
the  hollowness  of  many  a  fair  appearance  will  only 
be  exposetl  on  that  day. 

I  never  knew  you. — If  the  fruit  of  love  docs 
not  appear,  the  inmost  individuality  of  man,  that 
which  constitutes  his  personal  character,  is  not 
brought  out.  For  practical  purposes  we  may  explain 
it:  I  never  knew  you  as  My  people. 

Depart  froni  Me— Ps.  vi.  9;  Matt.  xxv.  41 — 
ye  that  work  iniquity. — Not  merely  on  account 
of  what  is  awanting  in  them,  but  as  having  deceived 
themselves  and  others,  and  unwarrantably  used  the 
name  of  the  Lord  for  the  purpose  of  advancing  their 
own  honor. 

Vers.  24-27.  Therefore,  whosoever  heareth. 
— This  is  an  inference  from  the  preceding  warning, 
presenting  the  most  terrible  form  of  judgment — that 
which  is  to  overtake  those  who  feign  greatness  of 
faith,  or  high  sjiiritual  advancement.  At  the  same 
time,  it  forms  also  a  most  solemn  and  striking  con- 
clusion to  the  whole  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 

' O i.ioiw(TO} . — The  meaning  of  the  active  mood 
is  explained  by  the  passive  reading  oixoiwevrreTai, 
which  is  supported  by  many  authoiities.  The  latter 
evidently  signifies,  "  he  shall  be  esteemed,  or  treated 
like."  Accordingly,  the  active  mood  here  must  be 
rendered :  I  shall  esteem,  or  treat,  him  in  the  judg- 
ment (Tholuck  and  Meyer).  The  circumstance,  that 
the  verb  in  the  active  mood  generally  signifies,  io 
liken  (xi.  16  ;  Luke  xiii.  18-21),  would  appear  to 
favor  the  passive  reading. 

Upon  a  [the]  rock. — Theophylact,  Jerome,  01s- 
hausen  [Alford,  Wordsworth],  refer  this  to  Christ ; 
others  take  it  in  a  more  general  sense.*  But  the 
bearing  of  the  whole  passage  impUes  that  Christ  is 
the  spiritual  Rock  upon  which  to  build  the  house. 
Here  it  is  true  more  implicite  than  explicite. 

The  sand. — According  to  Olshausen,  human 
opinions  ;  but  more  properly,  according  to  the  con- 
nection, all  that  which  is  transitory — the  teaching 
and  works  of  man. 

The  winds. — Bengel :  temptations ;  Meyer :  the 
dolorcs  Mcssice.  We  take  it  more  generally,  as  the 
trials  intervening  between  this  and  the  judgment. 

It  fell  not. — Implying  not  merely  life,  but  tri- 
umph ;  just  as  the  falling  involves  not  merely  airw- 
Afta,  but  the  shame  of  being  rejected. f 

Vers.  28  and  29.   Conclusion  of  the  narrative. — 

*  [D.  Brown:  "the  rock  of  true  discipleship,  or  genuine 
subjection  to  Clirist." — ] 

t  [D.  Brown  :  "How  iively  must  this  iinasery  have  been 
to  iin  audience  accustomed  to  the  fierceness  of"an  Eastern 
tempest,  and  the  suddenness  and  completeness  with  which 
it  sweeps  everythins  unsteady  before  it!"  Chrysostom: 
"The  rain  descended,  etc.  A  prophecy  verified  in  the  pri- 
mitive churcii,  bearing  all  the  brunt  of  the  waves  and  storms 
of  the  world,  of  people,  of  tyrants,  of  friends,  of  strangers,  of 
the  devil  himself  persecuting  her,  and  venting  all  the  hurri- 
cane of  his  rage  upon  her.  She  stood  firm,  because  she  was 
built  upon  a  rock.  iSo  far  from  being  injured,  she  was  made 
more  glorious  by  the  assault." — P.  S.j 

10 


^Hv  SiSoo-zcan/ . — The  verb  tlvai  is  added  to  the 
participle  by  way  of  increasing  its  force.  It  frequent- 
ly denotes  duration,  continuance:  He  was  teach- 
ing. 

As  having  authority,  viz.,  to  teach  ;  referring 
not  merely  to  human  authority,  nor  to  capacity 
(Fritzsche :  docendi  copia),  nor  even  to  Divine  mis- 
sion, but  to  the  full  power  of  the  word  which  is  at 
the  same  time  the  full  authority  of  the  word. 

Ol  y pafxtLUT  i7<i . — Some  codd.  add.  avrwv. 
Another  reading,  still  less  approved,  adds,  oi  <t>apt- 
craioi.  Not  that  the  scribes  appeared,  in  comparison 
with  Jesus,  "  as  having  arrogated  to  themselves  the 
office  of  teacher"  (de  Wette);  but  as  wanting  the 
seal  of  the  Si)irit,  and  hence  of  their  Divine  mission 
and  authoritv. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  Messianic  character  and  claims  of  Christ  ap- 
pear repeatedly  throughout  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 
Not  that  He  overstepped  the  landmarks  of  His  his- 
torical progress  by  asserting  His  dignity  in  so  many 
words,  but  that  the  authority  of  His  teaching  and 
person  must  have  been  felt  by  all.  Even  the  beati- 
tudes would  show  that  He  who  uttered  them  was  a 
Divine  personage.  In  eh.  v.  11,  Christ  calls  them 
blessed  who  are  persecuted  for  His  name — an  expres- 
sion which  is  explained  in  ver.  10  as  equivalent  to 
suffering  for  righteousness'  sake.  His  Divine  author- 
ity further  appears  when  He  designates  His  disciples 
the  salt  of  the  earth  and  the  light  of  the  world,  and 
stiU  more  in  the  declaration  that  He  came  to  fulfil 
the  law  (v.  17).  In  the  course  of  His  sermon.  He 
claims  the  riglit  both  of  interpreting  the  law,  and  of 
enjoining  its  obhgations  upon  His  disciples :  "  But  / 
say  unto  you."  His  Divine  authority  appears  still 
further  in  the  denunciation  of  the  rejiresentatives  of 
a  spurious  and  carnal  worship.  All  His  admonitions 
imply  the  existence  of  a  contrast  between  men, 
whose  nature  is  evil,  and  Himself,  who  is  the  Holy 
One.  Finally,  His  Messianic  dignity  and  office  are 
clearly  brought  out  in  the  concluding  part,  vers.  21- 
23.  The  people,  also,  gradually  seem  to  have  been 
more  fully  impressed  with  the  fact  that  He  was  sent 
from  on  high,  and  that  all  power  and  authority  were 
committed  to  Him  ;  although,  as  yet,  the  feeling  may 
to  a  considerable  extent  have  been  vague  and  ill  de- 
fined. 

2.  Christ  conveys  a  twofold  assurance  of  the  safe- 
ty of  the  way  on  which  He  would  have  us  enter.  He 
not  only  gives  His  own  full  and  personal  guarantee, 
but  He  illustrates  and  enforces  what  He  recommends 
by  grounds  derived  from  fife,  from  nature,  and  from 
experience.  Among  them.  He  adduces,  1.  the  suc- 
cess of  earnest  human  endeavors  (ver.  8) ;  2.  the 
affectionate  care  of  earthly  parents,  althougii  them- 
selves evil  (ver.  9;  comp.  also  Isa.  xlix.  15;  Eph. 
iii.  14);  3.  the  moral  duty  implied  in  the  ordinary 
demands  which  we  make  upon  our  neighbors  (ver. 
12);  4.  the  contrast  between  the  highway  along 
which  the  multitude  travels,  and  the  narrow  path  on 
which  the  elect  walk  (ver.  13);  5.  the  natural  law, 
according  to  which  the  fruits  correspond  to  the  tree, 
and  the  contrast  between  good  and  bad  trees  (ver. 
16);  6.  the  right  and  proper  disposition  of  things: 
the  evil  tree  is  cast  into  the  fire  (ver.  19);  7.  the 
teaching  of  experience,  as  illustrated  by  the  house 
reared  upon  the  rock,  and  that  erected  upon  a  foun- 
dation of  sand  (ver.  24). 


140 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


3.  The  following  are  the  leading  characteristics 
of  tlie  way  of  galvation :  I.  In  reference  to  what  we 
are  to  seek, — (n)  Religious  aspirations  :  asking,  seek- 
ing, knocking  (the  evidence  of  true  asking  is,  that  it  is 
followed  by  seeking,  just  as  knocking  is  the  evidence 
of  seeking.  The  expression,  to  seek,  alludes  to  the 
hidden  path  between  the  roeks ;  hence  it  is  said,  "  Few 
there  l)e  tliat  find  it").  (/;)  Moral  aspirations  spring- 
ing from  inward  sincerity  and  earnestness,  (c)  Ac- 
tual decision :  we  are  to  leave  the  city  of  destruction, 
and  to  enter  that  of  salvation.  This  forms  a  transi- 
tion, II.  to  what  we  are  to  avoid:  (1)  With  reference 
to  that  which  is  witliout.  (a)  We  are  not  to  be  car- 
ried away  by  the  multitude, — to  avoid  that  which  is 
easy,  mere  passiveness.  (6)  We  are  not  to  be  led 
astray  by  false  prophets.  Search  and  try  beyond  the 
outward  appearance  (not  as  it  may  appear  at  the 
time,  but  wait  for  the  autumn  and  tlie  fruits).  (2) 
With  reference  to  that  which  is  within.  («)  We  are 
to  beware  of  a  dead  profession  and  merely  nominal 
Christianity,  which  will  prove  equally  discordant  with 
(rod,  with  His  vrill,  and  with  Christian  duty  to  our 
neighbor.  (6)  Above  all,  we  are  to  beware  of  eon- 
founding  enthusiasm  or  excitement  with  spiritual  life, 
love  to  the  Saviour,  and  fellowship  with  Him.  III. 
7'he  true  test.  The  prospect  into  the  future,  which 
at  the  same  time  implies  an  examination  into  the 
foundation  of  our  present  state :  (a)  Anticipation  of 
tlie  storm  which  is  to  burst;  (b)  of  the  sunshine 
which  is  to  follow,  and  to  shed  its  light  either  upon  a 
ruin,  or  on  a  fabric  that  has  stood  the  tempest ;  (c) 
anticipation  of  the  revelation  of  Christ  as  Judge,  by 
receiving  Him  into  our  inmost  hearts  as  the  founda- 
tion of  our  faith  and  life. 

•i.  Heresy ;  dead  orthodoxy,  or  adherence  to  the 
letter ;  and  religious  fanaticism  without  spiritual  ex- 
perience :  what  an  awful  chmax  ! 

5.  True  prudence  consists  in  spiritual  wisdom. 
In  building  our  house,  we  must  look  forward  to  the 
ultimate  cata.Urophe  and  to  eternity.  What  appUes 
to  the  individual,  is  equally  true  of  the  community. 
The  simile  here  used  has  received  its  grand  fulfilment 
in  the  contrast  presented  between  the  unbelieving 
and  the  believing  portion  of  the  synagogue  at  the 
time  of  the  destruction  of  .Jerusalem.  (Comp.  Rom. 
ix.-xi.     Leben  Jesu  ii.  2,  635  ;  iii.  88.) 

6.  Special  remarks. — (1)  As  to  prayer.  The 
words  of  the  Lord  imply  that  every  prayer  will  cer- 
tainly be  heard  and  answered.  Of  course,  this  re- 
mark only  holds  true  of  genuine  prayer, — which  pre- 
supposes, (a)  a  right  motive  (from  God) ;  (b)  a  right 
spirit  (self-surrender);  (c)  a  corresponding  expres- 
sion (fiUalness) ;  (d)  a  right  object  (our  salvation  in 
the  glory  of  God,  or  the  glory  of  God  in  our  salva- 
tion). Ileubner:  We  cannot  be  absolutely  certain 
that  our  prayers  shall  be  heard,  unless  they  concern 
the  kingdom  of  God  or  our  own  salvation.  For  tem- 
jioral  blessings  we  can  only  pray  conditionally  (which 
will,  at  any  rate,  be  the  case  in  every  genuine  pray- 
er) ;  nor  is  the  promise  of  an  answer  absolute  in  such 
circumstances.  Still,  we  are  both  permitted  and  en- 
couraged to  make  known  all  our  requests ;  and  the 
more  necessary  the  object  is  which  we  seek,  the  more 
confidently  may  we  hope  for  an  answer. — The  Lord 
bestows  temporal  gifts  even  without  our  supplication  ; 
but  spiritual  lilessings  are  granted  only  in  answer  to 
prayer.  (Comp.  the  passage  in  the  Apolog.  of  Ter- 
tu^Uan  about  prayer,  as  the  only  kind  of  violence  al- 
lowed to  Christians, — "  Hccc  v,;:  Deo  grata  est.") — 
"  It  is  remarkable  that,  despite  man's  sinfulness,  such 
love  for  their  offspring  remains  in  the  heart  of  fath- 


ers and  mothers.  A  glorious  symbol  this  of  the  in- 
I  finite  love  of  our  heavenly  Father." — (2)  Jiule  for  our 
I  conduct  toward  our  neighbor — negatively :  Do  not 
j  unto  others  what  you  would  not  have  them  do  unto 
yourself.  (Tobith  iv.  16.  The  sentence  of  Salvianus 
to  this  passage,  see  in  Ileubner's  Com.,  p.  101.)  With 
this,  Kant's  celebrated  moral  principle  may  be  com- 
pared :  Act  in  such  a  manner  that  your  conduct  may 
be  capable  of  being  elevated  into  a  maxim  applicable 
to  all,  or  a  universal  principle.  The  rule  here  laid 
down  by  the  Lord  finds  an  echo  in  every  breast.  But 
it  deserves  notice,  that  while  others  may  have  ex- 
pressed it  in  an  imperfect  and  negative  manner,  the  Sa- 
viour alone  disclosed  it  in  all  its  richness  and  fulness. 
— (3)  Tlie  narrow  way  and  the  strait  gate,  the  broad 
way  and  the  wide  gaie.  We  must  not  overlook  the 
historical  application  of  this  simile ;  nor  yet  its  gen- 
eral import,  as  relating  to  penitence  and  impenitence, 
to  faith  and  unbelief,  to  sanctification  and  destruc- 
tion. Heubner :  "  Oh !  how  many  go  on  the  broad 
way  !  Thus  the  majority  of  men  hasten  to  ruin,  and 
will  ultimately  be  condemned."  But  Heubner  here 
combines  tv/o  very  different  statements,  which  are 
not  necessarily  connected.  Does  not  grace  rescue 
many  a  soul  from  the  path  of  destruction  even  at  the 
last  hour  ?  But,  apart  from  this,  it  is  well  to  call  at- 
tention to  the  awful  prospect  set  before  man  in  this 
passage.  See  the  sentences  of  Augustine,  Luther, 
and  others,  on  the  passage,  quoted  Ijy  Heubner,  p. 
102. — Beware,  etc.,  ver.  15. — The  three  kinds  of  false 
spirits  among  Christians  are  here  described  with  mar- 
vellous accuracy  and  delicacy  of  touch;  (1)  False 
prophets,  manifestly  referring  to  heretics ;  (2)  false 
professors ;  (3)  spurious  enthusiasts.  On  the  diflPer- 
ent  explanations  oi fruits,  see  Heubner,  p.  106. 

"  As  the  thorns  and  thistles  must  have  shown,  at 
first  sight,  that  the  tree  on  which  thej'  grew  was  cor- 
rupt, it  is  evidently  a  mistake  to  refer  that  simile  to 
trees  which  never  bare  fruit,  or  to  such  as  are  hali' 
decayed,  but  whicli,  as  is  well  known,  ofttimes  yield 
some  excellent  fruit.  Undoubtedly,  it  must  apply 
to  degenerate  trees.  Accordingly,  the  expression  is 
significant,  and  indicates  that  our  Lord  acknowledg- 
ed a  gradual  depravation  of  nature  corresponding  to 
the  progress  of  moral  evil  in  the  world,  of  which  the 
thorns  and  thistles  are  the  symbol."  (Gen.  iii. ;  Le- 
ben Jesu,  ii.  2,  645.) 

In  the  concluding  simile,  the  contrast  between  a  life 
of  true  faith  and  mere  profession  is  set  before  us,  just 
as  the  figure  of  the  twofold  building  represents,  on  the 
one  hand,  the  Church  as  the  great  structure  reared 
by  Christ,  and,  on  the  other,  the  building  raised  by 
the  hierarchy. 

IIOMILETICAL   AND   PRACTICAL. 

Directions  of  the  Lord  how  to  seek  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. — Essential  outlines  of  the  way  to  heaven: 
1.  Turning  to  God  (to  ask,  to  srek,  to  knock).  2. 
Turning  away  from  the  world, — {a)  to  give  in  love, 
instead  of  taking  in  selfishness  ;  [b)  to  deny  ourselves ; 
(c)  not  to  follow  the  multitude.  We  must  beware  of 
following  the  example  of  the  multitude,  the  teaching 
of  false  prophets,  the  delusions  of  dead  professors, 
!  and  the  deceitfulness  of  apparent  achievements.  3. 
Rearing  our  heavenly  house  upon  the  Divine  Rock. 

Ask. — The  unconditional  promise  of  answer  in 
every  real  want,  or  infinite  and  prevening  love  :  1. 
Expressed  in  the  Divine  arrangement :  ask — seek — 
knock ;  2.  illustrated  by  a  general  principle,  appli- 
cable to  temporal  as  well  as  spiritual  things :  "  For 


CHAP.  VII.  7-29. 


147 


every  one  that  asketh,"  etc. ;  3.  symbolized  and 
proved  by  the  aflfection  of  earthly  parents. — Every 
genuine  spiritual  aspiration  shall  be  satisfied ;  "  for 
every  one  that  asketh,"  etc. — The  characteristics  of 
true  prayer.  It  is,  1.  genuine  asking ;  and  becomes, 
'2.  earnest  seekuig ;  and  3.  urgent  knocking. — Grad- 
ual progress  in  seeking  after  the  kingdom  of  (iod. 
Tl>e  search  becomes, — 1.  increasingly  definite  in  ref- 
erence to  its  object  (a)  the  gift  of  (Tod  ;  (6)  spiritual 
treasure ;  (c)  the  door  of  heaven ;  2.  leads  to  an  in- 
creased sense  of  our  own  poverty  and  ruin  (want ; 
sense  of  having  lost ;  sense  of  standing  without,  of 
being  lost) ;  3.  increasingly  urgent  in  its  manifesta- 
tions ;  and  hence,  4.  results  in  increasing  dependence 
upon  God  (He  must  give,  disclose,  and  open). — The 
love  of  an  earthly  father  a  dim  representation  of  the 
love  of  our  heavenly  Father  :  (a)  From  its  character ; 
(6)  from  the  confidence  in  His  disposition  which  we 
cherish  ;  (c)  from  our  experience  of  past  benefits. — 
The  ruhis  of  true  humanity  left  in  our  sinful  nature, 
an  indication  and  proof  of  our  Divine  origin. — Christ 
presupposes  tlae  corruption  of  man,  1.  to  such  an  ex- 
tent, as  to  speak  of  it  only  in  connection  with  prom- 
ises of  salvation ;  2.  so  fully,  as  to  except  none ;  3. 
so  kindly,  that  He  mentions  at  the  same  time  any  fea- 
tures of  genuine  humanity  still  left. 

Therefore  all  things  (ver.  12) — the  law  and  the 
prophets,  as  included  in  the  principle  laid  down  by 
the  Lord:  "therefore  all  things,"  etc. :  1.  Proof  of 
it ;  2.  inference  from  it. — This  principle,  as  describ- 
ing the  conduct  of  Christ  Himself  (Matt.  v.  17,  18) ; 
as  explaining  the  nature  of  true  love,  Rom.  xiii.  10  ;  as 
both  the  gift  and  the  requirement  of  His  Spirit. — The 
claims  of  others  upon  us  are  pled  by  the  voice  in  our 
own  hearts. — Our  demands  the  measure  of  our  be- 
stowing upon  others. 

Enter  ye  in. — Entrance  into  life  rendered  difficult : 
1.  From  certain  peculiarities  which  deter:  (a)  The 
gate  is  strait ;  (b)  the  way  is  narrow  ;  (e)  difficult  to 
lind  ;  (d)  there  are  few  companions  on  it.  2.  By  the 
attractions  of  the  other  road  :  (a)  The  gate  is  wide  (the 
principal  entrance) ;  (6)  the  way  broad  (highway) ; 
(c)  many  walk  on  it ;  and  do  not  merely  walk,  but 
intend  and  expect  to  go  into  the  city  byit  (eiVep- 
Xnfj^evoi  5i'  ai/Tf)s). — Mai'ks  of  the  true  way. — Marks 
of  the  false  way. — We  are  neither  to  follow  the  mul- 
titude along  the  highways,  nor  false  prophets  into 
byeways. — Beware  of  false  prophets :  1.  ]V7iy  ?  Be- 
cause they  are/a?se  prophets,  («)  in  sheep's  clothing 
— very  deceptive ;  (6)  inwardly,  ravening  wolves — 
very  destructive.  2.  By  what  marks  shall  we  know 
them  ?  (a)  By  their  fruits.  From  prophets  we 
expect  good  fruit,  such  as  figs  and  grapes  ;  but  these 
yield  only  the  fruits  of  the  wilderness — thorns  and 
thistles.  (6)  From  the  judgment  which  (juickly  over- 
takes them. — False  comfort  flowing  from  trust  in  a 
dead  profession. — Dead  profession  is  not  rendered 
better  by  our  surrendering  the  Christian  name,  but 
by  a  spiritual  renewal. — Who  shall  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  ?  1.  He  only  who  confesses  the 
Lord ;  2.  not  every  one  who  outwardly  confesses 
Him  ;  3.  he  who  proves  the  truth  of  his  profession 
by  a  holy  obedience. — Life  in  Christ,  the  will  of  the 
Father  concerning  us. — It  is  one  thing  to  do  many 
works  by  the  name  of  Christ,  and  another  to  do  them 
ill  the  name  of  Christ. — Even  enthusiasm  and  out- 
ward success  are  not  sufficient  evidence  of  our  disci- 
pleship. — Spurious  enthusiasm  generally  betrays  it- 
self by  its  boastfulness. — Many  who  appear  great  in 
Church  and  State,  will  m  that  day  be  deprived  of 
their  assumed  character,  and  of  their  claims  to  re- 


spect.— The  threefold  judgment  upon  false  prophets, 
dead  professors,  and  zealots  and  selfish  enthusiasts. 
— The  judgment  implied  in  the  words,  ^^  I  never  knew 
you.'"  This  means  :  1.  Ye  have  never  known  Me  ; 
2.  never  known  yourselves ;  3.  and  therefore  cannot 
be  known  of  Me. — To  know,  to  love,  and  to  praise,  go 
hand  in  hand. 

The  house  built  upon  the  rock,  and  that  reared 
upon  the  sand. — The  rock  and  the  .sand  ;  or  the  Eternal 
Word  in  its  compactness  and  firmness,  and  the  world, 
resembling  particles   of  sand,   without   cohesion. — 
Every  spiritual  structure  shall  be  tried.    1.  The  truth 
of  this  statement :  (a)  As  proved  by  experience ;  (6) 
even  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  the  inner  life,  has  its 
tempests.     2.  Inferences  :  («)  Many  a  false  building 
j  has  already  been  swept  away  ;  (b)  how  careful  should 
I  we  be  in  rearing  our  own  structure  ! — The  word  of 
I  Christ  a  word  of  power :     1.  Of  real  power  (of  truth, 
i  of  love,  of  life,  of  the  Spirit) ;  2.  of  perfect  power 
(of  full  authority  and  omnipotence). — The  teaching 
of  the  sciibes  and  the  teaching  of  Christ.     The  for- 
mer powerless,  despite  their  appearance  of  power, 
authority,   science,  and  enthusiasm  ;    the  latter  all- 
powerful,  in  the  midst  of  deepest  outward  poverty 
j  and  contempt. 

i  Starke:— Ask:  Ps.  1.  15  ;  Isa.  Iv.  6  ;  Ps.  xxi.  2, 
3  ;  Zech.  x.  1  ;  James  i.  5.  Seek :  Jer.  xxix.  13, 14 ; 
Luke  XV.  5-9.  Knock :  Luke  xni.  24  ;  Acts  xii.  13- 
16  ;  Rev.  iii.  20 ;  Gen.  xxxii.  26-29. — Augustine : 
Ideo  non  rult  cito  dare,  ut  tu  discas  ardentius  orare. — 
He  who  would  show  others  the  way,  must  himself 
j  seek  everything  from  God  in  prayer :  2  Cor.  iii.  6,  6  ; 
t  Acts  X.  9." — True  prayer  is  converse  with  G6d  :  Ps. 
xix.  15. —  Qiiesnel:  0  Lord,  we  ofttimes  ask  for  the 
stone  of  temporal  possessions,  which  would  make  our 
1  heart  a  stone ;  but,  instead  of  it.  Thou  hast  given  us 
I  the  bread  of  Thy  grace,  of  Thy  word,  and  of  Thy  Son : 
I  Prov.  XXX.  7. — Foolish  children  that  we  are,  how  of- 
ten do  we  regard  as  a  stone  what  is  better  for  soul 
and  body  than  the  finest  bread,  and  as  the  poison  of 
j  serpents,  what  proves  tlie  most  blessed  medicine  for 
our  hearts  !  Prov.  xx.  14. — Every  earthly  parent  may 
I  help  to  remind  us  of  the  love  and  faithfulness  of  God 
toward  His  own:  Isa.  Ixiii.  7,  xfix.  15. — Even  if  it 
were  possible  that  all  earthly  parents  should  forget 
their  duty,  yet  will  God  prove  a  Father:  Isa.  Ixiv. 
16. — The"  affection  of  parents  toward  their  children, 
a  symbol  of  the  hearing  of  prayer. — "  Therefore,  all 
things  whatsoever  ye  would."  Jin  speculum paraiis- 
siinum,  jusiitice  brcviariurn,  compcndiosum  commoni- 
torium.  Jerome. — Each  one  of  us  carries  in  his 
breast  an  adviser,  judge,  and  monitor  of  his  conduct 
toward  his  neighbor :  Ps.  xv.  3  ;  Matt.  xxii.  39  ;  Eph. 
iv.  25  :  1  Tim.  i.  5  ;  Gal.  v.  14  ;  Rom.  xiii.  10. — Here 
you  have  the  test  of  what  you  owe  to  your  neighbors 
— the  spring  of  equity  and  the  bond  of  mutual  for- 
bearance.— Selfishness  will  always  find  a  ready  ex- 
cuse: 1  Cor.  iv.  7;  Luke  xviii.  11. — Enter  ye  in  at 
the  strait  gate.  There  are  only  two  roads  which 
lead  to  eternity, — that  of  the  world  and  of  the  flesh, 
which  leads  to  hell  and  condemnation ;  and  that  of 
the  Spirit,  which  leads  to  heaven  and  eternal  life. 
Therefore  be  sure  which  of  these  two  thou  hast  cho- 
■  sen. — Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate :  Luke  xiii. 
24  ;  Phil.  ii.  24. — Christians  are  pilgrims :  Ps.  xxxix. 
14 ;  Heb.  xiii.  24. — In  its  folly,  the  world  hastens 
along  the  broad  way  to  hell,  to  the  sound  of  music 
and  revelry. — The  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are 
not  worthy  to  l^e  compared  with  the  glory  to  be  reveal- 
ed: 2  Cor.  iv.  17;  Rom.,  viii.  18. — Luther: — It  is 
not  the  Lord  Jesus  who  makes  the  road  to  lieaven  fo 


148 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


strait  and  narrow,  but  rather  the  devil,  the  world,  and 
our   own  flesh:  ch.  xix.  21,  22;  Prov.  xxvi.   13. — 
Why  is  it  that  so  few  find  the  way  to  heaven  ?     Be- 
cause of  their  negligence  in  seeking,  their  sloth  in 
striving,  their  daring  in  resisting  God,  and  their  mal- 
ice in  simiing.     Hence  their  condemnation  rests  upon 
their  own  heads :  2  Pet.  i.  8  ;  Acts  xiv.  1 6  ;  John 
viii.  12 ;  Acts  xiv.  22  ;  Rev.  viii.  14. — Let  us  not  be 
offended  at  the  small  number  of  behevers,  Isa.  i.  8  ; 
Zeph.  iii.  12  ;  nor  at  their  many  afflictions;  but  com- 
fort ourselves  in  view  of  their  blessed  end,  Zeph.  iii. 
17  ;  Rev.  iii.  2^).— Beware — Phil.  iii.  18  ;   1  John  iv. 
1 — of  false  prophets,  Jer.  xiv.  14  ;  xxiii.  20  ;  Mic.  iii. 
5-12;'  Zeph.  iii.  4  ;    2  Pet.  ii.  1  ;    Rev.  xvi.   13. — 
Sheep^s  clothing,  John  x.  5  ;  2  Cor.  xi.  13-15;  Jer. 
xxiii.  21. — Jiauening  wolves,  John  x.  8-12  ;  Acts  xx. 
29;  2  Tim.  ii.  17,  18;  Ezek.  xxi.   29;  Matt.  x.  16  ; 
2  Cor.  xi.  13,  14. —  Qucenam  sunt  istce  pelles  oviuni, 
nisi  nominis   Chridiani  extrinsecus  fades  ?     (Tertul- 
lian.) — Hwretici  sunt  habitu  oves,  astu  vulpes,  aciu  et 
rrudelliate  lupi.    (Bernhard.) — Trust  not  every  spirit, 
nor  every  talker  or  seducer. — To  speak  like  an  angel, 
to  pamper  the  flesh,  to  gain  the  shnple  by  outward 
devotion,  by   authority,  by  age,  by  tears  or  groans,  | 
to  give  one's  body  to  be  burned,  to  do  miracles, — are  [ 
not  the  signs  of  a  true  prophet :  the  worst  deceivers 
have  exhibited  all  these,  ch.  xxiv.  4-11  ;  2  Thess.  ii. 
9,  10. — Sound  doctrine  and  the  fruits  of  sanctifica-  ; 
tion  the  evidence  of  a  true  prophet :  2  Tim.  iv.  3,  4 ; 
Ezek.  xiii.  18  ;  Jer.  xxiii.  25,  26,  32;  Hos.  xii.  1. —  [ 
JIajus : — Every  Christian  should  try  the  spirits,  and  | 
recognize  the  truth  :  Acts  xvii.  11,  the  men  of  Berea.  | 
— All  who  lead  us  astray  from  the  narrow  way  are  i 
false  teachers,  Jer.  v.  31 ;  Hos.  xi.  1,  2. — Let  no  one 
imagine  that  there  is  any  Church  entirely  free  from  i 
heretics,    sectarians,   or    false  teachers. — Bg   their 
fruits.     Luther  : — As  if  He  would  say, — The  appear- 
ance of  false  prophets  may  be  fair,  as  if  it  were  a  | 
precious  thing  ;  but  wait  a  while,  until  it  is  time  to 
gather  and  to  collect  the  fruits,  and  see  what  you  will 
then  find  upon  them. — Behold    the    goodness  and 
the  severity  of  God  in  the  fruits  of  the  earth.     By 
reason    of  sin  it   bears,  thorns  and   thistles,  but  it 
also  brings  grapes  and  figs. — False  teachers  are  like 
thorns  and  thistles.     Their  teaching  affords  no  con-  \ 
solation,  and  only  wounds  the  heart  and  conscience,  j 
Song.  V.  7. — The  marks  of  false  teachers  appear  in  j 
the  way  they  administer  their  office,  in  their  doctrine,  j 
life,  and   conversation,  in  their  motives,  and  in  the  ; 
conduct  of  their  disciples,  John  xv.  20.     Zeisius. —  \ 
Tlie  hireling  and  the  false  prophet. — It  is  the  duty  [ 
of  Christians  to  prove  all  things,  and  to  hold  fast  the  I 
word  of  God,  1  Thess.  v.  21  ;  Ex.  xviii.  15. —  Ques-  ' 
7i£l :  Love,  or  rather  faith,  is  the  root  of  the  good 
tree.     So  long  as  this  root  remains  healthy,  the  tree 
will  not  yield  the  corrupt  fruit  of  sin ;  but  if  it  is  ; 
awanting,  you  will  in  vain  look  for  the  fruits  of  right-  I 
eousness,   1   Tim.  i.   5. — Majus :    A  wicked  person 
may  be  transformed  into  a  righteous  ;  but,  so  long  i 
as  he  remains  wicked,  he  cannot  do  anything  that  is 
good.  Matt.   xii.   34;    Philem.    11,   12. — Every   tree 
which  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit.     John  xv.  2-6  ; 
2  Tun.  iii.  9  ;  Isa.  viii.  20  ;  Rev.  xix.  20  ;  Gal.  v.  12  ; 
Matt.  xiii.  30  ;  Ps.  cix.  2. — Not  every  one  who  saith.  i 
1  John  V.  12  ;  1   Thess.  iv.  3  ;  1  Pet.  i.  15  ;  Matt.  v. 
19  ;  John  iv.  23  ;  Rom.   ii.  13  ;  James  i.  22  ;  John 
iii.  16-36. —  Quesnel:  To  call  God  our  Lord,  and  yet  i 
not   to  honor  Him    by  our  works,   is  to  condemn  ' 
ourselves,  2  Cor.  v.  15  ;  Luke  x.  28. — Much  knowl- 
edge,   without  corresponding  practice,    entails   the 
heavier  judgment :  do  what  thou  knowest.  Hedingcr. 


\  John  XV.  14. — False  Christianity  makes  its  boast  in 
■■  words,  in  knowledge,  and  appearance — eh.  xxiii. 
27  ;  2  Tim.  iii.  5, — but  true  religion  consists  in  deed, 
-  and  is  spirit  and  fife.  The  former  may  be  fikened 
j  to  a  painted  figure;  the  latter,  to  a  living  man,  ch. 
I  V.  IG. — Mang  will  sag  to  Mr.  in  that  day.  Matt.  xxiv. 
36  ;  1  Cor.  xiii.  1,  2  ;  Phil.  i.  15  ;  Acts  xix.  13  ;  1 
I  Cor.  xi.  13  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  9  ;  Rev.  xiii.  13.— So  deeply 
j  rooted  is  false  conceit  in  our  minds,  that  even  in  the 
day  of  judgment  men  will  not  be  able  to  comprehend 
i  how  they  incurred  condemnation,  ch.  xxv.  44. — 
,  Quesnel :  How  many  preachers  are  there,  who  in  the 
I  pulpit  seem  to  be  prophets  ;  and  how  many  minis- 
:  ters  whose  success  is  admired,  but  who,  in  the  sight 
j  of  (lod,  are  nothing,  because  they  neglect  His  will ! 
I  Luke  xiii.  26. —  7'hcn  will  I  prof  ess  unto  them, — open- 
ly on  that  day.  John  x.  14  ;  2  Tim.  ii.  19  ;  1  Cor. 
viii.  3;  Matt.  xxv.  12;  John  x.  27;  Ps.  i.  &.—Dei 
agnoscere  servare  est ;  Dei  agnoscere  custodire  est ; 
non  agnoscere  damnare  est.  Augustine. — The  grace 
of  God  saves  a  soul,  and  not  gifts. —  Therefore,  who- 
soever heareth  these  sayings  of  Mine,  etc.  John  iii. 
I  17.— The  Rock  is  Christ,  Matt.  xvi.  18  ;  1  Cor.  iii. 
I  11  ;  X.  4;  Jer.  xvii.  7;  Ps.  cxviii.  22;  Isa.  xxviii. 
;  16  ;  Acts  iv.  11,  12  ;  Rom.  ix.  33  ;  1  Pet.  ii.  5-7.— 
To  build  on  Him,  is  to  believe  on  Him. — At  the  close 
of  a  sei-mon,  we  should  admonish  our  hearers  to  obe- 
■  dience  and  earnest  application  of  the  word. —  Quesnel: 
To  employ  ourselves  in  this  building,  is  to  be  truly 
[  wise,  Isa.  Iviii.  11,  12. — The  wisdom  of  the  just  ap- 
pears in  their  showing  their  faith  by  their  works. — 
And  the  rain  descended.  Ps.  cxxiv.  5  ;  xviii.  5  ;  Rev. 
xii.  15  ;  Jer.  Ii.  1  ;  Eph.  iv.  14  ;  Ps.  xlvi.  6  ;  Isa. 
xxv.  4  ;  xxxii.  2  ;  Rom.  viii.  33. —  Quesnel: — By  the 
practice  of  piety  do  we  make  our  calhng  and  election 
sure,  2.  Pet.  i.  10  ;  1  Tim.  iv.  7,  8. — Cramer:  True 
Christians  are  exposed  to  many  a  tempest  and  storm, 
but  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  Him  who 
loved  us.— Perseverance  to  the  end  the  crowning 
manifestation  of  faithful  allegiance  to  Christ,  2  Tim. 
iv.  7,  8  ;  Rev.  ii.  10. — Anddocth  them  not.  James  i. 
22-24. — Majus:  Hypocrisy  bears  to  the  world  the 
aspect  of  a  great  building,  but  it  has  no  foundation, 
and  will  fall,  Luke  xviii.  11-14. — And  the  rain  de- 
scended ;  i.  e.,  adversity  and  strong  temptations  be- 
fell him,  Ps.  xxxii.  6  ;  Prov.  xvi.  4.  Under  such 
trials  a  merely  external  Christianity  speedily  fails. — 
This  refers  to  the  final  judgment,  when  body  and  soul 
shall  be  destroyed  in  hell.  Gen.  vii.  21  ;  Ex.  xiv.  27, 
28  ;  Job  viii.  14  ;  Ps.  i.  5 ;  xxxiv.  22  ;  Ixxiii.  19.— 
Quesnel :  That  fall  cannot  be  repaired  again. 

Heubner : — Ask  grace  and  the  forgiveness  of  sin. 
Seek,  earnestly  aim  after,  perfection.  Knock  at  the 
door  of  heaven,  and  it  shall  be  opened. — Whatever 
is  needful  for  our  salvation  shall  be  granted  in  an- 
swer to  our  prayers. — Ask  in  a  cliildlike  spirit  for 
what  you  may  stand  in  as  absolute  need  of,  as  of 
bread,  and  God  will  give  it  you. — "  Therefore,  all 
things  whatsoever,"  etc.  In  your  dealings,  put  your- 
self mentally  in  the  place  of  your  neighbor. — The 
strait  gate :  true  repentance. — "  Strait  "  refers  to  the 
anxiety  of  the  heart  in  the  matter. — The  wide  gate : 
impenitence. — Appearances  deceive. — Beware  of  mere 
appearance. — Neither  good  works  alone,  nor  sound 
doctrine  alone,  constitutes  good  fruits ;  the  latter  are 
the  results  of  both  life  and  doctrine. — A  good  tree  is 
that  which  has  been  ennobled,  and  refers  to  a  regen- 
erate man ;  a  corrupt  tree  is  that  which  has  degener- 
ated, and  means  the  unrenewed  or  natural  man. — The 
culture  of  grace  alone  can  ennoble  a  man. — A  cor- 
rupt tree  has  no  place  in  the  garden  of  God. — "  Not 


CHAP.  Vm.  1-13. 


149 


every  one  that  saith,  Lord,  Lord." — The  most  splen- 
did talents  are  oftentimes  combined  with  a  wicked 
heart ;  the  most  splendid  deeds  are  ofttimes  of  dubi- 
ous value.  A  man  may  be  the  most  enthusiastic 
speaker,  the  opponent  of  every  injustice  and  wrong, 
and  the  bold  champion  of  all  that  is  good  and  noble, 
— yet  all  from  selfishness  and  unworthy  ambition. — 
Each  sin  renders  a  man  more  untrue  to  himself — 
The  future  judgment  will  consist  in  the  manifestation 
of  the  secrets  of  our  hearts.  Then  the  game  is  up, 
and  it  will  be  said  :  Off  with  the  masks.  This  applies 
especially  to  unworthy  ministers. 

The  pericope,  vers.  15-23. — Warning  of  the 
Lord  against  byeways  which  lead  to  destruction  :  1. 
Warning  against  being  led  astray  by  others — by  false 
prophets, ;.  c,  either  by  false  teachers,  or  by  any  who 
would  seduce  us  from  the  truth ;  2.  against  being 
led  astray  by  our  own  hearts,  by  hypocrisy,  and  mere 
profession. — Fourfold  form  of  the  call  of  the  Lord : 
(a)  As  a  Divine  call ;  (6)  as  the  utterance  of  Divine 
truth  ;  (c)  as  that  of  the  pure  and  holy  heart ;  (d)  as 
that  of  His  love  and  concern  for  the  souls  of  men. 

The  pericope,  vers.  15-23.  Erdmann  : — Con- 
cerning the  true  import  of  human  works. — Draseke : 


The  desire  to  appear  good  :  1.  Its  nature;  2.  its  or- 
igin ;  3.  its  moral  character  ;  4.  its  unavoidable  dan- 
gers.— Reinhard: — On  the  only  certain  mark  of  a 
state  pleasing  to  (lod.  It  consists  not,  1.  in  outward 
decency ;  nor,  2.  in  a  public  profession  of  the  Gos- 
pel ;  nor,  3.  in  personal  attachment  to  Jesus  (?) ;  nor, 
4.  in  extraordinary  works  (?) ;  but,  5.  in  faith  in  Je- 
sus, and  in  an  endeavor  to  attain  holiness  by  that 
faith, — our  aim  being  directed  toward  the  reality, 
rather  than  the  outward  form. — Marhdneke  : — How 
do  we  prove  ourselves  to  be  true  professors  of  Christ  ? 
1 .  Not  by  outward  appearances  merely,  but  by  the  pow- 
er and  life  of  faith ;  2.  by  works  of  love ;  3.  by  joy, 
peace,  and  hope.  Nitzsc'h : — The  true  value  of  good 
works  (Selections  of  Sermons  i.,  p.  12).  Zimmer- 
mann  : — The  tree  an  image  of  man  (root,  stem,  mar- 
row, branches,  leaves,  blossoms,  fruit).  Fr.  Krum- 
macher :— Who  enters  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
(Voices  of  the  Church,  Langenberg,  1852,  p.  49).  Ser- 
mons on  Ver.  15,  by  Rautenberg,  Souchon,  Ahlfeld. 
Hopfner : — Four  things  necessary  to  constitute  a 
Christian  :  1.  Faith  makes  a.  Christian  ;  2.  Y\ie  proves  a 

!  Christian ;    3.  trials    confirm   a  Christian ;  4.  death 

!  crowns  a  Christian. 


B.  CHEIST  MANIFESTING  HIS  PROPHETIC  OFFICE  BY  MIRACLES  WHICH  ATTEST  HIS 
WORD.  BUT  IN  HIS  MIRACLES,  AS  IN  HIS  TEACHING,  HE  EXPERIENCES  THE  CON- 
TRADICTION OF  THE  PHARISEES,  AND  IS  ULTIMATELY  REVILED.  TRIUMPH  OF 
CHRIST  OVER  THE  OPPOSITION  OF  HIS  ENEMIES,  BY  PREPARING  TO  SEND  FORTH 
HIS  TWELVE  APOSTLES.— CH.  VIII.  IX. 

Contents  : — The  miracles  of  the  Lord,  as  the  evidence  of  His  prophetic  office,  misunderstood  and  reviled  by  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees.  1.  Miracles  of  the  Lord  beyond  the  pale  of  the  ancient  theocracy:  the  leper  and  the  heathen.  •!.  .Mir- 
acles of  the  Lord  procecdina:  from  the  circle  of  the  new  theocracy  (the  house  of  Peter):  the  mother-in-law  of  Peter, 
those  who  were  possessed  of  evil  spirits.  3.  Miracles  during  His  missionary  journey :  the  disciples,  the  storm  at  sea. 
4.  Miraculous  works,  despite  the  opposition  of  the  kingjdom  of  darkness:  the  GadaroHcs,  the  man  afflicted  with  the 
palsy.  5.  Miraculous  works,  despite  the  contradiction  of  leg.alism ;  Matthew  Levi  the  publican,  the  feast  with  the 
publicans,  and  the  twofold  offence  of  the  Pharisees  and  the  disciples  of  John.  6.  Miraculous  works  in  the  face  of  utter 
despair  and  of  death  :  the  woman  with  the  issue  of  blood,  and  the  d.aughter  of  Jairus.  7.  Miraculous  works  of  Christ 
as  the  dawn  of  His  work  of  redemption,  in  opposition  to  the  hardening  and  the  reviling  of  His  enemies:  the  two  blind 
men,  and  the  person  possessed  with  a  dumb  devil.  8.  Royal  preparation  for  the  mission  of  Christ's  disciples,  and  tri- 
umph over  those  who  reviled  His  prophetic  office. 


The  leper,  and  the  heathen,  or  the  centurion  of  Capernaum.    MiraculoziS  works  of  Christ  beyond  the  pale  of 

the  ancient  theocracy. 

Chapter  VIII.   1-13. 

(The  Gospel  for  tJie  Sd  Sunday  after  Bpiphany. — Parallels: — The  Leper:  Mark  i.  40-45  ;  Luke  v.  12-16. 
The  Centurion  of  Capernaum:  Luke  vii.  1-10.) 


1  When  he  was  [had]  come  down  from  the  mountain,  great  multitudes  followed  him. 

2  And,  behold,  there  came  a  leper  and  worshipped  him,  saying.  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou 

3  canst  make  me  clean.     And  Jesus  [he] '  put  forth  his  hand,  and  touched  him,  saying,  I 

4  will;  be  thou  clean.     And  immediately  his  leprosy  was  cleansed.     And  Jesus  saith 


150 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


unto  him,  See  thou  tell  no  man ;  but  go  thy  way,  shew  thyself  to  the  priest,  and  ofier 
the  gift  that  Moses  commanded,  for  a  testimony  unto  them. 

5  And  when  Jesus  [he]  was  [liad]  entered  into  Capernaum,  there  came  unto  iiim  a 

6  centurion,  beseecliing  him,  And  saying,  Lord,  my  servant  lieth  at  home  sick  of  the 

7  palsy,  grievously  tormented.     And  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  will  come  and  heal  him. 

8  The  centurion  answered   and  said.  Lord,  I  am  not  worthy  that  thou  shouldest  come 
under  my  roof:  but  speak  the  word  only  [only  say  in  a  wordj,'^  and  my  servant  shall 

9  be  healed.     For  I  am  a  man  under  authority,  having  soldiers  under  me :  and  I  say  to 
this  man,  Go,  and  he  goeth ;  and  to  another,  Come,  and  he  cometh ;  and  to  my  ser- 

10  vant,  Do  this,  and  he  doetli  it.  When  Jesus  heard  it,  he  marvelled,  and  said  to  them 
that  followed.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel.'^ 

1 1  And  I  say  unto  you,  That  many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit  down 
[recline  at  table] ^  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven: 

12  But  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  cast  out  into  [the]  outer  darkness:  there  shall 

13  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  And  Jesus  said  unto  the  centurion,  Go  thy  way; 
and  as  thou  hast  believed,  so  be  it  done  unto  thee.  And  his  servant  was  healed  in  the 
selfsame  hour. 


[Cod.  Sinait.]  and  other  weighty  testi- 


1  Ver.  3. — '\r\ffovs  is  wanting  in  Codd.  B.,  C.  [Cod-  Sinait.],  etc. 

2  Ver.  %.—h('>y(f  (dat.)  xvith  one  V)ord,  or  in  a  ward,  sustained  by  Codd. 
monies,  instead  of  the  \6yov  (accus.),  the  word,  of  the  tevt.  reeeptnu. 

3  Ver.  10.—"  With  no  one  in  Israeir     Cod.  B.  and  others. 

<  Ver.  11.— ['Aco«Aid7Voj'Tai,  expressing  the  well  known  .mcient  custom  of  recKning  on  couches  at  meals  and  ban- 
quets.   This  explains,  how  St.  John  could  lean  on  Jehus'  bosom  at  the  holy  supper,  .John  xiii.  23. — P.  S.] 

infection  (especially  by  cohabitation),^or  a  hereditary 
taint.  It  sometimes  continues  to  the  fourth  genera- 
I  tion  (2  Sam.  iii.  29),  but  the  disease  loses  in  intensity 
I  as  it  descends,  and  is  generally  confined  in  the  fourtli 
degree  to  ugly  teeth,  offensive  breath,  and  sickly  ap- 
pearance.— Kinds  and  degrees.  Leprosy  is  a  form  of 
skin  disease.  Four  kinds  of  it  were  known — elephan- 
tiasis (an  Egyptian  disease,  hence,  idcvs  yEgypti), 
black  lei)rosy,  white  leprosy,  and  red  leprosy.  Hip- 
pocrates classified  the  different  kinds  of  non-malig- 
nant eruptions  as  a\<p6s,  Afix^"-  ^^''Kr],  and  \enpat. 
I  The  first  of  these  is  the  ppjS  of  Lev.  xiii.  39,  whicli 
is  quite  harmless  in  its  character,  and  disappears, 
without  causing  any  pain,  in  a  few  months  or  years. 
We  also  read,  in  Lev.  xiii.  47,  of  a  leprosy  attaching 
to  clothes  (probably  from  small  insects) ;  and  in  xiv. 
34,  of  one  attaching  to  houses.  The  symptoms  of 
white  leprosy,  Barras,  also  known  as  lepra  Mosaica, 
— the  form  of  the  disease  peculiar  to  the  Hebrews, — 
are  sufficiently  described  in  Lev.  xiii.  V/hen  the  dis- 
ease is  decided  in  its  character,  it  is  either  rapidly 
j  cured,  or  else  spreads  inward.  In  the  former  case, 
there  is  a  violent  eruption,  so  that  the  patient  !.■> 
white  from  head  to  foot  (Lev.  xiii.  1 2 ;  2  Kings  v. 
j  27) ;  in  the  latter  case,  the  disease  progresses  slowly, 
j  and  the  symptoms  are  equally  distressing  and  fatal, 
ending  in  consumption,  dropsy,  suffocation,  and  death. 
The  effects  of  elephantiasis  are  even  more  sad.  It 
chiefly  affects  the  lower  part  of  the  body,  and  the  pa- 
tient may  live  for  twenty  years.  It  stiffens  the  ankle 
(making  the  foot  like  that  of  an  elephant,  hence  th(! 
name),  stupefies  the  senses,  produces  melancholy, 
sleeplessness,  terrible  dreams  (Job  vii.  14),  insatiable 
voracity,  and  ends  in  fever  or  sudden  suffocation. — 
Legislation  on  leprosy.  The  Mosaic  law  took  special 
notice  of  leprosy,  the  priests  were  commissioned 
carefully  to  watch  its  inroads.  The  object  in  view 
was  to  protect  the  healthy  portion  of  the  community, 
to  pronounce  on  the  harmless  character  of  any  erup- 
tion which  resembled  leprosy,  and  to  readmit  into  the 
community  those  who  had  been  cured.  No  remedy 
was  known  for  the  disease  itself:  the  leper  was  de- 


EXEGETICAL  .VND  CPJTICAL. 

Ver.  1.  When  He  was  come  do"wn  {rutn  au- 
tem  descendissef.  Vulg.). —  Chronological  arrange- 
inent  of  the  narrative.  We  account  for  the  circum- 
stance, that  Luke  records  the  healing  of  the  leper  (v. 
12)  before  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  (vi.  20),  on  the 
ground  that  he  wished  to  relate  the  latter  in  connec- 
tion with  the  mission  of  the  twelve  Apostles.  Hence, 
his  arrangement  is  not  in  strict  chronological  order. 
Besides,  the  introduction  of  the  cure  of  the  leper  in 
Luke  breaks  up  the  continuous  narrative  of  the  re- 
turn of  Jesus  from  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes  to  Caper- 
naum. Matthew  expressly  states,  that  the  cure  of  the 
leper  was  performed  when  Christ  "  had  come  down  " 
from  the  mountain.  On  the  other  hand,  Luke  re- 
lates, that  Christ,  on  His  journey  to  Capernaum,  en- 
tered into  a  city ;  and  that  the  cure  of  the  leper  there 
was  the  occasion  of  His  retiring  for  a  time  into  the 
wilderness,  probably  in  consideration  of  the  preju- 
dices of  the  Jews,  as  the  leprous  person  had,  contrary 
to  the  injunction  of  the  Saviour,  published  the  fact, 
that  Jesus  had  touched,  and  so  healed  him.  After 
this  temporary  retirement  to  the  wilderness,  Jesus  re- 
turned to  Capernaum. 

Ver.  2.  A  leper. — (Comp.  on  the  general  subject 
of  leprosy  Michaelis :  Mosaisches  Recht,  vol.  iv.  p. 
227,  Winer  sub  voce,  and  Ewald :  Judische  Alterthii,- 
mer,  p.  218.)  Leprosy,  nsn^,  Aenpa,  as  to  its 
general  character,  is  a  disease  peculiar  to  Egypt,  Ara- 
bia, Palestine,  and  Syria,  although  it  has  penetrated 
as  far  east  as  Persia  and  India,  and  as  far  west  as 
Italy.  A  most  frightful  calamity,  resembling  in  some 
respects  the  pestilence  ;  only  that  the  latter  sweeps 
aivay  its  victims  with  great  rapidity,  while  leprosy  is 
slow  in  its  ravages.  These  two  diseases  formed,  so 
to  speak,  the  centre  of  all  others,  such  as  blindness, 
palsy,  deafness,  fevers,  bloody  flux,  etc.  Analogous 
to  these  physical  sufferings  were  the  various  kinds  of 
demoniacal  possessions. —  Causes.  Leprosy  is  caused 
by  bad  air,  want  of  cleanliness,  bad  diet,  dyspepsia, 


CHAP.  VIII.   1-13. 


151 


clared  unclean,  and  excluded  from  intercourse  with 
all  other  persons.  He  had  to  wear  the  prescribed 
mourning  garment,  Lev.  xiii.  45,  but  was  permitted 
to  associate  with  other  lepers.  Their  abodes  were 
commonly  outside  the  city  walls  (Lev.  xiii.  46  ;  Num. 
v.  2)\  but  they  were  allowed  to  go  about  freely,  pro- 
viding they  avoided  contact  with  other  persons  ;  nor 
were  they  even  excluded  from  the  services  of  the 
synagogue  (Liglitfoot,  862).  In  this  respect  we  note 
a  great  diftercncc  between  the  synagogue  and  the 
temple.  On  recovering  from  leprosy,  several  lustra- 
tions had  to  be  performed,  Lev.  xiv.  The  main 
points  in  the  prescribed  rite  were,  to  appear  before 
the  priest,  and  to  ofi'er  a  sacrifice  ;  the  latter  being 
preceded  by  religious  lustrations,  and  introduced  by 
a  symbolical  ceremony,  in  which  the  two  turtles  or 
pigeons  bore  a  striking  analogy  to  the  scape-goat 
and  the  other  goat  offered  in  sacrifice  on  the  day  of 
atonement.  Lev.  xvi. — In  general,  the  ordinances 
connected  with  leprosy  may  be  regarded  as  the  type 
of  all  other  directions  in  dealing  with  that  which  was 
unclean. — Symbolical  slgmficance.  Accordingly,  lep- 
rosy was  regarded  as  the  symbol  of  siii  and  of  judg- 
ment (Num.  xii.  10 ;  2  Kings  v.  26  ;  xv.  5 ;  2  Chron. 
xxvi.  20,  21-23) ;  also  of  inscrutable  visitations.  Job 
ii.  7.  On  the  other  hand,  recovery  from  leprosy  was 
regarded  as  a  symbol  of  salvation,  as  in  the  case  of 
Naeman,  2  Kings  v.  2  ;  comp.  Ps.  h.  9,  with  Lev.  vi. 
'7.  The  uncleanness,  the  gradual  destruction  of  the 
system,  the  disgusting  appearance,  and  the  unexpect- 
ed recovery  by  a  full  outbreak  of  the  eruption, — and, 
again,  the  slow  but  sure  progress  of  the  disease,  the 
isolation  of  those  who  were  affected  by  it  from  the 
society  of  the  clean,  the  infectious  nature  of  the  trou- 
ble, its  long  duration  and  hopelessness, — presented  a 
variety  of  views  under  which  sin  and  guilt  with  its 
consequences  and  effects,  even  upon  innocent  individ- 
uals, might  be  symbolized. 

Ver.  2.  And  worshipped  Him — fell  down  be- 
fore Him  (on  his  face).  "  As  in  ch.  ii.  2  ;  xv.  25,  a 
sign  of  profound  reverence.  The  leper  regarded  Jesus 
at  least  as  a  great  prophet,  though  it  is  difficult  accu- 
rately to  define  the  measure  of  knowledge  possessed 
by  such  believers  (comp.  vers.  8-10).  Hence  the  im- 
port of  this  worship,  and  of  the  designation,  '  Lord,' 
differed  under  various  circumstances.  Some  regarded 
even  the  promised  Messiah  as  a  mere  man  (?),  while 
others  were  fully  aware  of  His  Divine  charactei\" 
Gerlach. 

Ver.  3.  His  leprosy  was  cleansed,  ina^a- 
piff^T]. — By  his  being  brought  into  contact  with 
Him  who  was  absolute  purity. 

Ver.  4.  TeU  no  man:  Mark i.  44  ;  Luke  v.  14  ; 
comp.  Matt.  ix.  30  ;  xii.  16  ;  Mark  iii.  12  ;  v.  43  ;  vii. 
36  ;  viii.  26-30  ;  Matt.  xvi.  20 ;  xvii.  9.— The  injunc- 
tion of  silence  upon  the  persons  cured  arose,  in  all 
instances,  from  the  same  general  motives.  It  was 
primarily  dictated  by  a  regard  for  the  spiritual  and 
physical  welfare  of  such  persons.  Besides,  to  pre- 
vent popular  excitement,  and  not  to  endanger  the 
ministry  of  Christ,  it  was  better  to  keep  silence  on 
these  matters.  But,  in  each  special  case,  there  was 
also  a  particular  motive.  Maldonatus,  Grotius,  Ben- 
gel,  and  others,  suppose  that,  in  the  present  instance, 
it  was  enjoined  in  order  that  no  prejudice  might  be 
raised  in  the  mind  of  the  officiating  priest  against 
this  recovery.  Fritzsche  and  Baumgarten-Crusius 
hold  that  it  indicated  that  the  first  duty  of  the  leper 
was  to  show  himself  to  the  priest,  before  proclaiming 
abroad  the  miracle.  Olsliausen :  Jesus  issued  this 
injunction  mainly  to  persons  who  were  in  danger  of 


being  carried  away  ;  while  in  other  cases,  especially 
where  the  individual  was  by  nature  retiring  and 
prone  to  self-conteniplation.  He  commanded  an  oppo- 
site course,  Mark  V.  I'.i.  But  the  principal  motive, 
as  mentioned  by  Meyer  (following  Chrysostom),  was, 
that  Jesus  wished  to  prevent  a  concourse  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  enthusiastic  outbursts  on  their  part.  This, 
however,  is  not  incompatible  with  any  of  the  other 
motives  ;  as,  in  the  I'resent  instance,  the  person  cured 
had  to  undertake  a  journey  to  the  temple  at  Jerusa- 
lem (Fritzsche,  Baumgarten-Crusius,  Meyer).  Ac- 
cording to  Maimonides,  a  person  restored  from  lep- 
rosy had,  in  the  first  instance,  to  submit  himself  to 
the  inspection  of  the  priest  of  his  district.  He  then 
underwent  a  second  inspection  after  the  lapse  of  sev- 
en days,  after  which  he  jjerformed  the  customary 
lustration ;  and  then  journeyed  to  Jerusalem,  where 
he  offered  the  prescribed  sacrifice,  and  was  pronounc- 
ed clean. 

Ver.  4.  Show  thyself  to  the  priest.— Com|). 
the  ordinauces  of  purification  in. Lev.  xiv. 

For  a  testimony  unto  them. — Meyer  ;  i.  e., 
"  unto  the  people,  that  thou  art  healed."  But  we  must 
not  overlook  the  fact,  that  the  leper  had  been  de- 
clared unclean  by  the  priests  who  were  now  to  certify 
to  his  restoration,  and  that  his  showing  himself  was 
the  evidence  of  this.  The  remark,  "  for  a  testimony 
that  I  do  not  destroy  the  law  "  (Chrysostom),  is  in- 
apt; as  also  the  view  of  Olshausen,  that  the  testi- 
mony here  referred  to  was  that  of  the  priests. 

Ver.  5.  '  E  Karovrapxoi,  centurio,  a  captain  over 
100,  in  the  service  of  Herod  Antipas. — According  to 
ver.  10,  a  Gentile,  although  in  all  probability  a  pros- 
elyte of  the  gate.  Comp.  the  intercession  of  the 
ruler  of  the  synagogue  on  his  behalf,  in  the  Gospel 
according  to  Luke. — Proselytes,  CI".  ^  irpoa-h^vToi, 
Sept.  1  Chron.  xxii.  2  ;  Matt,  xxiii.  15  ;  Acts  ii.  10; 
— those  Gentiles  who  adopted  Judaism  in  a  more  or 
less  restricted  sense  (Suidas :  e|  idvQiv  irpoaiX-qXvOo- 
T€s).  According  to  the  Gemara  and  the  Rabbins,  we 
distinguish, — I.  Proselytes  of  the  gate,  "yilT]  "'•;i2  . 
i.  e.,  strangers  who  lived  within  the  gates  of  Israel, 
had  adopted  the  reUgion  of  the  patriarchs,  and  con- 
formed to  what  were  called  the  seven  Noachic  com- 
mandments, which  prohibited,  (a)  blasphemy  ;  (b)  the 
worship  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  or  idolatry ;  (e)  mur- 
der ;  ((/)  incest ;  (e)  robbery  ;  (/)  rebellion  ;  [g)  eat- 
ing of  blood  and  of  things  strangled  (Acts  xv.  20). 
They  were  also  called  ol  (TfB:i/j.eyot  {rhu  Beov),  Joseph. 
Antiq.  xiv.  7,  2  ;  Acts  xiii.  43,  50  ;  xvi.  14 ;  xvii.  4, 
etc. — Instances:  Cornelius,  Lydia,  the  Ethiopian 
eunuch,  etc.  II.  Proselytes  of  righteousness,  PiSn  ^"i; 
who  had  submitted  to  circumcision,  and  thus  become 
naturalized  Jews.  The  distinction  between  these  two 
classes  was  kept  up  at  the  time  of  Christ ;  when,  in- 
deed, the  number  of  proselytes  of  the  gate  had  great- 
ly increased. — The  two  parallel  cases  of  the  centu- 
rion at  the  cross  (Matt,  xxvii.  C4)  and  of  Cornelius 
(Acts  X.),  will  at  once  occur  to  the  reader. 

Ver.  6.  My  servant,  b  irals  unv . — The  slave,  or 
domestic  servant,  as  distinguished  from  the  common 
soldier,  who  was  only  officially  sulyect  to  him  ;  but 
not  a  son  (Strauss,  Baumgarten-Crusius).  From  the 
more  detailed  narrative  in  Luke,  we  learn  that  he  was 
held  in  special  esteem  by  his  master  ;  which,  indeed, 
may  be  gathered  from  this  passage  also.  The  ser- 
vant is  distinguished  from  the  soldiers.  The  latter 
come  and  go  as  it  were  mechanically,  according  to 
the  word  of  command ;  while  the  servant  doeth  as 
he  is  told — his  master  can  intrust  to  his  care  the  busi- 


152 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


ncss  in  hand.  Evidently  the  centurion  had  only  this 
one  servant  (ver.  9). 

Sick  of  the  palsy,  irapa\vriK6  9.* — There  is  a 
manifost  analogy  between  the  sick  of  the  palsy  and 
the  demoniacs.  The  latter  were  deprived  of  their 
consciousness,  or  of  tlie  organ  of  the  soul ;  while  the 
paralytics  were  deprived  of  the  use  of  their  bodily  or- 
gans. Those  afflicted  with  epilepsy  formed  a  kind  of 
intermediate  link  between  these  two  ailments,  being 
occasionally  deprived  of  the  use  both  of  their  mental 
and  bodily  capacities,  and,  at  other  times,  of  either 
the  one  or  the  other.  The  irapaAvrtKoi  are  as  it  were 
physically  dissolved  (TrapaAf  Au^fVoi),  and  prostrated 
on  beds  (Matt.  ix.  '2  ;  Mark  iii.  3,  etc.).  Luther  trans- 
lates ffichtbruchiff,  which  signifies  only  a  particular 
kind  of  the  general  disease  of  paralysis.  "  Modern 
physicians  apply  the  term  paralysis  to  the  loss  of  vol- 
untary motion,  or  of  sensation  in  some  part  of  the 
body,  the  muscles  being  entirely  relaxed.  This  con- 
stitutes the  difference  between  paralysis  and  catalepsis 
and  the  various  kinds  of  fciannx,  in  which  the  muscles 
are  excited  and  rigid.  In  paralysis,  the  circulation 
of  the  blood,  animal  heat,  and  the  ordinary  secre- 
tions continue.  The  disease  frequently  comes  on 
suddenly  (after  a  stroke  of  apoplexy),  at  other  times 
slowly  and  insensibly,  but  in  every  instance  is  difficult 
to  remove."     Winer. 

Ver.  9.  For  I  am  a  man  vnh  e^ovalav, — in 
service. — Meyer :  "  He  adduces  a  twofold  analogy  : 
the  obedience  which  he  is  bound  to  give,  and  that 
which  he  claims  from  his  subordinates."  But  the 
former  cannot  have  been  meant,  as  it  would  imply 
that  Christ  was  also  a  subordinate  in  spiritual  matters. 
The  conclusion  is,  however,  not  simply  a  minori  ad 
majus,  in  the  sense  that  Christ  ruled  in  spiritual,  as 
the  centurion  in  temporal  matters ;  but  also  in  this 
sense,  that  if  he,  a  subordinate,  could  issue  his  com- 
mands, much  more  could  Christ,  the  absolute  Lord. 
Various  opinions  are  entertained  about  the  meaning 
which  the  centurion  attached  to  the  supremacy  of 
Christ.  Fritzsche  understands  it  as  applying  to  His 
sovereignty  over  the  demons  as  the  supposed  authors 
of  diseases ;  Wetstein,  Olshausen,  and  Ewald,  over 
angels  ;  Baumgarten-Crusius,  over  ministering  spirits  ; 
Meyer,  over  diseases,  as  subject  to  Christ.  But  the 
centurion  must  have  referred  to  sway  over  subordin- 
ate personages,  and  not  merely  over  diseases  ;  nor 
could  it  here  refer  to  demons,  as  his  servant  was  not 
possessed  by  them.  On  the  other  hand,  we  can 
readily  conceive  how  a  Roman,  who  was  just  passing 
from  heathenism  to  Judaism,  would  easily  confound 
his  Roman  notions  about  genii  with  the  idea  of  an- 
gels. Bengel :  "sapieniiajidelisez  ruditate  militari 
pulchre  elucens."  What  gives  such  charm  to  the 
illustration  is,  that  the  centurion  ever  again  recurs  to 
his  poor  faithful  servant.  Some  familiar  servant  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  he  thinks,  would  suffice  to  restore 
his  poor  slave. — There  was  no  need,  he  meant  to  say, 
for  His  personal  attendance,  since  even  he  was  not  re- 
quired always  personally  to  superintend  the  execution 
of  his  orders.  "  Humility  and  faith  always  go  hand  in 
hand."     Meyer. 

Ver.  11.  From  the  east  and  -west. — Referring 
not  only  to  Gentiles,  but  to  the  more  distant  of  them. 


*  [The  English  palsy  is  evidently  derived  by  contraction 
(rom  the  Greek  TTapa\vai<:,  as  alms  from  i\friiJ.offvuri, 
through  the  medium  of  the  Latin.— P.  8.] 


]  without  distinction  of  nationality,  Isa.  xlv.  6. — And 
shall  sit  down,  or  rather  recline  at  table,  according 
to  OricTital  fasliion. — In  the  minds  of  the  prophets,  a 
symbolical  meaning  attached  to  this  feast  of  Messiah, 
as  portraying  the  blessedness  enjoyed  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  (Isa.  xxv.  6).  In  this  sense  Jesus  here  era- 
ploys  the  simile,  which  He  afterward  expands,  as  in 
Luke  xiv.  7  ;  Matt.  xxii.  1 ;  xxvi.  29.  No  doubt 
those  around  Him  would  understand  the  tei-m  in 
this  manner.  Meyer  remarks :  "  According  to  Jew- 
ish notions,  splendid  banquets  with  the  patriarchs 
formed  part  of  the  hajjpiness  enjoyed  in  Messiah's 
kingdom.  See  Berthold,  C'hristologie,  p.  196,  and 
Scliottgen,  Hor.  ad  loc.  The  expression  is  employed 
in  a  figurative  sense  by  the  Lord  (although  His  Jew- 
ish hearers  would  probablv  understand  it  literally)." 
This  last  clause  is  somewhat  doubtful,  as  it  would 
scarcely  reflect  favorably  upon  the  wisdom  of  Christ. 
Meyer  very  properly  calls  attention  to  the  contrast 
between  this  promise  of  Jesus  and  the  pride  of  the 
Jews,  as  expressed  in  the  following  rabbinical  say- 
ing: ^^  In  tnundo  Juturo  [dixit  Detis)  rnensam  ingen- 
tem  vobis  sternam,  quod  Gentiles  videbunt  et  pudefi- 
ent."     Schottgen,  Hor. 

Ver.  12.  But  the  children  of  the  kingdom. 
— The  Jews  were  children  of  the  typical  kingdom, 
or  of  the  theocracy,  and  might  cherish  the  expecta- 
tion of  becoming  sons  of  the  real  kingdom — that  of 
heaven  (Rom.  ix.  5 ;  xi.  16).  The  expression,  king- 
dom, must  here  be  taken  generally,  as  embracing 
both  economies — the  promise  and  the  possession. 
The  term  viSs,  "3 ,  indicates  relationship  either  in  a 
physical  or  moral  sense.  In  the  present  instance, 
it  refers  to  the  heirs  which  belong  to  the  kingdom, 
as  well  as  to  tliose  to  whom  the  kingdom  belongs. 

Outer  darkness,  t^  a  koto";  to  i^drepo  p. — 
The  banqueting  hall  is  lit  up,  the  feast  is  served  in  the 
evening,  and  outside  is  utter  darkness.  So  Judas 
went  from  the  supper  of  the  Lord  into  the  dark  night, 
John  xiii.  30.  The  expression  is  here  used  in  a  compar- 
ative sense.  They  are  cast  out  into  deeper,  nay,  into 
uttermost  darkness.  Just  as  the  feast  refers  to  salva- 
tion and  bliss  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  so  this  pic- 
ture of  night,  to  the  darkness  and  the  horrors  of 
judgment.  Hence  the  description  of  their  sufferings, 
b  KKav^ixo^.  "  The  article  [which  is  omitted  in  the 
English  C.  V.]  indicates  that  it  is  the  well-known 
wretchedness  experienced  in  hell ;  comp.  xiii.  42,  50 ; 
xxii.  13  ;  xxiv.  51  ;  xxv.  30  ;  Luke  xiii.  28." 

Ver.  13.  In  the  self-same  hour. — Emphatical- 
ly— as  soon  as  Jesus  had  spoken  the  word  :  comp. 
John  iv.  46.     In  this  case,  as  in  John  iv.,  and  in  the 
cure  of  the  daughter  of  the  Syrophoenician  woman, 
the  miracle  was  performed  by  the  Lord  at  a  distance 
from  the  subject  of  it.     Several  critics  (Semler,  Seif- 
farth,  Strauss,  Weisse,  Gfriirer,  Baumgarten-Crusius, 
j  Baur)  have  confounded  the  history  of  the  centurion 
of  Capernaum  with  that  of  the  royal  courtier  there 
I  (John  iv.  46).     But  this  were  completely  to  mistake 
I  the   different  characters  of  these  two  persons,  and 
j  their  marked  moral  peculiarities,  as  brought  out  in 
1  the  Gospels.     The  courtier  was  weak  in  the  faith, 
■  while  the  centurion  was  strong;  the  courtier  deemed 
the  presence  of  Christ  absolutely  necessary,  and  urged 
I  Him  to  come  down  to  his  house,  while  the  centurion 
I  regarded  the  word  of  command  sufficient.     Hence 
I  the  difference  of  treatment  on  the  part  of  the  Lord. 
i  (Comp.  Lange's  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  645.) 


CHAP.  Vni.  1-13. 


153 


DOCTRINAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  Tlie  miracle. — The  Lord  confirmed  and  sealed 
His  ministry  and  prophetic  office  by  miracles.  The 
miracle  of  His  person  is  revealed  in  His  miraculous 
works.  It  is  evident  that  the  Evangelist  here  groups 
together  various  miracles  of  the  Lord,  in  order  there- 
by to  exhibit  Him  as  the  Wonder-worker. 

On  the  conception  of  miracles  consult  the  works 
on  the  Evidences  of  Christianity,  and  the  Systems  of 
Biblical  and  Systematic  Theology ;  my  Life  of  Jesus, 
ii.  1,  258  ;  my  Fhilos.  Dogmatics,  467  ;  Jul.  Miiller's 
dissertation  :  De  miraculorum  Jesu  Christi  natura, 
i.,  Marburg,  1839;  ii.,  Halle,  1841 ;  and  other  works 
quoted  by  Meyer,  p.  176.* 

In  the  most  general  sense  of  the  term,  every  man- 
ifestation of  God  is  a  miracle ;  and  He  docs  wonders, 
because  He  is  wonderful.     As  the  self-existent  One, 
all  His  works  are  jniracidoiis,  whether  in  creation  or 
in  providence:  i.  e..  He  manifests  Himself  as  the  Al- 
mighty Creator,  both  in  calling  forth  and  forming 
ihal  which  is  not,  and  in  destroying,  or  rather  trans- 
forming, that  which  is.     His  wondrous  deeds  are  de- 
scribed in  Ps.   xxxiii.  9  (Ps.  cxlviii.   5;  cxv.   3); — 
"  He  speaks,  and  it  is  done ;  He  commands,  and  it 
stands  fast;"  and    again,  in    Rom.  iv.  17:  "Who 
quickeneth  the  dead,  and  calleth  those  things  that  be  ■ 
not  as  though  they  were." — All  creation  is  a  wonder,  ■ 
Ps.  cxxxvi.  4  ;  Isa.  xl.  26.     All  His  administration  is 
wonderful,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  6 ;  Job  v.  9,  etc.     His  judg- 
meni.i  for  the  deliverance  of  His  people  are  wonders,  '. 
Ex.  XV.  6;  Ps.  Ixxvii.  15;  ix.  2.     So  are  His  lead- 
ings of  Israel,  Ps.  cv.  2  sqq.     Such  also  is  His  ad- 
vent as  Saviour,-  Ps.  xcviii. — We  have  already  advert-  i 
ed  to  the  second  or  inner  circle  of  wonders,  within 
the  first,  or  more  general.    In  the  ordinary  course  of  ! 
nature  and  of  history,  God  performs  special  miracles,  \ 
for  the  purpose  of  restoring,  oi  judging,  and  of  deliv-  ' 
ering,  Ex.  xxxiv.  10  ;  Ps.  cv.  5 ;  Isa.  xxv.  1  ;  Dan.  I 
vi.  27 ;  Acts  ii.  19.     But  these  new  miracles  are  in-  | 
timately  connected  with  His  general  marvellous  deal-  j 
ings.    As  the  Almighty  and  the  Creator,  He  performs 
the  more  general  miracles  of  His  power.     But  His 
special  miracles  are  the  manifestation  of  those  new  j 
and  higher  principles  which  break  through  and  over- 
step the  sphere  of  common  Ufe,  and  introduce  a  new 
and  higher  order  of  things,  or,  in  other  words,  the 
kingdom    of  God.     These   higher   miracles   appear 
alongside  of  His  word.     Hence  we  distinguish  in  this 
respect  between  miracles  of  the  ^vord  (predictions, 
prophecies)  and  miracles  of  deed  (Isa.  xliv.  7  ;  comp. 
ver.  26,  etc.).     The  miracles  of  deed  confirm  those 
of  the  word,  and  distinguish  them   from  the  delu- 
sive predictions  of  false  prophets.     Similarly,  how- 
ever, the  miracles  of  the  word  confirm  those  of  deed, 
and  distinguish  them  from  the  tokens  of  magicians. 
— Under  the  Xew  Covenant,  the  distinction  between 
miracles  of  word  and  deed  merges  in  the  person  of 
Christ.     He  is  the  Wonderful  (Isa.  ix.  6), — the  per- 

*  [Comp.  also  R.  Cii.  Trench:  Notes  on  the  Miracles, 
Preliminary  Essay,  p.  9-Sl  (Amer.  ed.,  1S56;  in  England 
this  useful  work  has  already  gone  through  seven  editions); 
Horace  BcsiiNELL  (of  Hartford):  Nature  and  the  Super- 
naturiil  as  together  constituting  the  one  System  of  God. 
New  York,  1S5S  (a  work  of  rare  power  and  genius),  especial- 
ly ch.  X.  and  .xi. ;  Dr.  Tiis.  H.  Skinner:  Miracles,  the  Proof 
of  Christianity,  New  York,  1863  (in  the  Amer.  Presbyt  and 
theol.  Kev.  for  April,  186.3,  p.  177  sqq.);  Prof.  A.  Hovet  of 
Newton  Centre:  The  Miracles  of  Christ,  Boston,  1S64;  and 
a  number  of  recent  dissertations  on  Miracles  called  forth  by 
the  "  fCstaiiS  and  Jievievjt"  controversy,  especially  one  bv 
Prof.  H.  L  Mansel,  B.  D.  of  Oxford,  in  the  "  Aids  to  Faith^' 
Lend,  and  New  York,  1862.— P.  8.] 


I  sonal,  the  highest,  the  absolute  Wonder, — because 
I  He  is  the  absolute  Principle  of  all  Life  manifested, 
the  Word  itself  in  outward  deed,  or  God  incarnate. 
i  As  the  absolute  Womler,  and  the  Principle  of  that 
1  new  and  spiritual  era  which  is  destined  to  subdue  and 
I  transform  every  relationship  of  the  past.  He  cannot 
but  perform  miracles, — nay,  all  His  doings  are  mir- 
I  aculous.  Himself  the  new  Creation,  He  performs  the 
highest  of  all  miracles — the  wonders  of  regeneration. 
These  were  introduced  and  attested  by  the  miracu- 
lous cures,  in  which  He  restored  the  mental  and  phys- 
ical constitution,  depressed  through  sin  below  the 
ordinary  healthy  level,  by  those  ahnighty  interposi- 
tions on  His  part,  which  we  designate  miracles  in  the 
special  sense. 

In  general,  a  miracle  is  that  almighty  and  crea^ 
tive  action  of  God,  in  which  He  manifests  Himself  as 
the  eternal,  self-existent,  and  wonderful  One.  Crea- 
tion is  the  miracle  of  deed,  which  is  interpreted  by 
the  word. 

But  within  this  general  sphere,  the  miracles  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  were,  so  to  speak,  announced 
and  prepared  by  the  special  miraculous  cycles  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  nature,  in  which  the  symbolical 
miracle  of  nature  appears.  Here  each  stage  of  na- 
ture prepai-es  for  a  higher ;  which  in  turn  may  be  re- 
garded as  above  nature,  as  contrary  to  nature,  and  yet 
as  only  higher  nature,  since  it  introduces  a  new  and 
higher  principle  of  life,  into  the  existent  and  natural 
order  of  things.*  It  is  not  the  law  of  nature  which 
causes  the  principle  of  nature,  but  the  principle  of 
nature  which  Ues  at  the  basis  of  the  law  of  nature. 
Each  lower  stage  prepares  for  a  new,  in  which  a  high- 
er principle  of  life  appears.  This  higher  sphere  may 
always  be  regarded  as  supernatural,  because  it  goes 
beyond  the  former  stage,  and  even  as  in  a  sense  con- 
trary to  nature,  because  the  former  stage  becomes, 
so  to  speak,  the  pabulum  for  this  new  and  higher 
life  ;  while  in  reality  it  is  only  a  higher  manifesta- 
tion of  nature  which  unfolds  in  accordance  with  the 
principles  of  development  peculiar  to  itself. 

Thus  the  chemical  principle  appeared  as  a  miracle 
in  the  elementary  world,  as  introducing  a  new  and 
higher  life ;  similarly,  the  principle  of  crystallization 
is  a  miracle  with  reference  to  the  lower  principle  of 
chemical  affinity  ;  the  plant,  a  miracle  above  the  crys- 
tal ;  the  animal,  a  miracle  in  reference  to  the  plant ; 
and  man,  over  all  the  animal  world.  Lastly,  Christ, 
as  the  second  man,  the  God-Man,  is  a  miracle  above 
all  the  world  of  the  first  man,  who  is  of  the  earth, 
earthy  (1  Cor.  xv.). 

The  Lord  Jesus  would  have  been  an  absolute 
miracle  even  in  the  world  before  the  fall  of  Adam ; 
much  more  since,  instead  of  ascending  to  spirituality, 
man  has  through  sin  become  the  slave  of  the  flesh, 
and  thus  degraded  nature  below  its  proper  level. 
Hence  Christ  is  not  only  a  higher  and  a  transforming 
principle  in  the  sphere  of  our  natural  world  ;  but,  ap- 
pearing among  sin-laden  men,  He  is  also  the  Judge, 
the  Redeemer,  and  the  Saviour. 

The  New  Testament  miracle,  then,  is  that  work- 
ing of  Christ  by  word  and  deed  which  springs  from 
the  new  principle  of  absolute  life  and  salvation,  and 
manifests  itself  in  judgment  and  deliverance,  in  re- 
demption and  transformation 

*  [In.  German :  "  Hier  ist  d.is  Wander  der  wohZvermittel- 
ie,  Ubernatiirliche,  loidernaturliche  und  hohere  natHrliche 
Durchbruch  eines  neuen  hoheren  Lebensprincips  durch  die 
bereits  vorhandene  gesetzmiissige  Ordnung  der.  Dinge." 
This  is  a  fair  specimen  of  Dr.  Lange's  stylo  in  the  more  doc- 
trinal and  philosophical  portions  of  hie  Commentary. — P.  B.) 


154 


THE    (lOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO    MATTHEW. 


But,  as  the  advent  of  the  first  man  was  prepared 
and  predieted  by  those  symbolical  miracles  of  the  va- 
rious stages  of  nature  that  gradually  ascended  tovi'ard 
man  as  their  climax,  so  was  the  miraculous  advent  of 
the  second  man  from  heaven — of  Christ,  the  Redeem- 
er and  Transformer  of  the  world — prepared  and  pre- 
dicted by  the  miracles  of  the  Old  Testament,  which 
took  place  within  that  sphere  of  human  life  and  na- 
ture, which  sin  had  darkened.  These  were  essential- 
ly miracles  of  the  coming  regeneration,  or  of  the  ad- 
vent of  the  God-Man. 

In  the  svinbolical  sphere  of  nature,  the  miracle 
appears,  in  the  first  instance,  as  a  symbolical  deed  on 
the  part  of  God,  which  only  to  the  mind  of  him  who 
is  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God  becomes  trans- 
formed into  a  miraculous  word.    It  is  otherwise  with- 

(1)  a-qi-ulov,  rfKfj.ripiov.  (2)  Swa/xts. 

signum.  virtus,  patenter  factum. 

Prepared  sign  of  the  ajj-  i  Supernatural    eSeet    of 
proaching  new   princi-  \      this  principle  on  its  ap- 
pearance. 


in  the  sphere  of  the  ancient  theocracy.  Here  the 
wondrous  deed  of  God,  and  the  human,  but  inspired 
word  of  prophecy,  which  in  its  symbolic  import 
evokes  the  wondrous  deed,  go  hand  in  hand  (we 
might  almost  say,  in  a  harmonia  pncstahilita).  Last- 
ly, within  the  sphere  of  Christianity,  the  miracle,  as 
deed,  flows  from  the  thcanthroi)ic  word  of  the  incar- 
nate Word.  In  general,  spiritual  regeneration  is  al- 
ways the  first,  and  is  afterward  followed  by  miraculous 
cure,  or  transformation  of  nature,  though  in  individ- 
ual cases  that  order  may  seem  partly  reversed. 

We  may  sketch,  in  the  following  table,  the  miracle 
in  its  development  and  varied  manifestations  (general 
expression  for  miracles :  Oavixara,  Oav/xdaia,  irapi- 
5o|a,  miracula  ;  xbc  ,  nisbs'lD  ,  nii<bE5  ). 


pie  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 


Definition  of  | 

Augustine:         ;      Thomas  Aquinas 

Portentum  non  fit  contra  I  Miraculum,  quod  fit  prce- 
naturam,     sed     contra 


quam  est  nota  natura. 
{Be  civitate   Dei,   xxi. 
8.) 
(Prevailing  view  in  the  Gos- 
pel by  Matthew.) 


ter  ordinera  totius  na- 
ture creaicB.  {Summa  i. 
qusest.  110,  art.  4.) 

(Prevailing  view  in  the  Gos- 
pel by  Luke.) 


(3)  Tfpas. 
ostentum,  portentum. 

Contra-natural  effect  of 
it,  as  compared  with 
the  former  stage,  espe- 
cially in  the  fallen  con- 
dition. 

The  17th  cent. ; 
Quenstedt : 

Miracula,  quse  contra  vim 
rebus  naturalibus  a  deo 
inditam  cursuinque  na- 
turalem  efficiuntur. 
{Si/st.  Theol.  p.  4*71.) 

(Prevailing  view  in  the  Gos- 
pel by  Mark.) 


(4)  ^pyof. 
factum,  opus. 
n^htr: ,  etc. 

Higher,  or  rather  highest 
naturalness.  Manifes- 
tation of  the  new,  hea- 
venly, and  spiritual  na- 
ture. 

Nitzsch : 

Miracles  are  part  of  a 
higher  order  of  things, 
which,  however,  is  also 
nature.  {System  der 
Chrisil.  Lehre,  p.  85.) 

(Prevailing  view  in  the  Gos- 
pel by  John.) 


As  the  principle  of  all  principles,  Christ  is  the 
absolute  law  of  all  laws  of  nature  and  life.  Hence, 
(1)  There  was  preparation  for  Him.  As  all  nature 
tended  toward,  and  was  a  prediction  of,  man,  so  all 
humanity  tended  toward  Christ  and  is  fulfilled  and 
perfected  by  Him.  (2)  He  was  supernatural  in  ref- 
erence to  the  old  world  and  to  man's  ordinary  na- 
ture— the  new  spiritual  man  from  heaven.  (3)  He 
was  contra-natural :  old  Adam  must  die,  and  the  old 
world  perish.  But  this  old  natural  life  becomes  in 
turn  the  substratum  and  the  element  for  a  new  spir- 
itual life.  (4)  He  is  natural  in  the  highest  sense. 
For  in  Him  is  all  nature  realized,  redeemed,  and  ad- 
mitted to  share  in  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children 
of  God. — We  notice  the  same  features  in  His  mira- 
cles. (1)  There  is  the  preparation  of  faith  on  the  part 
of  those  who  receive,  or  else  by  the  affection  of  those 
who  intercede  for  others;  occasionally,  also,  believ- 
ing anticipation,  as  in  the  demoniacs ;  or  a  waiting 
for  the  Lord,  as  in  the  case  of  those  raised  from  the 
dead ;  while  no  miracles  are  performed  among  unbe- 

A.  Miracles  of  the  word  and  of  fulfilment. 

(1)  Miraculous  birth  of  Christ  to  a  spiritual  human 
life  in  the  world.     He  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


(2)  Christ  miraculously  attains  to  full  consciousness 
of  His  calling  as  the  Redeemer  at  His  baptism 
in  Jordan,  and  is  glorified  from  above.  He  has 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  spiritual  power. 


lievers.  Matt.  xiii.  58.  (2)  They  are  supernatural — 
the  manifestation  of  the  almighty  and  saving  power 
of  the  God-Man.  (3)  In  a  sense  contra-natural,  as 
putting  an  end  to  the  existing  state  ;  as,  for  example, 
in  the  history  of  the  Gadarenes,  in  the  doom  of  the 
barren  fig-tree,  etc.  (4)  Natural  in  the  highest  sense 
(gradualness  of  the  cui-e  of  the  blind  man  at  Beth- 
saida,  use  of  natural  means):  presentation,  in  an 
outward  fact,  of  the  revival  of  inner  life. 

The  series  of  Old  Testament  miracles  opened,  in 
the  history  of  Abraham,  by  the  miracle  of  word  and 
of  initial  fulfilment  (th^  wonderful  birth  of  Isaac), 
long  before  the  ordinary  miracles  of  deed  commenced 
with  the  life  of  Moses.  The  latter  were  in  the  first 
place  symbolical  miracles ;  they  next  became  mira- 
cles of  judgment  and  deliverance,  and  grew  into  mi- 
racles and  healing,  until,  in  the  predictions  of  the 
prophets,  they  pointed  forward  to  the  period  of 
transformation. 

All  these  elements  appear  fully  defined  and  per- 
fected in  the  life  of  the  Lord. 

B.  Miracles  of  deed. 

(1)  The  miraculous  birth  of  Christ  is  the  regenera- 

tion of  humanity.  Hence  it  is  the  power  of  re- 
generating, of  awakening  the  dead,  and  restoring 
the  sick.  Jesus  walking  on  the  sea.  Power  of 
the  spirit  over  nature. 

(2)  Glimpse  into  heaven.     Into  the  hearts  (Natha- 

nael);  into  the  depths  (the  tribute  penny,  the 
draught  of  fishes) ;  into  the  future  (the  colt). 
Miracles  of  judgment  and  deliverance.  Deliver- 
ances in  the  sphere  of  mind  and  of  nature.  Con- 
versions, casting  out  of  evil  spirits.    Symbolical 


J 


CUiVP.  VIII.  1-13. 


155 


(3)  Transfiguration  of  the  Lord  on  the  Mount.     lie 

reveals  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  shines  in  the  hght 
of  the  Spirit. 

(4)  The  resurrection  of  the  Lord.     Transition  to  the 

second   and   hcaveidy  life   of  man.     Christ   is 
glorified  and  i-eiffns  in  the  Iloly  Ghost. 


(5)  Ascent  of  Christ  into  heaven :    Christ  rules  far 

and  near. 

(6)  The  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  His  dis- 

ciples :  He  sends  the  Holy  Ghost. 

(7)  Return  of  Christ  to  judgment. 


Lastly,  we  remark,  that  Christianity  itself  shares 
these  characteristics  of  the  miraculous  life  and  work- 
ing of  the  Lord.  For,  1.  Being  the  religion  of  histo- 
ri/,  the  fulfilment  of  the  Old  Testament  and  of  all 
history,  there  has  been  due  preparation  for  it  in  the 
course  of  history.  2.  It  is  supernatural;  being  di- 
rectly from  heaven,  and  entirely  new.  3.  It  is  con- 
tra-natural ;  dooming  sin  and  the  world  to  death  in 
its  progress,  and  making  use  of  natural  life  oidy  as 
the  elpment  of  a  higher  life.  4.  Yet  this  miracle  is 
only  the  highest  naturalness ;  being  the  religion  of 
true  spiritual  life,  which  leads  to  the  transformation 
of  the  world.  On  the  other  hand,  all  the  effects  of 
Christianity  may  be  arranged  into  miracles  oi  forma- 
tion (regeneration),  and  miracles  of  deed  (the  healing 
of  the  cosmos),  until  the  goal  shall  be  reached  in  the 
transformation  of  the  world. 

In  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  the  Lord  had  dis- 
played the  full  riches  of  spiritual  life.  He  preached 
as  one  who  had  authority,  and  not  as  the  scribes. 
This  became  evident  immediately  on  His  descent 
from  the  high  pulpit,  by  the  miracles  which  He  per- 
formed. In  the  mind  of  the  Evangelists,  these  mir- 
acles, however  different,  are  connected,  and  form  a 
higher  unity,  although  their  histoi'ical  succession  is 
never  overlooked.  But  the  cure  of  Peter's  mother- 
in-law,  and  of  the  great  multitude  of  sick  persons, 
especially  demoniacs,  belongs  to  a  former  period,  as 
has  already  been  stated.  All  the  other  miracles 
were  performed  at  the  time  of  Christ's  second  stay 
in  Capernaum.  The  interrupted  journey  to  Gadara 
is  their  centre. 

But  just  as  the  utterances  on  the  Mount- were  Di- 
vine deeds,  so  these  deeds  by  which  the  Great  Pro- 
phet confirms  His  word  are  also  oracles  of  God, — 
i.  e.,  Divine  deeds  which  serve  as  symbols  of  the  in- 
finite truth  and  grace,  and  of  the  power  of  the  Gos- 
pel to  save. 

It  is  significant  that  the  miraculous  cures  of  Je- 
sus began  with  that  of  leprosy.  This  cure  marks 
the  new  era  in  hfe,  as  the  Sennon  on  the  Mount 
marked  that  in  doctrine.  According  to  tTie  Old  Tes- 
tament, he  who  touched  a  leper  became  unclean. 
Jesus  touches  the  leper,  and  not  only  remains  clean 
Himself,  but  by  His  touch  cleanses  tlic  leper. — Still 
more  remarkable  is  the  second  miracle.  It  consists 
in  help  given  to  a  Gentile,  and  tliat  on  the  strength 
of  a  faith  v/hich  is  declared  to  surpass  that  of  the 
Jews.  If  in  the  former  case  the  cure  wa.s  effected 
by  touch,  it  now  takes  place  at  a  distance ;  thus 
Bymbolizing  that  the  influence  of  the  blessed  Saviour 


miracles  of  nature,  both  in  judgment  and  deUv- 
erance.  ("Parallel  miracles.")  The  calming  of 
the  storm. 

(3)  Miracles  of  transfiguration.     The  disciples  shar- 

ing the  heavenly  rapture.  The  marriage  at 
Cana.  The  miraculous  feeding  of  the  multitude. 
Bread  and  wine  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

(4)  Christ  raising  the  dead.     New  spiritual  life.     The 

maid  on  her  death-bed.  The  young  man  in  the 
coffin.  Lazarus  in  the  grave.  Movement  in 
the  world  of  spirits  at  His  resurrection.  (Mat- 
thew.) 

(5)  Miraculous  cures  at  a  distance. 

(6)  Anointing  of  His  people;  of  believing  humanity. 

Speaking  with  new  tongues.  Spread  of  His 
wondrous  power  in  the  hfe  of  Christianity. 

(7)  The  withered  fig-tree.     The  Apostles  sent  into  all 

tiie  world. 

extended  not  only  to  those  who  were  near,  but  also 
to  the  Gentiles  at  a  distance. — Next,  we  have  the 
miraculous  cure  of  Peter's  mother-in-law — in  contra- 
distinction to  the  low  estimate  of  woman  in  the  old 
world.  He  takes  her  by  the  hand,  and,  being  re- 
stored, she  serves  Him. — Jesus  has  now  to  cope  with 
the  whole  weight  of  demoniacal  suffering  in  and 
around  Capernaum ;  but  He  proves  equal  to  the  load, 
and  removes  it. — Here  we  reach  the  period  of  His 
journey  to  Gadara,  during  which  the  Lord,  by  a  dif- 
ferent mode  of  treatment,  restored  two  of  His  pro- 
fessing disciples  from  their  spiritual  disease — enthu- 
siasm in  the  one  case,  and  slowness  of  faith  in  the 
other. — The  Lord  next  appeases  the  storm  at  sea, 
and,  with  it,  the  storm  of  anxiety  in  the  souls  of  His 
disciples ; — on  the  eastern  shore,  in  the  land  of  the 
Gadarenes,  He  performs  the  cure  of  two  demoniacs 
who  had  been  the  terror  of  the  whole  district.  But 
this  miracle  diffused  greater  terror  among  the  Gada- 
renes than  the  demoniacs  had  ever  done.  The  ban- 
ishment of  Jesus  from  that  territory,  consequent  on 
this  cure,  may  be  regarded  as  the  first  formal  rejec- 
tion of  the  Lord.  Orthodox  Israel  expelled  Jesus 
for  the  sake  of  a  herd  of  swine.  No  better  fate 
awaits  Him  on  the  western  shore  of  the  lake.  The 
heaUng  of  one  afflicted  with  the  palsy,  whose  faith 
had  overcome  all  obstacles  intervening  between 
Christ  and  him,  served  as  the  occasion  of  stirring  up 
the  enmity  of  the  scribes,  who  denounced  as  blasphe- 
my His  forgiving  of  sin.  Among  these  miracles, 
Matthew  introduces  his  own  calling.  A  wonder  of 
grace  this,  not  less  than  the  others,  that  a  pubUcan, 
one  excommunicated,  should  be  called  to  the  apostle- 
ship.  If  the  Pharisees  found  fault  because  He  ate 
with  the  publicans  and  sinners,  the  disciples  of  John 
objected  on  the  ground  that  His  disciples  fasted  not, 
as  they  and  the  Pharisees  did.  The  former  cavil  the 
Lord  rebutted  by  reminding  the  Pharisees  of  the 
contrast  between  sacrifice  and  mercy ;  the  latter,  by 
pointing  out  that  between  the  marriage  and  fasting, 
the  new  wine  and  the  Old  bottles.  Then  for  the 
first  time  the  Lord  raised  the  dead,  restoring  the 
daughter  of  Jairus  from  the  death-bed  to  life ;  the 
cure  of  the  woman  afflicted  with  an  issue  of  blood 
being  introduced  by  the  way.  Next,  two  blind  men 
recovered  their  sight,  on  the  distinct  profession  of 
their  faith  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  (the  Son  of 
David). — We  regard  it  as  a  further  progress  in  these 
miracles  when  He  heals  the  dumb  demoniac ;  and  by 
tlie  word  of  His  power  at  the  same  time  leveals  and 
removes  the  cause  of  his  affiction.     After  all  thcsj 


156 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


miracles,  the  Pharisees  be^n  to  revile  Him,  and  to 
say,  that  "  He  cast  out  devils  by  the  prince  of  the 
devils."  These  were  the  very  worst  devils  with 
whom  Christ  had  to  contend.  The  blind  receive 
their  sight,  but  they  who  see  become  blind ;  the  pos- 
sessed recover,  but  those  who  administered  healing 
in  Israel  are  cast  into  the  kingdom  of  Satan.  Christ 
now  passes  victoriously  from  His  prophetic  to  His 
royal  administration,  which  commences  with  the 
mission  of  His  Apostles. 

2.  We  have  already  pointed  out  how  significantly 
the  series  of  miracles  in  Matthew  opens  with  the  re- 
covery of  a  leper.  Another  point  deserves  notice.  The 
Old  Testament  provided  no  remedy  for  the  leper,  nor 
was  he  tolerated  in  the  congregation.  His  disease 
was  treated  like  sin  ;  he  was  banished  from  the  camp ; 
and  whosoever  touclicd  him,  shared  for  a  time  that 
banishment.  Levitical  impurities,  such  as  touching 
the  dead,  ceased  after  a  certain  period  had  elapsed  ; 
but  the  leper  was  excluded  for  an  indefinite  time — 
perhaps  for  ever.  Their  only  hope  of  restoration  to 
the  Church  lay  in  their  recovery.  Meantime  the  leper 
was  left  to  the  mercy  of  God.  In  this  respect  the 
arrangements  of  the  synagogue  were,  as  we  have 
shown,  less  strict  than  those  of  the  temple.  In  the 
Old  Church,  to  touch  an  unclean  person,  rendered  un- 
clean ;  Christ,  the  Founder  of  the  New  Church, 
cleansed  the  leper  by  touching  him.  There  is  a  for- 
mal disannulling  of  the  old  arrangement  in  this 
stretching  forth  of  the  hand  and  touching  the  leper, 
and  in  the  words — "  I  will,  be  thou  clean  !  "  And 
yet  the  two  institutions  agree  in  spirit,  for  it  is  the 
object  of  both  to  exhibit  the  Church  pure  and  unspot- 
ted. But  what  the  Old  Covenant  could  not  bestow, 
the  Lord  vouchsafed.  The  Old  Covenant  could  only 
distinguish,  but  not  separate,  between  sin  and  mis- 
ery. This  the  Lord  accomplished.  From  the  mo- 
ment He  touched  the  leper  witli  His  finger,  suffering 
became  hallowed,  and  the  Lord  entered  into  full  fel- 
lowship with  it.  From  that  moment  until  His  death 
on  the  cross,  Christ  remained  in  continuous  fellow- 
ship with  the  suffering  of  the  world.  True,  it  seems 
as  if  His  contact  with  the  leper  had  not  led  to  any 
immediate  suffering  ;  but  from  the  narrative  in  Luke 
we  gather  that  such  was  the  case.  The  leper  related 
what  Jesus  had  done  for  him,  and  traditionaUsm  may 
have  pronounced  the  Lord  unclean.  On  this  account 
He  retired  for  a  time  into  the  wilderness,  thence  to 
issue  to  fresh  manifestations  of  His  miraculous  pow- 
er. If  the  first  miracle  presented  a  striking  contrast 
to  the  old  order  of  things,  the  second  was  still  more 
remarkable  as  being  performed  on  the  heathen  slave 
of  a  heathen  household.  True,  the  attachment  of 
the  centurion  to  the  synagogue  formed  a  kind  of  in- 
termediate link  of  connection ;  but  Matthew  passes 
over  this  circumstance  as  apparently  secondary,  in  1 
view  of  the  grand  motive  influencing  the  Lord — the 
faith  of  the  centurion.  Viewed  in  their  combination, 
the  two  miracles  show  that  infinite  mercy  reaches  to 
the  lowest  depths  of  misery,  and  extends  to  the  ut-  | 
most  bounds  of  the  earth — its  only  conditions  being 
personal  need  and  believing  trust. 

S.  The  acknowledgment  of  proselytes  of  the  gate 
may  be  regarded  as  a  victory  of  the  genuine  theo- 
cratic spirit  over  Pharisaism,  which  at  an  earlier  pe- 
riod had  been  typified  in  the  construction  of  a  "  court  j 
of  the  Gentiles  "  in  the  second  temple.     It  was  not  a 
new  arrangement,  but  a  recurrence  to  the  faith  and  , 
practice  of  the  patriarchs,  in  room  of  the  rigor  of  le-  ! 
galism.    The  synagogue  and  the  court  of  the  Gentiles  ' 
were  the  gates  by  which  the  heathen  might  enter  the 


Jewish  Church ;  the  proselytes  of  the  gate  formed 
!  the  intermediate  link  between  heathenism  and  the 
theocracy.     Thus  the  way  was  opened  for  the  Gos- 
pel.    As  in.stances  of  the  religious  movement  among 
soldiers  at  that  time,  we  mention  not  merely  the  three 
[  centurions  in  the  Gospels  and  the  Book  of  Acts,  but 
I  also  the  soldiers  who  resorted  to  John  the  Baptist, 
Luke  iii.  14. 

4.  The  judgment  of  outer  darkness  referred  to  the 
severest  dispensations  upon  earth,  and  in  Ea.'.es;  al- 
though there  is  some  diflFerence  between  it  and  the 
final  judgment  of  hell-fire,  Matt.  xxv. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  miracles  of  the  Lord,  as  confirming  His  pro- 
phetical word. — Christ  the  Great  Prophet  in  word 
and  deed. — The  words  of  the  Lord  effectual  as  Divine 
deeds ;  and  the  deeds  of  the  Lord  also  a  word  from 
heaven. — The  miracles  of  Jesus  in  their  blessed  im- 
port: L  As  witnessing  to  His  Gospel;  2.  as  works 
of  love;  3.  as  seals  of  His  power;  4.  as  manifesta- 
tions of  the  liberty  of  the  New  Covenant ;  5.  as  rays 
of  His  Divine  glory. — The  word  of  the  Lord  inspir- 
ing poor  fallen  man  with  fresh  courage:  1.  Even  the 
leper  may  now  hope  for  deliverance;  2.  he  presses 

!  forward  among  the  people  ;  3.  he  casts  himself  at  the 
feet  of  the  Lord,  as  if  he  entered  into  the  most  holy 
place;  4.  his  prayer  implies  the  conviction  that  there 
was  help  even  for  him. — The  healing  of  the  leper  a 
sign  of  hope  to  the  world  :  1.  The  Lord  can  restore 
even  where  a  case  seems  desperate ;  2.  He  is  willing 
to  do  it ;  3.  He  does  it  by  entering  into  fellowship 
with  the  sufferings  of  the  world ;  4.  by  His  suffering 
He  takes  away  ours ;  5.  He  separates  between  sin 
and  its  counterpart,  misery;  thus  taking  away  the 
strength  of  sin. — The  Lord  is  able  also  to  heal  the 
leprosy  of  the  inner  man. — The  power  of  death  con- 

'  quered  by  that  of  life. — The  purity  of  love  removing 
the  impurity  of  misery. — The  Lord  of  glory  in  con- 

i  tact  with  the  infectious  diseases  of  the  world. — The 

;  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  appearing  in  His  mode  of  grant- 
ing deliverance :  1.  He  quickly  hears ;  2.  He  briefly 

j  speaks  :  "  I  will !  "  8.  He  sovereignly  stretches  forth 
His  hand. — "  Tell  no  man,  but  show  thyself  to  the 
priest."     True    reticence   and    proper   pubhcity   of 

I  our  recovery.  —  "  Show  thyself  to  the  priest :  " 
or,  how  the  Lord  honors  the  Old  Dispensation  at 
the  very  moment  when  He  founds  the  New. — Faith, 
whether  obtrusive  in  its  entreaties,  or  retiring  in 
its  complaints  and  prayer,  is  always  the  same  in 
its  nature. — The  centurion  of  Capernaum  a  model  of 
believing  confidence:  1.  In  his  earnest  entreaty;  2. 
in  his  cordial  affection ;  3.  in  his  unfeigned  humility ; 
4.  in  the  peculiar  shape  in  which  his  profession  of 
Christ  appeared. — Faith  always  goes  hand  in  hand 
with  compassion. — Faith  with  its  power  of  interces- 
sion.— Humility  the  crown  of  faith :  1.  It  springs 
from  faith;  2.  it  rests  upon  faith,  purifying  and 
quickening  it ;  3.  it  manifests  itself  in  the  surrender 
of  every  claim,  and  in  firm  confidence  while  praying. 
— The  distinguishing  excellences  of  the  centurion's 
faith  :  1.  Humility,  by  which  his  military  rank  in  the 
world  gave  place  to  conscious  poverty  before  the 
Lord;  2.  trustfulness, — his  outward  circumstances 
and  position  serving  as  a  testimony  to  the  glory  of 
the  Lord. — The  pious  household. — The  faith  of  the 
centurion  and  that  in  Israel. — The  faith  of  the  cen- 
turion foreshadowing  the  bringing  in  of  the  Gentiles. 
— The  guests  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  gathered 


CHAP.  Vm.  14-17. 


157 


from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  and  the  children 
of  the  kingdom. — The  great  transformation  of  near 
and/a>'  in  the  kingdom  of  God  :  1.  In  the  course  of 
history  :  a.  at  the  time  of  Clirist ;  b.  at  the  time  of 
the  migration  of  nations ;  c.  at  the  time  of  the  Ref- 
ormation. 2.  Its  inner  lesson :  a.  the  penitent  sin- 
ner, who  relinquishes  every  claim,  hears  the  call  of 
mercy  afar  off;  b.  the  least  appearance  of  self-right- 
eousness obstructs  our  view  of  the  light  of  salvation, 
however  near. — The  banqueting  room  ht  up,  and 
outer  darkness. — To  be  cast  into  outer  darkness  im- 
plies,— 1.  the  darkness  of  final  judgment,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  glory  and  beauty  of  the  kingdom  of  God  ; 
2.  the  society  of  the  spirits  of  darkness,  in  opposition 
to  that  of  the  patriarchs;  3.  sorrow  and  shame,  in 
opposition  to  eternal  blessedness. — The  three  heathen 
centurions  compared  with  the  wise  men  from  the 
East. — "  I  will  come  and  heal  him." — Jesus  is  willing 
to  come  and  heal  the  Gentiles. — Jesus  is  able  to  bless 
the  Getitiles,  even  at  a  distance. — "  In  the  self-same 
hour ; "  or,  the  Lord  sends  help  at  the  right  mo- 
ment.— The  hour  of  grace. — Loving  zeal  a  character- 
istic of  the  kingdom  of  heaven:  1.  The  servant  obey- 
ing his  master  from  attachment  and  devotedness ;  or, 
Christianity  in  the  domestic  circle  and  in  civil  soci- 
ety. 2.  The  centurion  serving  his  subordinate  from 
esteem  and  compassion ;  or,  Christian  philanthropy. 
8.  Christ  serving  both ;  or,  the  kingdom  of  grace. 

Starke: — Quesnel:  Ministers  must  ofttimes  con- 
descend to  those  who  are  in  misery,  visit  them  in 
their  sorrow,  and  point  them  for  relief  to  the  word 
of  God,  Acts  viii.  30. — A  blessing  ever  attaches  to  our  , 
following  Jesus,  ch.  xix.  27;  Luke  viii.  43. — Majus: 
If  we  have  tasted  Christ,  the  Bread  of  life,  we  shall 
always  hunger  after  it,  and  follow  Him,  ch.  v.  6  ;  Isa.  j 
Iv.  1. — Zeisius :  Outward  leprosy  a  type  of  original  j 
sin,  or  of  spiritual  leprosy,  Ps.  li.  7  ;  Isa.  i.  6. — Bodi-  I 
ly  affliction  often  the  occasion  of  leading  us  to  Christ. 
0  blessed  sorrow  !  1  Pet.  iv.  1  ;  Jer.  xxx.  11. — The 
whole  world  a  vast  sick-ward. — A  Christian  must  not 
insist  on  anything  in  prayer,  ch.  xxvi.  39. — Zeisius  : 
The  surest  and  most  effectual  means  in  all  our  sor- 
rows, is  recourse  to  prayer,  Dan.  ix.  3,  4  ;  ch.  xv.  25. 
—  Quesnel:  Let  us  not  despise  even  the  greatest  sin- 
ners, nor  avoid  meeting  them,  provided  we  beware  of 
infection,  Gal.  vi.  1  ;  James  v.  19,  20. — Blbl.  Tub. : 
Jesus  can  and  will  deliver  us  in  our  most  grievous 
afflictions,  and  where  all  human  means  were  in  vain, 
Ps.  vi.  9,  10. — Majus :  The  word  of  Christ  is  an  ef- 
fectual remedy  for  curing  spiritual  leprosy,  John  xv. 
3. — The  most  acceptable  sacrifice  on  the  part  of  those 
who  have  been  restored,  is  new  obedience,  John  v. 
14  ;  Isa.  xxxviii.  15. — We  are  bound  publicly  to  ac- 


knowledge the  goodness  of  God,  Rom.  v.  11  ;  Pa. 
xxvi. —  The  ceniurion,  a  soldier,  a  heathen,  and  a  su- 
perior, cares  for  his  subordinates,  and  prays  for  his 
servant,  is  humble,  and  believes  in  Christ. '  Go  thou 
and  do  likewise.  Rom.  xv.  4;  1  Cor.  x.  11  ;  Bibl. 
Tub. — Let  us  not  despair  of  the  conversion  of  any 
man,  in  any  condition  of  life. — What  too  frequently 
military  men  are  not,  and  what  they  should  be. —  Osi- 
andcr :  A  genuine  Christian  will  plead  with  Jesus  not 
only  for  his  own  wants,  but  also  for  those  of  his 
neighbor. — The  cross  is  sent  even  to  pious  families, 
and  sometimes  to  the  best  members  of  them. — "  The 
Lord  is  near  to  all  that  call  upon  Him,"  Ps.  cxlv.  18, 
19  ;  vi.  10. — Lord  Jesus,  speak  the  word  only ! — We 
admire  riches,  beauty,  power,  or  art ;  but  Christ  ad- 
mires faith. — All  men  have  not  faith,  2  Thess.  iii.  2. 
—  Osiander :  Ofttimes  we  find  more  fiiith  with  soldiers 
and  worldly  persons  than  in  many  who  pretend  to  be 
saints. — Luther :  Faith  is  not  confined  to  time,  place, 
or  condition.  God  has  had  a  people  at  a  time  when 
it  was  little  thought,  in  places  where  we  should  not 
have  expected  to  find  them,  and  among  persons  whom 
we  would  not  have  imagined  to  be  His. — Majus :  Be- 
lievers under  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  have  all 
the  same  doctrine,  the  same  faith,  the  same  kingdom, 
and  the  same  glory,  Heb.  xiii.  8  ;  Acts  xv.  11. — The 
rejection  of  the  Jews  caused  by  their  unbelief,  Rom. 
xi.  20  ;  Isa.  liii.  1  ;  vi.  9  ;  Deut.  ix.  23.— Lo,  the  chil- 
dren who  trust  in  external  service,  in  the  temple,  and 
in  the  possession  of  gifts,  are  condemned;  while 
strangers  who  are  sincere  in  the  faith  are  received: 
Isa.  ii.  4,  etc. — The  more  light  and  grace  we  have  re- 
jected, the  greater  will  be  the  condemnation  and 
darkness  awarded  us. — Blessedness  of  intercession, 
James  v.  18  ;  2  Kings  xix.  34  ;  Jer.  xxix.  7. — The 
stronger  our  faith,  the  less  will  God  refuse  us,  espe- 
cially in  spiritual  requests. — True  faith  the  source  of 
all  other  gifts.     Quesnel. 

Gerlach : — Luther  (Randglosse) :  Faith  does  not 
knou\  it  trusts  in  the  mercy  of  God.  Faith  ever  says, 
If  Thou  wilt ;  not,  if  Thou  canst. — Weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth  :  the  former  perhaps  the  expres- 
sion of  softer,  the  latter  of  bolder,  characters. 

Heubner : — Jesus  can  and  will  deliver. — Jesus  is 
willing  to  come  under  our  roof,  although  we  be  un- 
worthy of  it. — The  kingdom  of  heaven  the  meeting- 
place  of  the  children  of  God  from  among  all  nations 
and  from  all  climes. — The  power  of  a  living  faith  in 
Christ:  1.  Its  character.  Faith  cleanses  from  sin, 
makes  holy,  and  induces  us  to  procure  help  for  others 
by  leading  them  to  Christ.  2.  Inferences  :  Beware 
of  unbeUef,  but  strive  after  true  faith. — All  men  are 
equal  before  the  Lord  Jesus. 


The  disease  in  the  family  ;  the  diseases  in  the  city.     Salvation  spreading  from  the  household  of  Peter,  or  the 
dwelling  of  the  Lord  (the  Church),  into  the  city. 

Chaptee  viii.  1^17. 


14  And  when  Jesus  was  [had]  come  into  Peter's  house,  he  saw  his  wife's  mother  kiid, 

15  and  sick  of  a  fever.     And  he  touched  her  liand,  and  the  fever  left  her:  and  she  aro.se, 

16  and  ministered  imto  them  [him].^     When  the  even  [evening]  was  come,  they  brought 
unto  him  many  that  were  possessed  with  devils :  and  he  cast  out  the  spirits  with  his  [a] ' 


158 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


17  word,  and  liealed  all  that  were  sick:  That  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by 
Eaaias  [Isaiah]  tlio  prophet,  saying,  Himself  took  our  infirmities,  and  bare  [bore]  our 
sicknesses. 


'  Vcr.  15.— AuTt3  is  better  supported  than  the  reading;  of  the  text.  rec.  auro7s. 

»  Ver.  16.— [All  the  older  E.  V.,  also  that  of  Khcims,  correctly  render  \6ytf) ;  wit?i  a  word,  Wicl.  hi  word.- 


-P.  8.] 


EXEGETIOAL  AND  CIIITICAL. 

The  accounts  in  Mark  and  Luke  confirm  the  state-  , 
ment,  tliat  on  the  evenmg  of  the  day  when  the  Lord  j 
restored  the  mother-in-law  of  Peter,  a  large  number  | 
of  demoniacs  in  Capernaum  were  healed.     Chrono-  [ 
logically  speaking,  the  event  took  place  during  the  I 
residence  of  the  Lord  at  Capernaum,  previous  to  His 
first  journey  into  Galilee,  and  to  the  Sermon  on  the  i 
Mount.     The  statement  of  Luke,  that  Christ  rebuked 
the  disease,  implies  no  contradiction.     The  healing 
word  of  Christ  is  omitted  by  Mctthew  and  Mark, 
while  Luke  omits  to  mention  that  He  took  her  by 
the  hand  and  lifted  her  up.     Lastly,  according  to 
Mark  and  Luke,  the  cure  was  performed  on  the  in- 
tercession of  the  members  of  the  family, — the  sick 
person  herself  bemg  unable  to  entreat  help.     From 
the  circumstance  that  Jesus  rebuked  the  fever,  we 
gather  that  her  disease  was  somehow  connected  with 
the  sufferings  resulting  from  demoniacal  possessions 
then  prevailing  in  the  town. 

Ver.  14.  Into  the  house  of  Peter. — Accord- 
ing to  John  i.  44,  Peter  and  Andrew,  as  well  as 
Philip,  were  natives  of  Bethsaida.  Afterward,  Peter, 
and  probably  Andrew  (ch.  iv.  18),  had  settled  in  Ca- 
pernaum,— partly,  perhaps,  on  account  of  the  fish- 
eries, and  partly  from  his  connection  by  marriage 
with  the  place.  The  marriage  of  Peter  is  also  re- 
ferred to  in  1  Cor.  ix.  5.  It  is  remarkable  that  he 
who  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  bishop  of  Rome 
was  a  married  man.  Legend  has  it  that  her  name 
was  Perpetua,  or  Concordia ;  and  that  her  husband 
accompanied  her  on  her  way  to  martyrdom  in  Rome. 
Their  daughter  was  called  Petronella.,  (Clement  of 
Alexandria.)* 

Ver.  15.  She  ministered  unto  Him,  hntKo- 
V  €  I . — This  refers  particularly  to  waitmg  at  table  and 
serving,  as  an  evidence  of  her  perfect  recovery. 

Ver.  16.  It  was  a  time  when  there  was  in  Caper- 
naum a  deep  stirring  of  enthusiasm  for  the  Lord — 
the  evening  of  a  great  day — when  this  general  long- 
ing seems  to  have  seized  the  inhabhants  of  the  place, 
and  they  brought  unto  Him  their  sick,  especially 
those, who  were  possessed  with  devils,  and  laid  them 
down  at  the  door  of  His  house.  On  demoniacal  pos- 
sessions compare  the  remarks  to  Matt.  iv.  24. 

Ver.  17.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled.— A  refe- 
rence to  Isa.  liii.  4:  Our  diseases  (^II^'J^)  has  He 
borne  (siUD),  and  our  sorrows  (i:"'ri<352)  He  has 

*  [St.  Jerome,  in  the  interest  of  monastic  celibacy,  infers 
that  the  wife  of  Peter  was  dead  at  the  time,  from  the  fact 
that  her  mother,  when  cured,  waited  on  the  tulle.  Arch- 
bishop Kenrick  (Notes  on  the  fonr  Gospels)  s  'ems  to  ap- 
prove of  th  s  inference.  But  the  ministering  of  the  mother 
is  here  evidently  mentioned  to  show  her  complete  recovery 
and  her  love  and  gratitude  for  it.  In  the  natural  order  a 
long  convalescence  follows  the  cure  of  a  fever  before  health 
returns.  Moreover  St.  Paul  many  years  after  this  occur- 
rence (A.  D.  57)  refers  to  Peter's  wife  as  living  and  accom- 
panying her  husband  on  his  missionary  journeys,  1  Cor.  ix. 
5.  The  Prot.  V.  correctly  translates  aS(K^T]v  yvva^Ka, 
"a  sister  a  wife"  (Tynd.  and  Cranmer:  "a  sister  to  icife;'"  J 
Oen. :  "  a  wi/i  being  a  sister  ") ;  while  the  It.  C.  V.  has :  "  a  i 
woOTrt?i.  a  sister." — P.  S.]  1 


taken  on  Himself  (uhzo).  In  the  Sei)t.  more  free- 
ly :  Tccr  iiUapTias  tjjuoic  (pipe,  Kol  irepl  ti/llwi'  dSuuaTat. 
— The  Evangelist  quotes  from  the  original ;  but  in 
strict  accordance  with  its  meaning,  as  Olshausen  and 
others  rightly  remark,  though  Meyer  denies  it.  It  is 
true  that  in  the  original  Hebrew,  the  Messiah  is  rep- 
resented as  bearing  and  expiating  our  sins.  But  our 
diseases  are  undoubtedly  connected  with  sin  on  the 
one,  and  death  on  the  other  hand  ;  while  the  suffer- 
ing of  Christ  depends  on  His  taking  on  Himself  our 
sufferings,  which  again  is  connected  with  His  carry- 
ing them  away.  We  must  not,  however,  go  so  far 
as  Olshausen,  and  speak  of  spiritual  exhaustion  on 
the  part  of  Christ.  Meyer  and  von  Ammon  have 
overlooked  the  fact  that,  when  healing  those  who 
were  diseased,  Christ  entered  into  and  shared  their 
sufferings, — a  circumstance  evident  from  the  narra- 
tive in  Mark  v.  30  (showing  that  He  felt  the  going 
out  of  virtue  from  Him),  as  also  from  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Lazarus.  But,  in  the  present  instance,  the 
Lord  had  to  contend  with  the  concentrated  sorrow 
and  sickness  of  the  whole  city,  and  that  on  the  eve- 
ning of  a  laborious  day.  For  this  labor  and  contest 
of  the  Lord,  the  Evangelist  can  find  no  more  apt  de- 
scription than  by  quoting  the  passage  from  Isaiah. 
Christ  takes  away  disease,  in  token  of  His  removing 
its  root,  sin,  by  taking  upon  Himself  death  as  the 
full  wages  and  the  full  burden  of  sin. 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  afflicted  family  and  the  afflicted  city,  both 
highly  privileged  by  the  presence  and  grace  of  Christ. 
Significant  coimection  between  them  :  salvation 
spreading  from  the  house  to  the  city. 

2.  The  Evangehst  gives  us  here  the  key  to  the 
mystery  of  Christ's  atoning  death.  By  His  fellow- 
suffering  with  our  diseases.  He  gradually  descended 
into  the  unfathomable  depth  of  His  full  sympathy 
with  our  death.  Hence  His  miracles  of  healing  par- 
took of  the  nature  of  atoning  suffering,  and  prepared 
for  it.  Accordingly,  as  He  suffered  in  all  He  did,  so 
His  suffering  and  death  crowned  and  completed  all 
He  had  done.  His  active  and  passive  obedience  are 
most  closely  connected.  But  as  in  His  fellow-suffer- 
ing He  took  away  the  sting  of  suffering  by  taking 
away  sin  and  awakening  faith,  so  also  has  He  swal- 
lowed up  death  in  victory  by  discharging  the  debt  of 
sin  in  His  vicarious  death,  finishing  the  work  of  re- 
demption, and  introducing  justifying  faith.  Such, 
then,  was  our  reconciliation.  In  virtue  of  His  per- 
fect fellow-suffering.  He  submitted  to  the  death  due 
to  us ;  by  His  perfect  surrender  to  God,  He  became 
our  reconciliation,  even  as  by  His  communication  of 
grace  He  wrought  in  us  faith  in  the  mercy  of  God, 
and  in  the  imputation  to  us  of  His  sacrificial  service. 
His  miracles  form  the  introduction  and  the  com- 
mencement of  His  reconciliation.  Comp.  1  Pet.  iL 
24. 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  cross  in  the  family. — The  family  and  the 


CHAP.  VIII.  18-27. 


159 


town,  as  a  household  and  a  city  of  the  Lord. — How 
Christianity  elevated  woman. — Christ  and  His  people 
by  turns  engaged  in  the  service  of  love.  1.  He 
serves  them;  2.  they  serve  Him. — Rapid  change 
produced  in  the  house  by  the  interposition  of  Christ : 
1.  One  laid  down  by  fever,  an  active  hostess;  2.  an 
anxious  family,  a  festive  circle ;  3.  the  Lord  a  physi- 
cian, the  Lord  a  king ;  4.  the  house  an  hospital,  the 
house  a  church. — The  right  mode  of  celebrating  our 
recovery. — From  the  church,  salvation  spreads  to  the 
city. — Glorious  evening  of  power  and  grace. — The 
morbid  sympathy  of  man,  and  the  healing  sympathy 
of  the  Lord.  1.  With  reference  to  the  former, — 
a.  disease  itself  appears  in  morbid  and  irresistible 
sympathy ;  b.  morbid  sympathy  increases  disease  and 
pestilence ;  c.  at  best,  it  leads  to  excitement  and  run- 
ning to  the  Lord,  while  not  a'  few  are  unprepared 
and  unready.  2.  The  sympathy  of  Christ :  a.  Its 
Divine  power  resists  all  sinful  influences,  especially 
cowardice  and  despair ;  b.  it.  penetrates  into,  and 
lights  up,  the  lowest  depths  of  misery ;  c.  it  conquers 


i  and  removes  the  sufferings  of  man. — Tlie  sufferings 
of  Christ  in  His  miraculous  cures,  pointing  to  the 
great  miraculous  cure  by  His  sufferings  on  the  cross. 

[  — Jesus  has  taken  upon  Him  the  diseases  of  man 

I  also. — The  wards  where  those  mentally  afflicted  are 
confined,  belong  also  to  the  Lord. — The  sceptre  of 

I  Christ's  triumph  extends  even  ovei-  the  cursed  realm 
of  demons. — The  apparent  strength  of  despair,  and 
the  Divine  strength  of  perfect  confidence. — Solemn 
night-seasons:  1.  The  night  of  suffering;  2.  the  night 
of  repentance ;  3.  the  night  of  death. 

Starke: — If  we  recover  from  disease,  it  is  our 
duty  to  thank  God,  and  all  the  more  zealously  to 
serve  Christ  and  our  neighbor. — Let  each  bear  an- 
other's burden.  Gal.  vi.  2. — Zeisius: — Above  all, 
learn  that  sin  is  the  root  of  all  disease,  and  that  by 
true  repentance  thou  mayest  be  set  free  from  it. — 
To  visit,  to  comfort,  to  refresh,  and  to  serve  those 
who  arc  laid  on  beds  of  sickness,  Isa.  xxxviii,  1,  4, 
5;  Ecclesiast.  vii.  34. — Oossner: — To  come,  to  see, 
and  to  heal  is  here  one. 


m. 

Miraculous  works  of  Jesus  on  His  missionary  journey :  The  troubled  disciples — the  troubled  sea. 

Chapter  VIIT.  18-27. 

[  Ch.  via.  23-27,  the  Gospel  for  the  Uh  Sunday  after  Epiphany. — Parallels :  Mark  iv.  35-il ;  Luke  viii. 

22-25 ;  ix.  57-60.) 


1 8  Now,  when  Jesus  saw  great  multitudes  ^  about  him,  he  gave  commandment  to  de- 

19  part  unto  the  other  side.     And  a  certain  scribe  came,  and  said  unto  him,  Master,  I  will 

20  follow  thee  whithersoever  thou  goest.     And  Jesus   saith  unto  him,  The  foxes  have 
holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests ;  ^  but  tlie  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay 

21  liis  head.     And  another  of  his  disciples  said  unto  him,  Lord,  suffer  me  first  to  go  and 

22  bury  my  father.     But  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Follow  i^=e ;  and  let  the  dead  bury  their 
dead. 

23  And   when   he   was    [had]    entered    into    a^   ship,    his    disciples    followed    him. 

24  And,  behold,  there  arose  a  great  tempest  in  the  sea,  insomuch  [so]  that  the  ship  was 

25  covered  with  the  waves  :  but  he  was  asleep  [sleeping].     And  his  disciples  [they]*  came 

26  to  Mm,  and  awoke  him,  saying.  Lord,  save  us  [save]:^  we  perish.     And  he  saith  unto 
tliem.  Why  are  ye   fearful,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?     Then  he  arose,   and  rebuked  the 

27  winds   [wind]®  and  the  sea;  and  there  was  a  great  calm.     But  the  men  marvelled, 
saying,  What  manner  of  man ''  is  this,  that  even  the  winds  and  the  sea  obey  him ! 

'  Ver.  18.— Lachmann  with  B.  only:  t»xA.of  for  ox^ovs.    [Cod.  Sinaiticus  sustains  the  plural.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  20.— [Dr.  Lange  translates:  Wohnnester,  Zelte,  Iforste,  dwelling  places,  tents,  which  is  more  literal  for  koto- 
(TKTivJxret^,  but  not  (=o  popular  as  nests.— P.  8.] 

3  Ver.  23.— [LansTo  translates  "Me  ship,"  t  b  irXoTou,  agrecins  here  with  the  Received  Text  and  with  Tischeodorf's 
cditii>n.  But  Codd.  B.,  C.  and  other  ancient  authorities,  and  tlio  editions  of  Lachmann,  Trogelles,  and  Alford  omit  the 
article.— P.  S.] 

*  Xer.25.—Iiecepta:  ol  /xabriral  aurov.  Various  authoritio.s  [and  Dr.  Lange]  omit  aiTou.  [Lachmann,  Tfe- 
jrelles,  Ewald,  and  Conant  omit  also  ol  fj.ad-nTai.      So  does  Cod.  Sinait— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  25. —  Us,  Ttficis  is  omitted  in  Codd.  B.,  C.  al.  [Cod.  Sinait.]  The  Ejieech  is  more  lively  and  dramatic  without 
r^fj-as.      (Tischendorf,  Lachmann,  Tregclles,  Lange,  Conant,  all  omit  r/^Sr.! 

'  Ver.  26.— [Cod.  Sinait.  reads  the  singular  t^  avefxw  for  to??  auep-ots.—V.  S.] 

T  Ver.  27.— [Conant:  "  What  manner  of  man  belongs  to  the  b(  st  Eniilish  usage.  '  Wh<tt  kind  ofmu":  i>r  'wlwt  sort 
of  man,'  is  not  a  suitable  expression  here."  A.  Norton  (Translation  of  the  Gospels  with  Notes,  Bost.,  1855)  translates: 
"TTAo  is  this.''  But  iroraird'i  is  not  simply  tis,  but  the  interrogative  of  disposition,  character,  quality,  i.  q.  Troios. — 
P.  S.] 


160 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


EXEGKTICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 


Ver.  18.  No-w,  when  Jesus  saw  great  mul- 
titudes.— 111  tliis  instiince  a  motive  for  withdrawing, 
as  in  cli.  v.  1 ;  John  vi.  3,  15. — There  were  seasons 
when  the  multitude  would  have  proclaimed  Him 
King :  sudden  outbursts  of  carnal  excitement,  from 
which  the  Lord  withdrew.  That  such  was  the  case 
in  this  instance,  we  gather  from  the  profession  made 
by  the  scribe  in  ver.  19. 

E  ( $  T  b  TT  6>  a  1/ ,  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake. 

Ver.  19.  And  one,  a  scribe,  came. — The  fis 
refers  to  the  ex  epos  in  ver.  21  ;  from  which  verse 
we  also  gather  that  this  scribe  was  already  one  of 
Christ's  disciples,  in  the  wider  sense  of  the  term,  and 
that  he  now  proposed  henceforth  to  follow  Jesus  con- 
tinuously. When  the  Evangelists  mention  these  calls 
to  follow  the  Lord  in  a  particular  sense  of  the  term, 
they  seem  always  to  refer  to  the  apostolic  office,  not 
to  discipleship.  But  as  Andrew,  John,  Peter,  James 
the  Elder,  Nathanael  or  Bartholomew,  and  Philip, 
had  been  previously  called,  and  as  the  persons  here 
addressed  could  not  have  been  any  of  the  brothers 
of  the  Lord  (James  the  Younger,  Joseph,  Judas  Leb- 
beus  or  Thaddcus,  and  Simon),  we  conclude  that  they 
must  have  been  either  Judas  Iscariot,  Matthew,  or 
Thomas.  From  the  peculiar  characteristics  which 
appear  in  the  narrative,  we  venture  to  suggest,  that 
the  first  of  the  two  scribes  was  Judas  Iscariot,  the 
second  Thomas,  and  the  third  individual  (who  is  only 
mentioned  by  Luke)  Matthew.  This  is,  however, 
merely  a  hypothesis  made  more  or  less  probable  by 
the  nexus  of  history  (comp.  Lcben  Jem,  ii.  2,  p.  651). 
— In  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  this  event  is  introduced  at 
a  later  period,  when  Jesus  prepared  for  His  last 
journey  to  Jerusalem  (ch.  ix.  51-62).  A  superficial 
investigation  will  serve  to  convince  us  that  the  trans- 
action between  Jesus  and  the  sons  of  thunder,  re- 
corded in  Luke,  had  led  to  the  introduction  of  this 
history  in  that  connection.  It  seems  like  a  psycho- 
logical combination  designed  to  exhibit  Christ's  mas- 
tery in  dealing  with  dilferent  dispositions  (say  the 
four  temperaments).  Schleiermacher,  Schnecken- 
burger,  Gfrorer,  and  Olshausen,  adopt  the  chronology 
of  Luke;  Rettig,  Meyer,  and  others; ;. that  of  Mat- 
thew. 

Ver.  20.  Kar  a<r  KTjpdxr e  t  s ,  "  Dwelling- 
places,  not  nests,  as  birds  do  not  live  in  their  nests." 
Be  Wette.* 

The  Son  of  man. — Jesus  adopted  the  name 
0  V ih  s  T 0  V  avSi pdiir ov  no  doubt  with  special  ref- 
erence to  the  prophetic  vision  in  Dan.  vii.  13,  where 
Messiah  is  seen  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
tt53X  "1^3  .  (Comp.  Hiivernick's  Daniel.)  Hitzig 
imagines  that  the  Son  of  man  seen  by  Daniel  in  the 
clouds  was  not  the  Messiah,  but  the  whole  people  of 
Israel ; — an  absurd  hypothesis,  refuted  by  Ewald  (in 
his  '•'■  Jahrhuclier''''  for  1850).  Daniel  saw  only  the 
image  or  likeness  of  the  Son  of  man,  who  appeared 
in  the  full  sense  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  In  all  prob- 
ability, Jesus  chose  this  particular  Old  Testament 
designation  of  the  Messiah,  because,  unlike  the 
others,  it  had  not,  been  grossly  perverted  to  foster 
the  carnal  especlations  of  the  Jews.  ""'Thus  our  Lord 
met  the  morbid  and  fantastic  expectations  of  His 
contemporaries — and  among  them,  apparently,  those 

*  [Meyer  to  the  same  effect:  "Places  of  abode  where  the 
birds  are  used  to  live,  to  sleep,  etc.  comp.  xiii.  32 ;  not  speci- 
fically nests."—] 


[  also  of  the  scribe  in  the  text — by  laying  emphasis  on 
His  genuine  and  true  hunymity  as  the  Messiah.  His 
great  aim  was,  that  the  people  should  view  Him  as 
true  man — in  the  lowUness  of  His  outward  appear- 
'  ance,  but  also  at  the  same  time  in  His  high  charac- 
ter, as  the  Son  of  man,  i.  e.,  the  ideal  man,  the  sec- 
ond Adaiii  from  heaven  (1  Cor.  xv.).  The  bold  sup- 
position of  Weisse,  that  the  term,  "  Son  of  man,"  is 
I  used  in  oiiposition  to  the  name  of  Messiah,  deserves 
no  refutation.  ^^Tt  is  remarkable  that  John  had  si 
ilarly  avoided  the  title  of  Elijah,  under  which  Mala 
chi  had  predicted  his  advent,  while  he  chose  the 
designation  given  him  by  Isaiah :  "  The  voice  of  one 
cri/inff  in  the  wilderness."  The  reason  of  this  was, 
that  carnal  notions  concerning  the  Messianic  kingdom 
were  connected  with  the  former,  but  not  with  the 
latter  expression  (John  i.  19,  etc.).  Meyer  conceives 
that  there  is  an  antithesis  implied  in  the  term,  "  Son 
of  man,"  as  opposed  to  "  Son  of  God,"  and  denies  , 
the  conception  of  ideal  hurnanity  (p.  82).*#  Accord- 
ing to  Augustine,  tlTefe"  irT 'faint  allusion  to  the 
boastfulness  of  the  scribe  in  the  expression,  "  birds 
of  the  air."  But  this  seems  strained ;  and  we  would 
rather  apply  the  term  to  the  unreliable  and  fugitive 
character  of  his  enthu.siasm,  while  the  word,  "  foxes," 
refers  to  cunning. 

Where  to  lay  His  head. — A  picture  of  a 
homeless  pilgrim :  hence,  not  of  want  in  the  ordina- 
ry sense,  but  of  voluntary  poverty.  The  answer  of 
Christ  implied,  not  a  positive  refusal  of  the  overture 
of  the  scribe,  but  a  solemn  warning.  He  who  saw 
not  as  men  do,  perceived,  under  that  excessive  pro- 
fession of  this  man,  an  amount  of  unreliableness  and 
insincerity  which  called  for  such  caution. 

Ver.  21.  Another  of  His  disciples. — In  the 

I  stricter- [rather  in  the  wider]  sense  of  the  term — such 

as  the  "  scribe  "  had  been.     Clement  of  Alexandria 

{Stromal,  iii.  4)  suggests  that  this  disciple  was  Philip; 

but  he  had  been  called  at  an  earlier  period. 

Bury  my  father. — The  father  had  died.     Ac- 
cording to  some  critics,  his  old  father  was  still  alive, 
and  the  expression,  to  hury,  meant  to  take  care  of 
him  till  his  end,  and  then  to  commit  him  to  his  last 
resting-place.     But  the  call  to  follow  Christ  immedi- 
ately, evidently  implies,  that  at  the  time  the  father 
I  was  actually  dead.     Burial  was   the  most  ancient 
mode  of  disposing  of  the  dead  (Cic.  Legg.  ii.  22  ;  Plin. 
vii.  55),  and  was  always  practised  by  the  Jews,  inop- 
I  position  to  the  Greek  custom  of  burning  the  dead, 
j  which  was  quite  exceptional  among  the  Jews.     It 
was  considered  the  duty  of  sons  to  bury  their  parents. 
Gen.  XXV.  9 ;  xxxv.  29,  etc.     Tobith  iv.  3.     Comp. 
Winer  .^ub  voce :  Begraben,   Schottgen's  Hora  [W. 
Smith  :  Bibl.  Diet,  sub  Burial,  vol.  i.  233]. 

Ver.  22.  Let  the  dead  bury  their  dead. — 
Artificial  explanations  see  in  Meyer's  Commentary. 
j  The  sentence  is  an  Oxymoron,  by  which  the  burial 
I  of  the  dead  is  assigned  to  those  who  are  spiritually 
j  dead.f  The  expression  conveys  to  the  hesitating 
'  disciple  that  there  were  more  urgent  duties  in  the 
;  kingdom  of  heaven  than  that  of  burying  the  dead, 

*  [Not,  however,  in  a  ration.ilistic  sense,  but  as  contrast- 
ed with  His  former  5o|a.  Meyer  correctly  sees  in  the 
term:  the  Son  of  man  an  expression  of  the  Kevaiais,  which 
implies  the  consciomnei's  of  a  purely  divine  and  eternal 
preexistence  {in  deren  Hiniergrunde  das  Bewusstsein  der 
rein  gottliehen  Urexisiem  liegt).—P.  S.] 

t  [The  key  to  this  and  all  the  other  paradoxical  sentences 
of  Christ  is  the  different  senses— a  higher  and  a  lower,  a  spir- 
itual and  a  literal — in  which  the  same  word  is  used.  Let 
those  who  are  dead  in  spirit  (in  trespasses  and  sins)  bury 
their  kindred  and  friends  who  are  dead  in  body. — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  VIII.  18-2'7. 


161 


and  particularly,  of  going  through  all  the  ceremo- 
nies connected  with  a  Jewish  burial.  At  the  same 
time,  it  also  alludes  to  the  goal  and  end  of  those  who 
are  spiritually  dead — their  last  and  highest  aim  here 
is  to  bury  one  another.  Death  of  the  soul  is  connect- 
ed with  death  of  the  body. — Celsus  (according  to 
Origen)  founded  on  this  passage  the  objection,  that 
the  Saviour  demanded  what  was  inconsistent  with 
duty  to  parents.  But  He  only  subordinates  the  duty 
of  a  Christian  toward  his  own  household  and  family, 
especially  when  another  could  take  his  place,  to  the 
highest  of  all  duties — those  of  his  spiritual  calling, 
and  to  his  Master.*  Lastly,  we  infer  from  this  trait, 
that  this  and  the  former  reply  were  addressed  to  dis- 
ciples in  the  narrower  sense  of  the  term. 

Ver.  23.  The  ship,  t J)  ttXo'Iov . — With  the  ar- 
ticle, meaning  a  definite  ship,  which  waited  to  take 
them  across  the  lake  ;  the  words  of  Jesus  having  in- 
duced His  disciples  (in  the  narrower  sense)  to  follow 
Him  implicitly.! 

Yer.  24.  2  e  i  (r  ^  o  j , — indicating  the  effect,  of 
which  the  cause  (the  winds,  ver.  26)  is  afterward 
mentioned — a  violent  commotion  of  the  sea.  On  the 
sudden  storms  occasioned  by  the  situation  of  the 
Lake  of  Gahlee,  comp.  Schubert  iii.  2Li7  ;  Robinson 
ii.  416. 

Ver.  23.  Save!  we  perish!  'Swa-ov,  ottoA- 
Xv/xeOa . — Asyndetic  (disconnected)  language  of  in- 
tense anxiety. 

Ver.  26.'  Why  are  ye  fearful? — The  word 
"a/Vaif/"  would  be  too  weak,  and  ^^  coivai-dli/ "  too 
strong.  At  any  rate,  it  was  a  fearfulness  which  the 
Lord  censured.  It  is  worthy  of  special  notice,  that, 
according  to  Matthew,  the  Lord  first  rebuked  the 
disciples,  and  after  that  the  sea.  See  "i^J ,  Ps.  cvi. 
9.     (Mark  and  Luke  reverse  the  order.) 

Ver.  27.  The  men,  ul  avepwirot. — The  men 
in  their  human  nature, — ^move  particularly,  in  their 
rapid  transition  from  extreme  anxiety  to  boundless 
admiration.  Hence  we  infer  that  it  apphed  to  the 
disciples,  and  not,  as  Meyer  supposes,  to  other  par- 
ties accompanying  Jesus,  xiccordiag  to  the  account 
given  by  Mark,  other  vessels  went  along  with  that 
which  bore  the  Lord  ;  so  that  He  must  have  been  fol- 
lowed by  a  numerous  company  of  disciples. 


DOCTRINAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  In  dealing  with  the  different  characters  of  the 
disciples,  and  adapting  Himself  to  their  natural  dis- 
positions, the  Lord  showed  how  closely  He  read,  and 

*  [Chrysostom :  "Jesus  forbade  him  to  go,  in  order  to 
show  tiiat  nothing,  not  even  the  most  important  work  of 
natural  duty  and  affection,  is  so  momentous  as  care  for  the 
kinjrdom  of  heaven ;  and  that  nothinfr,  however  urgent, 
should  cause  us  to  be  guilty  of  a  moment's  delay  in  providing 
first  for  that.  What  eartldy  concern  could  be  more  neces- 
sary than  to  bury  a  father  ?  a  work,  too,  which  might  be 
done  speedily.  And  yet  the  answer  is:  'Let  the  dead  bury 
their  dead.  Follow  thou  me.'  If,  then,  it  is  not  safe  to 
spend  even  so  little  time  as  is  requisite  for  the  burial  of  a 
parent,  to  the  neglect  of  spiritual  things,  how  guilty  shall 
we  be  if  we  allow  slight  and  trivial  matters  to  withdraw  us, 
who  are  Christ's  disciples,  from  His  service !  But  rather 
let  ns  endeavor,  with  Christ's  aid,  to  raise  those  who  are 
spiritually  dead  and  buried,  from  the  death  of  sin  to  a  life  of 
righteousness,  as  He  raised  Lazarus  from  the  tomb,  then  we 
shall  be  His  disciples  indeed."— P.  S.] 

t  [Wordsworth  likewise  presses  the  def.  art.  t  6 ,  and 
quotes  from  Bengel :  "Jesus  h.abebat  scfwlam  amhulan- 
tem;"^  he  sees  in  this  ship  an  emblem  of  the  church.  But, 
unfortunately  for  this  interpretation,  the  article  is  of  very 
doubtful  authority,  sue  our  crit.  note  above.— P.  S.] 

11 


how  wisely  He  directed,  the  hearts  of  men.     {Leben 
Jesu,  ii.  2,  651  ;  iii.  422.) 

2.  The  So?i  of  man.     The  description  furnished 

by  Daniel  of  the  appearance  of  Messiah,  under  the  ^ 
form  of  the  Son  of  man,  indicates  a  very  advanced 
stage  of  the  prophetic  doctrine  of  the  Messiah.  But, 
in  order  clearly  to  perceive  its  import,  we  must  com- 
pare this  term,  as  used  by  Daniel,  with  the  passage 
about  the  seventy  weeks  (Dan.  ix.).  [In  the  sixty- 
third  week,  the  Messiah  who  was  not  a  prince,  was  to 
be  set  aside  by  the  advent  of  the  people  of  the  Prince 
who  was  not  Messiah.]  After  seven  weeks,  i.  e.,  at 
the  close  of  the  seventy  weeks — cometh  the  Messiah, 
who,  at  the  same  time,  is  also  a  Prince.  Hence  the 
figure  of  the  Son  of  man  combines  the  two  ideas  of 
the  sufiering  and  the  glorified  Messiah.  As  the  Son 
of  humanity  to  which  the  curse  attaches,  He  is  hum- 
bled and  rejected;  while,  as  the  Son  of  humanity 
on  which  the  blessing  is  bestowed.  He  is  exalted  and 
declared  Lord  of  an  eternal  kingdom.  Gerlach: 
"  The  first  man  was  simply  called  Adam — i.  e.,  man, 
and  every  descendant  of  his  is  called  a  son  of  man ; 
but  Christ  is  called  the  Son  of  man,  as  being  derived 
from  Adam,  and  yet  the  Head  of  a  new  race,  1  Cor. 
XV.  47." 

3.  Theimportof  the  miracle  of  stilling  the  tempest 
has  frequently  been  misunderstood.  Paulus  (of  Heidel- 
berg) resolves  it  into  a  natural  phenomenon ;  Ammon 
regards  it  as  an  allegory  or  symbol ;  while  Strauss  treats 
it  as  a  myth.*  It  may  also  be  turned  into  magic,\  if, 
with  Meyer,  we  were  to  overlook  the  connection  be- 
tween the  tempest  in  the  hearts  of  the  disciples  and 
that  on  the  lake — between  sin  in  man,  and  "  the  con- 
vulsions and  throes  of  nature  "  (Olshausen) — and  re- 
gard this  history  as  merely  a  direct  act  of  power  ex- 
ercised upon  the  elements,  and  nothing  else.  In  this 
respect,  it  is  sufficient  to  remmd  the  reader  of  Rom. 
viii.  20.  Not  that  v/e  thereby  explain  the  miracle, 
but  that  we  present  its  Christian  aspect.  The  Lord 
rebukes  the  storm  in  the  minds  of  His  disciples ;  thus 
preparing  for  calming  tiie  tempest  on  the  sea. — He 
takes  away  the  sin  of  the  microcosm,  in  order  then 
to  remove  the  evils  of  the  macrocosm.  Hence  this 
event  has  frequently  been  regarded  as  a  symbol  of 
the  passage  of  the  Church  of  Christ  through  the 
world.  There  is  another  aspect  of  it  which  deserve3 
attention.  In  this  miracle,  the  operation  of  the  Son 
and  of  the  Father  coincide ;  as  the  New  Testainent 
completion  of  the  Old  Testament  miracles  upon  na- 
ture, it  is  at  the  same  time  a  prediction  and  a.  mir- 
acle, and  thus  a  sign  that  the  Son  had,  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  entered  upon  the  government  of  the 
world. 

4.  Our  modem  degenerate  and  false  philanthro- 
py fails  to  perceive  the  ditt'erence  between  a  soul 
that  is  mourning  and  one  which  is  fearful  or  de- 
sponding. It  is  altogether  erroneous,  and'  must  fail 
of  its  desired  efiect,  if  we  administer  to  the  fearful 
the  comfort  which  is  only  appropriate  to  the  afflict- 
ed. The  latter,  Christ  ever  upheld  with  words  of 
kindness ;  while  He  rebuked  the  fearful,  by  setting 
before  them  the  terrors  of  His  word,  and  thus  recal- 
Hng  them  to  a  bettor  state  of  mind.  Thus  He  rebuk- 
ed those  who  were  possessed,  who  by  their  coward- 


*  [In  German:  "Von  Paulus  naiuralisirt,  von  Ammon 
allegorisirt,  von  Strauss  ntythmrV^  Cbttt&r :  mytkiflcivt).— 

t[Not:  "presented  in  a  mater/dl  light,'' as  the  Edinb. 
tri.  has  it,  misled  by  a  printing  erior  of  the  first  edition. 
Tlie  third  ed.  reads:  "  Es  kann  freilicli  auch  magisch  se- 
macht(not:  watij/'jaiistrf)  werden,"' etc.— P.  S.J 


[62 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


ice  had  become  the  prey  of  unclean  spirits ;  and 
similarly  He  rebuked  the  disciples,  when  from  want 
of  faith  they  were  desponding  or  fearful.  Thus  also 
He  rebuked  the  fever  which  weighed  down  the 
mother-in-law  of  Peter  ;  and,  in  the  present  instance, 
the  sea  and  the  winds.  Such  a  rebuke  must,  of 
course,  be  regarded  as  symbolical,  since  neither  sea 
nor  tempest  had  personal  consciousness.  The  ul- 
timate ground  of  this  rebuke  lay  in  the  fact,  that 
the  disturbances  of  nature  were  caused  by  unclean 
spirits.  Christ  apparently  regarded  those  sudden 
outbursts  in  nature  not  as  manifestations  of  healthy 
and  regular  force,  but  as  manifestations  of  weak- 
ness ;  just  as  the  fever  was  the  consequence  of  in- 
herent weakness,  or  of  a  germ  of  death,  against 
which  nature  employed  her  utmost  efforts  in  convul- 
sive struggle. 


HOMILETICAL  ANB  PRACTICAL. 

Jesus  sees  the  multitude  and  approaches  them ; 
Jesus  sees  the  multitude  and  retires  from  them.  1. 
The  fact  itself, — (a)  in  the  Gospel  history;  {h)  in 
that  of  the  Church ;  (c)  in  individual  Christian  com- 
munities. 2.  Explanation  of  the  fact :  (a)  He  ap- 
proaches when  He  sees  multitudes  longing  for  His 
salvation  and  waitmg  upon  His  word  ;  {b)  He  retires 
at  the  first  appearance  of  fanaticism,  which  would 
have  confirmed  the  carnal  expectations  of  man,  and 
not  the  word  of  God. — The  Lord  eschews  the  sinful 
obtrusion  of  worldly  men,  in  order  to  seek  out  the 
poor  and  the  needy,  afar  off. — The  watchword  of 
Christ :  To  tlie  other  side !  1.  A  watchword  of 
faith,  breaking  through  all  narrow  boundaries ;  2.  a 
watchword  of  love,  overcoming  all  selfishness ;  3.  a 
watchword  of  courage,  overcoming  all  dangers. — 
The  Saviour  and  the  spiritual  distemper  of  His  disci- 
ples :  1.  Spurious  enthusiasm  in  our  own  strength  (/ 
will) ;  2.  spurious  scruples  and  spiritual  hesitation 
{Suffer  me). — Jesus  the  great  model  of  pastoral  work. 
— Jesus  warning  superficial  enthusiasts  to  count  the 
cost  of  following  Him. — If  we  arc  willing  to  follow 
the  Lord,  we  must  become  homeless  wanderers,  and 
be  ready  to  renounce  all  our  comforts. — The  Son  of 
man  has  not  where  to  lay  His  head.  1.  The  fact :  at 
the  commencement,  the  manger;  at  the  close,  the 
cross ;  during  His  pilgrimage,  a  bench  on  the  ship. 
2.  Its  import, — {a)  so  far  as  He  is  concerned  ;  (6)  so 
far  as  we  are  concerned. — The  nests  and  caves  of 
professing  disciples  who  are  not  ready  to  yield  their 
all  to  Christ.  They  seek, — (a)  high  places  (nests)  in 
time  of  prosperity ;  (b)  places  of  concealment  (caves) 
in  the  hour  of  adversity. — Jesus  teaches  His  faithful 
disciples  to  get  quit  of  their  scruples  and  hesitation 
by  considermg  the  final  aim  of  hfe. — Let  the  dead 
bury  their  dead :  1.  Compared  with  following  Ciirist, 
which  he  had  undertaken,  this  was  the  lesser  duty ; 
2.  others  were  able  to  take  his  place ;  3.  the  disciple 
seemed  to  hesitate  between  two  duties,  while  yet  he 
had  taken  upon  hun  the  yoke  of  Christ. — Is  a  colli- 
eion  of  duties  possible  ?  As  Uttle  as, — (a)  between 
the  commandments  of  God ;  (6)  between  the  angels 
of  God ;  (c)  between  the  ways  of  God ;  for  such,  in- 
deed, are  all  duties,  so  far  as  we  are  concerned. — It 
is  characteristic  of  the  spiritually  dead,  that  they 
busy  themselves  with  special  affection  about  the  cer- 
emonials of  life. — The  dead  bury  their  dead  :  such  is 
the  end  of  all  unbelieving  hvc,-.— Syiubolical  import 
of  the  passage  of  Chriet  with  Ills  disciphis  across  the 
sea.    It  is  a  figure  of  all  His  leadings,— (<()  of  the 


people  of  God  (the  ark,  etc.);  (6)  in  the  history  of 
the  Church  ;  {c)  in  the  experience  of  believers. — The 
unexpected  tempest :  1.  After  so  glorious  a  day,  and 
on  the  beautiful,  tranquil  lake ;  2.  in  company  with 
the  Lord  Himself. — We  read  only  once  of  the  Lord 
being  asleep, — a  sleep  full  of  majesty :  (a)  a  sabbat- 
ic rest  after  His  labor  at  Capernaum ;  {h)  a  sign  of 
deep  calm  in  the  midst  of  the  dreadful  tempest ;  (c) 
a  preparation  for  the  most  glorious  awakening;  (</) 
a  type  of  His  rest  in  the  grave. — The  cry  of  despair 
))ecomes  a  prayer  when  in  proximity  to  the  Lord. — 
How  the  Lord  purifies  even  the  supplications  of  the 
helpless. — All  fearfulness  or  despondency  in  life 
springs  from  v/ant  of  faith. — The  little  faith  of  the 
discii)les :  1.  A  want  of  faith  in  what  it  forgot  (Christ's 
presence  in  the  ship ;  the  hope  of  Israel,  the  salva- 
tion of  the  race) ;  2.  still  faith  in  that  they  took  refuge 
to  Christ. — Jesus  calms  every  storm. —  What  manner 
of  man  is  this  I — The  admiration  of  Jesus  a  tiansi- 
tion  to  praise-  and  adoration.  Our  gratitude  for  de- 
liverance and  salvation  should  ever  end  in  praise. 

Starke: — We  should  occasionally  retire  into  soli- 
tude, Luke  vi.  12;  v.  16. — Mucli  preaching  wearies 
the  body,  Eccles.  xii.  12  ;  Mark  vi.  31. — Sudden  fer- 
vor and  good  inclinations  are  not  equivalent  to  fol- 
lowing Christ. — Many  would  like  to  be  pious,  but  at 
the  same  time  to  retain  their  nests,  houses,  riches, 
honor,  and  comforts,  ch.  xvi.  24. — We  must  not  run 
before  God  calls,  Rom.  x.  15. — Christ  rejects  none 
who  come  to  Him,  John  vi.  37  ;  but  he  who  desires 
only  earthly  things  from  Him,  receives  a  solemn  warn- 
ing. Cramer. — Christ,  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
became  poorer  than  the  beasts  that  perish  ;  yet  His 
poverty  is  our  riches,  2  Cor.  viii.  9. — The  poor,  who 
have  nothing  of  their  own,  may  well  derive  comfort 
from  the  voluntary  poverty  of  Jesus.  Quesncl. — 2 
Cor.  xi.  27. — Man  is  always  opposed  to  the  will  of 
God :  he  either  lags  behind,  or  is  determined  to  nm 
before.  The  right  way  is,  to  wait  till  God  speaks, 
and  then  not  to  delay  a  single  moment  following 
Him,  Isa.  Iv.  8. — The  spiritually  dead,  Heb.  xi.  6  ; 
Jer.  V.  3. — They  who  accompany  the  dead,  are  them- 
selves subject  to  death. — A  seafaring  life  affording 
striking  signs  of  God's  wisdom  and  power  (Ps.  cvii. 
23),  but  used  for  merely  selfish  purposes.  Zeisius. — 
God  leads  His  own  wondrously,  but  well,  Ps.  xli.  4. — 
Through  fire  and  water,  Ps.  xci.  14  ;  Isa.  xliii.  2  ;  xlii. 
16. — Genuine  Christians  follow  their  Saviour  through 
storm  and  tempest,  even  unto  death,  2  Cor.  vi.  4 ; 
Ps.  Ixxili.  23. — If  Christ  do  not  immediately  come  to 
our  help,  we  are  prone  to  imagine  that  He  is  asleep ; 
but  He  never  oversleeps  the  hour  of  our  deliverance. 
— United  prayer  is  the  most  effectual. — Prayer  the 
best  anchor  in  danger. — Let  Christians  beware  of 
cowardice  :  His  Church  will  continue  so  long  as  He 
endures.  Bibl.  Wirtemb. — In  seasons  of  extreme 
danger,  the  omnipotence  and  mercy  of  the  Saviour  is 
most  fully  and  gloriously  displayed,  2  Chron.  xx.  12 ; 
Isa.  xxxiii.  10  ;  2  Cor.  i.  8. — Weak  faith  is  neverthe- 
less faith,  only  it  must  increase.— After  the  tempest, 
sunshhie. — The  works  of  God,  and  His  marvellous 
power  in  our  deliverance,  call  for  praise  and  thanks- 
giving.— Under  the  cross  we  learn  what  wonders  our 
Lord  worketh. — Gratitude,  Ps.  xiv.  7 ;  Rom.  xi.  20. 

Gossner : — Christ  .taught  His  disciples  in  a  wan- 
dering school.  Here  He  led  them  to  the  stormy 
lake  to  teach  them  fearlessness. — Fearlessness  great 
happiness. 

Heubner: — Our  whole  Hfe  may  be  compared  to 
a  sea  voyage,  in  v.'hich  we  make  for  the  heavenly  ha- 
ven.— "  Chrkius  habet  suas  horas  et  moras." — Christ 


CHAP.  Vni.  28-34,  IX.  1-8. 


163 


the  Lord  of  nature. — The  passage  across  the  lake,  a 
figure  of  our  lives:  1.  The  commencement ;  2.  the 
jwogress  ;  3.  the  end. 

Lisco : — Luther :  Some  make  a  pretext  of  good 
works  for  not  following  Christ ;  but  the  Lord  shows 
tliat  these  are  dead  works. — Almighty  power  of  Christ, 
by  which  He  overcomes  tlie  world,  and  renders  every- 
thing subservient  to  the  Idngdom  of  God. 

'i'he  pericope,  the  calming  of  the  tempest,  vcr.  24- 
27. 

Drdseke : — The  passage  across  the  lake,  a  figure 
of  spiritual  calm:  1.  In  reference  to  its  character ; 
2.  in  reference  to  its  origin ;  3.  in  reference  to  its 
cftects. — Marhcbieke: — How  we  may  courageously 
meet  every  danger,  when  near  to  the  Lord. — Harms  : 
— This  narrative  a  pictorial  representation  of  the 
Christian  life :  The  vessel  which  carries  believers ; 
the  sea,  or  the  world,  with  its  tempest  and  waves, 
and  'the  sufferings  of  the  children  of  God ;  Christ 
asleep,  or  delaying  His  succor ;  then  follow  prayer, 
His  rebuke.  His  word  of  command,  and  the  exclama- 


tion of  marvel. — JIaffenbach : — Christ  our  refuge  in 
the  tempests  of  life. — Grdling : — The  inner  calm  of 
the  soul  in  the  midst  of  the  raging  storm. — IluffeU : — 
(iod  is  always  and  everywhere  near  us. — Kraussold  : 
— Lord  save!  we  jjcrish !  1.  The  distress;  2.  the 
cry  for  help ;  3.  the  dehverance. 

[Alford: — "The  symbolic  application  of  this  oc- 
currence (the  calming  of  the  tempest)  is  too  strikhig 
to  have  escaped  general  notice.  The  Saviour  with 
the  company  of  His  disciples  in  the  ship  tossed  on 
the  waves,  seemed  a  typical  reproduction  of  the  ark 
bearing  mankind  on  the  flood,  and  a  foreshadowing 
of  the  Church  tossed  by  the  tempests  of  this  world, 
but  having  Him  with  her  always.  And  the  personal 
application  is  one  of  comfort  and  strengtliening  of 
faith  in  danger  and  doubt."  —  Hilary:  —  Those 
churches  where  the  Word  of  God  is  not  awake,  are 
in  danger  of  shipwreck,  not  that  Christ  sleeps,  but 
He  is  slumbering  in  its  by  reason  of  our  sleep.  But 
where  faith  walehes,  there  is  no  fear  of  wreck  from 
the  powers  of  this  world. — P.  S.] 


IV. 

Christ  healing  the  demoniacs  who  profess  His  name ;  banished  from  Gadara ;  He  restores  the  paralytic, 
and  is  accused  of  blasphemy, — or,  the  blessed  working  of  the  Lord  despite  the  contradiction  of  the 
kingdom  of  darkness. 

Ohaptee  VIII.  28-34,  IX.  1-8. 

{Ch.  ix.  1-8  the  Gospel  for  the  I9th  Sunday  after  Triniii/. — Parallels:    Mark  v.  1-20;   Luke  viii.  26-39; 
Markii.  1-12;  Luke  v.  17-26.) 


28  And  when  he  was  [had]  come  to  the  other  side,  into  the  country  of  the  Gergesenes 
[Gadarenes],'  there  met  him  two  possessed  witli  devils,  coming  out  of  the  tombs,  ex- 
ceeding fierce,  so  that  no  man  [one]  might  [could,  or  was  able  to,  wore  fxr]  lo-^u'etv]  pass 

29  by  that  way.     And,  behold,  they  cried  out,  saying,  What  have   we  to  do  with  thee, 

30  Jesus,^  thou  Son  of  God?  art  thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  before  the  time?     And 

31  there  was  a  good  way  off  from  them  a  herd  of  many  swine  feeding.  So  the  devils 
besought  him,  saying,  If  thou  cast  us  out,  suffer  vis  to  go  away  [send  us  away]  ^  into 

32  the  herd  of  swine.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Go.  And  when  they  were  come  out, 
they  went  into  the  herd  of  swine  [into  the  swine];*  and,  behold,  the  whole  herd  of 
swine  ran  violently  [rushed]  down  a  steep  place  into  the  sea,  and  perished  in  the  wa- 

33  ters.  And  they  that  kept  them  [the  herdsmen,  ol  ^o'o-Kovres]  fled,  and  went  their  ways 
into  the  city,  and  told  every  thing,  and  what  was  befallen  to  [had  befallen]  the  pos- 

34  sessed  of  [with]  the  devils.  And,  behold,  the  whole  city  came  out  to  meet  Jesus ;  and 
when  they  saw  him,  they  besought  Mm  that  he  would  depart  out  of  their  coasts  [bor- 
ders]. 

Ch,  ix.  1  And  he  entered  into  a  ship,   and  passed  over,  and  came  into  his  own  city. 

2  And,  behold,  they  brought  to  him  a  man  sick  of  the  palsy,  lying  on  a  bed :  and  Jesus, 
seeing  their  faith,  said  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Son,  bo  of  good  cheer ;  thy  sins  be 

3  [are]  forgiven**  thee.     And,  behold,  certain  of  the  scribes  said  within  themselves.  This 

4  man  blasphemeth.     And  Jesus,  knowing^  their  thoughts,  said,  Wherefore  think  ye  evil 

5  in  your  hearts  ?    For  whether  [which]  is  easier,  to  say,  Thij  sins  be  [are]  forgiven  thee ; 

6  or  to  say,  Arise,  and  walk?     But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath  power 
on  earth  to  forgive   sins,  (then  saith  he  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,)  Arise,  take  up  thy 

7  bed,  and  go^  unto  thine  [to  thy]   house.     And  he   arose,  and  departed  to  his  house. 


[64 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


8  But  wlien  the   multitudes  saw  it,  they  marvelled   [feared]  ^,  and  glorified  God,  which 
[who]  liad  given  such  power  unto  men. 

'  Ver.  1'i.—\'a.'5ap-t]vu>v  accortliug  to  B.,  C;.,  M.,  al.  Griesbach,  Scholz,  Tischendorf  [Tregelles,  Alford,  Conant]. — 
Tipyiariviiv  C.  codd.  luinusc,  versions,  Origen. — FfpaaTji'tii',  the  ruling  lectio  at  the  time  of  Origen;  several  ancient 
versions,  Lachmann.     [L)r.  Lango  reads  Gadarenes.     Cod.  Sinait. :  ya^aprjucuj/.     See  Com.—] 

2  Ver.  ■20.—  lr]ffoiJ  is  omitted  in  B.,'0.,  L.  [Cod.  Sinait.],  ttc.     Brjnowed  from  Mark  v.  7;  Luke  viii.  28. 

3  Ver.  31. — 'ATToirretKui'  T]iJ.a.s,  In  Cod.  B.,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  ino.st  of  the  vt-rsions,  Griesbach,  Lachmann,  Tisohcndorf 
[Tregelles,  Alford,  Conant].  The  lectio  recepta,  iirirpexpov  ti/llIv  ainXdity,  is  probably  taken  from  Luke  viii.  y2,  and  ex- 
planatory. 

*  Ver.  .S2. — Efs  tovs  xo'povs,  B.,  C,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  Lachmann  [for  eij  riiu  a-yeAr/r  tuv  xoi-t'f^'v].  Probably  taken 
from  the  parallel  passages. 

'  Ch.  ix.,  ver.  2. — ['A(p  eoi  vt  ai  is  the  indicative,  either  the  present  tense  and  equivalent  to  atpwi/rai  (as  Homer  uses 
aUfV  for  33177), or  more  probably  the  perf.  pass.  (Doric  form)  for  apeivrai,  remissa  sunt.  Comp.  Winer,  Grnmmai.,  etc., 
6th  Germ,  ed.,  ISS5,  p.  74.  Lachmann  and  Tregelles  read  aipievrai,  r^m/WMJiifM/-,  with  Cod.  B.,  Cod.  Sinait.,  and  the 
Latin  Vulgate.— P.  S.l 

'  Ver.  4  —Lachmann,  following  B.,  M.,  re.ads  tidds  iustead  of  iSwy  of  the  Received  Text. 

T  Ver.  6.— [Cod.  Sinait.  reads  iropevov  for  viray^.—'P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  8. — 'E<t>oBvOv'rav,  th-y  feared,  is  much  better  supported  than  iOav/iiafrav,  they  mnrrelled.  [It  is  sustained 
by  the  newly  discovered  Cod.  Sinaiticus  and  adopted  in  all  the  modern  critical  editions,  except  the  Gr.  Test,  of  Stier,  and 
Wordsworth  who  adhere  to  the  Received  Text.— P.  8.] 


EXEGETICAL   AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  28.  On  the  discussion  about  the  readings, 
V(pyiar]vu!v,  Ta5aoT)i'S>v,  Vepacr-qvoov,  comp.  the  Com- 
mentaries.— Bleek  (Beitnige  zur  Evangelienkritik, 
i.  26)  :  "  From  Orig.  (mi  Joh.  Tom.  vi.  24),  we  may 
infer  with  tolerable  certainty,  that,  at  the  time  of 
that  Father,  T(pyi<T-r\vi}v  was  not  found  in  any  of  the 
MSS.  of  the  Gospels  then  current.  He  only  men- 
tions it  as  a  conjecture,  that  this  may  have  Ijeen  an 
older  reading.  From  that  time  it  seems  to  hare  been 
introduced  into  manuscripts.  Origen  found  that  the 
common  reading  was  Vepa(Ty)vwv,  that  of  Tadap-r]vS)v 
also  occurring.  The  change  of  the  former  into  the 
latter  word  is  easily  accounted  for,  but  not  the 
reverse.  Hence  the  writer  has  always  been  of 
opinion,  that  Vepaarivuv,  which  Lachmann  also  has 
adopted,  is  the  correct  reading  in  all  the  three  Gos- 
pels. But  as  the  town  of  Gerasa,  in  Arabia,  could 
not  possibly  be  meant,  we  suppose  that  the  name  was 
incorrectly  written  by  the  Evangehsts,  and  that  they 
probably  meant  the  town  of  Gergesa,  as  Origen  sug- 
gests." Accordingly,  we  drop  the  reading  r^pyea-r]- 
j/ic,  and  only  retain  thus  much,  that  Origen  was  ex- 
egeticalli/  right  in  maintaining  that  Jesus  landed  in 
the  district  of  the  Gergesenes,  whose  name  at  least 
{repysffalot,  Gen.  XV.  21  ;  Deut.  vii.  1 ;  Josh.  xxiv. 
11)  is  mentioned  by  Josephus  {A7it.  i.  6,  2).  But 
the  MSS.  are  divided  between  the  readings  Gadara 
and  Gerasa.  Hence,  judging  from  the  circumstances 
of  this  narrative,  we  are  warranted  in  fixing  upon  the 
adjoining  Gadara,  which  was  the  capital  of  Peraea, 
rather  than  on  the  distant  Gerasa,  which  lay  on  the 
eastern  boundary  of  Peraja,  and  indeed  was  consid- 
ered by  some  geographers  to  have  been  situate  in 
Arabia.  So  also  Winer  and  Meyer.  Besides,  the  ex- 
pulsion of  the  Lord  is  represented  as  an  event  of  con- 
siderable importance,  which  would  not  have  been  the 
case  had  He  been  banished  from  Gerasa,  and  not 
from  the  capital  of  Peraea.  Expulsion  from  a  village 
by  the  sea-shore  would  only  have  induced  Him  to  go 
farther  inland ;  but  banishment  from  the  capital  of 
the  district  rendered  at  least  a  temporary  removal  ab- 
solutely necessary.  The  pagan  character  of  the  dis- 
trict (swine,  raging  demons)  may  have  led  to  the 
evangelical  tradition,  by  which  the  scene  of  this  nar- 
rative was  transferred  from  Gadara  to  Gerasa.  Gad- 
ara, the  capital  of  Peraea  (Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  iv.  8,  3), 


situated  to  the  southeast  of  the  southern  end  of  the 
Lake  of  Geimesareth,  south  of  the  river  Hieromax, 
sixty  stadia  from  Tiberias,  upon  a  mountain,  inhabit- 
ed chiefly  by  Gentiles  (according  to  Seetzen  and 
Burckhardt).  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  mod- 
ern Oml-eis  (but  comp.  Ebrard,  who  places  Gadara 
only  one  hour  from  the  lake).  See  Winer  and  the 
Encyclops.  and  von  Raumer's  Palestine.  On  the  east- 
ern shore  of  the  lake,  comp.  Ritter's  Palestine.  Eb- 
rard suggests,  that  there  had  been  a  village  called 
(ierasa  in  the  neighborhood  of  Gadara.  Euseb.  Ono- 
masiicon  refers  to  such  a  village  under  the  article 
Gergesa,  without,  however,  pronouncing  decidedly  on 
the  point. 

Two  possessed  with  devils.  —  Mark  and 
Luke  speak  only  of  one.  Strauss  and  de  Wette  hold, 
that  the  account  of  Matthew  is  the  authentic  narra- 
tive ;  Weisse  and  others  prefer  that  of  Mark  and 
Luke.  Ebrard  suggests,  that  Matthew  joined  the  ac- 
count of  the  possessed  at  Gadara  with  that  in  Mark 
i.  23  ;  others  fancy,  that  our  Evangelist  is  in  the 
habit  of  speaking  of  two  individuals  when  there  was 
only  one.  Meyer  leaves  the  diffictilty  unsolved ;  while 
Augustine,  Calvin,  and  Chrysostom  suppose  that  one 
of  the  demoniacs  is  specially  mentioned,  as  the  prin- 
cipal personage  and  the  greater  sufferer.  This  idea 
is  confirmed  by  the  consideration,  that  two  demoni- 
acs would  not  have  associated,  unless  the  one  had 
been  dependent  upon  the  other.  For  the  details  of 
the  narrative,  the  parallel  passages  in  the  other  Gos- 
pels must  be  consulted. 

Coming  out  of  the  tombs. — This  was  their 
abode,  the  only  one  left  tlieni,  after  they  had  with- 
drawn from  human  supervision  and  society.  We 
conjecture  that  they  chose  this  haunt  not  merely 
from  melancholy,  but  rather  from  a  morbid  craving 
for  the  terrible.  These  tombs  were  either  natural 
or  artificial  caves  in  the  rocks,  or  built  in  the  ground. 
The  calcareous  mountain  on  which  Gadara  was 
situated,  was  speciaUy  suited  for  such  sepulchres. 
Even  Epiphanius  {adv.  Hceres.  i.  131)  mentions  these 
rocky  caves  near  Gadara,  which  were  called  ito\v- 
dySpia  and  TVfx^oi. 

Ver.  29.  What  have  we  to  do  with  Thee  ? 

T\^1  ^ih  na ,  2  Sam.  xvi.  10,  etc.  Grotius  remark.^ 
ad  loc.  :  "  Hoc  si  ex  usu  Latini  sermonis  iJiterpreteris, 
contemtum  videtur  itiducere.  Ita  enim  Latini  aiuni . 
Quid  tibi  mecum  est ?     Ai  Hehroeis  aliud  sgnijivr', 


CHAP.  Vin.  28-34,  IX.  1-8. 


165 


nimirum  cur  mihi  molestiam  exhibes  ?  "*  The  ordina- 
ry consciousness  of  the  demoniacs  was  always  affected 
by,  and  mixed  up  with,  thciv  morbid  consciousness, 
lienco  their  power  of  anticipation  was  morbidly  de- 
veloped. By  virtue  of  this  I'acuUy  they  now  recog- 
nized the  Divine  power  and  majesty  of  the  Lord 
(comp.  Luke  iv.  34).  Ileuce  the  question,  whether 
Trph  Kuipov  means :  be/ore  the  judijmeni  of  the  Mes- 
siah, as  de  Wette  and  Meyer  suppose.  Perhaps  they 
also  anticipated  that  the  work  of  Jesus  in  the  district 
would  be  interrupted  by  them,  and  that  it  was  not 
ready  for  the  reception  of  the  Messiah. 

To  torment  us. — The  apparent  contradiction  iu 
the  conduct  of  the  demoniacs  affords  a  striking  con- 
firmation of  the  truthfulness  of  this  narrative.  On 
the  one  hand,  tliey  seem  to  have  felt  the  power  of 
the  Lord  ;  they  hastened  to  meet  Him  ;  their  fierce- 
ness was  kept  in  check,  and  they  humbly  entreated. 
But  on  the  other  hand,  they  identified  themselves 
with  the  demons  under  whose  power  they  were ;  they, 
so  to  speak,  appeared  as  their  representatives,  and  in 
that  capacity  complained  that  Jesus  was  about  to 
torment  them  by  healing  the  demoniacs, — i.  e.,  that 
He  was  about  to  send  the  demons  to  the  place  of  tor- 
ment. De  Wette :  "  Torment  us,"  by  disturbing  our 
stay  and  rule  in  man. 

Ver.  30.  A  herd  of  many  swine. — The  Jews 
were  prohibited  from  keeping  swine,  which  were  un- 
clean animals  (Lightfoot,  315 ;  Eisenmenger,  Unt- 
dektes  Judenthum,  i.  704).  The  herd  must  therefore 
have  belonged  to  pagans,  or  else  have  been  kept  for 
purposes  of  traffic.  In  any  case,  it  might  serve  as  ev- 
idence of  the  legal  unclcanness  of  the  people,  and  of 
their  essentially  Gentile  disposition. 

Ver.  31.  Probably  the  request  was  expressed  in 
such  terms  as  "  Send  us,  avoarfiXov  ?;u«s,"  but  the 
assent  of  the  Lord  was  couched  in  the  form  of  a  per- 
mission, or  even  of  a  sentence  of  banislimcnt.  Hence 
the  other  reading  of  the  Received  Text.  The  request 
shows  that  these  demons  were  antinomian,  not  Phari- 
saical ;  hence  their  choice  of  the  swine.  Possibly, 
there  was  also  the  raahcious  design  latent,  in  this 
manner  to  put  an  end  to  the  work  of  the  Lord  in 
the  district.  But  in  that  case,  the  compliance  of  the 
Lord  must  be  regarded  as  an  evidence  that  at  that 
time  the  awakening  of  terror  was  a  sufficient  effect. 
Lastly,  the  request  of  the  demons  implies  that  they 
were  many  (Meyer),  which  indeed  is  expressly  men- 
tioned in  Mark  and  Luke. 

Ver.  32.  Go,  vTaye-re . — The  emphasis  rests 
on  the  command  to  go.  Strauss  and  others  have 
raised  an  objection,  on  the  ground  that  Jesus  here 
interfered  with  the  property  of  others.  In  reply, 
Ebrard  appeals  to  the  divinity  and  the  absolute  power 
of  Christ.  He  also  reminds  us  of  the  casting  out 
of  those  who  bought  and  sold  in  the  temple  ;  which, 
however,  is  scarcely  a  case  in  point,  as  every  Jew 
might  claim  the  right  of  reproving  and  opposing 
open  and  daring  iniriuity.  Probably  the  conduct  of 
Christ,  in  the  cas-j  of  so  manifest  a  contravention 
of  Mosaic  ordinances,  might  be  vindicated  on  the 
same  ground,  as  simply  the  privilege  of  every  zeal- 
ous IsraehtiJ.}     But  the  text  does  not  oblige  us  to 

*  [Comp.  Comment,  on  John  ii.  4.  where  Christ  uses  thi.s 
phrase  in  spcakins  to  ITis  mother.— P.  S.] 

t  \V>r.  Alforit  thus  disposes  of  this  difficnlty:  "The  de- 
struction of  the  swine  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be  tlioujht  of 
in  the  matter,  as  if  that  were  an  act  repi:snant  to  tlic  merci- 
fiil  character  of  our  Lord's  miracles.  It  finds  it.s  prirullel  in 
the  cnrsing  of  tlie  fl<?-tree  (ch.  x.ii.  17-2_') ;  and  we.  may  wi  II 
think  that,  if  God  has  appointed  so  mnny  animals  daily  to 


be  slaughtered  for  the  sustenance  of  men's  bodies,  He  may  [  is  at  least  possible.'"— P.  8.] 


suppose  that  Jesus  took  any  interference  with  the 
herd  of  swine.  He  neither  admuiistered  justice,  nor 
enforced  police  regulations,  nor  took  oversight  of 
the  herds  of  swine  of  (Jadara.  His  only  object  was 
to  cure  tlie  demoniacs,  which  He  did  by  command- 
ing the  demons  simply  to  r/o.  Other  objections — such 
as,  that  the  demons  would  have  acted  foohshly  by 
driving  the  swine  into  the  sea — are  scarcely  worth 
repeating.  Any  such  difficulty  would  arise  from 
the  false  assumption  that  demons  can  never  be  stu- 
pid. It  must  be  admitted  that  certain  morbid  states, 
such  as  derangement  of  the  nervous  system,  mad- 
ness, idiocy,  raving,  etc.,  formed  the  natural  sub- 
stratum of  demoniac  possessions.  Hence  there  is  a 
marked  difference  between  the  possessed,  and  those 
who,  like  Judas  and  the  Pharisees,  voluntarily  sur- 
rendered themselves  to  the  power  of  evil,  as  there  is 
also  between  the  demons  themselves,  and  Satan,  or 
between  the  renunciation  of  Satan  in  Christian  bap- 
tism, and  exoi'cism, — a  rite  which  originally  was  only 
applied  in  the  case  of  the  possessed,  and  only  intro- 
duced into  the  ordinary  ritual  of  baptism  and  con- 
firmation of  catechumens  generally  when  spiritual 
knowledge  was  obscured  in  the  Church.  The  demo- 
niacs were  destitute  of  freedom,  not  merely  on  ac- 
count of  the  psychical  ailment  under  which  they  la- 
bored, but  because,  while  thus  suffering,  they  were 
possessed  by  unclean  spirits  (ir^/eiVtaTa  aKadapTu). 
The  idea  of  bodil>/  possession,  or  the  indwelling  of 
the  evil  spirit  in  the  physical  frame  of  the  diseased, 
was  merely  the  popular  notion.  The  main  point  was, 
that  they  were  under  the  power  of  some  special  de- 
moniac influence,  or  of  a  number  of  such  influences, 
which  proceeded  from  real  demons,  and  were  so 
strong,  that  the  persons  possessed  identified  them- 
selves in  their  own  minds  with  tlie  demons.  But  it 
is  quite  possible  that  such  influences  may  have  pro- 
ceeded not  merely  from  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  in  the 
narrowest  sense,  but  also  from  the  spirits  of  the  de- 
parted. Hence  Josephus  (Be  Bello  Jud.  vii.  C,  3) 
held,  that  the  demons  were  the  spirits  of  wicked  men  ; 
an  opinion  which  was  shared  by  some  of  the  oldest 
of  the  Fathers,  such  as  Justin  Martyr  and  Athenag- 
oras.  Tertullian  was  the  first  to  turn  the  current  of 
opinion  on  the  subject,  and  ultimately,  on  the  au- 
thority of  Chrysostom,  the  old  idea  of  the  sj)irits  of 
departed  and  lost  men  was  discarded,  and  that  of 
devils  adopted.  But  a  closer  inquiry  into  the  char- 
acter of  sympathetic  influences  will  show,  that  while 
the  question,  whence  these  demoniac  influences  pro- 
ceeded, is  of  secondary  importance,  such  influences — 
even  to  literal  bodily  possession — are  quite  pos.sible, 
whether  the  party  affected  was  conscious  of  them 
or  not.  From  this  it  follows,  that  a  demoniac 
might  feel  himself  under  the  influence  of  a  whole  le- 
gion of  unclean  spirits,  as,  from  the  account  in  the 
other  Gospels,  appears  to  have  been  the  case  in  the 
present  instance.  Hence  we  must  beware  of  tlie  com- 
mon mistake,  of  putting  the  guilt  of  the  demoniacs  on 
the  same  level  with  that  of  wilful  slaves  of  Satan.  In 
our  view,  the  blame  attachable  to  such  pcr.sons  va- 
ried from  the  minimum,  in  the  case  of  idiots,  to  a 
maximum.     The  common  characteristic  of  all  was 

also  be  pleased  to  destroy  animal  life  when  He  sees  fit  for 
the  liberation  or  instruction  of  their  souls.  Besides,  if  the 
confessedly  far  greater  evil  of  the  possession  of  tnun  by  evil 
spirit",  and  all  the  misery  thereupon  attendant,  was  per- 
mitted in  God's  ins  'riitable  purposes,  surely  much  more  this 
lesser  one.  Whether  there  tnay  have  been  special  reasons 
in  this  case,  sucll  as  the  contempt  of  tlie  Mo^^aic  law  by  the 
pevs  of  tlie  .•;«-iiu-.  we  have  no  means  of  judging;  but  it 


ioa 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   SIATTIJEW. 


cowardice, — a  cowardly  surrender  of  a  weakened  and 
lowered  consciousness  to  wicked  influences.  The 
same  remarks  apply  to  Ihe  moral  aspect  of  madness 
generally ;  and  we  would  adopt  the  idea,  that  all  mad- 
ness was  connected  with  a  kind  of  demoniac  inllii- 
ence,  rather  than  the  view,  that  the  demoniacs  of 
Scripture  were  merely  lunatics,  or  even  that  of  older 
orthodox  interpreters,  who  regarded  them  as  a  class 
of  persons  possessed  by  the  devil, — God  allowing  it 
at  the  time  of  Christ,  and  then  only,  for  the  purpose 
of  glorifying  His  name.  We  do  not,  however,  deny, 
that  at  that  period,  when  all  human  corruption  had 
reached  its  climax,  these  demoniac  possessions  also 
a])peared  in  a  more  full  and  patent  manner.  But  if 
we  consider  that  the  evil  primarily  depended  upon 
moral  cowardice  and  non-resistance  to  evil,  we  shall 
understand  all  the  better  the  method  of  cure  adopted 
by  the  Lord.  The  thunderbolt  of  His  power  and  di- 
vine rebuke  would  once  more  kindle  the  ray  of  Ufe 
and  strength  in  the  soul,  fill  the  spirits  who  possess- 
ed the  demoniac  with  fear,  and  thus  break  the  fetters 
by  which  they  held  their  victims.  It  snapped,  so  to 
speak,  the  connection  between  the  diseased  mind,  de- 
prived of  its  freedom,  and  the  demon  ;  while  at  the 
same  time  the  soul  was  brought  under  the  influence 
of  the  Divine  Being.  Such  was  the  deliverance  from 
the  5aifi(i}i',  who,  although  a  personal  being,  is  desig- 
nated as  dai/iiovtoi',  m  allusion  to  the  impersonality  of 
the  relationship. 

They  went  into  the  herd  of  swine. — Of  course 
the  demons,  not  tlie  demoniacs.  The  commotion  in 
the  herd,  by  which  they  rushed  down  a  steep 
place  into  the  sea,  is  readily  accounted  for  from 
the  well-known  sympathy  existing  among  gregarious 
animals.  If  one  of  the  herd  was  seized  with  terror, 
all  the  others  would  be  aSected.  Probably  the  horse 
is,  of  all  animals,  most  liable  to  sudden  fright,  espe- 
cially from  spectral  apparitions  ;  but  swine  are  also 
subject  to  such  wild  frights  (comp.  Scheitlin's  Thier- 
seelenkunde,  vol.  ii.  486).  Perhaps  the  reason  why 
swine  were  Levitically  unclean,  may  have  been  not 
merely  their  outward  conformation,  "but  their  suscep- 
tibility for  impure  psychical  impressions.  The  cir- 
cumstance, that  the  demons  went  into  the  swine, 
seems  indeed  mysterious ;  but  the  fright  of  these  an- 
imals arose  probably  from  the  last  terrible  j)arox- 
ysm,  which  ordinarily  accompanied  the  healing  of  the 
possessed  (Mark  i.  26  ;  Luke  iv.  35  ;  Mark  is.  26, 
etc.). 

'  O  p  jix  ^  I',  cum  impetuferri,  irruere,  ch,  xix.  29. — 
Olshausen  suggests,  that  the  demons  drove  down  the 
herd;  Henneberg,  Neander,  and  others,  that  they 
were  impelled  by  an  unknown,  but  accidental  cause ; 
while  Meyer  regards  this  as  a  mythical  addition.  We 
prefer  leaving  it  unexplained,  as  belonging  to  the 
mysterious  connection  between  the  world  of  spirit 
and  nature. 

Vcr.  34.  The  whole  city. — For  the  moment, 
tha  terror  produced  by  this  miracle  proved  even 
stronger  than  the  indignation  excited  by  the  loss 
sustained.  Accordingly,  as  the  heathen  were  wont 
to  go  in  solemn  procession  to  the  altars  of  the  gods 
in  order  to  avert  calamities,  so  the  people  of  Gadara 
went  out  to  meet  Christ,  humbly  beseeching  Him  to 
depart  from  their  coasts.  They  evidently  feared,  lest, 
if  He  remained,  they  should  sustain  yet  greater  dam- 
age. The  cure  of  two  furious  demoniacs,  involving 
the  loss  of  a  herd  of  swine,  appears  a  calamity  in  a 
district  where  swine  have  their  keepers,  but  men  are 
left  uncared  for.  Jesus  departs  ;  but  those  who  have 
been  restored  are  left  behind — more  especially  he  who 


M-ould  fain  have  followed  Him — to  bear  witness  it 
Decapolis  of  the  power  and  grace  of  Christ. 

Chapter  ix.  vers.  1-8.— Luke  (v.  17)  and  Mark  (ii. 
3)  relate  this  history  immediately  after  the  cure  of  the 
lei)er.  But  this  place  belongs  rather  to  the  event 
connected  with  the  centurion  at  Capernaum.  Besides, 
the  circumstance,  that  the  scribes  of  Gahlee  now 
commenced  their  active  opposition,  proves  that  the 
chronological  ariangement  in  Matthew  is  correct. 

Ver.  1.  Into  His  own  city. — In  the  Greek: 
fir  rvu  i5ia  V  it  6  \  t  v .  Capernaum  had  the 
honor  of  bearing  that  name  (iv.  13). 

Ver.  2.  A  irapaXvTtKQs.  See  Com.  on  ch. 
iv.  24. 

Jesus  seeing  their  faith. — This  faith  appeared 
more  particularly  in  the  bold  plan  which  they  adopt- 
ed for  bringing  the  sufl'erer  into  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  as  related  by  Mark  and  Luke.  But  while  all 
shared  that  faith,  the  poor  sufferer  himself  appears  to 
have  given  the  special  directions.  Paralytic,  but 
healthy  in  soul, — a  hero  in  faith  on  his  sick-bed. 
Matthev/  indicates  the  extraordinary  character  of  the 
circumstances  by  the  expression :  Koi  iSov. 

Be  of  good  cheer,  edpaei,  t^kvov  . — These 
two  miracles  afford  an  insight  into  the  various  meth- 
ods by  which  the  Lord  restores  those  who  are  cow- 
ardly, and  those  who,  strong  in  faith,  are  afflicted. 
In  the  one  case.  He  rebukes ;  in  the  other.  He  com- 
forts.— T^Kv uv,  an  affectionate  address  ;  Mark  ii.  5  ; 
X.  24 ;  Luke  xvi.  2.5.     Analogous  is  Qvyo.np,  ver.  22. 

Are  forgiven  thee,  acii^wprai  trot . — The 
perfect  tense  (Doric).  Beza :  Empjhasis  minime  ncgli- 
yenda.  In  this  instance  the  palsy  must  have  been  the 
consequence  of  the  sin  of  the  sufferer,  though  not  in 
other  cases,  John  ix.  3.  That  Christ  with  His  uniailing 
penetration  at  once  recognized  and  singled  out  these 
instances,  showed  how  vastly  different  His  judgment 
was  from  the  prejudices  of  the  people  (Luke  xiii.  4,  and 
the  account  of  Lazarus).  Strauss  vainly  imagines  that 
there  is  a  contradiction  between  this  and  the  other 
accounts  about  the  Lord.  Comp.  against  him  the 
remarks  of  Meyer  (note  on  p.  189),  v/ho,  however, 
should  not  have  denied  that  in  the  case  before  us  the 
forgiveness  of  sins  was  both  the  moral  and  the  pjsy- 
chical  condition  of  restoration.  It  seems  to  us  strange 
that  de  Wette  should  half  concede  the  statement  of 
Hase  (in his  LebtnJesu,  §  73),  who  regards  this  history 
as  an  accommodation  to  popular  prejudices. 

Ver.  3.  And,  behold,  certedn  of  the  scribes. 
— Before  this,  the  scribes  had  not  even  in  their 
thoughts  charged  the  Lord  with  blasphemy.  We 
have  here  a  third  evidence  that  Christ  read  the  inmost 
thoughts  of  man.  He  traced  the  affliction  of  the 
palsied  man  to  its  secret  origin  in  sin ;  He  read  the 
measures  adopted  by  the  palsied  man,  and  by  those 
who  bore  him,  and  traced  them  to  faith  ;  and  He  read 
the  scribes,  and  descried  their  secret  and  blasphem- 
ous objections,  that  He  was  guilty  of  blasphemy, 
since  God  alone  could  forgive  sins  (Luke  v.  21).  Per- 
haps these  feelings  may  have  appeared  in  their  coun- 
tenances, as  the  Jews  were  wont  to  express  their  ab- 
horrence of  blasphemy  in  the  strongest  manner,  even 
rending  their  garments  and  spitting  when  they  deem- 
ed the  prerogatives  of  God  openly  invaded.  In  the 
present  instance,  fear  may  have  restrained  such  an 
open  expression  of  what  was  marked  in  their  faces 
and  gestures.  Hence  de  V/ette  is  wrong  in  suggest- 
ing that  the  expression  ISdv  in  ver.  4  is  "  well  ex- 
plained by  the  reading  eiSws"  (after B.,  M.).  Mark 
here  correctly  adds  :  rai  iri/evixan.  "To  read  the 
thoughts  and  dispositions  of  others  (comp.  John  ii.  24, 


CHAP.  VIII.  28-34,  IX.  1-8. 


167 


25),  was  a  characteristic  of  the  expected  Messiah  {see 
Wetstcin  ad  loc).  In  virtue  of  being  the  Son  of  God, 
Jesus  possessed  this  power,  wliich  may  be  consid- 
ered analogous  to  that  of  working  miracles." — Mey- 
er. But  wo  must  not  forget  the  vast  difference  be- 
tween the  notion  of  a  magical  reading  of  tlioughts, 
which  the  rabbins  entertained,  and  thv  !)ivinc-human 
introspect  of  Christ,  which  in  every  instance  was  oc- 
casioned by  some  mark  overlooked  by  others,  but 
patent  to  the  Master. 

Ver.  4.  Wherefore  think  ye  evil  ? — Olshau- 
sen:  Evil,  Ijccause  thi-y  failed  to  understand  His 
Divine  character.  De  Wette :  On  account  of  their 
hasty,  malevolent,  and  light  judgment.  Comp.  Matt. 
xii.  31.  Their  thoughts  were  evil  in  themselves,  be- 
cause ihey  regarded  the  highest  life  as  a  blasphemy, 
and  also  because  they  expressed  not  openly  their 
scruples.  Hence  iifxih,  in  opposition  to  those  who 
confided  in  Him.  Probably  they  chiefly  objected  to 
this,  that  Christ  seemed  to  abolish,  the  arrangements 
of  the  temple,  by  which  the  priest  typically  forgave 
sins  on  offering  the  sacrifice  appointed  by  the  law. 
It  is  absurd  to  interpret  the  expression  used  by  the 
Lord  as  a  mere  announcement  of  forgiveness  of  sins 
(Kuinocl). 

Vet'.  5.  Which  is  easier?— i.  c.  In  truth, 
both  are  equally  difficult,  and  presuppose  Divine 
power  and  authority.  But,  as  the  full  effect  of  His 
absolution  could  not  be  patent  to  the  outward  senses, 
He  accords  a  visible  confirmation  of  it  by  a  mir- 
acle.*   ■ 

Ver.  6.  But  that  ye  may  know,  Arise. — The 
Evangelist  purposely  omits  to  indicate  the  change  of 
persons  addressed,!  in  order  ro  make  it  more  pictorial. 
"  That  yc  9na;i  knoiv  thai  power  haa  the  Son  of  Man 
(power  is  put  first  by  way  of  emphasis)  on  earth  (in 
opposition  to  heaven)  to  forgive  sins,  ^me,"  etc. 
P'or  other  details,  see  the  account  in  Mark  and 
Luke.  "^ 

•^  Ver.  8.  They  were  afraid  (in  the  authorized 
version,  marvelled),  Q^o^rie-naav. — Those  who 
witnessed  the  occurrence  experienced  a  spiritual  con- 
flict— the  Spirit  of  Christ  contending  in  their  hearts 
with  the  unbelief  of  the  scribes.  In  these  circum- 
stances, the  miracle  of  healing  proved  all  the  more 
quickening,  that  the  gracious  working  of  Christ  in 

*  [Dr.  Trench,  Nntes  on  the  Miracles  of  our  Lord,  6th 
od.,  Lond.,  185S,  p.  206  sq.,  correctly  ob.serve.5:  "In  our 
Lord's  argument  it  must  be  carefully  noted  that  He  does 
not  ask,  '  Which  is  easiest,  to  forgive  sins,  or  to  rai.se  a  sick 
man?'  for  it  could  not  be  affirmed  that  that  of  forgiving  was 
easier  than  this  of  healing;  but,  'W4iich  is  easiest,  to  claiin 
this  power  or  to  c^i^/wt  that;  to  '^ay,  Thy  sins  be  forgiven 
thee,  or  to  «ay.  Arise  ami  walk?'  And  He  then  proceeds: 
'That  is  easiest,  and  I  will  now  prove  my  right  to  say  it,  by 
saying  with  effect  and  with  an  outward  consequence  setting 
its  seal  to  my  truth,  the  harder  word,  '  Rise  up  and  walk: 
By  doing  that  which  is  snbniitio.l  to  the  eyes  of  men,  I  will 
attest  my  right  and  power  to  ilo  th.-vt  which,  in  its  very  na- 
ture, lies  out  of  the  region  of  proof.  By  these  vi.sible  tides 
of  God's  grace  I  will  give  you  to  know  in  what  direction  the 
great  under-currents  of  His  love  are  setting,  and  that  those 
and  these  are  alike  obedient  to  my  word.  From  this  which 
I  will  now  do  openly  and  before  you  all,  you  may  conclude 
that  it  is  no 'robbery '(Phil.  ii.  (1)  upon  my  part  to  claim 
also  the  power  of  forgiving  men  their  sins.'  Thus,  to  use  a 
familiar  illustration  of  our  Lord's  argument,  it  would  be 
easier  for  a  man.  equally  ignorant  of  French  and  Chinese, 
to  claim  to  know  the  last  than  the  first;  not  that  the  lan- 
guage itself  is  easier,  but  that,  in  the  one  case,  multitudes 
could  disi)rove  his  claim;  and  in  the  other,  hardly  a  scholar 
or  two  in  the  land." — I'.  S.] 

t  [This  change  is  indicated  by  the  parenthetic  words  of 
the  Evangelist:  tot*  Aiyet  tcS  irapaKvrtKw.  The  regu- 
lar construction  would  require  either  ilooi}  a  tf  for  iiSTire, 
or  Kiyta  for  T<iTe  Aeyei. — P.  8.] 


the  face  of  this  opposition  implied  a  greater  manifes- 
tation of  power. 

Such  power  unto  men. — Grotiua  and  Kuinoel 
apply  this  simply  to  Jesus,  regarding  ai'dpcovrois  aa 
the  plural  of  category.  Baumgarten-Crusius  explains 
it :  Such  power  to  men  for  their  salvation  through 
Christ.  Jleyer  and  do  Wette  :  A  new  gift  of  (lod  to 
humanity.  But  the  expression  referred  especially  to 
the  i^ovtr'ia  of  forgiving  sins.  This  power,  which 
hitherto  had  been  enthroned  in  the  most  holy  place 
as  the  prerogative  of  Jehovah,  nov/  stood  embodied 
before  them,  as  it  were  an  incainate  Shechinah. 
Hence  their  joyous  expression :  He  has  given  it  to 
the  Son  of  Man,  and  therefore  to  men.  The  explana- 
tions of  Kuinoel  and  Meyer  are  not  contradictory.* 


DOCTRINAL  AND   KTIIICAL. 

1.  These  two  miracles  have  this  in  common,  that 
they  were  accomplished  under  exceedingly  difficult 
circumstances.  In  the  first  instance,  the  cooperation 
of  receptive  faith  v/as  entirely  wanting.  The  only 
germ  present  was  that  awe  with  which  the  deraona 
owned  the  power  and  supremacy  of  Christ ;  while,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  Saviour  had  to  contend  not  only 
with  the  demoniacal  spirit,  but  with  the  impui'c  and 
grovelling  disposiiion  of  the  Gadarenes.  In  the  sec- 
ond miracle,  the  unbelief  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribea 
formed  a  counterpoise  to  the  faith  of  the  palsied 
man,  and  of  those  who  bi'ought  him  forward.  Add 
to  this,  that  the  first  cure  was  followed  by  expulsion 
from  Gadara,  and  the  second  by  a  secretly  harbored 
reproach  of  blasphemy  on  the  part  of  the  scribes, 
which  was  fully  expressed  on  a  later  occasion  (Matt. 
xii.  24). 

2.  The  two  miracles  are  still  further  connected  by 
the  peculiar  view  of  Christ  which  they  present.  More 
than  in  any  other  instance  in  which  He  healed  the 
possessed,  does  the  Lord  here  appear  as  the  Mighty 
One—as  conqueror  not  only  of  demons,  but  also  of 
the  dark  and  hostile  powers  of  pagan  or  semi-pagan 
countries  ;  while,  in  the  second  miracle,  we  see  Him 
penetrating  to  the  root  of  t'N'il,  to  sin,  and  removing 
the  moral  power  of  consciousness  of  guilt.  His  sav- 
ing grace  extends  to  the  lowest  psychological  and 
moral  abyss  of  human  misery.  Combining  these 
two  miracles  with  that  of  calming  the  tempest,  we 
behold  Christ  as  the  Lord  over  nature,  over  the  pow- 
ers of  darkness,  and  over  the  depths  of  the  human 
heart. 

3.  The  cure  of  the  demoniacs  at  Gadara  may  be 
regarded  as  forming  the  central-point  of  biblical  de- 
monology.  It  is  also  an  explanation  and  defence  of 
the  legal  prohibition  of  swine-flesli  under  the  Old 
Covenant.  But  Lisco  and  Gerlach  go  too  far  in 
maintaining  that  the  destruction  of  the  herd  was  in- 
tended as  a  punishment.  Jesus  only  permits  it  at  the 
request  of  the  demoniacs,  who  have  not  yet  complete- 
ly recovered,  and  hence  are  not  quite  under  His  pow- 

*[Alfokd:  "ToTs  avOpunroi^,  to  mwnkiiict.  They  re- 
garded this  wonder-working  as  something  by  God  granted 
to  men — to  mankind;  and  without  supposing  that  they  had 
before  them  the  full  meaning  of  their  words,  those  words 
were  true  in  the  very  highest  sense.  See  John  xvii.  S." — 
Trench,  On  Jliniclen,  p.  'ZO'J:  "They  felt  rightly  that  what 
was  given  to  one  man,  to  the  Man  Christ  Jesus,  was  given 
for  the  sake  of  all,  and  ultimately  to  all,  that  it  was  indeed 
given  'unto  men;''  they  felt,  that  He  possessed  these  pow- 
ers as  the  true  Head  and  lleprosentatlve  of  the  race,  and 
therefore  that  these  gifts  to  Him  were  a  rightful  subject  of 
gladness  and  thanksgiving  for  every  member  of  that  race."— 
1'.  S.J 


168 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


er.  Nor  must  we  forget  that,  despite  their  own  im- 
purity, the  demoniacs  coramonly  possessed  in  in- 
creased measure  a  clear  sense  of  what  was  unseemly 
(comp.  Acts  xix.  15).  The  demons  chose  to  enter 
into  the  swine.  The  demoniacs  also  chose  to  bring 
an  ironical  punishment  on  their  district,  and  thus  to 
vent  their  last  paroxysm  in  a  direction  more  wholc- 
Bome  than  formerly. — Lastly,  the  Lord  Himself  re- 
garded this  judgment  as  wholly  suitable,  without, 
however,  having  liirectly  sentlt. 

4.  The  absolution  of  the  palsied  man,  and  later 
instances  of  the  same  kind,  were  in  some  respects  an 
anticipation  of  the  moment  when  the  veil  in  tlie  tem- 
ple was  rent  in  twain.  Sucli  seems  also  to  have  been 
the  unconscious  feeling  of  those  who  were  present  at 
the  time.  This  history  forcibly  presents  to  our  view 
the  connection  between  sin  and  misery,  between  for- 
giveness and  recovery,  and  hence  also  between  justi- 
fication and  the  resurrection. 

[5.  The  power  of  forgiving  sins  is  a  strictly  Di- 
vine privilege,  as  the  Jews  rightly  supposed,  and  could 
be  claimed  by  Christ  only  on  the  ground  of  His  Di- 
vine nature.  Hence  we  may  use  this  claim  as  an 
argument  for  the  Divinity  of  the  Saviour  (as  Athana- 
sius  did  against  the  Arians).  Yet  He  claimed  and 
exercised  this  power  as  the  incarnate  Son  of  God,  or 
as  the  Son  of  Man  on  earth,  having  brought  it  with 
Him  from  heaven,  as  the  one  who  is  at  once  like  unto 
us,  and  above  us  all  as  the  crown  and  perfection  of 
humanity.  While  on  earth.  He  exercised  the  power 
directly  and  personally ;  after  His  exaltation  He  ex- 
ercises it  in  His  Church  as  His  organ  through  the 
means  of  grace,  and  the  ministry  of  reconciliation. 
Hence  He  conferred  this  power,  commonly  called  the 
power  of  the  keys,  i.  e.,  the  power  of  discipUne  in  re- 
ceiving and  excluding  members,  and  thus  opening 
and  shutting  the  gates  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
upon  His  apostles  (Matt.  xvi.  19;  xviii.  18),  who  m 
this  case  speak  and  act  in  the  name  and  by  the  au- 
thority of  Christ.  The  Church  does  the  works  of 
heaven  on  earth  {"facif  in  terris  opera  cmlorum  "), 
and  binds  and  looses,  but  only  by  a  committed,  not 
an  inherent  power,  and  only  as  the  organ  of  Christ. 
Comp.  Trench,  Notes  on  Mir.,  p.  207,  and  Words- 
worth in  Matt.  ix.  6  :  "  Christ  forgives  sins  not  only 
as  God,  by  His  omnipotence,  but  as  Son  of  Man  ; 
because  He  has  united  man's  nature  to  His  own,  and 
in  that  nature  has  fulfilled  the  law  and  perfected 
obedience,  and  so  merited  to  receive  all  power  on 
earth  (Matt,  xxviii.  18)  in  that  nature ;  which  power 
He  now  exercises  as  Mediator,  and  will  continue  to 
exercise,  till  all  enemies  .  .  are  put  under  His  feet. 
As  Son  of  Man,  He  ever  exercises  this  power  of  for- 
giving sin  on  earth,  by  means  of  the  Word  and  Sac- 
raments, and  by  the  Ministry  of  Reconciliation  (2  Cor. 
v.  18,  19),  and  by  whatever  appertains  to  what  is 
called  'the  Power  of  the  Keys.'  .  .  .  Besides,  by 
saying  that  sins  are  forgiven  '  upon  earth,''  our  Lord 
reminds  us  that  after  death  there  is  no  more  place 
for  repentance  and  forgiveness,  for  then  the  door  is 
ehut."  A  false  inference.  The  contrast  is  not  be- 
tween earth  and  eternity,  but  between  earth  and  liea- 
ven.—V.  S.] 

HOMILKTICAL  AND  PKACTICAL. 
Jesus  encounters  the  contradiction  and  enmity  of 
the  world,  not  only  in  His  teaching,  but  also  in  His 
works  of  grace  and  power.— The  glory  of  Christ's 
miracles  appears  in  this,  that  they  are  performed  in 
the  midst  of  uubeUevers,  if  He  only  meet  with  a 
gram  of  faith  in  those  who  apply  to  Him  for  help. 


Jesus  must  pluck  as  brands  from  the  burning  those 
whom  He  redeems  from  the  unbelief  of  the  world. — 
Christ's  casting  out  the  unclean  spirits,  as  connected 
with  His  forgiveness  of  sins,' 

7'Ae  history  of  the  Gadarenes. — Jesus  makes  a 
way  for  His  own  both  by  sea  and  by  land. — The  in- 
security of  highways  an  indication  of  the  state  of  a 
country. — Connection  between  human  raving  and  the 
spirits  of  darkness. — Internal  contradiction  on  the 
part  of  those  who  were  possessed:  1.  They  hasten 
reverently  to  meet  the  Lord,  and  yet  complain  that 
He  would  torment  them  ;  2.  they  betake  tliemselves 
to  entreaty,  and  yet  display  malice  ;  3.  they  are  them- 
selves cured,  and  yet  become  burdensome  to  others. 
— The  possessed  gave  a  more  suitalde  reception  to  the 
Lord  than  the  people  of  Gadara. — The  proximity  of  the 
Holy  One  rendering  uneasy  and  tormenting  not  only 
open  and  wilful  sinners,  but  also  those  who  are  de- 
prived of  their  moral  freedom. — It  is  easier  for  Christ 
to  heal  the  raving^  of  maniacs  than  to  remove  calcu- 
lating and  yet  stupid  selfishness. — The  Divine  judg- 
ment accompanying  the  cure :  a  trial  of  the  country 
and  people. — The  expulsion  of  the  Lord,  under  the 
guise  of  reverence,  and  in  the  form  of  an  entreaty, 
notwith standing  the  ceremony  of  a  procession  come 
out  to  meet  Him. 

The  cure  of  the  Paralytic,  ch.  ix.  1-8.— The  Lord 
reading  the  secrets  of  the  heart:  1.  He  descries  in 
the  urgent  endeavors  of  felt  need,  the  faith  which 
prompts  them,  and  brings  it  to  maturity ;  2.  He  des- 
cries in  the  misery  the  guilt  which  was  its  cause,  and 
removes  not  only  the  misery,  but  also  its  root ;  3.  He 
descries  the  secret  unbelief  of  the  heart,  and  obviates 
its  pernicious  influences. — The  miracle  on  the  con- 
science and  the  miracle  on  the  sick  life  are  always 
combined:  1.  The  former  is  the  root ;  the  latter,  the 
manifestation.  2.  The  one  or  the  other  may,  indeed, 
be  more  apparent ;  but  3.  the  miracle  on  the  hfe 
cannot  prove  lasting  without  that  on  the  conscience, 
while  that  on  the  conscience  is  manifested  by  that 
on  the  life. — This  miracle  on  the  palsied  man  reveal- 
ing the  fullest  measure  of  grace  of  all  the  cures  ac- 
compUshed  by  Christ. — Son,  be  of  good  cheer  ;  thy 
sins  be  forgiven  thee. —  The  So7i  of  Man  has  power  on 
earth  to  forgive  sins. — Christ  will  manifest  in  the 
bodies  of  His  people  what  He  has  done  for  their  souls. 
— The  gospel  of  free  grace  confirmed  by  visible  signs 
before  the  eyes  of  His  opponents  :  1.  By  the  recovery 
of  nations;  2.  by  the  flourishing  condition  of  coun- 
tries ;  3.  by  the  tokens  of  a  coming  resurrection  all 
over  the  earth. — The  scribes  and  priests  of  the  law 
forgiving  sins,  and  Jesus  forgiving  sins :  1.  The  for- 
mer connected  with  outward  ordinances,  sacrifices, 
and  the  services  of  the  temple,  typical  in  its  nature 
and  arrangements ;  2.  the  latter  proceeding  from 
free  grace,  received  by  faith,  and  manifested  in  anew 
life. — The  outward  c'vidence  of  secret  grace. — The 
gospel  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  by  Christ,  the  most 
glorious  gift  of  God  to  man. — What  God  gave  to 
Christ,  He  gave  through  Him  to  men. 

Starke: — The  devils  also  beUeve  and  tremble, 
James  ii.  19. — Zeisius : — If  the  devil  cannot  have  his 
will,  it  is  a  tonnent  to  him ;  so  also  with  his  children, 
the  wicked. — Osiander : — They  who  only  seek  to  do 
harm  are  certainly  Satan's  children,  John  viii.  44. — 
Hcdlnger : — Now-a-days,  also,  the  devil  enters  into 
the  swine. — God  sometimes  deprives  us  of  our  out- 
ward possessions:  1.  In  compassion;  2.  in  right- 
eousnp?s.  Quesnel. — Hedinger : — What  ingratitude 
to  retain  the  swine  and  to  banish  Christ ! — It  is  one 
of  Satan's  devices  to  represent  the  gospel  as  causing 


CHAP.  IX.  9-11. 


169 


loss. — They  who  banish  Christ  in  His  members  are 
worse  than  the  Gadarenes. —  Ch.  ix.  1-8.  Hcdingcr  : 
— ^It  is  our  duty  to  succor  our  neighbor  in  his  dis- 
tress.— When  laid  on  a  bed  of  sickness,  we  ought  to 
be  more  anxious  for  the  health  of  the  soul  than  for 
that  of  the  body. — True  faith  receives  from  the  hand 
of  God  what  it  sought. — He  who  from  the  heart  re- 
pents and  believes  on  Christ  has  forgiveness,  Acts  x. 
43. — Jesus  reading  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the 
heart,  John  ii.  25. — It  is  impossible  to  be  happy  or 
comfortable  if  we  are  not  assured  that  we  are  (Jod's 
children. — Each  miracle  of  power  or  of  grace  the 
earnest  of  another. — Forgiveness  of  sins  comprehends 
every  blessing. —  Qucsncl: — What  is  felt  a  stumbling- 
block  by  the  worldly-wise,  is  an  occasion  to  the  sim- 
ple to  praise  God. — Admiration  and  praise  must  go 
together. 

Oerlach : — Those  who  hate  Me  love  death,  Prov. 
viii.  36. — Miracles  are  but  the  anticipation  and  ear- 
nest of  a  higher  order  of  thmgs.  Hence,  as  under  the 
Old,  so  under  the  New  dispensation,  Jesus  occasion- 
ally manifested  Hunself  in  His  miracles  as  the  future 
Judge  of  the  world. — But  this  was  not  the  main  ob- 
ject of  His  miracles,  which,  in  general,  were  the  man- 
ifestation of  His  love,  and  performed  by  Him  as  Re- 
deemer.— Miracles  of  judgment :  this  instance  (?) ; 
the  money-changers,  and  those  who  bought  and  sold 
in  the  temple  (?) ;  the  unfruitful  fig-tree ;  terror 
struck  into  the  company  of  those  who  came  out  to 
take  Ilim.  (Ananias  and  Sapphira,  Elymas.) — In  this 
instance  also,  blessing  and  judgment  were  conjoined  : 
1.  Safety  restored  to  the  district ;  2.  the  neighbor- 
hood delivered  from  evil  spirits ;  3.  the  possessed 
cured ;  4.  the  attraction  of  a  prohibited  enjoyment 


removed. —  Ch.  ix.  1-8.  A  special  emphasis  rests  on 
the  name,  "  Son  of  Man"  as  signifying  the  Messiah 
or  the  Saviour,  as  man  among  men. — Jesus  has  be- 
stowed upon  His  servants  authority  to  announce  to 
sinners  forgiveness  of  sin  in  the  name  of  God. 

Heubmr  (on  ch.  ix.  1-8) : — Even  the  faith  of 
others  may  aid  us  in  obtaining  forgiveness  of  sins. — 
Christianity  has,  directly  and  indirectly,  a  beneficial 
influence  on  bodily  ailments. — Consciousness  of  sm 
is  the  sting  in  all  our  bodily  sufferings. — Forgiveness 
is  the  first  thing  which  man  requires  in  his  misery. — 
Christ  always  addresses  to  afflicted  souls  the  words, 
"  Be  of  good  cheer.'''' — The  common  proverb,  that 
thoughts  are  free,  is  essentially  untrue. — Common 
tendency  to  suspicion. — The  deliverance  of  others 
should  be  matter  of  joy  to  us. — The  healing  of  the 
paralytic:  1.  How  Jesus  begins  it;  2.  how  He  de- 
fends it ;  3.  how  He  completes  it. — The  power  of 
Christ  to  forgive  sins  :  1.  Wherein  it  consists ;  2.  its 
condition. 

Reinhard,  1802. — The  foi-giveness  of  sins  has  the 
most  beneficial  influence  also  upon  the  consequences 
of  our  transgressions. — Harms : — The  connection  be- 
tween sin  and  sutferiug :  1.  Generally  patent ;  2. 
sometimes  hidden ;  3.  always  certain. —  Westermey- 
er : — The  power  of  Jesus  to  forgive  sms  on  earth  :  1. 
The  contradiction  against  it ;  2.  the  testimonies  for 
it ;  3.  its  glory ;  4.  its  conditions.  Sachse : — Christ 
the  true  Physician  of  the  soul.  Ranke : — The  pow- 
er of  Christ  to  forgive  sins. —  C.  Beck : — Christ  knows 
how  to  save  truly  :  1.  He  looks  to  the  ground ;  2.  He 
heals  from  the  ground. — Hopfier : — Christ  at  the 
sick-bed. — Fiichs  : — The  blessmg  of  sickness. — H. 
Midler : — I  beUeve  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 


The  miracle  of  the  call  of  Matthew  to  the  Apostolate ;  the  feast  of  the  Lord  with  the  publicans ;  twofold 
stimabUngblock  of  the  Pharisees  and  disciples  of  John ;  or,  Christ's  gracious  working  despite  the  con- 
tradiction of  legal  piety. 

Chapter  IX.  9-17  (Mark  11.  13-22;  Luke  v.  27-39). 


9  And  as  Jesus  passed  forth  [on]  from  tlience,  he  saw  a  man,  named  Matthew,  sit- 
ting at  the  receipt  of  custom  [custom-house]  :  and  he  saith  unto  him,  FoHow  me.     And 

10  he  arose,  and  followed  him.  Aiid  it  came  to  pass,  as  Jesus  sat  at  meat  [reclined  at 
table]  in  the  house,  behold,  many  publicans^  and  sinners  came  and  sat  down  [reclined] 

1 1  with  him  and  his  disciples.     And  when  the  Pharisees  saw  it,  they  said  unto  his  dis- 

12  ciples,  "Why  eateth  your  master  with  publicans  and  sinners?  But  when  Jesus ^  heard 
that,  he  said  unto  them,  They  that  be  [are]  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that 

13  are  sick.  But  go  ye  and  learn  what  that  meaneth,  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacri- 
fice :  for  I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous^,  but  sinners  lo  repentance.* 

14  Then  came  to  him  the  disciples  of  John,  saying,  Why  do  we  and  the  Pharisees  fast 

15  oft  [often],  but  thy  disciples  fast  not?  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Can  the  children 
of  the  bridechamber  mourn,  as  long  as  the  bridegroom  is  with  them?  but  the  days^ 
will  come,  when  the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  from  them,  and  then  shall  they  fast. 

16  No  man  putteth  a  piece  [patch]  of  new  [unwrought]  cloth  unto  [on]  an  old  garment;' 
for  that  which   is   put   in  to   fill   it  up  taketli  from  the  garment,  and   the  rent  is  made 

17  worse.     Neither  do  men  put  new  wine  into  old  [skin-]   bottles:  else  the  bottles  break 


170 


THE   (JOSFEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


[the  skins  burst],  and  the  wine  runiictli  out,  and  tlie  [skin-]  bottkjs  perish:'  but  thej 
put  new  wine  into  new  [skin-]  bottk's,  and  both  arc;  preserved  [togetlierj.® 


'  Vcr.  \0.— [Publicans fuT Tf\ii.f at  is  better  than  iaxgathei-era  which  has  been  snsrpestod  by  some  as  more  intelligible. 
For,  as  Dr.  ('(Jimiit  correctly  remarks,  a  tatrffiiiherer  is  not  necessarily  n  puhliain,  though  s, pnhlican  is  a  tatrgatherer. 
The  tiTiii  jiuliliciii'-  is  as  much  established  in  Scriptual  usage,  as  the  terms  PlutrUe'',  ^Sudducee,  scribe,  Baptist,  etc.  It 
snsj^'osts  tlie  o|ii)ros^iive  system  of  taxation  in  the  old  Komaii  empire  and  the  arbitrary  exaction  and  fraud  connected  with 
it.  The  taxes  were  sold  by  the  Koman  Kovernmont  to  the  highest  bidders,  who  gave  security  for  the  sum  to  bo  jiaid  to 
the  st.atc,  and  were  allowed  to  collect  fiom  the  jirovinces  as  much  as  they  could  beyond  it,  for'their  own  benefit  and  that 
of  their  numerous  agents  and  subagents. — P.  S.] 

■•'  Ver.  12.— 'iT/o-oCs  is  omitted  in  Cod.  B.  [also  In  Cod.  Sinait]  and  in  some  translations.  According  to  Meyer  it  was 
inserted  from  the  parallel  passages. 

3  Ver.  13.— [Dr.  Lange  omits  the  article  before  righteous,  according  to  the  Greek.  The  art.  would  seem  to  imply 
that  there  are  really  righteous  persons;  while  there  are  such  only  in  their  own  conceit.  Dr.  Conant  omits  the  art.,  and 
translates:  riyhteoua  men. — P.  S.] 

■*  Ver.  13. — Eis  ix^Tavoiav  is  wanting  in  Cod.  B.,  D.,  L.,  [Cod.  Sinait],  in  several  translations  and  fathers.  Comp- 
Luke  V.  33. 

s  Ver.  15.— [2)ays,  ^uUpal,  without  the  article.  So  also  Lange:  Es  ioe?'den  aler  Tagekummen.  Cod.  Sin.-iit.  omita 
the  words:   iXivaovTixi  5e  ij/nepai,  odav  anapdrj  air'  wWuiv  A  vvfKpios. — P.  8.] 

*•  Ver.  IC— [Dr.  Lange  :  Js^iemand  jlickt  einen  happen  von  migewalktem  Zeug  avfein  altcs  Kleid,  i.  e.,  a  patch  of 
■wifidlnd  cloth  on  an  old  garment,  which  is  more  literal.] 

'  Ver.  17. — Lachmann,  following  B.  and  other Codd.  [among  which  must  be  mentioned  novf  the  Cod.  of  Mt.  Sinai]  reads 
avoKXvvTaL  [instead  of  airoKovvrai]. 

^Yer.  11.— [Preserved  together,  cr  vv  rripovvTai ;  Lange:  '' miteinander  erha\te-a.'''—P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  9.  On  the  identity  between  Matthew  and 
Levi,  comp.  the  Introduction  ;  Mark  ii.  14 ;  Luke  v. 
27.  Probably  Matthew  had  already,  at  a  former 
period,  entered  into  closer  relationship  with  the 
Lord. 

'E7r)  rh  TeXwviov . — The  place  where  custona 
was  levied,  loll-house,  custom-house,  collector's  office. 
His  way  led  Him  past  the  receipt  of  custom  {-uapa.- 
yoiif). 

Ver.  10.  As  Jesus  sat,  better :  lay,  or  recUn- 
ed,  at  table  in  the  house— according  to  Eastern 
custom.  It  was  the  [practice  to  recline  on  divans, 
resting  upon  the  left  arm.  The  house,  which  is  here 
designated  with  the  article,  was,  no  doubt,  that  of 
the  publican.  Meyer  maintains  that  it  was  the  house 
of  Jesus,*  since  we  read  in  the  former  verse  that 
Matthew  followed  Him,  as  if  to  follow  the  Lord  meant 
to  accompany  Him  across  the  street !  Luke  relates 
that  the  feast  took  place  in  the  house  of  Levi  (Mat- 
thew). We  cannot  see  any  difficulty,  unless,  like 
Fritzsche  and  Meyer,  we  were  to  take  in  its  gross  lit- 
erality  an  expression  which  evidently  means,  that 
from  that  moment  Matthew  followed  Christ  as  His 
disciple  in  the  narrowest  sense.  De  Wettc  correctly 
remarks  that  it  is  not  likely  that  Christ  ever  gave 
dinner-parties,  f 

And  sinners.  —  Meyer  :  Worthless  persons 
generally  (!).  We  should  rather  say,  in  general,  those 
whom  the  Pharisees  had  excommunicated  from  the 
synagogues. 

Ver.  12.  The  whole — the  sick, — i.  e.,  accord- 
ing to  ver.  13,  the  righteous  and  sinners.  De  Wette 
supposes  that  the  former  referred  to  [persons  who 
were  really  righteous  in  the  Jewish  and  legal  sense ; 
while  Meyer  takes  it  ironically,  as  applying  to  their 
boasted  righteousness.  We  would  combine  the  two 
ideas.     They  imagined  that  they  were  righteous,  re- 

*  [Meyer  means,  of  course,  the  house  in  which  Jesus 
dwelt  at  the  time.  For  from  Matt.  viii.  20;  Luke  ix.  58,  it 
is  evident  that  Christ  had  no  house  of  his  own. — P.  S.] 

+  [It  is  due  to  Meyer  to  remark  that  he  treats  this  objec- 
tion as  gratuitous,  since  the  Evangelist,  he  thinks,  speaks 
only  of  an  ordinary  meal  of  Jesus  with  His  disciples.  But 
whence  the  "  many  publicans  and  sinners,"  who  took  part 
lnit?-P.  B.] 


garding  legal  righteousness  as  sufScicnt  before  God. 
On  the  other  hand,  those  who  in  the  test  arc  called 
sinners,  were  not  merely  such  from  the  Jewish  point 
of  view,  but  felt  themselves  guilty  wh.en  brought  in 
contact  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  Most  apt- 
ly, therefore,  does  Calvin  designate  this  as  an  ironica 
concessio. 

Ver.  IS.  I  will  have  mercy. — /  fake  pleasure, 
Idesire.  Hoseavi.  6,  afterthe  Septuagint.  The  opinion 
of  de  Wctte,  that  the  term  "lOn ,  in  Hosea,  means  piety, 
is  ungrounded. — And  not  sacrifice.  The  compar- 
ison may  be  relative ;  but  when  mercy  and  sacrifice 
are  placed  in  opposition  to  each  other,  it  becomes 
absolute,  because  the  sacrifice  then  loses  all  its  value, 
and  becomes  an  act  of  hypocrisy.  The  expression, 
TvupevQivTis  ixdOiT € .  go  and  learn,  answers  to 
the  rabbinical  formula,  I'^b^i  N^  .     Schottgen. 

Vcr.  14.  The  disciples  of  John,  etc. — St. 
Luke  represents  the  Pharisees  as  in  this  case  also 
urging  the  objection,  and  Sclileiermacher  considers 
this  the  authentic  version  of  the  event.  De  Wette 
regards  the  narrative  of  Luke  as  a  correction  upon 
Matthew,  and  deems  it  improbable  that  the  disciples 
of  John  should  have  come  forward  as  here  related. 
Meyer  decides  simply  in  favor  of  the  account  of  Mat- 
thew. Luke  may  have  represented  the  Pharisees  as 
putting  the  question  proposed  by  the  disciples  of 
John,  because  the  latter  shared  many  of  the  views  of 
the  Pharisees,  and  were  in  danger  of  going  further 
in  that  direction,  from  their  attachment  to  Jolm  and 
to  his  asceticism.  These  were  the  disciiDles  of  John 
who  would  not  be  guided  by  their  master's  direction 
to  the  Lamb  of  God. 

Ver.  15.  The  children  of  the  bride-chamber, 
ol  viol  rovvvjxcpwvos . — On  the  day  of  marriage, 
the  bridegroom  went,  adorned  and  anointed,  to  the 
house  of  the  bride,  attended  by  his  companions 
(D''j;"no  ,  Judges  xiv.  11),  and  led  her,  attended  by 
her  maidens,  in  festive  procession,  vdth  music  and 
dancing,  at  even,  by  torchlight,  into  the  house  of  his 
father.  The  marriage  feast,  which  was  defrayed  by 
the  bridegroom,  lasted  seven  days.  {See  the  Bibl. 
1  Encyclops.  sub  Marriage.) 

I  Mourn. — The  Lord  here  indicates  that  fasting 
must  be  the  result  of  vivei'LV.  The  other  Evangelists 
I  have  vrta-rei/eLi/.     "Fasting  should  be  the  expression 


CHAP.  IX.  O-IT. 


171 


of  sorrow ;  not  merely  an  outward  exercise,  but  the 
expression  of  an  inward  state."  De  Wette.  The 
primary  object  of  our  Lord,  therefore,  was  to  show 
the  impropriety  of  tliose  fasts  which  had  no  proper 
motive,  and  lience  were  untrue.  The  present  was 
the  festive  season  for  the  disciples ;  and  it  was  theirs 
to  show  this  by  tlieir  outward  gladness.  "  The  Ro- 
man Catholics  infer  from  this  verse,  that,  since  the 
death  of  Christ,  it  is  necessary  to  fast."  Heubner. 
If  this  were  to  be  consistently  carried  out,  we  should 
have  to  fast  the  whole  year  round. 

Ver.  16.  No  man  putteth  a  patch  of  un- 
■wrought  [or  unf tilled]  cloth. — Two  similes  taken 
from  common  life  to  illustrate  the  principles  of  the 
Divine  economy.  In  both  cases,  it  is  not  so  much 
the  unsuitableucss  of  adding  the  new  to  the  old 
which  is  brought  out,  as  the  foUy  of  bringing  togeth- 
er what  is  not  only  new,  hui  fresh,  with  that  which  is 
not  only  old,  but  antiquated.  Hence,  in  the  first  ex- 
ample, we  have  not  only  a  piece  of  new  cloth,  but  of 
raw  and  unwrought  material,  which  will  shrink.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  piece  inserted  to  fill  it  up  (-n-Xrtpuna) 
will  make  the  rent  worse  by  the  strain  upon  the  old 
cloth.  Similarly,  the  new  wine  which  is  still  ferment- 
ing, expands,  and  will  thus  burst  the  old  skin  bottles. 
The  antagonism  between  the  old  and  the  new  arises, 
therefore,  not  merely  from  the  imperfectncss  of  the 
old,  but  also  from  that  of  the  new,  which,  however, 
from  its  inherent  nature,  must  develop  and  expand. 
An  arrangement  of  this  kind  were,  therefore,  not 
merely  unsuitable,  but  even  destructive,  —  making 
matters  worse,  instead  of  improving  them.  The  re- 
sult in  both  cases  would  be,  that  the  old  and  the  new 
would  perish  together.  A  careful  examination  shows 
that  the  two  similes  are  intended  to  supplement  each 
other.  The  first  meets  the  case  of  the  disciples  of 
John,  with  whom  the  old  was  the  principal  consider- 
ation, and  the  new  only  secondary  ;  i.  e.,  they  regard- 
ed Christianity  merely  as  a  reformation  of  the  Old 
Covenant,  as  a  piece  of  new  cloth  to  fill  up  a  rent  in 
the  old  garment.  The  second  smiile  apphes  more 
especially  to  the  disciples  of  Jesus.  Here,  Christian- 
ity is  the  primary  consideration  (the  new  wine  from 
the  Tine  of  Israel),  whilst  the  old  forms  of  the  theoc- 
racy were  secondary.  In  both  cases,  the  result  is 
the  same.  But,  besides  its  special  lessons,  the  sec- 
ond simile  is  also  intended  to  show  how  entirely  false 
the  view  alluded  to  in  the  first  simile  was,  that  Chris- 
tianity was  only  a  piece  of  new  cloth  to  mend  the 
torn  garment  of  the  old  theocracy. 

Ver.  17.  Bottles,  or  Ut. :  skins,  aa  icoi . — In  the 
East,  water,  milk,  wine,  oil,  and  similar  commodities, 
were,  and  are  still,  preserved  and  transported  in 
leathern  bottles,  which  were  commonly  made  of  the 
hides  of  goats,  rarely  of  camels,  and  asses.  The  ex- 
terior of  the  skin,  after  having  been  suitably  pre- 
pared, was  generally  used  as  the  interior  of  the  bot- 
tle. See  the  quotations  of  Heubner  (p.  128)  from 
Lucian  and  Aulus  GeUius.* 

DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 
1.  It  is  unportant  fo  study  the  external  and  in- 

♦  [Comp.  also  Dr.  Robinson,  BiJd.  lieftearches,  ii.,  p.  440, 
and  Dr.  Hackett,  lUimtrations  of  Scripture  from  JCastern 
Travel,  pp.  44-46.  who  tells  us  that  he  met  these  skin-bottles, 
or  bays  made  of  the  skins  of  animals  for  holding  water,  wine, 
and  other  liqni  Is  in  the  houses,  and  transportin<!:  them  on 
journeys,  at  O.iiro  at  almost  every  turn  in  the  streets,  and 
everywhere  in  Eirypt  :iiid  Syrix  It  was  a  '  water-.skin  '  (ac- 
cordinsr  to  the  Hebrew)  which  Abraham  placed  on  the  shoul- 
der of  Ilasar,  when  he  sent  her  forth  into  the  desert  (Gen. 
xxi.  14).-P.  8.] 


'  temal  connection  between  the  call  of  the  publican 
to  the  apostolate,  and  the  commencement  of  open 
hostility  to  the  gracious  forgiveness  of  sins  by  Jesus 
,  on  the  part  of  the  Pharisee:'.      When  they  who  had  a 
I  historical  claim  upon  the  Got^pel  rejected  its  provi- 
I  sions,  they  were  offered  to  those  who  had  a  spiritual 
'  claim  vpon  the  glad  tidings,  by  being  prepared  and 
;  ready  to  receive  them.     Clirist,  the  Saviour  of  sinners, 
I  reviled  by  the  Pharisees,  turns  to  the  pubheans,  and 
calls  one  of  their  number  to  the    apostolic    office. 
Thus,  at  a  later  period,  the  hostility  of  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees  of  Jerusalem  led  to  His  entering  a 
heathen  country,  when  He  passed  into  the  territory 
of  Tyre  and  Sidou,  there  to  display  His  grace  in  the 
case  of  the  Syrophenician  woman.  Matt.  xv.     In  an 
analogous  maimer,  also,  the  Lord  interpreted  the  Old 
Testament  narratives  concerning  Elijah  and  the  hea- 
then widow  of  Sarepta,  and  Elisha  and  Naaman  the 
Syrian  (Luke  iv.  25,  etc.).     The  conduct  of  Paul  wa3 
precisely  similar.     When  the  Jews  in  their  unbelief 
rejected  the  Gospel,  he  turned  to  the  Gentiles  (Acts 
xiii.  4G ;  xviii.  6).     Hence,  while  the  conversion  of 
the  publican  was  a  grand  sign  that  the  Lord  now 
turned  to  the  outcasts,  the  call  of  Matthew  to  the 
apostolate  was  a  miracle  of  grace. 

2.  The  quotation  of  Christ  from  the  prophecies  of 
Hosea,  is  generally  adduced  as  expre.=smg  the  con- 
trast between  the  New  Covenant  and  the  degenerate 
form  which  the  Old  had  assumed.  Shnilarly,  it  may 
be  applied  to  the  contrast  between  Evangelical  Prot- 
estant Christianity  and  the  secularized  mediaeval 
Church.  Nor  are  we,  pei'haps,  mistaken  in  tracing 
a  hke  difference  between  a  devout  and  living  piety 
and  a  fanatical  orthodoxy,  which  too  often  contra- 
venes the  demands  of  tlie  heart,  and  is  radically  op- 
posed to  Christian  humanity. 

3.  Perhaps  the  circumstances  in  which  John  the 
Baptist  was  placed,  may  in  part  account  for  the 
gloomy  disposition  of  his  disciples.  For  some  time 
past  John  had  been  in  prison,  and  'they  looked  to 
Jesus  for  help  in  this  emergency ;  nor  could  they  un- 
derstand how,  in  the  meantime.  He  could  take  part 
in  festive  entertainments. 

4.  It  is  significant,  that  even  at  that  period  the 
objections  of  the  disciples  of  John  were  allied  to  those 
of  the  Pharisees.  But  there  was  this  difference  be- 
tween them,  that  while  the  latter  questioned  the  dis- 
ciples, as  if  to  turn  them  from  their  Master,  the  fol- 
lowers of  John  addressed  themselves  directly  to  the 
MoMer  Himself.  Even  in  their  case,  however,  we 
miss  that  full  wap'p-naia  which  should  characterize 
the  Christian.  They  do  not  venture  to  blame  Christ 
openly.  The  Pharisees  had  questioned  the  disciples, 
"  Why  eateth  your  Master  ?  "  etc. ;  while  the  disci- 
ples of  John  ask  the  Master,  "  Why  do  Thy  disciples 
fast  not  ?  "  Fanaticism  assumes  only  the  appearance 
of  ■Kapj)7\(jla,  especially  when,  kindled  by  the  sympa- 
thy of  an  excited  majority,  it  is  arrayed  against  a  mi- 
nority. Then  those  flaming  declamations  of  self- 
satisfied  eloquence  burst  forth,  which  the  multitude 
regard  as  the  voice  of  an  archangel,  while  they  are 
utterly  opposed  to  that  deep  calm  engendered  by  the 
Spirit  of  adoption,  who  inspires  even  a  weak  mmority  to 
speak  with  wapp-n^ia.  Finally,  this  occurrence  seems 
to  form  the  turning-point  in  history  at  which  the  later 
disciples  of  John  separated  from  their  teacher.  The 
difference,  which  was  afterward  fuUy  established,  con- 
tinues even  to  this  day. 

5.  The  reply  of  the  Lord  to  the  disciples  of  John 
contains  a  canon  perpetually  binding,  in  respect  of 
the  relation  between  form  and  substance.     The  prin 


172 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


ciple  itself  has  never  been  sufficiently  appreciated. 
Even  Master  Pliilip  [Mclanchthoii]  seemed  always 
prone  to  i)ut  the  new  wine  of  Gospel  truth  into  the 
old  bottles.  The  same  attempt  was  made  at  a  later 
period  by  the  Jansenists,  and  gave  rise  to  the  tragic 
history  of  the  Port  Roiial.  In  our  own  days,  also, 
some  seem  still  to  be  of  opinion  that  tlie  unwrought 
cloth  may  be  put  upon  the  old  garment,  and  the  new 
wine  be  preserved  in  decaying  bottles.  "  The  warn- 
ing of  Christ  applies  to  all  times,  that  the  life  of  His 
Church  is  not  to  be  surrendered  by  forcing  it  into 
antiquated  forms.  But  it  also  imphcs  that  genuine 
Christian  forms  should  be  preserved,  along  with  the 
truth  which  they  convey." 

6.  "  The  reply  of  Jesus  to  His  disciples  appears 
the  more  striking,  when  we  remember  the  last  testi- 
mony of  the  Baptist  concerning  Him."  He  that  has 
the  bride  is  the  bridegroom :  but  the  friend  of  the 
bridegroom,  who  standeth  and  heareth  him,  rejoic- 
eth  greatly  because  of  the  bridegroom's  voice  (John 
iii.  29).  Jesus  seems  only  to  continue  and  to  follow 
up  the  speech  of  their  master  when  He  replied  to 
John's  disciples :  "  Can  the  friends  of  the  bridegroom 
mourn  and  fast,  so  long  as  the  bridegroom  is  with 
them  ?  "  Lastly,  the  Lord  here  points  forward  to  His 
future  suiFerings  and  death  as  a  period  for  inward 
fasting.  This  fasting,  which  is  to  succeed  the  suffer- 
ings and  death  of  Christ,  consists  in  a  complete  renun- 
ciation of  the  world. 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Jesus  goes  to  all  classes,  into  all  streets,  and  to 
all  men. — The  greatness  of  Divine  grace,  which  can 
make  of  a  publican  an  Apostle.  1.  According  to 
Jewish  traditionalism,  the  publican  was  an  excom- 
municated person ;  but  he  is  now  called  to  assist  in 
founding  the  communion  of  Christ.  2.  He  was  an 
apostate  from  the  people  of  God,  but  called  to  be- 
come one  of  the  pillars  of  the  Church  of  God.  3. 
An  instrument  of  oppression,  but  becomes  an  instru- 
ment of  glorious  liberty.  4.  A  stumblingblock  and 
a  byeword,  but  becomes  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light. — Grace  is  not  stopped  by  any  customhouse, 
and  pays  no  toll. — High  call  of  the  Lord  to  the  pub- 
lican, and  great  faith  of  the  publican  in  the  Lord. — 
Matthew  the  Apostle  relates,  to  the  glory  of  God, 
that  he  had  formerly  been  a  publican. — The  publican 
and  the  Apostle. — The  Divine  call  must  determine  us 
to  relinquish  an  ambiguous  occupation. — Strange  cir- 
cumstance, that  the  Lord  and  His  disciples  should  sit 
down  at  meat  with  publicans  and  sinners.  1.  How 
can  this  be  ?  Because  the  Lord  does  not  conform 
to  the  publicans  and  sinners,  but  they  to  Him.  He 
not  only  continues  the  Master,  but  becomes  theirs. 
2.  What  does  it  convey  to  our  minds  ?  Infinite  com- 
passion, manifesting  itself  in  full  self-surrender,  des- 
pite difficulties  and  objections. — Christ  and  His  disci- 
ples are  still  at  meat  with  publicans  and  sinners. — 
When  the  Pharisees  saw  it,  they  said.  Why?  How 
this  question  has  ever  since  been  reiterated  in  the 
history  of  the  Eucharist  (Novatianism  ;  refusal  of  the 
cup ;  Eucharistic  Controversy). — The  reply  of  Jesus, 
"  They  that  be  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they 
that  are  sick :  "  1.  A  calm  exposition  :  they  that  are 
whole  are  really  whole,  and  they  that  are  sick,  really 
sick,  in  the  legal  sense.  2.  A  solemn  warning  :  they 
that  are  whole  are  sick  rmto  death,  because  they  deem 
themselves  whole ;  while  a  sense  of  their  spiritual 
sickness  renders  the  others  capable  of  life.     3.  A  de- 


cisive judgment :  salvation  is  for  sinners  who  feel 
their  need,  not  for  the  self-righteous. — Eternal  im- 
)iort  of  the  saying,  "  I  will  have  mercj',  and  not  sac- 
rifice." 1.  Rather  mercy  than  sacrifice,  if  the  two 
be  put  in  comparison  ;  2.  only  mercy  and  not  sacri- 
fice, if  the  two  are  put  in  antagonism  ;  8.  mercy  ex- 
clusively, to  the  rejection  of  sacrifice,  if  the  one  is  set 
up  in  contradiction  to  the  other. — Mercy  the  most  ac 
ceptable  and  holy  sacrifice. — Sacrifoes,  to  tVe  exclu- 
sion of  mercy,  not  offerings,  but  roL'iery. — >:.d  con- 
flict between  mercy  and  sacrifice,  throughout  the 
course  of  history. — Lessons  derived  from  the  declara- 
tion of  Jesus,  "  I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous, 
but  sinners  to  repentance  :  "  1.  Character  and  pros- 
pects of  the  sinners  who  listen  to  the  call  of  Jesus. 

2.  Character  of  the  religion  which  ignores  Clirist  and 
His  pardon. — Inquiry  of  the  disciples  of  John,  or 
characteristics  of  the  legalist :  1.  He  would  give  laws 
to  others  as  well  as  to  himself;  2.  he  would  give 
laws  without  heeding  the  requirements  of  the  case  ; 

3.  he  is  ready  to  take  the  part  of  the  worst  legalism 
("  we  and  the  Pharisees "),  and  to  assail  with  his 
puny  objections  the  holiest  liberty  ("  but  Thy  disci- 
ples fast  not "). — Arrogance  of  legalism :  1.  The  dis- 
ciples of  the  Baptist  assume  the  place  of  being  the 
masters  of  the  Lord  ;  2.  they  venture  to  censure  Him 
according  to  the  traditions  of  their  school ;  8.  they 
adduce  the  Pharisees  as  authorhics  against  Christ 
Himself. — The  bridal  and  the  mourning  season  of 
the  disciples :  1.  Wherein  each  consists ;  2.  the  ap- 
propriate manifestation  of  each. — It  is  one  of  the  first 
principles  of  true  Christianity,  that  every  outward 
manifestation  must  proceed  from  an  inward  state. — 
The  Christian  life  a  continuous  marriage  feast,  vrhich 
may  be  interrupted,  but  is  not  broken  up,  by  the  suf- 
ferings of  this  present  world. — Christ  the  Bridegroom 
of  the  Church:  1.  As  such  He  came  at  first ;  2.  as 
such  He  went  away ;  3.  as  such  He  will  return. — 
Sad  mistakes  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  can  only 
entail  harm :  1.  To  mend  that  which  is  antiquated 
by  putting  on  it  a  piece  of  new  cloth  ;  2.  by  forcing 
the  new  life  into  antiquated  fonns.  Or,  1.  To  gar- 
nish legalism  with  the  gospel ;  2.  to  force  the  gos- 
pel into  the  forms  of  legaHsm. — All  attempts  at  patch- 
ing unavaihng. — The  law  and  the  gospel  camiot  be 
mixed  up  :  L  Because  tlie  gospel  is  infinitely  more 
strict  than  the  law  (the  unwrought  piece  shrinks) ;  2. 
because  it  is  infinitely  more  free  than  the  law  (the 
new  wine  bursts  the  mouldering  bottles). — Hierarch- 
ism  might  learn  many  a  lesson  from  those  who  patch, 
and  from  those  who  cultivate  the  vine. — The  sentence 
of  Christ  upon  ecclesiastical  questions  :  1.  New  cloth, 
a  new  garment ;  2.  new  wine,  new  bottles. — The  true 
principles  of  genuine  ecclesiastical  conservatism. — 
Above  all,  we  must  aim  to  preserve,  1.  the  life  along 
with  the  forms ;  and  then,  2.  the  forms  wdth  the 
life. — Consequences  of  false  conservatism  in  the 
Church :  1.  These  attempts  at  tailoring  in  spiritual 
matters  are  opposed  even  to  common  sense  and  every- 
day practice.  2.  The  old  forms  are  destroyed  by  the 
new  life,  and  the  new  life  by  the  old  forms.  8.  The 
work  of  destruction  is  continued  while  they  clamor 
against  destruction,  until  the  new  and  the  old  are 
finally  separated. — How  the  Lord  prepares  the  wed- 
ding garment  and  the  new  wine  for  the  Idngdom  of 
God. — Tlie  threefold  mark  of  the  new  life  :  1.  It  as- 
sumes a  definite  outward  form  ;  2.  it  cannot  continue 
in  the  false  and  antiquated  forms ;  3.  it  must  create 
for  itself  corresponding  forms. 

Starke: — Christ  is   not  ashamed  of  the  greatest 
sinners. —  Osiauder: — It  is   easier   to  convert   open 


CHAP.  V.  18-26.  173 


sinners  than  hypocrites.  This  is  more  difficult  than  I  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God.  Hence  Christ  says  that 
to  break  through  a  mountain  of  iron. — Christ  the  '  His  disciples  fast  not  because  the  Bridegroom  is  with 
hio'hest  Physician. — Difference  in  ecclesiastical  usages  them :  i.  e.,  since  (iod  had  not  sent  them  sufferings, 
isliot  incompatible  with  unity  in  the  faith.— Zm/i«  .•  and  Christ  was  still  with  them  to  protect  tlicm,  they 
Constraint  and  Christian  liberty  cannot  well    be    neither  sought  nor  invented  sorrow  for  themselves,  for 


combined. 

{?fr/rtcA .-—Marginal  note  of  Luther:  There  are 
two  kinds  of  suifering, — the  one  of  our  own  choosing, 
such  as  the  rules  of  the  monks,  just  as  the  priests  of 
Baal  cut  themselves  (1  Kings  xviii.  28).     The  world 


such  were  without  value  before  God  ;  but  when  He 
was  taken  from  them,  they  both  fasted  and  suffered. 
Ileubner : — Compassion  and  love  toward  sinners 
is  the  sacrifice  most  acceptable  to  God — of  far  gi-eat- 
er  value  than  the  most  pompous  worship. — Chris- 


the  Pharisees,  and  the  followers  of  John  regard  such  tianity  is  opposed  to  all  slavish  discipline.— The  doc- 
8ufferin"-3  as  a  great  matter,  but  God  despises  it.  trine  of  Jesus  cannot  be  eombmed  with  the  old  tradi- 
The  oth°er  kind  of  suffering  is  sent  us  by  the  Lord ;  tions  of  Pharisaism.  This  were  only  miserable  patch- 
and  willingly  to  bear  this  cross,  is  right  and  well-  \  work- 


VL 

The  woman  with  aai  issue  of  blood,  and  the  dead  maiden ;  or,  the  twofold  miracle. — Miraculous  working 
of  the  Lord  in  the  face  of  despair  and  death. 

Chapter  IX.  18-26. 
{The  Gospel  for  the  2ith  Sunday  after  TVinzVy.— Parallels :  Mark  v.  22-43  ;  Luke  viii.  41-56.) 

18  "While  he  spake  these  things  unto  them,  behold,  there  came  a  certain  [there  came 
in  a]  ^  ruler  [of  the  synagogue],  and  worshipped  him,  saying,^  My  daughter  is  even  now 
dead  [has  just  now  died]  :  but  come  and  lay  thy  hand  upon  her,  and  she  shall  live. 

19,  20  And  Jesus  arose,  and  followed  him,  and  so  did  his  disciples.  And,  behold,  a  woman, 
which  [who]  was  diseased  with  an  issue  of  blood  twelve  years,  came  behind  him,  and 

21  touched  the  hem^  of  his  garment:  For  she  said  within  herself,  If  I  may  but  touch  his 

22  garment,  I  shall  be  whole.  But  Jesus  turned  him  about,  and  when  he  saw  her,*  he 
said.  Daughter,  be  of  good  comfort  [cheer]  ;  ^  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole.     And 

23  the  woman  was  made  whole  from  that  hour.  And  when  Jesus  came  into  the  ruler's 
house,  and  saw  the  minstrels  [pipers,  flute-players,  auA.7jTas]  and  the  people  [crowd]' 

24  making  a  noise.  He  said  unto  them,  Give  place :  for  the  maid  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth. 

25  And  they  laughed  him  to  scorn  [laitghed  at  him].     But  when  the  people  [crowd]  ®  were 

26  put  forth,  he  went  in,  and  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  the  maid  arose.  And  the  fame 
hereof  [this  fame,  rj  4'W'^  '^^j  went  abroad  into  all  that  land. 

1  Ver.  18.— Tisohendorf:  elffeXQwv,  according  to  Codd.  C,  D.,  E.,  M.,  X.,  etc.  [and  Cod.  Sinait.  Lange,  in  his  G. 
trsl.,  adopts  this  reading;  so  also  Alford.]— Lachmann :  efs,  ir p o ff eXOdy,  according  to  Cod.  B.— Griesbach :  eis 
sKOdiv.  [Engl,  v.:  a  certain  TxilovY—Recepta :  iKdciv.  [The  original  copy  no  doubt  read  in  large  letters:  EI2EA- 
©nN,  which  may  mean  dafABdv  or  els  i\6cov,  probably  the  former;  for  els  is  superfluous  here,  although  it  occurs  fre- 
quently in  Mfitthew  both  after  the  noun,  v.  41;  vi.  27;  sii.  11;  xviii.  5;  xxi.  24,  and  before  it,  xxii.  35;  xxiii.  15;  xxvi. 
40,  69 ;  xxvii.  14  The  els  refers  to  the  house  of  Matthew  where  this  scene,  like  the  former,  took  place,  comp.  ver.  10.— 
P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  18.— Lachmann  retains  the  recitative  ort  after  \fyo;v,  which  makes  the  speech  more  lively. 

3  Ver.  20.— [Dr.  Lange  inserts  here  in  smaller  type  :  die  Quaste,  i.  e.,  the  ta^Sfl  fringe,  with  reference  to  the  fringes 
on  the  borders  of  the  garments  which  the  Jews  were  commanded  to  wear  (Numb.  xv.  38).  Dr.  Couaat  also  translates 
frinr/e.—V.  S.] 

4  Ver.  22.— [Literally:  And  Jems.iurning  {arpacpus,  the  oldest  reading,  sustained  also  by  Cod.  Sinait.,  for  eiriiTTpa- 
<(>els)  and  seeing  her.  said.—] 

»  Ver.  2%— [Be  of  good  cheer,  is  the  usual  rendering  of  the  Greek  Odpffei  in  the  E.  V.,  comp.  Matt.  ix.  2;  siv.  27; 
Mark  vL  50 ;  John  xvi.  33 ;  Acts  xxiii.  11.— P.  S.] 

•  Vers.  23  and  26.— [Lange  translates  6x^os  in  both  cases  ITaufe^  crowd,  which  is  better  than  people.— P.  S.]' 

I  Luke  viii.  41 ;  apxiTwaywySs,  nDJStn  ll'X"i .    Every 

EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL.  [  synagogue  had  its  president,  who  siiperintended  and 

Ver.  18.    Ruler,  apx<^v. — The  president  of  a  j  directed  the  services.     The  ruler  of  a  synagogue  was 

synagogue.     Hi;5  name  was  Jairus,  see  Mark  v.  22 ;    at  the  same  time  president  of  its  college  of  ciders. 


174 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


See  Vitringa:  Arckisynngog.,  Fvanek.,  1686. — Jaims 
was  president  of  a  synaj^ogue  at  Capernaum. 

Tlie  reading  flaeAOdn',  in  vcr.  18,  is  not  only 
best  attested,  but  most  suitable.  The  arrival  of  the 
ruler  of  the  synagogue  interrupted  the  conversation 
of  the  Lord  with  tlie  Pharisees  and  the  disciples  of 
John,  whicli  took  jilace  during  or  after  the  meal  in 
the  house  of  the  publican.  It  thus  happened,  that 
Jesus  could  prove  to  these  objectors  that  He  was 
able  and  willing  to  rise  from  the  feast  and  to  sympa- 
thize with  the  deepest  suffering,  nay,  to  enter  the 
valley  of  death  itself.  This  constituted  both  the 
fasting  of  Jesus  and  His  mission  to  relieve  the  sick. 
The  description  of  the  conduct  of  Jairus  is  exceed- 
ingly vivid.  His  first  appeal  consists  in  faUing  down 
at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  which  he  then  explains  by  a  few 
urgent  words  of  entreaty,  leading  him  at  once  into 
the  midst  of  his  domestic  affliction.  Accordingly,  the 
Lord  first  calmed  the  excitement  of  the  father  by 
proceeding  leisurely.  In  the  circumstances,  it  was 
quite  m  accordance  with  His  purpose  that  the  woman 
afflicted  with  an  issue  of  blood  should  have  stopped 
Hun  by  the  way.  This  delay  would  serve  both  to 
try  and  to  strengthen  the  faith  of  Jairus. 

My  daughter  has  just  now  died,  apn  [in 
this  moment,  opposed  to  TrdAai]  iTe\(VT7]ffeu. — 
Meyer  supposes  that  there  is  a  difFei'ence  between 
this  account  and  those  of  Mark  and  Luke.  But  the 
latter  has  h-al  aurr)  aTrfdv-q  o-Kev,  which  agrees 
with  Matthew.  According  to  these  two  accounts, 
the  effxaTcos  ex6'  of  Mark  must  be  explained. 
Jairus  left  his  daughter  dying,  and  hence  might  ex- 
press himself  either  in  this  way,  She  was  (when  I 
went  away)  at  the  point  of  death,  or  else,  She  has  just 
died.  The  circumstances  of  the  case  account  suffi- 
ciently for  the  difference  in  the  narrative.  (So  Chry- 
sostcm,  Theophylact,  Grotius,  Wolf,  etc.). 

Ver.  20.  An  issue  of  blood. — It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  enter  into  details  as  to  the  peculiar  malady 
with  which  the  poor  woman  was  afflicted.  "The 
long  continuance  of  this  disease  not  only  endangered 
her  general  health,  but  was  a  direct  cause  of  divorce, 
and  rendered  it  necessary  for  her  to  avoid  every  pub- 
lic assembly."  Von  Ammon.  According  to  the 
law,  it  rendered  unclean,  Lev.  xv.  19  sciq. 

Came  behind  Him. — A  sign  of  hopelessness. 
The  rapid  movements  of  the  Lord,  and  the  peculiar 
character  of  her  disease,  v/ould  lead  her  to  c()me  in 
this  way — ashamed,  as  it  were,  and  timorous.  All 
the  greater  appears  the  faith  of  this  woman :  she 
takes  hold  of  the  fringes  upon  the  border  of  Christ's 
garment,  in  the  conviction  that  she  would  thereby  be 
restored.  The  Hebrews  wore  four  fringes  (zisiih)  on 
the  four  bordei'S  of  their  garments,  in  accordance 
with  the  commandment  in  Num.  xv.  38. 

Ver.  22.  Jesus  turned  Himself  about. — The 
other  Evangelists  report  the  event  more  fully.  The 
Lord  asks  who  had  touched  Him.  The  woman  then 
comes  forward,  makes  confession,  and  is  dismissed 
with  a  word  of  comfort.  Matthew  gives  a  more 
brief  account,  satisfied  to  state  the  great  fact,  that 
this  poor  hopeless  v/oman  by  her  faith  obtained  re- 
covery from  the  Lord,  while  He  was  hastening  to 
the  bedside  of  the  daughter  of  Jairus.  In  this  in- 
stance, he7-  faith  is  extolled  as  the  medium  of  her 
recovery,  though  it  almost  seems  to  stand  in  direct 
contrast  to  that  of  the  palsied  man,  whose  earnest- 
ness and  energy  overcame  every  obstacle.  We 
might  compare  the  one  to  a  robber,  and  the  other  to 
a  thief;  but  the  difference  is  only  in  form, — their 
faith  was  the  same,  both  in  its  strength  and  decision. 


Although  the  woman  had  obtained  recovery  by  her 
quiet  and  retiring  faith,  yet  the  Lord  constrained  her 
to  make  public  confession,  partly  to  seal  her  faith 
and  to  strengthen  her  recovery,  and  partly  to  present 
her  to  the  world  as  healed  and  clean.  In  ecclesias- 
tical legend  she  bears  the  name  of  St.  Veronica,  and 
is  said  (Euseb.  vii.  1 8,  and  the  Gospel  of  Nicodernus, 
cd.  Thilo,  p.  561)  to  have  erected  to  her  Deliverer  a 
brass  monument  in  front  of  her  home  at  Paneas,  by 
the  sources  of  Jordan.  But  Dr.  Robinson  {New  Bibl. 
liesearchcs  in  Palestine)  thinks  it  pi-obable  that  the 
statue  was  erected  in  honor  of  some  Roman  emperor. 
— Owing  to  this  delay  by  the  way,  a  message  could 
reach  Jairus,  that  his  daughter  was  now  dead. 

Ver.  23.  The  minstrels. — The  appearance  of 
these  minstrels  indicated  that  the  preparations  for 
the  funeral  ceremonies  had  commenced.  (Comp.  the 
corresponding  articles  in  the  Encyclops.,  Winer  sub 
V.  Trauer,  Lightfoot  ad  loc.,  etc.) 

Ver.  24.  The  maid  is  not  dead. — The  idea  of 
a  trance  (Paulus,  Schleiermachcr,  Olshausen)  is  en- 
tirely opposed  to  the  spirit  of  the  text.  The  words 
of  Jesus  are  evidently  metaphorical,  and  intended, 
on  the  one  hand,  to  present  death  under  a  higher 
than  the  common  aspect  (see  also  the  history  of  Laz- 
arus), and  on  the  other,  to  prepare  for  the  raising 
of  the  maiden.  The  Lord  first  requested  the  hired 
mourners  to  leave  the  room ;  and  then,  when  they 
laughed  Him  to  scorn,  He  expelled  them.  Evidently 
those  around  Jairus  shared  not  his  faith, — a  circum- 
stance which  we  infer  even  from  the  messages 
brought  him  by  tlie  way  (as  recorded  in  Mark  and 
Luke).  All  the  greater  was  the  faith  of  Jairus,  and 
especially  the  miracle  of  the  Loid. 


DOCTRINAL    AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  We  notice  a  gradual  progression  even  in  the 
miracles  of  raising  the  dead.  The  maid  upon  her 
death-bed, — the  youth  on  the  bier, — the  man  (Laza- 
rus) in  the  grave.  The  same  progression  may  also 
be  traced  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection :  First, 
the  Lord ;  then  the  first  resurrection  of  believers ; 
and  in  the  end  the  general  resurrection,  1  Cor.  xv. 
Similarly,  these  instances  of  awakening  from  the 
dead  may  be  regarded  as  an  earnest  of  the  coming 
resurrection.  By  His  eternal  power,  Christ  first  re- 
called from  death  to  this  mortal  life,  and  then  to 
eternal  life. 

2.  We  behold  the  glory  and  majesty  of  the  Lord, 
in  that,  on  the  way  to  the  house  of  Jairus,  He  dis- 
played no  trace  of  excitement,  but  that  in  calm  con- 
sciousness He  is  ready  to  receive  any  impression  from 
without.  Of  this  we  have  clear  evidence,  when,  in 
the  midst  of  the  excited  crowd,  He  perceives  that 
one  in  the  agony  of  faith  has  touched  the  fringe  of 
His  garment ;  and  when  He  stops  to  comfort  and 
confirm  the  trembling  believer,  whom  His  power  and 
grace  had  restored. 

3.  The  maid  was  not  in  a  trance;  she  was'dead. 
But  she  had  died  in  the  anticipation  of  help,  and 
awaiting  the  return  of  her  father.  Such  is  the  in- 
ternal connection  between  the  miraculous  interposi- 
tion of  Christ,  and  her  who  was  its  subject.  A  sim- 
ilar connection  appears  in  all  the  miracles  of  Christ, 
and  especially  in  the  raising  of  Lazarus. 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 
It  is  proof  of  a  holy  feast,  and  of  holy  joy,  when 


CHAP.  IX.  2'7-34. 


175 


we  can  immediately  leave  for  the  house  of  mourning. 
— We  leam  from  Jairus,  how  parental  affection  may 
stimulate  and  strengthen  faith  and  piety. — The  disci- 
ples of  the  Pharisees  and  of  John  fast ;  they  object 
and  judge ;  but  they  cannot  bring  help  to  the  weary, 
nor  comfort  to  the  afiiicted. — The  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue must  go  to  the  house  of  the  publican  to  lind 
the  Lord. — How  felt  need  may  drive  many  persons  to 
the  Lord,  whom  in  ordinary  circumstances  obstacles 
around  would  have  prevented  from  coming. — From 
an  uncongenial  controversy,  the  Lord  forthwith  pro- 
ceeds to  a  conflict  with  death,  the  king  of  terrors. — 
To  live  in  the  Spirit,  is  to  be  always  ready. — How 
the  Lord  can  convert  even  interruptions  into  active 
duty,  and  an  occasion  for  dispensing  blessings. — Je- 
sus, the  Saviour  of  those  also  who  are  beyond  human 
hope. — The  Saviour  of  poor  diseased  woman. — 
These  miracles  prove  that  Christ  was  about  to 
awaken  the  dead. — Jesus  notices  even  that  faith 
which  is  unperceived  by  men,  and  only  finds  utter- 
ance in  sighs. — He  blesses  and  strengthens  retirmg 
faith,  so  that  it  breaks  forth  into  open  profession. — 
"Daughter,  be  of  good  comfort;  thy  faith  hath 
made  thee  whole." — Why  Christ  ascribes  to  faith 
the  deliverance  which  He  alone  works :  1.  Because 
faith  alone  can  receive  the  deliverance  of  Christ ;  2. 
because  Christ  is  present  in  our  faith,  and  works  it ; 
8.  because  He  would  convert  the  act  of  faith  into  a 
life  of  faith. — "  The  maid  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth :" 

1.  She  sleepeth  according  to  her  disease  in  this  life ; 

2.  under  the  eye  of  her  God  and  Saviour ;  3.  till  the 
hour  when  she  shall  be  raised. — Death  and  sleep : 
1 .  Sleep  is  a  kmd  of  death ;  2.  death  is  also  a  kind 
of  sleep. —  Greatness  of  the  moment  when  Jesus  de- 
clared that  death  was  but  sleep. — Opposition  between 
the  old  mourning  for  the  dead  and  the  new  hfe  of 
the  Lord. — Comparison  between  Jev/ish  and  Chris- 
tian mourning:  1.  Wherein  they  agree;  2.  wherein 
they  differ. — What  is  implied  in  the  mysterious  si- 
lence which  the  Lord  enjoins  before  the  performance 
of  the  miracle? — Jesus  delivering  from  the  lowest 
depths, — 1.  All  who  believe  on  Him,  or  wait  for 
Him ;  2.  from  the  depth  of  guilt,  of  misery,  of  death, 
and  of  judgment. — The  fame  of  Christ,  as  awakening 
the  dead,  going  forth  into  all  the  world :  1.  The  prep- 
aration for  Easter;  2.  Easter  itself:  3.  the  echo  of 
Easter  throughout  Christendom ;  4.  the  harbinger  of 
the  day  of  judg-ment,  which  shall  usher  in  the  eter- 
nal Easter. 

Starke : — Zeisius :  Woman,  who  has  brought  sin 
and  misery  into  our  world,  should  be  distinguished, 
both  inwardly  and  outwardly,  by  great  humility,  1 
Tim.  ii.  14 ;  1  Pet.  iii.  3. — The  Lord  oftentimes  de- 
lays long,  but  He  always  comes  at  the  right  moment, 
Ps.  xxii.  2 ;  Hab.  ii.  3. — God  sometimes  deprives  us 
of  all  outward  means,  or  renders  them  insufficient,  in 
order  to  bring  us  to  Himself — AVhen  our  faith  has 
saved  us,  joy  and  peace  in  the  Holy  Ghost  succeed. 
—2  Cor.  v.  4;  1  Tun.  vi.  7;  2  Pet.  L  14:.— Zeisius : 


Leave  the  pomp  and  vanity  of  the  world,  if  you  would 
see  the  miracles  and  the  glory  of  God  and  of  Christ ; 
for,  in  order  to  pei'ceive  them,  you  retiuire  quietness 
of  soul,  Ps.  Ixii.  2  ;  Isa.  xx.\.  15. — Cramer:  Those 
who  scorn  the  Lord  and  His  bencfus,  are  not  deemed 
worthy  to  witness  His  miracles,  Isa.  xxxiii.  1. — The 
fame  of  Christ  spreads  through  tiio  whole  laml,  and 
it  is  vain  to  attempt  suppressing  the  Gospel. 

Gossner : — For  Christ  death  is  not  death,  but 
only  a  peaceful  slumber. 

Lisco : — Full  of  reverence  for  Jesus  and  of  wo- 
manly modesty,  and  feeling  herself  unclean  in  the 
eye  of  the  law,  she  seeks,  in  the  fulness  of  her  faith, 
help  in  secret. — In  prayer  we  also  touch  the  Lord, 
who,  though  invisible,  is  near  to  us. — Jesus,  our  De- 
liverer from  sorrow  and  death. 

Heuhier : — Those  who  are  in  the  higher  ranks  of 
life  (the  ruler  of  the  synagogue)  should  not  be  asham- 
ed to  seek  the  help  of  Christianity. — He  worshipped 
Him.  The  deeper  our  humiliation,  the  higher  the 
aspirations  of  the  soul. — What  consolation  does 
Christianity  offer  to  parents  on  the  loss  of  beloved 
children  ? — Christ  still  takes  us  by  the  hand. — Aoid 
Jesus  arose.  This  teaches  His  disciples  that  they 
should  spare  no  trouble  to  help  men  and  to  save 
souls. — The  woman  a  picture  of  modesty  and  humili- 
ty.— Press  through  any  obstacle  that  may  intervene 
between  Christ  and  thee. — Faith  renders  the  vv-eakest 
means  effective. — Those  who  are  most  timid  and 
shrinking,  are  oftentimes  most  gracious  and  near  to 
Christ. — The  scorn  of  worldly  men  need  not  disturb 
the  faithful  servant  of  (jod.— With  His  hving  hand 
did  He  take  hold  of  the  dead  hand. — How  we  may 
rightly  touch  Jesus. — The  certitude  of  Jesus,  and  of 
the  believing  soul. — Personal  and  domestic  suffering 
leading  us  to  Jesus. 

Bretschneider : — The  laughter  of  unbelief  about 
the  hope  of  immortality. —  Theremin  (in  Zimmer- 
m.ann's  Collection,  ii.,  1827): — How  sorrow  and  suf- 
fering abound  on  earth,  but  how  the  Lord  is  able  to 
deliver  from  all  suffering. — Rambach  {Entwurfe, 
1831): — Weep  not  for  the  dead. — Niemann  {Ser- 
mons, p.  855): — Believing  remembrance  of  those 
who  have  gone  before,  a  rich  blessing,  as  teaching 
us, — 1.  To  love  more  purely;  2.  to  contend  more 
faithfully;  3.  to  pray  more  penitently;  4.  to  die 
more  joyfully. — Eylert: — Death  under  the  picture  of 
sleep. — Reinhard^—-Ovi.  the  calmness  v,ita  which 
Christians  should  act,  even  when  surrounded  by  an 
excited  multitude. — On  the  fact,  that  the  conduct  of 
true  Christians  frequently  appears  ridiculous  to  the 
men  of  the  world. —  Grimeisen: — The  perfectness  of 
the  human  life  of  the  Redeemer. — Kraussold: — The 
dear  cross:  1.  It  comes  from  the  Lord;  2.  it  leads 
to  the  Lord ;  3.  it  is  blessed  by  the  Lord. —  C.  Beck: 
—The  power  of  faith:  1.  Excited  by  affliction;  2, 
strong  in  confidence ;  3.  blessed  in  what  it  receives. 
— Bachmann: — Jesus  Christ  the  true  helper  in  every 
need. 


vn. 


The  cure  of  the  blind  men  and  of  the  dumb  demoniac ;  or,  the  fame  and  the  defamation  of  ih.'c  miracles  of 
Jesus.  The  healing  agency  of  the  Lord,  the  earnest  of  coming  salvation,  in  view  of  the  hardening 
and  the  blasphemy  of  His  enemies. 


176 


TEE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


OUAPTER  IX.  27-34. 


27  And  when  Jesus  departed  thence,  two  blind  men  followed  liim,  crying,  and  saying, 

28  Thoit  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  us.'     And  when  he  was  [had]  come  into  the  house, 
the  blind  men  came  to  him :  and  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Believe  ye  that  I  am  able  to 

29  do  this  ?     They  said  [say,  Xeyoucrtv]  unto  him.  Yea,  Lord.    Then  touched  he  their  eyes, 

30  saying.  According  to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you.     And  their  eyes  were  opened ;  and 

31  Jesus  straitly  charged    [threatened]''  them,  saying,  See   that  no  man  know  it.^     But 
they,  wheii  they  were  departed,  spread  abroad  his  fame  in  all  that  country. 

32  As  they  went  out,^  behold,  they  brought  to  him  a  dumb  man  possessed  with  a 

33  devil.^     And  when  the  devil  was  cast  out,  the  dumb  spake :  and  the  multitudes  mar- 

34  veiled,  saying,  It  [he]  was  never  so  seen  in  Israel.     But  the  Pharisees  said,  He  casteth 
out  devils  through  the  prince  of  the  devils. 

1  Ver.  IT.— [The  original  reverses  the  order:  Haw  mercy  on  us,  Son  of  David.— ] 

^  Ver.  30. — ['ErejSpi^Tja'aTo.  Lacl'jiiaiin,  Tischendorf,  and  Alford  (in  the  4th  ed.)  adopt  the  passive  form  fve^pinfiBTi, 
which  is  quite  unusual,  but  supported  hy  Codd.  K  (Sinait.),  B.,  C.  Angclo  Mai's  ed.  of  the  Vatican  Cod.  (B)  reads  ivejip  f  t  - 
HV^TI,  but  Buttmanu's  ed. :  fVeySp  i;U-^57j.  The  verb  ifMBpifiarrdai  (from  the  radix  /3pM— coinp./«mo  and  the  German 
hriimrneii—s,  heavy  nuirmuring  sound)  signifies  in  general  the  utterance  of  vehement  emotion  either  of  wrath  and  indigna- 
tion, or  (as  in  John  xi.  33)  of  grief;  then  threatening  admonition,  as  here.  Chrysostom  in  lac. :  oux  ajrAcDs  KeAeue/,  dAAa 
Kol  |U€Ta  TToAAfjs  TTJs  acpoSp6TT]ros.  Meyer  in  loc.  explains  the  iimiyiiant  threat  in  this  case  from  the  fear  of  its  use- 
lessnosf,  comp.  ver.  32.  Lange  renders  tho  dviffpif/.TuraTo:  hedrohU;  theVuIg. :  comminatus  est ;  Luther  and  de  Wette : 
hedidncte;  van  Ess:  hefafd  i.hnen  fm/itlich;  Wiclif:  thretened ;  Tyndale,  Cranmer,  Geneva :  charged.;  Rheims: 
thrciitcned  ;  the  C.  Y. :  straitly— i.  e.,  strictly,  rigorously— c7iargr«f7 ;  Ooiiant :  sternly  charged.  The  authorized  version 
renders  the  word  enfipi/xaaOa  (which  occurs  five  times  in  the  N.  T.),  by  three  different  verbs,  viz. :  straitly  charged, 
Matt.  ix.  30;  Mark  i.  43;  murmured,  Mark  xiv.  5;  groaned,  John  si.  33,  38.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  80.— [Dr.  Conant  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union  render  6puT€  unSeU  yivaiffKeTo :  Take  heed,  let  no 
one  know  it.  So  opare  should  be  translated  before  the  Imperative,  as  is  done  by  the  Author.  E.  V.  in  Matt.  xvi.  6.— 
P.  S.] 

4  Ver.  32.— [More  correctly:  And  as  they  were  going  out,  Ahruiv  Sc  i^^pxafJ-evciv.—V.  S.] 

^  Ver.  32. — [Lange:  einen  ddmonischen  Stummen,  or  a  dumb  demoniac,  i.  e.,  a  man  who  had  become  dumb  in  con- 
sequence of  the  possession.     The  Author.  V.  makes  the  false  impression  that  he  was  dumb  before. — P.  8.] 

persons  here  spoken  of  were  not  blind  \)j  nature,  but 
by  disease.  In  Jolm  ix.  the  contrary  was  the  case, 
and  is  so  expressly  stated. 

Son  of  David. — The  designation  of  the  Messiah. 
See  xii.  23 ;  xv.  22 ;  xx.  31 ;  xxi.  9,  15  ;  xxii.  44- 
45. 

Ver.  28.  Into  the  house  ; — i.  e.,  His  dwelling  at 
Capernaum.  The  circumstance,  that  the  blind  men 
followed  Him  thither,  seems  itself  miraculous. t  They 
found  their  way  in  the  train  of  Christ,  as  if  some 
gUmmer  of  light  had  already  been  granted.  Similar- 
ly, the  persistence  with  wliich  they  openly  ascribed 
to  the  Lord  a  Messianic  title  which  He  had  not  yet 
publicly  assumed,  was  a  signal  manifestation  of  their 
faith.  They  were  not  healed  by  the  way,  partly  be- 
cause Jesus  would  try  their  faith,  and  partly  be- 
cause as  yet  He  would  not  in  public  reply  to  the  ad- 
dress of  Messiah. 

Ver.  29.  [According  to  your  faith  be  it  done 
to  you. — An  important  word,  which  shows  the  re- 
lation of  man's  faith  to  God's  grace.  Faith  is 
the  hand  which  takes  what  God  ofibrs,  the  spiritual 
organ  of  appropriation,  the  opyavov  Atjttti/co;',  the  con- 
ducting Unk  between  emptiness  and  God's  fulness. 
"  It  is  "the  bucket  let  down  into  the  fountain  of  God's 
grace,  without  which  the  man  could  not  draw  up  out 
of  that  fountain;  the  purse,  which  does  not  itself 
make  its  owner  rich,  but  which  yet  effectually  en- 
riches him  by  the  treasure  which  it  contains." — P. 
S.] 

Ver.  30.  Their  eyes  TO-ere  opened, — i.  e.,  they 
received  their  sight.  A  common  Hebrew  expression, 
as  in  2  Kings  vi.  17  ;  Isa.  xxxv.  5,  etc. 

Straitly  [sternly]  charged  [threatened] 
them. — Properly,  lie  threatened  them,  full  of  indig- 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

General  Remarks. — These  two  miracles  are  re- 
corded by  Matthew  alone.  They  are  here  related, 
partly  because  they  formed  the  close  of  a  glorious 
day,  and  partly  because  in  them  the  power  of  Christ 
appears  in  a  new  light.  The  distinguishing  feature 
in  the  case  of  the  two  blind  persons  consisted  in  their 
invoking  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  David,  or  the  Messiah ; 
so  that  their  supplication  almost  amounted  to  a  dis- 
tinct Christian  profession.  The  opposite  characteris- 
tic marked  the  case  of  the  dumb  demoniac,  who  was 
not  dumb  from  any  organic  defect,  but  rendered  such 
by  the  evil  spirit  of  whom  he  was  possessed.  He  was 
a  demoniac  without  appearing  to  be  such,  since  his 
condition  remained  concealed  under  a  dumbness 
which  originated  either  in  unconquerable  melancholy, 
or  in  malicious  stubbornness.  The  dumb  person  was 
prevented  by  the  demon  from  speaking,  and  the  om- 
niscience of  the  Saviour  appeared  in  His  immediately 
recognizing  the  source  of  the  evil.  The  miracle  was 
in  so  far  extraordinary,  as  its  only  basis  was  the 
faith  of  those  who  brought  the  demoniac  to  the  Lord ; 
while,  at  the  same  time,  the  malice  and  blasphemy 
of  the  Pharisees  served  to  confirm  the  power  of  the 
evil  one  over  his  victim.  Thus  the  first  of  these  mir- 
acles was,  so  to  speak,  enacted  on  the  threshold  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  the  second,  at  the  gate  of 
hell. 

Ver.  27.  Two  blind  men. — Blindness  is  a  very 
common  affliction  in  the  East,  especially  in  Egypt, 
Arabia,  and  Palestine.  It  was  caused  by  the  strong 
reflection  of  light,  by  lightning,  dust,  hot  days,  cold 
nights,  frequent  sleeping  in  the  open  air,  etc.     The 


CHAP.  IX.  27-34. 


177 


nation,  ive^pini)(Taro.  They  had  already  pub- 
licly invoked  Him  as  the  Son  of  David,  and  He  had 
holpen  them.  Accordingly,  they  would  be  still  more 
prone  to  proclaim  Him  as  Messiah,  which  might  have 
led  the  people  of  GaUlee  into  rebellion  against  their 
temporal  ruleis,  and  to  a  carnal  movement,  which 
was  quite  contrary  to  the  purposes  of  Jesus.  Hence 
the  Lord  now  threatened  them  with  all  earnestness, 
although  without  succeeding  in  imposing  silence  upon 
them.  In  all  probability  the  fame  of  this  miracle 
spread  far  beyond  Capernaum.  Hence  the  title.  Son 
of  David,  became  now  generally  known,  and  Jesus 
felt  all  the  more  inclined  soon  to  leave  the  dis- 
trict.* 

Yer.  33.  It  [He]  was  never  so  seen,  o  v  5  e  - 
itoTe  i  tp  avri  o  v  t  w  s . — Meyer :  It,  i.  e.,  the  ex- 
pulsion of  demons.  Rettig,  Fritzsche  :  He  has  never 
so  appeared  or  shown  Himself.  (The  common  ex- 
planation is,  that  o'vTois  stands  for  rovro  or  roiovrd 
Ti,  against  which,  see  Meyer.)  If  it  were  necessary  to 
limit  the  word  it  to  that  one  peculiar  kind  of  expel- 
ling demons,  we  should  feel  constrained  to  adopt  the 
explanation  proposed  by  Rettig  and  Fritzsche.  Buf 
this  does  not  seem  requisite  in  view  of  the  emphatic 
meaning  attaching  to  the  word  4(pdvn.  The  Jews 
would  necessarily  connect  the  idea  of  appearing  with 
the  appearance  of  the  Messiah.  Hence  the  expres- 
sion would  imply  :  never  before  has  the  appearance 
(of  the  promised"  deliverance)  been  so  fully  realized. 
This  also  throws  light  on  the  expression,  in  Israel, 
which  evidently  implies  that  this  had  been  the  bright- 
est Messianic  appearance  as  yet  vouchsafed  to  the 
theocracy.  Perhaps  the  statement  was  intentionally 
couched  in  indefinite  language  from  fear  of  the  pow- 
erful party  of  Christ's  enemies. 

Yer.  34.  Through  the  prince  of  the  devils, 
i  V  T(S  apxovT  I,  K.T.A. — Afterward  he  is  desig- 
nated more  particularly  in  ch.  xii.  24.  The  particle 
€  v  indicates  intimate  connection  and  fellowship.  He 
is  in  league  with  Satan  and  his  power,  to  which  the 
lower  demons  are  subject.  As  mention  is  not  made 
of  any  reply  by  the  Lord,  we  conclude  that  ou  this 
occasion  the  Pharisees  had  uttered  the  sentunent 
behind  the  Lord,  but  in  the  presence  of  those  who 
acknowledged  His  power. 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  This  is  the  first  mstance  in  which  the  Lord 
performed  a  miracle  when  invoked  in  His  character 

♦  Vers.  30  and  31.— [Alford  remarks  on  iveBpi/J-va-aTo, 
or  €V€/3piuTJ0rj  as  he  reads  with  Lachmann:  "The  purpose 
of  our  Lord's  earnestness  appears  to  have  been  twofold:  (1) 
that  He  might  not  be  so  occupied  and  overpressed  with  ap- 
plications as  to  have  neither  time  nor  strength  for  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel;  (2)  to  prevent  the  already  excited 
people  from  taking  .some  public  measure  of  recognition,  and 
arousing  the  malice  of  the  Pharisees  before  His  hour  was 
come.— No  doubt  the  two  men  were  guilty  of  an  act  of  dis- 
obedience in  thus  breaking  the  Lord's  solemn  injunction: 
for  obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice ;  the  humble  observ- 
ance of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  than  the  most  laborious  and 
wide-spread  will-worship  after  man's  own  mind  and  inven- 
tion." Trench  (Notes  on  Miracles  of  our  Lord,  Lond.,  6th 
ed.,  p.  19S)  considers  it  characteristic  that  all  the  Komish  in- 
terpreters e-xcuse  or  rather  applaud  these  men  for  not  strict- 
ly adhering  to  Christ's  command ;  while  the  Reformed, 
whose  first  principle  is  to  take  God's  "Word  as  absolute  rule 
and  law  and  to  place  obedience  above  sacrifice,  consider  this 

Eublishing  of  the  miracle  against  the  express  admonition  a 
lemish  in  the  faith  of  these  men.  I  add  the  brief  but  ex- 
cellent note  of  Wordsworth  on  ver.  31 :  "  Glory  is  not  to  be 
obtained  by  seeking  for  it,  but  by  declining  it."  Sequentem 
fugit,fugi6niem  sequiiur  gloria. — P.  S.l 

12 


as  the  Messiah.  The  expressions  employed  in  tho 
text  are  very  remarkable.  Jesus  first  asks,  "  Believe 
ye  that  I  am  able  to  do  this  ?  " — not,  that  I  am  the 
Messiah  ;  and  then  adds.  According  to  your  faith  be 
it  unto  you  !  But  ou  this  very  account  He  insisted 
the  more  earnestly  that  the  secret  should  be  kept. 
He  could  not,  indeed,  prevent  that  the  cure  of  the 
bhnd  men  should  openly  appear,  nor  that  they  should 
ascribe  it  to  His  power.  But  He  sought  to  prevent 
their  publishing  in  what  name  and  character  He  had 
performed  it.  The  patent  secret  of  His  dignity  was 
now  bursting  forth  with  increasing  clearness.  Hence 
also  the  reviling  and  the  blasphemy  of  His  enemies. 

2.  The  heaUng  of  the  dumb  demoniac  aflbrds  a 
glimpse  into  a  class  of  sufferings  which  are  apparent- 
ly physical  and  organic,  but  whose  seat  is  really  in 
the  soul.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  alone  was  able  to  light 
up  this  darkness,  and  thus  to  remove  their  afflic- 
tion. 

3.  The  blasphemy  of  the  Pharisees  gradually  de- 
velops: 1.  They  blaspheme  in  their  own  minds;  2. 
then  behind  the  Lord  ;  3.  at  last  they  venture  open- 
ly to  confront  Hun  with  their  daring  charge. 

HOMILETICAL  AND   PEACTICAL. 

How  the  two  blind  persons  represent  to  us  the 
work  of  evangelists.  I.  They  resemble  evangehsts, 
— a.  in  that  they  openly  invoke  the  Lord  as  Messiah  ; 
b.  in  that,  in  their  blindness,  they  follow  in  His  train 
to  the  house ;  c.  in  that  they  have  faith  and  con- 
stancy, are  tried  and  approved ;  d.  in  that  they  ob- 
tain help  on  making  confession  of  faith.  II.  They 
differ  from  evangelists  in  wantmg  full  obedience ;  and 
although  their  joy  may  plead  their  excuse,  yet  their 
spiritual  sight  was  evidently  still  weak,  though  their 
bodily  sight  had  been  restored  them. — Christ  appear- 
ing as  the  Master  in  the  carefulness  of  His  deaUngs 
with  sinners. — The  light  of  the  eye :  I.  a  natural 
gift  of  God ;  II.  a  miraculous  gift  of  the  Lord  ;  HI.  a 
symbol  of  the  spiritual  gift  of  God. —  The)/  brought  t<y 
Him.  Persons  in  such  a  state  of  depression  must  be 
brought  to  the  Lord  by  their  believing  friends. — How 
the  Master  immediately  descries  the  secret  evil  under 
which  the  demoniac  labored. — If  there  be  but  a  spark 
of  faith,  the  Lord  can  remove  the  most  desperate 
case  of  spiritual  bondage. — Let  us  never  lose  sight 
even  of  those  who  suffer  under  melancholy  and  obsti- 
nate self-seclusion. — The  highest  achievements  of 
faith  always  evoke  the  greatest  revihngs  of  uubeUef. 
— It  is  a  mark  of  the  spirit  of  Satan  to  decry  what 
the  Lord  achieves  as  the  work  of  Satan. — There  is 
always  some  patent  self-contradiction  about  blasphe- 
mies.— The  triumphs  of  the  Lord  in  view  of  His  ene- 
mies :  the  first  manifestation  of  heaven  and  hell  upon 
earth. — Christ  hfting  the  veil  of  revelation  in  a  two- 
fold manner :  by  healing  the  blind  in  His  character 
as  Messiah ;  and  the  dumb,  by  unmasking  and  over- 
coming the  demon  who  caused  his  disease. — At  the 
threshold  of  Christ's  abode,  precipitate  evangelists 
and  dumb  demoniacs  may  meet. — Christ  between 
precipitate  professors  and  the  obstmately  dumb.  L 
He  bids  the  former  be  silent,  and  the  latter  speak ;  2. 
He  is  obeyed  by  the  latter,  rather  than  by  the  for- 
mer.— Christ  heahng  us  by  removing  our  morbid  sen- 
sations ;  more  especially,  a.  excitement,  in  its  imagin- 
ary heights  ;  b.  depression,  in  its  dark  depths. — The 
miracles  of  grace  extend  from  the  gates  of  heaven  to 
those  of  hell. — Demoniac  sins  which  we  consciously 
commit,  such  as  blasphemy,  are  infinitely  more  dan- 
gerous than  demoniac  sufl'erings,  when  we  are  dci  iiv- 


178 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


ed  of  liberty. — Christ  first  removes  tlie  storm  at  sea, 
and,  last  of  all,  the  dark  intricacies  of  settled  melan- 
choly. 

Starke : — Faith  of  the  heart  and  confession  of 
the  mouth  always  go  hand  in  hand,  Rom.  x.  9,  10. — 
True  faith  is  not  deterred  by  delays. — According  to 
thy  faith  shall  it  be  unto  thee. — Envy  and  reviling 
are  not  far  removed  from  each  other,  2  Cor.  xii. 
20. 

Oerlach: — Christ  Himself  teaches  us  (John  ix. 
39)  to  regard  the  healing  of  the  blind  as  an  emblem 


of  inward  illumination,  or  of  the  conversion  of  the 
heart. 

Ileubner : — One  deliverance  after  another. — One 
work  of  love  leads  to  another. — Believe  ye  ? — a  ques- 
tion always  addressed  by  the  Lord  to  us  when  we 
seek  help. — The  deaf  and  dumb,  the  picture  of  a  sin- 
ner whom  the  evil  spirit  within  suffers  not  to  confess 
his  n)isery,  or  to  pray. — Should  we  be  moved  by  the 
judgment  of  schools,  or  parties,  in  opposition  to  true 
religion,  when  Jesus  Himself  experienced  such  con- 
tradiction from  the  learned  ? 


vin. 

Triumph  of  Christ  over  the  reviling  of  the  Pharisees.  Royal  preparation  for  the  mission  of  the  Apostles. 
The  power  of  Christ  unfolding  m  all  its  fulness,  as  also  the  misery  of  the  people.  The  one  Helper 
about  to  manifest  Himself  by  many  helpers. 

Chapter  IX.  35-38. 

35  And  Jesus  went  about  all  the  cities  and  villages,  teaching  in  their  synagogues,  and 
preaching  the  gospel  [good  news]  of  the  kingdom,  and  healing  every  sickness  and  eve* 

36  ry  disease  [weakness,  infirmity,  fxaXaKLav]  among  the  people.'  But  when  he  saw  the 
multitudes,  he  was  moved  with  compassion  on  them,  because  they  fainted  [were  ha- 

37  rassed^],  and  were  scattered  abroad  [abandoned],  as  sheep  having  no  shepherd.  Then 
saith  he  unto  [to]  his  disciples.  The  harvest  truly  [indeed]  is  plenteous  [great,  ttoXvs],^ 

38  but  the  labourers-  are  few ;  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  he  will  send 
forth  labourers  into  his  harvest. 


'  Ver.  35.— [The  words  of  the  tert.  reo. :  among  the  people,  iv  r^  \a(S,  are  retained  by  Lange,  but  omitted  in  all 
modern  critical  editions,  German  and  English  (including  Wordsworth),  and  were  probably  inserted  from  ch.  iv.  23.— P.  8.] 

^  Ver.  SO. — [Dr.  Lange  translates :  serschlagen,  as  he  adopts  the  reading  e  cr  kv  K/iie  vo  i,  jaded,  harassed  (from 
(TKvWa),  to  strip,  to  lacer*ate,  then  metaph.  to  trouble,  to  vex;  hence  the  Vulgata :  vexati),  which  is  supported  by  the 
best  MSS.,  X  .,  B.,  C,  D.,  etc.,  the  ancient  versions,  and  the  critical  editors,  Griesb.,  Lachm.,  Tischend.,  Meyer,  Alford,  Words- 
worth. The  reading  of  the  Ecceived  Text :  iicKiXv  ix4vol  (from  4kKvc»,  to  loosen,  debilitate,  iKAvofiat,  to  faint, 
to  be  exhausted)  has  no  weighty  critical  authority  in  its  favor. — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  37.— [Lange  after  Luther:  Die  Ernte  ist  gross,  i.  e.,  great,  which  is  more  correct  than  plenteous,  since  ttoAuv 
refers  to  the  extent  of  the  harvest  field  and  the  labor  to  be  performed  which  far  exceeds  the  capacity  of  the  small  number 
of  laborers.     Comp.  Conant  ad  loc. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  36.  They  were  4a  k  v\ /j-ev  o  i . — Expla- 
nations :  1.  The  common  reading,  e  k  A.  e  A  y  ,u  e »/  o  t , 
faint,  tired.  So  some.  a.  With  reference  to  the 
people,  who  had  travelled  a  considerable  distance  and 
were  faint  (Fritzsche).  b.  In  a  figurative  sense,  a 
flock  without  a  shepherd,  and  hence  tired  by  going 
astray  (Kuinoel). — 2.  According  to  the  meraiing  of 
a  KvX\€  IV,  to  tear,  to  plagiix.  a.  Bretschneider  : 
torn  by  wolves,  h.  De  Wette  :  plagued  by  hunger, 
by  cold,  by  ravening  beasts,  etc.  c  Meyer  and  the 
Vulgate :  vexati.  But  the  first  jioint  to  be  ascer- 
tained is,  whether  the  term  refers  to  the  difficulties  of 
a  flock  without  a  shepherd,  or  to  positive  sufferings 
which  it  had  to  undergo.  As  the  latter  is  evidently 
conveyed  by  the  verb,  we  explain  it  as  meaning  af- 
Jlided,  beaten  down,  and  scattered  by  thorns,  by  anx- 
iety, by  ravenous  beasts,  and  plagues  of  every  sort. 
— "Epp  t  fj.  fjie  V  o  I  {piTTTeiv,  to  cast  down,  to  stretch 
doxtm),  not  scattered  (Beza,  Luther,  Authorized  Ver- 
sion), but  cast  doicn,  beaten  dotvn  by  flight  or  by 
weariness  (Kypke,  de  Wette) ;  or  stretched  dcnun  as 
sheep  that  are  worn  out  (Meyer). 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

The  general  narrative  given  in  the  text  serves  as 
introduction  to  the  following  section,  which  describes 
the  mission  of  the  Apostles.  At  the  same  time,  it 
also  forms  the  conclusion  of  the  preceding  narrative. 
As  the  Lord  unfolds  His  power,  the  misery  and  need 
of  the  people  increasingly  appear ;  He  stretches  forth 
His  arms  and  raises  up  the  Twelve  Apostles,  to  carry 
on  the  work,  and  to  spread  its  blessings.  Thus  His 
prophetic  merges  in  His  royal  work. 

Ver.  35.  And  Jesus  went  about. — From  the 
parallel  passages  we  gather  that  Jesus  now  travelled 
along  the  lake,  through  the  cities  and  villages  of  Gali- 
lee. It  is  but  natural  that  the  popular  misery  should 
then  unfold  to  His  view  in  all  its  fulness.  Accordingly, 
we  distinguish  three  missionary  journeys  of  Jesus  in 
Galilee.  1.  To  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes ;  2.  across 
the  sea ;  3.  through  the  valley,  aK.'.ig  the  shorn,  in  the 
direction  of  Jerusalem.  It  is  to  the  latter  that  the 
text  refers. 


CHAP.  IX.  36-38. 


179 


Ver.  37.  The  harvest  is  great  (occurs  in  Luke 
X.  2,  at  the  sending  forth  of  the  seventy) ; — i.  e.,  the 
number  of  people  who  are  accessible  to  the  Gospel, 
and  ready  to  receive  it,  is  great. — The  laborers  are 
few. — As  yet,  Jesus  was  the  only  laborer.  Their 
prayers  were  intended  to  prepare  them  lor  their 
mission. 

Ver.  38.  The  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  He 
will  send  forth  laborers. — Ills  v.ork  is  the  work 
of  God:  6  K /3  a  At;,  the  urgent  necessity  existing, 
should  determine  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  to  drive 
forth,  or  to  thrust  forth,  laborers.*  De  Wette  calls 
attention  to  the  circumstance,  that  it  is  God  who  is 
asked  to  send  laborers.  He  is  so  far  right,  as  the 
call  of  Christ  ultimately  proceeds  from  God,  just  as 
the  kingdom  of  the  Saviour  is  that  of  God. 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL 

1.  The  deep  need  of  the  world  determined  the 
Lord  to  manifest  Ilis  royal  dignity.  Neither  the 
priesthood  nor  the  kingdoms  of  the  ancient  world  were 
capable  of  bringing  any  real  help  to  men.  Even  cho- 
sen Israel,  with  its  high  priests,  sanhedrim,  rulers, 
and  rabbins,  were  but  a  scattered,  broken-down,  hope- 
less, and  helpless  flock.  Under  these  circumstances 
it  was  that  Christ  manifested  Himself  as  the  Shep- 
herd of  His  people,  which  implied  that  He  was  the 
Shepherd  of  all  nations,  f  The  deep  moral  misery  of 
the  people  appeared  most  clearly  in  the  rich  and  fur- 
tile  district  of  Galilee,  with  its  numerous  and  pros- 
perous cities. 

2.  In  the  same  moment,  when  Christ  was  about 
to  manifest  Himself  as  King,  and  in  His  compassion 
to  condescend  to  the  boundless  misery  of  His  people. 
He  prepared  to  found  the  apostolic  office,  which  He 
graciously  endowed  with  His  gifts  and  His  Spirit,  for 
the  salvation  of  the  world. 

3.  In  the  life  and  actings  of  Jesus,  we  always  find 
these  two  elements  combined  :  provision  for  what  is 
future  and  distant,  with  provision  for  what  is  present 
and  immediate — a  due  regard  for  what  was  general, 
and  care  for  that  which  was  special  and  urgent. 

IIOMILETICAL  AND   PEACTICAL. 

Jes2is  went  about  doing  good  to  all  (Acts  x.  38) : 
1.  The  extent  of  His  labors  {about  all  the  cities  and 
villager) ;  2.  the  order  of  His  labors  {teaehing  in  their 
synagogues) ;  3.  the  characteristic  feature  of  His 
labors  {preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom) ;  4.  the 
seal  of  His  labors  {healing  every  sickness,  etc.). — While 
the  Lord  passed  through  rich  cities  and  villages.  His 
attention  was  mainly  directed  to  the  need  and  the  suf- 
ferings of  the  people. — How  wants  seem  to  grow  in 
proportion  as  the  Lord  gives  help:  1.  This  help 
brings  them  to  light ;  2.  it  inspires  with  courage  to 

*  [The  verb  iK^a.\\nv,  to  expel,  to  cast  out,  like  the 
Hebrew  npilj  and  !lj"15  ,  signifies  sometimes  to  sewd forth; 
comp.  Matt.  xiii.  52  (E.  V.:  hringetJi  forth  out  of  his  trea- 
sure); Marlv  i.  12  (drivcth  him  into  the  wilclernes.s);  ver.  4.3 
(sent  him  away) ;  Luke  x.  2, 35 ;  John  x.  4  (he  putteihforth 
his  own  sheep),  comp.  Matt.  x.  34,  jSaAe?;/  tlp-i]D-r\v,  'I  am 
come  to  send  peace  on  earth.'  But  perhaps  there  is  some 
reference  here  to  the  urgent  necessity  of  laborers,  as  Dr. 
Lango  explains  above,  or  to  the  Divine  impulse,  .as  Dr. 
Wonlaworth  suggests,  whieh  constrains  men  unwilling  and 
unable  of  themselves  to  labor  in  so  great  a  work,  and  makes 
them  feel  and  sav:  'Woe  to  me  if  I  do  not  preach  the  Gos- 
pel'(1  Cor.  ix.  1G).-P.  S.] 

t  |Dr.  WnEDoN  on  ver.  33  :  "No  doubt  our  Lord  prima- 
rily has  in  view  the  Jewish  multitudes  before  Ilim.  Yet 
JD  more  distant  prospect  is  to  be  included  the  wide  field  of 
the  world  and  iti  vast  harvest  in  the  coming  age.'" — ] 


make  them  known. — But  token  He  saw  the  multitudes, 
He  7vas  moved  with  compa,ision  on  them. — Christ  look- 
ing on  the  scattered  flock  of  man  :  1.  A  look  of  pen- 
etration ;  2.  a  look  of  sorrow ;  3.  a  look  of  saving 
mercy. — The  impression  which  the  people  made  on 
the  Lord  :  1.  Not  admiration,  but  i)ity;  2.  not  aver- 
sion, but  pity ;  3.  not  discouragement,  but  pity.— The 
Church  under  the  hierarchical  shepherds  of  older 
and  more  modern  times  :  1 .  Without  a  shepherd,  and 
therefore  without  protection,  .and  bi'oken  down  ;  2. 
without  a  shepherd,  and  therefore  not  led  to  the 
green  pastures,  and  cast  down. — Christ  born  to  be 
the  Shepherd  of  men,  and  in  His  compassion  the 
Shepherd  of  His  people. — Christ  born  to  be  the  King 
of  men,  by  His  compassion  the  King  of  His  people. — 
What  induced  Christ  to  manifest  Himself  as  King  in- 
stead of  Prophet. — The  compassion  of  Christ  enlist- 
ing heaven  and  earth  for  our  succor:  1.  The  grace 
of  the  Father ;  2.  the  prayer  of  His  people ;  3.  the 
service  of  His  messengers. —  77ie  hai-vest  is  great,  but 
the  laborers  are  few. — How  those  who  judge  accord- 
ing to  the  letter  reverse  this  saying  ;  but  those  who 
judge  according  to  the  spirit  feel  its  deep  import. — 
The  great  need  of  man,  the  great  harvest  of  God. — 
The  prayer  to  God  for  laborers  forming  the  com- 
mencement of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  :  1 .  The  com- 
mencement of  the  apostolate  ;  2.  the  commencement 
of  the  Church  ;  3.  the  commencement  of  missionary 
labors  ;  4.  the  commencement  of  the  final  completion 
of  the  Church  of  God. —  The  right  laborers  :  1.  They 
are  sent  by  God  ;  2.  in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  His 
people ;  3.  furnished  by  Christ  for  the  work  ;  4.  con- 
secrated for  the  spiritual  and  temporal  wants  of  the 
people ;  5.  histruments  of  mercy  in  the  hands  of 
Christ. — Our  Father  in  heaven,  the  Lord  of  the  har- 
vest :  1.  The  seed  is  His;  2.  the  field  is  His;  3.  the 
harvest  is  His. — How  Christ  is  employed  about  the 
harvest  of  God.  He  takes  charge,  1.  of  the  seed,  as 
being  the  Word  from  the  beginning  ;  2.  of  the  field, 
as  being  the  great  Laborer  and  Servant  of  the  Lord ; 
3.  of  the  harvest,  as  being  the  Son  and  the  Judge  of 
the  world. — How  Christ  summons  His  ov/n  to  cooper- 
ate with  Him,  in  order  to  spread  through  them  His 
blessings  over  the  earth.* — The  great  King,  in  whom 
the  grace  of  God  itself  has  appeared  to  His  people. 

Jiieger : — The  Lord  always  looked  upon  the  com- 
mon people  with  pity,  treated  them  with  indulgence, 
and  traced  the  cause  of  their  misery  to  their  leaders, 
who  exclude  others  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Starke  : — Good  shepherds  are  one  of  the  most 
precious  gifts  of  God,  even  as  bad  pastors  are  the 
greatest  misfortune  and  plague  of  the  world. —  Ques- 
nel : — The  whole  earth  is  the  field  where  the  harvest 
of  the  Lord  is  to  be  gathered. — Many  labor  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord ;  but  few  will  He  own  as  His  ser- 
vants.—  Osiander  : — Ministers  are  fellow-workers  with 
God,  1  Cor.  iii.  9  ;  2  Cor.  vi.  L — Successful  laborers 
are  obtained  in  answer  to  prayer. —  Cramer: — This 
prayer  enters  into  the  three  first  petitions  m  the 
Lord's  Prayer. — The  prayer  of  the  pious  members  of 
the  congregation  is  mightier  than  the  protection  of 
the  Gtate. 

Heubner : — What  an  accusation  against  the  scribes 
and  priests  ! — Oh,  if  people  would  only  pray  as  they 
ought  for  pastors ! — That  He  send  them  (e/</8aAj))  by 
the  mighty  impulse  of  His  Spirit. 

*  [Dr.  Wiikdon:  "■  Pnnj  ye  therefore. — Divine  operation 
waits  upon  human  cooperation.  God  will  do,  in  answer  to 
prayer,  what  will  not  be  done  without  prayer.  Low  faith 
in  the  Church  produces  slow  development  of  the  work  of 
salvat'on."— P.  S.] 


180 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


SECOND     SECTION. 

CHRIST  MANIFESTING  HIMSELF  AS  KING.— A.  AS  SHEPHERD  OF  HIS  PEOPLE,  IN  SEND- 
ING TO  THE  SCATTERED  SHEEP  HIS  TWELVE  APOSTLES,  ENDOWED  WITH  THE 
POWER  OF  HIS  SPIRIT,  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF  ESTABLISHING  THE  KINGDOM  OF 
HEAVEN. 

CirAPTEK  X.  (Mark  iii.  13-19;  vi.  7-11 ;  Luke  ix.  1-5,  etc.). 

Contents: — Tho  first  evangelistic  jonrney  of  the  Lord  had  led  through  the  mountains  of  Galileo;  the  second,  across  the 
sea  to  the  country  of  the  Gadurenes.  On  His  third  journey,  the  Lord  visits  the  jjopulous  cities  and  villages  of  Lower 
Galilee,  along  the  coast  of  the  lake  and  in  the  direction  of  Samaria  and  Jerusalem.  In  measure  as  help  is  extended 
by  the  Lord,  both  the  need  and  the  desire  for  help  seem  to  increase.  Accordingly,  the  Lord  is  obliged  to  send  forth, 
in  the  power  of  His  Spirit,  His  Apostles,  in  order,  through  them,  to  give  succor  to  the  multitudes  around.  Hence,  the 
first  mission  of  tho  disciples,  the  calling  of  the  Apo.stles,  and  the  instructions,  vphich,  although  primarily  given  to  them 
and  for  that  special  occasion,  are  applicable  to  all  times.  The  chapter  describes,  1.  The  separation,  calling,  and  setting 
apart  of  the  twelve.  2.  The  commission  given  them,  corresponding  to  their  equipment  for  the  work;  or,  the  mission 
of  the  Apostles,  and  thoir  means  of  subsistence.  3.  Their  special  direction  to  those  who  were  prepared  to  receive  the 
word,  particularly  to  i)ious  households,  with  injunctions  about  remaining  and  going  away  4.  Prediction  of  the  hostile 
reception  which  the  Go.spel  would  meet  in  the  world,  and  of  the  persecutions  which  would  await  the  Apostles.  5. 
Their  duty  under  persecution :  a.  Freedom  from  anxiety  as  to  what  they  should  answer;  6.  constancy  to  the  end, 
amid  the  dreadful  contests  between  believers  and  unbelievers;  c.  holy  flight;  rf.  encouragement  from  the  similar 
treatment  received  by  the  Master;  e.  fearlessness,  openness,  and  readiness  to  meet  death,  in  view  of  the  one  thing  to 
be  feared ;  /.  trustfulness  in  the  preserving  care  of  the  Father.  6.  The  reward  of  faithful  witnesses  and  confessors  of 
.  the  Lord,  and  the  punishment  of  those  who  denied  Him.  7.  The  Gospel  as  declaration  of  war  to  the  world,  or,  the 
holy  sword.  8.  Supreme  love  to  the  Lord  as  decisive  in  this  warfare:  a.  The  opponents,  and  their  judgment;  b.  the 
friends  and  allies,  and  their  reward. 


1.   Choice  of  the  Apostles.     Ch.  X.  1-4. 

1  And  when  he  had  called  unto  Mm  his  twelve  disciples,  he  gave  them  power  against 
[over] '  unclean  spirits,  to  cast  them  out,  and  to  heal  all  manner  of  sickness,  and  all 

2  manner  of  disease  [weakness,  infirmity].     Now  the  names  of  the  twelve  Apostles  are 
these;  The  first,^  Simon,  who  is  called  Peter,  and  Andrew  his  brother;  James  the  son 

3  of  Zebedee,  and  John  his  brother ;  Philip,  and  Bartholomew ;  Thomas,  and  Matthew 
the  publican ;  James  the  son  of  Alpheus,  and  Lebbeus,  whose  surname  was  Thaddeus ; ' 

4  Simon  the  Cananite,^  and  Judas  Iscariot,  who  also  betrayed  [delivered]  him. 

1  ver.  l.—lOver  (as  in  Conanfs  Matthew  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union)  is  expressed  by  the  construction  of 
e^oucrlav  with  the  genitive,  and  need  not  be  italicized  as  against  in  the  E.  V. — P.  S.] 

'^  Ver.  2.— [rip  WT  OS  is,  rendered  by  Conant  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union  :  Jirst,  viz.  in  the  order  of  enume- 
ration (nomen  numerale),  while  the  translation  the  find  (nomen  digyiitatin)  implies  a  certain  superiority  of  rank  or  pri- 
macy of  honor  (but  no  supremacy  of  jurisdiction),  in  other  words,  makes  V eier  XJrirnns  inter  •pares  (not  summ-us  supra 
iiifernores).  The  C.  V.  is  right  here,  since  the  other  Apostles  are  not  numbered,  as  we  should  expect,  if  npioTos  referred 
merely  to  the  arrangement,  or  the  priority  of  calling  (which  rather  belongs  to  Andrew  and  John,  and  not  to  Peter,  comp. 
John  i.  37-41).  Maldonatus:  "<Si  numerale  nomen  esset,  catera  quoque  numeralia  nomina,  quae  post  illud  sequuntur 
poxita  ement."  Most  modern  Protestant  commentators  admit  a  certain  primacy  of  Peter,  who  stands  first  in  all  tho  lists 
of  the  apostles,  a.s  James,  John,  and  Andrew  follow  neoct,  and  Judas  stands  last,  but  they  deny  the  inferences  of  the  Koman 
Gath.  Church,  based  upon  doctrinal  and  historical  assumptions  which  can  never  be  proven.    See  Com.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  3.— [The  oldest  authorities  read  only  either  £e6&«?<s  or  Thaddeus;  the  tea:tus  receptiis  unites  both  with  the 
addition  surnamed,  6  €Ti»fA.T70ets.  Lange  reads  simply  Lebbeus  with  Tischendorf  and  Meyer  (also  Alford  in  the  4th 
ed.),  and  puts  the  words:  surnamed.  TJiaddeuH  in  brackets;  while  Lachmann,  Tregelles,  and  Conant  give  the  preference 
to  Thaddeus  after  the  Vatican  Cod.,  etc.— P.  S.] 

<  Ver.  4.— The  reading  Kavafoios  (for  Kavaviri]s)  is  supported  by  Codd.  B.,  C,  D.  [The  word  should  be  rendered 
Ca7iunif6  as  the  revised  edition  of  the  Am.  Bible  Society  (1S54),  the  revised  version  of  Dr.  Conant  and  the  Am.  Bible 
Union  have  it,  and  as  Dr.  Crosby  (The  N.  T.  with  Explan.  Notes  or  Scholia)  proposes,  instead  of  Canaanite  as  in  the 
usual  editions  of  the  E.  V.,  including  those  of  the  Am.  B.  Soc.  since  1855.— P.  S.] 

then  furnished  and   fitted   them  for  their  mission. 
EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL.  Meyer  says :  "  The  mission,  not  the  choice,  of  the 

twelve  is  here  recorded."     But  we  must  distinguish 

Ver.  1.   And    having    caUed    to   Him    His    three  calls :  the  first,  to  be  disciples ;  the  second,  to 

twelve    disciples,   npo(T Ka\(  adinevos,    etc. —    serve  as  evangelists ;  and  now  the  third,  to  the apos- 

Luke  relates  that,  having  spent  the  preceding  night    toUc  office.     This  call  to   the  apostolate,  however, 

in  prayer,  the  Lord  called  the  twelve  together,  and    was  only  preluninary,  and  limited  by  the  present  cir- 


CHAP.  X.  1-4. 


181 


cumstancos  and  position  of  the  Church.  The  apos- 
tolic office  obtained  its  full  proportions  after  the  as- 
cension of  our  Lord,  when  the  knowledge  of  the  dis- 
ciples and  their  testimony  was  completed,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  poured  out  on  the  d.ay  of  Pentecost. 

Tlic  call  of  twelve  Apostles,  indicating  a  definite 
and  fixed  number,  shows  that  in  its  ultimate  idea  the 
apostolate  was  one,  and  that  each  individual  called 
and  sent  by  the  Lord  possessed  the  power  and  au- 
thority of  the  whole  college  of  Apostles. 

His  twelve  disciples. — They  were  called  to- 
gether as  Ilis  twelve  chosen  disciples ;  but,  after  re- 
ceiving authority,  they  became  His  twelve  Apostles. 
A  proof  this,  that  a  decisive  change-  had  taken  place 
in  their  condition,  although  they  did  not  cease  to  be 
His  disciples  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  term. 

Twelve. — Theophylact:  kuto.  rhv  apiOahu  rS^v 
SoiSeKa  (pvKicv.  Matt.  xix.  28.  They  are,  primarily, 
ambassadors  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  and  to 
this  their  number  corresponds.  The  twelve  tribes 
bore  typical  reference  to  the  purpose  which  Israel 
was  intended  to  serve  in  the  world.  On  the  one 
hand,  they  expressed  the  idea  of  a  full  number,  or 
of  the  fuhiess  of  the  Spirit ;  while,  on  the  other,  they 
)  represented  the  world,  which,  in  all  its  forms,  was  to 
be  pervaded  by  this  fulness  of  the  Spirit.  What  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel  were  typically,  the  twelve 
Apostles  were  in  deed  and  in  truth,  being  the  twelve 
representatives  and  vehicles  of  the  spiritual  fulness 
with  which  Christ  pervades  His  people,  and,  through 
them,  the  world.* 

*  [Comp.  Malbonatus,  the  distinguished  Rom.  C.ath. 
cominentator  in  Qiuitiwr  JScinigclia,  ad  loc. :  '■•line  ergo 
de  caima  duodecim  Ohristus  apostolos  e^se  voluif,  ut  duo- 
decim  Patriarchamm  Jiguram  implerei;  et  quemadmo- 
dwm  ex  duodecim  Pairiarchia  totits  Judaieus  populus 
carnaliter  propagatus  est;  ita  totm  populus  Christiano- 
rum  spiritualiter  ex  duodecim  Apostolis  propagaretur ; 
venerat  enim  Ohristus,  ut  cavnem  in  spiritum  eommuta- 
ret."  Wordsworth  remarks  on  Matt.  s.  2:  "The  number 
Twelve  (3  X  4)  in  Scripture  seems  to  be  sisrniflcant  of  perfec- 
tion and  universality;  and  the  twelve  apostles  were  re^ard- 
nd  by  the  ancient  church  as  typified  by  the  twelve  Sons  of 
Israel  (comp  Matt.  xix.  28  and  Ma'donatus  hero),  the  twelve 
wells  at  Elim  (Ex.  xv.  2T).  and  perhaps  by  the  twelve  stones 
of  the  Urim  and  Thummim  on  the  bre  stplate  of  the  Hi^h 
Priest,  the  type  of  Christ  (Ex.  xxviii.  15-21);  the  twelve 
loaves  of  she  w-bread;  the  twelve  'esploratores'  of  the  prom- 
ised land,  the  type  of  heaven ;  the  twelve  stones  taken  from 
the  bed  of  Jord:in.  They  seem  also  to  be  represented  by  the 
twelve  stars  in  the  crown  of  the  woman  in  the  wilderness, 
the  Church  on  earth  (Rev.  xii.  1),  as  well  as  by  the  twelve 
foundations  of  the  Church  gl(;rified  (Rev.  xxi.  14:  Eph.  ii. 
•20)."— P.  S.] 


He  gave  them  i^ovaiav,  power,  rule,  au- 
thority; or,  here,  the  pov/er  of  conquerors. — De 
Wette  and  Ewald  think  that  this  power  was  convey- 
ed in  a  mystical  and  symbolic  form ;  Meyer,  by  a 
mere  declaration.  No  special  form  is,  indeed,  men- 
tioned in  the  text ;  but,  as  spnbolical  signs  accom- 
panied the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  at  Pentecost,  and 
as,  even  before  that,  we  read  of  the  Saviour  breath- 
ing on  them  (John  xx.  22)  as  the  symbol  of  their 
consecration,  wo  are  warranted  in  inferring  that, 
when  first  sent  on  their  apostolic  mission,  the  be- 
stowal of  power  was  accompanied  by  some  outward 
sign.  Perhaps  the  solemn  authority  given  them  in 
the  words,  "  Heal  the  sick,"  etc.,  may  have  been  that 
sign.  For,  as  the  Lord  performed  His  miraculous 
cures  chiefly  by  the  word  of  His  power,  so  this  word 
may  also  have  conveyed  similar  authority  to  others. 
On  the  Mount  of  OHves  there  was  the  symbol  of  the 
hand  lifted  in  blessing,  which  pointed  to  the  pente- 
costal  effusion. 

Ver.  2.  The  names  of  the  twelve  Apostles. 
— These  now  assume  greater  importance.  Four  lists 
of  the  Apostles  are  extant :  that  in  the  text ;  that  in 
Mark  iii.  16  ;  that  in  Luke  vi.  14  ;  and  that  in  Acts  i. 
13.*  The  enumeration  in  the  Gospel  according  to 
Luke  is  made  almost  in  the  same  order  as  in  Matthew, 
although  it  occurs  at  an  earher  stage,  and  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  In  Luke,  the 
name  of  Thomas  occurs  after  that  of  Matthew; 
that  of  James  Alpheus  along  with  that  of  Simon,  in- 
stead of  Judas  Lcbbeus,  so  that  the  latter  is  conjoin- 
ed with  Judas  Iscariot.  Probably  this  arrangem.ent 
was  adopted  as  more  easy  for  the  memory,  while 
that  of  Matthew  was  the  more  authentic.  Again, 
the  enumeration  iir  the  Gospel  of  Mark  agrees  with 
that  in  the  Book  of  Acts,  which  was  determined  by 
the  later  positions  occupied  by  the  Apostles.  Thus 
we  distinguish  two  lists  of  Apostles, — the  first,  as 
determined  by  their  earliest  mission ;  the  second,  ac- 
cording to  the  relative  position  of  the  Apostles  at  the 
feast  of  Pentecost  and  afterward.  Bengel :  Universi 
ordlues  habent  tres  quaterniones,  quorum  nullus  cum 
alio  quicqnam,  perrnutat ;  turn,  in  primo  semper  pi'i- 
mus  est  Petrus,  in  secundo  Pkllippus,  in  tertio  Jaco- 
bus Alphcei ;  in,  singidis  cceteri  apostoli  loca  permu- 
taut ;  proditor  semper  extremns. 

'  ATr6<Tro\os  {airoardWai),  nsi^'iT  ,  occurs  also 
in  a  wider  sense,  as  in  John  xii.  16 ;  Phil.  ii.  25.  In 
the  special  sense  of  the  term,  it  applies  to  the  am- 


*  [I  subjoin  the  following  synoptic  table  which  exhibits  the  agreement  and  the  difference,  and  the  fact  that  all  the  fonr 
catalogues  arrange  the  names  into  three  classes,  of  which  each  class  includes  the  same  names  and  is  headed  by  the  same 
name,  viz.  the  first  by  Peter,  the  second  by  Philii),  the  third  by  James  the  son  of  Alpheus.— P.  S.] 


1       Matthew  x. 

2-4. 

1        Mark  ui. 

16-19.       1        Luke  vi.  14-16. 

1            Acts  i  13. 

1 

1 

'S.ifJLOiv  YliTpos 

2 

1  'AvSpeas 

1   '1<XKW0O^ 

1  'AuSpea^ 

1    •idKlc&OS 

3 

1   'idKW^OS 

1  'laidwrts 

1  'Ia/cai;8oy 

1  'lwdyur)s 

4 

1  'Iccipuv^ 

1  'AvSpe'a? 

1  'Icuaci/Tjs 

1  'AvS-^(as 

5 

1 

*  1  A  t  TTTT  0  s 

6 

1  BapdoKn/jialos 

1  Bap6o\o/j.a7o 

1  Bapdo\onatof 

j  0o^as 

1 

1  Qwixas 

1  MareaToj 

1  Mardalos 

1  BapOoKonalos 

8 

1  Marealos 

1  ®aifxa9 

1  ©oi/uciy 

1  MarflaTos 

9 

1 

'idK 

U0OS  6  Tov  ' A\(paiov 

10 

1  A€&0a:os 

1  0a55oros 

1  2i>(uv  6  KaK.  ZrjAcT^s 

1  XnKV  6  Z7)Aa>Trjy 

11 

j  Si'm^^'"  5  Kafavaios 

1  2tVa.^ 

1  'lovSas  'IaKM/8ow 

1  'lotiSus  'laKdfiov 

12 

1  'lotSas  '{(TKapi 

irv^ 

1 

'Iov5as  'IffKapt'id. 

1  Vacant. 

182 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCOllDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


bassadors  called  by  God,  or  the  witnesses  and  repre- 
sentatives oi'  Christ  in  extending  His  Church,  and 
with  certaiu  limitations,  in  ruling  His  Cliurcli  (Rev. 
ii.  1,  HyyeKus).  The  peculiar  conditions  necessary 
for  the  apostolate  are  mentioned  in  Acts  i.  8,  and 
ver.  21.  In  a  secondary  sense,  the  term  is  also  ap- 
plied to  apostolic  messengers,  as  Rom.  xvi.  7;  2 
Cor.  viii.  32.  (Comp.  Schaff' a  Hist,  of  the  Apost. 
Chiirch,_  §129,  p.  512  sqci.) 

rifJoiToj  'S.inoiv . — As  the  other  Apostles  are 
not  numbered,  it  follows  that  irpwroj  i.s  not  acciden- 
tal (Eritzschc),  but  indicates  a  priority.  This  dis- 
tinction depended :  1.  On  the  prophetic  arrangement 
of  the  Lord  in  this  place ;  2.  on  the  confession  of 
Peter  preceding  that  of  the  others,  Matt.  xvi.  IG  ;  3. 
on  the  appearance  of  Peter  at  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
when  he  was  the  instrument  of  founding  the  Church, 
Acts  ii.  4 ;  4.  on  the  fact  that  Peter  was  the  first  to 
carry  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  Acts  x.  But  tliat 
this  priority  of  dignity  and  mission  did  not  imply  a 
primacy  of  ranlv — not  even  so  far  as  his  own  person 
was  concerned,  much  less  as  a  permanent  arrange- 
ment— appears  from  many  declarations  of  the  Lord 
(Matt,  xviii.  18;  xx.  25 ;  xxiii.  8;  xxviii.  19;  John 
."tx.  21 ;  Acts  i.  8),  from  the  conduct  of  Peter  him- 
self (Acts  xi.  4;  xv. ;  see  1  Pet.),  and  from  that  of 
the  other  Apostles  and  of  the  Church  (Acts  xi. ;  Gal. 
ii.).*  Meyer  suggests  that  Peter  was  also  first  call- 
ed ;  but  Andrew  and  John  had  been  summoned  be- 
fore him.  The  traitor  is  mentioned  last,  not  merely 
on  account  of  his  eud,  but  aLso  because  he  was  last 
called.  The  arrangement  into  pairs  is  explained  by 
the  notice  of  Mark,  that  they  were  sent  forth  by  two 
and  two. 

Vers.  2-4.  The  names.— I.  "ir^D  Su^ewr, 
2i|Ue&Jv,  SiVoJi/  {hearing^  answer,  Gen.  xxix.  33). 
— nerpos,  stone,  rock,  irtrpa, — in  Chald.  i<S"'3  , 
Krjrtms.  The  following  is  the  explanation  given  in 
Matt.  xvi.  1*7  :  Simon,  thou  son  of  Jonas,  of  the  dove 
(  n:Si  ),  which  lodgeth  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock  (im- 
age of  the  Church,  Song  ii.  14 ;  Jer.  xlviii.  28),  thou 
shalt  be  called  the  Rock  (of  the  dove).— 2.  'Avdptas. 
Winer  regards  it  as  of  Greek  origin ;  Olshausen  de- 
rives it  from  the  Hebrew  ^1? ,  to  make  a  vow. 
There  seems,  however,  to  have  been  a  peculiar  con- 
nection Ijetween  the  Grecians  and  Andrew  and  Philip, 
wliicli  also  appears  in  their  names  (John  xii.  22). 
The  name  Andrew  is  related  to  auSpelus,  manly,  and 
to  di/SpittT,  the  representation  of  a  man — a  statue. 
Probably  this  Apostle  had  also  a  Hebrew  name;  in 
which  case  the  name  Andrew  was  given  to  charac- 
terize hLs  manly  spirit. — 3.  'Mkoi^os,  Sp^*^  ;  pri- 
marily, an  Old  Testament  name  of  honor,  the  original 
meaning  of  the  name  not  being  taken  into  account. 
This  James,  or  the  Elder,  is  designated  as  6  rov 
ZeffeSaiov  {see  ch.  iv.). — 4.  '\wdvvT]S,  "jni"! , 
given  by  Jehovah,  or  by  the  grace  of  Jehovah.  By 
the  grace  of  God.f  Properly,  God  is  favorable, 
gracious.  He  grants  as  of  grace. — According  to  Mark, 
the  sons  of  Zebedee  were  called  ^\^07is  ofth^mder;" 
not  by  way  of  reproof,  but  as  characteristic  of  their 
disposition.  Probably  the  name  applied  primarily 
to    James.     John    was    afterward    designated    the 

*  [Compr\rc  the  notes  of  Maldonntus,  Olshausen,  Meyer, 
Alfunl,  Barnes,  Wordsworth,  Alexander,  etc.,  in  loc,  and 
my  disonssion  of  the  quistion  of  Peter's  alleged  primaey  and 
supremacy  in  the  Ilinlory  of  the  Apontolic  Church,  §90 
(End.  tiansl.,  p.  350  .sqq.).— P.  S.] 

t  [Compa'-e  the  Greek  Theodor,  the  German  Gotthotd, 
Gottlieh.—l\  S.] 


"  friend  of  Jesus,"  and  "  the  disciple  whom  the  Lord 
loved  ; "  in  the  ancient  Church,  i  4Tn(TTr,etus,  i.  e.,  he 
who  leaned  on  His  breast  [His  bosom-friend],  sat  at 
His  right  hand. — 5.  *  i  Aitttfo  s.  The  original  de- 
rivation of  the  word  is  not  of  personal  importance  in 
this  case.  Pioljably  he  had  another  name.  He  was 
a  native  of  Bethsaida,  and  one  of  the  earliest  disci- 
ples of  Jesus,  John  i.  43. — 6.  Bap6oAona?os,  the 
same  Jis  Nathaniel.  In  John  i.  46,  he  occurs  in  con- 
nection with  Philip ;  while  in  the  other  Gospels  the 
same  event  is  coupled  with  Nathanael.  bNjr? ,  the 
gift  of  God;  while  Bartholomew,  "^^bpl  "3  ^  means 
son  of  Tholmai,  Sept.  2  Sam.  xiii.  37.  ""cbn ,  prop- 
erly rich  in  furroics,  cultivated  field.  Perhaps  the 
original  designation,  ".son  of  Tholmai,"  was  after- 
ward converted  into  an  apostolical  by-name,  imply- 
ing, son  of  a  rich  field,  rich  fruit. — 7.  ©  w  ^  a  j , 
ZA'&r} ,  gemellus,  twiri-broiher ;  AiSuyuoj,  John  xi. 
IG;  XX.  24;  xxi.  2. — 8.  Marealos  v  TtKcovns: 
on  this  name  compare  the  Introduction.  His  origi- 
nal name  was  Levi,  the  son  of  Alphens. — 9.  'laKa-- 
/3o5  o  ToO  ' AX(paiov,  James  the  Younger,  or  the 
son  of  Alpheus  (though  undoubtedly  of  other  parent- 
age than  Matthew).— 10.  Ae/3;8a7o5,  ''ab  (not  from 
the  little  town  of  Libba,  near  Carmel,  as  Gerlach  and 
Lisco  suggest,  but)  from  ~b  ^  heart,  and  meaning  al- 
most the  same  as  OaSSaTo?,  """ri  (which  occurs  in 
the  Talmud),  from  IP ,  the  breast, — hence  the  hearty 
or  courageous.  In  later  Codd.,  and  in  the  parallel  pas- 
sages, in  Luke  vi.  16;  Acts  i.  13,  he  is  called  'loi'i- 
5a  s  'laKSfiov,  i.  e.,  brother  of  James,  fiTinii  (ver- 
bale  fut.  Hophal  a  fTl^ ,  Hiphil,  professus  est,  celc- 
bravit). — W.'S.lfxuiv  &  Kavavalos.  The  latter  de- 
signation derived  from  Nip,  in  Chald.  "S'p.  The 
explanation  of  it  appears  even  from  the  other  read- 
ing, Kai/afiTTj  J,  and  still  more  from  the  title  Ztj- 
A  WT7)  s  in  Luke, — the  brother  of  James  of  Alpheus 
and  of  Judas.*  On  "  the  brothers  of  the  Lord,"  see 
the  Encycls.,  and  my  article  Jacobus  in  Herzog's 
Jicallex.'-- 12.  'lovSas  6  '  Icr  nap  icirrjs,  Uj^>t 
Pl's'ip  .  From  Kerioth  in  the  tribe  of  Judah,  Josh. 
XV.  25.  /See  also  Lightfoot.  'O  Ka\  {qui  idem)^Ta- 
pa^ov%  avTov,  " Who  also  delivered  Ilim "  (not 
"betrayed,"  which  would  have  been  expressed  by 
TT  p  0  5  0  I'y  s).  So  Meyer.  In  point  of  fact,  the  two, 
however,  are  identical. 


DOCTRINAL  AKD   ETHICAL. 

1.  From  the  occurrence  of  so  many  double 
namesf  of  the  Apostles,  we  are  naturally  led  to  infer 
that  each  had  his  pecuUar  designation.  But  Judas 
the  traitor  had  none:  in  the  deepest  sense  he  re- 

*  ZenMs,  for  the  national  religion,  after  the  example  of 
Phinehas,  Nnm.  xxv.  7.  Tbey  were  quite. in  accordance 
with  the  spirit  of  the  theocracy,  and  acted  as  reprovers  of 
or>en  and  public  sin.  From  the  history  of  the  List  Jewi.«li 
war  we  learn  how  fearfully  this  institution  had  degenerated. 

t  [Not  hynames.  as  the  Edinb.  translator  has  it,  misled 
l>y  the  German  Beiname, -ahKh  means  literally  «i(77!<'?7?c. 
cognomen,  while  Mcknnme  or  SpUzn<i7ne  is  the  Kngli.^h 
Vyiuime  or  ■nielcvame.  "We  must,  however,  observe  a  sliglit. 
difference.  The  text  uses  the  word  Beiname,  mirnnme,  for 
all  the  additional  names  of  the  Apostles,  whether  old  or  new 
(as  Peter);  but  with  the  ancient  Romans  coyvomen  was  the 
third  name  indicat  ng  the  house  {familia)  of  the  person  (the 
family  name,  surname,  in  German:  FamUienna'ine\-\\)x\\ts 
vomen  described  the  class  (gena).  and  prwnomcn  (like  our 


Christian  name)  the  Individual.— P.  8.] 


CHAP.  X.  1-4. 


mained  anonymous — the  man  of  Kerioth.  These  ad- 
ditional names  serve  in  many  respects  to  indicate  the 
characteristics  of  the  Apostles.  (Comp.  Lehen  Jesu, 
ii.  2,  p.  691.) 

2.  The  selection  of  the  twelve  Apostles,  no  doubt, 
depended  on  their  exliibiting  in  the  liighest  degree 
the  most  precious  manifestations  of  the  life  of  Christ. 
In  some  respects  their  qualifications  must  liave  been 
similar.  They  were  to  be  laymen^  unconnected  with 
the  priesthood ;  unlearned  men,  unconnected  with 
traditional  philosophy  ;  and  plain  men,  unconnected 
with  the  false  culture  and  the  pomp  of  the  world. 
Again,  so  far  as  their  positive  qualifications  were 
concerned,  they  must  be  pious  Israelites,  believers  in 
the  Jfessiah,  disciples,  men  of  gifts,  and  that  of  so  di- 

1.  Peter,  the  Rock.     Confession. 

3.  James,  the  son  of  thmider.     Martyrdom. 

5.  Philip.  Moral  evidence  of  faith.  Commit- 
nion  ("  Come  and  see  "). 

1.  Thomas,  the  twin.  The  spirit  of  inquiry  and 
sacred  criticism. 

9.  James,  the  brother  of  the  Lord.  [V]  Gift  of 
union,  ecclesiastical  government. 

11.  Simon,  the  Zealot.  Zeal  for  a  proper  develop- 
ment in  the  Church.     Pastoral  activity. 

Tl;e  calling  of  Judas  Iscariot,  who  is  designated  a 
devil,  John  vi.  "70 ;  a  thief,  xii.  6 ;  the  son  of  perdi- 
tion, xvii.  12,  forms  a  great  theological  problem. 
Either  of  the  two  ordinary  explanations — that  Christ 
had  not  known  him  from  the  beginning;  or  else, 
that  He  had  chosen  him  to  become  the  voluntary  in- 
strument of  judgment,  and  the  involuntary  instru- 
ment of  salvation — appears  to  us  opposed  to  the 
spirit  of  Christ.  We  would  rather  venture  to  sug- 
gest, that,  carried  away  by  temporary  enthusiasm, 
Judas  had  offered  himself  to  the  Lord  ;  that  the  dis- 
ciples, blinded  by  his  glowing  zeal,  liad  earnestly 
recommended  him  to  the  Master ;  and  that,  in  the 
fulness  and  boldness  of  His  love,  Christ  had  consent- 
ed to  receive  a  man  so  richly  gifted  by  nature,  chiefly 
because  His  refusal  might  have  proved  a  stumbling- 
block  to  the  disciples.  [V] 

[The  biblical  symbolism  of  numbers  to  which  Dr. 
Lange  here  alludes,  is  worthy  of  more  serious  at- 
tention than  it  has  received  in  English  theology. 
There  is  room  here  for  fanciful  theories;  but  the 
main  points  hardly  admit  of  serious  doubt.  The 
careful  student  of  the  Scripture  must  be  struck  with 
the  frequency  of  the  use  of  certain  numbers,  especial- 
ly 3,  4,  7,  10,  and  12,  in  significant  connection  with 
sacred  ideas  and  things,  from  Genesis  to  Revelation. 
It  is  impossible  to  resolve  all  this  into  mere  accident, 
or  an  unmeaning  play.  God  is  "  the  wonderful  Num- 
berer,  the  Numberer  of  secrets"  (comp.  "'DiTsba , 
Dan.  viii.  13,  and  the  marginal  note  in  the  Auth. 
Vers.),  and  "doeth  all  things  in  number  and  measure 
and  weight "  (Wisdom  si.  20).  Number  is  expres- 
sive of  order,  symmetry,  proportion,  and  relativity. 
1  is  the  symbol  of  unity  or  oneness,  2  of  antithesis 
and  polaritj',  3  of  synthesis,  of  the  uncreated  Divini- 
ty, the  holy  Trinity  (compare  the  Mosaic  benediction. 
Numb.  vi.  24-26,  the  Trisagion,  Isa.  vi.  3,  the  bap- 
tismal fornmla,  the  apostolic  benediction),  4  of  ku- 
manity  or  the  created  ivorld  as  the  revelation  cf  God 
(think  of  the  four  comers  of  the  earth,  the  four  sea- 
sons, the  four  points  of  the  compass,  the  four  ele- 
ments, the  four  Gospels).     From  this  may  be  ex- 


verse  a  character  as  to  form  a  kind  of  contrast,  and 
yet  to  display  their  higher  unity  in  Christ.  In  this 
respect  they  were  to  be  the  antitype  of  the  tribes  of 
Israel  (of  the  twelve  gems  in  the  breastplate  of  the 
high  priest;  sec  Rev.  xxi.  19,  20,  compared  with  Ex. 
xxviii.  17),  and  to  exhibit  the  great  features  of  the 
Church,  as  adapted  to  the  various  forms  of  spiritual 
receptivencss  and  felt  need  in  the  world.  The  num- 
ber twelve  was  that  of  tlic  fulness  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  (so  to  speak,  of  the  ideal  presbytery), — three, 
the  number  of  the  Spirit,  multiplied  by  four,  the 
number  of  the  world.  Hence  twelve  was  the  sym- 
bolical number  of  the  world  as  transfovmed. 

Viewed  in  this  light,  we  have  the  following  fun- 
damental types : — 

2.  Andrew,  the  manly  pioneer.     Missions. 

4.  John,  the  beloved   disciple.     Myslicisrn   and 
ideal  depth,  and  calmness. 

6.  Bartholomew.     Perfect  sincerity,   simplicity, 
and  devoutrtcss. 

8.  Matthew.     Theocratic  and  ecclesiastical  learn- 
ing. 

10.  Judas  Lebbeus,  Thaddeus.     Earnestness  for 
the  purity  of  the  Church.     Pastoral  faithfulness. 


12.  Judas  Iscariot.  Secular  administration  of 
the  Church.     Church  property.* 

plained  the  symbolical  significance  of  7  or  3+4,  and 
of  12  or  3  X  4.  Seven,  being  the  xmion  of  3  and  4, 
is  the  signature  of  the  relation  of  God  to  the  world, 
or  the  covenant  (the  Hebrev,'  word  for  seven,  l"2'i  , 
signifies  also  an  oath.  Gen.  xxi.  31 ;  xxvi.  S3,  and  the 
verb  1'2'd ,  to  swear,  "  since  seven,"  as  Gesenius  ex- 
plains, "  was  a  sacred  number,  and  oaths  were  con- 
firmed either  by  seven  victims  offered  in  sacrifice, 
Gen.  xxi.  28,  or  by  seven  witnesses  and  pledges  "). 
Seven  figures  very  conspicuously  in  Scripture  from 
the  first  institution  of  the  sabbath  in  paradise  to  the 
seven  churches,  seven  angels,  seven  Spirits,  etc.,  of 
the  Apocalypse.  Creuzer  observes  {Symbolik,  vol. 
ii.  161):  "The  universal  sanctity  of  the  number 
seven  was  fully  acknowledged  even  by  the  ancients 
in  all  its  bearing;!."  Twelve,  being  the  product  of  3 
and  4,  symbolizes,  from  the  twelve  patriarchs  and 
twelve  tribes  down  to  the  twelve  foundations  and 
twelve  gates  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  indwell- 
ing of  God  in  the  human  family,  or  the  interpene- 
tration  of  the  world  by  the  Divinity.  Ten  is  the 
number  of  harmony  and  completeness,  as  in  the  ten 
commandments. 

This  whole  subject  has  been  very  thoroughly  dis- 
cussed, with  special  reference  to  the  Tabernacle 
where  the  numbers  3,  4,  10,  5,  7,  and  12  control  the 
whole  structure,  by  Dr.  Chr.  W.  F.  B^hr  in  his  able 
and  learned  work :  Die  Symbolik  des  Mosaisehen 
Culius,  Heidelberg,  1837,  vol.  i.,  p.  128-233,  and 
also  by  H.  Kurtz  in  the  Theol.  Sludien  und  Kritiken 
for  1844,  p.  315-370.  Of  English  divines  Fairbairn 
{Typology  of  Scriptures,  2d  cd.,  1854,  vol.  ii.,  87  sq.) 
adopts  Biihr's  view,  as  far  as  the  number  ten  is  con- 
cerned ;  Trench  {Epistles  to  the  Seven  Churches,  p. 
83-91  of  the  Am.  ed.  of  1S61),  and  Wordsworth 
(Com.  on  Matt.  x.  2)  with  regard  to  7,  3,  and  4.  The 
recent  work  of  Dr.  M.  Mahan  (of  the  Episc.  Gen. 
Theol.  Sem.  at  New  York) :  Pcilmoni ;  or  the  Nv^ 

*  [Comp.  the  delineation  of  the  leading  apostle.s,  Peter, 
John,  Paul,  and  James  in  Schaff'3  Uintory  of  the  Apostolic 
Church,  p.  4;3T  sqq.] 


184 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


rnerals  of  Scripture  a  Proof  of  Inspiration,  New 
York,  1863  (based  in  great  part  upon  Browne's  Ordo 
ScEcu/orum,  but  ignoring  Biihr),  does  not  discuss,  as 
one  might  infer  liom  the  title,  the  symbolic  import 
of  Scripture  numbers,  but  more  the  relation  of  num- 
bers to  events  and  the  coincidences  of  periods. — 
P.S.] 

3.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  Christ  construct- 
ed His  apostolate  on  the  basis  of  natural  relationship 
and  of  mental  affinity.  Six  of  the  Apostles  were 
brothers:  viz.,  Peter  and  Andiew;  James  and  John, 
the  sons  of  Zebedee  (probably  cousins  of  the  Lord ; 
see  Wieseler,  in  the  Studien  u.  Kritiken  for  1840,  p. 
648,  and  Winer,  art.  Salome) ;  the  sons  of  Alpheus 
— James  the  Younger,  Judas  Lebbeus,  and  Simon 
Zelotes  (the  cousins  [?]  and  adoptive  brothers  of  the 
Lord,  commonly  called  His  brethren).  Then  we 
read  of  the  friendship  subsisting  between  Philip  and 
Bartholomew ;  Andrew,  John,  and  Peter.  Finally, 
the  three  last-mentioned  Apostles,  and  perhaps  some 
of  the  others  also,  had  been  disciples  of  John. 

4.  The  sending  forth  of  the  disciples  by  two  and 
two,  indicates  that  none  of  them  by  himself  was  a 
sufficient  representative  of  the  fulness  of  Christ,  and 
that  each  supplemented  the  other,  both  in  the  way 
of  limitation  and  enlargement.  This  state  of  matters 
ceased  after  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  when 
the  disciples  became  Apostles  in  the  full  sense  of  the 
term. 

6.  We  shall  speak  in  another  place  of  the  breach 
formed  among  the  Apostles  by  the  apostacy  of  Judas, 
of  the  election  of  Matthias  in  his  place,  and  of  the 
calUng  of  the  Apostle  Paul. 

HOMILKTICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

How  the  Lord  converts  His  chosen  disciples  into 
Apostles. — How  He  makes  His  redeemed  fellow- 
workers  in  His  work  of  redemption. — How  the  love 
and  compassion  of  Christ  branches  out,  and  spreads 


I  over  His  people  and  over  the  world. — What  we  have 
learned  in  the  school  of  the  Lord  must  be  exhibited 
in  our  life,  activity,  and  teaching. — The  call  to  the 
work  of  Evangehsts :  1.  What  it  implies ;  2.  how  it 
presupposes  one  great  calling;  3.  how  it  includes 
many  calls. — The  calling  of  the  disciples  a  bestowal 
of  authority  upon  them  by  the  Lord. — What  power 
do  you,  who  profess  to  hold  the  apostolic  office,  dis- 
play: to  cast  out  unclean  spirits,  and  to  heal  all 
manne*  of  sickness  and  all  manner  of  disease  among 
the  people? — The  apostolic  office  must  appear  in 
spiritual  jjower,  which,  under  God,  will  awaken  souls 
to  newness  of  life. — The  twelve  Apostles  as  repre- 
senting the  great  features  of  the  kingdom  of  God :  1. 
The  great  features  of  the  destiny  of  Israel ;  2.  of  the 
fulness  in  Christ ;  3.  of  the  Church ;  4.  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  in  its  perfectness. — The  apostolic 
name  a  type  of  the  new  name  which  Christians  are 
to  obtain. — How  personal  character  comes  out  and 
becomes  transformed  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  to  the 
glory  of  the  Father  and  of  Christ. — How  all  friend- 
ship and  relationship  should  be  subservient  to  the 
kingdom  of  God. — The  calling  of  fishermen  and  pub- 
licans to  the  apostolic  office  an  evidence  of  the  glory 
of  Christianity. — Judas,  or  the  dangers  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal office. — Even  Judas  must,  for  the  time  being,  be 
acknowledged  as  an  Apostle  of  the  Lord. 

Starke: — Osiander :  Let  us  not  attempt  to  do 
everything  ourselves,  without  assistance. — Majus: 
Those  who  are  sent  into  the  Lord's  vineyard  must  be 
properly  furnished  for  the  work. — Bihl.  Wurt. :  We 
must  not  be  offended  at  the  humble  origin  and  the 
poor  appearance  of  preachers. 

Lisco: — Judas ;  or,  even  the  Church  of  God  is  not 
absolutely  pure. — The  Apostles  had  personally  seen 
the  Lord,  were  called  directly  by  Him,  accredited  their 
witness  by  naracles,  were  not  bound  to  one  congrega- 
tion, and  preached  the  word  of  God  without  error. 

Heubner : — This  mission  was  at  the  same  time  a 
trial  of  their  teaching. 


2.  The  Mission,  the  Message,  and  the  promised  Support.     Ch.  X.  5-10. 


5  These  twelve  Jesus  sent  forth,  and  commanded  them,  saying.  Go  not  into  the  way 

6  of  the  Gentiles,'  and  into  any  [a]  city  of  the  Samaritans  enter  ye  not :  But  go  rather 

7  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.     And  as  ye  go,  preach,  saying,  The  kingdom 

8  of  heaven  is  at  hand.     Heal  the  sick,  cleanse  the  lepers,  raise  the  dead,^  cast  out  devils : 

9  freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give.     Provide  neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor  brass,  in 
10  your  purses   [girdles]^;  Nor  scrip   [bag]    for  your  journey,  neither  [nor]   two   coats, 

neither  [nor]  shoes,^  nor  yet  staves  [a  staff]  ^ :  for  the  workman  is  worthy  of  his  meat.® 

'  Ver.  5.— [Ei'y  o5ov  ibvS>v  jjA]  a-KiXb-qre.  Ewald:  Hin  zu  Heiden  siehet  nicht ;  Lange:  Gehet  nicht  ahwdrts 
auf  die  Strasse  der  Heiden  ;  Campbell,  Norton :  Go  not  away  to  Gentiles;  Conant:  Go  not  away  to  Gentiles  (omitting 
the  article) ;  the  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union :  Go  not  into  the  way  to  the  Gentiles;  bShs  idvuiv  =  Eeidenweg,  i.  «.,  way 
to  the  heathen.—?.  S.] 

2  Ver.  8.— The  words:  viKpohs  fyiipere  are  wanting  in  Codd.  E.,  F.,  K.,  L.,  M.,  etc.,  in  many  transl.,  and  fathers,  and 
hence  omitted  by  Soholz  and  Tischendorf.  But  they  are  supported  by  the  important  Codd.  B..  C.  D.  [and  Cod.  Sinait.], 
and  old  versions,  and  the  omission  may  be  easily  explained  from  the  fact  that  no  raising  of  the  dead  occurred  on  this  first 
mission.  Griesbach  and  Lachmann  [also  Alford  in  the  fourth  edition]  give  the  words  after  i&fpaTreucTf.  [This  is  the 
proper  order  of  the  oldest  MSS.  including  the  Cod.  Sinait,  .an<l  hence  Lange  correctly  translates:  Ileal  th6  sick,  raise  the 
dead,  cleanse  the  lepers,  etc.    So  also  Dr.  Conant,  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  9.— [El J  tos  ^livas;  Lange:  Gurtel  {-ta&chen).] 

<  Ver.  10.— [More  literally:  sandals,  viroSvfJ-aTa.      But  Lange  retains  the  more  popular:  Schuhe.] 
s  Ver.  10.— [Dr.  Conant:  "The  Received  Text,  after  Stephens'  3d  ed.  of  1550,  has  correctly  pd^Soi/  in  the  sing.,  as  in 
our  vern.acular  verr^ion  from  Wiclif  "s  to  the  Bishops'  Bible.    Kintc  Jrinies'  revisers,  following  the  false  reading  of  the  Com- 
plutensian  and  of  Stephei  s'  first  and  second  editions,  give  the  ])lural:  staves;  perhaps  to  avoid  an  imaginary  discrepancy 
with  Mark  vi.  8.''     Dr.  Lange  adopts  the  singular.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  X.  5-10. 


185 


«  Ver.  10. — [Lan^re:  Unterhalt,  sustenance  ;  Conant:  Kving. 
port  or  sustenance  of  life. — P.  S.] 


The  Greek  rpocp-h  includes  all  that  is  necessary  for  sup- 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CEITICAL. 

The  instruction  to  the  Apostles  is  contained  in 
vers.  5-42.  The  parallel  passages  are  in  the  ninth, 
tenth,  and  twelfth  chaps,  of  Luke.  As  Matthew 
was  an  eyewitness,  we  have  sufficient  guarantee 
for  the  accuracy  of  the  instructions  as  reported  by 
him. 

Ver.  5.  The  way  of  the  Gentiles ; — L  c,  to  the 
Gentiles,  or  into  Gentile  territory.  This  with  special 
reference  to  their  own  condition,  and  to  the  circum- 
stance that  they  were  to  take  the  road  toward  Jeru- 
salem, as  appears  from  the  following  clause. 

Into  any  city  of  the  Samaritans. — Samaria 
lay  on  their  way  from  Galilee  to  Judaea.  The  Lord 
does  not  pi-ohibit  their  passing  through  Samaria,  but 
only  their  settling  for  evangelistic  purposes,  for  which 
the  time  had  not  yet  arrived.  This  passage,  with  its 
injunction,  not  to  the  Gentiles,  nor  to  the  Samaritans, 
but  to  the  Jews,  contrasts  with  the  command  after 
His  resurrection :  "  Ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  Me 
both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judaea,  and  in  Samaria, 
and  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth."  The  Lord 
assigns  to  the  Samaritans  a  position  intermediate  be- 
tween the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,  which  is  fuUy  borne 
out  by  their  history.  They  had  greater  claim  on  the 
gospel  than  the  Gentiles,  but  less  than  the  Jews. 
This  seems  to  imply  (what  Hengstenberg  denies)  that 
they  were  a  mixed  race,  whose  religion  consisted  of 
a  combination  of  Jewish  and  heathen  elements.  The 
Samaritans  were  the  descendants  of  the  heathen  col- 
onists (Gerlach  ;  Phoenicians  and  Syrians  ?)  whom 
Shalmaneser  sent  into  the  country  after  the  deporta- 
tion of  the  Ten  Tribes  into  Assyria  (2  Kings  xvii.  24), 
and  of  the  remnant  of  Israelites  left  behind,  with 
whom  they  intermarried.  When  the  Jews  returned 
from  the  Babylonish  captivity,  they  prevented  the 
Samaritans  from  taking  part  in  rebuilding  the  tem- 
ple. Accordingly,  the  latter  reared,  under  Sanballat 
and  Manasseh  (Neh.  xiii.  28),  a  sanctuary  of  their 
own,  on  Mount  Gerizim,  which  was  destroyed  by 
Hyrcanus,  109  b.  c.  The  place,  however,  was  re- 
garded sacred,  and  prayer  was  offered  there.  The 
Jews  treated  the  Samaritans  as  heretics  (not  abso- 
lutely as  heathens).  Their  enmity  was,  perhaps, 
partly  accounted  for  by  the  conduct  of  the  Samari- 
tans, who  neither  consistently  espoused  the  cause  of 
Judaism  nor  that  of  heathenism.  This  led  to  bitter 
hatred  and  jealousy  between  these  neighboring  pop- 
ulations. In  later  times,  the  Samaritans  continued 
strict  Monotheists,  cherished  the  hope  of  a  coming 
Messiah,  and  adopted  the  Pentateuch  as  their  author- 
ity in  matters  of  faith.  But  even  then  heathen  ele- 
ments appeared  among  them.     See  Acts  viii. 

We  must  not  overlook  the  difference  between 
^7j  dire'xflTjTe  and  jut)  eiafXOriTe.  The  con- 
versation between  the  Lord  and  the  woman  of  Sama- 
ria, and  His  appearance  in  one  of  their  cities,  fully 
prove  that  this  was  merely  a  provisional  arrangement 
for  the  disciples.  The  Lord  Himself  generally  acted 
on  tlie  principle  of  proceeding  from  the  particular  to 
the  universal  (Matt.  xv.  24),  since  His  kingdom  had 
first  to  be  founded  and  established  in  Israel.  But 
withal.  He  ever  prosecuted  His  great  object  of  extend- 
ing His  kingdom  to  the  utmost  boundary  of  the  earth. 
This  temporary  limitation  to  Israel  was,  however,  the 
condition  necessary  for  the  attainment  of  this  object : 


Matt.  viii.  11,  etc.  In  the  ease  of  His  disciples,  He 
strictly  insisted  on  this  methodical  procedure ;  and 
the  express  prohibition  in  this  instance  shows  how 
readily  the  opposite  might  have  taken  place,  or,  in 
other  words,  how  deeply  they  were  already  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  catholicity.  Accordingly,  it  is  ab- 
surd to  urge  that  this  prohibition  is  incompatible  with 
John  iv.  (Strauss),  or  with  Matt,  xxviii.  19  (Gfrorer, 
Kdstlin).  Heubner  :  To  have  sent  the  disciples  to  the 
Gentiles  and  the  Samaritans,  would  have  been  to  close 
the  way  to  the  hearts  of  the  Jews.  A  people  had 
first  to  be  gathered  among  them,  for  theirs  were  the 
calling  and  the  promises.  During  Christ's  brief  min- 
istry on  earth,  there  was  neither  time  nor  room  for 
going  beyond  the  boundaries  of  Canaan. 

Ver.  8.  Raise  the  dead. — "The  first  instance 
in  which  the  dead  were  raised  by  apostolic  agency, 
occurs  in  the  Book  of  Acts  (ix.  36);  but  the  Seven- 
ty reported  on  their  return,  that  the  evil  spirits  were 
subject  to  them,  Luke  x.  17."     Gerlach. 

Freely  ye  have  received. — This  refers  both 
to  their  teaching,  and  to  the  miraculous  help  which 
they  were  to  bring. 

Ver.  9.  In  your  purses,  or  rather  girdles. — 
The  girdle  of  the  upper  garment  served  at  the  same 
time  as  purse.  In  the  East,  the  rich  wear  pockets 
in  their  dresses. — Neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor 
brass  (copper,  small  coins  ;  Vulg. :  pecunia).  A  de- 
scending climax,  showing  that  even  the  least  profit 
from  their  office  was  prohibited  ;  but  implying  nei- 
ther a  vow  of  poverty  nor  of  mendicancy,  in  the  popish 
sense.  They  were  to  introduce  the  great  principle, 
that  the  messengers  of  the  gospel  had  claim  on  daily 
support  and  free  hospitality. 

Ver.  10.  The  prohibition  to  provide  themselves 
with  two  under  garments,  and  to  bestow  care  on  tra- 
velling shoes  and  travelling  staves,  may  have  been  a 
symbolical  mode  of  enjoining  that  they  were  rather 
to  stay  in  one  place,  than  to  liurry  from  one  to  an- 
other,— in  general,  that  they  were  to  be  lightly  attir- 
ed, and  free  of  care.  Perhaps  the  word  vttoo  t) /xa- 
T  a  means  travelling  shoes  in  the  strict  sense,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  (T  aud  d\ta.  The  inroSru^a  KolXov 
refers  to  the  Roman  calceus.  According  to  Mark, 
they  were  not  to  put  on  two  under  garments.  This 
is  merely  a  stronger  expression.  But  it  may  be  re- 
garded as  intended  by  way  of  explanation,  that  in  that 
Gospel  the  messengers  of  Christ  are  directed  to  take 
a  staff,  and  to  be  shod  with  sandals.  This  staff  of 
which  Mark  speaks,  is  not  to  be  understood  as  in  op- 
position to  several  staves  (hence,  perhaps,  the  read- 
ing pd^Sovs,  in  several  Codd.),  but  to  a  larger  outfit 
for  the  journey.  Hence  the  two  accounts  substantial- 
ly agree.  They  were  not  to  concern  tlicmselves  about 
the  staff,  far  less  to  make  a  profit  of  it  by  their  of- 
fice. 

For  the  workman  is  worthy  of  his  meat 
[living]. — This  serves  as  key  to  the  preceding  pas- 
sage. Their  maintenance  and  tlicir  office  were  not  to 
be  severed.  They  were  to  trust  to  their  office  for 
their  maintenance,  and  tlieir  maintenance  was  to  be 
exclusively  for  their  office  (1  Cor.  ix.  14 ;  Gal.  vi.  6). 
Olshausen  rightly  calls  attention  to  the  difference  of 
times  expressed  in  Luke  xxii.  35.  Among  those  who 
were  prepared  to  receive  the  gospel,  they  required 
no  provision  for  the  future ;  not  so  among  enemies, 
although  in  that  case  also  anxious  care  was  to  be 
banished  {see  ver.  19).     The  laborer  is  d  |  j  o  y ,  wor- 


186 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


thy, — indicating  liis  personal  value,  of  which  he  should 
be  conscious  with  dignity,  i.  e.,  with  humility  and 
confidence. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

The  instructions  which  the  Lord  gave  to  His  am- 
bassadors, were,  in  the  first  place,  intended  for  their 
first  mission.  Hut  the  terms  arc  so  pregnant,  the  di- 
rections so  deep  in  their  bearing,  and  so  general  in 
their  application,  that  they  may  be  taken  as  the  type 
of  all  the  commissions  given  by  Christ  to  His  ser- 
vants. This  remark  applies,  first,  to  the  aim  of  their 
mission,  viz.,  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel ; 
i.  e.,  in  the  first  place,  always  to  those  who  are 
most  willing  and  prepared  to  receive  the  truth,  as 
well  as  to  the  mod  needy.  Next,  as  to  the  negative 
direction  about  their  way,  we  gather  that  we  are  not 
to  reverse  the  Divine  order  and  arrangement  in  preach- 
ing the  gospel, — a  rule  which  Paul  invariably  fol- 
lowed. Acts  xvi.  6,  9.  Then,  as  to  their  commission. 
They  are,  (a)  to  preach  :  to  announce  that  the  kmg- 
dom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.  (6)  To  confirm  their  word, 
— 1.  by  quickening.^ — healing  the  sick,  and  even  rais- 
ing the  dead ;  2.  by  purifying, — cleanse  the  lepers, 
cast  out  devils.  The  servants  of  Christ  must  always 
aim  after  these  two  effects  in  their  activity. — Lastly, 
as  to  tlieir  reward.  Freely  they  receive,  freely  they 
give.  And  yet  there  is  no  need  for  care,  since  the 
laborer  is  worthy  of  support.  The  preaching  of  the 
gospel  must  never  be  degraded  into  an  ordinary 
worldly  employment ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  should 
the  evangehst  be  afraid  or  ashamed  to  accept  of  suf- 
ficient support  from  those  to  whom  he  preaches,  and 
that  according  to  their  own  mode  of  living.  We  are 
unfit  for  building  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  of 
self-sacrificing  love,  if  we  approach  the  work  in  a 
apuit  of  coveiousness  or  of  anxious  care,  distrusting 
the  suppUes  of  the  Church.  That  this  freedom  from 
care  does  not  exclude  necessary  provision,  as  indicat- 
ed by  our  circumstances  and  by  those  of  the  persons 
around  us,  nor  the  careful  preservation  of  such  pro- 
vision, appears  from  the  history  of  the  miraculous 
feeding  of  the  multitude.  In  botli  these  instances 
there  was  a  small  provision,  and  a  larger  one  was 
preserved.  Gerlaeh  mentions  the  cloak  of  Paul  as  a 
case  in  point,  2  Tim.  iv.  13.  But  this  last  circum- 
stance also  shows  how  free  from  all  outward  care  the 
Apostles  had  been. 


HOMILETIOAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Christ  sending  forth  His  messengers  :  1.  The  mes- 
sengers ;  2.  the  akn ;  8.  the  way ;  4.  the  message ; 


5.  the  price  (freely,  in  the  love  of  Christ)  ;  6.  the 
provision  and  the  supp.ort. — The  mission  of  the  twelve 
Apostles,  in  its  continuance  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
— Fulfihnent  of  the  prediction,  "  How  beautiful  upon 
the  mountains  ! "  etc.,  Isa.  lii.  1. — How  Divine  wis- 
dom orders  the  way  of  Divine  love:  1.  As  need  in- 
creases, help  enlarges ;  2.  ihrough  limitation  to  uni- 
versality ;  3.  from  those  who  are  most  susceptible,  to 
those  who  are  less  susceptible ;  4.  through  the  quick- 
ening of  the  people  of  God,  to  that  of  the  world. — 
True  and  false  separatism,  as  distijiguished  from  true 
and  false  universrdism,  in  the  spread  of  the  faith. — Mis- 
sionary zeal  nmst  accommodate  itself  to  riglit  order, 
and  move  in  the  right  direction. — How  does"  the  Lord 
indicate  the  manner  in  which  to  carry  on  His  work  V 

1.  By  His  word  ;  2.  by  the  history  of  His  kingdom ; 
3.  by  His  spirit. — The  eternal  obligation  to  carry  the 
gospel  to  the  Jews,  as  deiived  from  the  injunction  to 
go  to  the  lost  .sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel. — Symbol- 
ical meaning  of  the  injunction :  1.  To  go  to  the  lost ; 

2.  to  the  lost  sheep  ;  3.  to  those  on  whom  the  hope 
of  the  Church  rests. — The  message  of  salvation:  1. 
An  announcement  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by  the 
word  ;  2.  an  exhibition  of  the  word  of  God  by  deeds. 
— How  the  ambassadors  of  the  Church  must  prove 
their  Divine  mission  :  1.  By  healing  the  sick,  not  by 
torturing  the  whole ;  2.  by  raising  the  dead,  not  by 
killing  the  living ;  S.  by  cleansing  the  lepers  (here- 
tics), not  by  representing  as  heretics  those  who  are 
pure ;  4.  by  casting  out  devils,  not  by  setting  them 
free. — Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give  :  the  fun- 
damental principle  for  the  spread  of  the  kingdom  of 
God. — Freedom  from  care  of  the  rciessengers  of  Je- 
sus.— The  pilgrims  lightly  attired,  carrying  in  their 
hearts  the  treasures  of  heaven  :  1.  Outwardly,  unbur- 
dened ;  2.  inwardlj',  laden  with  the  greatest  riches. 
— The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire ;  or,  th.osc  who 
publish  the  gospel  should  live  by  the  gospel. 

Starke: — The  kingdom  of  Christ  is  not  earthly, 
nor  of  this  world,  but  consists  of  heavenly  and  spirit- 
ual treasures. — The  ofBee  of  the  ministry  is  not  a 
trade. —  Quesnel : — What  it  is  to  have  neither  gold 
nor  silver  in  our  scrips,  but  to  have  them  in  our 
hearts. — A  tnie  minister  of  the  gospel  is  not  hinder- 
ed by  anything  in  his  mission,  but  is  ever  ready 
to  go. — Duty  of  the  Church  to  maintain  its  minis- 
ters. 

Gcrlach  : — Disinterestedness  one  of  the  great 
characteristics  of  the  servants  of  Christ. — The  grape 
of  God  is  free,  even  though  it  be  communicated  by 
the  instrumentality  of  man. 

Hevhner  : — Go  not  whither  inclination  carries, 
but  whither  God  sends  you. — The  greed  of  Gehazi 
punished. — Ministers  must  not  seek  their  own  ease  or 
advancement. 


3.  Special  Direction  of  the  Apostles  to  pioics  households.     Reception  and  Rejection.     Ch.  X.  11-15. 

11  And  into  whatsoever  city  or  town  ye  shall  enter,  inquire  who  in  it  is  worthy;  and 

12  there  abide  till  ye  go  thence.     And  when  ye  come  into  a  [the,  r-qv]  house,  salute  it. 

13  And  if  the  house  be  worthy,  let  your  peace  come  upon  it:  but  if  it  be  not  worthy,  let 

14  your  peace  return  to  you.     And  whosoever  shall  not  receive  you,  nor  hear  your  words, 

15  when  ye  depart  out  of  that  house  or  city,  shake  off  the  dust  of  your  feet.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  It  sliall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  than  for  that  city. 


CHAP.  X.  11-16. 


187 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  11.  Inquire  who  in  it  is  worthy. — A 

still  further  limitation.  Tiiey  were  to  go  to  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  and  to  inquire  who 
among  them  were  worthy,  i.  e.,  susceptible,  or  pious 
Israelites.  This  question  could  only  be  answered  ac- 
cording to  objective  marks,  as  the  Searcher  of  hearts 
alone  knew  their  state  and  disposition. 

And  there  abide. —  Continuance  in  a  place,  the 
formation  of  a  centre,  so  to  speak,  in  opposition  to 
transient)  and  broken  activity. 

Ver.  12.  And  when  ye  come  into  the  hoxise 
— i.  e.,  the  house  of  him  who  is  worthy  (Meyer) — sa- 
lute it. — The  common  Eastern  salutation  had  in  this 
instance  a  twofold  meaning; — 1.  being  an  offer  of 
spiritual  fellowship  in  the  peace  which  they  bring  to 
the  worthy  ;  2.  being  addressed  to  the  whole  house- 
hold, for  the  sake  of  the  worthy  person  who  was  at 
the  head  of  it.  ♦ 

And  if  the  houss  be  worthy. — Not  of  your 
salutation  (Fritzsche),  but  of  your  abiding  (Meyer). 
— Let  your  peace  come  upon  it. — The  Lord  Him- 
self ratifies  by  His  peace,  their  salutation  of  peace. 
— Let  your  peace  return  to  you ; — i.  e.,  it  shall 
be  taken  from  that  household,  and  returned  to  you. 
That  household  itself  shall  become  poorer,  but  the 
disciples  shall  be  all  the  richer  and  more  joyous.  But 
the  expression  also  indicates  that  no  further  fellow- 
ship should  be  held  with  such  households,  Isa.lv.  11. 

Ver.  14.  And  whosoever. — The  word,  whoso- 
ever, refers  to  persons  who  were  worthy,  as  being  the 
representatives  of  worthy  households  and  towns. 
The  meaning,  however,  is  not,  that  on  the  first  fail- 
ure they  were  to  avoid  a  house  or  a  town,  but,  that 
if  they  were  personally  not  received,  they  should 
leave  first  the  household,  and  then  the  town.  Of 
course,  even  the  first  failure  would  appear  ominous, 
as  the  disciples  had  previously  made  the  necessary 
inqiuries.  "  To  shake  off  the  dust  of  the  feef, — a  sign 
of  contempt,  as  in  the  case  of  the  heathen.  The  Jews 
taught,  pidverem  terrw  elhnicce  ex  contactu  inqvinare. 
Lightfoot, /Zbror,  331.  Mislma,  Surenhusius  vi.  Wet- 
stein,  comp.  Acts  xiii.  21."  Meyer.  But  the  action 
must  be  regarded  rather  as  symbolical  of  complete 
cessation  of  all  fellowship,  of  renunciation  of  all  in- 
fluence, and  hence  as  an  announcement  of  impending 
judgment,  but  not  as  a  mark  of  contempt.  The  ex- 
planations of  de  Wette — "  have  nothing  to  do  with 
them,"  and  of  Ewald — "  calmly,  as  if  nothing  had 
happened,"  fall  far  short  of  the  import  of  the  pas- 
sage. 

Ver.  15.  The  land  of  Sodom  \ — i.  e.,  the  m- 
habitants  of  those  doomed  cities.  The  higher  the 
spiritual  offer  rejected,  the  greater  their  sin.  In  So- 
dom, only  the  weak  testimony  of  Lot  had  been  heard  ; 
but  to  reject  the  Evangehsts,  marked  the  climax  of 
guilt  (Matt.  xi.  20  ;  Luke  xii.  47). — UnbeUef  is  a  sec- 
ond fall  (John  iii.  36). 


DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  These  directions  of  the  Lord  imply  a  telling 
argument  against  extreme  individualism,  and  for  the 
extension  of  the  gospel  blessings  over  whole  house- 
holds. The  Lord  sends  His  disciples  to  worthy  heads 
of  families,  and,  through  them,  to  their  whole  house- 
holds. On  account  of  the  worthiness  of  the  head  of 
the  family,  the  whole  household  is  generally  received 
into  spiritual  fellowship.     And  although  there  may 


be  divisions  in  the  house  with  reference  to  Christ, 
ver.  35,  even  these  prove  that,  in  itself  and  in  its  na- 
ture^  the  family  must  be  regarded  as  a  spiritual  unit. 
Nowhere  do  we  meet  in  such  cases  with  a  distinction 
of  believing  and  indifferent  persons,  but  only  with 
that  of  beUeving  and  unbelieving ;  it  is  not  majors  or 
minors,  but  friends  or  foes  of  Jesus.  The  latter  break 
up  the  natural  unity  and  fellowshij)  of  the  family. 
Thus  the  proto-evangel  was  destined  for  the  house  of 
Adam  ;  the  ark  contained  the  household  of  Noah  (al- 
though Ham  formed  one  of  them) ;  the  promise  was 
to  Abraham  and  his  household ;  and  circumcision 
was  the  bond  of  unity  for  the  house  of  Israel.  Simi- 
larly, the  Apostles  planted  the  Church  in  believing 
families  (Acts  x. ;  xvi. ;  1  Cor.  i.  16).  The  question, 
whether  in  every  case  children  were  baptized  or  not, 
is  comparatively  of  little  importance.  The  Anabap- 
tist principle  overlooks  the  Divine  institution  of  the 
fandlij,  aud  its  import  in  the  Church,  the  interchange 
between  spiritual  and  natural  communion,  and  the 
idea  of  extended  personality,  the  germ  of  the  Church, 
which  every  apostolic  household  formed  (1  Cor.  vii. 
14). 

2.  First  rule  :  To  inquire  for  those  who  are  wor- 
thy (not  to  go  by  haphazard).  Second  rule  :  To 
salute  a  worthy  household — to  receive  them  into  the 
fellowship  of  evangelical  peace.  Promise  ;  comfort. 
Third  rule :  To  break  off  fellowship,  and  to  announce 
judgment,  in  case  they  were  not  received.  Yet  not 
rashly.  It  is  said,  "Whosoever  shall  not  receive 
you  "  (i.  <?.,  decided  rejection),  "  nor  hear  your  words  " 
(where  this  also  is  decided),  then  only,  etc. — Hence, 
either  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  or  that  of  fire  [of 
judgment].     One  of  the  two  must  come. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

First  object  of  interest  to  the  messengers  of  Christ 
when  entering  a  city  or  town. — Apostolical  inquiry 
for  the  best  lodgings. — We  may  learn  even  from  un- 
believers who  are  the  pious. — Who  is  worthy  of 
Christ's  message  of  peace  ? — How  Christ  has  convert- 
ed the  common  salutation  into  an  evangelical  mes- 
sage of  peace. — "  There  abide  till  ye  go  thence." — 
The  disciples  sent  to  the  family. — To  salute  the 
house,  means  to  receive  it  into  fellowship. — The  salu- 
tation of  the  disciples  is  the  blessing  of  the  Master. — 
The  gracious  house.  — Your  peace  shall  return  to  you  : 
1.  Unbelievers  will  not  keep  it;  2.  it  will  be  added 
to  the  beheving  messengers :  they  shall  not  be  cast 
down,  but  encouraged. — To  shake  off  the  dust  of  the 
feet,  as  the  expression  of  solemn  separation:  1.  An 
expression  of  calmness,  of  freedom,  and  of  purity  ;  2. 
of  being  innocent  of  the  judgment  which  shall  befall 
the  unbelievers ;  3.  of  the  cessation  of  fellowship  ;  4. 
the  last  sermon,  a  threatenmg  of  judgment. — The  re- 
jection of  the  gospel :  the  judgment. — Solemn  im- 
port of  hours  and  days  of  grace. — Different  degrees 
of  guilt  and  of  judgment. 

Starke  : — Qucsncl :  Ministers  should  love  to  take 
up  their  abode  with  pious  people. — Majus :  The 
treasures  of  the  go.spcl  must  not  be  forced  upon  peo- 
ple.—  Osiander  :  Contempt  of  the  gospel  destroys 
realms  and  countries,  and  plunges  them  into  ever- 
lasting misery. 

Lisco  : — They  were  to  remain  satisfied  with  the 
house  in  which  they  were,  and  not  to  leave  it  merely 
for  the  sake  of  more  ease  and  comfort  in  another. — 
They  were  not  to  intrude  themselves. 

Gerlach  : — Your  peace  will  return  to  you :  a  com- 


188 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


fort  for  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard. — Dust  off  the 
feet.  Luther:  Ye  shall  take  nothing  at  all  from 
them,  that  they  may  know  that  you  had  sought  not 
your  own  advantage,  but  their  salvation. 

Heubner  : — God  has  His  children  in  every  place. 


— We  must  seek  them  out. — Pious  people  soon  find 
out  each  otlier. — Ministers  must  appeal  to  the  sym- 
pathies of  those  who  are  susceptible. — Christ  regards 
the  rejection  of  His  disciples  as  that  of  His  own  word 
and  person. 


4.   Trials  waiting  the  Messengers  of  Jesus.     ^'' Among  wolves.''''     Cn.  X.  16-18. 

16  Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves  :  be  ye  therefore  wise  as 

17  serpents,  and  harmless  [simple]'  as  doves.  But  beware  of  men:  for  they  will  deliver 
you  up  to  the  councils  [o-wsSpio,  »jomiwaHribunals],  and  they  will  scourge  you  in  their 

18  synagogues  [as  supposed  heretics] :  And  ye  shall  be  brought  before  governors  and  kmgs 
[secular  tribunals]  ^  for  my  sake,  for  a  testimony  [jaaprvpiov]  against  [to]  them  and  the 
Gentiles  [aurots  kol  tois  e^recriv]. 

'  Ver.  16.— ['A/c/paioi,  etym.  (from  KSfiavvvfii  and  a  privativnin)  unmixed,  simple,  pure.  So  Meyer  after  the  Etyni. 
Mag.:  0  yUT)  KeKpa/xevos  KaKols,  oAA'  ottAoDs  Kal  a-iToiKi\os.  Comp.  Eom.  xvi.  19;  Phil.  ii.  15.  Lange:  ohne  Falsch, 
and  in  parenthesis,  arglos,  rein.  Bengel,  however,  in  loc,  explains  aKfpawi,  "  «iree  comu,  ungula,  dente,  aculeo :  innoxii 
active,  atque  adco  etiam  passive." — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  18.— [The  proper  order  after  the  Greek,  as  observed  in  Lange's  German  version,  would  require  this  change: 
"Bat  also  before  governors  and  kings  shall  ye  be  brought,"  kou  iii\  Tq-yiixovas  5e  /cat  ^ao-iAeis  ax^i\(re<T^s.-7.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AKD  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1 6.  Behold,  I  send  you  forth. — We  note  the 
gradation  by  which  Christ  prepares  His  disciples  for 
persecution.  1.  They  were  not  to  expect  enrichment, 
but  to  obtain  subsistence ;  2.  they  were  to  expect  re- 
jection ;  they  were  to  anticipate  that  even  terrible 
persecutions  would  befall  them.  This,  however,  only 
after  He  had  annoimced  the  judgment  impending  over 
unbelievers.  "  Behold,  I  send  you."  The  Lord  rap- 
idly passes  to  the  painful  experience  awaiting  them. 
"  The  emphasis  rests  on  iydu :  I  am  He  who  sends 
you  into  such  dangerous  circumstances."  Meyer. 
But  the  expression  also  impUes  the  gracious  protec- 
tion which  would  attend  them  (Theophylact,  Beza, 
Bengel). 

in  the  midst  of  wolves :  iv  nia-co,  not  e  t  r , 
into,  etc.* — The  disciples  are  not  sent  to  the  wolves 
as  such,  but  in  the  midst  of  wolves,  in  order  to  seek 
out  those  who  would  receive  the  kingdom.  The  meek- 
est and  most  defenceless  messengers  of  peace  are 
commissioned  to  execute  their  work  among  the  most 
furious,  powerful,  and,  as  it  would  appear  to  man, 
unconquerable  opponents  of  the  truth.  Even  at  this 
early  stage,  Christ  opens  to  their  view  the  sufferings 
which  awaited  them  as  Apostles,  that  so  they  might 
courageously,  and  yet  carefully,  go  forth  into  the 
world.  Sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves  are  to  all  hu- 
man appearance  wholly  lost ; — what,  then,  were  they 
to  do  ?  The  wolves  here  signify  not  only  cunning, 
but  also  malignant  disposition  and  hatred  of  truth  and 
of  Christ ;  for  it  is  the  favorite  chase  of  wolves  to 
break  into  a  herd  of  sheep.  But  here  the  old  story 
is  reversed  :  a  few  sheep  invade  the  territory  of 
wolves. 

In  the  midst  of  these  wolves,  the  sJceep  were,  so  to 

*  [So  also  Bengel,  Gnomon  in  loc.  :  "eV/^eVa",  in  me- 
dio :  non  in  medium..  Tam  estis  inter  Inpos."  Maldonatii?, 
on  the  contrary,  confounds  the  two  prepositions  here:  "/7i 
tnedium,  iv  pro  ejr,  sicut  Hebraice  2  pro  ?N  ,  -"i^-  . 
—P.  S.] 


speak,  to  become  transformed  into  serpents  and  doves  ; 
i.  e.,  to  deport  themselves  with  the  wisdom  of  ser- 
pents, and  the  simplicity  or  harmlessness  of  doves. 
In  virtue  of  the  former  quality,  they  would  be  able 
to  avoid  persecution  without  incurring  guilt ;  in  vir- 
tue of  the  latter,  to  encounter  persecution  without 
compromising  their  principles.  These  qualities  are 
opposed  to  each  other ;  they  never  occur  combined 
in  nature,  nor  in  the  natural  disposition  of  man.  But 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  combines  in  higher  unity  these 
natural  antagonisms.  The  serpent  slips  innumerable 
times  from  the  hand  of  the  pursuer,  and  the  dove  does 
not  settle  in  any  unclean  place, — it  approaches  him 
who  is  gentle,  and  will  never  do  harm  to  the  persecu- 
tor ;  its  safety  lies  m  flj-ing  upward.  Lastly,  the  dove 
is  a  symbol  of  the  soul  rising  in  prayer  and  faith, 
and  ultimately  rising  above  death  and  the  grave.* 

Ver.  17.  But  beware  of  men. — In  order  to  oc- 
cupy a  right  position  with  reference  to  persecutors, 
you  must  beware  of  men  general!}',  whose  weakness 
frequently  degenerates  into  treachery. — The  coun- 
cils, or  Sanhedrim,  were  the  spiritual  judicatories 
connected  with  the  synagogues  of  the  country,  where 
the  sentence  of  scourging  pronounced  upon  heretics 
was  executed.  (Comp.  Winer  [and  W.  Smith],  sub 
Synagogue.^.) 

Yer.  18.  But  also  before  governors  and 
kings. — A  gradation.  They  are  to  be  brought  not 
only  before  spiritual,  but  also  before  secular  judges, 
as  if  they  were  common  criminals.  The  7]yi/j.uvesy 
governors,  were  the  provincial  authorities,  consisting 
of  the  Proprsetors,  the  Proconsuls,  and  the  Procura- 
tors. The  term  kings  embraces  the  rulers  of  Pales- 
tine, of  other  countries,  and  of  the  Roman  Empire. 
In  short,  tlie  passage  applies  to  all  civil  magistrates 
and  rulers. 

For  a  testimony. — These  trials  wdU  result  in  a 

*  [Wordsworth,  quoting  from  Hilary  and  Jerome:  "It  is 
eaid  that  tbe  serpent  shows  his  wisdom  in  guarding  his  head, 
whatever  other  part  of  his  body  is  struck.  So  let  us  be 
ready  to  sacrifice  anything  but  our  faith;  or,  let  us  guard 
our  head.  Christ."  The  innocence  of  the  dove,  says  Jerome, 
is  shown  in  likeness  to  the  Holy  Ghost. — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  X.  19.  20. 


189 


testimony  of  tlie  Lord,  their  martyrdom  being  the 
highest  spiritual  coniirmation  of  the  Gospel  both  to 
the  Jews  and  to  the  Gentiles.  Such  was  the  final  ob- 
ject of  these  persecutions,  applying,  as  Meyer  right- 
ly suggests,  to  their  testimony  both  before  secular  and 
spiritual  judges.  We  also  agree  with  Him  in  referring 
the  word  avrols  to  the  Jews,  and  not  the  govern- 
ors and  kings,  who  were  themselves  the  Gentiles.  Ac- 
cordingly, we  have  the  following  succession — first,  mar- 
tyrdom to  the  Jews,  then  to  the  Gentiles.  The  Jews 
are  here  the  representatives  of  all  the  later  sufferings 
of  the  Christians,  as,  indeed,  the  Judaizing  spirit  in 
the  Middle  Ages  was  the  real  cause  of  the  persecu- 
tions of  believers  during  that  period.  Meyer  rejects 
the  explanation  ti's  i\eyxoi'  avTwv,  proposed  byChry- 
sostom.  But  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  tAeyx"' 
is  the  effect  of  the  txaprvpiov, — to  the  one,  to  repent- 
ance ;  and  to  the  others,  who  hardened  themselves, 
to  judgment. 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  Lord  here  sets  before  us  the  essential 
characteristics  of  true  martyrdom,  by  which  we  may 
judge  every  martyrdom  which  has  taken  place.  One 
inference  at  least  is  plain,  viz.,  that  martyrdom  can- 
not be  avoided  by  any  exercise  of  wisdom  or  caution. 
Such,  then,  is  the  certain  prospect  opened  to  faithful 
witnesses.  But  the  object  of  their  sufferings  is  cor- 
respondingly glorious.  Their  martyrdom  was  to  serve 
to  Jews  and  Gentiles  as  the  final  confirmation  of  the 
gospel,  and  hence  to  manifest  its  highest  effects. 

2.  The  Sanhedrims,  or  spiritual  tribunals,  wheth- 
er compost  d  of  great  or  of  small  hierarchs,  have  al- 
ways been  in  the  van  in  the  persecution  of  evangel- 
ists. (The  theologians  of  Jena,  in  1561,  were  wont 
to  say  of  the  Lutheran  consistories,  that  in  Rome 
there  was  only  one  Pope,  but  in  Weimar,  nine !) 
Then  come  the  synagogues,  or  the  historical  religious 
associations.  At  last,  the  act  of  real  treason  ensues, 
when  spiritual  matters  are  handed  over  to  secular 
judges  (according  to  the  hypocritical  principle :  ec- 
clesia  nori  s'dit  sanguinem),  and  governors  and  kings, 
incited  by  a  furious  rabble,  become  persecutors  of 
the  truth.  What  then  ?  Beware  of  men :  of  men 
in  their  inhuman  human  passions. 


3.  What  Christ  here  predicted  to  His  disciples 
(including  Judas),  He  Himself  first  experienced. 

4.  A  life-picture  of  fanaticism  in  the  people.  Ver. 
21  follows  a  life-picture  of  fanaticism  in  the  fam- 
ily. 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Christ  sends  His  witnesses  as  sheep  in  the  midst 
of  wolves:  1.  Apparent  hopelessness  of  the  mission 
(sheep,  wolves) ;  2.  the  miraculous  deliverance  (like 
serpents,  like  doves). — How  the  councils  of  the  Jews 
and  the  scourging  in  the  synagogues  were  re-enacted 
in  the  Middle  Ages  (the  Inquisition,  torture,  Cru- 
sades).— Martyrdom,  as  predicted  by  the  Lord  :  1. 
Its  development;  2.  its  certainty;  3.  its  glorious 
aim. — The  contrast  between  martyrdom  and  fanati- 
cism.— All  fanaticism  is  unchristian,  and  becomes  at 
last  antichristian,  even  where  it  professes  to  defend 
the  cause  of  Christ. 

Starke  : — The  cross,  not  outward  prosperity,  the 
sign  of  the  true  Church. —  Gerhard  :  Sit  serpentinus 
oculus  in  corde  columbino. — Even  to  this  day,  the 
witnesses  of  Christ  are  charged  with  sedition  and 
heresy. — Qucsnel :  A  minister  must  not  be  afraid  to 
tell  the  truth  even  to  kings.* — What  comfort  in  per- 
secutions, that  we  suffer  for  Christ's  sake ! 

Gossner : — Patience  under  persecution  for  Christ's 
sake  is  the  greatest  mark  of  true  discipleship,  great- 
er even  than  miracles.  It  is  itself  the  greatest  mir- 
acle. The  devil  may  imitate  miracles,  but  he  cannot 
inspire  patience. 

Heubner  : — In  a  certain  sense,  this  applies  to  all 
Christians  :  they  are  in  this  world  as  sheep  in  the 
midst  of  wolves. — The  people  of  God  ever  cherish 
kindly,  trustful,  and  affectionate  feelings;  but  are 
met  on  every  side  by  mahce. — Christians  who  are 
innocently  condemned  by  worldly  tribunals,  may  feel 
themselves  infinitely  superior  to  them  :  time  shall  be, 
when  they  will  be  the  judges  of  their  accusers. — God 
often  so  disposes  it,  that  preachers  of  righteousness, 
who  otherwise  would  not  have  access  to  princes,  should 
be  brought  before  them  in  bonds. 

*  [Quesnel  adds  what  Starke  and  Lange  omit:  "but with 
abundance  of  prudence  (with  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent^. 
He  who  flatters  them,  makes  himself  au  accomplice  of  their 
sins."— P.  S.l 


5.  Care  about  their  Defence.     Ch.  X.  19,  20. 

19  But  when  they  deliver  you  up,  Make  no  [anxious]  ^  thought  how  or  what  ye  shall 
speak :  for  ^  it  shall  be  given  you  in  that  same  hour  [in  that  hour]  what  ye  shall  speak. 

20  For  it  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father  which  speaketh  in  you. 


1  Ver.  19.— [Dr.  Lange  reads  with  Codd.  B.,  E.,  Sinait.,  etc.,  and  Lachmann  irapad  Cia  iv ,  tradiderint,  instead  of 
7rapo5i5ai(n»',  tradent.—V.  S.] 

2  Ver.  19.— [Mrj  ixipifxvhff-nTi.  Comp.  the  exegetical  note  on  chap.  vi.  25,  p.  133,  and  the  remark  of  Maldonatus  In 
loc. :  " Non  omnem prcecedentejn  medUationem  vetat;  sed  earn  qum  diffidentiam  divince  provide7iiim  et  apis  habeat, 
quceque  nimio  metu  ac  soUicitudine  liberam  Evangelii  prcBdicationem  impediaV  Benoel:  ^  Una,non  cxirandi, 
cura  Kit.    No7i  omnis  prcBparatio  ex  eo  nobis proMbetur.    1  Tim.  iv.  15;  coll.  Luc.  xxi.  14;  1  Cor.  xiv.  26." — P.  S.l 

3  Ver.  19. — Some  Codd.,  D.,  L.,  al.,  omit  the  words  ft-om  SodriaiTai  to  Ka\TjaeTf,  probably  misled  by  the  similarity 
of  sound  with  the  preceding. 

I  the  latter  would  have  been  first  mentioned  ;  but,  in 

EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL.  planning  an  address,  the  first  care  is  always  about 

Ver.  19.  How  or  what. — The  form  and  the  sub-     the  form.     [Bengel  :  "Ubi  rh  quid  ohtigit,  rh  quo- 

stance;  iri  j  ?)  ri. — We  might  have  expected  that  '  modo  non  deest,  ..  .  .  Spiritus  non  loquitur  sine  ver- 


190 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


bis.     Ddbo  vobis  os  et  mpientiam,  TiUC.  xxi.  15." — 
P.  S.] 

Ver.  20.  [It  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the 
Spirit  of  your  Father,  etc. — An  indirect  argu- 
ment for  the  inspiration  of  the  apostolic  writings. 
For  if  the  Holy  Spirit  suggested  their  oral  testimony 
of  Christ,  He  tilled  them  still  more  in  the  act  of  writ- 
ing, since  books  are  permanent,  and  can  be  read  'by 
all.  Comp.  John  xv.  26,  27.— Your  Father.— It 
is  remarkable  that  our  Lord  never  says  our  Father, 
except  in  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which  He  tauglit  His 
disciplen,  but  Mi/  Father,  or  2/our  Father ;  for  He  is 
the  eternal  and  only  begotten  Son  of  the  Father,  we 
are  children  by  adoption  through  faith  in  Him. — 
P.  S.] 

DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  In  captivity,  a  person  would  naturally  feel  anx- 
ious how  to  defend  himself,  especially  if  he  were  to 
appear  before  the  gi-eat,  the  learned,  or  the  powerful 
of  this  world.  The  desire  to  speak  well  would  be  all 
the  stronger,  that  they  were  deeply  conscious  of  their 
innocence,  and  hence  felt  no  concern  on  that  point. 
But  Christ  knew  better  than  any  other  how  studied 
eloquence  restrains  and  obstructs,  perhaps  even  sup- 
presses, the  warm  outgushings  of  the  heart;  how 
anxiety  to  hit  upon  the  right  word  may  suppress  tlie 
faith  from  which  alone  that  right  word  can  flow ;  and 
how  deep  spiritual  life  quickens  and  calls  into  being 
appropriate  exercises  of  the  mind,  so  that,  in  every 
situation  of  life,  we  shall  find  both  the  right  thought 
and  the  right  word.  Compare  the  speech  of  Paul 
against  Tertullus  in  Acts  xxiv. 

2.  It  shall  be  given  you.  This  is  further  explain- 
ed by,  "/or  if  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of 
your  Fathery  The  contrast  is  absolute,  and  so  is 
the  doctrine  of  inspiration  which  results  from  it.  All 
personal  anxiety  must  disappear  in  the  anticipation 
of  the  Spirit  of  the  Father,  who  overrules  all  the 
events  of  life,  and  can  not  only  fill  His  people  with 
joy  and  peace,  but  elevate  them  to  moral  heroism. 
But  when  we  say  that  all  self  and  self-seeking  are 
completely  to  cease,  we  do  not  mean  that  our  intellec- 
tual faculties  are  to  be  overpowered  and  bound  by  a 
foreign  influence  (as  in  Montanism),  but  only  that 
they  are  to  be  set  free  from  all  lower  motives,  and  to 
be  spiritually  raised  and  quickened.  Hence  the  in- 
spiration promised  will  be  of  a  moral  rather  than  of 
a  psychical  character.  For  the  removal  of  all  self- 
ishness and  self-seeking  implies,  at  the  same  time, 


the  full  development  of  the  deepest  spiritual  motives 
and  views.  The  Lord  presents  these  future  eventa 
as  immediately  impending,  because  the  conduct  of 
the  disciples,  when  imi)risoned,  depends  on  their  gen- 
eral relationship  to  the  Father,  which  had  already 
commenced  at  that  time.  Comp.  Calvin's  reply  to  the 
confessors  of  the  gospel  imprisoned  at  Paris,  in  Hen- 
ry's Calvin,  i.  4G7. 

3.  The  inference  of  the  inspiration  of  Scripture, 
derived  from  this  and  similar  passages,  is  quite  legit- 
imate. Only,  that  the  great  point  in  inspiration  is  the 
Ti,  to  which  the  iris  is  quite  subordinate.  Hence,  in 
the  promise  given,  we  read  only  of  the  ti,  not  of  the 
TTois.  Similarly,  the  promise  is  simply  Sodriaerai  ti 
AaArja^jf,  not   \a\.^(j7]Te. 

HOMILETICAL  AND   PEACTICAL. 

The  prohibition  of  carefulness  about  answering 
before  councils,  in  its  relation  to  the  general  prohibi- 
tion of  carefulness,  Matt.  vi.  34.— Carefulness  may  re- 
appear, even  in  the  Christian  life,  in  the  guise  of 
piety,  or  in  that  of  official  zeal. — Take  no  thought  for 
the  how  and  the  what,  and  the  what  shall  supply  the 
how. — Carefulness  about  rhetorical  ornaments,*  in 
its  dangers  :  1.  It  springs  from  anxiety,  and  restraim 
the  spiritual  life ;  2.  it  manifests  itself  by  excitement 
and  excess,  and  adulterates  the  spiritual  life ;  3.  it 
leads  to  weariness  or  self-seeking,  and  destroys  the 
spiritual  life. — The  puttmg  aside  of  every  false  prep- 
aration, as  giving  place  to  true  preparation :  prayer, 
meditation,  and  inward  conflict  {oratio,  meditatio,  ten- 
tatio).  For  it  is  not  you,  etc.  1.  An  instruction  as 
to  the  inspiration  of  the  word  by  the  Spirit  of  God ; 
2.  an  admonition  not  to  put  in  our  own  word ;  3.  a 
promise  that  the  Lord  will  speak  by  us. — When  the 
orator  has  wholly  disappeared,  the  True  Orator  shall 
appear. 

-  Ileubner  : — Consciousness  of  innocence,  and  of 
the  goodness  of  the  cause  in  which  we  are  engaged, 
is  the  best  defence. — A  Christian  will  leave  his  de- 
fence to  God. — A  Christian  must  not  shape  his  own 
course,  but  leave  himself  to  the  guidance  of  God  ; 
there  should  always  be  quietness  and  Sabbath-rest  in 
his  soul. — The  Holy  Ghost  the  Comforter  of  the  sim- 
ple.— Proper  sermons  are  they  v/hich  are  given  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  not  those  which  are  artificially  con- 
structed. 

*  [In  German :  Gcistliche  Schonrednerei,  for  which  I 
know  no  English  equivalent.— P.  S.] 


6.  Severity  of  the  impending  Persecution,  to  the  extent  of  breaking  the  bonds  of  Natural  Relationship.     Great- 
ness of  the  Persecution,  its  measure,  and  glorious  end.     Ch.  X  21,  22. 

21  And  the  brother  shall  deliver  up  the  brother  to  death,  and  the   father  the   child:* 
and  the  children  shall  rise  up  against  their  parents,'  and  cause  them  to  be  put  to  death. 

22  And  ye  shall  be  hated  of  [by]  all  men  ^  for  my  name's  sake :  but  he  that  endureth  to 
the  end  shall  be  saved. 


1  Ver.  21.— [Dr.  Conant  omits  the  art.  as  in  Greek,  and  renders:  "■And  brother  will  (for  ihnll)  deliver  vp  brother  to 
death,  andfalher  chUdr  But  the  latter  clause  shows  that  it  will  not  do  in  English.  The  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union 
has  restored  the  article  before  every  noun.    Lanp:e  also  gives  the  art. — P.  8.] 

2  Ver.  '21. —[Here  where  the  plural  is  used,  it  is  better  to  omit  the  art. :  children  will  rise  tqi  agaimt  parents, 
TfKva  inl  -ywi's.    So  Conant,  N.  T.  of  the  A.  B.  U.,  Lange  {Kinder  gegen  Eltern).—P.  S.] 

»  Ver.  22.— [Tho  interpolated  men  of  the  C.  V.  is  quite  unnecessary.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  X.  23. 


191 


EXEGETICA.L  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  21.  Will  rise  up,  iTTauaar-^irovTat. — 
The  verb  means  insurrectiou  in  the  strictest  sense, — 
being  in  this  case  equally  directed  against  parental 
authority  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  This  inward  re- 
bellion leads  to  the  corresponding  outward  sin  of 
parricide,  either  by  delivering  up  parents  to  the  ma- 
gistrates, or  by  inciting  fanatical  vengeance.  Again, 
the  brother  and  the  father  show  their  hatred  to  their 
brother  or  child  by  the  TrapaStSouai,  or  dehvering 
them  up  to  death — a  term  which  also  implies  treason 
and  vileness. 

Ver.  22.  Ye  shall  be  hated  by  all.— This 
strong  expression  (though  without  the  article)  indi- 
cates the  generality  of  the  hatred  toward  Christ.  It 
will  spread  over  the  world  like  an  infectious  fever,  or 
a  pestilence,  and  furnish  the  material  with  which,  on 
any  given  occasion,  the  fire  of  persecution  may  be  lit 
up. 

For  My  name's  sake ; — i.  e.,  purely  on  account 
of  their  Christian  profession,  and  not  on  account  of 
the  personal  blemishes  and  errors  which  may  mingle 
with  it. 

But  he  that  endureth — viz.,  faithful  to  his  pro- 
fession— to  the  end. — To  the  individual,  the  end  is 
martynlom  by  death,  or  else  deliverance ;  to  the 
Church  as  a  whole,  the  end  is  the  complete  victory 
of  its  distinctive  confession  of  Christ  over  the  hatred 
of  the  world.  In  both  these  respects  sufferings  shall 
have  an  end.  There  are  different  interpretations  of 
the  expression  e  i  s  r  4\os  (the  end  of  these  suffer- 
ings ;  of  life ;  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  etc.).* 
— Shall  be  saved. — Here  ver>i  emphatically,  abso- 
lutely (TCDdTjo-eTai.  The  end  of  this  way  is  salva- 
tion (Luke  xxi.  19),  while  every  side-path  leads  to 
destruction. 


DOCTRINAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

Christianity  is  based  on  a  new  spiritual  relation- 
ship, and  its  effects — of  love  or  of  hatred — are  much 
stronger  and  wider  than  the  natural  bonds  which  con- 
nect human  society.  Hence  hatred  of  the  gospel  as- 
sumes a  demoniac  shape,  and  wickedly  dissolves  all 
the  sacred  bonds  of  nature.  But  even  this  fear- 
ful outburst  must  not  shake  the  confidence  of  believ- 

*  ["  Endurinp:  to  the  end  "  is  the  proper  evidence  of  the 
reality  and  solidity  of  the  Christian  pi'ofet<sion,  "drawing 
back  unto  perdition  "  exposes  the  want  of  foundation.  It 
f.ften  occurs  In  connection  with  similar  warnings,  Matt.  xxiv. 
LS  (he  that  sh.all  endure  onto  the  end) ;  1  Cor.  i.  8  (confirm 
you  unto  the  end);  Ilebr.  iii.  6  (firm  unto  the  end);  iii.  14 
(steadfast  unto  the  end);  vi.  11;  x.  23,  26-29;  Rev.  ii.  26 
(who  keepeth  my  works  unto  the  end).  The  phrase  has 
therefore  obviously  a  universal  applicability  to  all  believers, 
and  to  the  end  of  individual  life  (reAor  =Jinis  vUcb)  But 
this  does  not  exclude  a  special  reference  to  great  future 


ers  in  the  holy  Name  which  they  profess.  It  only 
serves  to  convince  them  of  the  depth  of  human  cor- 
ruption. Ill  the  name  of  Christ  they  shall  ultimately 
succeed  in  transforming  the  natural  bonds  which  con- 
nect man  to  man,  and  by  the  love  cf  Chiist  shall  they 
overcome  the  hatred  of  the  world.  Not  that  Chris- 
tianity itself  endangers  tlie  bonds  of  natural  relation- 
ship, but  that  it  becomes  the  innocent  occasion  of 
such  hatred.  But  here  also  the  name  of  Christ  shall 
prevail,  and  a  higher  bond  of  unity  shall  bind  togeth- 
er His  Oivn. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Hatred  of  Christ  is  necessarily  murderous  in  ita 
character, — 1.  because  Christ  is  life  ;  2.  because  sin 
is  real  death. — The  two  great  forms  in  which  hatred 
of  Christ  appears,  are  betrayal  and  rebellion. — Pro- 
fession of  Christ  revealing  the  deep  ruin  of  the  world, 
as  apparent  in  the  hatred  of  Jesus  and  His  people. 
— The  hatred  and  persecution  of  the  gospel  an  evi- 
dence of  its  power  and  loftiness. — Fanaticism  in  its 
relation  to  faith  :  1.  It  dissolves  all  the  bonds  of  life 
and  of  love,  but  imputes  the  blame  of  it  to  faith  ;  2. 
it  leads  a  man  to  acts  of  betrayal,  of  rebellion,  and 
of  murder,  while  he  imagines  that  he  is  offering  ser- 
vices acceptable  to  God  ;  3.  it  institutes  a  community 
of  hatred  in  opposition  to  the  community  of  love,  and 
mistakes  the  fire  of  hell  for  a  sacred  "flame  of  hea- 
ven ;  4.  it  appears  in  the  guise  of  rehgion,  but  for 
the  purpose  of  banishing  Christ  and  His  religion  from 
the  earth. — Final  preservation  of  all  things  in  Christ, 
despite  the  enmity  of  the  worid.  1.  The  family  and 
fiiendship  shall  be  preserved,  though  dissolved  in  va- 
rious ways ;  2.  humanity,  despite  its  enmity  ;  3.  our 
own 'life,  although  we  surrender  it. — "But  he  that 
endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved." — Faithfulness  to 
the  Lord  the  condition  of  safety. 

Starke  : — There  is  no  hatred  in  the  world  so  great 
as  that  against  Christ  and  His  members. — The  world 
imputes  every  evil  to  Christians,  although  itself  is  the 
sole  cause  of  it. — God  has  put  enmity  between  the 
seed  of  the  woman  and  the  seed  of  the  serpent. 

Lisco  : — In  measure  as  these  sufferings  are  pain- 
ful, the  reward  is  glorious.  1.  The  sufferings:  a. 
persecution  by  our  nearest  relatives  ;  b.  general  ha- 
tred.    2.  The  reward  :  dehverance,  blessedness. 

Heubner  : — It  is  evidence  of  the  highest  love  to 
renounce  love  for  the  sake  of  Christ. 

epochs  in  a  prophetical  discourse  like  this  (comp.  ver.  23). 
Hence  t(Kos  may  be  referred  directly  to  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  (comp.  ver.  23  and  .xxiv.  1-3),  and  indirectly  to  the 
tin.al  judgment  which  was  foreshadowed  and  typified  by  the 
former.  So  o-cu^/jtreTai,  likewise,  was  liter.ally  fulfilled  in 
the  timely  escape  of  the  Christians  from  the  doomed  city  by 
Divine  admonition,  and  will  bo  absolutely  fulfilled  in  the 
everlasting  salvation.  Compare  the  prophetic  discourses  of 
the  Saviour  in  ch.  xxiv  and  Commentary. — P.  8.] 


7.  Flight  in  Persecution,  the  means  of  spreading  Christianity.    First  warning  and  comfort.    Cn.  X. 


23  But  when  they  persecute  you  in  this  city,  flee  ye  into  another  [the  oflur,  ei?  rr]v 
oAAtjv]  : '  for  verily  I  say  unto  you,  Ye  shall  not  have  gone  over  the  cities  of  Israel,  till 
the  Son  of  man  be  come  [shall  have  come]. 


192 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


'  Ver.  23.— Gricsbach  with  many  Codd.  miniisc. :  fls  r^v  irepav,  Kav  «'«  toi'/ttjj  iiuiKtixTLV  ii/xas,  (btvyeTS  eU  tV 
iWrif.  A  later  iiinplillcation.  [Lachmann  reads  :  eis  rr/v  er  epay,  and  puts  the  words  from  «&;/  to  &A\tiv  in  brack- 
ets. Tischendorf,  All'ord,  Wordsworth  read  simply  :  els  tvv  aWriv.  The  Cod.  Sinait.  :  ire  pay.  The  de£  art.  be- 
fore aWriv  or  eripav  denotes  the  next  city  in  order  which  had  not  yet  been  visited,  and  fahows  tliat  there  will  be  always 
soirie  other  city  to  fly  to. — P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  23.  For  verily,  kfj-T^v  yap. — The  yap 
here  is  of  the  greatest  importance.  The  flight  of  an 
Apostle  from  a  city  where  general  persecution  had 
arisen,  was  in  reality  not  flight,  but  removal  to  a 
larger  sphere  of  usefulness.  This  duty  maybe  de- 
duced from  the  fundamental  principle  formerly  en- 
joined, of  turning  away  from  those  who  were  hard- 
ened, and  addressing  themselves  more  and  more  to 
those  who  were  impressible. — '•  Shake  off  the  dust 
of  your  feet."  But,  on  the  other  hand,  this  alone 
must  be  the  motive  for  their  flight.  Subordinate  con- 
siderations (such  as  employment,  home,  etc.)  must 
not  retain,  nor  fear  of  suffering  drive  them  away. 
Their  flight  must  be  determmed  by  concern  for  the 
best  means  of  spreading  the  name  of  Christ,  that  so 
the  natural  instinct  of  self-preservation  may  be  trans- 
formed into  a  spiritual  principle. 

Ye  shall  not  have  gone  over,  ended,  finished, 
completed,  nv  ij.i]  t  e  A  <='  cr  -;)  t  €  . — Scarcely  equivalent 
to,  "  Ye  shall  not  have  been  in  all  the  cities."  Mey- 
er.— "  To  bring  them  to  Christian  perfection."  Maldo- 
natus,  Hoffhiann,  etc.  The  expression  implies  an 
active  finishing  of  their  mission.  Hence  the  interpre- 
tation of  Meyer  is  too  narrow  ;  that  of  Maldouatus, 
too  wide.  The  meaning  is  :  ye  shall  have  abundant 
room  for  your  labors. 

Shall  have  come,  e  A.  0  ?? . — 1.  Until  the  victory 
of  the  cause  of  Christ  (Baumgarten-Crusius) ;  2.  to 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  (Michaehs,  etc.) ;  3.  to 
the  out-pouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Calvin  and  others) ; 
4.  till  help  shall  have  been  afforded  by  the  Son  of 
Man  (Chrysostom) ;  5.  till  the  second  coming  of 
Christ  (Meyer).  But  the  commentators  foi-get  that 
the  Apostles  only  preceded  Christ,  and  that  this  pas- 
sage refers  in  the  first  place  to  that  particular  mis- 
sion. Hence  we  explain  it :  till  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
overtake  you.  (So  also  Heubner.)  The  expression 
is,  however,  also  symbolical,  and  applies  to  the 
Church  generally.  In  this  sense,  it  points  forward  to 
the  second  coming  of  Christ ;  including  at  the  same 
time  the  idea,  that  their  apostolic  labors  in  Judaea 
would  be  cut  short  by  the  judgment  impending  upon 
Jerusalem. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Having  set  before  the  disciples  the  sufferings 
and  dangers  of  their  work,  the  Lord  now  encourages 
and  comforts  them.  The  verse  under  consideration 
furnishes  the  first  consolation.  Their  sufferings  would 
be  diminished  from  the  higher  obligation  incumbent 
on  them  to  spread  the  gospel,  whereby  flight  became 
a  sacred  duty. 

2.  "  But  what  constitutes  their  highest  comfort 
in  this  respect,  is  the  promise,  that  the  witnesses  of 
Christ  shall  always  find  new  spheres  of  labor,  and 
that  the  Lord  shall  ever  foUow  them,  both  with  the 
baptism  of  the  Spirit  and  of  grace,  and  with  that  of 
fire  and  of  judgment."  The  fundamental  idea  of 
this  statement,  so  far  as  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
concerned,  is,  that  the  work  of  Christ  shaU  not  be 


completed  hj  quiet  and  calm  progress,  until  the  last 
place  and  the  last  individual  .shall  have  been  convert- 
ed, but  by  great  contests  between  light  and  darkness, 
and  amid  great  catastrophes  which  shall  usher  in  the 
judgment. 

3.  If  it  be  asked,  how  this  direction  can  be  recon- 
ciled with  the  journey  of  Jesus  to  Jerusalem,  where, 
as  He  knew,  death  awaited  Him  ;  we  reply,  that  Christ 
left  Galilee,  where,  from  the  hostility  of  the  Jewish 
priesthood,  every  door  was  shut  against  Him,  and 
went  to  Jerusalem,  where  a  multitude  was  prepared 
to  receive  Him.  In  His  care  for  the  people,  the  Mes- 
siah readily  encountered  every  danger,  which,  indeed, 
required  to  be  met  in  the  accomplishment  of  His 
work.  He  went  to  keep  the  feast  at  Jerusalem,  in 
order  to  seek  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel  in 
the  midst  of  wolves.  This  may  serve  to  furnish  a 
rule  and  a  precedent  for  our  conduct  under  persecu- 
tion. If  we  are  bound  by  promise,  by  duty,  by  our 
ministry,  or  by  the  prospect  of  carrying  out  our  call- 
ing, we  must  not  flee  from  danger,  nay,  if  necessary, 
go  to  meet  it.  But  if  these  very  motives  point  be- 
yond the  reach  of  danger,  it  is  our  duty  to  flee.  To 
labor,  is  the  object ;  to  suffer,  only  the  means  toward 
it.  It  was  an  error  of  the  Montanists  to  regard  thd 
obligation  to  suffer  as  paramount  to  that  of  working. 
Thus  Tertullian  (Z)e/w^a  wi/iersecM^ioMe)  disapproved 
of  flight  under  any  circumstances,  and  regarded  this 
commandment  only  local  and  temporary.  In  this  re- 
spect, however,  the  Apostle  Paul,  and,  at  later  pe- 
riods, St.  Athanasius  {Apologia  pro  fuga  sua),  Lu- 
ther (on  the  Wartburg),  and  Calvin  [who  fled  twice 
from  France,  and  was  once  expelled  from  Geneva], 
may  serve  as  our  models. 

[Flight  in  persecution,  from  selfish  regard  to  per- 
sonal safety  and  comfort,  is  an  act  of  cowardice  and 
sin  ;  but  flight  from  conscientious  conviction  of  duty 
to  God  and  to  the  Church,  is  right,  and  commanded 
by  Christ,  and  sanctioned  by  the  conduct  of  the  Apos- 
tles and  martyrs  (as  Polycarp  and  Cyprian).  The 
ancient  Church  rejected  the  fanatical  and  Montanistic 
view  of  Tertullian,  which  condemned  the  flight  in  per- 
secution without  qualification.  Augustine  says,  a 
minister  may  flee  if  his  flock  is  scattered  by  flight,  or 
if  he  can  do  more  good  by  fleeing  than  by  remaining 
(quandocumque  plus  fugiendo  quam  mariendo  juvare 
potest).  Chrysostom  thinks,  we  may  flee,  provided 
we  do  not  thereby  deny  Christ,  or  endanger  the  faith ; 
otherwise,  we  must  risk  our  life  for  the  sheep,  which 
the  hireling  will  not  do.  Maldonatus  ad  he. :  "  Cum 
Evangelium  ipsum,  projAer  quod  fugiendum  non  est, 
postulat  ut  fugiarnus,  fugiendum  est.  Tunc  fugere  ' 
non  metus,  sed  pietas :  non  fugere  non  fortitudo,  sed 
periinacla  est.  Hac  de  causa  D.  Paulum  fugisse  legi- 
mus.  Maj.or  gloria  Dei  et  Ecclesice  utilitas  regula 
nobis  esse  debet  ;  cum  aut  utraque,  ant  alteruira  ut 
fugiarnus  a  nobis  exigit,  own  fugere  peccatum  est.'''' 
Wordsworth  on  </>  e  u  7  e  t  e  ,  ver.  23 :  "  It  was  a 
question  discussed  in  early  times,  whether  fuga  in 
persecntione  was  under  any  circumstances  allowable. 
TertulUan  [De  fuga  in  persecutione)  argues  that  our 
Lord's  permission  was  only  temporary ;  but  this  is 
contravened  by  St.  Jerome  ( Catal.  Script,  in  Tertul- 
lian). See  also  Gregory  Nazian.  {Orai.  i.  in  Julian.), 
and  the  excellent  directions  on  the  subject  in  St.  Atha- 


CHAP.  X.  24,  26. 


19H 


nasius  {Apol.  de  fwja  sua,  p.  258-266  ;  cp.  i\  La- 
pide).  The  answer  seems  to" be  given  in  our  Lord's 
words:  'The  hircUng  fleeth  because  ho  is  a  hireling, 
and  careth  not  for  the  sheep'  (John  x.  13).  'The 
good  shepherd  giveth  liis  lil'e  for  the  sheep '  (John 
X.  11).  If  a  person  lias  a  flocli  committed  to  his  care, 
and  that  flock  will  be  scattered  or  torn  by  wolves,  if 
he  flies,  then  he  must  not  fly."— Comp. "  Matt,  xxiv 
15-20  ;  Phil.  i.  20-25 ;  2  Tini.  iv.  6-8 ;  Acts  viii.  1  ; 
IX.  25  ;  xiv.  6  ;  xv.  38 ;  2  Cor.  xi.  33.;  and  Schaffs 
History  of  tlie  Christian  Church,  toI.  i.,  p.  179.— 
P.  S.J 

nOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

In  how  fiir  flight  in  persecution  is  not  only  la.v- 1 
ful,  but  duty.— When  a  Christian  has  to  fly  with  his 
Master,  he  may  likewise  fly  by  himself.— Holy  flight : 
1.  Its  motive ;  2.  its  conduct :  3.  its  ami.— All  Chris- 


tianity a  flight,  to  the  end  of  the  world  :  1.  From  city 
to  city ;  2.  from  country  to  country ;  3.  from  world 
to_  world  (from  the  old  to  the  new).— Flight  an  act  of 
faith:  1.  An  act  of  wisdom;  2.  an  act  of  sparing 
love;  3.  an  act  of  faithfulness ;  4.  an  act  of  enduring 
hope.— The  flight  of  the  Church,  its  spread.— The 
flight  of  the  fearful  and  that  of  the  courageous.— 
When  the  disciples  are  expelled  from  a  place,  they 
are  succeeded  by  the  judgments  of  the  Lord —The 
witnesses  of  Christ  shall  never  want  new  spheres  of 
usefulness,  if  they  leave  at  the  right  time  such  as 
have-  been  closed  to  tlioir  labors.— Whether  to  stay 
or  to  go-,  must  in  every  instance  be  learned  from  the 
^^'■'^■—^''''"t'^ersoeTer  we  go  with  the  gospel,  Christ 
will  follow  u&.— The  laborers  of  Christ  sliall  neith- 
er_  want  a  field  nor  a  blessing,  till  the  Lord  comes, 
[buuilarly  Wordsworth :  the  missionary  work  of  the 
Church  will  not  cease  till  the  second  coming  of  Christ 
Comp.  Matt.  ::ixiv.  14.— P.  S.] 


I 


8.    Christ  has 


suffered  Persecution  before  His  disciples,  and  they  only  suffer 
warning  and  comfort.    Ch.  X.  24,  25. 


with  Him.    Second 


24         The  [A]  disciple  is  not  above  his  [the]  master,  nor  the  [a]  servant  above  his  lord 
J5  it  is  enough  for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  master,  and  the  servant  as  his  lord      If 

thej  have  called  [surnamed]  ^  the  master  of  the  house  Beelzebub   fBeelzebull  '  how. 

much  more  shall  they  call  ^  them  of  his  household  ?  l  j> 

1  Ver.  2o.-'E7r«c{A6cre,/,B.,C.,LCod.  Sinait.]  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Alford,  Wordsworth.    Meyer  regards  the 
iKa.\icrev  of  the  Elzevir  text  as  an  arbitrary  substitution  of  the  more  usual  verb.—] 

achmann,  Meyer,  Alford,  "Wordsworth,  Conant, 


1  arbitrary  substitution  of  the  more  usual  verb 

2  Ver.  25.— [BeeA^e^oiiA  is  the  true  reading,  adopted  by  Tischendorf  L 
Lange.    The  E.  V.  notes  it  in  the  margin.     Comp.  E.^eg.  Notes.— P. 

3  Ver.  25.— [This  interpolation  is  unnecessary.—] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Yer.  24.  The  disciple  is  not,  etc.— A  proverb. 
See  the  correspondmg  passages  in  rabbinical  writ- 
ings in  Schottgcn. 

Ycr.  26.  This  is  enough  for  the  disciple,  in 
order  that(iVa)  he  may  ha  (treated),,  etc. ;  i.  e.,  the 
subordination  of  the  disciple  to  his  teacher  implies 
that  he  must  share  his  fate.  The  same  remark  apphes 
to  the  servant  in  reference  to  his  lord.  So  Meyer 
against  the  common  explanation  of  the  word  'lua.  in 
this  passage. 

B66\Ce^o<^X.— The  Syrian  Codd.,  the  Itala, 
the  Vulgate,  and  the  Latin  Fathers  have  Beelzebui 
This,  then,  may  be  regarded  as  the  first  explanation 
of  the  term— as  equivalent  to  n^^l  hV'z  (2  Kings  i. 
2),  ihQ  fly-god.  The  second  explanation  is  furnished 
by  Yi  mer  as  follows :  "  By  a  Jewish  pun,  this  name 
was,  by  the  change  of  a  letter,  converted  intoi^3T  b;'2 
V^?3  ,  Chaldee),  i.  c.,  dominies  stercoris,  lordoj  duny, 
■n  a  manner  analogous  to  that  in  which  2i/xf>  was 
turned  into  Si^x^p.  It  is  very  natural  that  the  later 
Jews,  m  their  burning  hatred  of  heathenism,  trans- 
erred  the  name  of  a  celebrated  idol  m  their  nei"-h- 
)orhood  on  Satan."  Accordingly,  Lightfoot,  bSx- 
-orf,  and  most  modem  critics  explain  it  as  the  name 
•t  Satan,  being  the  prince  of  all  unpurity.  A  third 
QterpretatioQ  renders  bl=T  by  habUaiion,  and  Beel- 


zebul  by  dominus  domicilii.  This  means, a.  ac- 
cording to  Gusset,  Michaehs,  and  Meyer :  lord  of  the 
kmgdom  of  darkness,  where  the  evil  spirits  dwell  • 
b.  according  to  Paulus  :  lord  of  Tartarus  ;  c.  accord- 
ing to  Jahn  :  prmce  of  the  power  of  the  air  (Eph.  ii. 
2) ;  according  to  Movers  :  Saturn  as  holding  a  castle 
m  the  seventh  heaven.— With  reference  to  the  first 
interpretation,  it  is  enough  to  say,  that  most  of  the 
readings  are  opposed  to  the  form  Beelzebub.  It  is 
evidently  an  exegetical  explanation  of  the  name  Beel- 
zebul  from  Beelzebub,  the  god  of  the  Phihstines,  to 
whom  the  chasmg  away  of  flies  was  imputed.— 
Against  the  second  explanation  it  is  urged,  that  the 
word  for  mjid  or  dirt  is  b^T ,  not  b^z)  .  Winer 
indeed,  suggests  that  uncommon  fonns  are  occasion- 
aUyused  in  a  play  upon  words.  StiU,  they  must 
have  some  v.arrant  in  the  use  of  the  languat^e.  Be- 
sides, Meyer  rightly  calls  attention  (o  the  fSct  that 
the  word  Bei\((l3ov\  bears  reference  to  the  expres- 
sion o ;  /c  0  5  e  o-  7r  o  T  7)  s,.  which  Christ  had  here  cho.sen. 
Hence,  "  lord  of  the  habitation."  *  Perhaps,  then 
this  designation  of  Satan  mav  refer  to  the  habitation 
of  demons  in  the  possessed.  The  parallel  passao-e  in 
Matt,  xu.,  where  the  Pharisees  sav  (ver.  24) :  "°This 
fellow  doth  not  cast  out  devils  but"  by  Beelzebul  the 
prmce  of  the  devils,"  seems  m  favor  of  this  view 


13 


wh-i  ^w  ,  *  reason  Alford,  also,  ad-.pts  Meyer's  derivali. 
while  Wordsworth  adheres  to  Winer" .h  interpretation  •  f.'o 
nu8  iitercoris.—l\  a.]  i"<.i,iiMa.  co 


194 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


The  Lord  Himself  afterward  characterizes  the  rule  of 
the  demons  over  the  possessed  under  the  biblical  ex- 
pression of  "  dwellers  in  a  house  "  (vers.  25,  29  ;  and 
especially  vcr.  45,  "They  enter  in  and  dwell  there"). 
If  this  be  tlie  correct  interpretation  of  the  term,  it 
will  also  explain  how  it  does  not  otherwise  occur  in 
Jewish  writinf^s.  The  enemies  of  the  Lord  charged 
Him  with  casting  out  devils  through  the  prince  of 
the  devils,  whom  they  in  derision  called  Beelzebul 
(ix.  34  ;  xii.  24).  Jesus  comments  upon  this  in  the 
following  manner  :  The  Pharisees  designate  as  the 
prmce  of  the  devilish  possession  the  Master  of  the 
house,  who  rightfully  claims  the  heart  of  man  as  His 
dwelling  (xii.  29),  and  casts  out  the  usurper,  who  oc- 
casionally performed  cures  of  demoniacs,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  blinding  his  victims.  Hence  the  expression 
Beelzebul  would  refer  only  to  the  prince  of  devils  who 
take  possession  of  men  on  earth,  not  to  the  prince  of 
evil  spirits  generally.  Christ  paraphrased  the  fact, 
that  they  stigmatized  Him  as  acting  under  the  inspi- 
ration of  Beelzebul,  by  saying  that  He  had  been  called 
Beelzebul  because  His  enemies  asserted  that  Satan  had 
virtually  devolved  on  Him  the  supremacy  over  demons. 
The  expression  is  used  in  a  sense  similar  to  that  in 
which  the  terms  Satan  and  Antichrist  occur  in  2  Thess. 
ii.  This  may  serve  as  a  sufScient  answer  to  those 
who  ask.  When  the  Jews  had  called  Christ  Beelze- 
bul. Comp.  xii.  24 ;  John  viii.  48.  Similarly,  it  ex- 
plains the  inference  drawn  by  the  Lord  :  How  much 
more  tliem  of  His  household  ?  If  the  Jews  had 
designated  Christ  as  the  prince  of  devils  absolutely, 
that  name  could  not  have  been  applied  to  His  house- 
hold. But  if  they  meant  that  He  was  the  author  and 
patron  of  demoniac  possession,  they  might  apply 
this  even  more  boldly  to  His  Apostles.  Undoubted- 
ly, however,  the  term  bears  also  some  reference  to 
the  god  of  the  Philistines.  Perhaps  the  connection 
may  be  traced  in  the  following  manner  :  As  Beelze- 
bul was  supposed  to  banish,  but  also  to  bring,  the 
plague  of  flies,  so  Jesus  was  accused  of  expelhng 
demons,  because  He  was  the  lord  of  their  habita- 
tion. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 
Christ,  the  Lord  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  who 
sends  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  rightful  Master  of  the  hu- 
man heart,  is  characterized  by  His  enemies  as  prince 
of  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  acting  under  the  inspira- 
tion  of  Satan,  the  chief  of  the  demons,  or  as  Anti- 
christ. Similarly,  the  disciples  of  Jesus  cannot 
expect  other  than  that  their  activity  shall  be  charac- 
terized as  demoniacal  and  antichristian. 

nOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

"  The  disciple  is  not  above  his  Master : "  this  the 
watchword  of  Christ's  faithful  witnesses :  1.  As  to 
their  conduct.  They  are  subordinate  in  everything 
to  Christ.  2.  In  their  sufferings.  Every  true  disci- 
ple must  be  willing  to  share  the  rejection  of  his  Mas- 
ter.— "  The  disciple  is  not  above  his  Master,  nor  the 
servant  above  his  Lord  :  "  this  is  sufficient  comfort 
when  misunderstood  or  misrepresented  :  1.  As  a  dis- 
ciple, he  feels  that  if  the  Master's  work  has  been  ca- 
lumniated, he  need  expect  no  better  ;  2.  as  a  servant, 
he  feels  that  if  the  Lord  of  the  house  was  stigmatized 
as  a  diabolical  destroyer,  he  need  not  wonder  if  his 
service  in  the  Church  or  to  individuals  is  traduced. — 
It  is  a  sad,  yet  an  effectual,  consolation  to  the  witness- 
es of  Christ  when  they  are  calumniated,  that  their  Lord 
and  Master  was  called  Beelzebul. — Christ  passes 
through  the  blasphemies  of  His  enemies  unharmed, 
as  through  a  mist ;  let  His  people  follow  Him  joyous- 
ly.— Satan  condemning  himself  even  when  he  blas- 
phemes. He  must, — 1.  call  that  devilish  which  is 
divine  ;  2.  he  must  represent  as  divine  what  is  dev- 
ilish. 

Starke  : — What  comfort  and  honor,  that  Christ 
is  the  Master  of  the  house,  and  His  people  its  mem- 
bers!— Cramer:  Ministers  must,  in  the  discharge  of 
their  office,  have  regard  to  God  and  the  truth  of  the 
gospel,  not  to  the  threats  of  men. 

Heubner  : — The  example  of  Christ  is  the  most 
blessed  encouragement. 


9.  Holy  boldness  and  candor  the  duty  of  the  disciples^  based  on  holy  watchfidness,  and  on  confidence  in  their 
safety,  under  the  sovereign  protection  of  God.  Third  and  fourth  warning  and  comfort.  Oh.  X. 
26-31. 

26  Fear  them  not  therefore:  for  there  is  nothing  covered  [concealed,  verMilW],  that 
shall  not  be  revealed  [enthiilU]  ;  and  hid  \yersteckt\  that  shall  not  be  known  [entdecJct]. 

27  What  I  tell  you  in  darkness,  that  speak  ye  in  [the,  tw]  light:  and  what  ye  hear  in  the 

28  ear,  that  preach  ye  upon  the  house-tops.  And  fear  not  [Be  not  afraid  of,  /jt-rj  (jiajSelcrOe 
aTTo]  ^  them  which  [that]  kill*  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul : 

But  rather  fear  him  [^o/Seio-^e  t  o  v]  which  [who]  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and 

29  body  in  hell.     Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for  a  farthing  [penny]*?  and  one  of  them 

30  shall  not  [not  one  of  them  shall]  fall  on  the  ground  without  your  Father.     But  the  very 

31  hairs  of  your  head*  are  all  numbered.  Fear  ye  not  therefore,  ye  are  of  more  value 
than  many  sparrows. 


1  Ver.  28.— [I^aclimann  and  Ti.-;ohendorf  read:  fJ-V  (po^e'iaOe  a.ir6  (imper.  prses.  p:;ss.)  noUte  timere,  inetm'6  ab  its,  on 
the  authority  of  Codd.  B.,  C,  (to  which  may  be  added  Cod.  Sinait.,  which  reads  twice,  in  vers.  28  and  31 :  <po0i<r0f, 
a  mere  writing  error  for  (JJo^eTTet  i.  liut  Cod.  B  or  Vaticaniis,  as  published  by  Angclo  Mai,  reads:  fi-v  (poB-r\Bj]Te  att6 
(conjunct,  aor.  i.  pass.),  and  in  the  more  correct  edition  of  Butlmann,  with  diflfercnt  accentuation  :  jJ-h  (po^rjQ-qTe  av6 
(imperat.  aor.  i  pass.).     So  alao  Cod.  Alo-?  .ndrinus,  as  published  by  B.  H.  Cowper,  Lend.,  1860  (^o/Srje^Ts),  Origen,  and, 


CHAP.  X.  26-31. 


195 


of  modern  critics,  Alford  {(po^-fid-nre),  Fritzsolie  and  Conant  {(po^rjOriTe).  Meyer  explains  (pufi7]6i]Tf  from  ver.  26 
and  reads  also  in  ver.  81  cpoPeT-jOe  with  B.,  D.,  L.,  Cod.  Sinait.,  Lachmann,  and  Tischendorf.  The  main  point  for  the 
sense,  however,  is  the  difference  in  the  construction,  the  a  ir  d  after  tlie  firat  <pu0f7ff6f  and  the  ace.  rov  after  the  second, 
concerning  which  the  critical  aiitliorities  are  all  agreed.  In  English  this  difference  can  be  best  reproduced  by  translating 
in  the  first  case:  be  not  afraid  o/l  and  in  the  other  :  feai-  }dm.    See  Exeg.  Notes.— P.  S.] 

»  Ver.  2S.-'A7io»fTfi'i/()i/Ta'v  [double  v,  also  in  Cod.  Sinait.]  is  the  ^oli;in-Alcxandrian  form  [for  a.iroKriiv6vr<x-v\ 
Lachmann,  [Tischendorf,  Alford].     See  the  note  of  Meyer  [Com.  i.,  p.  227]. 

3  Ver.  29.— [Luther  and  Lange  render  arrorapior  (diminut.  from  the  Lat  as):  Pfennig,  de  Wette:  ITeller.  The  E.  V. 
uses //r//t/7!(7  inch.  v.  26  for  the  Greek  icopSaz/rrj?.  But  this  is  only  the  third  or  fourth  part  in  value  erf  an  atraaoiov 
which  is  equal  to  a  cent  and  a  half  of  Am.  money.  Hence  penny  is  more  accurate.  Conant:  '-The  Saviour  means  by  it 
the  most  triding  pecuniary  value,  or  ue.xt  to  nothing;  and  to  ehauire  the  Commnn  Version,  merely  for  more  minute  exact- 
ness in  such  a  case,  would  be  mere  pedantry.  But  as  diHerent  words  are  u.'^ed  in  the  Greels.  and  as  farthing  and  penny 
represent  their  exact  relation  and  nearly  their  actual  value,  there  is  no  harm  in  making  tlie  distinction."— I'.  S.] 

<  Ver.  SO.— [The  Greek  and  the  German  have  here  the  advantage  over  the  English  in  being  able  to  place  ywr,  in 
marked  contrast  to  the  sparrows,  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence,  't fxwv  5e  Ka\  at  Tp'i\(ts  ttis  Ke(paAris  Lan^e  (de- 
viating from  Luther) :  "An  etu-h  aber  Kind  auoh  die  Ilaare  des  Ilauptes;'  etc.  Perhaps  we  might  render:  ^'^  But  as  to 
you,  the  very  hairs  of  your  fiead,"  etc.— P.  S.J 


EXEOETICAL  AND  CPvITICAL. 

Ver.  26.  Fear  them  not  therefore. — Because 
every  caliminy  of  their  faith  was  in  tlie  first  [jlace  di- 
rected against  tlieir  Master,  wlio  will  set  everything 
in  its  true  light.  Confidence  in  His  -n-apovaia  is  to 
form  the  ground  of  their  perfect  wap^rjuia.  All  the 
wicked  secrets  of  their  opponents  .shall  be  brought  to 
light ;  it  would,  therefore,  be  most  unbecoming  if 
they  were  to  spread  their  faith,  the  most  precious  of 
all  secrets,  with  timidity  and  by  stealth,*  as  if  it  were 
some  dangerous  mystery. 

For  there  is  nothing  covered,  etc. — These 
two  proverbial  sayings  or  priucii)les  are  apparently 
intended  to  supplement  each  other.  The  first  of 
them  refers  probably  to  the  dealings  of  God  :  He  con- 
ceals and  He  reveals.  The  second  refers  to  the  con- 
duct of  man  in  connection  witli  the  dealings  of  God  : 
men  hide  and  conceal  the  truth,  but  it  will  be  discov- 
ered, Icnown,  and  acknowledged.  The  appearing  of 
Christ  will  place  everything  in  its  proper  light,  Matt. 
XXV.  31  ;  Eph.  v.  13  ;  1  Cor.  iv.  5. 

"Ver.  27.  What  I  tell  you. — This  means  to  im- 
ply that  the  Lord  recommended  to  His  discijjles  to 
proceed  more  openly  in  their  teaching  than  He  had 
done.  But  this  was  the  fundamental  principle  of  the 
development  of  His  revelation.  His  work  was  to  be 
established  in  His  disciples  before  it  could  be  estab- 
lished in  the  world.  Revelation  had  to  receive  its 
final  completion  in  secret,  among  the  despised  com- 
munity of  the  cross,  before  it  could  be  presented  in 
its  fuliaess  to  the  world. — Upon  the  house-tops. — 
The  roofs  were  flat,  so  that  it  was  po.ssible  to  con- 
verse, in  a  loud  voice,  from  one  house-top  to  another, 
or  into  the  street.  A  figurative  expression  for  the 
most  public  declaration. 

Ver.  28.  Fear  not  them  that  kill  the  body.-j- 
— This  irapprirria  may  indeed  occasion  their  death. 
But  they  should  neither  fear  death  nor  those  who 
kill.  They  kill  only  the  body.  In  other  words,  the 
hope  of  the  great  appearing  of  Christ,  which  shall 
make  everything  manifest,  must  raise  them  also  above 
the  grave. 

Both  soul  and  body.— In  my  Life  of  Jesus  (u. 
2,  p.  721),  I  have  with  Stier  applied  this  to  Satan,  while 
most  commentators  refer  it  to  God.  The  former  in- 
terpretation I  supported  on  the  following  grounds  : 
1.  Because  the  same  kind  of  fear  which  is  felt  toward 
those  who  kill  the  body  cannot  be  cherished  in  ref- 
erence to  God.     But  here  I  overlooked  that  the  ex- 

*  [Tn  German  :  mit  dngstlicher  JTeimlichtlmsrei. — ] 
+  [These  were  the  dving  words  of  Ulrich  Zwingli  on  the 
battle  field  of  Cappel  in  Switzerland,  Oct.,  1531.— P.  S.] 


pression  used  in  the  one  case  iB  (po  ^fta  Q  (  airo, 
[comp.  the  Hebr.  y^z  X^^],  and  in  the  other,  <po^v- 
6-r]r  f  [0o;8e?.T0f]  rov.  The  word  (po^elv  may  also 
be  used  in  reference  to  proper  fear,  and  the  use  of 
the  Aorist  (implying  the  continuation  of  a  fear  al- 
ready cherished),  as  also  the  accusative  instead  of 
arrn,  are  in  favor  of  this  view.  2.  Because  the  idea 
of  destruction  of  body  and  soul  seems  rather  to  ap- 
ply to  Satan.  But  the  great  enemy  does  not  destroy 
soul  and  body  m  hell  {i  v  yfeVj/T?),*  where  he  and  con- 
demned souls  are  punished  (Matt.  xxv.  41 ;  Rev.  xx. 
10),  but  before  that  time,  and  for  the  purpose  of  hav- 
ing them  consigned  to  hell.  The  judgment  of  Ge- 
henna is  not  administered  Ijy  Satan.  3.  Because  of 
the  expression  ai!-6\\v/j.i,  which  in  other  places  refers 
to  noxious  destruction,  or  to  laying  waste,  and  the 
name  of  'AttoAXijoji/,  "who  dwells  in  the  place  of  de- 
struction." However,  the  text  does  not  bear,  "  Fear 
the  destroyer,"  but,  "  Fear  Him  who  is  able  to  de- 
stroy," which  could  only  refer  to  God.  Finally,  from 
the  parallel  passage  in  Luke  xii.  .5,  "  Fear  Him  who 
hath  power  to  cast  into  hell,"  we  at  once  conclude 
that  this  fear  can  only  apply  to  the  Almighty.  Satan 
works  that  sinful  fear  of  death  which  is  the  bondage 
from  which  we  can  only  be  delivered  by  a  higher  and 
holier  fear — that  of  God  (Heb.  ii.  14). 

[This  change  of  Dr.  Lange,  which  supersedes 
the  protest  of  Meyer  in  loc.  (4th  ed.,  vol.  i.,  p.  239), 
is  decidedly  for  the  better.  The  Scripture  no- 
where uses  the  phrase  (pa^elaOai  rhv  Sid^oKnu,  nor 
does  it  ever  ascribe  to  Satan  such  power  of  destruc- 
tion ;  while,  on  the  contrary,  (po0€'ttT0at  is  usually  fol- 
lowed by  rhv  6e6u,  and  God  is  represented  through- 
out as  the  Almighty  di.spenser  of  life  and  death,  both 
temporal  and  eternal.  Bengel  aptly  quotes  James 
iv.  12,  which  is  decisive  against  Stier  :  "  There  is  one 
lawgiver  who  is  able  {6  dvi/d/x(vos)  to  save  and 
to  destroy"  (onroA  eVai,  the  .^iame  words  as  in  our 
passage).  Christ  sets  God  before  us  here  as  the  sole 
object  both  of  our  godly,  child-like  fear,  and  (in 
vers.  29-31)  of  our  child-like  trust.  We  should  fear 
Him  alone  because  of  His  power  to  destroy,  and 
should  trust  Him  alone  because  of  His  power  to  save 
and  His  ever-watchful  care  of  His  children.  See  Dr. 
Alford's  remarks  against  Stier,  and  also  the  note  of 
Dr.  Owen  in  loc.  :  "  Fear  Him  {i.  e.,  God),  not  as  be- 
fore,/car  f'om  Him,  because  reverence  and  awe, 
such  "as  is  due  from  man  to  his  Maker,  is  intended, 
and  not  the  fear  or  terror  which  human  cruelty  can 
inspire." — P.  S.] 

*  [Luther  wrongly  translates:  in  die  Holle,  for  in  der, 
mistaking  fV  for  <(s.  The  K.  V.  here,  as  elsewhere,  is  moro 
accurate. — P.  S.] 


196 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


Vcr.  29.  Two  sparrows. — The  word  arpovOla 
properly  signifies  little  binls  J^cnerally  [aviculi] ; 
here,  in  the  more  definite  sense,  liUle  sparrows  [pas- 
sercul/]. — Farthing, penny,  aa  rr  dp  t  o  v  ,  the  tenth 
part  of  a  drachm,  or  a  Roman  denar,  afterward  val- 
ued still  lower ;  indicating  the  smallest  coin. — Not 
ono  of  them  shall  fall  to  the  ground.— To  por- 
tray sudden  death,  the  bird  falling  to  the  ground, 
struck  by  a  stone  or  an  arrow.  Irenajus  and  Cliry- 
sostom  refer  it  to  the  snare  of  the  bird-catcher ;  but 
this  would  scarcely  be  so  applicable. 

Ver.  30.  But  the  very  hairs. — Indicating  the 
most  special  providence  {provideHtia  specialissima), 
and  the  most  absolute  preservation.  The  hair  as  the 
natural  ornament  of  the  head.  No  part  of  our  life, 
of  what  characterizes  or  adorns  it,  shall  be  lost. 


DOCTRINAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  disciples  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  gos- 
pel of  Jesus  is  destined  to  become  a  revelation  for 
all  nations.  They  are  to  form  a  Church,  and  not  a  se- 
cret society,  or  party,  or  school,  or  political  frater- 
nity. The  contrast  between  the  secrecy  which  the 
Lord  employed  in  teaching  them,  and  the  publicity 
with  which  they  were  to  come  forward,  indicates  the 
law  according  to  which  revelation  was  ever  to  devel- 
op and  break  forth  more  clearly  and  openly,  and 
points  far  beyond  the  mission  then  entrusted  to 
them. 

2.  They  which  Mil  the  body. — (1)  Psychology  : 
body  and  soul;  (2)  doctrine  of  immortality;  (3)  es- 
chatology :  the  kingdom  of  Christ  belongs  pre-emi- 
nently to  the  other  world,  beyond  death  and  the  grave. 
Mark  also  the  contrast  between  killing  the  body  and 
dfstroylny  body  and  soul.  The  soul  cannot  be  an- 
nihilated. Lastly,  it  also  implies  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  body.  The  bodies  of  the  lost 
shall  Euifer  with  their  souls  in  hell.* 

3.  Not  a  hair  of  your  head  shall  perish  without 
your  Father,  far  less  your  head  itself. — An  expression 
implying  their  complete  safety. — "  Of  more  value 
than  many  sparrows."  This  depends  upon  the  Sm- 
Of/'tir,  and  is  intended  to  indicate  the  infinite  superi- 
ority of  the  disciples  over  irrational  creatures.  The 
climax  is  as  follows  : — The  humblest  of  God's  crea- 
tures have  their  value  in  His  sight :  how  much  more 
human  beings  !  Especially  Christians :  but,  above 
all,  the  witnesses  of  Jesus.  The  value  of  the  life  of 
Jesus  is  the  height  of  the  climax,  but  does  not  ap- 
pear here. 

IIOMILETIOAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  address  of  the  Lord  to  His  people  :  Fear 
not.  1.  The  fear  from  which  we  are  delivered  (of  re- 
vilers  and  of  murderers,  of  the  loss  of  honor  and  of 

*  [We  add  the  remark  of  Dr.  Beown:  ^'■hotJisoul  and 
hndy  in  hell.  A  decisive  proof  this  that  there  is  a  hell  for 
the  body  a&  well  as  the  soul  in  the  eternal  world;  in  other 
words,  that  the  torment  that  awaits  the  lost  will  have  ele- 
ments of  suffering  adapted  to  the  material  as  well  as  the 
spiritual  part  of  our  nature,  both  of  which,  we  are  assured, 
will  exist  for  ever."— P.  S.l 


life) ;  2.  the  fear  by  which  we  are  delivered  {Fear 
Ilhii  v.'ho  is  able,  etc.) ;  3.  the  spiritual  gi'ounds  for 
being  fearless  (confidence  in  the  gi-cat  revelation  of 
Christ,  consciousness  of  our  immortality  and  of  oar 
complete  safety  in  the  hands  of  God) ;  the  blessed  ef- 
fect of  such  fearlessness — perfect  joy  in  bearing  wit- 
ness for  Jesus  (or  in  particular  cases,  triumph  of  life 
over  death,  entrance  into  glory). — With  the  manifest- 
ation of  Christ's  righteousness,  everything  else  must 
become  manifest. — When  God  makes  known  what  is 
hid,  men  can  no  longer  succeed  in  concealing  it. — 
The  impending  great  revelation  in  its  twofold  effects  : 
1.  As  giving  perfect  comfort  to  the  disciples  :  2.  as 
the  greatest  terror  to  an  evil  conscience. — Holy  and 
spiritual  fear  will  set  us  free  from  all  carnal  fear. — 
A  right  sense  of  our  immortality  consists  in  the  feel- 
ing that  we  are  perfectly  safe  in  the  keeping  of  our 
Father. — The  price  of  articles  in  the  market  an  em- 
blem of  the  high  price  which  God  attaches  to  life. — 
Money,  or  the  price  which  men  attach,  a  symbol  of 
the  value  which  God  sets. — '■'■Are  not  two  sparrows 
sold  for  a  farthing  ?  "  or,  the  birds  of  the  air  a  ser- 
mon to  us,  both  in  death  and  in  life. — God  cares  for 
all  living,  after  its  own  kind  :  1.  According  to  its 
life  (the  Living  One  cares  for  the  living,  the  God  of 
providence  for  every  individual,  the  sympathizing 
Saviour  pities  every  one) ;  2.  according  to  its  pecuhar 
mode  of  life  (for  His  creatures  in  His  goodness,  for 
persons  in  His  love,  for  beUevers  in  His  grace) ;  3.  ac- 
cording to  the  object  of  their  lives  (Christ,  for  His 
own  sake  and  for  that  of  His  people  ;  Christians,  for 
Christ's  and  their  own  •  sakes  ;  and  all  creatures,  for 
the  sake  of  Christians  and  of  the  kingdom  of  God). 
— "  The  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered  ;  " 
or,  the  complete  safety  of  Christians  in  the  keeping 
of  their  Father :  1.  Their  whole  life,  with  all  that  cha- 
racterizes and  adorns  it,  is  safe ;  2.  they  lose  their 
earthly  life,  only  to  gain  a  higher ;  3.  their  life,  with 
all  its  gain,  is  bestowed  on  them  by  their  Father  in 
heaven. 

Starke : — Those  who  fear  to  proclaim  the  whole 
truth  are  false  teachers,  and  neither  cold  nor  hot. — 
Qtiesnel :  It  is  sinful  to  withhold  the  word  of  God 
from  the  common  people.  [Quesnel  adds  on  ver.  27 : 
"  The  Church  has  no  more  hidden  mysteries,  nor  se- 
cret truths  ;  and  it  is  now  the  time  to  reveal  all  the 
knowledge  and  grace  which  Christ  has  committed 
to  her.  It  is  to  injure  religion,  to  imagine  that  it  con- 
tains some  truths  or  mysteries  which  ought  to  be 
concealed." — P.  S.] — Cramer:  Human  fear  must  be 
overcome  by  the  fear  of  God. — Eternal  death  is  the 
only  evil  which  really  deserves  to  be  feared. —  Ques- 
nel :  It  is  a  sign  of  great  blindness  to  allow  our  souls 
to  be  destroyed. — The  contemplation  of  the  provi- 
dence of  God  a  powerful  means  for  overcoming  the 
fear  of  man. — What  infinite  value  attaches  to  a  soul 
for  which  Jesus  has  shed  his  blood  !  [We  add  from 
Quesnel  on  ver.  28  :  "  It  is  prudence  to  deliver  up 
the  body  in  order  to  save  the  soul.  This  is  to  cast 
the  ladmg  of  the  vessel  into  the  sea,  to  preserve  the 
men  from  destruction.  A  man  loses  nothing  when 
he  loses  that  only  which  must  perish." — P.  S.] 

Heubner  : — Nothing  in  the  life  of  His  people  is  of 
small  importance  before  God. — Infinite  value  of  an 
immortal  soul. 


CHAP.  X.  32,  33. 


197 


10.  'Confession  and  Denial;  historij  of  the  kinr/dom  of  God,  and  judgment  of  the  world.     Fifth  warning 
and  comfort.     Ch.  X.  32,  33. 

32  Whosoever  therefore  [Every  one,  therefore,  who] '  shall  confess   me   before  men, 
him  -will  I  confess  also  [also  confess,  Kayoi]  before  my  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven 

33  [in  the  heavens]."     But  whosoever  [whoever]  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I 
also  deny  before  my  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven  [in  the  heavens]. 

'  Ver.  32.— [n  a  s  ovv  oVrir,  Lange :  Jeder  nun,  der ;  while  in  ver.  83  we  have  simply  SffTir,  without  irar.— P.  8.] 
'  Ver.  32. — 'Ev  toTx  ovpavols  both  here  and  in  ver.  33. 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  82.  Every  one,  therefore,  who  shall 
confess  [acknowledge]  Me  ;  6  /.in  a  o  y  n  a- 1 1  i  v 
4  fj.0  I, — literally :  confess  in  Me*  "  This  corresponds 
with  the  idea  of  eV  Xpiaraj  e/i/ai."  So  also  in  Luke 
xii.  8.  [The  eV  is  not  equivalent  to  in  behalf  of  Me, 
as  Owen  explains,  but  it  shows  the  ground  or  root  of 
the  confession,  namely,  a  hving  union  with  Christ. 
He  does  not  mean  a  mere  outward  confession  of  the 
mouth,  but  a  genuine  and  consistent  confession  of 
the  whole  life.  "  He  will  not  confess  the  confessing 
Judas,  nor  deny  the  denying  Peter,"  because  the  con- 
fession of  the  former  was  hypocritical,  the  denial  of 
the  latter  a  transient  weakness,  followed  immediately 
by  the  deepest  repentance. — P.  S.] 

[Him  will  I  also  confess,  .  .  him  will  I  also 
deny,  etc. — It  is  worthy  of  notice,  as  Alford  suggests, 
that  both  here  and  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  vii. 
21—23,  the  Saviour,  after  mention  of  the  Father,  de- 
scribes Himself  as  the  Judge  and  Arbiter  of  eternal 
life  and  death.— P.  S.] 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Every  genuine  and  earnest  testimony  for  Christ 
is  a  confession,  while  every  unchiistian  deed  is  a  de- 
nial. "  The  world,  in  its  indifference  and  hesitation 
between  heaven  and  hell — or,  rather,  in  its  antago- 
nism to  God,  under  the  pretence  of  morality — con- 
demns only  two  things  :  secular  crimes  and  heaven- 
ly virtues,  or  the  manifestations  of  faith  ;  nay,  the 
latter  incur  its  special  ire,  as  it  considers  them  the 
worst  of  crimes.  Hence  our  testimony  for  Christ 
must  always  be  in  face  of  the  opposition  of  the  world, 
which  readily  seizes  upon  it  and  treats  it  as  a  crime ; 
thus  converting  our  profession  into  a  confession." 
Let  it,  however,  be  also  remembered,  that  every  gen- 
uine confession  is  not  merely  concerning  Christ,  but 
in  Christ — concerning  all  revelation,  and  concerning 
the  neiv  state  of  matters  which  this  revelation  is  de- 
signed to  inaugurate. 

2.  This  confession  of  Christ  on  the  part  of  His 
people  indicates  the  contrast  between  the  import  of 
the  judgment  of  the  world  and  the  cause  of  Christ. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  confes.sion  of  His  people  on 
the  part  of  Christ  before  the  Father,  marks  the  con- 
trast between  the  humble  estate  of  Christians  here,  and 
the  glory  to  which  they  are  called.  In  both  instances, 
the  contrast  is  infinite ;  but  it  is  the  faith  of  His  peo- 
ple on  the  one  hand,  and  the  love  of  the  Saviour  on 
the  other,  which  influences  the  confession. — Again  : 
Denial  on  the  part  of  Christ,  implies  denial  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  of  love,  and  of  life.     According- 


ly, this  virtually  implies  the  judgment.  Substantial- 
ly, it  is  equivalent  to  the  verdict,  "  I  never  knew 
you,"  Matt.  vii.  23 ;  only  with  increased  intensity, 
since  it  applies  to  His  messengers  and  witnesses,  who 
were  specially  commissioned  to  make  confession  of 
Him.  Any  Christian  element  in  such  persons  shall 
be  utterly  ignored,  since  it  had  not  led  to  that  true 
confession  which  is  the  victory  over  the  world.  They 
are  unregenerate,  and  hence  remain  unacknowledged. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  glorious  presence  of  God  in  Christ,  the  ground 
on  which  Christians  are  called  to  make  confession  : 

1.  It  is  a  revelation  which  brings  everything  to  light, 
and  hence  fills  the  Christian  with  joy  in  the  word  ; 

2.  by  it  the  whole  life  of  beUevers  is  preserved  and 
completed ;  accordingly,  they  are  also  encouraged 
wholly  to  own  Jesus. — The  kingdom  of  God  and  the 
Christian  hfe  as  summed  up  in  the  word  confeasing  : 
1.  Our  course  here  may  be  summed  up  as  either  si 
confession  or  a  denial  of  Christ ;  2.  so  also  the  judg- 
ment to  come, — it  is  either  a  confession  or  a  denial 
on  the  part  of  Christ. — As  Christ  is  to  us  before  men, 
so  shall  we  be  to  Him  before  Ilis  Father  in  heavcii. 
— Unutterable  cowardice  and  vileness  of  the  man  who 
attaches  greater  value  to  the  judgment  of  men  than 
to  that  of  our  Father  in  heaven. — A  genuine  confes- 
sion is  a  confession  both  in  the  Lord  un  J  of  the  Lord. 
— A  genuine  confession  must  be  in  accordance  with 
what  we  confess  :  1.  It  is  an  outward  manifestation 
which  must  also  increasingly  appear  in  the  life ;  2.  it 
is  a  life  which  ever  proves  a  manifestation  of  tlie 
faithfulness  of  God. — The  administration  of  (iod  will 
be  sealed  and  confirmed  by  this,  that  Christ  shall 
confess  His  own  before  His  Father. — The  great  pro- 
mise attaching  to  Christian  faithfulness. 

Starke  : — Christ  is  not  only  denied  with  th.e  lips, 
but  also  by  an  ungodly  life. — Zeidus :  Woe  to  all 
apostates. 

Heubner  : — The  judgment  of  Christ  alone  is  de- 
cisive. 

[  Quesnel : — To  confess  Jesus  Christ  is  to  follow 
His  precept  and  example ;  to  suffer  for  His  sake ;  to 
love,  teach,  and  practise  His  doctrine. — We  refer 
this  great  truth  to  the  times  of  the  martyrs,  because 
we  will  not  ourselves  be  martyrs  for  the  truth,  ^t  be- 
longs to  all  times  and  all  believers,  every  one  in  his 
proper  way. — To  appear  before  the  tribunal  of  God 
wiihout  liaving  Christ  for  our  Advocate,  and,  on  the 
contrary,  to  have  Ilim  there  as  a  witness  and  a  judge, 
how  can  we  think  of  it  and  not  expire  with  horror !  * 
-P.  S.] 

*  [De  Wette  and  Alford:  .V  Hebraistic  or  r:ither  Syriuc  |  *  [Dr.  Adam  Cl:irke  ((><ui.  (in  M.-iit,  x.  3Si  appropriates 
mode  of  expression  for,  sli.all  niiik3  Me  till!  object  of  his  ac-  i  the  l:i.<t  sentence  from  Quesncl  lilorally,  without  aay  ac- 
knowledj;ment  among  and  before  men. — P.  S.]  \  knowlccigraent.] 


198 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


11.   Christ  come  to  send  into  the  old  world,  not  peace,  but  a  sword,  because  He  sends,  in  Ilia  love,  ahsolvie 
peace  and  eternal  life.     Sixth  ■warning  and  comfort.     Ch.  X.  34-39. 

34  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send  [to  throw,  ySaXciv]  peace  on  [the  old]  earth :  1 

35  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword.  For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at  variance  against 
[witli]  his  father,  and  the  [a]  daughter  against  [witli]  her  mother,  and  the  daughter-in- 

36  law  [a  bride,  vv/x<^7/v]  against  [with]  her  mother  in-law.     And  a  man's  foes  shall  he 

37  they  of  his  own  household.  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me  is  not 
worthy  of  me :  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me. 

38  And    he   that  taketh  not    his   cross,    and   followeth   after  me,   is  not  worthy   of  me. 

39  He  that  findeth  [hath  found  or  gained,  f.vp(l)v\  his  life  [•/'^x^'']  shall  lose  it:  and  ^  he 
that  loseth  [hath  lost,  uTroAecras,  i.  e.,  sacrificed  for  Christ]  his  life  for  my  sake  shall 
find  it. 


-[Cod.  Sinait.  omits  the  clause:   6  evpuv 


' ;  but  it  is  sustained  by  all  other  authorities.— 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  34.  I  came  not  to  send  peace. — How  does 
this  agree  with  the  angelic  hymn,  Luke  ii.  14  ?  Mey- 
er :  "  This  is  not  merely  a  rhetorical  expression,  but 
Jesus  really  states  an  object,  although  not  the  Jinal 
object,  of  His  advent ;  since  He  clearly  foresaw  the 
hostile  opposition  as  an  unavoidable  transition  from 
the  old  to  the  new  state  of  things,  which,  in  the  exe- 
cution of  His  Messianic  office,  He  must  therefore 
have  willed."  So  far  well ;  but  the  expression  itself 
must  have  rendered  any  misunderstanding  impossii^le. 
Hence  13a  A  sly  is  so  chosen,  that  it  does  not  apply 
merely  to  ;tt  a  %  a  i  p  a  v.  Wetstein  erroneously  regards 
it  as  equivalent  to  sowing.  It  evidently  implies  sudden 
action  ;  probably  also  throwing,  casting.  It  there- 
fore accords  with  the  expression  i-rrl  t  ?;  */  yvv, 
and  implies  something  quite  different  from  the  angel- 
ic song,  e  tt  1  yri  s  iipi)vr).*  Luke  (xii.  51)  uses 
the  expression  Zovvai  iv  t?)  7^,  and  accordingly  does 
not  employ  the  word  PaWetv,  which,  however,  occurs 
in  ver.  49  :  -rrvp  i)KQov  Pa\e7v  els  rriu  yriv.  By  the 
term  "  earth,"  we  are  to  understand  the  ancient  and 
established  theocratic  and  political  order  of  things, 
•John  iii.  31  ;  Rev.  xiii.  11.  To  it  Christ  could  not 
bring  peace,  but  the  sword,  i.  e.,  a  contest  for  life  and 
death,  in  order  to  estaljlish  His  kingdom  of  peace. 
The  kingdom  of  God  on  earth  can  only  be  established 
by  the  destruction  of  the  sinful  principles  of  the  old 
man,  the  old  world,  and  the  old  earth. 

Ver.  35.  For  I  am  come. — Not  a  mere  repeti- 
tion of  ver.  21,  but  the  reverse  of  the  picture  there 
given.  The  terms,  Six""^"'  Kara,  indicate  a  di- 
rect influence  from  the  Lord ;  hence,  the  son,  the 
daughter,  and  the  daughter-in-law,  are  here  the  repre- 
sentatives of  Christ.  It  has  not  inaptly  been  suggest- 
ed, that  these  special  terms  have  been  selected,  be- 
cause the  younger  members  and  the  female  portion 
of  households  were  commonly  the  first  to  embrace 
the  gospel.  There  is  also  an  evident  reference  here 
to  Micah  vii.  6,  although  in  a  modified  and  free  man- 
ner. Stier  calls  attention  to  the  fact,  that  according 
to  the  predictions  of  Micah,  war  and  the  sorrows  of 
the  daughter  of  Zion  were  to  usher  in  the  kingdom 


*  [In  the  Sfime  chapter  of  Luke,  where  the  Gloria  in  ex' 
celsU  occurs,  we  are  told,  that  Christ  was  set  fur  the  fall  .as 
well  as  the  rising  of  many,  ii.  34.  His  Gospel  is  a  savor  of 
death  unto  death  to  unbi-lievers,  as  it  is  a  savor  of  life  unto 
life  to  believers,  2  Cor.  ii.  16.— r.  S.] 


of  peace.  "  The  best  and  most  precious  peace  on 
earth,  as  well  as  the  ground  of  every  other,  is  domes- 
tic peace  and  family  concord.  But  so  long  as  it  rests 
on  a  false  foundation,  it  must  be  broken  up  by  the 
introduction  of  the  peace  of  Christ."  For  kindred 
rabbinical  sayings,  see  Meyer  and  Schottgen,  p.  105. 

Ver.  3Y.  [He  that  loveth,  etc. — Our  Lord  claims 
here  a  love  stronger  than  the  dearest  natural  attach- 
ments, a  love  and  devotion  as  is  due  only  to  a  truly 
Divine  being.  This  is  one  of  those  extraordinary  claims 
which  in  Him,  the  God-Man,  are  perfectly  easy,  nat- 
ural, and  irresistible,  while  in  others  they  would  be 
extreme  madness  or  intolerable  presumption. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  38.  He  that  does  not  take  his  cross, 
Kafi^dv  f  I, — freely  ;  referring  to  the  Roman  cus- 
tom, by  which  the  cruciarii  were  obhged  to  carry 
their  cross  (xxvii.  32).  A  prophetic  reference  to  the 
death  of  Christ ;  no  doubt  purposely  chosen,  in  order 
to  prepare  the  disciples  for  that  fearful  prospect. 
That  the  Lord  anticipated  this  consummation  at  an 
early  period,  appears  from  John  iii.  14.  [His  cross, 
as  I  shall  carry  Mi/  cross.] 

Ver.  39.  He  "that  hath  found  his  life.— De 
Wette :  "  \pvxv  means  here,  in  alternate  clauses,  the  life 
of  the  body  and  eternal  life,  or  the  salvation  of  the 
soul."  He  that  gains,  or  saves,  his  earthly  life,  pre- 
serving it  by  unfaithfulness,  shall  lose  the  life  of  his 
hfe.  But  he  that  loses  it  by  faithfulness,  shall  find  eter- 
nal life.  At  the  same  time  we  must  remember  that  the 
Lord  only  speaks  of  one  true  kind  of  life.  Hence, 
the  finding  or  preserving  of  life  in  the  first  case,  and 
the  loss  of  it  in  the  second,  are  only  in  appearance. 
Lastly,  it  seems  to  us  quite  incompatible  to  suppose, 
with  Meyer,  that  this  eternal  life  shall  only  be  enjoy- 
ed at  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  or  at  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.* 

DOCTKINAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  "These  verses  contain  a  cycle  of  ideas  which 
had  never  before  been  uttered  by  mortal.     All  the 

*  [So  also  Alford:  "The  first  yf/vx"^  is  the  life  of  thU 
If orW,  which  we  here  all  count  so  dear  to  us;  the  «#co?k/, 
implied  in  ahr-iiv,  the  real  life  of  man  in  a  blessed  eterni- 
ty." But  the  contrast  is  not  between  this  present  life  and 
the  life  to  come  (comp.  the  past  p.articiples :  evpdcv  and 
diroAsVas,  who  has  found,  who  has  lost,  not:  vrho_fi}ideth, 
who  loseth);  but  between  the  outward,  earthly,  secul.ir  life, 
with  .ill  its  pleasures,  comforts,  and  the  inw.ird,  sjiiritual, 
eternal  life,  which  commences  already  here  in  faiih,  but  will 
be  perfected  in  heaven. — P.  S.] 


I 


CHAP.  X.  34-39. 


199 


former  prophetic  expectations  concerning  the  Idng- 
dom  of  God  are  here  presented  to  our  view  as  super- 
sensuous,  future,  and  heavenly, — quite  in  accordance 
with  the  deeper  sense  of  the  predictions  of  inspired 
seers,  yet  never  before  expressed  in  a  manner  so  clear 
and  decided.  This,  then,  is  the  great  barrier  cast  by 
the  Lord  in  the  way  of  all  who  would  construct  the 
kingdom  of  peace  in  this  world  from  worldly  ele- 
ments,— begiiming  with  the  Jews,  whose  folly  is  here 
exposed,  and  ending  with  the  thoughtless  builders  of 
the  last  time."     Stier. 

2.  The  Lord  makes  an  onslaught  upon  the  cor- 
ruptions of  the  world  with  the  holy  sword  of  His 
word,  allowing  the  world  to  employ  the  sword  of  per- 
secution against  llimself  and  His  people.  Comp.  Jer. 
viii.  11;  vi.  14  ;  Micahiii.  5,  11 ;  Ezek.  xiii.  10,  16  ; 
1  Pet.  iv.  4.  This  passage  may  also  serve  to  throw 
light  on  the  charge  brought  against  Protestantism, 
as  if  it  had  served  to  divide  nations,  and  led  to  civil 
wars.  [The  civil  wars  in  France,  the  thirty  years' 
war  in  (iermany,  the  civil  war  in  England.] 

3.  The  Lord  makes  on  this  occasion  the  first  allu- 
sion to  His  death  on  the  cross.  A  masterly  prepara- 
tion of  His  disciples.  Crucifixion  was  the  worst  kind 
of  punishment  then  known  ;  hence  the  phrase,  to  take 
his  a-oss,  signifies  the  voluntary  readiness  to  suffer 
the  utmost  in  this  world  for  Christ.  Indirectly, 
Christ  presented  Himself  already  here  as  the  first 
bearer  of  the  cross  {follow  after  Me). 

4.  The  declaration  of  the  Saviour,  that  he  that 
will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it,  etc.,  holds  true  both 
historically  and  spiritually.  That  species  of  egotism 
which  ever  seeks  to  preserve  its  life,  and  constantly 
aims  after  its  own,  shall  find  death ;  while  faith,  with 
its  devotion  and  self-sacrifice,  is  crowned  by  life. 
Compare  the  mystic  work  :  Theologia  Germanica, 
of  the  middle  ages,  which  follows  out  this  idea.* 


HOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

Dangerous  delusion,  as  if  Christ  had  brought  a 
delusive  peace  to  the  delusions  of  the  old  order  of 
things.  1.  Character  of  this  delusion, — a.  historical- 
hj :  the  ancient  and  more  recent  chifiastic  views,  as 
appearing  in  ecclesiastical  and  sectarian  tendencies ; 
b.  dogmatically :  it  springs  from  an  overestimate  of 
the  old  order  of  things,  from  an  underestunate  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  and  from  a  false  estimate  of  what  is 
external,  compared  with  what  is  internal.  2.  Its  per- 
nicious etfects.  We  lose  Christ,  the  true  Prmcc  of 
Peace,  to  follow  the  standard  of  a  false  messiah.  We 
lose  true  peace,  and,  Vi^ith  it,  the  prospect  of  that 
kingdom  of  peace  which  is  yet  to  cover  the  wliole 
world.  Lastly,  we  surrender  our  hope  'vn  the  great 
and  glorious  appearance  of  the  Lord  of  peace. — The 
world  in  its  unregenerate  state  is  just  like  the  old 
garment,  upon  which  it  were  folly  to  put  the  new 
cloth  of  Christ's  peace. — Tlie  lost  estate  of  the  world 
appears  most  distinctly  in  the  false  peace  which  it 
cherishes. — Christ  sends  a  sword  in  order  to  send 
peace. — The  sword  of  Christ,  and  the  sword  of  the 
world  ;  or,  suffering  on  the  cross,  and  affixing  to  the 
cross. — The  family  as  the  basis  of  every  spiritual 
movement:  1.  The  basis  of  the  kingdom  of  peace  ; 
2.  the  battle-field  of  the  spirit  of  peace  ;  3.  the  first 
manifestation  of  the  kingdom  of  peace,  or  of  the 
Church. — Christ's  warfare  infinitely  preferable  to  the 

*  [An  English  tr.inslation  by  Miss  C.  Winkworth  with 
Introductions  tiy  the  late  Chevalier  Buiisen,  and  Charles 
Kingsley,  republished  at  Andover.— P.  S.l 


peace  of  the  world.  1.  The  peace  of  the  world  enda 
with*  the  eternal  rebellion  and  warfare  of  hell ;  2. 
the  warfare  of  Christ  ushers  in  the  eternal  kingdom 
of  heavenly  peace. — The  sword  of  the  Lord  is  true 
peace:  1.  It  proceeds  from  His  peace ;  2.  it  is  wield- 
ed in  the  service  of  His  peace ;  3.  it  leads  to  His  peace. 
— The  claims  of  Christ  are  identical  with  those  of 
God  Himself  (Ex.  xx.). — The  love  of  Christ  in  its  re- 
lation to  the  love  of  the  family.  1.  Its  value  :  (a)  It 
is  higher  than  family  love ;  (6)  it  may  even  come 
into  conflict  with  the  latter,  for,  (o)  Christ  sticketh 
closer  than  a  brother ;  (d)  His  love  forms  the  basis 
of  true  family  love  ;  (e)  it  gives  an  cterual  and  spirit- 
ual character  to  the  love  of  the  family.  2.  Its  claims: 
"  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother,"  etc.,  is  not  wor- 
thy of  Christ ;  for,  (a)  he  betrays  the  highest  love  ; 
(b)  he  does  not  properly  love  even  his  own  ;  (c)  he 
is  lost  to  true  love  wliich  gives  to  man  his  real  value. 
— Enlarged  view.  The  love  of  Christ  far  above  all 
earthly  love. — The  love  of  Christ  may  well  claim  from 
us  the  surrender  of  those  we  love,  and  of  our  own 
life  also:  1.  Explanation  of  this  statement;  2.  de- 
monstration of  it. — Spurious  aifection  for  our  own,  is 
in  reality  only  disguised  self-love. — Relation  between 
the  fifth  and  the  first  commandment :  1.  The  former 
is  subordinate  to  the  latter,  because,  2.  it  springs 
from  it,  and  3.  it  is  fulfilled  in  it. — The  first  utterance 
of  the  Lord  concerning  His  cross  was  when  He  sum- 
moned His  disciples  to  share  it  with  Him. — "  He  that 
findeth  his  life : "  1.  The  historical  motto  of  Chris- 
tianity ;  2.  the  motto  of  the  inner  life ;  3.  the  motto 
of  every  relationship  of  fife,  of  every  possession,  en- 
joyment, or  claim. 

Starke: — The  blame  rests  not  with  Christ,  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  Isa.  ix.  6  ;  nor  with  the  gospel,  Eph. 
vi.  15  ;  but  with  the  malice  of  man. — Zeisius  :  Christ 
the  Woiiderful ;  Prince  of  Peace,  yet  disturber  of 
peace. — Satan  and  his  children  the  real  cause  of  all 
disturbances  in  tlie  world. —  Quesnd:  Our  nearest 
friends  oftentimes  the  greatest  enemies  of  our  salva- 
tion.— Natural  affection  is  proper  in  its  own  place, 
but  it  must  not  occupy  the  first  rank. — Ever  let  us 
assign  to  God  the  uip;liest  place,  as  the  first  com- 
mandment enjoins.  Amandus  est  genitor,  sed  prce- 
ponendus  est  creator  {Augustine). —  Christo  nihil  prcB- 
ponere  debemus,  quotdam  ci  ille  nihil  nobis  prceposuii 
{Cyprian). — To  deny  what  is  earthly,  forms  a  great 
part  in  the  divine  life. — We  cannot  love  Christ  if  we 
cherish  the  love  of  the  world. — Our  closest  relation- 
ships often  lead  aside  from  the  highest  good ;  hence 
they  must  be  abnegated. — Every  Christian  must  bear 
the  cross. — To  love  oneself  inordinately,  is  in  reality 
to  hate  oneself. — Loss  for  the  sake  of  Christ  is  true 
gain. — Death  for  the  sake  of  Christ  is  true  life. 

Heubner : — Christianity  a  declaration  of  war  to 
the  world,  and  yet  a  message  of  peace  for  the  world. 
— Surrender  of  natural  ties. — What  does  Christ  offer 
in  their  stead  ?  Heavenly,  spiritual,  and  eternal  con- 
nections.— How  much  of  natural  aifection  has  been 
sacrificed  upon  the  altar  of  Christ  [but  in  this  case, 
sacrificing  is  not  surrendering,  but  sanctifying  and 
giving  up  to  God]  ! — Christ  has  displayed  the  greatest 
love  toward  us  (1  John  iv.  19). — To  shepherds  :  Do 
you  love  the  flock  of  Christ  more  than  your  own 
house?  Deut.  xxxiii.  9,  10. — False  application  of  this 
declaration  Ijy  monasticism. — No  cross,  no  crown. — 
Without  Christ,  no  true  happiness. — Nothing  is  lost 
that  is  surrendered  for  Christ. 

*[Not:  '^springs  from"  as  the  Edinb.  trl.  reverses  tho 
German :  " ge/U  uus  in  cltn  (not":  von  dem)  ewigon  Auf- 
ruhr  und  Krieg  dor  Iliille.'"— P.  8.] 


200 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


1 2.  Along  with  the  cross  of  Christ,  His  servards  bring,  not  misery,  but  the  highest  happiness  into  the  world. 
They  who  receive  them,  receive  Christ  and  God  Himself,  and  their  reward  is  from  Him,  is  God  Himr- 
self.     Seventh  warning  and  comfort.    Ch.  X.  40^2. 

40  He  that  receiveth  you  receiveth  me ;  and  he  that  receiveth  me  receiveth  him  that 

41  sent  me.  He  that  receiveth  a  prophet  in  the  name  of  a  prophet  shall  receive  a  pro- 
phet's reward ;  and  he  that  receiveth  a  righteous  man  in  the  name  of  a  righteous  man 

42  shall  receive  a  righteous  man's  reward.  And  whosoever  shall  give  to  drink  unto  one 
of  these  little  ones  ^  a  cup  of  cold  ivater^  only  in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say 
imto  you,  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward. 

>  Ver.  42.— [Cod.  D.,  etc.,  read:  tZv  (\axi(rro3V  for  rwv  fxiKpwu.—P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  42.— [Cod.  D.,  Origan,  and  some  Later  MSS.  add  u  5  o  t  o  s ,  water,  after  ^vxpov,  cold.  —P.  B.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  40.  He  that  receiveth  you. — Such  is  the 
general  principle.  Tha  explanation  ef  de  Wette — 
"  your  cause  is  Mine,  and  the  cause  of  God  " — does 
not  exhaust  its  import.  It  implies,  not  merely  that 
the  disciples  shall  find  welcome  and  succor,  but  also, 
1  hat  the  cross  which  they  bring  with  them  shall  be 
the  well-spring  of  infinite  blessing. — This  principle 
also  embodies  tlie  two  great  features  of  salvation — 
it  is  to  receive  Christ  and  to  receive  God.  [Alford  : 
"  5  e  X  « "^  "  '  li^s  here  the  wider  sense  of  not  only  re- 
ceiving to  house  and  board,  but  receiving  in  heart 
and  life  the  message  of  which  the  Apostles  were  the 
bearers.     See  John  xx.  21." — P.  S.] 

Ver.  41.  He  that  receiveth  a  prophet. — The 
special  apphcation  and  inference  from  the  prmciple. 
— In  the  name.  In  rabbinical  writings,  u'ch  ■ 
Meyer  :  "  With  reference  to  that  which  the  name  un- 
plies.  [Alford :  "  e  i  y  oj'OjU  a,  a  Hebraism  (ccb  j  : 
because  he  is,  i.  e.,  for  the  love  of  Christ,  whose  proph- 
et he  is.  The  sense  is  :  He  who  by  receiving  a  proph- 
et because  he  is  a  prophet,  or  a  holy  man  because  he 
is  a  holy  man,  recognizes,  enters  into,  these  states  as 
appointed  by  Me,  shall  receive  the  blessedness  of 
these  states,"  shall  derive  aU  the  spiritua,l  benefits 
which  these  states  bring  vrith  them,  and  share  their 
everlasting  reward." — Wordsworth ;  '^  els  ivona  is 
more  forcible  than  eV  tcS  hvoixan.  It  signifies  an  in- 
ward movement  of  love  to,  and,  as  it  were,  identifica- 
tion with  the  prophet,  and  consequently  a  reception 
of  his  message  into  the  soul.  He  who  receives  a 
minister  of  Christ,  because  he  is  suth,  and  v/ith  love 
and  adhesion  to  Christ,  the  True  Prophet  (as  distin- 
guished from  men,  who  are  only  His  instruments), 
shall  partake  in  the  reward  promised  to  those  '  who 
turn  many  to  righteousness  '  (Dan.  xii.  3).  The  proph- 
et to  be  received  may  be  an  unworthy  person — a  Ju- 
das. Our  Lord,  foreseeing  this,  says  that  the  office  is 
to  be  regarded,  and  not  the  person  ;  and  that  you 
will  not  lose  your  reward  if  you  receive  a  prophet, 
though  he  who  is  received  is  unworthy.  Receive  him 
in  the  name  of  a  prophet,  not  for  the  sake  of  any  sec- 
ular pre-eminence  or  any  worldly  consideration,  but 
because  he  is  a  prophet,  and  you  will  receive  a  pro- 
phet's reward." — P.  S.] — A  prophet's  reward  ; — 
De  Wette  :  Such  as  a  prophet  receives,  not  such  as 
he  gives  (Paulus). 

A  righteous  man  ;  i.  e.,  one  who  embodies 
prophecy  in  his  faith  and  Ufe.  Evidently  alluding  to 
the  righteousness  of  faith  in  Christ. 


Ver.  42.  Unto  one  of  these  little  [lowly] 
ones. — With  reference  to  the  disciples.  Fritzsche 
suggests  that  they  are  so  called,  because  the  Rabbins 
designated  their  disciples  as  CiS-p  .*  Meyer  sees  in 
it  an  allusion  to  their  future  low  and  despised  condi- 
tion. In  our  view,  the  expression  refers  on  the  one 
hand  to  the  contrast  between  the  disciples  and  Christ 
their  Master,  and  to  that  between  their  low  position 
in  the  world  and  their  high  place  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. — A  cup  of  ccld  w^ater ;  /.  e.,  the  smallest 
favor,  the  least  act  of  Christian  charity. — His  re- 
ward ; — i.  c,  the  reward  meet  and  due  to  him. 

On  the  result,  and  the  work  achieved  by  the  Apos- 
tles, corap.  Mai'k  tL  12,  13  ;  Luke  ix.  6. 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  principle,  "He  that  receiveth  you,"  etc.,  is 
closely  connected  with  the  fundamental  principle  of 
Christ's  own  mission  into  the  world,  John  xx.  21. 
He  was  sent  by  the  Father,  and  He  in  turn  sends  His 
Apostles.  Accordingly,  they  who  receive  His  Apos- 
tles, receive  Him  ;  and  they  who  receive  Him,  receive 
God.  "  This  not  merely  imphes :  it  shall  be  consid- 
ered as  if  he  had  received,  etc. ;  but,  that  Christ  real- 
ly comes  to  us  in  and  by  His  servants.  '  I  in  them, 
and  Thou  in  Me,'  John  xvii.  23."  Gerlach. 

2.  This  principle  is  in  perfect  accordance  with 
the  fundamental  i-elations  of  spiritual  Ufe.  By  means 
of  spiritual  susceptibility,  man  comes  to  share  and 
enjoy  spiritual  fellowship,  and  thus  both  blessing  and 
blessedness  ;  or,  the  reward  of  him  who  communi- 
cates spiritual  blessings.  Receptive  spirits  enter  into 
spiritual  fellowship  and  enjoy  spiritual  community 
with  productive  spirits ;  behevers  through  the  Apos- 
tles with  Christ  and  God. 

3.  Even  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  persecution 
for  righteousness'  sake  had  been  declared  identical 
with  persecution  for  Christ's  sake.  Here  also  the 
term  "  righteous  "  evidently  points  to  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  and  that  all  the  more  distinctly,  that 
even  in  a  historical  sense,  Christ,  as  the  Righteous 

*  [But  such  a  Eabbinical  phra.se  is  donbtful.  In  the  pas- 
sage quoted  by  Wetstein  ="'3t:p  B\ea\\&parciili,  i.  e.,  chiU 
dren.  See  Meyer  hi  loc,  p.  241.'  Still  the  word  might  easi- 
ly have  assumed  this  meaning  as  distinguished  from  ST  , 
ffreat,  a  master.  Alford  is  disposed  to  take  fxtKpol 
literally  of  some  children  who  may  have  been  present  (xviiL 
2-G);  but  TovTWuis  evidently  to  be  taken  buKTiKuis 
as  pointing  to  the  disciples  present— P.  8.] 


CHAP.  XI. 


201 


One,  formed  the  connecting  link  between  the  proph- 
ets and  the  Apostles. — Lastly,  this  promise  implies 
a  corresponding  warning  of  impending  judgment  in 
case  of  resistance. 

4.  Extent  and  conditions  of  the  authority  of  the 
Apostles. 

HOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

The  witnesses  of  Christ  must  not  be  afraid  of  the 
detrimental  consequences  which  the  message  of  peace 
brings,  so  far  as  this  world  is  concerned. — A  Chris- 
tian may  well  invite  others  to  share  the  cross,  since 
he  invites  them  to  share  the  crown. — Blessed  misery 
which  Christianity  causes  in  the  world. — "  He  that 
receiveth  you,"  etc.;  or,  the  apostolic  authority:  1. 
What  important  conditions  attach  to  it ;  2.  how  these 
conditions  constitute  its  greatness. — How  the  great- 
ness of  Christ's  servants  appears  and  disappears  :  1. 
It  appears  in  their  bemg  ambassadors  of  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  and  of  God;  2.  it  disappears  before  the 
Spirit,  the  Saviour,  and  the  Father,  whom  they  bring 
to  those  who  receive  them. — Susceptibility,  or  trust- 
fulness, the  bond  of  spiritual  fellowship  and  spiritual 
communication  between  heaven  and  eai-th. — Those 
who  are  susceptible  obtain  the  reward  of  Heaven's 
messengers  whom  they  receive,  and  that  in  ascending 
line  :  1 .  The  reward  of  a  prophet ;  2.  the  reward  of 
a  righteous  man ;  3.  the  fullest  reward  of  a  righteous 
man  in  the  reward  of  all  the  Apostles. — Faith  in  the 
Righteous  One  :  the  righteousness  of  faith. — Even 
the  smallest  service  of  love  may  obtam  the  richest 
reward,  if,  in  doing  it  to  the  Lord's  people,  we  de- 
vote it  to  the  Lord  Himself. — If  it  is  intended  as  ev- 
idence of  our  having  received  the  Lord. 


Sta7-ke: — Luke  x.  16  ;  John  xiii.  20. —  Cramer  : 
— He  that  receives  the  servants  of  God,  receives  God 
Himself  into  his  house. — The  more  lowly  in  outward 
appearance  the  messenger  who  is  received,  the  great- 
er the  faith  which  sees  Christ  in  him,  and  looks  only 
to  the  Lord.  Matt.  xxv.  31. — Osiander  : — It  shall 
be  well  both  in  time  and  eternity  with  him  who  pro- 
motes the  Christian  ministry  and  schools,  and  who 
does  good  to  believers. 

[^Quesnclon  ver.  42 : — Charity  heightens  the  small- 
est actions.  It  is  this  which  recommends  good  works. 
— Under  a  just  and  merciful  God,  no  sin  is  unpunish- 
ed, no  good  action  is  unrewarded. — Jesus  Christ  con- 
firms this  last  promise  with  the  solemn  Verily,  to 
stimulate  us  to  acts  of  charity,  and  to  destroy  all 
doubt  as  to  the  reward. — In  the  world,  great  services 
only  receive  great  reward ;  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
the  smallest  acts  of  kmdness  to  the  humblest  persons 
may  justly  hope  for  a  very  gi-eat  reward. — P.  S.] 

Heubner  : — The  spirit  of  faith  and  of  love  trans- 
forms every  work,  and  surrounds  even  the  meanest 
with  a  halo  of  glory. — God  leaves  not  the  smallest 
deed  of  love  unrewarded. 

General  survey  of  the  2vhole  chapter. — Homily  on 
the  apostolic  mission  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus  :  a. 
Their  mission,  and  their  preparation  for  it  by  the 
Lord ;  6.  the  goal,  and  the  order  of  their  journey ;  c. 
their  freedom  from  care,  and  their  sustenance;  d. 
their  stay,  and  their  further  progress  ;  e.  their  suffei^ 
ings;  f.  their  encouragements  and  consolations. — 
Lectures  on  smaller  portions  :  The  Apostles  and 
their  mission  (vers.  1-10). — The  world  in  its  bearmg 
toward  the  Apostles  (vers.  11-22).— Admonitions 
and  consolations  of  the  Lord,  to  stir  us  up  to  faith- 
fulness in  our  work  of  bearmg  witness  to  the  Chris- 
tian faith  (vers.  23-42). 


B.  CHRIST  MANIFESTING  HIMSELF  AS  THE  KING,  BY  CLEARLY  BRINGING  OUT  THE 
FACT,  THAT  HE  HAS  NOT  BEEN  OWNED  AS  PROPHET,  AND  BY  MANIFESTING  HIS 
ROYAL  DIGNITY.  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  GREAT  CONFLICT  BETWEEN  CHRIST 
AND  THE  OLD  THEOCRATIC  WORLD,  PREFIGURED  BY  THE  DIFFICULTIES  EXPE- 
RIENCED BY  THE  BAPTIST,  AND  BEGINNING  WITH  THE  UNBELIEF  MANIFESTED 
IN  THE   CITEES  OF   GALILEE. 


Chapter  XI. 
{The  Gospel  for  the  U  Sunday  in  Advent:  XI.  2-10.— ParaUels :  Luke  vii.  18-35  ;  x.  13-15,  21,  22.) 


00!JTr.NT8 :— While  Christ's  blessed  activity  w.as  bearing  richest  fruits,  .ind  during  the  course  of  His  third  journey,  when 
p.issin5:  along  the  shores  of  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  where  His  advent  had  boen  announced  and  prepared  by  His 
twelve  Apostles,  the  great  conflict  between  Him  and  the  old  secularized  theoenacy  commenced.  Hitherto  the 
attacks  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  on  the  Lord  had  been  at  least  isolated.  But  now  commenced  a  scries  of 
contradictions,  springing  from  opposition  avowed,  and  on  principle,  and  incited  by  the  chiefs  of  the  party  at 
Jerusalem.  The  contest  opens  with  the  serious  circumstance,  that  even  John,  the  Baptist  and  forerunner  of 
the  Lord,  seems  for  a  moment  in  danger  of  being  offended  at  Him.  Christ  feels,  however,  so  certain  of  His  victory 
over  John,  that  immediately  after  replying  to  his  inquiry,  Ho  publicly  claims  him  iis  His  associate  and  precursor.  All 
the  more,  therefore,  docs  He  lay  it  to  the  charge  of  His  cotemporaries,  that  they  had  disbelieved  both  John  and  Him- 
self. The  hopeless  captivity  of  John  was  sufficient  evidence  that  the  people  had  given  him  up:  whilo  the  unbelief  of 
the  cities  of  Galileo  formed  a  plain  indication  that  they  were  also  ready  to  aarrender  the  Lord.    It  is  characteristic  of 


202 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


tbe  systematic  method  of  Matthew,  that  he  records  on  this  occasion  the  sentence  of  condemnation  pronounced  by  tho 
Lord  upon  these  cities,  which,  in  the  actual  course  of  events,  was  uttered  at  a  later  period,  when  Christ  finally  left 
Galilee.  But  this  unbelief  and  opposition  evoke,  in  all  its  depth  and  fulness,  Christ's  (^)nsciousness  of  His  royal  digni- 
ty, as  it  appears  in  the  concluding  sentences  of  this  chapter.  In  ch.  xil.  this  conflict  appears  as  one  of  principle, — the 
Pharisees  meeting  the  Lord  with  the  charge,  that  His  disciples,  and  He  Himself,  broke  the  sabbath,  and  obliging  Him 
to  withdraw  from  their  machinations  against  His  life.  At  last,  they  come  publicly  forward  with  tbe  accusation,  which 
they  had  before  spread  in  secret,  that  the  Lord  practised  magic,  was  in  league  with  .^atan,  and  cast  out  devils  by  the 
prince  of  the  devils.  This  daring  accusation  obliged  the  Lord  publicly  to  rebuke  and  to  warn  them  of  blasphemy 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  return,  they  insist  on  some  sign  from  heaven  to  verify  His  J/es«ianio  claims,  which  His 
disciples  had  published  as  a  secret.  The  Lord  Jesus  points  t!iem  to  the  token  from  the  deep,  the  sign  of  the  prophet 
Jonas — the  type  of  His  death  on  the  cross,  and  to  the  impending  judgment  of  becoming  subject  to  the  sway  of  domon.s, 
which  awaited  them  after  His  decease.  Tho  opposition  to  Jesus  was  now  so  great  and  gener.al,  that  even  His  mother 
and  His  brethren  were,  in  their  mistaken  kindness,  offended  at  Hiui,  and  attempted  to  withdraw  Him  from  His  ene- 
mies under  a  pretext,— a  circumstance  to  which  the  Evangelist  faintly  alludes.  In  this  context,  the  Evangelist  re- 
cords the  seven  p.arables  concerning  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (ch.  xiii.),  some  of  which  had,  however,  been  uttered  at  a 
former  period.  These  parables  also  indicate  the  altered  position  of  the  Lord  with  reference  to  the  people.  He  now 
requires  to  instruct  them  by  parables  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  ofl'ences  still  continue  and  increase.  At  tbe 
close  of  these  parables,  the  Evangel'st  records,  that  the  Lord  w.is  rejected  even  by  His  own  city, — a  circumstance 
which  had  occurred  at  an  earlier  period.  Jesus  then  withdraws  (though,  chronologically,  at  an  earlier  period,  see  ch. 
sii.)  from  Herod  Antip.is,  the  ruler  of  Galilee,  who  had  shortly  before  ordered  the  execution  of  John  the  Baptist,  and 
betakes  Himself  to  the  eastern  shore  of  the  sea  (ch.  xiv.),  where  He  spreads  a  table  for  the  multitudes.  On  several 
subsequent  occasions,  He  teaches  on  the  western  shore;  the  last  two  times  to  be  opposed  by  the  Pharisees,  chs.  xv.  and 
xvi.     Ouly  in  passing,  and  preparatory  to  His  journey  to  Jerusalem,  does  He  again  visit  His  own  country  (ch.  xvii- 


We  have  been  obliged,  in  some  measure,  to  anticipate  the  course  of  this  history,  in  order  to  exhibit  the  series  of 
conflicts  between  the  Lord  and  the  unbelieving  people.  But  there  is  another  and  higher  fact  to  which  this  chapter 
points.  We  see  in  it  the  royal  consciousness  of  Jesus  gradually  unfolding  with  increasing  majesty.  1.  Clirist  restores 
the  wavering  Baptist  to  the  pristine  confidence  of  his  faith.  2.  He  presents  the  Baptist  to  the  people  as  Elijah,  who, 
according  to  Malachi,  w;is  to  precede  the  advent  of  the  royal  Angel  of  the  Covenant.  3.  He  places  him  by  His  own 
side,  as  sharinj  that  rejection  which  Himself  had  met  from  His  life.  4.  In  His  indignation  on  account  of  the  unbelief 
of  Galilee,  Ho  manifests  His  royal  dignity  by  announcing  the  coming  judgment.  5.  This  dignity  He  manifests  still 
farther  by  a  grand  hymn  of  praise  to  His  Father,  and  by  the  revelation  of  His  own  majesty.  7.  He  graciously  invites 
those  who  are  weary  and  heavy  laden  to  find  rest  in  Him  In  the  kingdom  of  meekness,  of  patience,  ahd  of  holy  suf- 
fering. 


1.   TJie  Baptist  wavers,  but  the  Lord  remains  siedfast,  and  restores  His  wavering  friend.     Ch.  XI.  1-6. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jesus  had  made  an  end  of  commanding  his  twelve  dis- 

2  ciples,  he  departed  thence  to  teach  and  to  preach  in  their  cities.     Now  when  John  had 
heard  in  the  prison  the  works  of  Christ,  he  sent  two  of  his   [through  his]  ^  disciples, 

3  And  said  vmto  him,  Art  thou  he  that  should  come  [that  cometh],*  or  do  we  look  [shall 

4  we  look]  ^  for  another  ?     Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Go  and  shew  John  again 
[report  to  John]  ^  those  things  which  ye  do  hear  and  see : 

5  The  blind  receive  their  sight,  and  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the 
deaf  hear,  the  dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  to  them. 

6  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended  in  [at]  me. 

1  Yer.  2.— The  reading:  S  i  a  tSiv  fj.aZ-r\ruv  aurov,  through  His  disciples,  adopted  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf,  is 
strongly  supported  by  Codd.  B.,  C,  D.,  etc.  But  even  Origen  and  other  fathers  favor  the  reading:  5uo,  and  this  cor- 
responds at  all  events  with  the  actual  fact  as  stated  by  Luke  vii.  10.  [Aid  is  undoubtedly  the  original  reading,  support- 
ed by  the  oldest  M9S.,  including  the  Cod.  Sinaiticus,  and  adopted  also  by  Tregelles,  Alford,  Wordsworth;  while  Siio  is  a 
correction  from  Luke  vii.  19.     Lectio  difficilior  primatum  tenet.— V.  S.] 

-\ur.Z.—[Ov:  the  coming  One,  0   f  px^M  f  "<">  ^'2^! ,  ;.  e.,  the  Messiah.    &e  Com.— P.  S.] 

s  Ver.  3.— [npy(r5o/fw,ufc  is  the  conjunctive  here.    See  Com.] 

*  Ver.  4.— [The  word  again  in  the  E.  V.  does  not  mean  here  a  second  time,  but  represents  the  preposition  otto  In 
dira77eiA.aT6.     But  report,  make  known  to,  is  a  better  translation.    See  the  Dictionaries,  s.  verio.—V.  8.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  Thence. — From  the  place  whence  He 
had  sent  His  disciples,  somewhere  to  the  south  of 
Capernaum. 


To  teach  and  to  preach — It  was  during  this 
journey  that  Jesus  soon  afterward  reached  Magdala, 
where  He  was  anointed  by  the  woman  who  had  been 
a  sinner,  and  then  Nain,  where  He  raised  the  widow's 
son.  During  His  onward  course,  a  number  of  female 
disciples  gathered  around  Him  and  ministered  unto 


CHAP.  XI.  1-6. 


203 


Him,  Luke  viii.  2. — On  tins  occasion  He  was  over- 
taken bj  the  messengers  of  John,  who  had  been 
committed  to  prison  in  the  later  part  of  the  au- 
tumn of  the  year  781.  The  journey  closed  with 
the  appearance  of  Jesus  at  the  festival  of  Purim 
in  the  year  782,  after  which  the  Baptist  was  exe- 
cuted. 

In  their  cities,  avruv . — Fritzsche  (after  Ger- 
hard) :  In  the  cities  where  the  Apostles  had  already 
preached.  To  this  Meyer  objects,  that  Jesus  follow- 
ed immediately  upon  His  disciples.  But  if  the  dis- 
ciples had  distributed  themselves  over  the  different 
cities  which  Jesus  afterward  visited  in  succession, 
they  must  have  been  considerably  in  advance  of 
Him.  Meyer's  own  explanation — in  the  cities  of 
those  to  whom  He  went — amounts  to  a  mere  tau- 
tology. Euthym.  Zigabenus :  the  birth-places  of  the 
Apostles. 

Ver.  2.  In  the  prison. — In  the  fortress  of  Ma- 
chffirus,  Joseph.  A7ii.  xviii.  5,  2. — The  castle  of  Ma- 
chferus,  on  the  southern  border  of  Peraja,  toward 
Moabitis — probably  the  modern  Mkaur — was,  after 
Jerusalem,  the  strongest  fortress  of  the  Jews,  being 
protected  on  all  sides  by  deep  valleys.  It  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Romans  after  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  (Joseph.  De  Bello  Jud.  vii.  6,  1). 

The  works  of  Christ. — Probably  referring  to 
His  mode  of  working,  and  more  especially  to  the 
events  above  recorded ;  His  gracious  mtercourse  with 
publicans  and  sinners  (ch.  ix.,  etc.).  The  Baptist 
would  obtam  from  his  disciples  the  latest  reports  of 
the  works  of  Christ. 

He  sent. — Following  the  reading  Sm,  instead  of 
5yo,  we  might  feel  almost  inclined  with  Meyer  to 
take  Tri^^as  absolutely,  and  to  connect  5ia  rHv, 
/f.T.A..,  with  iliTfvauTai.  He  sent  atid  said  utUo 
Him  bi/  his  disciples.  But  this  would  scarcely  give 
a  good  meaning.  Accordingly,  whatever  view  we 
may  take  of  the  reading  Hid,  we  must  join  ireV'I'as 
with  the  words  that  follow  (de  Wette). 

Ver.  3.  Art  Thou  He  ? — 2  v  is  put  first  by  way 
of  emphasis. — 'O  ipxa/j-ffos,  He  that  cometh, 
KSn  ,  a  designation  of  the  Messiah,  which,  accord- 
ing to  Ps.  xl.  8,"^  would  be  peculiarly  suitable  at  that 
time,  and  especially  in  the  circumstances  of  the  Bap- 
tist ;  comp.  John  i.  27. 

ITpoffSoKci^ej/,  in  the  conjunctive,  shall  we 
look,  or  are  we  to  look,f  and  not  in  the  indicative. 


*  [Olshansen  derives  the  designation  from  Ps.  cxviii.  26: 
"Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  ;"  Hengstenberg  from  Mai.  iii.  1 : 
"Behold  He  cometh."— P.  8.] 

t  [Dr.  Lange  and  his  Edinb.  trsl.  add  here:  "after  the 
Vulgate,  etc."'  But  this  is  an  error.  The  Vulgate  trans- 
lates: erpectamus  (indicative).  So  also  Tertullian  (Adv. 
Marcionem,  Ab.  iv.  chap.  IS),  Kra^mus,  Beza,  Fritzsche. 
But  Bensel,  de  Wette,  and  Meyer  more  correctly  reg.ard 
it  as  a  deliberative  conjunctive'which  agrees  better  with 
the  psychological  condition  of  John  and  his  disciples  at 
the  time.  Comp.  Mark  xii.  14:  Sdjfj.fv  ■!)  u^  Scuyuei/.  De 
Wette  adds:  "This  question  decidedly  indicates  doubt,  if 
not  concerning  the  Messianic  mission,  at  least  respecting  His 
Messianic  .activity  or  mode  of  proceedinz  which  did  not  fall 
in  with  the  theocratic  notions  of  the  Baptist."  Others  re- 
gard the  question  merely  as  a  question  of  impatient  zeal  and 
indirect  admonition  to  proceed  faster.  But  even  this  would 
imply  a  certain  discontent  on  the  part  of  John.  The  same 
is  true  of  Alford's  explanation  that  John,  hearing  the  con- 
tradictory reports  concerning  the  works  of  Clirist,  intended 
to  bring  him,  through  this  embassy,  to  an  open  profession 
of  His  Messiahship,  and  thus  incurred  a  share  of  the 
same  rebuke  which  M.ary  received  at  Cana  (John  ii.  4). 
Most  of  the  fatlity-s  on  the  other  hand,  with  the  exception 
of  Tertullian.  jfar.  Marc.  iv.  18,  Opera  omnia,  ed  Ochler, 
tom.  ii.  p  203  (not  iv.  5,  as  Dr.  Wordsworth  misquotes), 
especially  Origen,  Chrysostom,  Thcophylact,  Jerome,  Am- 


— The  old  explanation  of  the  passage  (Origen,  Chry- 
sostom,  etc. ;  Calvin,  Beza,  Melanchthon,  Stier),  thatv 
John  himself  felt  no  doubts  at  all,  but  that  he  sent^ 
this  embassy  to  Jesus  for  the  sake  of  his  disciples,  | 
who  doubted,  is  not  supported  by  the  text,  and  can  / 
only  have  originated  in  a  desire  to  vindicate  the  Bap- 
tist,  or  else  to  obviate  an  objection  against  the  doc- 
trine of  inspiration,  since  John  had  previously  pro- 
claimed that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  [iii.  14,  16; 
John  i.  29].  But  these  commentators  ignore  the 
fact,  that  if  such  were  tlie  case,  John  would  have  had 
recourse  to  the  doubtful  expedient  of  assuming  a  false 
appearance  and  simulating  difficulties  which  he  had 
not  felt ;  they  vindicate  his  orthodoxy  at  the  expense 
of  his  morality.  Similarly  do  they  ignore  the  history 
of  the  Old  Testament  saints,  all  of  whom  stumbled 
at  some  one  of  the  great  critical  periods  in  their  Uvea 
(Moses,  David,  Elijah,  Job).  Specially  striking  here 
is  the  analogy  between  Elijah  on  Mount  Horeb  and 
his  antitype  John.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  do 
not  suppose  (with  Meyer,  and  many  others,  com- 
mencing even  with  Tertullian)  that  the  Baptist  had 
cherished  any  dogmatic  doubt  as  to  the  Messiahship 
of  Jesus.  In  our  opinion,  the  two  views  must  be 
combined, — that  John,  in  the  midst  of  his  mental 
perplexities  and  trials,  was  offended  by  the  kindly 
and  gentle  mode  of  Christ's  activity  (Paulus,  Olshau- 
sen,  Ebrard,  and  others),  and  that  his  embassy  was 
designed  to  determine  the  Lord  to  manifest  Himself 
openly  as  the  Messiah,  by  some  solemn  act  of  judg- 
ment (Lightfoot,  Hase,  and  others).  Above  all  must 
we  clearly  realize  the  situation  of  the  Baptist.  Dur- 
ing a  long  and  dreary  winter  had  he  been  imprisoned 
in  the  lonely  fortress  of  Machaerus.  Meantime  Herod 
Antipas  was  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  indulg- 
ing in  every  kind  of  luxury ;  while  Herodias,  with 
whom  he  lived  in  adulterous  connection,  meditated 
vengeance  upon  the  bold  preacher  who  had  denounc- 
ed her  sin.  When  preaching  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit,  John  had  also  proclaimed  the  coming  baptism 
of  fire,  or  the  impending  judgment.  At  this  period 
the  disciples  of  the  Baptist  returned  from  their  \isit 
to  Jesus,  full  of  indignation,  and  reported  to  the 
captive  and  offended  ascetic  that  Jesus  accepted  in- 
vitations to  feasts  with  publicans  and  simiers.  It 
was  impossible  for  John  to  doubt  either  his  own 
mission,  or  the  vision  he  had  seen.  But  he  might 
doubt  the  conduct  of  the  Lord,  whom  he  had  owned 
as  Messiah.  Hence  his  embassy.  It  was  prompted 
by  doubt  and  disappointment  about  Christ's  conduct ; 
by  an  inordinate  desire  for  His  more  public  mani- 
festation ;  by  an  Elijah-like  wrath  on  account  of  the 
corruptness  of  the  court  and  world ;  by  a  desire  him- 

brose,  Hilary,  and  Augustine,  deny  that  John  was  in  any 
doubt.  Stier  among  the  modern  German,  and  WordsworthN 
among  the  English,  commentators,  elaborately  defend  the  y 
patristic  view.  The  latter  regards  this  seidina  of  his  dis-y/^ 
ciples  as  the  crownins  act  of  the  ministry  of  John,  who  thus 
L'uarded  against  a  schism  between  his  own  disciples  and 
those  of  Jesus,  and  bequeathed  his  disciples  to  Christ.  I 
asree  substantially  with  Dr.  Lango's  view,  viz:  that  John 
(like  all  saints  in  this  world)  was  temporarily  under  a  cloud 
of  depression  and  doubt,  not  respecting  the  Messiahship  of 
Christ  (as  Meyer  in  a  long  note,  pp.  244  and  245,  4th  ed.,  as- 
serts, contrary  to  vers.  7  and  8),  but  respecting  the  slow  and 
unostentatious  mode  of  His  manifestation,  and  tlie  true  na- 
ture of  His  kingdom.  It  is  very  pl.ain,  what  Langj  does  not 
notice,  that  the  answer  of  our  Saviour  is  directid  to  John 
himself  (dira77eiA.aT€  'Icuai/i'j;),  and  not  to  his  disciples, 
which  implies  that  he  needed  it'as  much  as  they,  for  his  own 
spiritual  comfort  and  encourasement.  That  the  messiige  of 
Christ  had  the  desired  effect  upon  both  may  be  inferred  from 
the  martyrdom  of  John  and  from  the  action  of  his  disciples, 
who  "  took  up  his  body  and  buried  it  and  came  and  told  Jc- 
«iM,"  Matt.  xiv.  12.— P.  S.] 


204 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


ficlf  to  witness  tlie  manifestation  of  that  kingdom  of 
heaven  which  ho  had  announced ;  above  all,  by  ar- 
dent longing  for  a  decisive  word.  But  the  faithful- 
ness and  strength  of  this  friend  of  Jesus,  in  the  midst 
of  his  weakness,  appears  even  in  the  form  of  his 
message — straightforward  and  directly  to  Jesus. 
This  characteristic  is  the  earnest  of  his  victory. 

Vcr.  5.  The  blind  see,  etc. — The  evidence  of 
the  Messiah's  working  as  given  by  the  prophets,  Isa. 
XXXV.  5  ;  Ixi.  1.  The  cleansing  of  lepers  and  raising 
the  dead,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  and  xxxvii.  [Comp.  the  rais- 
ing of  the  daughter  of  Jairus,  ix.  18-26,  and  of  the 
widow's  son  at  Nain,  which,  in  the  Gospel  of  Luke, 
immediately  precedes  this  embassy,  Luke  vii.  11,  18. 
P.  S.]  Most  commentators  refer  the  expression  poor 
to  spiritual  poverty ;  Meyer,  to  the  national  misfor- 
tunes of  Israel.  The  statement  with  reference  to 
these  poor  must,  of  course,  be  taken  in  a  limited 
sense  ;  just  as  that  about  the  blind,  the  lame,  etc., — 
to  all  of  whom  it  only  applied  on  condition  of  their 
EusceptibiUty  to  the  influence  of  Christ. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  As  the  representative  of  the  law,  the  prophet  is 
another  Moses  :  he  may  call  for  lightning,  for  thun- 
der, or  for  fire  from  heaven.  As  messenger  of  the 
gospel,  the  prophet  is  only  a  precursor  of  Christ ;  and 
hence  has  not  attained  the  full  height  of  Christianity, 
especially  in  regard  to  patience  under  suiFering.  In 
this  respect,  also,  it  holds  true  that  the  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than  he. — From  the  in- 
quiry of  the  Baptist — shall  weivaitfor  another  ? — we 
learn  the  extent  of  his  temptation.  In  the  case  of 
Israel,  this  query  has,  alas !  been  answered  affirma- 
tively, and  they  wait  for  "  another,"  to  their  own  con- 
demnation. But  with  John  the  difficulty  arose  from 
the  knowledge  that  Messiah  would  also  appear  as 
Judge.  And  although  he  could  not  be  ignorant  of 
the  difference  between  the  suffering  and  the  glorified 
Messiah,  yet  he  was  not  aware  of  the  distance  inter- 
vening between  the  advent  of  the  one  and  of  the 
other ;  and  his  impatience  was  all  the  greater  that  he 
did  not  even  see  the  Messiah  suffering,  in  the  strict- 
est sense  of  the  word.  But  the  special  object  of  his 
inquiry  sepms  to  have  been,  to  urge  Jesus  publicly  to 
declare  Himself  before  all  the  people. 

2.  Formerly  (in  ch.  ix.),  Jesus  had  met  the  disci- 
ples of  the  Baptist  by  recalhng  to  their  minds  the 
last  testimony  of  the  Baptist  concerning  Himself  (the 
Bridegroom  and  His  friend).  He  now  repUes  to  the 
Baptist,  whose  wan-ant  was  derived  from  the  prophe- 
cies of  Isaiah  (ch.  xl.),  by  appealing  to  another  part 
of  these  predictions  (ch.  xxxv.  and  Ix.),  nay,  by  refer- 
ring him  even  to  the  prophetic  figure  of  the  advent 
of  the  Lord  through  the  wilderness.  John  impatient- 
ly longed  for  assistance,  for  retaliation,  and  for  the 
vengeance  of  God.  *  This  was  the  occasion  of  his  of- 
fence. Jesus  replied  by  reminding  him  of  the  char- 
acteristics of  Messiah  in  Isa.  xxxv.  5,  which  are  in- 
tended to  meet  such  unpatience  as  that  of  the  Bap- 
tist. For,  in  the  verses  precedmg  those  quoted  by 
Christ,  we  read  :  "  Strengthen  ye  the  weak  hands, 
and  confirm  the  feeble  knees.  Say  ye  to  them  tliat 
are  of  a  fearful  (hasty)  heart.  Be  strong,  fear  not : 
behold,  your  God  cometh  to  vengeance,  even  Godcom- 
eth  to  a  recompense,  that  He  may  save  you.  Then  the 
eyes  of  the  blind  shall  be  opened,"  etc. — The  descrip- 
tion of  the  Messiah  which  follows — the  transition 
from  physical  to  spiritual  deliverance,  and  the  con- 


nection between  the  two — the  relation  between  these 
deliverances  and  the  character  of  the  Messiah  as 
drawn  by  Isaiah — lastly,  the  connection  between  this 
description  and  that  of  his  own  situation, — could  not 
but  have  a  beneficial  and  quickening  influence  upon 
John,  especially  when  taken  along  with  the  conclud- 
ing words,  which  would  recall  the  prediction  in  Isa. 
viii.  14. 

3.  The  conclusion  of  Christ's  rcj  ly  to  the  Baptist 
indicated  that  the  miracles  of  Jesus  \.cre  al.-o  intend- 
ed as  emblems  of  spiritual  deliverance.  This  view  has 
been  entertained  by  all  sound  interpreters,  and  only 
called  in  question  on  insufficient  grounds.  Lastly, 
we  infer  from  this  passage,  that  the  miracles  of  Jesus 
were  also  designed  to  serve  as  evidence  of  His  Messi- 
anic mission  and  Divine  nature. 

4.  Hitherto  Jesus  had  carefully  avoided  publicly 
taking  the  name  of  Messiah.  John  now  urged  Him 
to  assume  that  title.  This  might  easily  have  led  to* 
a  popular  movement  in  favor  of  John.  But  in  His 
reply,  Jesus  combined  the  highest  wisdom  with  the 
highest  power  :  He  appealed  to  His  works,  by  whiclk 
John  could  not  fail  to  recognize  Him  as  the  Messiah ; 
v/hile  at  the  same  time  He  refused  to  yield  to  the 
suggestion  of  John,  and  openly  avow  Himself  the 
Messiah. 


HOMILETICAL  AND   PKACTICAL. 

Jesus  everywhere  accompanies  His  honest  mes- 
sengers, to  confirm  their  work. — Jesus  teaches  and 
preaches  in  the  cities  of  His  faithful  witnesses  (in 
their  fields  of  labor :  schools,  churches,  institutions, 
and  works). — The  call  of  the  Lord  penetrates  every- 
where, even  vritbin  prison-walls. — The  embassy  of 
John  the  Baptist  to  the  Lord,  an  evidence  of  strength 
in  weakness.  1.  An  evidence  of  his  weakness.  For- 
mer joyous  certitude  of  the  Baptist;  his  present  of- 
fence. Explained  by  his  situation  and  his  Old  Testa- 
ment character.  Courage  to  bear  suffering  and  the 
cross  was  only  preparing.  The  temptations  of  saints.  2. 
Evidence  of  his  strength  :  John  addresses  the  Saviour, 
even  as  Christ  Himself,  in  His  last  trial  on  the  cross, 
appealed  to  the  Father  :  My  God,  My  God,  etc. — The 
inquiry  of  the  Baptist :  Shall  ive  look  for  another  ? — 
a  wavering  between  truth  and  error  :  1.  True,  in  so  far 
as  it  referred  to  the  second  advent  of  Christ ;  2.  false, 
as  a  misunderstanding  of  the  first  advent  of  Christ ;  3. 
a  doubt,  or  uncertainty  as  to  the  connection  between 
the  first  and  the  second  advent  of  Christ. — Glorious 
answer,  by  which  the  Lord  in  His  strength  restores 
His  zealous  friend  in  his  v.-eakness :  1.  Glorious  in 
its  contents  ;  2.  glorious  in  its  humility  and  in  its 
wisdom  (He  avoids  the  declaration  that  He  did  all 
this,  and  that  He  was  the  Messiah) ;  3.  glorious  in 
its  mode  of  expression  (reference  to  the  passage  in 
Isaiah  in  its  context) ;  4.  glorious  in  its  promise  (the 
dead  are  raised — which  applied  especially  to  John — 
and  to  the  poor,  etc.). — The  miracles  of  Jesus  an  evi- 
dence of  His  claims  and  character. — The  physical 
miracles  of  Jesus,  signs  and  seals  of  His  spiritual  mir- 
acles :  1 .  Signs  preceding  them ;  2.  seals  following 
them. — Blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be  offend- 
ed at  Me  :  1.  Deep  import  of  this  saying  (Whosoever 
shall  not  be  offended  at  My  infinite  patience  with  the 
world,  at  My  veadiness  to  suffer,  at  My  delay  of  judg- 
ment) ;  2.  solemn  warning  :  to  judge  and  decide 
hastily  may  lead  even  to  apostasy ;  3.  the  great  pro- 
mise :  he  that  overcometu  the  temptation  to  be  of- 
fended in  Christ,  has  cou(|uercd  and  is  saved. 


CHAP.  XI.  1-16. 


205 


2.   T7ie  authority  of  the  Baptist  as  preparing  the  way  for  the  Messiah  vindicated.     Cn.  XI.  V-15. 

7  And  as  thej  departed,^  Jesus  began  to  say  unto  the  multitudes  concerning  John, 
TVhat  went  je  out  into  the  wilderness  to  see?*     A  reed  shaken  with  [by]  the  wind? 

8  But  what  [What  then]  went  ye  out  for*  to  see?     A  man  clothed  in  soft  raiment?* 

9  behold,  they  that  wear  soft  clothing  are  in  kings'  houses.     But  what  went  ye  out  for 

10  to  see?     A  prophet?^  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  and  more  than  a  prophet.     For  this  is  he, 
of  whom  it  is  written,  Beliold,  I  send  my  messenger  before  thy  face,  which  shall  pre- 

11  pare  thy  way  before  thee.     Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Among  them  that  are  born  of 
women  there  hath  not  risen  a  greater  than  John  tlie  Baptist :  notwithstanding,  he  that 

12  is  least®  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than  he.     And  from  the  days  of  John  the 
Baptist  until  now  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence  [is  assaulted  by  storm],'  and 

13  the  violent  take  it  by  force.     For  all  the  prophets  and  the  law  prophesied  until  John. 

14  And  if  ye  will  receive  it^  this  is  Elias  [the  Elijah],  which  was  for  to  come  [who  was  to 

15  come].     He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,^  let  him  hear. 


1  Ver.  7. — [Lit. :  And  as  these  were  departing,  tovtccv  Se  Ttopfvofievuv. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  T.— [Conant  ami  the  revised  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Unioti:  behold,  for  see,  to  express  more  fully  the  meaning 
of  BediTaadai,  to  gaze,  to  look  vpon,  as  a  public  spectacle.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  S. — [For  is  unnecessary;  aWa  ti  t^riKdeTe  lde7i/.] 

*  Ver.  S.— [Correct  as  to  the  sense.  The  text.  rec.  (with  Cod.  Ales,  as  edited  by  Cowper)  reads  tyuarioiy  after  iJLa\ar 
(CO??,  probably  from  Luke  vii.  25.  Codd.  Sinait.,  Vaticanus,  tho  Latin  Vulgate  {mollibus),  and  other  ancient  authorities 
omit  it.    So  Tischendorf,  Tregelles,  and  Alford.     Lachmann  retains  the  noun,  but  in  brackets. — P.  S.] 

6  Ver.  9.— [After  an  ancient  reading  of  Cod.  B. :  £iit  why  went  ye  out?  to  see  a  prophet  ?  a.K\'a  ri  i^TiKOan ;  irpo- 
(prirrjv  iSeiv ;  Lange,.  with  Tischendorf,  Meyer,  and  Alford  (who,  however,  omits  the  punctuation  after  e^-i}X0aTe,  regard- 
lag  the  whole  as  one  sentence)  adopt  this  reading,  which  has  now  the  additional  weight  of  the  Cod.  Sinaiticus;  but  Lach- 
mann and  Tregelles  defend  the  usual  reading:  aWa  ti  i^7}\daTe  iSe7v ;  7rpo07JTr)i';  the  only  real  difference  is  as  to  tho 
position  of  iSfiy — P.  S.] 

5  Ver.  11.— [Lit. :  less,  or  the  lesser,  6fj.iKp6Tepos..  So  Lange,  van  Ess,  the  Latin  Vulgate  {minor),  and  all  the 
older  Enslish  versions,  Wiclif 's,  Tyndale,  Cranmer.  Geneva  {less),  the  Khemish  (the  lesser).  But  Luther  {der  Kleinste), 
de  Wette'((/er  Geringste),  and  the  authorized  English  version  {least)  render  the  word  in  the  superlative.  Dr.  J.  A.  Alex- 
ander lid  toe.  c:dls  this  '■  one  of  the  few  gi'oundless  innovations  introduced  by  the  translators  of  King  James'  Bible."  But 
this  is  too  hasty.  The  translation  depends  on  what  we  supply  to  the  comparative  6  /ui/cpdrepos.  If  we  supply:  tJian 
John  the  Bnptist,  less  or  the  lesser  h  the  proper  translation;  but  if  we  supply:  than  all  others  (twv  aAAoji')  which  is 
likewise  allowable  {see  W^iner,  p.  218)  and  even  preferable,  the  English  idiom  seems  to  require  he  that  is  least,  or  the  least. 
See  E.xeg.  Notes.— P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  12.— [In  Greek:  /Sidferai,  Lange:  wird  mit  Sturm  angelavfen ;  Luther:  leidet  Geicalt  {suffers  violence). 
All  English  versions  from  Wlclif  to  that  of  King  James  have:  suffereth  violence  &ite.t  th.Q\\x\gaX&:  vim  patitur.  See 
Exeg.  Notes. — P.  S.] 

8  Ver.  15.— The  verb  uKoveiv  is  omitted  by  Tischendorf  [and  Alford]  after  Codd.  B.,  C,  etc.  [But  Cod.  Sinait.  has  it. 
—P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CPvITICAL. 

Ver.  v.  Jesus  "began  to  say. — The  Lord  hasten- 
ed by  His  commendation  to  restore  the  authority  of 
the  Baptist,  which  be  himself  by  liis  embassy  had 
endangered. 

A  reed. — The  figure  is  derived  from  the  lower 
banks  of  Jordan,  where  reeds  grew  in  abundance  ; 
referring  to  a  person  wavering  and  easily  influenced 
by  outward  circumstances  (Ol.shausen,  Meyer).  With 
special  allusion  to  what  had  just  taken  place  :  John 
will  not  waver  in  his  faith,  though  on  this  occasion 
he  seemed  to  do  so.  Some  critics  have  taken  the 
word  in  a  negative  sense  :  Surely  ye  would  not  see  a 
reed,  etc.  (Grotius,  de  Wette,  etc.).  This,  however, 
were  not  only  idle,  but  would  weaken  the  pregnant 
expression,  "  shalcen  by  the  wind.'''' 

Ver.  8.  What  then. — 'AAA.  a  ,  hut,  implies  a  si- 
lent negation. 

In  soft  raiment. — The  /uaAaKot  l/idTia,  or 
only  fxaKaicd,  according  to  B.,  D.,  Z.,  etc.,  are  a 
mark  of  effeminate  and  luxurious  persons.  Under 
the  first  simile,  Christ  shows  that  John  was  not  wav- 
ering in  his  faith ;  by  the  second,  He  proves  that  he 
had  not  dispatched  his  embassy  from  selfishness,  or 
cowardly  fear  for  his  life.  Both  similes  presuppose 
the  fact,  that  His  bearers  had  formerly  regarded  John 


as  a  person  entirely  inaccessible  to  such  motives. 
The  Saviour  would  now  recall  their  former  feelings 
of  veneration  for  the  Baptist.  The  antithesis,  they 
that  -wear  soft  clothing,  alludes  to  the  enemies  of 
John  at  the  court  of  Herod  Antipas,  who  were  the 
occasion  of  bis  imprisonment. 

Ver.  9.  One  who  is  more  than  a  prophet, 
TTf  ptaff  orepo  v. — Fritzsche  takes  this  as  masculine ; 
Meyer,  as  neuter,  which  seems  to  agree  better  with 
the"  context.  John  was  more  than  the  prophets,  as 
being  the  precursor  of  the  Messiah.  The  meaning  is, 
You  have  seen  one  who  is  greater  than  the  prophets, 
although  you  have  not  understood  his  character. 

Ver.  10.  Of  whom  it  is  written,  Malachi  iii.  1. 
— In  the  original :  "  Behold,  I  will  send  My  messen- 
ger, that  he  may  prepare  the  way  before  Me :  and 
suddenly  cometh  to  His  temple  the  Lord  whom  ye 
seek,  and  the  Messenger  of  the  Covenant,  whom  ye 
desire  :  behold.  He  cometh,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts." 
In  the  Hebrew,  Jehovah  identified  Huuself  with  Mes- 
siah when  announcing  the  forerunner ;  while  in  Mat- 
thew a  distinction  is  made,  and  the  text  is  presented 
as  embodying  a  promise  of  God  to  the  Messiah. 

Ver.  11.  Among  those  born  of  women. — 
Job  xiv.  1,  etc.,  n^i'X  iV^i,  a  general  designation  of 
man,  more  especially  witli  reference  to  mankind  be- 
fore the  coming  of  Chri.st.     We  must  not  overlook 


206 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


the  use  of  the  plural  number.  Gal.  iv.  4  is  not  a  par- 
allel passage,  but  rather  indicates  the  contrast.  The 
expression,  "born  of  a  woman,"  differs  from  that, 
"  born  0/ wowew,"  just  as  "  Son  of  Man  "  from  "  man!" 
The  former  expression  is  specially  intended  to  refer 
to  the  human  limitations  of  Christ,  to  His  humilia- 
tion in  the  form  of  a  servant. 

There  hath  not  risen  a  greater. — Not  merely 
a  greater  prophet  (Roscnraiiller,  etc.),  but,  in  general, 
none  greater  than  he.  As  preparing  the  way  for  the 
Messiah,  John  represented  the  highest  perfection  of 
the  Old  Covenant.  The  antithesis  which  follows :  "  He 
that  is  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  etc.,  shows 
that  the  expression  refers  to  superiority  not  in  respect 
of  moral  righteousness,  but  of  theocratic  development 
and  dignity.  Hence  it  is  needless  to  make  an  excep- 
tion in  favor  of  the  patriarchs,  as  Olshausen  proposes. 

He  that  is  less  [least],  6  Se  1J.1  Kp6r  e  p  o  s . — 
Meyer :  Not  he  that  is  least,  as  the  comparative  is  never 
used  for  the  superlative.  See  Winer's  Grammar  (p. 
218*).  De  AVette  entertains  a  different  opinion,  and 
translates  least.  But  the  passage  is  so  important,  that 
unless  forced  by  the  use  of  the  language,  we  are  not 
warranted  in  deviating  from  the  literal  expression, 
though  we  do  not  deny  that  the  rendering,  he  that  is 
least,  gives  good  sense.  The  meaning  is,  he  who  is 
comparatively  less  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  accord- 
ing to  the  standard  of  that  kingdom  (Cyrill,  Theodoret, 
and  others),  or  who  occupies  a  lower  place  in  it,  is 
greater  than  John,  in  respect  of  the  development  of  his 
faith  and  spiritual  life.  Maldonatus  [quotes  the  log- 
ical axiom]  :  "  Minimum  maxlmi  rnajus  est  maximo 
minimi.''''  Even  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  the  New 
Testament  enjoys  what  John  could  not  have  had,  viz., 
peace  in  the  finished  work  of  Christ,  and,  with  it, 
patience  in  suffering  and  death,  and  quiet  expecta- 
tion of  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  when  every 
wrong  shall  be  righted.  Other  commentators  have 
applied  the  expression,  "  less,"  to  Christ  Himself 
(Chrysostom,  Luther,  Melanchthon,  etc.).  "  The  less," 
who  at  the  time  was  eclipsed  by  the  glory  of  John, 
will  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  greater  (the  punc- 
tuation of  the  verse  being  changed),  or  will  as  the 
Messiah  excel  him.  But  this  interpretation  is  evi- 
dently untenable,  as  there  could  be  no  comparison 
of  the  kind  between  Jesus  and  John,  certainly  not 
without  express  limitation. f 

*  [Sixth  German  ed.,  Leip.,  1S55  (§  35).  The  original 
quotes  p.  2S0,  which  is  no  douht  an  error  of  the  printer. 
Winer  says  that  we  must  supply  to  p-iKporepos  either  (to;;/) 
&A.Aa)i/,  or  'Iwdvvov  rod  Pairriarov.  Meyer  (Com.,  p.  247) 
prefers  the  latter  and  explains  (p.  248):  "He  who  shall  oc- 
cupy a  lower  standpoint  or  degree  of  value  and  dignity  in 
the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  than  John  the  Baptist  now  oc- 
cupies in  the  old  theocracy,  is  greater  than  he,  of  whom  I 
have  just  said  such  great  things."  I  much  prefer  to  supply 
Tiiv  &Wuiv,  and  explain  :  John  being  nearest  to  Christ  and 
standing  at  the  very  threshold  of  His  kingdom  is  quoad  sta- 
turn  the  greatest  of  all  Old  Testament  prophets  and  saints; 
but  the  least  or  humblest  Christian  who  has  actually  eiitered 
into  the  gospel  dispensation  is  quoad  statum  or  as  to  his 
standpoint  (not  as  to  personal  merit)  greater  than  he.  It  is 
not  denied,  however,  that  John  may  hereafter  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  and  then  occupy  a  much  higher  po- 
Bition  than  millions  of  Christians.  The  comparison  refers 
only  to  YiXsprenent  position  in  the  cdwv  ouro^. — P.  S.] 

t  [Dr.  'Wordsworth,  from  respect  for  the  fathers,  endea- 
vors to  combine  the  interpretation  of  Chrysostom,  Enthy- 
mlus,  Theophylact,  with  the  other,  but  at'the  expense  of 
clearness  Alford  declares  the  former  to  be  entirely  adverse 
to  the  spirit  of  the  whole  discourse,  and  agrees  substantial- 
ly with  Meyer.  Alexander  is  here  very  unsatisfactory,  and 
weakens  the  force  of  this  profound  passage  by  reducing  it 
simply  to  this:  "All  that  is  really  asserted  is,  that  ono"in- 
ferior  to  John  in  some  respect  is  greater  In  another."'  But 
in  what  respects  ?— P.  S.] 


Ver.  12.  And  from  the  days. — The  days  of 
John's  great  usefulness  were  past.  Jesus  intimates 
in  passing  the  coming  calamities.  He  also  indicates 
the  imm.cnse  contrast  between  the  days  of  the  Baptist 
and  His  own  advent. 

Suflfereth  violence,  is  assaulted  by  storm, 
/3  ict  ^6T  a  I. — Explanations  :  1.  It  is  violently  per- 
secuted by  the  enemies,  and  the  violent  take  it  from 
men  (Lightfoot,  Schneckenburger,  and  others).  But 
this  is  opposed  to  the  context,  which  is  evidently  in- 
tended to  explain  the  greatness  of  John,  the  contrast 
between  the  days  of  the  Baptist  and  those  of  Christ, 
and  the  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — 2. 
As  referring  to  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  by  violent  means:  («)  Taking  ^la^trai  in 
the  middle  sense,  as  meaning,  it  forcibly  irdroduces 
itself,  breaks  in  with  violence  (Melanchthon,  Bengel, 
Paulas).  But  this  is  incompatible  with  the  expres- 
sion ^  laa-Tui  which  follows.  (6)  Passively :  Mag- 
na vi  prced'icatur  (Fritzsche) ;  but  this  is  arbi- 
trary, (c)  It  is  taken  by  violence,  or  intense  endea- 
vors— in  the  good  sense  (Hesychius  :  ^iaiws  KparCi- 
Toi). — The  expression  is  evidently  metaphorical,  de- 
noting the  violent  bursting  forth  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  as  the  kernel  of  the  ancient  theocracy, 
through  the  husk  of  the  Old  Testament.  John  and 
Christ  are  themselves  the  violent  who  take  it  by 
force, — the  former,  as  commencing  the  assault ;  the 
latter,  as  completing  the  conquest.  Accordingly,  this 
is  a  figurative  description  of  the  great  era  which  had 
then  commenced. 

Ver.  13.  For  all  the  prophets. — Proof  of  what 
had  just  been  stated.  Difference  between  the  charac- 
ter of  the  old  period  and  the  new  era.  All  the  proph- 
ets prophesied  of  that  era,  or  predicted  it ;  but  they 
could  not  call  it  into  existence.  [The  emphasis  lies 
on  prophesied,  i.  e.,  they  only  predicted  i\\e  kingdom 
of  heaven,  as  something  future  ;  while  now,  since 
the  coming  of  Christ,  it  is  an  actual  reality.  In  the 
Greek,  the  words,  until  John,  precede  the  verb,  and 
are  connected  with  o  vojxos.  John  still  belonged  to 
the  dispensation  of  the  law,  but  on  the  very  threshold 
of  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  whose  advent  he 
proclaimed.  "  Usque  ad  Johannem  lex,  ab  eo  evan- 
gelium."     Comp.  Luke  xvi.  16. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  14.  And  if  ye  wiU  receive  it. — The  an- 
tithesis with  the  preceding  verse — the  prophets  have 
prophesied — is  here  hinted  at :  now  is  the  time  of  the 
fulfilment.  The  idea  itself  was  before  expressed  as 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffering  violence.  This  then 
furnishes  an  explanation  of  the  manner  in  which  it 
suffereth  violence.  John  was  the  Elijah  who  was  to 
come  as  the  precursor  of  Messiah,  according  to  Mai. 
iv.  5.  The  expression  was  metaphorical,  and  referred 
to  the  character  of  the  precursor  of  Jesus  as  that  of 
a  prophet  of  judgment,  even  as  the  mission  of  Eli- 
jah had  been  symboHcal  of  the  coming  judgment. 
The  Jews,  however,  understood  the  passage  literally, 
and  expected  that  Elijah  would  arise  from  the  dead, 
and  actually  appear  among  them  (Wetstein,  Light- 
foot,  Schiittgen).  Jesus  removed  this  mistake  (comp. 
Matt.  xvii.  12),  by  acknowledging  John  as  the  Elijah 
of  whom  Malachi  had  spoken.  In  one  sense  only 
may  the  prophecy  have  been  still  partially  unfulfilled, 
as  the  second  coming  of  Christ  would  also  be  pre- 
ceded by  judgments.  But  even  then  the  character 
and  mission  of  Elijah  could  only  be  metaphorical,  not 
literal. 

Ver.  15.  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
hear. — Comp.  ch.  xiii.  9,  43 ;  Rev.  ii.  7.  A  pro- 
verbial expression  to  evoke  attention,  or  to  mark  a 


CHAP.  XI.  16-19. 


207 


conclusion  from  certain  premises.  In  the  present  in- 
stance, the  inference  was  obvious.  If  the  time  of 
the  first  ;8iao-T7)?  was  past,  the  second  and  greater 
must  he  at  hand.  Thus  Christ  complied  as  far  as 
possible  with  the  request  of  the  Baptist  to  pronounce 
Himself  the  Messiah.  Those  who  knew  the  Scriptures, 
and  believed  them,  would  be  able  to  recognize  Him ; 
while  at  the  same  time  He  would  not  assume  the  title 
before  the  people,  since  in  their  minds  it  was  still 
connected  with  ideas  of  rebellion  and  carnal  conquest. 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  This  passage  affords  a  fresh  view  of  the  great- 
ness of  Jesus  as  compared  with  John,  whom  He  first 
restores,  and  then  acknowledges  before  the  peo- 
ple, in  whose  presence  John  had  almost  reproved 
Him.  The  contrast  appears  most  clear  and  distinct 
between  John  and  Christ,  between  the  Old  and  the 
New  Testaments,  between  calm  development  and  a 
stormy  era.  And  as  John  had  first  testified  of  Christ, 
go  Christ  now  bears  testimony  of  John. 

2.  In  truth,  the  Baptist  himself  was  a  sufficient 
reply  to  his  own  inquiry — Ai-t  Thou  He?  His  being 
offended  implied  a  doubt  in  his  own  mission.  Hence 
also  it  could  only  be  transient. 

3.  The  violent  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  upon  earth  was  brought  about  by  the  holy 
violence  of  John  and  Jesus,  who  ushered  this  king- 
dom into  a  sinful  world. 

4.  [Dr.  Thomas  Scott  :  "  In  every  age,  '  the  king- 
dom of  iaeaven  suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take 
it  by  force.'  .  .  .  They  who  are  determined  at  all 
adventures,  to  find  admission,  will  surely  succeed  : 
but  such  as  postpone  the  concerns  of  their  souls  to 
worldly  interest,  pleasures,  and  diversions,  will  be 
found  to  come  short  of  it ;  as  well  as  those  who  seek 
salvation  in  any  other  way  than  by  repentance  to- 
ward God  and  faith  in  his  beloved  Son."  Matthew 
Henry  :  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  was  never  intend- 
ed to  indulge  the  ease  of  triflers,  but  to  be  the 
rest  of  them  that  labor."  Comp.  Luke  xiii.  24  : 
"  Strive  {a.yi£vi^iij&^)  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate." 
—P.  S.] 


HOMILETICAL  ANB  PRACTICAL. 

The  glory  of  the  Lord  as  it  appears  by  the  side 
of  John. — Entire  freedom  from  all  jealousy  in  its  full 
majesty  (John  and  Christ). — The  commendation  of 
the  Baptist  as  reflecting  greater  glory  upon  the  Lord 


than  even  on  John  :  1.  As  exalting  the  Baptist ;  2. 
still  more  the  Lord  (uttered  at  such  a  moment,  after 
such  experience,  in  such  terms,  with  such  reservations 
as  to  His  own  person). — In  what  sense  those  who  are 
least  in  the  New  Covenant  are  greater  than  the  great- 
est under  the  Old. — Every  fresh  manifestation  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  requiring  luroism  of  faith. — 
Christ  bringing  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  this  earth, 
and  at  the  same  time  taking  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
by  force  for  this  earth. — The  kingdom  of  heaven  pass- 
ing from  its  typical  form  into  reality  through  the 
faithfulness  of  His  witnesses.  —  Holy  violence.  — 
Christ's  perfect  suffering  constituting  His  perfect  vio- 
lence.*— Clearness  of  the  Old  Testament  testimony 
about  Christ. — He  that  hath  earn  to  hem\  let  him  hear  : 
the  loudest  call  to  a  life  of  faith  :  1.  As  pointing  to 
our  origmal  calling,  to  hear ;  2.  as  condemning  the 
sin,  that  man  has  ears,  yet  does  not  hear ;  3.  as 
an  admonition  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
by  our  hearing. — Properly  to  understand  the  Scrip- 
tures, is  to  know  Christ. — Every  call  of  God  is  at  the 
same  time  both  general  and  special. 

Starke  : — Does  it  become  a  sei-vant  of  the  cross 
of  Christ  to  imitate  the  pomp  of  the  world,  or  to 
trim  his  sails  to  the  wind  ? — Wavering  preachers  can- 
not expect  stable  hearers. — They  who  are  under  the 
influence  of  the  love  of  the  world,  will  scarcely 
prove  fit  to  root  it  out  of  the  hearts  of  others,  Luke 
X.  30. — Hedinger : — We  must  be  thoroughly  in  ear- 
nest if  we  are  ever  to  reach  heaven. — As  the  sub- 
stance exceeds  the  shadow,  so  the  grace  of  the 
New,  that  of  the  Old  Testament,  Col.  ii.  1*7 ;  Heb. 
viii.  5  ;  x.  1. —  Gerlach  : — Knowledge  of  Christ  is  the 
sole  standard  for  measuring  spiritual  greatness. 

Heubner  : — Jesus  commends  John  after  his  dis- 
ciples have  left  His  presence.  Let  this  serve  as  an 
example,  f — Jesus  knew  the  Baptist  better  than  the 
latter  knew  himself. — Human  opinions  are  like  the 
wind:  beware  of  being  their  weathercock. — Inde- 
pendence a  high  honor  and  glory. 


*  [So  also  on  the  part  of  his  disciples.  Ambrose  in  Luke 
xi.  5  (as  quoted  by  Wordsworth) :  Vim  facimus  Domino, 
non  compellendo,  sed  Jlendo ;  non  pruvncando  injutHis, 
sed  lac.rymls  exorando.  O  beata  violentia  !  Ilasc  sunt 
armajidei  noairce.—P.  S.] 

t  [Comp.  the  remarks  <if  Matthew  Henry  :  "  Christ  spoke 
thus  honorably  of  John,  but  as  lliey  departed,  just  as  they 
were  gone,  Luke  vii.  24.  He  would  not  so  much  as  seem  to 
flatter  John,  nor  have  these  pr.aises  reported  of  him.  Though 
we  must  bo  forward  to  give  to  all  their  due  praise  for  their 
encouragement,  yet  we  "must  avoid  everything  that  looks 
like  flattery,  or  may  be  in  danger  of  pufling  them  up.  Pride 
is  a  corrupt  humor,  wliich  we  must  not  feed  either  in  others 
or  in  ourselves." — P.  S.] 


3.   The  Baptist  and  the  Son  of  Man,  as  judged  by  a  childish  generation.     Ch.  XI.  16-19. 

16  But  whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  generation?     It  is  like  unto  children  sitting  in  the 

17  markets,  and  calling  unto  their  fellows  [to  the  others],^  And  saying,  We  have  piped 
"unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  danced;  we  liave  mourned  [wailed,  sung  dirges]  unto  you,' 

18  and  ye  have  not  lamented  [beat  the  breast].^    For  John  came  neither  eating  nor  drink- 

19  ing,  and  they  say,  He  hath  a  devil  [demon].  The  Son  of  man  came  eating  and  drink- 
ing, and  they  say,  Behold  a  man  gluttonous  [a  glutton],  and  a  wine-bibber,*  a  friend  of 
publicans  and  sinners.     But  Wisdom  *  is  justified  of  [on  the  part  of]  *  her  cluidren. 


'  Ver.  16.— Lachmann  :    to??   eraipoiy   [Vulg. :    cocEqualibui,    companions,   playmates],  after  G.,  S.,  U.,  V.,  etc. 
[Lachmann  quotes  as  his  authorities  Ii.  and  C,  as  previously  compared  by  others;  but  the  printed  edition  of  Cod.  Ephraami 


208 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Syri  (C.)  by  Tischendorf,  and  Angelo  Mai's  cd.  of  the  Cod.  Vaticanus  (B.)  both  read  ertpoir.  Bnttmann's  edition  of  the  lat- 
ter, however,  sustains  Lachmann,  and  the  dAATjAoiy  in  Luko  vii.  32  favors  eraipois.— P.  S.]  Griesbach:  ro'is  irfpois 
[a/as],  after  most  Codd.  [including  Cod.  Sinait.].  So  also  Tischendoif  [and  Tregclles.  Alford  does  not  read  irepois 
as  stated  by  Conant,  but  eraipois-     So  also  "Wordsworth.     Lange's  interpretation  requires  erfpois.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  17.— Lachuiann  and  Tischendorf  omit  the  second   vfxlv,  following  B.,  C,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  etc. 

s  Ver.  17.— [Lange  more  literally:  Wir  hahen  (euch)  die  TodtenkUige  ffemacht,  nnd  ihr  liaht  nicht  (im  C?ior)  ge- 
jammert;  Scrivener:  We  have  sung  dirges  unto  you,  and  ye.  have  not  smote  the  hreiist;  Andrew  Norton  :  We  have  sung 
a  dirge  to  yoxi,  and  you  have  not  heat  your  hreuUs ;  Conant  and  the  revised  version  of  the  Atn.  Bible  Union:  We  sang 
the  lament,  and  ye  heat  not  the  hreast.  Qprivuv  refers  to  the  funeral  dirge,  and  Ko-nnadaL  (middle  verb)  to  the  oriental 
expression  of  sorrow  by  beating  the  breast,  cotnp.  Ezek.  xx.  34  (Sept. :  Kux^/ende  ru.  -n-puawna);  Matt.  xsiv.  30;  Luke  xviiL 
13;  xxiii.  48,  and  the  dictionaries.    The  authorized  version  is  veiy  vague.— P.  8.] 

*  Ver.  19.— [  Wine-hihher  is  a  felicitous  translation  of  the  Anacreontic  oivottStt]^.  Dr.  Conant  and  the  N.  T.  of  the 
Am.  Bible  Union :  a  glutton  and  a  winedrinker.    Luther  and  Lange  stronger:  ein  Frekser  mid  Weinsdvfer.—V.  S.l 

6  Ver.  10.— [We  prefer  capitalizing  Wisdom  as  in  older  editions  of  the  Bible.     See  Exeg.  Notes.— P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  19.  — [Lange :  von  Seiten  ihrer  Kinder.  So  also  Meyer,  and  Conant,  who  quotes  Meyer  and  refers  to  Acts  ii.  22 
for  the  same  use  of  atr6,  instead  of  vtto  (oLv'bpa  atrh  Oeov  a,iTo5eSeiy/xei/oi/  eis  vfxas  5vvdfj.ecn,  k.t.A.)  — P.  S.] 


EXEGETIOAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  16.  But  whereto  shall  I  liken  this  gen- 
eration?— It  seemed  as  if  John  were  about  to 
identify  himself  with  his  generation  in  reference  to 
the  Lord.  But  Jesus  restores  him  to  his  right  place, 
and  exhibits  Himself  and  the  Baptist  as  one  in  op- 
position to  the  spirit  of  the  age.  A  transition  from 
His  verdict  upon  John  to  that  on  his  contempora- 
ries, with  special  reference  to  the  present  and  im- 
pending fate  of  the  Baptist.  While  John  and  Jesus 
were  engaged  in  spiritual  labors  and  warfare,  the 
conquest  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  "  this  ffeneraiion  " 
would  only  seek  childish  amusement. 

It  is  like  unto  children. — The  common  inter- 
pretation of  this  passage  (first  proposed  by  Cfirysos- 
tom,  and  recently  defended  by  Stier)  is,  that  the  ex- 
pression, piping  and  mourning,  refers  to  John  and 
Jesus,  and  that  the  Jews  were  the  other  children 
who  refused  to  give  heed.  But  this  is  enth'ely  un- 
tenable. For,  1.  "  this  generation "  is  likened  to 
children  playing  in  the  market-place.  2:  These 
same  children  are  represented  as  urging  the  olsjec- 
tions  which  Christ  subsequently  puts  into  the  mouth 
of  the  people.  Both  in  the  simile  and  in  the  explana- 
tion of  it,  the  Jews  are  introduced  as  speaking.  3.  If 
these  terms  had  referred  to  Christ  and  John,  the  or- 
der of  the  figures  would  have  been  reversed ;  idp-rj- 
viiffaixev — riuXricrafxev.  4.  There  is  a  manifest  anti- 
thesis between  the  idea  of  children  plajing,  and  the 
former  figure  of  taking  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by 
violence.  5.  The  conduct  of  the  children  is  repre- 
sented as  inconsistent  and  contradictory.  6.  We 
have  the  fact,  that  this  generation  really  expected 
that  its  prophets  should  be  influenced  by  the  passing 
whuns  of  their  carnal  views  and  inclinations.  Hence 
we  conclude  that  the  piping  and  mourning  children 
represent  the  Jews,  and  the  «  t  e  p  o  i ,  "  the  others," 
John  and  Jesus.  These  ere  pot  form  no  part  of 
the  company  represented  as  playing  in  the  mar- 
ket. 

[So  also  de  Wette,  and  Meyer,  p.  251 :  "  The 
TTaiSia  are  the  Jews ;  the  erepoi  are  John  and  Jesus." 
But  I  object  to  this  interpretation,  the  reverse  of 
the  other,  for  the  following  reasons :  1.  Because  it 
is  contrary  to  the  parallel  passage  in  Luke  vii.  32, 
where  we  have  aAAr)Aois,to  one  another,  instead 
of  6  T  6  p  0  1  s ,  so  that  the  playing  children  and  the  si- 
lent children  form  but  one  company,  although  dis- 
agreed among  themselves  (as  the  Jews  were  in  fact 
with  their  many  sects  and  their  contradictory  carnal 
notions  about  the  Messiah).  The  same  is  true,  if  we 
read  with  Lachmann :  e  t ai po  i  s .  2.  Because  it 
would  represent  Christ  and  John  as  the  dissatisfied 


and  disobedient  party.  3.  Finally,  I  reject  both  inter- 
pretations, that  refuted,  and  that  defended  by  Dr. 
Lange ;  because  John  and  Christ  could  with  no  de- 
gree of  propriety  and  good  taste  be  represented  as 
playmates  and  comrades  of  their  v/ayward  contempo- 
raries. We  conclude,  therefore,  that  both  classes  of 
children  refer  to  the  wayward,  capricious,  and  dis- 
contented Jews ;  the  children  who  play  the  mock  wed- 
ding and  the  mock  funeral  representing  the  active, 
the  silent  children  who  refuse  to  fall  in  with  their 
playmates,  the  passive  discontent,  both  with  the  aus- 
terity of  John  and  with  the  more  cheerful  and  gen- 
ial conduct  of  Christ.  So  Olshausen :  "  The  sense 
is  this  :  the  generation  resembles  a  host  of  DI- 
humored  children,  whom  it  is  impossible  to  please  in 
any  way ;  one  part  desires  this,  and  the  other  that, 
so  that  they  cannot  agree  upon  any  desirable  or  use- 
ful occupation."  Compare  also  the  illustrative  re- 
marks of  Wordsworth,  who  m  this  case  dissents  from 
his  favorite  Chrysostom :  "  By  the  children  [or 
rather  07ie  class  of  the  children]  many  interpreters 
understand  the  Baptist  and  our  Lord.  But  this  seems 
harsh.  The  yfved  itself  is  said  to  be  n/xoia  7raiSiois, 
and  the  querulous  murmur  of  the  children,  complain- 
ing that  others  would  not  humor  them  in  their  fickle 
caprices,  is  compared  to  the  discontented  censorious- 
ness  of  that  generation  of  the  Jews,  particularly  of 
the  Pharisees,  who  could  not  be  pleased  with  any  of 
God's  dispensations,  and  rejected  John  and  Christ,  as 
they  had  done  the  prophets  before  them.  The  sense, 
therefore,  is,  Ye  are  like  a  band  of  wayward  children, 
who  go  on  with  their  own  game,  at  one  time  gay,  at 
another  grave,  and  give  no  heed  to  any  one  else,  and 
expect  that  every  one  should  conform  to  them.  You 
were  angry  with  John,  because  he  would  not  dance 
to  your  piping,  and  with  Me,  because  I  will  not  weep 
to  your  dirge.  John  censured  your  licentiousness,  I 
your  hypocrisy ;  you,  therefore,  vilify  both,  and  '  re- 
ject the  good  counsel  of  God,'  who  has  devised  a  va- 
riety of  means  for  your  salvation  (Luke  vii.  30)." — 
P.S.] 

Ver.  IT.  We  have  piped  unto  you,  etc. — 
Among  the  Jews,  Greeks,  and  Romans,  it  was  cus- 
tomary to  play  the  flute  especially  at  marriage  dances : 
Buxtorf,  Lex.  Talm.  Similarly,  solemn  wailing  was 
customary  at  burials.  The  expression,  danced,  cor- 
responds with  piping,  just  as  the  funeral  dirge  was 
expected  to  evoke  lamentation  among  the  mourners, 
especiaUy  by  beating  the  breast  (hence  the  expression, 
Ezek.  xxiv.  IG;  Matt.  xxiv.  30,  etc).  The  figure  is 
that  of  children  imitating  the  festivities  or  solemni- 
ties of  their  seniors,  and  expecting  other  children 
who  take  no  part  in  their  play  to  share  their  amuse- 
ment. 

Ver.  18.  For  John  came  neither  eating  nor 
drinking. — A  hyperboUcal  expression,  referring  to 


CHAP.  XL  16-19. 


209 


his  abstinence  and  asceticism,  as  contradistinp;nished 
from  Christ's  freer  conduct.  And  they  say,  He  has 
a  demon  ISat/j.dptov]. — A  demon  of  niolancholy  (John 
X.  20).  The  figure  of  piping,  to  which  John  respond- 
ed not,  is  all  the  more  striking,  that  the  spurious 
marriage  at  the  court  of  llerod  was  the  occasion  of 
John's  imprisonment ;  and  again,  the  dance  of  the 
daughter  lierodias,  tluit  of  his  execution.  In  another 
place  also,  Jesus  says  that  the  Jews  would  have  liked 
to  use  John,  as  it  were,  by  way  of  religious  diversion 
(John  V.  So). 

Ycr.  19.  The  Son  of  Man  came  eating  and 
drinking. — Referring  to  His  more  free  mode  of  con- 
duct, and  with  special  allusion  to  the  feast  in  the  house 
of  Matthew,  in  the  company  of  publicans  and  sin- 
ners [and  the  wedding  feast  at  Cana].  This  induced 
the  Pharisees  to  pronounce  an  unfavorable  judgment 
of  Christ.  AccorcUngly,  His  contemporaries  already 
commenced  to  condemn  Him  as  a  destroyer  of  the 
law.  It  has  been  suggested,  that  our  Lord  here  hints 
at  the  occurrence  formerly  related,  when  He  had 
admonished  one  of  His  disciples  to  "let  the  dead 
bury  their  dead."  But  it  seems  more  likely,  that  if 
the  figure  contains'any  allusion  to  a  definite  event,  it 
referred  to  the  imputation  of  Jolm's  disciples,  that 
during  the  captivity  of  their  master,  and  until  after 
his  death,  Jesus  should  abstain  from  taking  part  in 
any  festivities.  But  we  are  inclined  to  take  a  broader 
view  of  the  subject,  and  to  regard  the  statement  of 
the  Lord  as  referring  to  the  anger  and  sorrow  of  the 
people  about  their  national  position,  with  which  our 
Lord  could  not  sympathize  in  that  particular  form. 
Their  carnal  mourning  for  the  outward  depression  of 
Israel  could  meet  with  no  response  from  Him. 

Ver.  19.  But  Wisdom,  etc. — Final  judgment  of 
the  Lord  as  to  the  difference  obtaining  between  the 
people,  John,  and  Himself.  The  tr  o  </>  i  a .  Jerome  : 
J^go,  qni  nuni  del  virtus  ct  sapientla  dei  juste  fecisse 
ab  apostoUs  meis  filiis  comprobalus  sum.  Chrysos- 
tom,  Theophylact,  Castellio :  Wisdom,  whicii  has  be- 
come manifest  in  Jesus.  De  Wette  :  A  personifica- 
tion of  tlie  wisdom  of  Jesus. — The  term  undoubtedly 
refers  to  the  spirit  of  the  theocracy  as  manifested  in 
John  and  in  Christ,  and  which  bears  the  name  of 
Wisdom  (Prov.  viii.  and  is. ;  Sir.  xxiv.),  because  the 
conduct  of  John  and  of  Jesus  was  guided  by  a  defi- 
nite oljject,  and  derived  from  the  spirit  of  Wisdom  in 
revelation.* 

Is  justified  on  tiie  part  (or,  at  the  hands) 
of  her  children. — Eisner,  Schneckenburger :  Judg- 
ed, reproved,  i.  e.,  by  the  Jews,  who  should  have 
been  its  disciples.f  Ewald  :  Really  justified  by  that 
foolish  generation,  since  their  contradictory  judg- 
ments confuted  each  other,  and  so  confirmed  Wis- 
dom. Dc  Wette  takes  the  aor.  in  the  sense  of  habit, 
and  gives  the  statement  a  more  general  sense :  The 
children  of  Wisdom  (i.  c,  those  who  receive  it,  or  My 
disciples)  give,  by  their  conduct,  cause  for  approving 

*  [Ileace  Windom  .should  be  capitalized,  as  in  some  edi- 
tions of  the  English  Version.— P.  S.] 

t  [In  this  case  the  sentence  would  be  a  solemn  irony,  or 
an  indifrniknt  rebuke  of  the  bad  treatment  of  God's  wise  and 
gracious  I'rovidence  on  the  p.irt  of  those  who  claimed  to  be 
its  orthodox  admirr^rs  and  authorized  e-xpounders.  Dr.  J. 
A.  Alexander  leans  to  tliis  interpretation.  But  no  clear  case 
of  ironv  (nor  of  wit,  nor  of  humor)  occurs  in  tlie  discourses 
of  our  Saviour.  The  childlike  children  of  Wisdom  in  ver.  19 
gecm  to  be  opposed  to  the  childinh  and  wayward  children  of 
this  [generation  in  ver.  16.  Comp.  Ben;iel,  in,  Luo.  vii.  35: 
JIuimSapienticB  liheri  non  mnt  PharUmi  horumqiie  ni- 
mile/;.  aed  apostoli,  puhlicani  et  peecatores  omnes  ex  toto 
po2)>ilo  ad  Jemt-m  conversi:  qtios  sic  appell/tt,  ad  osten- 
dendam,  attain  cum  iUia  necesnUudineTJi  et  jus  converean- 
di,  oalumtiiatorurruiueperversitatem. — P.  S.] 


Wisdom.  Meyer,  opposing  de  Wette's  view  of  the 
aor. :  Wisdom  has  been  justified  on  the  part  of  lier 
children,  viz.,  by  their  having  adopted  it.  The  pas- 
sage must  bo  read  in  the  hglit  of  ver.  25  sqq.  In  both 
cases,  a  joyous  prospect  i's  being  opened  up  to  their 
view.  Truth  and  Wisdom  have  been  justified  and 
owned,  though  neither  by  the  men  of  this  generation 
nor  by  the  wise  and  the  prudent.  But  in  this  pan- 
sage  sorrow  seems  still  to  predominate :  1.  Wisdom 
has  been  traduced  by  this  generation,  and  obliged  to 
justify  herself ;  2.  for  this  purpose,  new  children  had 
to  be  born  and  trained.  The  word  inro  might  almost 
lead  us  to  adopt  another  interpretation.  Wisdom  was 
obliged  to  justify  herself  by  a  judicial  verdict  from 
the  accusation  of  her  children  (or  rather,  ironically, 
of  those  who  sliould  be  her  children).  But  then,  this 
proposition  only  refers  to  the  occasion  or  cause  of  a 
thing.  It  is  not  the  children  who  justify  Wisdom, 
but  the  means  of  proving  her  justification  are  deriv- 
ed from  the  testimony  which  appears  in  her  chil- 
dren. 


DOCTPvINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  On  this  occasion,  Jesus  foretold  the  judgment 
which  the  world  has  at  all  times  pronounced  on  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  To  the  men  of  this  world,  the 
preaching  of  the  law  appears  too  severe,  too  much 
opposed  to  the  innocent  and  lawful  enjoyments  of 
life ;  while  the  message  of  pardon  meets  with  the  hos- 
tility of  Pharisaical  legalists,  who  describe  it  as  favor- 
ing carelessness  and  shielding  sin. 

2.  The  spirit  of  the  world  is  also  accurately  delin- 
eated in  the  figure  of  successive  piping  and  mourn- 
ing :  first,  festive  enjoyments,  and  then  mourning  for 
the  dead.  The  Wisdom  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
sanctions  the  opposite  order  :  first  the  law,  and  then 
the  gospel ;  first  death,  and  then  life  ;  first  penitence 
and  sorrow,  and  then  joy  ;  first  the  Baptist,  and  then 
Christ. 

3.  Lastly,  this  passage  serves  to  show  the  close 
connection  between  the  Christology  of  the  synoptical 
Gospels  and  the  Logos  of  Jolni,  and  the  'S,o<pia  of  the 
Old  Testament  and  the  Jewish  Apocrypha. 

4.  This  is  the  second  instance  that  Christ  borrow- 
ed a  similitude  from  the  market. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND   PEAOTICAL. 

Worldly-mindedness,  in  the  garb  of  spirituality, 
attempting  to  make  a  farce  of  the  solemn  duties  of 
spiritual  life. — The  contemporaries  of  Jesus,  a  figure 
of  the  common  opposition  to  the  gospel  at  all  times. 
— The  world  insisting  that  the  prophets  of  God  should 
take  their  teacliing  from  its  varying  oj)inions. — Puri- 
tanical strictness  and  moral  laxity,  the  two  great  ob- 
jections which  the  worid  urges  against  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel. — From  piping  to  mourning;  or,  the 
childish  amusements  of  the  world  a.uid  the  solemni- 
ties of  life. — Contrast  between  the  wisdom  of  Christ 
and  the  folly  of  the  world  :  1.  In  the  case  of  the  lat- 
ter, amusements  are  followed  by  mourning  and  death ; 
2.  in  the  case  of  the  former,  the  solemnity  of  death 
by  true  enjoyment  of  life. — Tlie  Wisdom  of  the  gos- 
pel is  always  justified  in  her  children. — Those  who 
are  justified  by  Christ  before  God,  should  justify  Him 
by  their  lives  before  the  world. 

atarke : — From  Iledinger  : — When  people  dishke 
a  doctrine,  they  abuse  the  teachers  of  it. — Majus  : — 
Nobody  is  more  exposed  to  sinful  and  rash  judgments 


210 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


than  ministers. —  Cramer  : — The  children  of  God  can- 
not escape  the  judgment  of  the  world,  whatever  they 
may  do. — If  the  conduct  of  Christ  called  down  the 
rebuke  of  the  world,  how  much  more  shall  that  of 
upright  ministers  be  censui-ed  ! — We  are  not  to  find 


fault  with,  but  humbly  to  submit  to,  the  teaching  of 
heavenly  wisdom. 

Ilcubner  : — John  decried  as  a  fanatic ;  Christ,  as 
a  man  of  the  world :  see  how  the  world  reads  charac- 
ters! 


4.  Royal  denunciation  of  Judgment  on  the  cities  of  Galilee.     Ch.  XI.  20-24. 

20  Then  began  he  to  upbraid  the  cities  wlierein  most  of  his  mighty  works  [wonderful 

21  works,  or  miracles]  ^  were  done,  because  they  repented  not:  Woe  unto  thee,  Chorazin ! 
woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida !  for  if  the  mighty  works  [miracle.s],  which  were  done  in  you, 
had  been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  long  ago  in  sackcloth  and 

22  ashes.      But  I  say  unto  you.  It  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  at  the  day 

23  of  judgment,  than  for  you.  And  thou,  Capernaum,  which  art  exalted  unto  heaven,^ 
shalt  be  brought  down  [go  down]  ^  to  hell  [hades]*:  for  if  the  mighty  works  [miracles], 
which  have  been  done  in  thee,  had  been  done  in  Sodom,  it  would  have  remained  until 

24  this  day.  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  in 
the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  thee. 

'  Ver.  20.— [Lange,  with  de  Wette,  trans^lates  ^vvafx-i  is:  Wunder,  justly  differing  from  Luther,  who  renders  simply : 
Thaten.  The  N.  T.  has  three  words  for  miracles  (in  the  general  sense)  or  supernatural  deeds  and  events:  1)  rep  as, 
which  occurs  10  limes  and  is  uniformly  and  correctly  rendered  in  the  E.  V.  wonder  (an  extraordinary,  mysterious,  and  in- 
explicable phenomenon,  portent);  2)  ourci/Cieiy,  miracles  proper,  as  the  effect  of  a  supernatural  power,  which  is  vari- 
ously translated:  wonderful  works  {)\?iXX.  vii.  22),  more  frequently:  mighty  works,  and  still  oftener:  miracles  (Mark 
ix.  39;  Acts  ii.  22;  viii.  13;  1  Cor.  .\ii.  10, 28, 29 ;  Gal.  iii.  5);  3)  (T'jj/^  e  7o  r,  Sigrji,  pointing  to  the  moral  aim  of  the  supernat- 
ural act;  here  the  E.  V.  varies  somewhat  .arbitrarily  between  sign  (about  40  times),  miracle  (about  20  times),  and  wonder 
(3  times).     Comp.  Lange's  doctrinal  comments  on  Matt.  viii.  1-13,  p.  154,  and  the  dictionaries  suh  verbis.— V.  S.] 

2  Ver.  23.— The  reading:  v^wdilaa  in  K.,  M.,  X. ;  i/ij/  ci  6  tj  s  in  Griosbach,  Tischendorf,  on  the  authority  of  E., 
F.,  G.,  etc. ;  Mr)  v tp ca  6 -i^  (T 7}  in  Lachmann  with  B.,  C,  D.  "The  last  gives  no  good  sense."  Meyer.  [It  gives  good 
sense  if  we  regard  it  as  a  question  with  the  expectation  of  a  negative  answer  (/tir/):  Shalt  thou  be  exalted  to  heaven  f 
Nay;  thou  shalt  go  down  to  the  underworld,  or  as  Irenseus  quotes  the  passage  {Adv.  hmr.  iv.  36):  Et  tu  Capernaum, 
numquid  usque  ad  coeluni  eiPaWd)erist  Usque  ad  inferos  descendes.  The  reading:  fj.r)  .  .  .  i\//a) 615 cr?)  is  now  also  sus- 
tained by  Cod.  Sinaiticus,  and  adopted  by  Tregelles,  Conant,  and  Alford  in  the  4th  edition.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  23.— Lachmann,  Tischendorf  [Alford] :  Kara^riaTj,  descend,  go  down,  after  B.,  D.,  Vulg.,  Itala.  The  lectio  re- 
cepta  is  taken  from  Luke  x.  15.     [Cod.  Sinait.  sustains  the  passive   Kara^i^aGehori,  thou  shalt  he  brought  down.—V.  S.] 

<  Ver.  23.  — [Lange:  Utiterwlt,i.  e.,  underworld.  So  .also  Dr.  Conant,  and  the  revised  version  of  the  Am.  B.  XJ. 
throughout.  I  prefer  Todtenreich  for  the  German,  and  hades  for  the  English.  The  English  language,  owing  to  its  cos- 
mopolitan or  {sit  venia  verba  .')  p.anlinguistic  composition,  can  much  easier  retain  and  appropriate  for  popular  use  the 
Greek  term  than  the  German.  Why  should  we  not  use  it  as  well  as  the  terms  paradise,  Eden,  and  many  other  foreign 
words  which  have  become  perfectly  familiar  to  the  reader  of  the  Bible?  This  translation  cuts  off  all  disputes  about  locali- 
ty (of  which  we  know  nothing  certain),  and  the  different  renderings  which  might  be  propoaeii,  a.s  undertcorld,  spirit 
world,  region,  or  rather  state  of  the  dead  or  departed,  etc.  The  important  distinction  between  hades  (aSTjr),  i.  e.,  the 
world  of  all  the  dead,  the  intermediate  spirit  world,  and  hell  (yievva),  i.  e.,  the  final  abode  and  state  of  the  lost,  should  be 
restored  in  the  English  Bible,  if  it  should  ever  be  revised.  (Comp.  footnote  on  p.  114.)  In  this  passage  hades,  with  its 
gloomy  depth  below,  i.s  contrasted  with  the  heaven  or  the  blessed  height  above  ;  comp.  Ps.  cxxxix.  8;  Job  xi.  8;  Kom.  x. 
6,  7,  and  especially  Isa  xiv.  15,  to  which  our  passage  seems  to  allude;  fls  aSov  Kara^-i]ari  (Babylon).    See  Com.— P.  S.] 

house  of  fishes;  or,  home  of  hunting,  or  catching.  A 
city  of"  Galilee  (John  xii.  21),  on  the  western  shore 
of  the  lake  (Mark  vi.  45 ;  viii.  22).  The  home  of 
Peter,  of  Andrew,  and  of  Philip,  John  i.  44  ;  xii.  21. 
— Another  town  of  this  name  was  situate  in  Lower 
Gaulonitis,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  lake.  Philip 
the  tetrarch  elevated  it  to  the  rank  of  a  city,  giving 
it  the  name  of  Julias,  after  the  daughter  of  the 
Emperor  Augustus  (Luke  x.  10).  The  situation 
of  Bethsaida  is  not  marked  by  any  ruins,  and  wholly 
unknown. 

[According  to  this  passage,  most  of  the  miracles 
of  Christ  were  done  in  these  cities  of  Galilee,  and  yet 
not  one  is  recorded  in  the  Gospels  as  having  been 
done  in  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida.  A  confirmation  of 
John  xxi.  25.— P.  S.] 

Tyre  and  Sidon. — Heathen  cities  in  the  imme- 
diate neighborhood.  The  point  of  the  comparison 
lay  in  their  being  inhabited  by  a  large,  busy,  heathen 
population,  whose  corruptness  had  been  exposed  even 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CPaTICAL, 

Ver.  20.  Then  began  He. — The  accent  lies  on 
Tore,  not  on  ^p^aro  .  According  to  the  account 
of  Luke,  the  decisive  denunciations  of  Christ  on  the 
cities  of  GaUlee  occurred  at  a  later  period,  when  He 
took  final  leave  of  them.  This  is  quite  in  accordance 
with  what  we  would  have  expected  at  the  close  of 
His  ministry.  But  even  at  this  stage,  partial  predic- 
tions of  judgment  must  have  been  uttered,  which 
Matthew,  according  to  his  systematic  plan,  here  re- 
cords in  their  final  and  complete  form. 

Ver.  21.  Chorazin. — The  name  occurs  neither  in 
the  Old  Testament  nor  in  Josephus,  and  in  the  New 
Testament  only  in  this  place  and  in  Luke  xiii.  Ac- 
cording to  Jerome,  it  was  situate  two  miles  from  Ca- 
pernaum. See  the  different  conjectures  as  to  its  un- 
known locality  in  the  Encycls.,  and  Robinson,  ii.  405. 
— Bethsaida  =  mi^"n"'3 ,    commonly    rendered. 


CHAP.  XI.  20-24. 


211 


in  the  writings  of  the  prophets.     The  original  seats 
of  the  service  of  Baal. 

[They  TO-oiild  have  repented. — The  knowl- 
edge of  our  Saviour  extended  iiLso  to  contingencies, 
i.  e.,  to  things  which  would  have  happened  under  cer- 
tain conditions.  Comp.  Henry  and  AVordsworth, 
in  foe— P.  S.] 

In  sackcloth  and  ashes. — In  the  East,  it  was 
common  for  mourners  to  put  on  a  black  garment 
which  resembled  a  sack,  with  holes  for  the  arms,  and 
to  strew  ashes  upon  the  head.  Hence  this  was  regard- 
ed as  the  symbol  of  mourning  and  of  repentance. — 
Luke  :  sitting  :  k c:d-h fiev at .  Mourners  and  pen- 
itents were  wont  to  sit  on  the  ground. 

Ver.  23.  IHxalted  unto  heaven,  or  highly  glo- 
rified.— "  Not  by  its  rich  produce  of  fishes  (Grotius,* 
Kuinoel,  Fritzsche),  but  by  the  residence  and  works 
of  Jesus  (Bengel,  Paulas)."     De  AVette. 

To  hades. — In  opposition  to  heaven — the  lowest 
depth  (comp.  Ezek.  xxxi.  16).  The  temporal  judg- 
ments which  soon  afterward  passed  over  these  cities, 
till  their  every  trace  has  been  swept  from  the  earth, 
are  here  referred  to,  as  well  as  the  final  judgment. 
— The  Greek  word  aSrjs  is  equivalent  to,  though  not 
quite  identical  with,  the  Hebrew  .sAeoZ,  bixd.  On 
the  doctrine  of  Sheol,  compare  the  article  "  Hades  " 
by  Glider,  in  Herzog's  Encycl.  This  must  not  be 
confounded  with  hell  or  gehenna.  The  essential  ideas 
attaching  to  hades  are :  (1)  Habit9,tion  of  the  dead 
before  the  completion  of  redemption;  (2)  contrast 
between  tlie  higher  and  the  lower  region,  between 
the  place  of  rest  and  that  of  torment,  Luke  xvi.  19- 
31;  (3)  state  of  imperfectness  of  the  souls  in  hades 
— disembodied  state,  longing,  waiting  for  final  deci- 
sion, 1  Pet.  iii.  19  ;  (4)  continuance  as  an  intermediate 
Idngdom  till  the  end  of  the  world.  I'ojiular  views 
concerning  it  :  It  was  a  subterranean  place,  etc. 
Symbolical  import :  Depth  of  misery  or  of  judgment, 
intermediate  states,  purifications,  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 

[J.  J.  Owen  in  he. :  "  The  word  here  rendered 
fiell,  is  not  gehenna,  but  hades,  the  invisible  or  lower 
world,  where  dwell,  according  to  the  ancient  concep- 
tion, the  shades  of  the  dead.  It  does  not  here  signi- 
fy the  place  of  future  punishment  any  more  than 
Heaven,  in  the  preceding  clause,  means  the  seat  of 
bliss  where  God  dwells.  Both  are  figuratively  used, 
to  denote  great  spiritual  privileges  as  well  as  tempo- 
ral prosperity  [?],  and  the  depth  of  ruin  into  which 
they  would  fall  through  the  abuse  of  these  privileges." 
— J.  A.  Alexander  in  loc. :  "  Hell  here  means  the 
unseen  world,  the  state  of  the  dead,  the  world  of 
spirits,  without  regard  to  difference  of  character  and 
condition.  ...  It  is  here  used  simply  in  antithesis 
to  heaven,  and  must  be  explained,  accordingly,  as 
meaning  tlie  extremest  degradation  and  debasement 
of  a  moral  kind,  but  not  perhaps  without  allusion  to 
the  loss  of  all  external  greatness,  and  oblivion  of  the 
very  spot  on  which  the  city  stood."] 

Ver.  24.  Unto  you — comp.  in  thee,  ver.  23. — 

*  [It  si'ems  improbable  that  such  a  man  as  Grotius  should 
frive  .such  a  low  and  silly  interpretation.  But  so  it  is.  He 
Bays  ill  loo.  :  '■•Iloc  non  duhito  quin  ad  res  huius  vitte  per- 
tiiieai,  ut  in  his  qucB  sequuntur  assurgat  oratio.  Fli>i-ehat 
Caperruiumum  piscatu,  mercatu  et  qtuB  alia  esse  solent 
comnuida  ad  mare  sitat-um  urbium.'"  Even  Barnes  still 
speaks  in  this  connection  of  the  successful  commerce,  tem- 
poral wealth  anil  prosperity  of  Capernaum,  although  he 
rises  above  Grotius  by  empliasizins  the  spiritual  privileses, 
which  here  alone  are  meant.  Stier  (/'flen  Jesu.  i.,  p.  491) 
refers  the  expression  to  the  lofty  situation  of  Capernaum, 
which  is  not  much  better  and  besides  a  matter  of  geographi- 
cal uncertainty. — P.  S.] 


Euthymius  Zigal.,  very  correctly:  t^  /xtu  v ij.7u  Trphs 
Tovi    TToAiTor    TTJr    TrdAeojj   iKelvr^s  uprjTat,   rh   5e 

(TO    \    TTpo?     T7;i'    TT  0  \  I  V  . 

For  the  land  of  Sodom. — Compare  the  history 
of  Sodom  in  the  Book  of  Genesis,  and  the  art.  in  the 
Bibl.  Cyclops.  Nor  must  we  overlook  the  contrast 
between  the  Dead  Sea  and  the.  Lake  of  Tiberias,  as, 
in  the  former  comparison,  that  between  the  cities  of 
Galilee  and  Tyre  and  Sidon.  Lake  Gennesareth  shall, 
from  the  wickedness  of  the  people,  descend  in  judg- 
ment to  a  lower  level  than  the  cities  of  the  Dead  Sea. 
The  two  comparisons  are  taken  from  different  periods : 
the  one  from  the  present,  the  other  from  antiquity ; 
the  one  from  a  region  over  which  judgment  has  al- 
ready passed,  the  other  from  cities  wliich  were  yet  to 
be  judged.  But  the  cities  of  Gahlee  had  experienced 
a  much  more  gracious  visitation  than  cither  the 
doomed  region  of  the  Dead  Sea,  or  heathen  Tyre  and 
Sidon.  They  had  been  the  scene  of  most  of  His 
mighty  deeds,  and  Capernaum  had  even  been  chosen 
as  His  abode. 

[It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  the  very  names  and 
ruins  of  these  three  cities  on  the  Lake  of  Gennesa- 
reth have  utterly  disappeared,  and  their  locality  is  a 
matter  of  dispute  among  travellers,  while  even  that  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrlia  is  pointed  out  on  the  shores  of 
the  Dead  Sea.  Thus  the  fearful  prediction  of  our 
Saviour  has  already  been  literally  fulfilled  on  these 
cities ;  but  a  more  terrible  spiritual  fulfilment  is  await- 
ing its  inhabitants  on  the  great  day  of  judgment. — 
P.S.] 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  woe  which  Christ  here  pronounces  on  the 
cities  of  Galilee  is  a  proof  that  the  judgment  of  hard- 
ening had  already  passed  upon  them.  But  clear  evi- 
dence of  this  only  appeared  when  Jesus  finally  for- 
sook Gahlee.  SiUl,  every  woe  of  judgment  pro- 
nounced 1)7  Christ  is  the  echo  of  a  woe  of  pity  in  His 
heart,  and  indicates  that  outward  judgments  are  now 
unavoidable,  since  the  inward  judgment  of  hardening 
had  already  commenced. 

2.  The  Lord  here  evidently  assigns  to  His  mira- 
cles the  highest  power  and  import  in  quickening  and 
strengthening  faith.  Similarly,  He  knows  and  per- 
ceives that  Tyre,  Sidon,  and  Sodom  would  have  re- 
pented sooner  than  those  cities  of  Gahlee,  which  im- 
plicitly yielded  themselves  to  the  deadening  influences 
of  Pharisaism.  History  has  confirmed  this  predic- 
tion so  far  as  this  was  possible.  T)Te  became  a  Chris- 
tian city  ;  while,  by  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  sprang  up 
Tiberias,  the  capital  of  Jewish  Talmudism. 

[3.  Import  of  the  passage,  especially  the  words : 
It  will  be  more  tolerable,  etc.,  vers.  22,  24,  on  the 
doctrine  of  different  degrees  of  punishment,  corre- 
sponding to  the  measure  of  opportunity  enjoyed,  and 
of  ingratitude  manifested  in  this  life.     Comp.  Matt.  v. 

21,  22  ;  X.  15  ;  Luke  xii.  47,  48 ;  John  ix.  41 ;  xt. 

22,  24  ;  Rom.  ii.  12.  This  distinction  removes  many 
popular  objections  to  the  doctrine  of  eternal  punish- 
ment.— P.  S.] 

IIOMILETIC.VL  AND  PKACTICAL. 

How  the  royal  dignity  of  Christ  appeared,  both  in 
His  compassion  and  in  His  indignation  about  the 
hardness  of  His  contemporaries. — The  woe  pronounc- 
ed by  the  Lord :  1.  A  cry  of  woe  in  His  heart ;  2.  a 
cry  of  woe  in  the  heart  of  those  cities  (their  judicial 


212 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEAV. 


hardening) ;  3.  a  cry  of  woe  in  the  dispensation  of 
outward  judgmcutd.  Or,  1.  a  verdict ;  2.  a  predic- 
tion ;  3.  an  earnest  of  judgment. — Jesus  taldng  leave 
from  (jalilee,  and  His  taking  leave  from  the  temple 
and  from  Jerusalem. — The  predictions  of  the  Lord 
confirming  His  Divine  character,  even  as  His  miracles 
had  done. — The  height  of  privileges  despised,  leading 
to  tlie  depth  of  Divine  judgments. — Three  chosen 
cities  sunk  so  low  (among  them,  Bethsaida,  the  city 
of  the  Apostles,  and  especially  Capernaum,  that  of 
the  Lord  Himself). — Christ's  mild  judgment  on  the 
heathen  world  :  1.  An  evidence  of  His  unfathomable 
wisdom ;  2.  of  His  inexhaustible  mercy ;  3.  of  His 
Divine  penetration. — The  different  degrees  of  judg- 
ment and  of  punishment. — The  final  judgment  will 
throw  light  on  the  import  of  temporal  judgments. 

[  Quesnel : — Ver.  20.  We  cannot  complain  that  we 
have  seen  no  miracles,  since  all  those  of  our  Creator  are 
exposed  to  the  eyes  of  our  mind  and  our  body,  and 
all  those  of  our  Saviour  to  the  eyes  of  our  faith.  Let 
us  take  to  ourselves  these  reproaches  of  our  Lord, 
eince  His  miracles  also  are  designed  for  us. — Ver.  2L 
An  impenitent  Christian  is  worse  than  a  pagan. — 
Ver.  22.  How  terrible  are  God's  judgments  on  the 
impenitent !  Everything  will  help  to  overwhelm  them 
at  the  tribunal  of  God  ;  the  benefits  and  favors  which 


they  have  received,  as  well  as  the  sins  which  they 
have  committed. — Ver.  23.  The  proud,  who  of  aU 
sinners  are  the  most  difhcult  to  be  converted,  shall 
likewise  be  the  most  humbled.  Pride  hardens  the 
heart  even  more  than  the  greatest  sins  of  impurity. 
There  is  nothing  more  opposite  to  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, the  whole  design  of  which  is  to  make  us  hum- 
ble. Lord,  humble  us  at  present,  rather  than  reserve 
us  for  the  eternal  humiliation  of  the  reprobate ! — 

Starke  : — Zcisius :  The  brighter  the  summer-day, 
the  louder  the  thunder-storm. — The  greater  grace,  the 
heavier  judgment,  John  xii.  48;  2  Pet.  ii.  11. — Open 
and  notorious  simiers  will  more  readily  be  converted 
than  hypocrites. — As  some  sins  are  more  heinous  than 
others,  so  also  shall  they  receive  greater  condemna- 
tion.— Many  a  nominal  Christian  will  receive  heavier 
punishment  than  the  poor  heathen. 

Ileubncr  : — Great  is  the  guilt  of  those  who  de- 
spise the  means  of  grace. — Sometimes  places  which 
experience  the  most  gracious  visitations  are  the  most 
barren. — Every  one  shall  be  judged  according  to  the 
measure  of  the  means  of  grace  which  he  has  enjoy- 
ed.— Fallacious  prosperity  of  great  cities. — The  high- 
er they  stand  in  their  own  imaginations,  the  lower 
shall  they  be  cast  down. 


5.   The  Son  of  God  displaying  the  full  consciousness  of  His  royal  dignity  while  rejected  of  men. 
Ch.  XL  25-30. 


25 


At  that  time  Jesus  answered  and  said,' 

I  thank  thee,  0  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 

Because  [Tliat]  ^  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent, 

And  hast  revealed  tliem  unto  [to]  babes. 

26  Even  so,*  Father;   for*  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight.^ 

27  All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  [by,  dird]  my  Father : 
And  no  man  knoweth  the  Son,  but  tlie  Father ; 

Neither  [Nor]  knoweth  any  man  the  Father,  save  [but]  the  Son, 
And  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  him  [it]. 

28  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest. 

29  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me  [become  my  disciples] ;  for  1  am  meek  and 

30  lowly  in  heart;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto   [for]  your  souls.     For  my  yoke  is  easy 
[good,  wliolesome],  and  my  burden  is  light. 

•  Ver.  2.5.— [We  follow  tlie  division  of  Dr.  Lange  in  the  rhythrnical  arrangement  of  this  incomparable  prayer  of  our 
Saviour. — P.  S.] 

"^  Ver.  25.— [That  is  the  proper  meaning  of  oTi  here.  So  Luther,  de  Wette,  Meyer,  Lange.  All  the  older  English 
versions  from  Wiclif  to  that  of  James  have  became,  following  the  Latin  Vulgata:  quia. — P.  B.] 

«  Ver.  26.— [Better :  Yea,  uai]  the  Lat.  Vulg.  translates:  ita  ;  Luther,  de  Wette,  Ewald,  Lange:  ja;  Tyndale  and 
Author.  Vers.:  even  so;  Cranmer  and  Geneva  Vers.:  verily;  Eheims  Vers,  and  Conant :  yea.—V.  S.] 

■•  Ver.  26.— [Meyer  renders  on:  that  (dass), as  in  ver.  25,  and  makes  it  dependent  on  i^ofj.o\oyoi'tJ.ai  croi.  So  also  Co- 
nant. But  Lange,  with  Luther,  de  Wette,  and  most  other  versions  (Vulg.,  Wiclif,  Tyndale,  Eheims,  Author.  V.),  trans- 
lates denti,for.    Oomp.  Lange's  note.— P.  S.] 

5  Ver.  26. — [A  f.u-  superior  version  of  evSoida  e/j.vpoadev  aov,  th.in  that  of  the  Eomish  N.  T.  of  Eheims  :  for  so  hath 
it  toell  pleased  thee  (Vu\g.:  siofmtplacitv/m  antete);  Tyndale:  so  it pleaset?t  thee  ;  Cranmer  and  Geneva:  so  it  was  thy 
good  pleasure.  Lange  translates:  denn  also  geschah  der  RnthschluKu,  der  ror  dir  stand.  But  Luther:  denn  es  ist  also 
■wohlgefdllig  gewenemvor  dir;  de  Wette:  denn  also  geschah  dein  Wille;  Meyer:  dass  so  geschah,  was  wohlgefdllig  ini 
vor  dir;  Ewald  quite  literally:  dass  (denn)  solcJies ward  ein  Wohlgefallen-vor  dir.—V.  S.] 

inferred.     According  to  Luke  x.  21,  the  return  of  tlio 

Seventy  formed  this  occasion  (Strauss  and  Ebrard) ; 

EXEGETICAL  AND  CEITICAL.  according  to  Ewald  and  older  commentators,  that  of 

the  Apostles.     To  this  Meyer  objects,  that  the  ex- 

Ver.  24.   Jesus  answered. — 'AiroicpiVo^ai,  like    pression  iv  tudvy  tw  Kaipw  implies  that — however 

ii3»,to  speak  on  some  definite  occasion.     Meyer:    probable  in  itself — such  was  not  the  connection  which 

This  occasion  is  not  here  mentioned,  and  cannot  be    Matthew  had  ui  view.     In  our  opinion,  the  verses 


CHAP.  XI.  25-30. 


213 


under  consulcration  form,  so  to  speak,  a  response  to 
the  denunciations  in  the  preceding  context.  The  two 
sections  are  intended  as  an  antiphony  by  the  Evan- 
gelist. Gerlach  suggests  that  tlie  words  bear  special 
reference  to  tlie  disciples  who  stood  before  Him. 
Their  presence  was  virtually  an  assurance  on  the  part 
of  His  heavenly  Father :  Behold,  I  have  given  these 
unto  Thee.  And  Jesus  answered,  I  thank  Thee,  0 
Father,  etc. — De  Wette  takes  the  expression  in  a 
more  general  sense,  as  equivalent  to,  He  commenced : 
conip.  Matt.  xxii.  1  ;  xxviii.  5.*  We  fully  achuit, 
however,  that  the  outward  and  historical  connection 
is  more  clearly  marked  in  the  Gos]5el  of  Luke  than  in 
that  of  Matthew. 

I  thank  Thee  [f^oixo\oyo'''iJ.at,  I  fulhj  con- 
fess, thankfidhj  acknowledge  the  justice  of  Thy  doings']. 
— This  thanksgiving  refers  equally  to  both  the  facts 
mentioned  m  the  last  clauses  of  the  verse,  to  the 
air  (K  pvi\i  a  i  and  the  air  e  Ka\v  \^  as .  "  These  are 
the  two  aspects  of  one  and  the  same  dealing  on  the 
part  of  God,  the  necessity  of  which  Christ  recogniz- 
ed (comp.  John  ix.  39).  Meyer.  Some  critics  (as 
Kuinoel  and  others)  hold,  without  good  reason,  that 
the  first  of  these  two  antithetic  clauses  implies  only 
permission. 

O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth. — The 
pecuhar  form  of  this  address  is  determined  by  the 
idea  of  His  administration.  In  hardening  some  and 
eaUghtening  others,  God  manifests  Himself  as  abso- 
lutely reigning  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  The 
term  irarrip  precedes  k  vp  to  s ,  even  as  love  abso- 
lute sovereignty. 

[Observe  that  Christ  does  not  address  the  Father 
as  Hh  Lord,  but  as  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth.  We 
have  four  more  (not  two,  as  Alford  says)  instances 
of  such  apubUc  address  of  our  Saviour  to  His  Father, 
John  si.  41  (at  the  grave  of  Lazarus) ;  xii.  28  {Fa- 
iher,  glorify  Thy  name) ;  xvii.  1  (in  the  sacerdotal 
prayer) ;  and  Luke  xxiii.  34  (on  the  cross  :  Father, 
forgive  them,  etc.) — P.  S.] 

These  things,  ravr  a . — From  the  preceding 
verses  we  gather  that  the  expression  refers  to  the 
principle  of  the  great  Suvdnas,  which  He  had  reveal- 
ed in  the  cities  of  Galilee,  with  special  reference  to 
ver.  15  {Re  that  Iiathcars  to  hear,  let  him  hear).  Ac- 
cordingly, the  expression  alludes  to  the  evidence  of 
His  Divine  character  as  the  Messiah  and  Son  of  God, 
derived  from  His  word  and  works.f 

To  the  wise  and  prudent. — Applying  not  mere- 
ly to  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  [Meyer],  but  also  to 
the  wise  and  prudent  courtiers  of  Herod,  and  to  the 
worldly-wise  among  the  people  generally.  Babes, 
«/ 1)  TT '  0  1  •  Originally,  the  C"iXPQ  ,  or  those  unac- 
quainted with  Jewish  wisdom ;  here,  tlie  beUeving 
followers  of  Jesus  generally,  or  those  whom  the 
Pharisees  despised  ;  comp.  John  vii.  49. 

Ver.  26.  For  so,  etc. — Gersdorf,  Fritzsche,  Mey- 
er, suggest  that  b  T :  should  be  translated  by  that, 
as  in  ver.  2.5.  De  Wette  defends  the  common  trans- 
lation, which  is  more  suitable,  as  the  e  u  S  o  k  /  a  of 
the  Father  forms  tlie  ultimate  groimd  of  consolation. 
The  former  apparent  paradox  is  here  resolved.  But 
by  translating  the  particle  un  by  tlmf,  the  ditSculty 
would  only  be  increased,  and  the  whole  stress  would 

*  [Alford:  "  The  whole  ascription  of  praise  is  an  answer; 
an  answer  to  the  mysterious  dispensativns  of  (tod's  provi- 
dence above  recounted."    Unsatisfactory.— P.  S.] 

t  [Differently  Alfokd:  "Tavra,  these  mi/HtericniJi  ar- 
rangements, by  which  the  sinner  is  condemned  in  his  pride 
and  unbelief,  the  humble  and  childlike  .saved,  and  God  justi- 
lied  when  lie  saves  and  condemns." — P.  S.] 


be  laid  on  the  authority  of  the  preceding  val  of  Christ. 
Comp.  iii.  l?  ;  Luke  ii.  14,  etc. 

Ver.  27.  All  things  are  delivered  unto  Me. 
— Grotius,  Kuiuocl,  and  others,  apply  this  exclusive- 
ly to  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  De  Wette  refers  it  to 
His  rule  over  men,  as  in  John  xiii.  3  ;  Matt,  xxviii. 
18.  But  Meyer  rightly  takes  it  in  an  absolute  sense, 
as  meaning  that  everything  was  committed  to  His 
government  by  the  Father.  This,  however,  does  not 
imply  that  the  rule  of  the  Father  had  ceased,  but 
tliat  all  things  were  by  the  Father  brought  into  con- 
nection with,  and  subordination  to,  the  economy  in- 
stituted by  Christ.  His  preaching  of  the  gospel  in 
Galilee  had  led  to  a  twofcjld  and  contrary  result. 
The  salvation  and  the  judgment  initiated  by  it  in 
that  district  were  a  pledge  that  the  same  results 
would  follow  in  koctuos  generally.  The  main  point 
lies  in  the  idea,  that  not  the  saved  only,  but  also  the 
lost,  are  His.  Their  rejection  of  Christ  might  seem 
as  if  it  arrested  His  arm  and  baffied  His  omnipotence. 
But  even  their  unbelief  becomes  the  occasion  for  a 
display  of  the  full  consciousness  of  His  royal  power. 
They  also  who  rejected  Him  are  subject  to  His  pow- 
er. Thus  the  gospel  of  Christ  is  absolute  in  its  ef- 
fects, and  this  fact  is  here  clearly  and  pointedly 
brought  out. 

And  no  man  knoweth. — '  E  -k  i  ywcoTKeiv  means 
more  than  the  simple  yLviiaicfti'.  The  difference. (to 
which  Meyer  rightly  adverts)  is  similar  to  that  between 
the  words  cognition  (Frkenntniss)  and  knowledge 
{Kenntniss).  Tholuck  ( Credibility  of  the  Gospel  His- 
tory, against  Strauss)  has  called  attention  to  the  af- 
finity between  this  verse  and  the  general  import  of 
the  Gospel  of  John.  In  this  respect,  it  may  serve  as 
an  indirect  evidence  of  the  credibility  of  the  Gospel 
according  to  John.* — Connection  tvith  the  preceding 
context :  The  unlimited  and  unique  cognition  of 
Christ  is  connected  with  His  unlimited  and  unique 
power.  Connection  with  the  succeeding  context  :  The 
consequence  of  His  infinite  power,  and  of  His  infinite 
cognition  of  the  Father,  are  his  ability  and  willing- 
ness to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God 
by  Him. 

Ver.  28.  [Come  unto  Me,  all,  etc.— This  is  the 
great  and  final  answer  to  the  question  of  John,  xi.  3  ; 
"  Art  Thou  He  that  siiould  come,  or  shall  we  wait  for 
another  V  "  No  mere  man  could  have  spoken  these 
words.     Alford.] 

All  ye  that  labor,  kott  luvres  Ka\  ir « - 
<popT  i(T  fjii  vo  L  [the  laboring  and  the  burden- 
ed].— The  first  of  these  verbs  refers  to  the  idea 
of  laboring  and  struggling,  rather  than  to  that  of  be- 
ing wearied  and  faint.  Both  expressions  refer  to  the 
burden  of  labor,  only  viewed  from  dift'erent  aspects : 
1.  As  voluntary,  and  undertaken  by  themselves ;  2. 
as  laid  upon  them  by  others.     [The  active  and  pas- 

*  [Alford  and  D.  Brown  likewise  correctly  observe,  that 
"the  spirit  of  this  verse,  and  its  form  of  expression,"  are  tru- 
ly Johannean.  We  have  here  a  connecting  link  between  the 
synoptists  and  John,  and  an  incideiitiil  testimony  of  Mat- 
thew to  the  originality  and  credibility  of  the  weighty  dis- 
courses of  Chri.st  concerning  His  relation  to  the  Father, 
which  are  only  recorded  in  the  fourth  Gospel.  Although 
the  fourth  Gospel  may  with  the  church  fitliers  be  emphati- 
cally called  !i,^0„.,il.  {irvtvuariKov),  and  the  synoptic.il 
Oosoels  corr^pfeul  {iyjiu.o-Tiica.\  the  difference  is  only  rela- 
tive, since'  John  represents  the  real,  incarnate,  historical' 
Christ,  and  the  synoptists,  e.^pecially  in  this  passage  and  the 
corresponding  section  of  Luke  (x.  21,  ii),  rise  to  tlie  pure 
height  of  the  spirituality  and  sublimity  of  John.  The  bear- 
ing'of  this  striking  n-.seinblance  again.st  Strauss,  Baur,  anil 
all'wh')  deny  the  genuineness  of  the  Gospel  of  John,  must  be 
apparent  toVvery  unprejudiced  mind.— P.  S.] 


214 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


sive  sides  of  human  misery.]  Both  these  remarks 
applied  to  the  legal  efforts  of  the  Jews.  Only  those, 
however,  who  felt  the  spiritual  import  of  the  law  of 
God  realized  the  existence  of  such  a  burden.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  expression  is  nearly  akin  to  poverty 
in  sjjirit.  The  law  itself  was  a  sufficient  burden ;  add 
to  this  what  was  imposed  by  the  traditions  of  the 
Pliarisecs  and  scribes  (Matt,  xxiii.  4).  Hence,  in 
general,  those  laboring  under  a  sense  of  sin. 

And  I,  Kayw. — Emphatically,  in  opposition 
to  the  teachers  who  laid  those  burdens  on  them. 

Ver.  29.  My  yoke. — "  Allusion  to  the  yoke  of 
the  law  ;  a  name  commonly  given  to  it  by  the  Jews 
(Wetstein).  Without  any  reference  to  the  yoke  which 
Christ  Himself  bore,  or  to  His  cross  (Olshausen)." 
De  Wette. — That  is' to  say,  it  primarily  refers  not  to 
the  cross  of  Christ,  but  to  His  rule,  doctrine,  and 
leadership ;  which,  however,  also  implies  the  bear- 
ing of  His  cross.  The  emphasis  must  be  laid  on 
the  call,  to  learn  of  Him,  in  opposition  to  the  legal 
teaching  and  the  ))urden  imposed  by  the  Pharisees. 
This  applies  also  to  what  follows. 

For  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart. — In  op- 
position to  the  meek  and  lowly  appearance  assumed 
by  the  scribes.*  These  qualities  were  the  reason 
why  they  should  learn  of  Him,  not  the  subject  to 
be  learned.  They  are,  in  the  first  place,  to  seek  from 
Him  rest  for  their  souls,  avair  ava  iv ,  ^ii"^^ 
Jer.  vi.  16, — the  final  aim  of  all  reUgious  aspira- 
tions. 

[Alford:  Our  Lord  does  not  pi-omise  freedom 
from  toil  or  burden,  but  rest  in  the  soul,  which  shall 
make  all  yokes  easy,  and  all  burdens  fight.  The 
main  invitation,  however,  is  to  those  burdened  with 
the  yoke  of  sin,  and  of  the  law,  which  was  added  be- 
cause of  sin.  Owing  to  our  continued  conflict  with 
sin  and  evil  in  this  world,  the  ai^dwavats  of  Christ  is 
still  a  yoke  and  a  burden,  but  a  fight  one.  Comp.  2 
Cor.  iv.  16,  17.  The  rest  and  joy  of  the  Christian 
soul  is  to  become  like  Chriat. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  30.  For  My  yoke  is  good. — X  pTja-T  6  s, 
when  appfied  to  persons,  kindly  ;  here,  good,  benefi- 
cent. Meyer  :  salutary,  or  bringing  safety.  [Augus- 
tine, in  one  of  his  sermons,  beautifully  compares  the 
yoke  of  Christ  to  a  bird's  plumage,  an  easy  weight 
which  enables  it  to  soar  to  the  sky  :  "  Hcec  sarcina 
nonestpondus  oneraii,  sednla  volaiuri." — P.  S.] 

DOCTRINAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  The  spiritual  elevation  of  the  soul  \  of  Jesus 
appears  in  all  its  glory  from  the  passage  before  us. 
From  a  denunciation  of  the  cities  of  Gafilee,  He 
passes  to  a  solemn  thanksgiving  to  the  Father,  and  to 
a  declaration  of  His  majesty.  In  other  words,  from 
a  deep  sense  of  the  dishonor  cast  upon  Him  by  this 
generation.  He  turns  in  fufi  and  blessed  conscious- 
ness of  His  exaltation  far  above  all  humanity,  and 

*  [The  word  KapS'ia  is  only  here  used  of  Christ.  There 
is;  88  Olshausen  susrgests,  an  essential  dift'erence  between 
HUMILITY  OP  HEART,  wbich  Christ  possessed  in  the  highest 
degree  from  free  choice  and  condescending  lore  and  compati- 
sion,  and  povkkty  op  spirit  (Matt.  v.  8)  which  cannot  be 
predicated  of  Him,  but  only  of  penitent  sirwers  conscious 
of  their  unworthiness  and  longing  for  salvation.  Corapare 
the  rich  remarks  of  Olshausen  on  this  whole  passage,  for  the 
elucidation  of  which  his  genial,  lovely,  gentle  spirit  pecu- 
liarly titled  liim  (in  Kendrick's  revised  translation,  vol.  i.,  p. 
43i-437).  But  Lant;o  has  gone  still  deeper  in  the  doctrinal 
reflections  and  homiletieal  hints  which  fui:ovv.— P.  S.] 

t  [An  imperfect  rendering  of  retoioje  Suhwungkraft  des 
6emuths.—e.  S.] 


the  world.  Similar  transitions  from  sorrow  to  joy 
appear  at  His  last  passover,  in  Gethsemane,  and  on 
Golgotha.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  transition 
from  highest  joy  to  deepest  sorrow  in  Ilia  utterances 
in  the  temple,  when  the  Greeks  desired  to  see  Him, 
at  His  triumphal  entry  into  Jerusalem  over  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  and  in  that  awful  conflict  in  (icthsemane 
which  followed  on  His  intercessory  prayer.  In  these 
solemn  transactions  the  divinity  of  Christ  was,  so  to 
speak,  reflected  in  the  mirror  of  His  human  soul,  and 
the  eternal  Spirit  of  God  in  the  eagle-fike  ascension 
and  descension  of  His  feelings. 

2.  Christ  displayed,  on  this  occasion,  must  fully 
the  sense  of  His  royal  dignity,  which,  indeed,  seems 
to  have  been  speciaUy  evoked  by  the  rejection  of 
the  world.  Even  in  the  case  of  great  and  truly 
humble  men,  reviling  and  ill-treatment  evoke  the 
native  sense  of  dignity  and  power.  Comp.  the  his- 
tory of  Paul  and  of  Luther.  But  Christ  could  in 
perfect  truthfulness  first  pronounce  a  woe  upon  the 
cities  of  Galilee,  then  declare  His  own  superiority 
over  all,  and  finally  add,  "  /  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart." 

3.  Ko  one  knoweth  the  Son. — There  is  an  abso- 
lute and  unique  mystery  of  spiritual  community,  both 
in  reference  to  power  and  to  knowledge,  between 
the  Father  and  the  Son.  Thence  we  also  infer  the 
spiritual  community  of  their  nature,  or  co-equality 
of  essence.  But,  as  formerly  the  hitfing  and  re- 
vealing of  these  things  had  been  ascribed  to  the 
Father,  so  it  is  now  assigned  to  the  Son.  It  is  the 
province  of  Christology  to  define  the  co-operation 
of  the  two  Persons  of  the  Trinity  in  these  acts. 
The  Father  executes  the  decree  according  to  the 
calling  of  the  Son,  and  the  Son  the  calling  accord- 
ing to  the  decree  of  the  Father. 

4.  Come  unto  Me. — One  of  the  most  precious 
gospel  invitations  to  salvation  in  the  New  Testament. 
The  call  is  addressed  to  those  who  labor  and  are 
burdened,  fatigued  and  worn  out.  The  promise  is 
that  of  rest  to  the  soul ;  its  condition,  to  take  upon 
ourselves  the  gentle  yoke  of  Christ,  in  opposition  to 
the  unbearable  yoke  of  the  law  and  traditions. 
Christianity,  therefore,  has  also  its  yoke,  and  demands 
obedience  to  the  supremacy  of  the  word  of  Christ 
and  the  discipfine  of  His  Spirit.  Nor  is  the  burden 
wanting  which  ultimately  constitutes  our  cross.  But 
the  yoke  is  good  and  beneficial,  and  the  burden  easy 
(eAat^pos,  related  to  €\apus,  light  as  a  7-oe).  This  bur- 
den, which  is  to  be  drawn  or  borne  in  the  yoke,  be- 
comes a  lever,  and  ever  raises  him  who  bears  it  high- 
er and  higher. 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  humifiation  and  exaltation  in  the  conscious- 
ness of  Christ,  a  sign  of  His  external  humiliation  and 
exaltation. — The  deepest  sorrows  of  Christians  must 
be  transformed  into  highest  praise. — Every  affliction 
becomes  transfigured  by  the  gracious  purpose  of 
the  Father,  who  rules  sovereignly  in  heaven  and  on 
earth. — Even  judgment. — Love  is  enthroned  above 
righteousness,  because  it  is  holy  love. — The  judg- 
ments of  God  always  go  hand  in  hand  with  His  de- 
liverances ;  the  hiding  with  the  revealing. — What 
serves  to  form  and  open  heaven  to  believers,  forma 
and  opens  hell  to  unbelievers. — The  great  Divine 
mystery,  ignorance  of  which  turns  the  wise  and  the 
prudent  into  fools,  while  it  imparts  knowledge  and 
experience  to  babes. — Self-confident  wisdom  closes 
agamst  us  the  heaven  of  revelation,  while   humble 


CHAP.  XII.  1-14. 


215 


longing  after  truth  opens  it.* — Spiritual  self-elevation 
in  its  varied  manifestations  :  1.  It  assumes  diflerent 
fo}-ms  (wisdom,  righteousness,  strength),  but  is  the 
same  in  spirit  (closed  against  the  influence  of  Divine 
grace) ;  2.  different  etf'trts  (loss  of  revelation,  of  rec- 
onciliation, of  salvation),  but  its  ultimate  destruction 
is  the  same. — Christ  manifesting  the  sense  of  His 
royal  dignity  amid  the  contempt  and  rejection  of  the 
world. — How  the  Redeemer  anticipated  His  advent 
as  Judge. — The  omnipotence  of  Christ  appearing 
amid  His  seeming  impotence. — The  unique  knowl- 
edge of  Christ :  the  source  of  all  revelation  to  the 
world.  —  Connection  between  the  power  and  the 
knowledge  of  Christ :  1.  In  His  Divine  person ;  2.  in 
His  work ;  3.  m  the  life  of  His  people. — How  the 
Father  draws  us  to  the  Son,  John  vi.  44,  and  the  Sou 
reveals  to  us  the  Father. —  Come  unto  Me  ;  or,  the 
invitation  of  Jesus :  1.  On  what  it  is  based  ;  2.  to 
whom  it  is  addressed ;  3.  what  it  demands  ;  4.  what 
it  promises. — Rest  of  soul  the  promise  of  Christ. 
—The  yoke  and  the  burden  of  Christ  as  compared 
with  other  yokes  and  burdens  (of  the  law,  the  world, 
etc.). — Relationship  between  the  yoke  and  the  bur- 
den: 1.  The  difference;  2.  the  connection;  3.  the 
imity. — .rinyhow,  we  are  put  into  harness  in  this  life ; 
but  we  have  our  choice  of  the  yoke  and  of  the  bur- 
den.— The  gospel  ever  new  to  those  who  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden. — Christ  the  aim  and  goal  of  all  gen- 
uine labor  of  soul. — Christ  the  Rest  of  souls :  1.  Their 
sabbath,  or  rest  from  the  labor  of  their  calling ;  2. 
their  sabbath,  or  rest  from  the  labor  of  the  law ;  3. 

*  [Compare  the  lines  of  Schiller,  the  best  he  ever  wrote: 


their  resurrection  day  from  the  labor  of  death. — 
Christ  gives  rest  to  the  soul  by  revealing  the  Father. 

Starke: — God  claims  honor  and  praise,  both  in 
respect  of  His  justice  upon  those  who  harden  them- 
selves, and  of  His  mercy  toward  the  small  band  of 
His  believing  people,  1  Cor.  i.  26. — What  the  wisdom 
of  God  demands  at  our  hands. — Quesnel :  Let  us 
adore  with  fear  and  trembling  the  holy  government 
of  God,  in  the  way  in  which  He  dispenses  His  gifts. 
No  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  through  Christ, 
John  xiv.  6. —  Cramer:  Every  search  after  rest  or 
joy  is  vain  without  Christ. — The  promises  of  the  gos- 
pel are  general ;  he  alone  is  excluded  who  excludes 
himself. — Zeisius :  There  is  no  burden  in  the  world 
more  heavy  than  that  of  sin  on  the  conscience. — 
Christ  the  Teacher  in  word  and  deed. — Let  us  learn 
meekness  and  humility  in  the  school  of  Christ. — 
Quesnel:  What  Christ  bestows,  sweetens  every  af- 
fliction in  the  world. 

Heuhner : — Both  the  Christian  faith  and  the 
Christian  life  are  summed  up  in  this  :  "  revealed  by 
God." — Luther :  AVe  cannot  instruct  the  heart. — God 
alone  is  its  Teacher. — He  that  knoweth  the  Son  know- 
eth  the  Father  also,  and  vice  versd. 

[Augustine  :  Th  nos  feeisti  ad  Te,  et  cor  nostrum 
inquietuin  est  donee  requiescat  in  Te.  This  famous 
sentence  from  the  Confessions  may  also  be  so  modi- 
fied :  Man  is  made  for  Christ,  and  his  heart  is  with- 
out rest,  until  it  rest  in  Him. — Christ's  invitation 
welcomes  us  back  to  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  that 
original  and  proper  home  of  the  heart. — Comp.  also 
the  practical  remarks  of  Matthew  Henry,  which  are 
very  rich,  but  too  extensive  to  be  transferred  here. — 
P.S.] 


O.  CHRIST  MANIFESTS  HIS  ROYAL  DIGNITY  BY  PROVING  HIMSELF  LORD  OF  THE 
SABBATH,  LORD  OF  THE  PEOPLE,  CONQUEROR  AND  RULER  OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF 
SATAN,  THE  FUTURE  JUDGE  OF  HIS  OPPONENTS,  AND  THE  FOUNDER  OF  THE 
KINGDOM  OF  LOVE,  OR  OF  THE  FAMILY  OF  THE  SAINTS. 

ClIAPTEE   XII. 

Contents: — The  two  Sabbath-day  discussions  in  Galilee.  Project  ag.iinst  the  life  of  the  Lord,  and  His  consequent  retire- 
ment, to  which  many  of  the  people  follow  Ilim.  Healinj?  of  the  demnniac  w  ho  was  blind  and  dumb,  and  accusation 
of  the  rharisees,  that  Jesus  was  in  league  with  the  devil.  Reply  about  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Hostile 
demand  of  a  sign  from  heaven.  Jesus  rejoins  by  pointing  to  the  sign  of  Jonas,  and  by  warning  ag.iinst  the  demoniac 
possession  with  which  the  synagogue  was  threatened.  Even  the  mother  and  brethren  of  Jesus  now  becortie  afraid, — 
the  Lord  taking  occasion  from  tliis  to  refer  to  Uis  spiritual  and  royal  generation.  In  all  these  great  conflicts,  Christ 
manifests  Himself  as  sovereign,  higher  than  the  temple  and  the  Sabbath,  King  of  His  poor  peofde,  Conqueror  of  the 
kingdom  of  Satan— as  having  consecrated  Himself  unto  death  in  the  anticipation  of  the  glory  to  come,  and  as  foretelling 
the  judgments  that  were  to  beliill  Israel,  as  Preacher  of  repentance  to  Mary  and  her  sons,  and  as  Founder  of  the  holy 
kingdom  of  love,  far  above  all  worldly  apprehensions  or  measures  of  prudence. 


1.   The  twofold  offence  connected  with  the  Sabbath  ;  or,  the  Lord  of  the  Temple  and  of  the  Sabbath. 

Cii.  xn.  1-14. 


(Comp.  Mark  ii.  23-28 ;  Luke  vi.  1-5.) 

1         At  that  time  Jesus  went  on  the  sahbath  day  [sabbath]  througli  tlie  corn   [grain- 
fields]  ; '  and  his  disciples  Avere  a  hungered  [were  hungry,  or  hungered],^  and  began  to 


216 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


2  pluck  the  ears  of  corn  [ears  of  grain],  and  to  eat.  But  when  the  Pharisees  saw  ?V,  they 
said  unto  liim,  Behold,  thy  disciples  do  that  which  is  not  lawful  to  do  upon  the  sabbath 

3  day  [sabbath].     But  he  said  unto  them,  Have  ye  not  read  what  David  did,  when  he 

4  was  a  hungered  [was  hungry,  or  hungered],  and  they  that  were  with  him ;  How  he  en- 
tered into  the  house  of  God,  and  did  eat  the  shewbread  [the  sacred  bread  of  the  altar], 
which  was  not  lawful  for  him  to  eat,  neither  [nor]  for  them  which  were  with  him,  but 

5  only  for  the  priests?     Or  have  ye  not  read  in  the  law,  how  that  on  the  sabbath  days 

6  the  priests  in  the  temple  profane  the  sabbath,  and  are  blameless  ?     But  I  say  unto  you, 
■  7  That  in  this  place  [here]  is  one  greater  [a  greater]  ^  than  the  temple.     But  if  ye  had 

known  what  this  nieaneth,  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice,  ye  would  not  have  con- 
8  demned  the  guiltless  [blameless].     For  the  Son  of  man  is  Lord  even"*  of  the  sabbath 
day  [sabbath]. 

(Comp.  Mark  iil  2-6;  Luke  vi.  6-21.) 
9,  10  And  when  he  was  departed  thence,  he  went  into  their  synagogue:  And,  behold, 
there  was  a  man  which  had  his  hand  ^  withered.     And  they  asked  him,  saying,  Is  it 

1 1  lawful  to  heal  on  the  sabbath  days  [sabbath]  ?  that  they  might  accuse  him.  And  he 
said  unto  them.  What  man  shall  there  be  among  you,  that  shall  have  one  sheep,  and  if 
it  fall  into  a  pit  on  the  sabbath  day  [sabbath],  will  he  not  lay  hold  on  it,  and  lift  it 

12  out?     How  much  then  is  a  man  better  than  a  sheep ?     Wherefore  it  is  lawful  to  do 

13  well  on  the  sabbath  days   [sabbath].     Then  saith  he  to  the  man.  Stretch  forth  thine 

14  hand.  And  he  stretched  it  forth;  and  it  was  restored  whole,  like  as  the  other.  Then 
the  Pharisees  went  out,  and  held  a  council  against  him,  how  they  might  destroy  him, 

:  Yer.  1.— [Lange:  Getreidefeld ;  tuther:  Snat;  van  Ess:  Saat/eld.  The  Greek  ra  cnropiua  from  mref'pa)  meana 
gown  field  n,  (train-fields,  corn-fields.  In  the  parallel  passages,  Mark  ii.  23  and  Luke  vi.  1,  the  word  is  translated  In  the  E. 
V. :  com -fields.— V.  8.] 

2  Ver.  1.— [Comp.  iv.  2,  and  the  crit.  note  p.  80.] 

3  Ver.  6.— Codd.  B.,  D.,  K.,  M.,  etc.,  [also  Cod.  Sinaiticus]  read  the  neuter  (U  eT^'or,  which  is  therefore  better  authen- 
ticated than  the  received  reading  ixilCoiv.  [Lange  translates:  ein  Hbheres  <ds  der  Tetnpel  ist  hier— something  higher,  or 
a  greater  thing,  than  the  temple  is  here.  Alford  and  Wordsworth  also  read  /ueT^oi',  which  sustains  the  parallel  better. 
Oomp.  ii.  19.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  8.— The  k  o  i  (even)  before  rod  craBBoLTov  is  wanting  in  the  best  authorities  [also  in  Cod.  Sinait.],  and  seems 
to  be  borrowed  from  the  parallel  passages  of  Mark  and  Luke. 

5  Ver.  10.— The  words  of  the  text,  rec:  ?iu  riiv  before  X^'^P'*  are  wanting  in  B.,  C,  etc.,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  and  hence 
doubtful. 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Chronological  Order. — The  journey  of  Christ 
through  the  cities  of  Galilee — during  which  He  had 
sent  forth  His  disciples  as  Apostles,  and  received  the 
embassy  of  the  Baptist — had  closed  with  His  appear- 
ance, in  Jerusalem  at  the  festival  of  Purim  in  the 
year  782  (John  v.).  The  cure  which  He  performed 
on  the  Sabbath-day  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda  led  the 
Sanhedrim  to  determine  upon  His  death.  This  may 
be  regarded  as  the  turning-point  in  the  history  of  His 
public  ministry,  when  the  enthusiastic  reception  He 
had  at  first  met  gave  place  to  continuous  persecu- 
tions. Henceforth  His  journeys  resembled  almost  a 
perpetual  flight.  From  the  festival  of  Purim,  Jesus 
retired  into  Galilee  (John  vi.  1).  When  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Tiberias,  He  learned  that  the  Baptist  had  in 
the  intei-val  been  executed  (comp.  John  vi.  1-21  with 
Matt.  xiv. ;  also  Mark  vi.  14-.56 ;  Luke  ix.  7-lY). 
The  Apostles  now  returned  from  their  embassy. 
Jesus  withdrew  from  the  overtures  of  Herod  to  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  lake.  First  miraculous  feeding. 
Jesus  walking  on  the  sea.  The  manna  from  heaven, 
John  vi.  22-71.  The  Easter  festival  of  the  year  of 
the  persecution  (John  vi.  4).  During  this  feast,  Je- 
sus probably  came  to  Bethany,  but  not  to  Jerusalem 
(see  Luke  x.  38).  Immediately  after  that,  the  events 
occurred  which  are  related  in  the  text.  The  charge, 
that  Jesus  desecrated  the  Sabbath,  followed  Him 


from  Jerusalem  to  Galilee,  whither  the  Sanhedrim 
and  the  synagogue  sent  their  spies. 

Ver.  1.  On  the  sabbath. — Luke  designates  this 
sabbath  by  the  term  hevTipoirpwrov.  The  ex- 
pression probably  refers  to  the  first  sabbath  of  the 
second  festive  cycle  in  the  Jewish  year.  It  was 
probably  the  first  sabbath  after  the  Passover  of  the 
year  782. 

And  began  to  pluck  ears  of  grain. — The 
plucking  of  ears  of  grain  was  in  itself  no  crime. 
According  to  Deut.  xxiii.  25,  it  was  allowed  when 
prompted  by  the  cravings  of  hunger.  The  same 
custom  still  prevails  in  Palestine.  Robinson,  i.  493, 
499. — But  the  Pharisees  fixstened  upon  the  circum- 
stance that  this  was  done  on  the  sabbath,  in  order  to 
charge  the  conduct  of  the  disciples  against  their 
Master,  as  a  breach  of  the  fourth  commandment. 
They  had  evidently  received  their  instructions  from 
Jerusalem,  where  Jesus  had  healed  the  sick  man  at 
the  pool  of  Bethesda.  His  death  had  been  determin- 
ed upon ;  and  these  Pharisees  only  acted  as  over- 
zealous  si)ies.  Whenever  the  disciijles  commenced 
to  pluck  cars  of  grain  {^p^avro),  they  immediately 
brought  forward  their  charge.  "  Traditionahsm  ap- 
plied the  law  of  sabbath-observance  to  all  harvest 
work,  among  which  plucking  of  ears  of  grain  was 
also  included.  Maimonides,  Shabb.  8 ;  Lightfoot, 
and  Schottgen."  Meyer.  The  only  exception  was 
iu  the  case  of  famine. 

Ver.  3.  Have  ye  not  read  ?     1  Sam.  xxL 


i 


CHAP.  XII.  1-14. 


217 


Ver.  4.  Ho  entered  into  the  house  of  God, 

— L  c,  into  the  tabernacle  at  Nob. — The  twelve 
loaves  of  shew-bread,  C^wSn  cnb ,  were  not  in- 
tended as  an  oftering  to  Jehovah,  but  symbolized  the 
communion  of  Jehovah  with  the  priesthood.  Ac- 
cordingly, like  the  Passover  lamb,  they  were  a  type 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  candlestick  in  the  temple 
symbolized  the  Hght  which  Jehovah  shed  on  men 
through  His  chosen  instruments ;  the  altar  of  in- 
cense, prayer,  by  which  men  dedicated  themselves  to 
Jehovah ;  the  golden  table  with  the  shew-bread,  the 
communion  and  fellowship  of  God  with  man.  The 
basis  of  all  these  symbolical  ordinances  was  the  altar 
of  sacrifice  in  the  court,  and  the  sprinkling  with  blood 
in  the  temple.  The  shew-bread  was  changed  every 
week,  and  that  which  was  removed  from  the  temple 
given  to  the  priests.  David  was  the  great  model  of 
Jewish  piety;  and  yet  he  went  into  the  house  of 
God,  contrary  to  the  commandment,  and  ate  of  the 
consecrated  bread. 

Ver.  5.  The  priests  in  the  temple  profane 
the  sabbath,  Num.  xxviii.  9 ; — i.  e.,  break  the  out- 
ward and  general  regulations  for  the  sabbath. — Not 
merely :  "  consistently  with  your  traditions  "  (Meyer). 
This  would  apply  merely  to  the  expression,  to  break, 
or  profane.  The  conditional  character  of  the  sab- 
batic law  appeared  from  this,  that  the  enjoyment  of 
the  sabbath  by  the  people  depended  on  the  regular 
functions  of  the  sacred  priesthood  on  that  day.  The 
first  instance  adduced  required  to  be  supplemented. 
It  only  confirmed  the  lawfulness  of  similar  conduct 
in  case  of  famine,  but  not  that  of  doing  something 
on  the  sabbath  which  resembled  labor.  The  latter 
is  vindicated  by  the  second  example. 

Yer.  6.  A  greater  (a  greater  thing,  /xerCoj/, 
stronger  than  jit  e  i  ^co  j/  *)  than  the  temple  is  here. 
— Comp.  1  John  ii.  19.  The  reasoning  is  as  follows: 
The  necessary  duties  of  the  temple-service  authorize 
the  servants  of  the  temple,  the  priests,  to  break  the 
order  of  the  sabbath  [according  to  your  false  under- 
standing of  sabbath  profanation] ;  how  much  more 
can  He,  who  is  the  real  temple  of  God  on  earth,  far 
elevated  above  the  symbolical  temple,  authorize  His 
disciples  to  break  the  order  of  the  sabbath  [as  ye 
caU  it],  in  case  of  necessity.  A  conclusion  a  minori 
ad  majus.  The  whole  deportment  of  the  disciples 
was  a  contmuous  service  in  the  temple. 

Ver.  v.  But  if  ye  had  known. — Having  de- 
fended Himself  against  their  attacks.  He  now  turns 
round  upon  His  opponents.  Once  more  He  recalls 
to  their  minds  the  passage  in  Hosea  vi.  6  ;  this  time 
applying  it  to  them  individually.  Had  they  not  just 
insisted  upon  sacrifice,  instead  of  that  mercy  which 
those  who  were  an  hungered  might  claim  at  their 
hands? 

Ver.  8.  For  the  Son  of  Man  is  Lord. — The 
emphasis  rests  on  the  word  Lord,  which  according- 
ly is  placed  first  in  the  original,  f  The  ydp  confirms 
the  judgment,  that  the  disciples  were  blameless. »  The 
Son  of  Man  is  Lord  of  the  Sabbath. — As  being  Him- 
self the  Divine  Rest  and  the  Divine  Celebralion,\  lie 
is  both  the  principle  and  the  object  of  the  sabbath ;  He 


*  [Comp.  also  ttKuov  ^Xwva.  and  ttXuov  ^oXo/xUvos 
Inch.  xii.  41,42— P.  S.] 

t  [In  German  the  exact  order  of  the  Greek:  Kupioi  yap 
eTTi  ruv  aa^fidrov  b  vihs  rov  avQpdiirov,  can  be  retain- 
ed, as  in  Lange's  version:  De.nn  Ilerr  den  Sabhats  ist  der 
MeruicJoemohk.—V.  S.] 

J  [Germ.:  die  personliche  GoUesruhe,  Gottei/eier,  the 
personal  embodiment  or  incarnation  of  the  rest  and  worship 
-■<=    --PS.] 


rests  in  God,  and  God  in  Him :  hence  He  is  the  Me- 
diator of  proper  sabbath-observance,  and  tlis  Inter- 
preter of  the  sabbath  law.  Even  the  Jews  admitted 
that  the  authority  of  the  Messiah  was  greater  than 
that  of  the  laws  of  the  sabbath.  (Berthold,  Christol. 
p.  162  sq.)  As  the  opponents  of  the  Lord  now  di- 
rectly attacked  His  Messianic  dignity.  He  was  con- 
strained to  meet  them  on  their  own  ground.  They 
could  not  but  understand  the  expression,  "  Son  of 
Alan,''''  in  this  connection,  as  referring  to  the  Mes- 
siah. Still,  it  was  not  His  last  and  official  confes- 
sion. Hence  the  Pharisees  soon  afterward  tempted 
Him,  asking  a  sign  from  heaven.  The  expression, 
'■'■  Son  of  3[an,"  then,  refers  not  to  the  general  right 
of  man  in  connection  with  the  sabbath  (Grotius,  Cle- 
ricus,  etc.).  Still,  it  is  peculiarly  suitable  in  this 
connection,  especially  when  taken  along  with  the  in- 
troductory remark  recorded  by  Mark :  for  the  sab- 
bath has  been  made  for  man,  not  man  for  the  sab- 
bath* 

[Alford  :  "  Since  the  sabbath  was  an  ordinance 
instituted  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  man, — the  Son 
of  Man,  who  has  taken  upon  Him  full  and  complete 
Manhood,  the  great  representative  and  Head  of  hu- 
manity, has  this  institution  under  His  own  power." 
Wordsworth  :  "  He  calls  Hhnself  the  Lord  of  the 
sabbath — a  prophetic  intimation  cleared  up  by  the 
event,  that  the  law  of  the  sabbath  would  be  changed, 
as  it  has  now  been  under  the  gospel,  not  by  any  al- 
teration in  the  proportion  of  time  due  to  God,  but  in 
the  position  of  the  day ;  by  the  transfer  of  it  from 
the  seventh  day  of  the  week  to  the  first,  in  memory 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  Son  of  Afany  D.  Brown  : 
"  In  what  sense  now  is  the  Son  of  Man  Lord  of  the 
sabbath-day  ?  Not  surely  to  abolish  it — that  surely 
were  a  strange  lordship,  especially  just  after  sajing 
that  it  was  made  or  instituted  {iyeviro)  for  Man — 
but  to  ovm  it,  to  interpret  it,  to  preside  over  it,  and 
to  ennoble  it,  by  merging  it  m  'the  Lord's  Day' 
(Rev.  i.  10),  breathing  into  it  an  air  of  Hberty  and 
love  necessarily  unknown  before,  and  thus  making  it 
the  nearest  resemblance  to  the  eternal  sabbathism." 
-P.  S.] 

Ver.  9.  And  vrhen  He  had  departed  thence. 
— Luke  relates  that  He  had  come  into  the  synagogue 
on  another  sabbath,  probably  on  that  which  followed 
this  event.  Meyer  interprets  the  ixira^as  eKe7- 
0  6  J/  as  meaning,  on  the  same  sabbath,  and  insists 
that  there  is  a  divergence  between  the  accounts  of 
Matthew  and  Luke.  We  only  see  an  absence  of  de- 
tails in  Matthew,  while  all  the  circumstances  wai-rant 
us  in  supposing  that  this  Evangelist  also  meant  the 
following  sabbath.  This  view  is  strengthened  by  the 
mention  of  the  change  of  place,  of  the  lapse  of  time, 
and  by  the  circumstance,  that  Matthew  relates  how 
they  had  laid  a  regular  plan  to  entrap  Him. 

Into  their  synagogue, — i.  e.,  the  synagogue  of 
these  very  opponents.  The  place  in  Gahlee  is 
not  mentioned ;  but  from  the  manifest  authority  of 


*  [Mark  ii.  27.  A  great  principle  which  must  regulate 
the  wliole  s;ibb:itli  question,  and  settles  both  the  permanent 
necessity  <if  the  sabbath  for  the  temporal  and  eternal  welfare 
of  man,  and  the  true  Christian  freedom  in  its  observance. 
So  the  family  is  made  for  man,  i.  e.,  for  the  benefit  of  man, 
and  therefore  a  most  benevolent  institution,  a  gracious  gift 
of  God.  Government  is  m.ado  for  man,  i.  e.,  it  is  not  an  end, 
but  a  ueces.'-ary  and  indisi)Rnsable  means  for  the  protection, 
development,  well-being  and  happiness  of  man.  If  the 
means  be  turned  into  an  end,  the  benefit  is  lost.  I  havo 
given  my  views  on  the  sabbath-question  and  the  merits  of 
the  Anglo-American  theory  and  practice  as  compared  with 
the  Continental  European,  in  a  little  book  published  by  the 
Am.  Tract  Society,  New  York,  ISW.— P.  8.] 


218 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCOKDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


His  antap;onists,  we  infer  that  it  must  have  been  one 
of  the  principal  cities.  From  Marli  ii.  6,  we  miglit 
suppose  tliat  it  had  been  Tiberias,  as  the  Herodiau 
court-party  appeared  at  the  time  among  His  oppo- 
nents. But  we  do  not  read  that  Jesus  had  at  any 
period  been  at  Tiberias.  Meyer  suggests  that  the 
scene  is  laid  at  Capernaum. 

Ver.  10.  A  man  with  a  withered  hand. — 
Comp.  1  Kings  xiii.  4.  Probably  it  was  not  merely 
paralyzed  in  its  sinews,  but  dried  up  and  shrivelled. 
Comp.  Mark  and  Luke.  This  person  appears  to  have 
been  an  involuntary  and  unsuspecting  instrument  of 
their  malice.  He  is  introduced  by  the  Evangelist  in 
the  words  kuI  l5ou.  " According  to  traditionalism, 
healing  was  prohibited  on  the  sabbath,  excepting  in 
cases  where  life  was  in  danger."  Meyer,  referring 
to  Wetstein  and  Schottgen  in  loc.  But  it  is  improb- 
able that  this  tradition  was  already  settled  at  that 
time.  The  instance  adduced  by  Christ,  "  What  man 
shall  there  be  among  you  ?  "  etc.,  speaks  against  it. 
For  later  traditions  also  laid  down  the  ordinance, 
that  if  a  beast  fell  on  the  sabbath  into  a  pit,  or  re- 
servoir for  water,  it  was  only  lawful  to  give  it  neces- 
sary food,  or  straw  to  lie  upon,  [or  to  lay  planks]  by 
which  it  might  perhaps  also  be  enabled  to  come  out 
of  the  pit.  (Maimon.  in  Shahbath.  Sepp,  Life  of 
Christ,  ii.  333.) — Jerome  quotes  from  the  Gospel  of 
the  Nazarenee,  to  the  effect  that  the  man  with  the 
withered  hand  had  been  a  stonecutter,  who  entreat- 
ed Jesus  to  heal  him,  that  he  might  no  longer  be 
obliged  to  beg  his  bread. 

Is  it  lawful  ? — Properly,  if  it  is  lawful ;  although 
the  6  I  in  the  Nev/  Testament  and  in  the  Sept.  fre- 
quently follows  upon  direct  queries.  Still,  it  indi- 
cates doubt  or  temptation.  Meyer  supplements  men- 
tally, "  I  should  Hke  to  know  whether."  The  mean- 
ing of  the  6 1  would  be  still  stronger,  if,  while  anx- 
ious to  induce  the  Lord  to  heal  the  man,  they  had 
left  Him  to  draw  the  formal  inference.  If  it  is 
lawful  then — (here  stands  the  poor  man).  Mark 
and  Luke  relate  how  the  Pharisees  lay  in  wait  for 
Him. 

That  they  might  accuse  Him. — Viz.,  before 
the  local  tribunal  of  the  synagogue  (ch.  v.  21), 
where,  as  appears  from  the  context,  they  were  the 
judges.  But  they  expected  not  merely  an  answer 
which  would  enable  them  to  accuse  Him  of  teaching 
a  violation  of  the  Sabbath,  but  also  an  outward  act, 
which  they  might  charge  against  Him  as  an  actual 
breach  of  the  fourth  commandment. 

Ver.  11.  What  man  is  there  among  you  ? — 
The  construction  as  in  Matt.  vii.  9.  Luke  introduces 
this  on  another  occasion  in  xiii.  10,  and  xiv.  5. 

Ver.  13.  And  he  stretched  it  forth. — By  this 
act  the  restored  man  defied  the  authority  of  the  Phar- 
isees, and  acknowledged  that  of  Christ.  Hence  it  was 
a  signal  manifestation  of  faith,  even  as  the  cure,  in 
the  midst  of  such  contradiction,  was  an  instance  of 
speciid  power.  To  stretch  forth  his  hand,  was  to 
have  it  restored. 

Ver.  14.  And  held  a  council. — A  formal  here- 
sy-suit was  to  be  immediately  instituted.  According 
to  Mark,  they  combined  for  this  purpose  with  the 
Herodian  court-party,  which  had  probably  been  of- 
fended by  the  recent  refusal  of  Jesus  to  meet  Herod, 
Luke  ix.  9.  Thus  neither  the  clear  arguments  of 
Jesus  had  convinced  them  of  their  error,  nor  His  gra- 
cious manifestation  awakened  in  their  breast  aught 
but  feelings  of  bitterness.  Their  murderous  purpose 
was  still  further  stimulated  by  the  admiration  of  the 
people,  who  followed  Him  m  large  numbers. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Among  the  offences  which  the  Pharisees  took 
against  the  work  and  teaching  of  the  Lord,  that  of 
breaking  the  sabbath  stood  only  next  in  importance 
to  the  unnamed,  yet  chief  stumblhigblock  in  their 
minds,  that  He  would  not  be  a  Messiah  according  to 
their  own  ideas  (John  i.  29  ;  comp.  Matt.  iv. ;  John 
ix.  30,  31 ;  X.  24).  Christ  first  excited  the  attention 
and  suspicion  of  the  Jews  by  His  cleansing  the  tem- 
ple (John  ii.  13).  What  He  had  said  upon  that  oc- 
casion about  breaking  down  the  temple,  they  had 
perverted  and  stored  up  against  Him.  Henceforth 
they  were  filled  with  susjiicion,  and  narrowly  watch- 
ed Him  (John  iv.  1 ).  Then  followed  the  offence  con- 
nected with  his  intercourse  with  pubhcans  (Matt.  ix.). 
This  was  succeeded  by  His  mode  of  treating  their 
ordinances  about  the  sabbath.  His  cure  of  the  im- 
potent man  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda  had  decided  them 
against  Him,  when  the  two  events  recorded  in  the 
text  completed  the  excitement.  The  charge  was  in 
the  first  place  brought  against  the  disciples,  and  then 
against  their  Lord.  As  formerly  in  Jerusalem,  so 
now  in  Galilee,  His  death  was  resolved  upon.  The 
scene  recorded  in  Luke  xiii.  17,  which  now  occurred, 
probably  took  place  in  the  country,  and  hence  excit- 
ed less  notice.  This  was  again  followed  by  the  sec- 
ond and  greatest  offence  given  by  Jesus,  when  He 
healed  the  blind  man  at  Jerusalem  during  the  Feast 
of  Tabernacles  (John  ix.) ;  an  offence  which  was  not 
obviated  by  the  circumstance,  that  in  connection  with 
this  miracle,  Jesus  made  use  of  the  pool  of  Siloam, 
on  the  temple-mount. 

From  all  this  it  appears,  that  their  offence  about 
the  sabbath  formed  the  basis  and  centre  of  all  their 
other  accusations  against  Jesus.  In  view  of  this, 
His  miracles  were  represented  as  resulting  from  fel- 
lowship with  Satan ;  His  claim  to  the  Messiahship, 
as  an  arrogation  of  the  prophetic  office,  and  a  seduc- 
tion of  the  people  ;  and  His  taking  the  name  of  "  Son 
of  God,"  as  blasphemy.  Objections  of  less  weight, 
and  an  interminable  catalogue  of  calumnies,  were 
connected  with  these  charges.  But  the  real  stum- 
blingblock  of  the  Pharisees,  was  that  conflict  between 
the  spirit  and  the  dead  letter,  between  the  gospel 
and  traditionalism,  between  salvation  and  unbelief, 
righteousness  and  hypocrisy,  and  holiness  and  proud 
self-seeking,  which  Christ  represented  and  embodied. 
— It  is  a  striking  fact,  that  the  pharisaical  hierarchy 
which  had  charged  the  Lord  with  desecrating  the 
sabbath,  was  obliged  to  hold  a  council  on  the  great 
Easter-sabbath,  to  run  into  the  heathen  and  unclean 
house  of  the  Gentile  Pilate,  and  then  to  seal  the 
stone  over  the  tomb  of  Jesus  in  the  unclean  place 
of  a  skull. 

2.  Christ  is  Lord  of  the  sabbath  in  the  Church 
and  in  believers  ;  and  the  statement,  that  the  sabbath 
is  made  for  man,  is  surely  all  the  more  apphcable  to 
the  Lord's  Day.  Viewing  the  fourth  commandment 
as  enjoining  a  day  of  festive  rest,  it  is  as  much  bind- 
ing on  the  Christian  Church  and  on  civil  society  as 
any  other  of  the  ten  commandments.  But  in  its  true 
meaning,  the  Jewish  sabbath  law  was  a  Divine  law 
of  humanity  and  of  protection  for  man  and  even  for 
beast  ("  thy  manservant,  nor  thy  maidservant,  nor 
thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  "),  and  prepared  for  the 
Christian  sabbath  in  the  highest  sense;  which  is 
much  more  than  a  law  or  outward  ordinance,  it  is  a 
Divine-human  uistitutiou,  a  new  creation  and  a  life 
in  the  Spirit.  According  to  this  standard,  we  may  test 


CHAP.  XII.  1-14. 


219 


our  mode  of  sabbath-observance,  whether  or  not  it  cor- 
respond to  the  mind  of  Christ,  and  to  the  spiritual 
import  of  His  resurrection-day.  Every  urgent  ne- 
cessity must  at  once  put  an  end  to  the  outward  ordi- 
nance ;  and  to  discharge  such  duties,  is  to  establish, 
not  to  invalidate,  the  right  observance  of  the  sab- 
bath. Works  of  necessity  are  conditioned  by  com- 
passion and  mercy.  Christ  is  Lord  of  the  sabbath, 
being  Himself  the  personal  sabbath :  all  that  leads  to 
Him,  and  is  done  in  Him.,  is  sabbath  observance  ;  all 
that  leads  from  Him,  i^  sabbath-breaking .  Therefore 
let  it  be  ours  to  oppose  every  desecration  of  the  sab- 
bath, in  every  form  and  in  every  sense.* 

3.  In  strict  consistency  with  the  view  of  the  Phar- 
isees, who  represented  the  disciples  as  having  done 
what  amounted  to  harvest  labor,  it  might  have  been 
argued,  that  the  priests  were  engaged  on  the  sabbath 
in  the  occupation  of  butchers  and  bakers,  and  this  in 
the  temple  itself.  But  what  should  be  said  of  the 
Christian  minister  who  would  condemn  works  of  ne- 
cessity and  mercy  ?  "  The  sacrificial  services,  and 
the  ceremonial  law  generally,  were  designed  to  be 
subservient  to  the  highest  law  of  love,  1  Sam.  xv.  22  ; 
Psa.  1.  8-14 ;  li.  18  ;  Hos.  vi.  6  ;  Matt.  ix.  13."  Ger- 
iach.     Comp.  also  Isa.  i.  13,  14  ;  Ixvi.  2,  3,  etc. 

4.  Christ  spares  the  representatives  of  traditional- 
ism even  while  resisting  them  :  He  heals  the  man 
with  the  withered  hand,  merely  by  His  ivord,  not  by 
touching  him,  nor  by  taking  hold  of  his  hand. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

Traditionalism  denouncing  the  Lord  as  a  heretic : 
1.  The  narrative;  2.  its  eternal  import. — How  the 
spirit  of  traditionaUsm  perverts  false  worship  into  an- 
tagonism to  genuine  worship. — The  outward  ordi- 
nances of  the  sabbath  perverted  into  antagonism  to 
the  spiritual  principle  of  the  sabbath. — Genume  sab- 
bath-observance.— How  does  it  manifest  itself  ?  1. 
By  the  removal  of  the  sal^bath  interruptions  caused 
by  misery  and  want ;  2.  in  works  of  mercy  and  com- 
passion ;  3.  by  transforming  the  work  of  the  week 
into  spiritual  labor  and  labor  of  love. — Vers.  1-8  : 
"Works  of  necessity. — True  and  spurious  works  of 
necessity. — Vers.  9-14  :  Works  of  love. — True  and 
spurious  works  of  love. — How  the  teaching,  institu- 
tions, and  history  of  the  Old  Testament  tliemselves 
supply  a  spiritual  interpretation  of  the  letter,  vera.  1- 
8. — How  the  conduct  of  legal  zealots  testifies  against 
their  traditions,  vers.  9-14. — How  hypocrites  care 
more  for  their  ceremonies  than  for  their  cattle,  and 
more  for  their  cattle  than  for  their  suffering  breth- 
ren.— We  are  to  be  compassionate  even  to  animals. — 
Even  annuals  should  have  a  share  in  our  festive  days. 
— Christ  victorious  over  His  opponents. — Christ  the 
true  temple. — Christ  the  Lord  of  the  sabbath. — 
Christ  leading  us  to  true  sabbath-observance. — Sab- 
bath-breaking and  desecration  of  the  temple,  as  ap- 

*  [Dr.  J.  P.  Lange,  the  author  of  this  Commentary,  com- 
posed a  beautiful  hymn  on  the  Sabbath  of  which  I  will  quote 
the  first  stanza : 


"  Sinter,  ItiVger  Sahhathtaa, 
Wie  nn  hekrer  Glockenaclila 


I  hekrer  Olockenachlag 
Aui  dem  Dom  der  Ewigkilt 
T  nut  du  dutch's  Gewi'rr  der  Zeit, 
J)ase  der  Meiuch  aui  dcm  GewuhU 
Seiner  Werke  znm  Ge/Me 
Seinee  ew'gen  Wesena  kommi 
Und  bedenke,  waa  ihmfromme.''—'P,  S.] 


pearing  in  the  conduct  of  the  enemies  of  the  Lord 
when  condemning  Him  to  death  for  an  alleged  breach 
of  the  fourth  commandment. — Object  of  the  Lord's 
Day,  and  object  of  Cliristiau  worship. — To  convert 
these  means  into  the  oly'ect,  is  to  destroy  the  object 
itself. — How  self-righteous  traditionalism  hardens  it- 
self amids-t  the  most  glorious  manifestations  of  Christ. 
— The  Lord's  Day  either  the  most  blessed  season  of 
spiritual  rest,  or  the  most  dreary  workday.  —  The 
Church  either  the  most  blessed  place  of  rest,  or  the 
most  dreary  workhouse. — Explanation  of  the  foui-th 
commandment  by  the  life  and  teaching  of  the  Lord. 

Starke  : — Vers.  1-8.  Ques7iel : — It  is  better  to 
suffer  want  with  Christ  than  to  indulge  in  earthly  lux- 
ury.— The  preservation  of  man  is  more  important 
than  any  outward  ordinance. — Hedinger  :  Let  us  re- 
member the  glorious  liberty  of  Christianity,  which 
should  not  be  readily  surrendered  for  the  yoke  of 
outward  ceremonies.  Col.  ii.  16-20. — It  is  the  com- 
mon practice  of  hypocrites  to  make  of  trifles  a  matter 
of  conscience  and  a  sin,  while  at  the  same  time  they 
are  not  afraid  to  commit  grievous  sins  against  God. — 
Those  who  have  zeal  without  knowledge  must  be  re- 
proved by  the  word  of  God.  —  Works  of  mercy, 
of  necessity,  and  for  the  glory  of  God  are  not 
prohibited  on  the  sabbath  day  ;  but  let  us  take  care 
not  to  make  a  case  of  necessity  where  there  is  none. 
— Osiander :  Necessity  dispenses  from  observance  of 
the  ceremonial  law,  but  not  from  that  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments.— True  sabbath-observance :  rest  of  the 
soul  from  sinful  lusts,  and  dedication  of  the  heart  to 
God. — The  Lord  of  the  temple  must  be  sought  in  the 
temple. — The  real  character  of  all  works  and  pre- 
tences to  piety  should  be  aseertamed. — A  dihgent  ex- 
ercise of  genume  love  the  most  acceptable  worship, 
James  i.  27. — Vers.  9-14  :  Persecution  must  not  de- 
ter the  servant  of  God  from  coutmuing  his  work. — 
Zeisius :  Following  the  example  of  Christ,  we  should 
rejoice  in  frequenting  meetings  for  religious  exer- 
cises.— Majus  :  It  is  worse  than  ungodUness  to  go 
into  the  house  of  God  only  in  order  to  spy,  to  lay 
snares,  and  to  find  vent  for  our  malice. —  Cramer : 
The  godly  are  always  engaged  in  a  controversy  with  the 
world ;  but  at  length,  they  invariably  obtain  the  victory. 
—  Osiander :  We  must  do  good  to  our  neighbor,  even 
though  we  should  be  evil  spoken  of  on  that  account  by 
wicked  men. — A  pair  of  strong  working  arms  is  a 
great  blessing  from  God. — Determined  and  wilful  en- 
emies of  the  truth  are  beyond  recovery. — 2  Tim.  ill. 
13. 

Lisco  : — The  Pharisees  misunderstood  the  object 
of  the  ceremonial  law,  which  was  to  support  and 
to  strengthen  the  moral  law. — The  Lord  shows  by 
the  example  of  David,  that  not  the  letter,  but  the 
spirit,  of  the  law  was  of  importance. — Our  whole  life 
should  be  a  sabbath  devoted  to  the  Lord,  a  type  of 
the  eternal  sabbath  in  the  world  to  come. 

Heubner :  The  disciples  were  poor  ;  but  they  pre- 
ferred to  suffer  hunger  with  Christ,  rather  than  enjoy 
affluence  without  Him. — Hypocrites  are  always  the 
most  censorious. — Genuine  love  and  esteem  for  man 
are  the  best  interpreters  of  the  law. 

[Dr.  Brown : — How  miserable  a  thing  is  a  slavish 
adherence  to  the  letter  of  the  Scripture,  which  usual- 
ly, the  closer  it  is,  occasions  only  a  wider  departure 
from  its  spirit. —  Wordsworth  : — In  the  sabbath  of 
eternity  we  shall  rest  from  evil,  but  doing  good  will 
be  our  sabbath  itself. — P.  S.] 


220 


TUE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


2.  Royal  adininistration  of  Christ  among  the  people  in  His  retirement.     Ch.  XII.  15-21. 

15  But  when  Jesus  knew  it,  he  withdrew  himself  from  thence:  and  great  multitudes 

16  [many]  ^  followed  him,  and  he  healed  them  all;  And  charged  them  that  they  should 

17  not   make    him   known:    That   it   might   be    fulfilled*  which  was  spoken  by  Esaiaa 

18  [Isaiah]    the    prophet,  saying,   "Behold   my  servant    [son],*  whom   I   have    chosen; 
my  beloved,  in  whom  my  soul  is  well  pleased:  I  will  put  my  Spirit  ujion  hiin,  and 

19  he  shall  shew  [announce]  judgment  to  the  Gentiles.     He  shall  not  strive,  nor  cry; 

20  neither  shall  any  man  hear  his  voice  in  the  streets.     A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break, 

21  and  smoking  fiax  shall  he  not  quench,  till  he  send  forth  judgment  unto  victory.     And 
in  his  name^  shall  the  Gentiles  trust"  (Isa.  xlii.  1-3). 

1  Ver.  15. — ['Ir7(r.  yvovs  auex'^p'tio'ev :  ''■JesJt.s  knowing''''  it,  i.  6.  (as  Lange  inserts  in  the  text  in  small  type),  that 
they  soiitrht  to  Uestroy  Ilis  life,  ''withdrew  Himself.'"— V.  8.] 

^  Ver.  15.— Lachniann,  on  the  authority  of  Cod.  B.  and  the  Latin  Vulgate,  omits  iixA.oi.  The  omission  was  probably 
exegetical,  to  avoid  the  appearance  of  exaggeration  in  what  follows.  [Cod.  Sinait.  sustains  Lachmann  and,  like  the  Vatican 
Cod.,  in  Mai's  and  in  Buttmann's  edition,  reads  simply  ttoAAoi.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  17.— [This  is  the  proper  transl.  of  'Iva  (or  ottw;)  TrXTjpwdfj.  Not:  and  thiis  was  fulfilled,  as  Webster  and  Wil- 
kinson in  loc.  explain,  which  is  superficial  and  ungrammatical.  '  Iva  is  not  to  be  taken  e'/c/SaTi/caJy,  butTfA.i«is; 
it  signifies  not  simply  the  result,  but  the  divine  purpose  and  aim.  Comp.  Meyer  on  Matt.  i.  23,  and  Lange  in  the  Exeg. 
note  on  xii.  17. — P.  S.] 

••  Ver.  18. — [The  Lord  (as  also  the  Sept.  in  the  passage  alluded  to,  Isa.  xlii.  1)  uses  the  word  6  irais  fiov,  not  the 
more  usual  o  dov\os  fiov,  for  the  Hebrew  ^'^^55 ,  a  signiflcaut  change,  which  Dr.  Lange  overlooks,  as  he  translates: 
meiii  Knecht.    See  Exeg.  note  on  ver.  17,  etc. — P.  S.] 

^  Yer.  2L— [Text.  rec. :  eV  t^  6v  ofiar  t.  But  Lachmann,  Tischondorf,  Alford,  Wordsworth,  etc.,  omit  eV,  on 
the  best  critical  authorities.  Meyer:  "  eV  is  an  addition,  as  also  eVi  In  Euseb.  and  some  minuscule  MSS."  This  is  the  only 
case  in  the  N.  T.  where  i\iri(^€Lv  is  constructed  with  the  simple  dative,  although  it  is  good  Greek  (comp.  Thucyd.  iii.  97) 
and  signifies  the  cause  and  object  of  hope.    Elsewhere,  as  in  the  LXX,  the  verb  is  constructed  with  eV,  eis,  or  eVi.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CPvITICAL, 

General  Survey. — The  reference  of  the  Evangelist 
in  this  section  to  the  more  private  activity  of  the 
Lord,  appUes  to  the  whole  period  of  His  retirement 
from  the  persecutions  of  the  Jewish  hierarchy.  It 
commenced  at  the  festival  of  Purim,  in  782,  and 
closed  with  His  public  appearance  on  leaving  the  wil- 
derness of  Ephraim,  before  the  Passover  of  783.  In 
the  interval,  He  enjoyed  only  temporary  seasons  of 
rest,  especially  in  Perrea.  The  following  took  place 
during  this  period:  (1)  The  return  over  the  Sea  of 
Galilee  to  Gaulonitis,  on  the  occasion  of  His  coming 
to  Galilee  from  the  festival  of  Purim,  when  he  was 
informed  of  the  execution  of  John  the  Baptist  (ch. 
xiv);  (2)  a  quiet  journey  through  the  country  during 
the  Easter  festival,  extending  probably  as  far  as  Beth- 
any, and  return  to  Galilee  (chs.  xii.  and  xiii.);  (3)  a 
journey  from  Galilee,  through  the  territory  of  Tyre 
and  Sidon,  and  the  northern  highlands,  to  the  eastern 
and  western  shores  of  the  Lake  of  Gennesareth  (ch. 
XV.) ;  (4)  the  return  from  Magdala,  and  over  the  lake, 
to  the  eastern  mountains  ;  (5)  a  secret  journey 
through  Galilee  and  the  country,  terminating  in  His 
sudden  appearance  at  Jerusalem,  at  the  Feast  of  Tab- 
ernacles, in  the  year  782  (ch.  xvi. ;  xvii.  1-21);  (6) 
the  last  appearance  of  Jesus  at  Capernaum,  and  jour- 
ney to  Persea  through  the  country  lying  between 
Samaria  and  Galilee ;  (7)  the  first  stay  of  Jesus  in 
PerEca,  and  going  up  to  Jerusalem  to  the  Feast  of  the 
Dedication  of  the  Temple ;  (8)  the  second  stay  in 
Peraja,  and  going  to  Bethany  to  raise  Lazarus ;  (9) 
the  retirement  of  Jesus  to  the  wilderness  of  Ephraim, 
under  the  ban  of  the  Sanliedrim,  till  the  last  Easter 
festival.  The  statement  of  the  Evangelist  refers  more 
particularly  to  this  period,  although  it  applies,  in  gen- 
eral, to  the  whole  lile  of  Jesus. 


Yer.  15.  He  healed  them  all. — By  healing  their 
sick.  He  restored  the  people  generally.  Living  con- 
nection between  the  healthy  and  the  diseased. 

Ver.  16.  And  charged  them. — This  does  not 
refer  to  their  keeping  the  place  of  His  residence  se- 
cret, but  to  the  duty  of  reserve  in  publishing  His 
deeds  and  dignity  as  the  Messiah.  He  was  desirous 
of  arresting  for  a  time  an  open  rupture  between  His 
carnal  followers  and  His  enemies. 

Ver.  17.  In  order  that  (Vj/a)  it  might  be  ful- 
filled, Isa  xlii.  1. — Freely  quoted  from  the  original 
Hebrew.  The  expression,  nin^  '^??)  servant  of  Je- 
hovah, in  the  second  portion  of  the  prophecies  of  Isa- 
iah, must  refer  to  the  Messiah.  As  the  idea  of  a 
personal  Messiah  had  been  clearly  expressed  in  the 
first  portion  of  these  prophecies,  the  hermeneutical 
rule  here  applies,  that  a  biblical  doctrine  can  never 
pass  from  a  definite  to  a  more  indefinite  form.  The 
interpretation  of  the  Sept.,  applying  the  term  to  Ja- 
cob and  Israel,  only  shows  the  peculiar  Alexandrian 
tendencies  of  the  translators.  Possibly  they  may 
have  been  misled  by  the  expression  m  Isa.  \'iii.  14, 
although  even  there  the  terms,  Jacob  and  Israel, 
should  be  taken  in  an  ideal  rather  than  a  literal  sense. 
The  Chaldec  Paraphrast  and  Kunchi  apply  the  pas- 
sage to  the  Messiah  (comp.  Isa.  xi.  1  sqq.).  The 
prophecy  reads  as  follows :  "  Behold  My  servant, 
whom  I  esiahUsh  (place  firmly) ;  Mine  Elect,  in  whom 
My  soul  delighteth  :  I  have  put  My  Spirit  upon  Him  ; 
judgment  to  the  nations  ((^entiles)  shall  He  bring. 
He  shall  not  cry,  nor  be  loud  (lift  up  the  voice,  strain) ; 
and  He  shall  not  cause  His  voice  to  be  heard  outside 
(m  the  street,  outside  the  camp).  A  bruised  reed 
shall  He  not  break,  and  the  dimly-burning  flax  shall 
He  not  quench  :  according  to  truth  (unto  truth)  shall 
He  manifest  (bring  forth,  complete)  judgment.  He 
shall  not  keep  back  (being  wearied)  nor  (prematurely) 
break  through  (^Sn ,  transitive),  till  He  have  planted 


CHAP.  XII.  15-21. 


221 


judgment  on  the  earth  :  and  the  isles  (the  uttermost 
ends  of  the  earth)  shall  wait  for  His  law." — This 
prophecy,  then,  is  a  verbal  prediction  in  the  strictest 
sense.* 

Ver.  18.  Judgment. — Decisive  final  judgment, 
John  iii.  36. — To  the  Gentiles. — The  multitudes 
which  follow  the  Lord,  in  disregard  of  the  condemna- 
tion of  the  Pharisees,  were  an  emblem  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. [Alford  :  "In  these  words  the  majesty  of  His 
future  glory  as  the  Judge  is  contrasted  with  the  meek- 
ness to  be  spoken  of  :  '  And  yet  He  shall  not  bruise.'  " 
-P.  S.] 

Ver.  20.  A  bruised  reed  and  smoking  flaz. — 
An  emblem  of  the  people  bowed  and  broken  under 
the  load  of  traditionahsm.f  The  poor  people  (or,  in 
general,  the  poor  in  spirit,  are  not  to  inherit  death, 
despair,  and  perdition  in  judgment,  but)  are  to  re- 
ceive from  the  Lord,  both  spiritually  and  physically, 
a  new  life. 

Till  He  send  forth  judgment  unto  victory 
[eVySciAj?  eh  v1ko<;  tvv  Kpi(nv,CJcire  jusserit,  cause  it  to 
issue  in  victoi-y,  so  that  no  further  conflict  will  re- 
main].— An  abbreviation  and  paraphrase  of  Isa  xlii.  3 
(raxb  ,  etc.)  and  4  (0''r;|i"n»  ,  etc.).  The  judgment 
is  to  be  transformed  into  a  victory  of  truth,  or  into 
an  absolute  victory.  This  was  implied  in  the  expres- 
sions used  by  the  prophet,  but  is  brought  out  more 
distinctly  in  the  text  of  the  EvangeUst.  The  word 
€ K  ;8 d  A-p  (comp.  ix.  38)  indicates  great  power, over- 
coming all  resistance. 

Ver.  21.  In  His  name.  —  In  the  original, 
imirb .  The  Sept.  renders  it  as  in  Matthew,  substi- 
tuting name  for  law.-jj.  The  name  of  the  Messiah  im- 
pUes  the  principle,  the  summary  of  His  doctrine. 
Meyer :  "  The  Gentiles  will  trust,  on  the  ground  of 
what  His  name  as  the  Messiah  impUes."  This  view 
is  supported  by  the  use  of  the  dative,  rijJ  ovSnari. 


DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  breach  between  the  Messiah  and  His  peo- 
ple widens.  The  King  is  rejected,  and  His  sufferings 
approach  a  crisis.     This  impUed,  at  the  same  time, 

*  [Dr.  "Wordsworth  calls  this  quotation,  ver.  lT-21,  a  re- 
markable specimen  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit, 
speaking  by  the  evangelists,  deals  with  the  prophecies  of  the 
Old  Test,  in  order  to  interpret  them,  "iva  (or  otfwj)  irA?;- 
pttiOti  rh  prjdiv,  is  the  form  used  by  the  evangelists  when 
this  process  of  divine  exposition  is  performed.  It  is  the  title 
of  an  evangelical  targum  or  paraphrase.  For  the  Ilebrew 
^T^"  ,  rny  servant,  the  Lord  does  not  say  ^  5  o  {5  A.  o  s  txov 
my'  servant  (as  the  Septuagint  usually  translates,  though 
not  in  this  passage),  but  6  irals  fMov,  which  admits  of  a 
double  sense,  servant  and  son  (comp.  Acts  iii.  13,  26;  iv.  27, 
30),  and  suggests  the  union  of  the  obedience  of  the  servant 
and  the  deafness  of  the  son  in  the  person  of  Christ.  In  a 
similar  way  "Wordsworth  explains  the  other  modiflcations  of 
the  words  "of  the  prophecy  here  quoted.— P.  8.] 

t  [A  proverbial  expression  for.  "  He  will  not  crush  the 
contrite  heart,  nor  extinguish  the  slightest  spark  of  repentant 
feeling  in  the  sinner."    Alford. — P.  S.l 

X  [The  LXX  renders  :  e  tt  I  Ty  ofS/xart,  Matthew,  ac- 
cording to  the  true  reading :  tqJ  ovofjLaTt,  -without  preposi- 
tion.   Both  followed  another  Hebrew  reading:   iiadb  for 

•in-iinb  .—p.  s.] 


a  breach  between  the  enemies  and  the  adherents  of 
Jesus  in  Israel,  which  in  turn  typified  that  which 
would  ensue  between  unbeUeving  Israel  and  the  be- 
lieving Gentiles. 

2.  On  this  occasion,  the  peculiar  manner  in  which 
Jesus  was  to  administer  His  kingly  office  appeared 
more  clearly  than  ever  before.  He  might  now  have 
manifested  Himself  as  Judge,  broken  the  bruised 
reed  and  quenched  the  smoking  flax.  But,  instead 
of  that,  He  retired,  and  adopted  a  more  private  mode 
of  working,  in  anticipation  of  His  full  and  final  suf- 
ferings. Accordingly,  the  EvangeUst  most  aptly  ap- 
pUes  the  prediction  of  Isaiah  to  this  period  of  retire- 
ment; because,  while  characteristic  of  the  activity 
of  Jesus  generally,  it  referred  specially  to  this  year 
of  persecution. 

3.  Christ  fled  for  His  enemies,  while  He  retired 
from  them.  His  was  not  the  flight  of  fear.  He  al- 
ways addressed  Himself  only  to  those  who  were  sus- 
ceptible— i.  c,  to  those  who  labored  and  were  heavy 
laden — not  to  judge,  but  to  save  them. — The  time  for 
His  final  sufferings  had  not  yet  come  ;  there  was  still 
ample  room  for  active  work,  although  of  a  more  pri- 
vate character.  On  this  ground  He  now  retired,  and 
dwelt  chiefly  with  the  poor  people,  among  whom 
also  He  displayed  the  greatest  number  of  His  mirac- 
ulous deliverances. 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PPvACTICAL. 

Christ's  retirement  from  His  enemies  a  solemn 
sign, — 1.  not  of  fear  or  weakness ;  but,  2.  of  power, 
of  wisdom,  of  compassion,  and  of  judgment. — The 
Lord  can  never  want  a  Church. — Jesus  ;  or,  perfect 
patience  amid  an  impatient  world. — The  patience  and 
meekness  of  Jesus  as  predicted  by  the  prophets. — 
Christ  the  Elect  of  God. — Christ  the  Root  of  the 
elect. — Patience,  endurance,  and  perseverance,  the 
evidence  of  election. — The  Elect  the  servant  of  God. 
— God's  beloved  Son  His  perfect  Servant.  1.  As 
Servant,  the  Redeemer  of  the  world  ;  2.  as  Son,  the 
ground  and  object  of  the  world's  redemption. — Christ 
the  true  Priend  of  the  people. — Jesus  the  Saviour  of 
nations. — The  patience  and  meekness  of  Christ  over- 
coming the  world. 

Starke: — Qucsnel:  It  is  good  sometunes  to  re- 
main concealed  with  Christ,  whether  it  be  from  hu- 
mility or  from  necessity. — Jesus  Christ  above  all  the 
Servant  of  God,  and  alone  worthy  to  serve  Him. — 
Oh,  how  lovable  is  meekness  in  the  servants  of  Christ ! 
He  who  loves  strife  and  debate  cannot  be  His. — Zei- 
slus:  Christ  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  Phil.  ii.  7,  8. — 
Let  our  courage  never  fail,  truth  must  prevail. — 
Christ  the  hope,  not  only  of  Israel,  but  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. 

Gossner  : — It  is  characteristic  of  the  Lord  that 
He  quietly  proceeded  on  His  way  and  accomplished 
His  work  without  noise  and  commotion.  Many  seem 
to  do  a  great  deal  and  yet  accomplish  nothing. — If 
we  hold  a  smoking  flax  to  the  fire,  it  is  easily  kindled 
again. 

Jleubner  : — Where  there  is  even  a  germ  of  good, 
there  is  still  hope. — The  bruised  reed :  a  soul  bowed 
down  under  a  sense  of  sin. — Smoking  flax  :  a  soul 
m  which  a  spark  of  the  Divine  Ufe  is  still  left. 


222  THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTDEW. 


8.  Wiraculous  healing  of  a  demoniac,  blind  and  dumb.  Blasphemous  accusation  of  the  Pharisees,  that  Jesus 
was  in  league  with  Beelzebub  ;  and  reply  of  Christ  about  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  T/ie 
Pharisees  seek  a  sign  from  heaven  ;  but  Jesus  promises  them  a  sign  from  the  deep,  and  announces  the 
impending  spiritual  doom  of  an  apostate  and  unbelieving  race.     Ch.  XII.  22^5. 

(Mark  iiL  20-30 ;  Luke  xi.  14-26  ;  29-32.) 

22  Then  was  brought  unto  him  one  possessed  with  a  devil,  bhnd,  and  dumb :  and  he 
healed  him,  insomuch  that   [so  that,  wcrre]  the  blind  and  dumb  ^  both  spake  and  saw. 

23  And  all  the  people  were  amazed,  and  said.  Is  not  this  [Is  this]  ^  the  Son  of  David? 

24  But  when  the  Pharisees  heard  it.,  they  said,  Tln^  fellow  \r)ian\  ^  doth  not  cast  out  devils, 

25  but  by  Beelzebub  [BeelzebuZ],  the  prince  of  the  devils.  And  Jesus  knew  their 
thoughts,  and  said  unto  them.  Every  kingdom  divided  against  itself  is  brought  to  desola- 

26  tion;  and  every  city  or  house  divided  against  itself  shall  not  stand:  And  if  Satan  cast 
[casts]   out  Satan,  he  is  divided   against  himself;  how  shall  then  his  kingdom  stand? 

27  And  if  I  by  Beelzebub  [-ZJ  cast  out  devils,  by  whom  do  your  children  cast  thevi  out? 

28  therefore  they  shall  be  your  judges.     But  if  I  cast  out  devils  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  then 

29  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  unto  you  [upon  you].'*  Or  else,  how  can  one  enter  into  a 
strong  man's  °  house,  and  spoil  [take  from  him,  seize  upon  his]  ^  his  goods  [instruments, 
(TKevrj,  i.  e.,  here  the  demoniacs],  except  he  first  bind   the  strong  man  ?    and   then  he  will 

30  spoil    [plunder]    his    house.       He  that    is  not  with  me  is  against  me;     and  he    that 

31  gathereth  not  with  me  scattereth  abroad.  Wherefore  I  say  unto  you.  All  manner  of 
sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men :  but  the  blasphemy  a^awsi  the  Holy 

32  Ghost  [of  the  Spirit]  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men.  And  whosoever  speaketh  a  word 
against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him :  but  whosoever  speaketh  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  [Spirit],  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world   [teon],  neither 

33  in  the  world  [that  which  is]  to  come.  Either  make  the  tree  good,  and  his  [its]  fruit 
good ;     or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt,   and    his    [its]    fruit    corrupt :     for  the  tree  is 

34  known  by  his  \its\  fruit.     0  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye,  being  evil,  speak  good 

35  things?  for  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh.  A  good  man  out 
of  the  good  treasure  of  the  heart'  bringeth  [sendeth]   forth  good  things:  and  an  evil 

36  man  out  of  the  evil  treasure  bringeth  [sendeth]  forth  evil  things.  But  I  say  unto  you, 
That  every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day 

37  of  judgment.  For  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be 
condemned. 

38  Then  certain  of  the  scribes  and  of  the  Pharisees  answered   [him],*  saying.  Master, 

39  we  would  see  a  sign  from  thee.  But  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  An  evil  and 
adulterous  generation  seeketh  after  a  sign ;  and  there  shall  no  sign  be  given  to  it,  but 

40  the  sign  of  the  prophet  Jonas  [Jonah  the  prophet]  :  For  as  Jonas  [Jonah]  was  three 
days  and  three  nights  in  the  whale's  belly  [belly  of  the  great  fish]  ;   so  shall  the  Son  of 

41  man  be  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart  of  the  earth.  The  men  of  Nineveh 
shall  rise  in  [the,  ev  ttj]  judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it :  because 
[for] '  they  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonas  [Jonah]  ;  and,  behold,  a  greater  than 

42  Jonas  [Jonah]  is  here.  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  up  in  the  judgment  with  this 
generation,  and  shall  condemn  it:  for  she  came  from  the  uttermost  parts  [the  ends]  of 
the  earth  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon ;  and,  behold,  a  greater  than  Solomon  is  here. 

43  When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he  walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking 

44  rest,  and  findeth  none.     Then  he  saith,  I  will  return  into  my  house  ^^  from  whence  I 

45  came  out;  and  when  he  is  come,  he  findeth  it  empty,  swept,  and  garnished.  Then 
goeth  he,  and  taketh  with  himself  [him]  seven  other  spirits  more  wicked  than  himself, 
and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there :  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the 
first.     Even  so  shall  it  be  also  unto  this  wicked  generation. 

>  Ver.  22.— 1.  B.,  D.,  [Cod.  Sinait],  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Alford]:  Thv  Kwcpoi;  [the  dumhl  2.  L.,  X.,  D.,  Syr.: 
Koxphv  Kal  TV(l)\6v,  [dumb  and  Wind:].  3.  Latter  Codd.,  the  text,  rec.,  Griesbacb,  Meyer,  [Wordsworth,  Stier  and 
Theile,  etc.]:  luv  rv(p\hv  Kcd  Ku(p6i/,  [the  blind  and  dumb].  We  suppose  that  in  the  second  place  Kuxpus  is  used  in  a 
more  general  sense,  signifying  stupidity. 

=  Ver.  23.— [M  t;  t  i  oStoj  4(niv,  etc.  Lange,  correcUy,  according  to  the  German  idiom  :  Jst  doch  dieser  nicht  etwat 
Conant  and  the  revised  version  of  the  A.  B.  Union :  Is  this,  etc.    This  is  the  original  rendering  of  the  English  Version  in 


CHAP.  XII.  22-45. 


223 


— [Fellow  implies  contempt,  whidi  is  not  warranted  by  tlie  use  of  the  demonstrative  pronoun  ovtos, 
■  in  tlie  preceding  verse.  Howard  Crosby  rrhe  N.  T.  witli  explanatory  Notes  or  Scholia):  ''Fellow  is  an  un- 
o  introduce  here,  althonsrb  it  was  not  so  objectionable  when  our  version  was  formed.    Thero  is  no  word  in 


the  editions  of  1611  and  of  1613,  in  this  p.issaf:e  (though  not  in  John  iv.  29):  Is  this  the  Son  ofDaridt  But  most  editions, 
including  that  of  the  Am.  B.  Soc,  road:  Is  not  this^  etc.  A  change  for  the  worse.  For  ^  7)  t  i  or  /U?';,  both  in  the  N.  T. 
and  in  classic  Greek,  always  implies  some  doubt  and  tho  expectation  or  the  wish  otanegatite  answer;  while  ou  in  ques- 
tions looks  to  an  attirmativo  answer.  Winer,  Grammaiik,  6th  ed.,  p.  453 :  j-lt)  {tx-ljT  t)  steht  ico  eine  vkrneinendb  Ant- 
wort  vorriii.^gein't^t  Oder  erwdrtetwird,  T>ocmiicaT?  ....  Dir  Fragende  legt  esimmer  auf  eine  negative  Antwnrt  an 
und  wurde  nichi  Uberrascht  sein,  wenii  er  eine  solche  ei'hielte,  John  iv.  33;  viii.  22  ;  ildtt.  xii.  23;  John  io.  29;  vii. 
26,  35. "-P.  S.] 

3  Yer.  24.- 
either  here  ( 
happy  word  to  i 
the  Greek,  the  pronoun  'this^  standing  alone.     We  may  say  'thlK  one.'' " — P.  S.] 

<  Ver.  2$.— ["EfpSaiTfj'  e'(J)*  vfxai,  which  the  E.  V.,  in  the  parallel  piissage  Luke  xi.  20  renders:  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
come  upon  you.  ^Oivnv  with  the  Classics  means  prcevenire,  to  precede,  anticipate,  overtake,  and  so  1  Thess.  iv.  15  (E.  V. : 
"shall  not prereiit—i.  e..  in  the  old  English  sense  ot  prcerenire— them  which  are  asleep");  but  in  Hellenistic  and  in  mod- 
ern Greek  it  means  also  pen-enires,  to  come  near,  to  come  upon,  yet  often  with  the  idea  of  surprise,  .as  here.  Wesley  and 
gtier:  Is  already  upon  you,  i.  e.,  before  you  jooked  for  it.— P.  S.J 

*  Ver.  29. — [Lit. :  the  strong  7nan's,  r  ov  ta-xupov,  with  reference  to  the  particular  case  in  hand,  but  not:  the  strong 
on.6,  viz.  Satan  (Campbell) ;  for  the  S.aviour  draws  .an  illustration  from  common  life  to  show  his  relation  to  Satan.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  29. — [According  to  the  true  reading  ap-w aa  ai,  instead  of  OiapTrdaai,  which  occurs  in  the  following  verse  — 
P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  85.— The  best  MS3.  [including  Cod.  Sinait]  omit  t  tj  y  KapSias  {of  the  heart),  which  seems  to  be  an  inter- 
pretation. 

8  Ver.  .SS.- Tho  best  MSS.  [also  Cod.  Sinait]  .add  aiir^  .after  a.TreKpie-r)aav. 

»  Ver.  41.— [As  otj  is  correctly  translated  in  the  par.allel  case  ver.  i2:  for  she  came.— P.  S.] 

10  Ver.  44. — The  best  authorities  favor  the  emphatic  position  of  i7ito  my  house  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence.  [The 
Cod.  Sinait  likewise  re.ads:  eix  tIv  oIkov  uov  iTiurpe^oi.  But  this  does  not  do  as  well  in  English,  as  in  the  Greek  and 
German  languages.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Chronological  Arrangement. — Luke  relates  these 
addresses  imperfectly,  and  in  another,  but  apparently 
more  correct,  order.  This  section  manifestly  de- 
scribes the  close  of  the  public  ministry  of  Jesus  in 
Galilee,  and  the  open  breach  between  the  Lord  and 
the  Pharisaical  party  in  that  province,  corresponding 
to  the  conflict  in  Jerusalem,  related  in  chs.  xxi.  and 
xxiii.  Ch.  xiv.  records  a  prior  event ;  and  the  two 
conflicts  in  chs.  xv.  1  and  xvi.  1  form  only  the  con- 
clusion of  the  contest  which  was  now  opening.  After 
the  festival  of  Purim,  the  pharisaical  party  in  Gal- 
ilee had  received  instructions  from  Jerusalem  to  per- 
secute the  Lord.  This  behest  was  obeyed,  though  in 
a  coarser  manner  than  by  the  chiefs  in  Jerusalem. 
The  former  private  accusation,  that  Jesus  was  in 
league  with  Satan  (ch.  ix.  34,  comp.  x.  25),  was  now 
publicly  and  boldly  brought  forward.  "  The  resem- 
blance between  this  occurrence  and  that  recorded  in 
ix.  32,  is  not  owing  to  the  circumstance  that  diflerent 
facts  are  mixed  up  (Schneckenburger),  nor  to  a  tra- 
ditionary embelUshment  of  one  and  the  same  history 
(Strauss,  de  Wette).  The  two  events  are  in  reality 
dififereut,  though  analogous.  The  former  demoniac 
was  dumb,  while  this  one  is  both  dumb  and  blind  ; 
which  latter  circimistance  Luke,  following  a  less  ac- 
curate tradition,  does  not  record."     Meyer. 

Ver.  22.  One  possessed  with  a  devil,  blind 
and  dumb. — Not  blind  and  diuidj  by  nature,  but  by 
demoniac  possession.  To  reUeve  one  so  fearfully 
under  the  power  of  the  enemy,  was  the  most  difficult 
miracle,  especially  as  the  Pharisees  watched  Him 
with  imbelief  and  in  bitterness  of  heart. 

Ver.  23.  Is  this  the  Son  of  David  ?— The  peo- 
ple were  here  on  the  point  of  openly  proclaiming  Je- 
sus as  the  Son  of  David,  or  the  Messiah.  But  they 
were  prevented  by  the  hierarchical  party,  who  now 
came  forward  with  their  blasphemous  accusation. 

Ver.  24.  This  (significantly  put  first) — should  it 
be  this  one  ?     This  one  docs  not  cast  out  devils,  etc.* 

♦[Meyer:  "  Mt^ti  ouToy,  etc.  Question  of  surprise, 
where  the  emphasis  lies  on  o5to5:  It  can  hardly  be  that 
this  man,  who  otherwise  has  not  the  appearance  of  the  Mes- 
Biah,  should  be  the  Messiah." — P.  8.] 


— We  have  already  shown  that  the  term  Beelzebul 
is  equivalent  to,  the  prince  of  the  devils;  hence 
the  latter  expression  {apxovTi,  without  an  article) 
serves  as  explanation  of  a  name  invented  by  them, 
probably  with  reference  to  Beelzebub,  the  god  of  the 
Philistines. 

Ver.  20.  If  Satan  casts  out  Satan. — Meyer 
rightly  argues  against  the  rendering,  If  one  Satan 
cast  out  another.  "  There  are  many  demons,  but  Sa- 
tan alone  is  the  chief  of  them."  Hence  the  charge 
implied,  that  Satan  was  represented  both  by  the  de- 
mon who  possessed  the  individual,  and  by  the  demo- 
niac exorcist;  or,  that  in  reality  he  cast  himself  out. 
In  the  same  sense  Christ  employs  also  the  simile  of 
a  city  or  a  house  divided  against  itself.  Not  that  He 
denied  that  discord  prevails  in  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness ;  but  this  does  not  amount  to  an  absolute  breach, 
or  to  complete  self-negation,  which  would  necessarily 
lead  to  immediate  annihilation.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  kingdom  of  Satan  had 
been  of  long  standing,  and  hence  must  possess  a  cer- 
tain measure  of  unity  and  consistency.  The  argu- 
mentation of  Jesus  was  based  on  the  distinction  be- 
tween this  relative  and  an  absolute  division  in  the 
kingdotu  of  Satan,  and  not,  as  de  Wette  supposes,  on 
transferring  the  principles  of  the  kingdom  of  light  to 
that  of  darkness.  Meyer  is  also  right  in  suggesting, 
that  the  supposition  of  the  Pharisees,  that  Satan 
might  in  this  instance  have  damaged  his  own  cause, 
is  refuted  by  the  constant  antagonism  waged  between 
Christ  and  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  Besides,  it  de- 
serves notice,  that  Christ  here  claimed  to  cast  out, 
not  merely  individual  demons,  but  Satan  himself* 

*  [We  add  the  remarks  of  Trench  {Kotes  on  the  Mira- 
clex  of  our  Lord,  6th  ed.,  p.  69):  "There  is  at  first  sight  a 
dilliculty  in  tlie  argument  which  our  Saviour  dr.aws  from 
tlie  oncniss  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan — namely,  that  it  seems 
the  very  idi-a  of  this  kingdom,  that  it  should  be  an  anarchy, 
blind  rage  and  hate  not  merely  against  God,  but  each  part 
of  it  warring  against  every  other  part  And  this  is  most 
deeply  true,  that  hell  is  as  much  in  arms  against  itself  as 
asainst  heaven;  neither  does  our  Lord  deny  that  in.  respect 
of  itself  l\\a.t  kingdom  is  infinite  contradiction  and  division: 
only  he  itsserts  that  in  relation  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
it  is  one  :  there  is  one  life  in  it  and  one  soul  in  oppusition  to 
that  Just  as  a  nation  or  kingdom  may  embrace  within  it- 
self infinite  parties,  divisions,  discords,  jealousies,  and  heart- 
burnings; yet  if  it  is  to  subsist  as  a  nation  at  all,  it  must  not, 
as  regards  other  nations,  have  lost  its  sense  of  unity ;  when 


224 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Ver.  27.  Your  children — i.  e.,  in  a  spiritual 
sense,  your  disciples,  Jewish  exorcists.  Acts  xix.  13. 
Arg}(nicntum  ex  concessis.  On  the  exorcism  of  the 
Pharisees,  see  von  Ammon,  Lchen  Jesu,  ii.  p.  151. 
"In  the  schools  of  the  Pharisees,  a  so-called  higher 
magic  was  taught,  by  which  demons  were  to  bo  ex- 
pelled and  drawn  out  of  the  noses  of  persons  possess- 
ed, by  means  of  certain  roots,  by  exorcism,  and  by 
magical  formulas,  supposed  to  have  been  derived 
from  king  Solomon."  Comp.  Joseph.  Ant.  viii.  2, 
5 ;  De  Bdlo  Jud.  vii.  6,  2. — It  were  an  entire  misun- 
derstanding, with  Gerlach,  to  apply  the  expression, 
"  your  cklldren,^''  to  the  disciples  of  Jesus.  Nor  is 
there  any  ground  for  apprehending  that  the  authority 
of  the  miracles  of  Jesus  might  be  invalidated  by  an 
acknowledgment  of  Jewish  exorcism.  Compare  the 
contrast  between  Moses  and  the  magicians  of  Egypt. 
Ver.  28.  The  Idngdom  of  God  is  come  upon 
[not:  unto]  you. — As  in  1  Thess.  iv.  15,  so  here,  the 
term  i<i>  dacr  ev  must  be  taken  in  its  full  meaning  : 
/;;  has  come  upon  you  in  a  sudden  manner,  by  sur- 
p'l'ise,  and  finds  you  unprepared.  The  statement 
also  implied  that  Jesus  stood  before  them  as  the  Mes- 
siah. Tims  ver.  28  forms  a  transition  from  the  de- 
fensive to  the  offensive;  while  the  expression,  iv 
TT i^  e  I'j  fj.  a  T  I  @  i  0  V,  which  refers  to  the  contrast 
with  Beelzebul,  serves  as  introduction  to  what  is 
afterward  said  about  the  blasphemy  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

Ver.  29.  Or  else,  how  can  one. — This  is  not 
merely  "  another  argument,"  but  at  the  same  time 
also  a  more  exphcit  statement  of  the  idea,  that,  com- 
pared to  Satan,  Jesus  was  the  stronger,  or  the  Lord 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The  strong  man  (too 
J  (T  X  w  p  o  C ),  with  the  article — with  special  reference 
to  the  Tis,  who  combats  him ;  but  also  with  a  view 
to  the  fact,  that  the  preceding  explanation  rendered 
the  figure  completely  perspicuous.  Comp.  Isa.  xlix. 
24. — "And  take  from  him  his  instruments," 
<T  Ke  I'/T} . — Referring  to  those  who  were  possessed. 
[The  author,  version,  ^^  spoil  his  goods,''^  gives  a  differ- 
ent sense.]  The  casting  out  of  devils  implied  the 
bindhig  of  the  strong  man,  i.  e.,  a  spiritual  victory 
over  Satan.  No  doubt  the  Lord  here  alludes  to  the 
history  of  the  temptation  in  Matt.  iv.  At  a  later  pe- 
riod, Christ  had,  indeed,  to  enter  on  another  physical, 
psychical,  and  spiritual  conflict  with  Satan,  when  He 
was  assailed  by  the  enemy  in  connection  with  the 
sorrows  and  the  misery  of  the  world.  But  His  for- 
mer victory  over  the  temptation  from  the  lust  of  the 
world,  laid  the  foundation  and  prepared  the  way  fw 
His  later  conquest. 

Ver.  30.  He  that  is  not  with  Me. — The  decisive 
moment  of  the  breach  with  the  opposition  in  Galilee 
was  approaching.  The  idea  is  further  carried  out  in 
ch.  xxi.  43,  44.  On  this  occasion,  however,  it  was 
still  couched  in  hypothetical  and  general  language. 
Still,  the  alternative  here  presented  evidently  applied 
to  the  Pharisees  and  scribes ;  and  any  other  mter- 
pretation  overlooks  the  importance  of  that  decisive 
moment.  (Bengel,  Schleiermacher,  and  Neander  ap- 
ply it  to  Jewish  exorcists  ;  Chrysostom,  to  Satan, 
etc.)  This  is  further  shown  by  what  follows :  where- 
fore I  say  unto  you ;  viz.,  with  reference  to  your 

it  (lops  so.  of  necessity  it  falls  to  pieces  and  perishes.  To 
the  Pharisees  He  says"  'This  kingdom  of  evil  subsists;  by 
your  own  confession  it  does  so;  it  cannot  therefore  have  de- 
nied the  one  condition  of  its  existence,  which  is,  that  it 
should  not  lend  its  powers  to  the  overthrowing  of  itself,  that 
it  should  not  side  with  its  own  foes;  My  words  and  works 
declare  that  I  am  its  foe,  it  cannot  therefore  be  siding  with 
Me.'  "—P.  S.] 


blasphemy  of  My  Person,  by  which  your  enmity  ap- 
jjears.  Know  then  what  this  enmity  implies.  In 
significant  contrast  the  Saviour  says  inreference  to 
the  disciples,  Mark  ix.  40  and  Luke  ix.  60,  "  He  that 
is  not  against  us  is  for  us."  [Alford  :  "  I  believe 
Stier  is  right  in  regarding  it  as  a  saying  setting  forth 
to  us  generally  the  entire  and  complete  disjunction 
of  the  two  kingdoms,  of  Satan  and  God.  There  is 
and  can  be  in  the  world  no  middle  party  ;  they  who 
are  not  with  Christ  are  against  Him  and  His  work, 
and  as  far  as  in  them  Hes  arc  undoing  it." — P.  S.] 

Ver.  31.  All  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy. 
— i.  e..  Every  sin  shall  be  forgiven  to  men,  even  to 
blasphemy  in  the  general  sense,  provided  they  do  not 
progress  to  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  but 
turn  from  it.  Hence,  on  the  supposition  of  repent- 
ance. And  thus  shall  it  be  in  every  case — they  shall 
cither  return,  or  j^rogrcss  to  blasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Spirit.  The  blasphemy  which  is  still  capable 
of  being  forgiven,  is  both  a  species  and  an  aggTava- 
tion  of  general  sin.  De  Wette  :  ^^^\aa<prifj.ia, 
not  merely  blasphemy  against  God  ;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  not  simply  evil-speaking  generally,  but  defam- 
ing of  what  is  holy,  as,  for  example,  of  Christ,  the  Sent 
of  God."  In  general,  the  idea  of  a  malicious  attack 
upon  a  person,  whose  fame  is  calumniously  injured 
(y3Aa7rTfij'  T5>  (p-i)ix7}v),  attaches  to  the  term,  blasphe- 
mj'.  Hence,  defamation  of  what  is  good,  noble,  and 
holy,  on  its  appearance  in  the  world,  with  malicioua 
(lying  and  murderous)  intent.  Up  to  this  point 
blasphemy  forms  the  climax  of  sin,  but  of  sin  which 
may  still  be  forgiven ;  because,  in  his  fanatical  en- 
thusiasm for  what  he  deems  noble,  good,  and  holy, 
a  man  may  overlook  and  misunderstand  even  a  high- 
er manifestation  of  it.  But  blasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Spirit  cannot  be  forgiven.  It  is  open  and  full 
opposition  to  conversion,  and  hence  to  forgiveness. 
The  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  here  spoken  of  in  distinct 
terms,  is  the  last  and  highest  manifestation  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  who  completes  and  perfects  the  reve- 
lation of  God,  and  in  that  capacity  manifests  Him- 
self in  the  human  consciousness.  Blasphemously 
to  rebel,  in  opposition  to  one's  better  knowledge  and 
conscience,  against  this  manifestation  and  influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  to  commit  moral  suicide,  and 
to  destroy  one's  religious  and  moral  susceptibility. 
In  fact,  this  can  never  be  fully  accomplished,  on  ac- 
count of  the  infinite  contrast  between  blasphemy  and 
the  Holy  Spirit.  But  the  approximation  thereto  im- 
plies impending  judgment,  which  extends  far  beyond 
tlie  present  world  into  endless  existence.  Although 
blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  its  full  idea,  is 
infinite,  yet  blasphemy  against  the  Son  of  Man,  or 
against  Christ  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  constitutes 
an  approximation  to  it.  Hence  the  Lord  adds,  ver. 
22,  by  way  of  explanation,  as  approximating  to  this 
sin :  Whosoever  speaketh  a  word  (in  passing)  against 
the  Son  of  Man.  The  person  whom,  from  prejudice 
or  ignorance,  a  word  of  blasphemy  may  escape  against  y 
Christ — whom  in  His  form  as  a  servant  he  may  pos-  / 
sibly  mistake — shall  be  forgiven;  but  whosoever 
speaketh  (without  the  addition,  a  vjord) — whosoever 
speaketh  decidedly  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  etc.  In 
this  case,  to  speak  and  to  blaspheme  is  identical. — 
Jleyer  and  other  critics  maintain  that  the  accusation 
of  the  Pharisees,  in  ver.  24,  was  an  instance  of  blas- 
phemy against  the  Holy  Spirit,  But  theirs  was,  in 
the  first  place,  only  a  blasphemy  against  the  Son  of 
Man,  and  against  the  power  in  which  He  wrought. 
In  committing  this  sin,  they  necessarily  approximat- 
ed blasphemy  agamet   the  Holy  Spirit;    but    how 


CHAP.  XII.  22-45. 


225 


closely  (see  John  vii.  39),  our  Lord  does  not  express, 
as  appears  even  from  the  peculiar  warning  given  them 
of  their  danger.  In  these  circumstances,  criticism 
cannot  help  us  in  defining  the  matter  more  clearly. 
In  the  Gospel  of  Marli,  the  first  statement  (about 
blasphemy)  alone  is  mentioned  ;  in  that  of  Luke,  the 
second  (about  speaking  a  word). 

Ver.  32.  Neither  in  this  world;  or,  rather,  in 
this  JBon. — ' O  alcav  ovtos,  ^^Xl  ^^"^^ !  »  aliov 
fieWw;/,  xan  chiS  .  A'e  Lightfoot,  Wetstein, 
and  others.  Li  the  first  place,  the  period  before  and 
after  Christ's  "  appearing  "  ;  then,  secondarily,  the 
contrast  between  the  one  and  the  other  order  of 
things,  as  based  on  the  old  and.  the  new  era.  It 
should  not  be  overlooked  that  His  historical  advent 
laid  the  foundation  for  His  future  -n-apovaia,  and  con- 
sequently that  the  new  Kon,  like  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, is  already  at  hand,  and  unfolding  itself  in  the 
old,  breaking  through  it  and  gradually  aboUshing  it. 
Hence  the  Jewish  theology  was  not  wrong  in  dating 
the  new  seon  from  the  advent  of  the  Messiah  ;  only 
they  were  wrong  m  not  making  a  proper  distinction 
between  the  suffering  and  the  glorified  Messiah. 

Yer.  33.  Either  exhibit,  present  (in  the  au- 
thorized version,  maA-e). — The  term  ttoi  e?;/ cannot 
refer  to  "  planting,"  as  we  have  here  an  allusion  not 
only  to  the  tree  but  also  to  its  fruit.  It  must  refer 
to  a  mental  act,  or  to  a  representation,  and  alludes 
here  to  the  iroielv  of  the  poets.*  Those  who  blas- 
pheme are  bad  and  self-contradictory  poets.  In  the 
strangest  manner,  they  conceive  and  represent  as  a 
poisonous  tree  (Christ  as  inspired  by  Satan)  that 
which  only  yielded  good  fruit  (casting  out  of  devils). 
Hence,  not  in  the  sense  of  a  declarative  judgment — 
make  (Thcophylact,  Erasmus,  Meyer,  etc.) ;  least  of 
all  with  exclusive  reference  to  the  Pharisees  (Miin- 
ster,  Castellio,  de  Wette) ;  nor  yet  as  equivalent  to 
pu(,  or  plant,  regarding  and  treating  these  blasphe- 
mies as  fruits  (Ewald) ;  but  in  the  sense  of,  to  suppose^ 
to  represent  (Grotius,  Fritzsche,  etc.).  The  first  tree 
is  manifestly  intended  as  an  emblem  of  Clirist ;  the 
second,  of  the  Pharisees,  who  manifested  their  inward 
state  by  their  outward  fruit,  or  their  blasphemy. 
For  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit ;  comp.  ch. 
vii.  20. 

Ver.  3-i.  O  brood  of  vipers. — The  terms  in 
which  the  Baptist  had  from  the  outset  addressed  the 
Pharisees  (ch.  iii.  7),  are  now  taken  up  even  by  the 
merciful  and  compassionate  Saviour.  The  expression 
yeyvhtiara  ix'^viiv  is  closely  aUied  with  the 
SeySpov  (T a-rr p6v.  Poisonous  plants,  and  a  gen- 
eration of  vipers,  were  the  noxious  remnants  of  pre- 
Adamic  times,  and  hence  served  as  allegorical  fig- 
ures of  Satanic  evil  (which  are  not  to  be  confounded 
with  the  thorns  and  thistles  consequent  upon  the 
curse).  Hence  the  first  S}-mbol  of  coming  salvation 
was,  that  the  seed  of  the  woman  should  bruise  the 
head  of  the  serpent. — How  can  ye  ?  etc. — The 
physical  impossibility  that  a  generation  of  vipers 
could  give  forth  what  was  salutary,  served  as  an  em- 
blem of  the  moral  impossibiUty  of  this  moral  genera- 
tion of  vipers  speaking  good  things. 

For  out  of  the  abundance,  the  overflowing. — 
But  this  abundance  is  not  passive  ;  it  is  organic,  and 
reproducing  itself.  With  this  it  may  be  well  to  con- 
nect the  bibhcal  idea  of  irepifffftvuv,  to  develop  organ- 
ically. 

Ver.  35.  Out  of  the  good  treasure. — Another 

•  Se6  the  wcll-knowu  beginuing  of  norace''a  Are  poe- 
tica. 

15 


figure  in  which  the  heart  is  represented  as  a  spiritual 
treasury.  Each  one  can  only  give  forth  what  he 
finds  in  his  treasury.  The  expression,  heart,  im- 
plies the  sum-total  of  all  the  thoughts,  words,  and 
works  of  a  man  ;  in  short,  his  entire  spiritual  posses- 
sions. 

Vers.  36,  37.  Every  idle  word. — The  term 
pri/xa,  in  its  connection  with  apynv,  meaning  moral- 
ly useless,  and  at  the  same  time  hurtful, — tt  ourjpoi; 
as  some  minuscule  MSS.  read.  This  judgment  accord- 
ing to  their  words,  would  not  exclude  that  according 
to  their  deeds.  From  Matt.  xxv.  31,  we  gather  that 
the  actions  of  the  righteous  and  of  the  wicked  are 
scaled  by  their  word.s.  A  man's  speech,  as  elucidat- 
ing, and  elucidated  by,  his  life,  will  serve  as  a  suf- 
ficient index  of  his  character  in  the  day  of  judgment 
— as  Heulmer  explains  it,  partly  from  its  wickedness, 
and  partly  from  its  pharisaical  severity,  which  recoils 
on  him  who  is  guilty  of  it. 

Ver.  38.  Then  certain  of  the  scribes  and  of 
the  Pharisees  answered. — His  opponents  felt  that, 
in  these  statements,  Jesus  had  confronted  them  in 
His  character  as  the  Messiah,  invested  with  royal  and 
judicial  authority.  Accordingly,  they  were  constrain- 
ed either  to  acknowledge  or  to  reject  His  clauns.  In 
this  difficulty,  some  of  them  tried  to  tempt  Hun ;  i.  e., 
partly  in  derision,  and  partly  with  a  fingering  desire 
after  the  manifestation  of  a  worldly  Messiah,  they 
asked  for  a  siff7i,  by  way  of  accrediting  His  claims. 
No  doubt  they  referred  to  the  chiUastic  sign  from 
heaven.  Thus  we  notice  here  the  appearance  of  a 
new  hostile  device,  which  appears  in  its  full  propor- 
tions in  ch.  xvi.  1,  just  as  that  which  had  first  appear- 
ed in  ch.  ix.  34  had  now  been  fully  brought  out. 
Gerlach  and  Lisco  suggest  that  these  Pharisees  were 
better  inclined,  and  less  opposed  to  Jesus,  than  the 
others.  But  in  our  opinion,  they  were  rather  the 
worst  among  the  bad. 

Ver.  39.  An  adulterous  generation. — M  o  i  - 
X  a  A  1  r.  Theophylact :  is  a<ptcrTa./xevoi  atrh  rov  Qeov. 
Adultery,  taken  in  a  spiritual  sense,  according  to 
the  Old  Testament  idea,  equivalent  to  apostasy  or 
idolatry;  Isa.  xviii.  17.  Jesus  foreknew  that  the 
apostasy  of  the  Pharisees  would  lead  them  even  to 
an  outward  alhance  with  the  heathen  in  the  act  of 
His  crucifixion. 

There  shall  no  sign  be  given  to  it. — Christ 
considered  His  miracles  as  signs,  John  xi.  41.  The 
perfect  sign  of  His  Messiahship,  however,  was  His 
death  on  the  cross,  and  His  resurrection.  And  as 
the  true  Messiah  was  exactly  the  opposite  of  the  car- 
nal counterfeit  which  the  Pharisees  had  drawn  for 
themselves,  so  was  the  true  and  great  sign  of  the 
Messiah  the  direct  contrary  to  their  carnal  and  un- 
warranted clamor  for  a  sign  from  heaven.  This  ap- 
plies especially  to  the  solemn  call  to  repentance 
which  His  answer  contained.  The  Pharisees  sought 
a  sign  from  heaven,  to  confirm  and  to  crown  with 
success  their  own  corrupt  views  and  state:  the  Lord 
offered  them  a  sign  from  the  deep  of  the  realm  of 
death,  to  condemn  their  hypocritical  worldliness. 
Hence  the  sign  of  Jonah  ;  i.  e.,  the  sign  which  had 
typically  appeared  in  the  history  of  Jonah,  ii.  1. 

Ver.  40.  The  belly  of  the  great  fish  :  toD 
KTiTovs,  blTa  i'n  . — The  expression  does  not  neces- 
sarily mean  a  ichale  [as  the  E.  V.  translates],  but 
any  sea-monster.  We  suppose  it  was  a  shark  [the 
white  shark,  squalus  carclcarias,  also  called  lamia, 
which  is  found  to  this  day  in  the  Mediterranean, 
sometunes  as  long  as  sixty  feet. — P.  S.]  rather  than 


226 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


a  whale.  Heubner  relates  an  instance  of  a  sailor  who 

was  swallowed  by  a  shark,  and  yet  preservcdv 

So  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  three  days  and 
three  nights. — A  round  number  according  to  the 
popular  mode  of  Hebrew  rcckouinjr,  1  Sam.  xxx.  12; 
although  Christ  lay  only  one  day  and  two  niglits  in 
the  grave.* — In  the  heart  of  the  earth. — 1.  In 
the  grave.  So  most  interpreters.  2.  In  hades  (Ter- 
tuUian,  Irenseus,  etc.).f  Meyer  pronounces  in  favor 
of  the  interpretation  hades,  on  the  supposition  that 
it  is  analogous  to  Kapoia  t^?  OaKdaarjs  in  Jonah  ii., 
which  referred  to  the  depths  of  the  sea.  Besides,  in 
Luke  xxiii.  43,  Christ  Himself  had  designated  His 
death  as  a  descent  into  hades  [or  rather  an  entrance 
into  paradise  as  a  part  of  hades]. — But  we  remark, 
first,  that  these  two  things,  the  gi-ave  and  the  realm 
of  the  dead,  cannot  be  disjoined.  Secondly,  that  the 
Lord  frequently  uses  the  tenn,  "  earth,"  in  reference 
to  the  ancient  hierarchical  and  poUtical  constitution 
of  the  world.  Jonah  was  only  buried  in  the  depths 
of  the  sea;  Christ  in  that  of  the  ancient  earth  (the 
grave  and  hades),  and  of  the  ancient  world  (its  con- 
demnation and  contumely).  Paulus,  Schleiermacher, 
Neander,  and  others,  apply  the  expression,  "  sign  of 
Jonah  the  prophet,"  to  the  preaching  and  appearance 
of  the  Loid.  But  this  view  requires  no  formal  refu- 
tation. Such  could  scarcely  have  been  designated  as 
in  any  specific  sense  a  sign  of  the  prophet  Jonah  ; 
not  to  speak  of  the  fact  that  it  ignores  the  expla- 
nation furnished  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  itself.  We 
do  not  deny,  however,  that  the  expression  may  con- 
tain some  reference  to  the  universal  mission  of  Jonah, 
which  constituted  him  a  type  of  Christ.  Jonah  was 
unwilling  to  preach  to  the  heathen  Ninevites,  and  was 
buried  in  the  depths  of  the  sea,  which  is  an  emblem 
of  the  sea  of  nations.  Jesus  designed  His  gospel  for 
all  nations,  and  was  hurled  by  the  Jewish  hierarchy 
into  the  depth  of  the  earth,  and  into  that  of  their 
theocratic  and  hierarchical  condemnation.  But  Jo- 
nah emerged  once  more  to  preach  repentance  to  the 

*  [St.  Jerome:  "This  is  to  be  explained  by  a  figure  of 
speech  called  syneccloehe,  by  which  a  part  is  put  for  the 
whole ;  not  that  our  Lord  was  three  whole  days  and  three 
nights  in  the  grave,  but  part  of  Friday,  part  of  Sunday,  and 
the  whole  of  Saturday  were  reckoned  Jis  three  days." 
Metek:  '^  Jesus  war  nur  einen  Tag  und  eicei  Ndchte  todt. 
AlUin  nach  populdrer  Weise  (vergl.  1  Sam.  axcx.  12  sq.) 
sind  die  Theile  des  ersten  und  dritten  Tages  als  game 
Tage  gezdhlt,  tcozu  die  darzustellende  gegenhildliche 
Aehnlichkeit  rnit  dent  Schicksal  des  Jonas  veranlasste.''' 
Alfoed  :  '■  If  it  be  necessary  to  make  good  the  three  days 
and  nights,  it  must  be  done  by  having  recourse  to  the  Jewish 
method  of  computing  time.  In  the  J'erus.alem  Talmud  (cited 
by  Lightfoot)  it  is  t-aid  'that  a  day  and  night  together  m.ake 
up  a  nS'ijJ  (a  wx^VfJ-^pov),  and  that  any  p.art  of  such  a 
period  is' counted  as  the  whole.'  See  Gen.  xl.  1-3,  20 ;  1  Sam. 
xxx.  12,  13;  2  Chron.  x.  5,  12;  Hos.  \\.  2."  Wordswoeth  : 
"The  days  of  Christ's  absence  from  His  disciples  were  short- 
•ened  in  mercy  to  them  as  for  as  was  consistent  with  the  ful- 
filment of  the  prophecy  (?).— P.  S.] 

+  [So  also  Theophylact,  Bellarmin,  Maldonatus,  Olshau- 
een,  Konig  {Lehre  von  der  IlbUenfahrt  Christi,  1S42,  p.  54), 
Alford,  Wordsworth,  while  D.  Brown  and  all  the  American 
•commentators  of  Matthew,  A.  Barnes,  J.  A.  Alexander, 
Owen,  Whedon  (Jacobus'  Notes  I  have  not  at  hand),  under- 
stand the  heart  of  the  earth  to  mean  simply  the  gi'ave.  But 
Lades  agi-ees  better  with  the  parallel  of  the  belly  of  the  sea- 
monster,  than  the  tomb  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  which  was 
on  the  surface  of  the  earth  rather  than  in  the  heart  thereof; 
secondly,  Jonah  himself  calls  the  belly  of  the  sea-monster 
bisaJ  "(Ii?  5  LXX  :  e/c  Kotkias  aSov,  "out  of  the  belly  of 
hades'"  (not  hell  as  in  the  E.  \.\  Jon.  ii.  3  (2) ;  and  finally, 
there  should  be  no  more  dispute  now  as  to  Christ's  actual 
descent  into  hades,  see  Luke  xxiii.  43  ;  Acts  ii.  27,  81  (Greek 
text);  Eph.  iv.  9;  1  Pet.  iii.  19.  But  no  doctrinal  state- 
ments concerning  the  locality  of  hades  can  be  justly  deriv- 
ed from  such  popular  expressions,  which  must  necessarily 
adapt  themselves  to  our  imperfect  finite  coTictptions. — P.  S.] 


Gentiles ;  so  Christ  also  rose  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  nations. — The  circumstance,  that  our  Lord  re- 
peats this  simile  in  Matt.  xvi.  4,  shows  that  He  at- 
tached considerable  importance  to  it. 

Ver.  41.  Shall  rise — i.  c,  as  witnesses  in  the 
judgment.  "So  C^Ip  in  Job  xvi.  8." — "On,  for; 
not,  becanse  [as  in  the  author,  version]. — This  judg- 
ment is  that  of  the  Lord. 

Ver.  42.  The  queen  of  the  south. — See  1 
Kings  X.,  and  the  article  Sheba  in  Winer's  ReaU 
Wbrterb.  [and  in  Cahnet's  Diction,  of  the  II.  Bible, 
Taylor's  edit,  Lond.,  p.  815  sqq.].  Sahara,  a  district 
in  Arabia  Felix.  Josephus  erroneously  represents 
her  as  a  queen  of  Ethiopia  {Ant.  viii.  5,  5).  Similar- 
ly, modem  Abyssinian  tradition  assigns  to  her  the 
name  of  Maqueda,  and  represents  her  as  a  convert  to 
Judaism,  and  as  having  had  a  son  by  Solomon,  whose 
name  was  Menilek.  The  Arabs  mention  her,  under 
the  name  of  Balkis,  among  the  rulers  of  Yemen. 

Ver.  43.  When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone 
out  of  a  man. — A  simile  referring  to  the  state  of 
the  Jewish  nation,  with  special  reference  to  the  cast- 
ing out  of  devils,  and  to  the  blasphemy  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  scribes,  which  had  just  taken  place.  The 
man  set  free  from  the  unclean  spirit  is  an  emblem  of 
the  Jewish  nation  as  under  the  sway  of  Pharisaism. 
Hence  the  heahng  represents  the  blessed  and  gra- 
cious activity  of  Jesus  in  Israel. — The  unclean  spirit 
who  is  cast  out  walketh  through  dry  desert  places — 
deserts  being  represented  as  the  habhation  of  devils, 
Job  viii.  ?> ;  Bar.  iv.  35  ;  Rev.  xviii.  2  ;  Lev.  xvi.  21. 
The  wilderness,  an  emblem  of  their  dwelling-place  it 
another  world,  of  their  activity,  of  their  desolation 
and  their  banishment  into  desolation. 

Ver.  44.  He  findeth  the  house  empty, 
swept,  and  garnished. — Not,  as  de  Wette  has  it, 
the  soul  restored,  but  invitmg  to  the  unclean  spirit, — 
not  being  mhabited  by  a  good  spirit. 

Ver.  45.  Seven  other  spirits  more  wicked 
than  himself. — This  evidently  refers  to  a  more  fuU 
possession  by  devils, — i.  e.,  to  a  voluntary  and  dam- 
nable self-surrender  to  Satan  by  a  wicked  life,  or  to 
such  hardening  of  unbelief  as  that  of  which  the  Jew- 
ish hierarchy  and  nation  were  guilty. — And  the  last 
state  is  worse  than  the  first. — Their  former  low 
and  miserable  estate  is  followed  by  moral  guilt,  and 
a  voluntary  surrender  to  the  power  of  evil, — such, 
alas !  as  has  been  manifested  in  the  history  of  Is- 
sael. 

From  the  details  of  Christ's  dealing  with  the 
Pharisees,  as  recorded  by  Luke,  we  derive  a  clear 
view  of  His  increasing  earnestness  and  directness  in 
reproving  them.  What  in  the  beginning  He  had  only 
said  to  the  disciples  in  the  first  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
and  in  His  instruction  to  the  Apostles,  lie  now  pub- 
hcly  repeated, — partly  in  the  hearing  of  the  Phari- 
sees themselves,  and  partly  in  presence  of  all  Hia 
professing  disciples. 


DOCTPJNAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  "  From  this  and  other  passages  of  Scripture 
(vers.  26-30),  we  learn  that  the  kingdom  of  darkness 
has  also  its  head,  who  serves  as  a  centre  of  connec- 
tion, combining  all  the  isolated  forces  into  common 
resistance  to  Christ  and  His  kingdom." — Lisco.  See 
ch.  xiii. 

2.  The  position  of  the  Lord  with  reference  to  the 
Pharisaical  party  had  now  reached  that  stage  of  de- 
cision when  each  one  must  choose  a  distinct  part. 


CHAP.  Xn.  22-45. 


227 


This  was  clearly  indicated  in  the  solemn  statement, 
— He  that  is  not  tvith  2fe  (in  this  conflict)  is  affainst 
Me  (and  hence  on  the  side  of  Satan,  against  whom 
the  conflict  is  waged) ;  and  he  that  galhereth  not  with 
Me  (in  the  harvest)  scattereth  abroad  (is  a  destroyer 
of  God's  liarvest). 

3.  Blasphony against  the  Holy  Spirit^vers.  31,  32. 
— For  a  full  discussion  of  this  subject,  we  must  refer 
to  other  works,  especially  my  Le.hen  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p. 
825 ;  my  Fosit.  Dogmatik,  p.  453,  and  the  exegetic- 
al,  dogmatical,  and  ethical  treatise  of  Phil.  Schaff: 
Die  Siinde  ivider  den  Heil.  Geist,  Halle,  1841  (writ- 
ten with  reference  to  the  dissertations  on  the  same 
subject  by  Grashof,  and  Gurlitt  in  the  Studien  und 
Kritiken  for  1833  and  1834  ;  Tholuck  in  his  Aliscella- 
nies,  1839  ;  Nitzsch,  St/stern  dcr  chrisflichen  Lehre,  etc., 
and  with  a  historical  appendix  on  tlie  terrible  end  of 
Francesco  Spiera).*  "  In  all  the  legislations  of  an- 
tiquity, a  distinction  was  made  between  inexpiable 
and  expiable  transgressions.  Blasphemy  of  the  Di- 
vine name  belonged  to  the  former  class.  If,  there- 
fore, there  was  au}"thing  inexpiable  and  unpardonable 
under  the  New  Testament  dispensation,  blasphemy 
would  naturally  be  the  Old  Testament  symbol  of  it. 
Nor  can  there  be  any  doubt  that  the  Lord  had,  in  this 
respect,  warned  His  hearers  against  the  sin  of  blas- 
phemy ;  at  the  same  time  distinguishing  various  de- 
grees of  it  (Matt.  xii.  31  ;  Mark  iii.  28 ;  Luke  xii. 
10).  More  especially  do  we  gather  from  the  Gospel 
of  Mark,  that  Jesus  here  intended  to  deflne  more  ac- 
curately, or  to  give  a  more  correct  explanation  of,  the 
law  of  Moses,  in  Lev.  xxiv.  In  that  passage,  a  pun- 
ishment was  denounced  (ixzjn  Nii^)  against  any 
blasphemy  of  the  Deity  (C"^n'bx  b^j:?),  while  the 
punishment  of  death  was  awarded  to  express  blas- 
phemy of  '  ■'"CO  .  This  distinction  between  sim- 
ply punishable  and  absolutely  unpardonable  blasphe- 
my ('ca/foAoyia,  1  Sam.  iii.  13,  Sept.),  was  explained 
by  the  Saviour,  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  in  the  sense 
that  the  pardonable  sin  consisted  in  blasphemy  against 
Elohim,  while  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  He  applied 
it  to  blasphemy  against  the  Divine  Messenger,  or 
the  Son  of  Man.  In  Ijoth  Gospels,  however,  the  un- 
pardonable blasphemy  against  the  name  of  Jehovah, 
is  further  explained  as  being  the  blasphemy  against 
the  Holy  Spirit.  We  cannot,  therefore,  see  sufficient 
ground  for  the  view  advocated  by  Olshausen  in  his 
Commentary,  that  there  were  three  degrees  in  the  sin 
of  blasphemy — that  against  the  Father,  that  against 
the  Son,  and,  finally,  that  against  the  Holy  Spirit." 
(Nitzsch,  Si/stem.,  etc.,  p.  200.)  The  following  dog- 
matical points  seem  to  us  of  special  importance  :  (1) 
From  its  very  nature,  every  sm  tends  toward  blas- 
phemy, and  every  blasphemy  toward  blasphemy 
against  the  Holy  Spirit.  (2)  It  is  unscriptural  to 
identify  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit  with  sin 
against  the  Holy  Spirit.f  This  mistake  has  given 
rise  to  much  distress  of  mind,  and  should  be  careful- 


*  [Com p.  also  Julius  Mullee  :  "Die  christliche  Lehre 
von  der  Sunde,  3(1  ed.,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  .«e-;nnd  vol- 
ume. An  English  translation  of  this  profound  and  impor- 
tant work  by  Wm.  Pulsfoep  (The  Christian  Doctrine  of 
Siti  exhibited)  appe.'ired  at  Edinburgh,  1S52,  as  a  part  of 
Clark"s  Foreign,  Library.— V.  S.) 

t  [In  the  wider  sense  every  sin  of  the  believer  who  has 
experienced  the  power  and  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  may 
be  called  a  sin  a^'ainst  the  Holy  Spirit,  althougli  far  from 
approaching  the  nature  and  guilt  of  blasphemy.  The  Scrip- 
ture speaks  of  qnenchine  the  Spirit,  1  Tliess.  v.  19,  grieving 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  Eph.  iv  80,  resistins  the  same,  Acts 
vii.  51,  and  vexing  him,  Isa.  Ixiii.  10;  but  all  these  sins  are 
Still  within  the  reach  of  pardon.     M.  Heney  :  "  It  is  not  all 


ly  avoided.*  (3)  Accordingly,  we  must  reject  as  un- 
satisfactory and  dangerous  the  patristic  and  other 
specifications  of  this  sin  as  if  it  referred  to  rejection 
of  the  gospel  (Gnosticism,  according  to  Irenaeus),  or 
to  denial  of  the  divinity  of  Christ  (Athanasius  and 
Hilarius),  or  to  every  mortal  sin  committed  after  bap- 
tism (Origen),  or  "  duriiia  cordis  usque  ad  finem  hu- 
jus  vitce,'^ — meaning  thereby  every  impenitent  death 
in  the  judgment  of  the  Church  (Augustine),  or  to  the 
sin  of  the  Pharisees,  as  recorded  in  the  text  (as  some 
modern  interpreters  have  it).  (4)  A  complete  com- 
mission of  this  sin  can  scarcely  be  conceived,  since 
the  Holy  Spirit  would  withdraw  His  manifestations 
from  the  blasphemer ;  and  the  latter  would  be  stag- 
gered, being  unable  always  to  perceive  the  presence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God.  (Hence  the  view  of  H.  L.  Nitzsch 
the  elder  is  not  without  a  measure  of  truth  :  de  pec- 
cato  homini  cavendo,  quamquam  in  hominem  non 
cadente.  Viteb.  1802.)  (5)  StiU,  according  to  the 
statement  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  thing,  a  man  may  approach  most  closely  to  thia 
sin,  even  to  the  insuring  of  his  own  certain  condem- 
nation. (G)  Consequently,  this  state  must  be  regard- 
ed as  a  hardening  of  the  mind,  which  leads  to,  and 
manifests  itself  in,  blasphemies.  But  we  cannot  agree 
with  Grashof  and  Tholuck,  in  regarding  this  state  as 
pure  hatred  against  what  is  holy;  nor  yet  with 
Nitzsch,  as  decided  deadness  and  complete  indiffer- 
ence. We  conceive,  with  Schaff,  that  these  two  ele- 
ments are  here  combmed,  since  it  is  nnpossible  to  hate 
the  true  life  without  complete  deadness,  or,  on  the 
other  hand,  to  be  completely  dead  to  the  true  life 
without  hating  it.  (7)  It  is  necessary  to  bear  in  mind 
that,  following  the  example  of  the  Lord,  this  warn- 
ing must  be  cautiously  handled.  He  only  employed 
it  at  a  season  of  extreme  peril,  and  in  the  prospect 
of  that  sin.  Heubner :  "  The  Holy  Spirit  is  referred 
to  in  the  text  more  operative  than  personaliter,  as  a 
Divine  principle,  working  on  the  heart  of  man  in  the 
way  of  awakening,  rousing,  and  urging  them,  of  all 
which  man  is  conscious."  Still  the  complete  revelation 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  includes  also  that  of  His  personal 
glory ;  and  blasphemy  against  what  is  holy  is  close- 
ly aUied  to  blasphemy  against  the  Person  of  the  Spirit. 
Compare,  however,  the  instructive  communications 
of  Heubner,  p.  170  sqq.,  on  this  question. 

4.  Neither  in  this  world,  nor  in  the  world  to  come, 
ver.  32. — De  Wette:  "The  expression  is  evidently 
equivalent  to  never,  in  the  absolute  sense,  no  matter 
whether  we  understand  the  terms  6  ulwv  6  fxeWwv  of 
the  kingdom  of  Messiah  and  of  eternity,  or  only  of  the 
latter.  But,  in  order  to  deduce  from  it  the  eternity 
of  future  punishments  (Olshausen),  we  would  require 
to  take  the  words  of  Jesus  in  their  strict  literality, 
while  they  are  evidently  a  proverbial  expression  {see 
Wetstein).  The  mild  Chrysostom  saw  nothing  in 
them  beyond  the  idea  of  highest  guilt, — or,  perhaps, 
more  correctly,  difficulty  of  amendment."  f — But  what 

speaking  against  the  person  or  essence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  or 
some  of  Hi.f  more  private  operations,  or  merely  the  resisting 
of  His  internal  working  in  the  sinner  himself,  that  is  here 
meant;  for  who  then  should  be  saved  t  "—P.  S.l 

*  The  common  reply  to  such  doubts  is  well  known.  It 
is  to  the  effect,  that  he  who  is  guilty  of  the  sin  against  the 
Holy  Spirit  would  not  feel  sorrow  for  it;  and  that  the  fact 
of  such  sorrow  is  itself  an  evidence  that  this  sin  has  not  been 
committed.  [So  also  M.  llcnry  in  loo. :  "Wo  have  reason 
to  think,  that  none  are  guilty  of  this  sin,  who  believe  that 
Christ  is  the  Stm  of  God,  anA  sincerely  desire  to  have  part 
in  His  merit  and  mercy:  and  those  who  fear  they  have  com- 
mitted this  sin,  give  a  good  sign  that  they  have  not."— P.  S.] 

t  [In  the  same  way  even  ■Wobdswoeth  weakens  the 
force  ot  ov  K  a(pedr}a-€T  ai:  "is  very  vnlikehj  to  ob- 
tain forgiveness."    He  quotes  from  Augustine,  Retract,  i. 


228 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


if  this  difficulty  were  here  declared  absolute,  or 
amounting  to  an  impossibility  ?  Nor  must  we  lose 
sight  of  the  fact,  that  there  can  be  nothing  general 
or  unmeaning  in  a  declaration  v/hich  contains  some 
most  important  dogmatic  distinctions.  The  follow- 
ing ideas  are  evidently  liud  down  in  it :  (1)  In  every 
sin  there  is  hope  of  pardon,  except  in  this, — tlie  blas- 
phemy against  the  Holy  Spirit.  (2)  Pardon  may  be 
accorded  in  the  world  to  come,  as  well  as  in  tliis 
world.  Comp.  1  Pet.  iii.  19  ;  iv.  6.  (3)  There  is  no 
pardon  either  in  this  world,  or  in  the  world  to  come, 
for  blasi)liemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit.  (4)  To  blas- 
pheme against  the  Son  of  Man,  is  to  approximate  to 
this  sin  ;  but  in  how  far  and  how  closely,  the  Lord 
does  not  warrant  us  to  say.  (5)  The  decision  as  to 
the  amount  of  difference  between  the  damnable  ap- 
proximntion  to  tlie  sin  of  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  that  sin  itself,  belongs  to  God  alone,  who 
rules  both  in  this  world  and  in  that  which  is  to  come. 
(6)  Even  an  approximation  to  this  sin  leads  to  corre- 
sponding punisliment  in  this  world.  (7)  It  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  that  this  sin  should  be  described 
as  one  manifesting  itself  in  a  completely  hardened 
state  of  mind,  ;md  in  analogous  outward  expressions. 
This  may  be  popularly  explained  as  follows :  God 
cannot  forgive  this  sin,  because  it  consists  in  perfect 
hardening  and  impenitence ;  and  therefore  iu'dl  He 
not  forgive  it.  True,  such  hardening  is  itself  a  judg- 
ment of  God ;  yet  in  the  sense  that  its  guilt  arises 
from,  and  depends  upon,  the  moral  state  of  man,  and 
not  on  any  fate  or  decree  connected  with  time,  place, 
or  anything  that  is  external. 

[The  importance  of  the  subject  justifies  and  de- 
mands some  remarks,  explanatory  and  cautionary,  on 
the  second  inference  of  Dr.  Lange  from  ver.  32,  con- 
cerning the  remission  of  sins  in  ilie  future  worlds  since 
it  runs  contrary  to  the  old  Protestant  doctrine,  and 
the  prevailing  views  of  the  Anglo-American  churches. 

St.  Augustine  was  the  first,  I  believe,  who  clearly 
and  decidedly  drew  this  inference  from  the  passage, 
De  Civil.  Dei,  xxi.  24  (Opera  ed.  Beued.  vol.  vii.  p.  642 
sq.)  :  "  Sicut  etiam  facta  resurrcctione  mortuorum 
non  deerunt  quihus  poi^t  poenas,  quas  patiuniur  spiri- 
tus  mortuorum,  impertiatur  misericordia,  ut  in  ignem 
non  mittantur  ceternum.  Neque  enim  de  quibusdam 
veraciter  diceretur,  quod  7ion  eis  remittatur  neque  in 
hoc  sceculo,  neque  infuturo  (Matt.  xii.  32),  nisi  essent 
quibus,  etsi  non  in  isto,  tamen  remittetur  infuturo?'' 
Since  that  time,  this  passage,  together  with  1  Cor.  iii. 
15  (ai/Ttis  5e  ffcadvcreTai,  ovTws  8e  ais  5  i  o  tt  u  - 
p  6  $),  has  been  often  quoted  by  fathers,  schoolmen, 
and  modern  Roman  divines,  in  favor  of  the  doctrine 
of  purgatory,  and  a  proljationary  state  after  death. 
Compare  Maldonatus  ad  he.  :  "  Ccctcrum  recte  Au- 
gustinus  et  Gregorius,  Beda,  Bernardus,  ex  hoc  loco 
purgatorium  prohaverunt,  ....  colligentes  aliqua  in 
futuro  sceculo  peccata  remitti."  Several  modern 
Protestant  commentators  of  Germany,  including  01s- 
hausen  (vol.  i.  460,  in  Kendrick's  edition,  who  lets  it 

19:  '■'■  De  nullo  quamvis  pessimo  in  hac  vita  desperdndum 
estV  This  is  true  enough,  because  we  never  know  whether 
a  man  has  committe<i  the  unpardonable  sin,  and  we  must  go 
on  the  assumption  that  he  has  not.  The  only  hopeless  case 
was  that  of  Judas  after  Christ  Himself  with  His  infallible 
knowledge  ha<l  called  him  the  son  of  pei-(Jition^  for  whom  it 
were  better  never  to  have  been  born.  Meyer  (p.  268,  note) 
correctly  observes:  "The  eternity  of  punishment  here  taught 
is  not  to  be  explained  away  and  changed  into  'difficulty  of 
amendment'  (de  Wette),  or  reduced  to  the  milder  conception 
of  the  highest  degree  of  guilt  (Chrysostom),  or  greatest  difli- 
ciilty  of  forgiveness  (Socinians),  and  such  like."  Whedon: 
"  It  is  diflicult  to  say  in  what  words  the  eternity  of  retribu- 
tion could  be  more  unequivocally  expressed." — P.  S.] 


pass  without  protest),  find  a  similar  idea  implied  in 
this  declaration  of  our  Lord,  but  they  divest  it,  of 
course,  of  the  Romish  figment  of  purgatory. 

The  Roman  system,  according  to  the  principle : 
extra  ecclcsiam  (Bomavam)  nulla  salus,  hopelessly 
condemns  to  hell  all  unbaptized  persons,  including 
children,  though,  of  course,  with  different  degrees  of 
punishment,  according  to  the  measure  of  guilt  {see 
Dante's /w/erwo),  and  confines  the  second  probation  of 
purgatory  exclusively  to  imperfect  Christians,  who  are 
too  good  for  hell  and  too  bad  for  heaven,  and  conse- 
quently must  pass  after  death  through  a  tedious  and 
painful  process  of  penances  and  self-purifications  be- 
Ibre  tlieir  final  entrance  into  heaven.  The  modern 
German  Protestant  opinion  in  its  evangelical  form, 
starting  from  the  idea  of  the  absolute  justice  and  uni- 
versal love  of  God,  maintains  that  Christ  M'ill  ulti- 
mately be  revealed  to  all  human  beings,  and  prove  to 
them,  according  to  their  faith  or  unbelief,  either  a 
savor  of  life  unto  Hfe,  or  of  death  unto  death  ;  that 
there  is  therefore  a  possibility  of  pardon  and  salvation 
in  the  middle  state  between  death  and  the  resurrec- 
tion for  unbaptized  children,  heathen,  and  all  others 
who  die  innocently  ignorant  of  Christ ;  and  that  par- 
don can  be  obtained  there  on  the  same  condition  as 
here,  viz.,  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ  whenever 
He  is  presented  to  them.  This  view  I  defended  my- 
self at  length  in  my  juvenile  work  on  the  Sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  Dr.  Lange  quotes  above  with 
apparent  general  approbation  ;  but  I  based  my  argu- 
ment (if  I  remember  rightly, — for  I  have  no  copy  be- 
fore me  just  now)  not,  as  St.  Augustine  and  Dr. 
Lange  do,  on  an  inference  from  the  words :  ovt  i 
i  V  T  9?  /a  €  A  A  o  1/  T  ( ,  but  on  the  doctrine  here 
taught  by  our  Saviour  (vers.  31  and  32),  that  every 
sin,  even  the  greatest,  may  be  forgiven,  except  the 
sin  of  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that  con- 
sequently repentance  and  pardon  become  impossible 
and  condemnation  absolute  only  after  this  blasphemy 
has  been  committed,  which  cannot  be  committed,  it 
seems  to  me,  by  children,  heathen,  or  any  persons 
who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  character  and  ope- 
rations of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Every  sin,  if  obstinately 
persisted  in,  will  ultimately  complete  itself  in  that 
terrible  consummation  of  rebellion  against  God  under 
His  last  and  highest  manifestation  as  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  perpetuate  itself  in  a  hopeless  state  of  absolute 
and  incorrigible  impenitence,  so  that  even  God  Him- 
self cannot  forgive  it  without  overthrowing  the  funda- 
mental law  of  all  forgiveness  and  moral  reform,  viz., 
repentance.  But  before  this  awful  goal  is  reached, 
there  is  still  a  possibiUty  of  repentance,  and  conse- 
quently of  pardon  and  salvation,  and  this  possibility 
extends  to  the  period  of  the  final  judgment  for  ail 
those  who,  without  their  ov/n  guilt,  have  never  been 
brought  into  contact  with  the  gospel  in  this  life. 
This  was  substantially  my  view  as  published  in  Ger- 
many in  1841,  for  which  I  was  charged  with  heresy 
before  the  Sj-nod  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  ui 
America,  in  1846.  And  this  is  substantially  the  view 
of  Dr.  Lange  and  many  of  the  leading  evangeUcal  di- 
vines of  Germany. 

But  the  orthodox  Protestant  divines  of  England, 
Scotland,  and  America  almost  unanimously  reject  the 
whole  idea  of  a  probationary  state  and  the  possibiUty 
of  forgiveness  after  death,  and  deny  that  this  passage 
justifies  any  inference  favorable  to  it.  We  quote 
some  of  the  latest  commentators  on  Matthew.  Al- 
FORD :  "  No  sure  inference  can  be  drawn  from  the 
words  01/T6  4v  T  w  IX  4  Wovr  I  — with  regard  to 
forgiveness  of  sins  in  a  future  state.  ...  In  the  most 


CHAP.  Xn.  22-45. 


229 


entire  silence  of  Scripture  on  any  such  doctrine,  every 
principle  of  sound  interpretation  requires  that  we 
should  hesitate  to  support  it  by  two  difficult  passages 
[he  refers  to  1  Pet.  iii.  19],  in  neither  of  which  does 
the  plain  construction  of  the  words  absolutely  re- 
quire it."  Wordsworth  (who  in  this  case  omits  to 
quote  from  his  favorite  fathers) :  "  Some  have  hence 
inferred  that  sins  not  forgiven  in  this  world  may  be 
forgiven  in  another.  But  this  inference  contradicts 
the  general  teachmg  of  Scripture  (Luke  xvi.  26  ;  John 
ix.  4  ;  Heb.  iii.  13;  ix.  27).  .  .  .  The  phrase  taken 
together  signifies  nunquam,  and  is  a  Hebraism  found 
in  the  Talmud."  Owen  :  "  The  whole  expression, 
'  neither  in  this  world,  neither  [710?-]  in  the  world  to 
comc,^  is  beyond  all  question  an  emphatic  never.^^ 
Then  he  contradicts  Olshausen,  and  adds  that  the 
idea  of  the  remission  of  sins  in  the  other  world  "  is 
neither  taught  here,  nor  in  1  Pet.  iii.  18  [19],  and  is 
directly  at  war  with  many  other  passages,  expressly 
declaring  the  immutability  of  the  soul's  condition 
beyond  the  grave." 

As  to  my  present  opinion  on  this  difficult  subject, 
I  freely  confess  that  I  am  not  so  wise  now  in  regard 
to  the  future  fate  of  the  heathen  as  I  thought  I 
was  in  my  twenty-first  year,  when  I  wrote  the  book 
referred  to,  and  consequently  I  would  not  speak  so 
confidently  and  positively.  But  I  still  hold  as  an  ar- 
ticle of  hope  and  charili/  (though  not  of  faith  a,ndpttb- 
lic  doctrine),  that  the  offer  of  salvation,  on  condition 
of  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ,  will  sooner  or 
later  be  made  to  all  human  beings,  and  will  reach, 
in  some  way  and  manner  which  I  camiot  explain, 
those  countless  millions  of  unl^aptized  children  and 
adults  who  constitute  by  far  the  greatest  part  of  the 
human  race,  and  live  and  die  without  any  knowledge 
of  the  Christian  religion.  Why  should  God's  bound- 
less love  in  Christ  not  extend  far  beyond  the  present 
narrow  limits  of  the  visible  Church  on  earth,  when 
even  the  grace  of  God  under  tlie  old  dispensation  ex- 
tended beyond  the  covenant  of  circumcision,  to  such 
persons  as  Slelchisedek  (the  mysterious  priest-king 
and  type  of  Christ !),  Jethro,  Rahab,  Ruth  (the  moth- 
ers of  Christ !),  Hiram,  the  queen  of  Sheba,  Naeman, 
Job  (the  subject  of  the  most  wonderful  poem  of  anti- 
quity), and  the  wise  men  from  the  East  ?  Comp.  John 
i.  5,  9,  10;  Matt.  xi.  21-24;  xii.  41,  42;  xv.  2S  ; 
Acts  X.  35 ;  xiv.  16,  1*7 ;  Rom.  i.  19-21 ;  ii.  27-29  ; 
also  my  History  of  the  Apostolic  Church,  second  Ger- 
man edit.,  p.  146  sqq. ;  Engl,  ed.,  p.  140  sqq.  As 
far  as  children  are  concerned  who  die  in  infancy,  and 
who  constitute  one  half  of  the  human  race,  American 
divines  inchne  decidedly  to  the  opinion  that  they  will 
be  saved,  whether  baptized  or  not ;  but  if  saved  at 
all,  they  cannot  be  saved  on  the  ground  of  their  in- 
nocency,  but  only  on  the  groimd  of  the  atonement  of 
Christ ;  and  this  imphcs,  it  seems  to  me,  that  Christ 
must  in  some  way  and  at  some  period  be  offered  to 
them  and  accepted  by  them  ;  for  the  principle  that 
out  of  Christ  tliere  u  no  salvation,  is  absolutely  funda- 
mental, and  must  be  held  in  all  its  exclusiveness.  All 
the  adults  who  have  in  this  life  enjoyed  and  neglected 
the  oj)portimiiy  of  salvation,  can  expect  no  other  op- 
portunity in  the  future  world,  but  only  a  just  reward 
for  their  unbelief.  And  even  as  to  all  others,  it  may  be 
said  that  the  present  life  is  decisive,  and  determines 
their  final  fate ;  but  their  judgment  will  be  according 
to  the  measure  of  light  and  grace  enjoyed  in  this 
world. 

Accorduigly,  the  difference  of  opinion,  after  mu- 
tual explanation,  is  considerably  narrowed  down,  and 
confined  to  the  future  condition  of  the  heathen  (and 


all  those  who  f;tll  under  ihe  same  category).  This 
condition,  it  must  be  candidly  admitted,  is  not  clearly 
revealed  to  >i3,  and  this  no  doubt  for  good  practical 
reasons.  Everybody  sees  at  once  the  cooling  effect 
whicli  the  teaching  of  the  possible  conversion  of  the 
heathen  in  iha  future  world  must  have  with  i\\Q  pop- 
ular mind  upon  the  work  of  heathen  mission.  This 
whole  subject,  tlierefore,  should  be  treated  with  all 
due  caution  and  reserve.  We  may  have  our  private 
theological  opinions  on  it,  but  m'c  have  no  right  to 
preach  them  from  the  pidpit ;  we  may  hope  and  pray 
that  the  Gentiles  may  be  saved ;  but  it  would  be 
wrong  and  dangerous  to  teach  it  as  an  article  of  faith. 
We  must  admire  the  wisdom  of  God  in  the  silence  of 
Scripture  as  well  as  in  its  teaching. — P.  S.] 

IIOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Opposite  effects  produced  by  the  glorious  mani- 
festations of  the  Lord,  in  those  who  are  susceptible, 
and  in  those  who  are  opposed  to  Him:  1.  Admira- 
tion, indignation;  2.  confession,  praise  —  rejection 
and  blasphemy;  or,  recognition  of  the  power  and 
majesty  of  God,  and  reviling  of  the  Divine  revelation 
as  the  power  of  Satan. — The  healing  of  one  most 
fully  pos''"ssed  by  an  unclean  spirit,  more  easy  than 
the  recovery  of  a  hypocrite. — It  argues  a  devil- 
ish mind  to  represent  as  satanic  what  is  Divine. — 
Marks  of  the  devilish  cunning  of  the  wicked :  1. 
They  impute  this  cunning  to  the  Holy  One ;  2.  they 
surrender  themselves  to  this  cunning;  3.  they  are 
ensnared  by  the  cunning  of  the  Evil  One  without  be- 
ing aware  of  it. — The  wicked  artifice  which  attempts 
to  represent  that  which  is  holy  as  an  artifice,  is  itself 
the  prey  of  the  worst  artifice. — Christ  victorious  over 
the  calimmy  of  His  opponents :  1.  In  His  defence ; 

2.  in  His  justification  and  manifestation  of  Himself; 

3.  in  His  accusation  of  the  Pharisees ;  4.  in  His 
v/arning. — The  consequences  of  sm. — In  what  sense 
can  Satan  be  said  to  have  a  kingdom  ? — Christ  the 
Almighty  One,  who  has  bound  the  strong  man. — Any 
power  which  the  Evil  One  wields  here,  belongs  not 
to  him  of  right,  but  is  usurped  and  arrogated. — Un- 
clean spirits  envying  and  grieving  at  the  happiness 
of  man. — Solemn  effect  on  His  people  in  the  world, 
to  the  last  day,  of  the  indignation  of  Christ,  occasion- 
ed by  the  charge,  that  He  carried  on  His  work  in 
conjunction  with  Satan. — The  great  hour  of  decision 
between  Christ  and  Israel:  1.  How  awful;  2.  how 
solemn ;  3.  how  glorious. — The  watchword  of  the 
Lord  :  For  Me,  or  against  Me. — Agreement  between 
these  two  watchwords :  he  that  is  not  with  Me,  etc., 
and  he  that  is  not  against  us,  etc. — It  may  have  been 
possible  not  to  recognize  the  Son  of  Man  in  the  form 
of  a  servant,  but  it  is  not  possible  wholly  to  ignore  in 
our  consciousness  the  Holy  Spirit  in  His  glory. — 
Tlie  Holy  Spirit  glorifies  the  Son  of  Man,  and  makes 
the  cause  of  Christ  His  cause. — The  sin  of  prejudice 
akin  to,  yet  different  from,  the  sin  of  conscious  re- 
jection of  what  is  holy:  1.  In  its  motive ;  2.  in  its 
consciousness  ;  3.  in  its  object ;  4.  in  its  effects. 

Blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit.  1.  In  its 
source  :  (a)  sin  in  general ;  (6)  blasphemy  in  general. 

2.  In  its  gradual  manifestation :  blasphemy  of  what 
is  divine,  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  the  fonn  of  a  servant. 

3.  In  its  completion :  blasphemy  against  the  highest 
revelation  of  (iod  in  our  consciousness,  or  against  the 
Spirit  of  the  gospel  which  had  roused  the  conscience. 
— A  warning  figure  of  that  sin  in  all  its  fulness,  and 
of  complete  comh  mnation. — The  sin  of  the  satanic 
consequence  of  pride,  when  man  hardens  his  mind 


230 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


against  the  Sun  of  highest  revelation,  whose  rays  pen- 
etrate into  it. — Spiritual  suicide,  or  the  sin  unto  death 
(I  John  v.),  the  end  of  one  of  two  ways:  1.  Of  hard- 
eninp;;  2.  of  apostasy. — How  the  warning  against 
blasphemy  is  to  be  applied  by  the  children  of  God  :  1. 
Each  one  is  to  beware  of  it ;  2.  it  is  not  to  be  imputed  to 
any  one ;  3.  the  tendency  to  judge  others  would  lead 
to  an  oppo.site  course  of  conduct.  (For  example,  the 
Pharisees  have  committed  it,  but  we  cannot  commit 
it;  heretics,  etc.,  but  we  the  orthodox,  etc.;  those 
beyond  the  pale,  etc.,  but  we  the  priests,  etc. ;  our  op- 
ponents, etc.,  but  we  who  are  in  the  right,  etc.) — 
Christ  is  always  the  same ;  and  the  glorious  charac- 
teristics of  the  gospel  appear  even  when  He  speaks 
of  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit. — All  manner 
of  sin  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men. 

The  tree  is  known  by  his  fruit. — If  we  cannot  ; 
condemn  the  fruii,  we  should  not  condemn  the  tree. 
— If  we  cannot  praise  the  fruit,  we  should  not  com-  ! 
mend  the  tree. — How  men  may  become  a  generation  | 
of  vipers  in  their  relationship  toward  the  kingdom  [ 
of  God. — Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  I 
mouth  speaketh. — A  man's  words  as  indicating  his 
inward  state:  1.  As  being  its  fruit;.  2.  as  being  its  j 
spiritual  coinage  ;  3.  as  being  a  decisive  deed. — The  j 
account  demanded  of  every  idle  word. — How  our  justi- 
fication or  condemnation  may  depend  on  the  fugitive  I 
texture  of  our  words. — Hypocrisy  ever  betraying  it-  i 
self  by  the  base  coin  of  its  words. — Spiritual  forgery 
the  worst,  and  therefore  the  most  unpardonable,  fraud  : 
upon  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

The  demand  of  a  sign  from  heaven,  made  on  the  | 
Lord  of  heaven,  a  sign  of  unbelief  and  hardening. —  I 
The  sign  of  the  Messiah  from  the  deep,  the  highest  [ 
sign  from  heaven. — Jonas  a  type  of  Christ. — Devout 
heathens  the  strongest  witnesses  against  hypocritical  i 
Christians. — The  queen  of  the  south  ;  or,  holy  long- 
ing in  those  who  inhabit  the  dark  places  of  the  earth. 
— A  greater  than  Jonah  is  here,  and  a  greater  than 
Solomon ;    or,  Christ,  the  man  of  sorrows  and  the 
Lord  of  glory,  in  both  respects  surpassing  all  others  : 
or,  the  glory  of  the  New  Testament ;  or,  the  com- 
bined glory  of  the  preaching  of  repentance  and  of 
the  doctrine  of  life,  of  deed  and  of  word  ;  or,  the  Lord 
going  to  those  who  are  distant,  and  those  who  are 
distant  coming  to  Him. — Hardening,  a  sevenfold  pos- 
-The  hardening  of  Israel. — Those  who  are  '• 
against  their  will,  in  a  much  better  condi-  I 
tion  than  those  who  voluntarily  surrender  themselves  j 
to  be  the  mstruments  of  unclean  spirits. — The  worst 
devils  are  those  who  pretend  to  be  the  most  spiritual.  ! 
— Lamentable  condition  of  an  individual,  but  espe-  \ 
cially  of  a  nation,  which  renounces  and  contravenes  ■ 
its  spiritual  experiences, — The  signs  of  an  evil  gen-  i 
eration.  . 

Starke : — The  tyranny  of  Satan  is  great ;  for  he  1 
deprives  man  both  of  the  natural  and  spiritual  gifts  j 
bestowed  upon  him. — Hcdingcr  :  Christ  came  into  I 
the  world  that  He  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  \ 


devil,  1  John  iii.  8. — Is  Satan  a  king  who  has  a 
mighty  kingdom;  then  who  would  not  beware  of 
him  ? — Christ  alone  is  able  to  destroy  the  kingdom 
of  Satan,  Acts  x.  38.— Where  the  Spirit  of  God  is, 
j  there  also  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  Rom.  xiv.  17. — 
What  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial  ?  2  Cor.  vi.  15. 
— Majus  :  The  divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit  appears 
also  from  this,  that  the  sin  against  Hun  is  unpardon- 
able, Heb.  iii.  10,  11. — Osiander  :  Ministers  should 
speak  with  caution  of  the  sin  against  the  Son  of  Man, 
and  of  that  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  lest  tender  con- 
sciences be  frightened  and  cast  down. —  Quesnel : 
The  resurrection  of  Christ  the  greatest  miracle,  and 
the  seal  of  His  mission,  1  Cor.  xv.  16. — The  example 
of  the  Ninevites. —  Canstein  :  Those  who  are  nearest 
to  the  gospel  often  despise  it  most;  but  thereby 
they  condemn  themselves,  so  that  they  are  without  ex- 
cuse, Heb.  ii.  2. — Hcdinger  :  Away,  false  security ; 
though  driven  out,  the  devil  may  return  in  greater 
force. — Let  him  who  has  escaped  take  care  lest  he  be 
ensnared  again. — Those  who  invite  the  devil  to  take 
them,  garnish  the  house  of  their  heart  for  his  recep- 
tion.— The  more  frequently  man  resists  the  grace  of 
God,  the  worse  does  he  become,  2  Pet.  ii.  22. 

Lisco : — TJie  Ninevites:  There  only  a  prophet, 
but  here  the  Son  of  God  Himself;  there  only  a  call 
to  repentance,  but  here  the  announcement  of  mercy, 
and  the  gift  of  grace  to  repentance ;  there  repent- 
ance, here  impenitence,  and  hence  the  punishment 
which  they  escaped  by  their  penitence,  Luke  xi.  32. 
—  The  queen  of  the  south:  She  came  from  a  far 
country,  despite  the  difficulties  in  the  way,  while  here 
they  reject  what  is  pressed  on  their  acceptance ;  yon- 
der longing  and  faith,  here  satiety  and  unbelief; 
yonder  Solomon,  here  Christ,  with  His  infinite  wis- 
dom. 

Gerlach  : — A  man's  words  are  the  evidence  on 
which  he  is  to  be  tried  before  God. 

Heuhner  : — One  stronger  must  come,  viz.,  Christ, 
by  whom  we  can  do  all  things. — Neutrality  in  matters 
of  religion  and  of  faith,  will  receive  the  severest  con- 
demnation.— Sin  a  poison. — The  heart  and  the  mouth 
caimot  be  separated. — The  mouth  betrays  the  heart. 
— An  evil  treasure  a  wretched  possession. — A  good 
treasure  is  inexhaustible. 

[Wordsworth  (on  the  sign  of  Jonah,  ver.  39, 
40) : — Here  is  an  observable  instance  of  the  uses  of 
the  Gospels  in  confirming  the  Old  Testament.  By 
this  specimen  of  Divine  exposition,  our  Lord  suggests 
the  belief,  that  whatever  we  may  now  find  in  the  0. 
T.  difficult  to  be  understood,  will  one  day  be  explain-  o 
ed,  and  perhaps  be  seen  to  be  prophetic  and  typical 
of  the  greatest  mysteries  of  the  gospel ;  and  that  in 
the  mean  time  it  is  an  exercise  of  their  faith  and 
a  trial  of  their  humility, — a  divinely-appointed  instru- 
ment of  their  moral  probation.  And  it  is  because 
they  are  strange  and  marvellous,  that  such  histories 
as  those  of  Jonah  and  Balaam  are  the  best  tests  of 
the  strength  of  our  faith. — P.  S.] 


4.  Even  the  mother  and  the  brethren  of  Jesus  now  hesitate.  But  this  hesitation  affords  the  Lord  an  oppor- 
tunity of  calling  attention  to  His  spiritual  and  royal  generation,  in  which  they  also  were  included.  Ch. 
Xn,  46-50. 

(Mark  iii.  31-35  ;  Luke  viii.  19-21.) 

46  While  he  yet  talked  to  the  people,  behold,  his  mother  and  his  brethren  [brothers] ' 

47  stood  [were  standing]  without,- desiring  [seeking]^  to  speak  with  him.     Then  one  said 


I 


CHAP.  Xn.  46-50. 


231 


unto  him,   Behold,   thy  mother  and  thy  brethren    [brothers]    stand  without,   desiring 

48  [seeking]  to  speak  with  thee.     But  he  answered  and  said  unto  him  tliat  told  him.  Who 

49  is  my  mother  ?  and  who  are  my  brethren  [brothers]  ?     And  he  stretched  forth  his  hand 

50  toward  [upon,  eTrt'j  his  disciples,  and  said,  Behold  my  mother  and  my  brethren  !  For 
whosoever  shall  do  the  will'  of  my  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven,  tiie  same  is  my 
brother,  and  sister,  and  mothf.'r. 

'  Ter.  46. — [The  E.  Aversions,  from  Wiclifs  down  to  the  Authorized,  render  aSeKipoi;  hrfthren,  even  where  It  signi- 
fies natural  relationship,  as  here,  Matt.  1.  2  (Judah  and  his  brethren);  ii.  11;  iv.  IS;  xiii.  55,  and  many  other  passages,  so 
that  the  term  brothers  nowhere  occurs  in  our  Engl.  Bible.  But  present  usage  confines  the  word  brethren  to  moral  and 
spiritual  relationship.  Worcester  :  '•  The  word  brothers  denotes  persons  of  the  same  family  ;  the  word  brethren  persons 
of  the  same  society;  but  the  latter  is  now  little  used,  e.xcept  in  theology  or  in  the  solemn  style."— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  46.— [ZrjT  0  Oi'T  e  s.  Lange  adds  in  small  type:  with  vain  effort.  Comp.  Luke  viii.  19,  who  says,  they 
"could  not  come  at  him  for  the  preas."— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  46.  While  He  yet  talked  to  the  people 

(multitudes,  6  x^  o  is),  etc. — The  transaction  prob- 
ably occurred  at  Capernaum,  in  some  public  place 
near  to  a  synagogue  (Mark  iii.  20,  21).  Tlie  words, 
they  were  standing  without,  only  imply  that  the 
Lord  was  surrounded  l>y  a  dense  crowd  of  people, 
and  that  His  mother  and  brothers  stood  outside  of  it. 
But  it  clearly  shows  that  Christ  was  not  in  a  house. 
His  mother  and  His  brothers  now  appear,  seeking  in 
vain  to  speak  to  Him.  The  event  is  more  fully  re- 
corded in  the  Gospel  according  to  Mark.  The  occa- 
sion v,as  as  follows :  The  news  spread  through  Caper- 
naum with  great  rapidity,  that  Jesus  had,  in  presence 
of  all  the  people,  broken  with  the  pharisaical  party  ; 
that  He  had  been  condemned  by  His  enemies,  against 
whom  He  had  denounced  the  most  awful  judgments, 
and  who  were  now  encompassing  His  death.  The 
crowd  of  heartless,  worldly-wise  poUticians  would 
add,  m  the  complacency  of  their  own  wisdom,  that  it 
was  madness  to  risk  such  a  conflict.  Probably  it 
was  soon  suggested  that  He  must  be  beside  Himself. 
These  reports  would  speedily  reach  His  family,  and 
alarm  them  not  a  little.  We  may  either  assume  that 
they  were  now  really  staggered  as  to  His  position, 
and  that  they  really  believed  that  He  was  beside 
Himself,  and  that  it  was  their  duty  to  prevent  fur- 
ther exposures  (Olshauscn).  But  in  that  case,  their 
state  of  mind  were  deplorable  indeed.  On  the  other 
hand,  however,  we  may  also  assume  that  from  pru- 
dential motives  they  pretended  to  credit  the  popular 
rumor,  in  order,  under  this  pretext,  to  withdraw  Him 
from  a  danger  which  in  their  judgment  He  did  not 
sufficiently  appreciate.  In  our  opinion,  there  are  suf- 
ficient grounds  for  adopting  the  latter  view.  They 
do  not  press  through  the  crowd,  nor  lay  violent  hands 
on  Him  ;  they  send  a  respectful  message,  and  patient- 
ly await  His  answer.  Besides,  we  find  that  some 
tune  afterward  the  brothers  of  Jesus  arc  not  of  opin- 
ion that  He  should  not  work  at  all,  but  rather  ask 
Him  to  transfer  the  scene  of  His  operations  from 
Galilee  to  Judea,  and  openly  to  come  forward  before 
aU  the  world  (John  vii.  1,  etc.).  In  this  light  the 
conduct  of  His  family  must  be  viewed.  Their  unbe- 
lief consists  not  in  doubting  Him,  but  in  imagining 
that  it  was  theirs  to  preserve  and  direct  Him  by  their 
worldly  policy.  Meyer  is  therefore  mistaken  when 
he  maintains  that  the  mother  of  Jesus  was,  at  the 
time,  not  decided  in  her  faith.  Such  instances  as 
tlie  later  suggestion  of  His  brothers  (John  vii.  1), 
the  history  of  Peter  (Matt.  xvi.  33),  that  of  Thomas 
(John  XX.),  nay,  that  of  all  the  disciples,  prove  that 
during  the  period  of  spiritual  development  prior  to 
the  Feast  of  Pentecost,  there  were  seasons  when  even 


!  believers  might  for  a  time  be  unbelieving,  i.  e.,  self- 
1  willed,  and  deficient  in  the  spirit  of  full  surrender 
I  to  Christ.  The  announcement  of  the  mother  of 
Jesus  led  to  that  exclamation  of  a  woman  in  the 
crowd  recorded  in  Luke  xi.  27.  Manifestly  the  cir- 
cumstances are  identical — in  both  cases  we  have  the 
simile  about  this  generation,  and  the  demand  of  a 
sign.  When,  by  His  reply.  Who  is  My  mother  ? 
j  Christ  had  overcome  the  temptation  from  that  source, 
He  was  invited  by  one  of  the  Pharisees,  as  stated  in 
Luke  xi.  37.  The  situation  is  explained  in  the  Gos- 
pel of  Mark.  The  crowd  was  so  great,  that  there  was 
no  leisure  so  much  as  to  eat  bread  (ch.  iii.  20) ;  or,  as 
we  understand  it,  quietly  to  return  to  His  home.  A 
Pharisee,  whose  house  was  close  at  hand,  took  occa- 
sion to  invite  the  Lord, — no  doubt  with  a  malicious 
purpose.  No  sooner  had  Christ  sat  down,  than  the 
Pharisee  immediately  reproached  Him  with  omitting 
the  customary  washings.  Probably  the  Pharisees 
present  at  the  meal  were  desirous  of  employing  this 
opportunity  for  their  wicked  devices  against  the  Sa- 
viour. But  the  Lord  addressed  them  in  language  of 
even  more  solemn  and  conclusive  warning  (Luke  xi. 
39) — the  main  ideas  being  afterward  further  devel- 
oped and  applied  in  His  last  address  to  the  Pharisees 
at  Jerusalem.  In  the  midst  of  these  machinations 
of  His  enemies,  vast  multitudes  of  people  gather 
around  (ch.  xii.  1) ;  Jesus  is  soon  restored  to  His  dis- 
ciples ;  He  continues  His  warning  address  against  the 
Pharisees  ;  and  having  refused  a  request  to  settle  a 
dispute  about  an  inheritance  (ch.  xii.  13),  He  betakes 
Himself  to  the  shore  of  the  lake,  where  He  deUvers 
(at  least  some  of)  His  parables  concerning  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  (Matt.  xiii.). 

Ver.  47.  Thy  mother  and  thy  brothers.— 
Meyer  holds  that  the  latter  expression  implies  that 
they  were  His  uterine  brothers ;  but  an  analogous 
argument  might  be  derived  from  the  term,  father,  in 
Luke  ii.  48.  The  only  legitimate  inference  from  the 
Jewish  use  of  language  is,  that  they  were  His  legal 
brothers,  no  matter  whether  they  were  uterine  or 
merely  adoptive  brothers. ,  For  the  arguments  in  fa- 
vor of  the  latter  view,  we  refer  to  the  article  Jacobus, 
in  Herzog's  Real  Encyclop."^ 

*  [There  aie  not  two,  but  three  different  views  on  the 
four  brothers  of  Christ,  James,  Joseph,  Simon,  and  Judaa 
(sisters  also  are  mentioned.  Matt.  xiii.  56):  1,  children  of 
Joseph  by  s,  former  marriage,  and  hence  older  half-brothera 
of  Jesus.  So  the  oldest  Greek  tradition.  2,  children  of  Jo- 
seph and  Jt/ary,  and  licnce  younger  full-brothers  of  Jesus. 
So  Tortullian.  llelvidius  (who  already  produced  Matt.  1. 18, 
24,  25;  Luke  ii.  7,  and  other  arguments  in  favor  of  this  view, 
but  was  violently  assailed  by  Jerome  {see  my  History  ofthi 
Christian  Church,  vol.  ii.,  p.  231),  and  a  number  of  modern 
Protestant  divines,  as  Herder,  Stier,  Neander,  Winer,  etc. ; 
8,  children  of  a  sister  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  hence  only 
cousins  of  Jesus.  So  Jerome,  tlu'  lioman  Catholic  and  many 
Protestant  commentators,  among  whom  are  Olshausen  and 


232 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Ver.  49.  Upon  (eVi)  His  disciples. — Here  the 

disciples  in  the  wider  sense.  Jesus  here  places  spir- 
itual above  carnal  ties.  His  relatives  are  set  aside,  in 
as  far  as,  for  the  moment,  they  had  turned  from  the 
obedience  of  discipleship  ;  but  they  are  included,  in 
as  far  as,  by  grace,  they  arc  enabled  to  stand  fast  in 
this  temptation.  Thus  the  Lord  guards  His  position, 
the  sanctity  of  His  calling,  and  the  holy  effect  of  this 
grand  moment,  which  would  have  been  destroyed  by 
worldly  prudence.  At  the  same  time.  He  also  watches 
over  the  faith  of  Plis  mother  and  of  His  disciples,  and 
gives  a  living  example  how  everything  else  is  to  be 
subordinate  to  the  Divine  calling.  Bengel:  Non 
spernit  mafrem,  sed  antepoTiU  patrem. — There  is  noth- 
ing in  the  text  to  warrant  the  supposition  of  Ebrard, 
that  the  announcement  of  His  mother  and  brothers 
was  made  use  of  by  some  cunning  enemies,  in  order 
to  interrupt  His  denunciations ;  nor  in  that  of  Meyer, 
that  in  all  probability  Jesus  did  not  admit  them  to 
His  presence.  But  the  latter  critic  is  right  in  contro- 
verting the  idea  of  Chrysostom,  that  this  message  was 
a  piece  of  ostentation  on  the  part  of  the  relatives  of 
Jesus.  Lisco :  Perhaps  the  presence  of  His  family 
was  announced  for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  one 
who  had  such  humble  relatives  could  not  be  the  Mes- 
siah. But  we  see  nothing  to  warrant  this  view.  Be- 
sides, the  announcement  was  made  at  the  request  of 
the  mother  of  Jesus. 

Ver.  50.  [The  same  is  my  brother,  and  sis- 
ter, and  mother. — Note,  that  Christ  does  not  intro- 
duce the  term,  father,  since  he  had  no  human  father. 
A  hint  of  the^nystery  of  the  supernatural  concep- 
tion.—P.  S.] 

DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  With  the  position  here  assigned  to  the  mother 
of  Jesus,  we  may  contrast  the  decree  of  Pope  Pius 
IX.,  A.  D.  1854,  about  the  Immaculate  Conception  of 
Mary.  Like  John  the  Baptist,  she  wavered — no  doul^t, 
partly  from  unbounded  love  to  her  Son ;  but,  like 
him,  she  was  upheld  by  the  strong  hand  of  Jesus. 
[Alford  :  "  All  these  characteristics  of  the  mother 
of  our  Lord  are  deeply  hiteresting,  both  in  themselves, 
and  as  building  up,  when  put  together,  the  most  de- 
cisive testimony  against  the  fearful  superstition  which 
has  assigned  to  her  the  place  of  a  goddess  in  the 
Romish  mythology.  Great  and  inconceivable  as  the 
honor  of  that  meek  and  holy  woman  was,  we  find 
her  repeatedly  {see  John  ii.  4)  the  olyect  of  rebuke 
from  her  divine  Son,  and  hear  Him  here  declaring, 
that  it  is  one  which  the  humblest  believer  in  Him  has 
in  common  with  her." — P.  S.] 

2.  Gregory  the  Great :  To  announce  the  gospel  is, 
so  to  speak,  to  Ijecomc  the  mother  of  the  Lord  ;  for 
thus  we  bear  Him  anew.  Cornp.  especially  Rev.  xii. 
2.  The  Church,  as  bearing  Christ.  Every  Christian, 
as  priest,  declaring  Christ  and  bearmg  Hun,  figura- 
tively the  mother  of  Christ ;  as  following  Him,  and 
manifesting  the  same  mind.  His  brother ;  as  receiv- 
ing and  receptive.  His  sister.  But  we  must  not  preSs 
the  symbolical   interpretation.     The  terms,  mother, 

Lange.  The  brothers  of  Jesus  are  mentioned  in  the  follow- 
ing passages:  Matt.  xii.  40  (comp.  Mark  iii.  31;  Luke  viii. 
19);  Matt.  xiii.  55,  56  (Mark  vi.  3);  John  ii.  12  ;  vii.  3,  5, 10; 
Acts  i.  14;  1  Cor.  Ix.  5.  I  have  discussed  this  difficult  sub- 
,iect  at  length  in  my  book  on  James,  the  brother  of  our  Lord, 
Berlin,  1842.  Comp.  on  the  literature  Winer  .sub  Jesus  and 
sub  Jacobus,  Meyer  ad  Matt.  xii.  46  (p.  275),  and  my  Exeget. 
Note  on  Matt.  xiii.  55  below.— P.  S.] 


brother,  sister,  signify  the  nearest  relatives,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  spiritual  family  of  Christ. 

[Pope  GuEGORY  says  {Moral,  in  Evang.) :  "  Qui 
Christi  f  rater  est  credendo,  mater  efficitur  prcedican- 
do  ;  quasi  enim  parit  eum  quern  in  corde  audientis  in- 
fudcrit."  Compare  also  the  remarks  of  Chkysostom  : 
"  How  many  women  have  blessed  that  holy  virgin 
and  her  womb,  and  have  desired  to  be  such  a  mother 
as  she  was  !  What  hinders  them  ?  Christ  has  made 
for  us  a  wide  way  to  this  happiness  :  and  not  only 
women,  but  men  may  tread  it ;  the  way  of  obedience, 
this  is  it  which  makes  such  a  mother — not  the  throes 
of  parturition."  Wordsworth:  "There  is  but  one 
true  nobility,  that  of  obedience  to  God.  This  is  great- 
er than  that  of  the  Virgin's  relationship  to  Christ." 
Matthew  Henry  :  "  All  obedient  believers  are  near 
akin  to  Jesus  Christ.  They  wear  His  name,  bea^ 
His  image,  have  His  nature,  are  of  His  family.  He 
loves  them,  converses  freely  with  them  as  his  rela- 
tions. He  bids  them  welcome  to  His  table,  takes 
care  of  them,  provides  for  them,  sees  that  they  want 
nothing  that  is  fit  for  them  ;  when  He  died,  He  left 
them  rich  legacies ;  now  He  is  in  heaven,  He  keeps  up 
a  correspondence  with  them,  and  will  have  them  ill 
to  be  with  Him  at  last,  and  will  in  nothing  fail  to  do 
the  kinsman's  part,  nor  will  ever  be  ashamed  of  His 
poor  relations,  but  will  confess  them  before  men,  be- 
fore the  angels,  and  before  His  Father." — P.  S.] 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Let  us  never  imagine  that  we  can  preserve  the 
cause  of  God  by  worldly  policy. — Sad  state  of  mind 
of  those  who  fancy  they  must  preserve  the  cause  of 
God  by  worldly  artifices  or  other  worldly  means  (the 
staying  of  the  ark,  etc.).  —  The  chosen  handmaid 
wavering  in  the  hour  of  temptation. — Wherein  the 
natural  kindred  of  Jesus  differ  from  His  spiritual 
family.  1.  According  to  His  human  descent,  He 
springs  from  the  former ;  according  to  His  Divine 
dignity  and  mission,  the  latter  springs  from  Him.  2. 
The  former  may  misunderstand  Him ;  the  latter  is 
founded  in  knowledge  of  His  glory.  3.  The  former 
was  saved,  as  belonging  to  the  latter ;  while  the  lat- 
ter occupies  a  place  of  equal  intimacy  and  affection 
with  the  former. — The  Holy  Family  of  Jesus. — Meek- 
ness of  Jesus,  in  that  He  is  willing  to  be  born  in  the 
children  of  His  Spirit. — He  that  doeth  the  will  of  My 
Father,  etc. ;  or,  the  servant  of  God,  Christ's  kins- 
man.— Jesus  the  Saviour  of  Mary, — the  Saviour  of 
all  the  elect. — The  Mighty  One,  who  upholdeth  all 
the  wavering  heroes  of  God. 

Starke  : — Friends  and  relatives  are  ofttimes  in 
needless  anxiety  about  those  near  and  dear  to  them. 
— Puljlic  duty  must  always  take  precedence  of  domes- 
tic obligations. — We  must  not  be  detained  or  hinder- 
ed by  intercourse  even  with  our  best  friends. — Hed- 
inger  : — We  know  not  Christ  after  the  flesh. —  Cra- 
iner  :  By  faith  we  are  as  closely  related  to  Christ  as 
if  we  were  of  His  kindred. —  Osiander  :  Man's  high- 
est nobihty  consists  in  having  been  born  of  God, 
and  being  the  friend  of  Christ,  2  Pet.  i.  4. 

Gerlach  : — The  bonds  of  earthly  affection  must 
be  renounced,  if  they  stand  in  the  way  of  the  progress 
of  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Heubner  : — Care  for  relatives  and  nepotism  have 
made  more  than  one  Eli,  1  Sam.  in.  13. — Behold 
how  wide  the  heart  of  Jesus  is ! 


CHAP.  Xni.  1-51. 


233 


D.  CHRIST  MANIFESTS  HIS  ROYAL  DIGNITY  BY  PRESENTING,  IN  SEVEN  PARABLES, 
THE  FOUNDING  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF  HIS  KINGDOM  THROUGH  ALL  ITS  PHASES, 
FROM  ITS  BEGINNING   TO  ITS  END. 

Chapter  XIII.  1-51. 
(Parallels:  Mark  iv.  1-20,  30-34;  Luke  viii.  4-15 ;  xiii.  18-21.) 

COMTENTS :— The  parable  of  the  sower;  or,  first  parable  concerning  the  kingdom  of  heaven:  its  institution  by  the  "Word. 
The  teaching  of  Jesus  concerning  parables.— Second  parable:  the  tares  among  the  wheat;  or,  the  seed  of  the  Spirit 
and  the  heresies.— Third  parable  :  the  grain  of  mustard-seed ;  or,  the  spread  of  the  Church.— Fourth  parable :  the  wo- 
man and  the  leaven  ;  or,  the  Christianization  and  evangelization  of  the  world.— Fifth  parable  :  the  treasure  hid  in  the 
field ;  or,  invisible  salvation  hid  within  the  visible  Church.— SL-ith  parable :  the  pearl  of  great  price ;  or,  Christianity 
as  the  higliest  spiritual  good  in  the  world.— Seventh  parable :  the  net  full  of  fishes;  or,  the  judgment  which  ushers  in 
the  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 


EXEGETICAL  NOTES  ON  THE  WHOLE  SECTION. 


[LlTEBATUEE  ON   THE    PARABLES. — UnGF.K:   D6  parobo- 

larum  Jesu  witura,  interpreiaiione,  usu.  Lips.,  1S28.  F. 
G.  Lisco  :  The  Parables  of  Jesus,  Berlin,  1S31.  and  later. 
Akndt:  The  Parahles  of  Jesus  Christ  (16  Meditations), 
Magdeb..  lS-t2.  E.  (xri'Swell:  Exposition  of  the  Parables 
and  of  other  paiis  of  the  Gospels,  Lond.,  1S30,  vols.  6 
EicuARD  C'ltENEVis  Tren'ch  (now  archbishop  of  Dublin) : 
Azotes  on  the  Parables  of  our  Lord,  9th  ed..  Lend.,  1863  (a 
former  (.dition  reprinted  in  New  Tork).  A  very  useful  and 
deservedly  popular  book.  Special  Introductory  essays  on 
the  Parable  by  l>r.  Lange  in  Herzog's  Encycl.,  sub  Gleich- 
fiiss  vol  v.,  p.  IS'2  sqq.,  and  another  in  Schneider's 
Deutwhe  Zei^sehrift.  fur  cliri.stl.  Wi.'i.'iensehaff,  etc..  for 
lSo6;  by  Card.  WisemIn  in  his  Misc.  Essays;  by  Dr.  Ger- 
HART  in  the  "Mercersbiirg  Review,''  etc.  Among  the  com- 
mentators of  the  Gospels,  Olsiiausen  and  Stiep.  (  Words  of 
Jesus)  are  especially  rich  on  the  Parables.  For  older  works 
on  the  Parables  and  the  exposition  of  particular  Parables, 
see  Dasz  and  Winer  in  their  Mayiuals  of  Theol.  Liter.,  sub 
•<!&x\sn  Parabel;  Heubnee:  Comment,  on  Matthew,-^.  Vi>\\ 
and  Trencu  :  Notes^  etc.,  pp.  49-1  and  495  (6th  Lond.  ed.). — 
P.  S.] 

1.  The  Evangelist  Matthew  combines  the  seven 
parables  of  the  Lord  concerning  the  development  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  into  a  connected  series,  and 
at  first  siglit  creates  the  impression  that  they  were 
uttered  on  the  same  day.  But  we  must  remember, 
that  on  that  day  Jesus  had  already  been  engaged  in 
another  great  work,  and  that  Matthew  himself  inti- 
mates at  least  two  distinct  pauses  between  the  differ- 
ent parables  (comp.  Mark  iv.  10).  But  according  to 
Mark  (iv.  1  seq. ;  comp.  ver.  35  and  Matt.  viii.  18 
seq.),  three  of  these  parables — that  of  the  sower,  that 
of  the  grain  of  mustard-seed,  and  between  them  the 
beautiful  parable  concerning  the  natural  growth  of 
the  seed — had  been  taught  l)y  Jesus  at  an  earUer 
period,  viz.,  on  the  day  when  He  passed  over  to  Gad- 


ara  and  calmed  the  storm.  Luke  records  the  par- 
able of  the  sower  together  with  the  calming  of  the 
storm  at  sea  somewhat  later  (Luke  viii.  5  seq.  ;"22  seq. ; 
comp.  Matt.  viii.  23  seq.).  Hence  we  must  not  look 
here  for  a  strict  chronological  succession,  while  from 
the  definite  notices  of  Mark  we  infer  that  some  of 
these  parables  had  been  uttered  at  an  earlier  period. 
But  Matthew  had  good  internal  reasons  for  the  prag- 
matic unity  of  his  narrative.  Foremost  among  these 
is  the  motive  which  induced  the  Lord  to  choose  the 
parabolical  form  of  teaching.  This  motive,  which 
had  appeared  at  an  earlier  stage  of  this  history,  be- 
came a  distinct  and  avowed  principle  of  action  when 
the  enmity  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  people  broke 
forth  m  an  undisguised  manner,  and  forced  Him  to 
come  out  with  the  full  doctrme  concerning  the  king- 
dom of  God ;  while  at  the  same  time,  on  account  of 
the  spiritual  decay  of  the  people,  it  could  be  set  forth 
only  in  the  form  of  parables.  Another  motive  which 
helped  to  determine  the  arrangement  adopted  by 
Matthew,  was  the  close  internal  affinity  of  these  seven 
parables,  although  we  cannot,  with  Meyer,  regard  it 
as  necessarily  implying  chronological  succession.  The 
greater  part  of  them  were,  no  doubt,  delivered  on 
one  and  the  same  day  ;  and  it  is  quite  possible  that 
Jesus,  for  the  sake  of  their  connection,  again  repeat- 
ed on  this  occasion  the  parables  which  He  had  pre- 
viously spoken. 

2.  The  omission  of  the  particle  5e  serves  to  give 
additional  force  to  the  expression  in  ver  1.  For,  in 
this  case  we  have  not  merely  a  historical  continua- 
tion ;  the  term  implies  that  on  that  day  the  Lord 
fully  adopted  the  parabolic  mode  of  teaching 


DOCTPvINAL  AND  ETHICAL  IDEAS  ON  THE  PARABLES. 


1.  The  Parables  of  Christ. — As  parables  were 
one  of  the  forms  in  which  the  Lord  conveyed  His 
doctrine,  they  should,  in  the  first  place,  be  studied  in 
connection  with  His  other  methods  of  teaching. 
The  first  and  most  direct  of  these  was  the  simple 
declaration  ov preaching  of  the  gospel,  which  accom- 
panied the  fads  of  the  gospel — such  as  the  procla- 
mation of  the  kingdom  of  God,  of  forgiveness  of  sins, 
the  call  to  discipleship,  the  bestowal  of  a  new  name, 
or  of  power  and  authority,  special  promises,  special 
injuncti'jus,  etc.     When  addressed  to  a  sympathetic 


audience,  this  declaration  of  the  gospel  was  delivered 
in  a  regular,  didactic  maimer,  in  the  form  of  maxims, 
or  gnomes — as,  for  example,  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  The  use  of  proverbs,  gnomes,  or  sententious 
maxims  {tt  ap  o  ifiia,  proverbium,  blTn  ,  which, 
however,  may  also  denote  a  parable),  was  a  favorite 
mode  of  teaching  among  the  Jews,  after  the  example 
of  Solomon  in  the  Book  of  Proverbs.  The  proverb 
is  a  short,  epigrammatic,  pointed  sentence,  frequently 
figurative  Pud  concrete,  occasionally  paradoxical  and 


234 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


hyperbolical,  at  other  times  poetical,  but  always  vivid 
and  sharply  outlined,  so  as  to  presetit  in  a  transpa- 
rent and  significant  form  a  deep,  rich,  and  pregnant 
idea,  whicli  shines  in  the  light  of  truth  and  burns  in 
the  fire  of  personal  ap];)lication — briglit  and  brilliant 
like  a  true  gem.  Ihit  in  dealing  with  individuals,  the 
Saviour  made  use  of  the  didactic  dialogue  (instead  of 
the  formal  declaration),  which  in  the  presence  of 
His  intimate  disciples  assumed  the  form  of  the  most 
direct  address,  at  once  instructing  the  mind  and  mov- 
ing the  heart.  So  especially  in  the  parting  discourses 
of  the  Saviour  as  recorded  by  St.  John.  When,  on 
the  other  hand,  those  before  Him  were  cither  stran- 
gers to  His  word  or  prejudiced  against  it,  the  heaven- 
ly Teacher  made  use  of  similitudes  ov  parables.  Un- 
der special  circumstances,  these  were  extended  into 
parabolical  discozirses, — i.  e.,  discourses  which  as- 
sumed the  form  of  parables,  or  parables  to  which  the 
interpretation  was  added.  Lastly,  when  confronted 
by  enemies  and  accusers,  Christ  adopted  the  method 
of  questioning  (disputation),  following  it  up  by  a  wai-n- 
ing,  or  by  what  would  serve  to  silence  an  opponent — 
the  ultimate  mode  of  dealing  with  such  persons  being 
cither  oi)en  rebuke,  or  else  solemn  testimony.  Final- 
ly, His  silence  also  should  be  ranked  among  the  forms 
of  His  teaching — viewing,  as  we  do,  each  of  them 
not  merely  as  a  speech,  but  as  a  fact. 

The  object  of  the  parables,  therefore,  was  to  pre- 
sent the  truth,  more  especially  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
concerning  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  in  all  its  phases 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  popular  prejudices  of  the 
Jews,  yet  in  a  manner  adapted  to  the  weak  under- 
standing of  a  people  ruled  by  these  errors. 

The  use  of  parables  for  conveying  instruction 
was  very  common  among  Eastern  nations  generally, 
and  more  particularly  among  the  Jews  {see  Judges 
ix.  7 ;  2  Sam.  xii.  1 ;  Isa.  v.  1 ;  Unger,  de  Parabola- 
rum  Jesu  natura,  inierpretatione,  usu,  Lips.  1828). 
The  parable  is  a  species  of  figurative  speech,  bliJ^ 


(which,  however,  comprises  with  the  full  parable  also 
the  parabohc  sentence  and  the  gnome).  Unger  de- 
fines a  parable  as  "  collatio,per  narratiunculamjictarru, 
sed  veri  similcm,  serio  illustrans  rem  sublimiorem.^^ 
Meyer  regards  it  as  "  the  narrative  of  a  fictitious  but 
common  and  natural  occurrence,  for  the  purpose  of 
embodying  and  illustrating  some  doctrine."  But  in 
treating  of  the  parables  of  Scripture,  it  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  enumerate  only  these  outward  characteristics, 
more  especially  as  in  the  Gospel  of  John  the  outward 
and  visible  order  of  thmgs  is  throughout  employed  as 
the  transparent  symbol  of  the  invisible  world,  or  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  This  mode  of  teaching  it- 
self must  have  had  some  special  meaning  and  object, 
and  convey  some  evangelical  truth.  The  parable  is  a 
distinct  outward  reflection  of  spiritual  life,  under  the 
form  of  a  scene  taken  from  real  and  everyday  hfe, 
which,  besides  its  primary  object  of  embodying  some 
particular  lesson,  also  conveys  the  general  truth,  that 
spiritual  hfe  is  capable  of  being  symbolized  and  re- 
flected.* The  real,  though  figurative,  relations  sub- 
sisting between  the  outer  and  the  inner,  the  lower 
and  the  higher  life,  suggest  the  elements  from  which 
the  didactic  and  poetic  parables  were  constructed, 
which  in  turn  were  either  extended  into  parabolic 
discourses  (or  gave  rise  to  them),  or  else  summed  up 
in  parabolic  expressions.  To  illustrate  this,  we  sub- 
mit the  following  Table : — 

*  [Dr.  Trench,  in  tlie  General  Introduction  to  his  Azotes 
on  the  Parables,  instead  of  adding  anotljer  to  the  many  de- 
finilioiis  of  the  parable  already  given  by  the  Greek  fathers 
(comp.  SuicER  :  Thesaurus  s.  v.  irapa^oAv),  by  Jerome, 
by  Benj-'el,  Unger,  Teelmann,  and  other  modern  writers,  pre- 
fers to  explain  its  nature  by  noting  the  dilferences  of  the 
parable  from  thafah/e.  the  myth,  the  proverh,  and  the  al- 
legory. Dr.  Alfoed  like\viso  briefly  distinguishes  the  para 
ble  from  these  kindred  forms  of  composition,  and  then  de- 
fines the  parable,  similarly  as  Unger  and  Meyer,  to  be  "  a 
serious  narration,  within  the  limits  of  probuiility,  of  a 
course  of  action  pointing  to  some  moral  or  spiritual 
Truth."— V.  S.] 


(1.)  Consiiiueni  Elements  of  Parables  ;  or  Parables  in  the  narrowest . 


a.     TUTTOS. 

The  outUne,  archetype,  or  mo- 
del of  some  reality  which  was  yet 
to  appear.  Similitude  of  essence, 
difference  of  development,  proto- 
type of  that  which  was  to  he  deve- 
loped and  evolved.  Thus  the  ordi- 
nances and  institutions  of  the  Old 
Testament  were,  in  their  inward 
essence,  types  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Similarly,  the  first  era 
serves  as  a  type  of  the  second. 


b.  'S.iixjioTvov. 
Tlie  equivalent,  visible  sign  of 
what  is  invisible.  That  which  is 
outward  a  sign  of  that  vv'hich  is  in- 
ward, and  hence  the  lower  a  sign 
of  the  higher.  Similitude  of  mode 
and  form,  difference  as  to  the  stage 
of  life,  emblem  of  what  is  higher. 
Thus  the  outward  rite  is  a  symbol 
of  the  inner  life. 


c.  '  AWriyo  p  la. 
The  mark  and  indication  of 
outward  similarity,  or  also  of  the 
internal  relationship  and  connec- 
tion of  things.  A  counterpart 
and  reappearance  of  what  has  the 
same  shape  and  form,  either  in 
the  world  of  matter  or  of  mini 
Thus  the  serpent  was  an  allegory 
of  Satan. 


(2.)  The  Didactic  and  Poetic  Parables. 
(With  these  the  strictly  poetical  form  of  parables  should  be  conjoined,  if  they  had  a  place  here.) 
The  Typical  Parable.       b.  The  Symbolical  Parable.  c.  The  Allegorical  Parable. 

The    parables    of    the  Used  only  in  certain  aspects,  and  for  the  pur- 

Lord  (the  ivapaBo\i]),  even  pose  of  supplementing^  the  symboUcal  parables^ 
philologically  akin  to  the 
avi.i.fioKoi'.  (In  some  of 
their  phases  allegorical ;  for 
example,  the  tares.)  Exhi- 
bition of  spiritual  transac- 
tions and  facts  in  the  de- 
scription (not  fiction)  of 
scenes  and  events  taken 
from  everyday  life. 


The  sacraments  of  the 
New  Testament  as  marking 
the  great  outUnes  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  The 
Church  as  a  type  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Represen- 
tation of  the  state  of  future 
perfectness  in  the  first 
sketch  and  plan,  or  when 
commencing  to  carry  the 
scheme  into  execution. 


as  m  God's  world  and  in  reahty  evil  can  only 
exist  in  allegorical  signs  of  outward  appearance, 
not  in  symbolical  signs  of  wicked  subsistence. 
Hence  also  the  Apocalypse  deals  most  largely  in 
allegories.  In  secular  poetry  the  allegorical  ele- 
ment is  chiefly  embodied  in  the  form  of  fables. 
The  only  expression  in  the  N.  T.  reminding  us 
of  this  style  of  composition,  is  the  allusion  of 
the  Saviour  to  Herod :   Tell  that  fox. 


CHAP.  XIII.  1-51. 


235 


(3.)  The  Parabolical  Discourses;  or,  Extended  and  Applied  Similitudes. 
(i.  c,  Figurative  discourses,  in  which  parables  are  conjoined  with  ti.oir  interpretation,  or  application   or 
with  some  doctrinal  statement;  as,  for  example,  in  Matt.  vii.  24 ;  xi.  16.)  ' 


a.  Typical  Parabolical  Dis- 
course. 

Figurative  anticipation  of  full 
development  and  completion  when 
only  the  principle  of  it  exists,  e.  cf. : 
"The  blind  see,"  etc.— "The 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God,"  John  v.  25. — "  Who- 
so eateth  My  flesh,"  etc.,  John  vi. 
54. 


b.  Symbolical  Parabolical  Dis- 
course. 

The  sayings  and  discourses  re- 
corded by  John  concerning  the 
Israelite  without  guile,  the  temple, 
the  new  birth,  the  brazen  serpent, 
the  fountain,  the  manna,  the  vine, 
the  good  shepherd,  etc. 


c.  Allegorical  Parabolical  Dis- 
course. 

The     sending     forth     among 
wolves,  the  corrupt  tree,  etc. 


(4.)  The  Parabolical  Expressions  ;  or.  Rhetorical  and  Figurative  Allusions. 


a.  The  typical  parabolical  ex- 
pression, or  Synecdoche ;  or,  used 
and  viewed  with  reference  to  form, 
the  Metonymy.  The  hairs  of  your 
head  are  "numbered."  Bethsai- 
da,  Capernaum,  the  land  of  Sodom. 
— "I  am  the  resurrection." 


2.  Object  of  the  Use  of  Parables. — According 
to  the  modern  view,  our  Lord  had  recourse  to  par- 
ables for  the  exclusive  purpose  of  presenting  the  truth 
in  a  form  adapted  to  the  weak  and  carnal  understand- 
ing of  a  people  which  otherwise  could  not  have  grasp- 
ed it.  Then  the  parables  would  be  merely  a  popular 
mode  of  teaching.  But  the  explanations  of  their  ob- 
ject furnished  by  the  Lord  Himself  (Matt.  xiii.  13  ; 
Mark  iv.  11 ;  Luke  viii.  10)  go  far  beyond  this  peda- 
gogical view  of  the  subject.  "  Therefore,"  He  says, 
"  speak  I  to  them  in  parables,  because  seeing  they 
see  not,  and  hearing  they  hear  not,  neither  do  they 
understand."  This  perhaps  might  be  regarded  as  in- 
dicating that  the  only  object  of  Christ  was  to  render 
His  doctrine  more  plain  and  easUy  intelligible.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  reference  to  Isa.  vi.  9,  10, 
which  speaks  of  the  hardening  of  the  people  under 
the  preaching  of  the  prophet,  and  which  our  Lord  de- 
clares was  being  then  fulfilled ;  the  declaration  of 
blessedness  in  regard  to  the  disciples,  to  whom  the 
Master  could  interpret  these  parables;  and,  lastly, 
the  use  of  'iva  in  Mark  and  Luke  (that,  or  in  order 
that,  seeing  they  may  not  see),  instead  of  the  3ti  of 
our  Gospel, — show  that  the  motive  of  the  Saviour  in 
making  use  of  parables  was  more  deep  and  solemn 
than  the  above  theory  impUes.  It  was  certainly  in 
judgment  that  He  could  not  set  before  the  Jews  the 
bare  and  undisguised  truth  concerning  His  kingdom. 
Still,  it  was  not  primarily  intended  as  a  judicial  blind- 
ing, but  in  order  to  present  the  truth  in  a  form  ac- 
cessible to  the  senses,  which  would  at  the  same  time 
serve  both  to  conceal  and  to  reveal  it,  according  to 
the  state  of  the  hearers  ;  or,  iu  other  words,  to  pre- 
sent the  truth  in  such  a  coloring  as  the  diseased  vis- 
ion of  the  people  alone  could  bear.  Unbelievers 
would  not  so  readily  eHcit  the  spiritual  truth  from 
this  symbolic  form,  and  hence  not  so  easily  pervert 
it  to  their  own  condemnation.  Accordingly,  while 
this  mode  of  teaching  was  in  itself  a  judgment,  it  was 
also  combined  with  mercy,  since  it  averted  from  them 
the  doom  of  hardening  themselves  under  the  truth. 
It  was  impossible,  moreover,  to  found  and  prefer 
charges  of  heresy  agamst  His  teaching  when  pro- 
pounded in  that  manner,  even  although  hostile  hear- 


b.  The  symbolical   parabolical  c.  The   allegorical  parabolical 

expression,  or  Metaphor. — "  What  expression,  or  the  simple  rhetori- 

I  tell  you  in  darkness,  that  speak  cal  figure,  and  figurative  compari- 

ye  in  light."     " '-' "  

house-tops. 


Preaching  upon  the    son.—"  As  a  thief  in  the  night.' 


j  ers  might  have  comprehended  its  import  {see  ch.  xxi. 
j  45).  On  the  other  hand,  those  of  the  people  who 
I  were  susceptible  would  be  enabled  more  and  more 
,  clearly  to  gather  the  spiritual  truth  when  conveyed 
m  this  transparent  form.  Indeed,  Matt.  xiii.  35  shows 
that  such  was  one  of  the  objects  which  the  Saviour 
had  in  view ;  while  Mark  iv.  33  pomtedly  indicates 
the  fact,  that  Jesus  chose  a  form  adapted  to  all  His 
hearers,  and  to  both  parties,  in  order  to  set  before 
them  the  doctrine  concerning  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
The  parables  of  the  Lord  were  an  exhibition  of  the 
spiritual  history  of  His  kingdom,  presented  in  pictures 
and  figures  derived  from  the  things  of  this  world. 
Even  this  continual  comparing  of  the  kingdom  with 
the  things  of  time  and  of  sense,  must  have  shown  the 
people  that  the  kingdom  itself  was  not  of  this  world. 
Finally,  the  parables  of  the  Saviour  resemble  His 
miracles,  in  that,  on  the  one  hand,  they  exhibit  the 
power  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  a  variegated  and 
striking  light,  while  on  the  other  they  present  it,  as 
it  were,  in  broken  rays  and  isolated  facts  and 
events. 

3.  The  Parables  of  the  Lord  in  their  connec- 
tion. 

(1.)  The  key  and  introduction  to  the  seven  open- 
ing parables  concerning  the  progr-ess  and  development 
of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  general  (Matt,  xiii.),  is  found 
in  an  eighth  parable,  recorded  by  Mark  (iv.  26), 
which  is  intended  to  show  the  fixed  law  and  regular- 
ity of  this  spiritual  development. 

(2.)  The  parables  concerning  the  compassion  and 
mercy  by  which  the  kingdom  of  God  is  founded  (as 
opposed  to  the  prejudices  of  the  Jews). — a.  Misun- 
derstanding and  misajjplication  of  mercy  and  compas- 
sion leads  to  judgment.  1.  Misunderstanding  and 
misapplication  of  the  blessing  of  God  ;  or,  the  folly 
of  the  rich  man,  Luke  xii.  16.  2.  Misunderstanding 
and  misapplication  of  the  long-suftering  of  God  ;  oi| 
the  barren  fig  tree,  Luke  xiii.  6. — b.  ^Pure  compas- 
sion, divine  or  human,  but  especially  the  compassion 
of  Christ :  the  good  Samaritan. — c.  Compassion  tum- 
ingaway  from  tlie  l^linded  (the  guests  who  had  been 
invited),  and  turning  to  the  poor  and  needy :  the  great 
supper,  Luke  adv.  15;  mercy  and  judgment  as  ap- 


236 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


pcaring  in  the  figurative  narrative  of  the  supper.  Ac- 
cordingly, this  parable  forms  a  transition  to  the 
exhibition  of  divine  mercy. — d.  Saving  meroj.  It 
discerns  the  wretched  state  of  the  lost ;  but  at  the 
same  tnue  also  discovers  a  value  attaching  to  them, 
derived  from  the  bestowal  of  mercy  upon  them.  The 
lost  sheep ;  the  lost  piece  of  mouey ;  the  lost  son, 
Luke  XV.  'The  conditions  of  mercy.  Repentance.,liu- 
mility :  the  Pharisee  and  the  publican,  Luke  xviii. 
9-14.  The  delays  and  answers  of  mercy  ;  its  de- 
mand :  prayer.  The  working  and  wrestling  of  gen- 
uine faith  (Luke  xviii.  1-8  ;  comp.  Luke  xi.  5-8  :  the 
call  and  demand  made  upon  the  friend  at  night).  Evi- 
dence of  the  experience  of  grace.  The  blessing  at- 
taching to  mercifulness  ;  or,  the  unjust  steward,  Luke 
xvi.  1.  The  judgment  pronounced  upon  un-jcrciful- 
ness, — presented  in  a  negative  form  (worldly  unmer- 
cifulness*) :  the  rich  man,  Luke  xvi.  19  ; — presented 
in  a  positive  form  (spiritual  unmercifulness,  sancti- 
monious uncharitableness,  harsh  judgments):  the 
harsh  servant.  Matt,  xviii.  23. 

(3.)  Retributive  justice  as  directing  the  administra- 
tionoi  the  kingdom  of  God. — The  one  penny  to  each 
of  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard ;  or,  the  reward  as  of 
free  grace  {MsitL  xx.  1).  The  ten  servants  and  the 
ten  talents  ;  or,  the  Lord  as  a  trader  during  His  ab- 
sence from  the  city,  and  during  its  revolt ;  or,  the  re- 
ward 0?  quiet,  persevering  faithfulness,  as  contrasted 
with  the  punishment  of  unfaithfulness  during  the  re- 
volt of  the  world,  on  which  judgment  descends  (Luke 
xix.  11).  The  three  servants,  and  the  blessing  attach- 
ing to  the  faithful  use  of  the  gifts  entrusted  to  us,  as 
contrasted  with  the  curse  attaching  to  the  misappli- 
cation of  gifts  and  talents  (Matt.  xxv.  14-30). 

(4.)  2'ke  judgments  which  complete  and  usher  in 
th»Jcingdom  of  God. — a.  Mercy  and  judgment.  Un- 
der the  figure  of  the  marriage  feast.  Matt.  xxii.  1. 
The  two  sons  of  the  owner  of  the  vineyard.  Matt.  xxi. 
28.  The  unfaithful  husbandmen.  Matt.  xxi.  33.  The 
foolish  and  the  wise  virgins,  Matt.  xxv.  1-13. — h. 
Final  judgment  upon  the  ministry  of  the  word,  or 
the  evil  servant.  Matt.  xxiv.  48.  c.  Final  judgment 
upon  the  nations.  Mercy  presiding  even  on  that 
awful  occasion, — presented  in  the  form  of  a  parable, 
Matt.  xxv.  31. 

"  Here,  at  the  climax  of  all  the  parables  of  the 
New  Testament,  we  see  the  bud  of  the  parabolical 
form  of  teaching  opening  up  and  disclosing  the  beau- 
teous flower  which  it  had  enclosed.  The  manifesta- 
tion and  appearance  of  the  kingdom  of  God  is  now 
clearly  and  undisguisedly  presented,  although  the 
manifold  symbolical  outlines  by  which  it  is  surround- 
ed show  that  this  section  embodies  only  the  climax 
of  all  the  parables."     Lange,  Lcben  Jesu. 

Another  point  deserves  special    mention.     The 
parables  of  the  Lord  all  pointedly  exhibit  the  con- 
trast between  the  kingdom  of  Christ — its  fundamen- 
tal principle  and  laws — and  the  carnal  notions  of  the 
Jews  concerning  the  reign  of  the  Messiah ;  more  es- 
pecially, the  contrast  between  the  free  and  universal 
grace  of  God,  and  the  hierarchical  and  national  con- 
ception of  the  Deity,  and  a  partisan  reign  ;  between  . 
the  apostasy  of  the  Jews,  and  the  faith  of  pubhcans 
and   sinners,    and   even   of  Gentiles;    between   the 
Church  and  the  world  ;  the  external  and  the  internal  ; 
Church ;  the  children  of  outward  forms,  and  those  i 
of  the  spirit ;  between  the  judgment  passed  by  the  j 

*  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  has  here:  ''what  unmercifulness,"  i 
from  the  first  edition  of  Lange :  "  welche  Unbarmherzigkeit,"  i 
which  is  an  evident  misprint  for  weltliche,  as  opposed" to  the  ! 
following  '' geistUche  Unbarmherzigkeit."— P.  S.]  I 


Master  upon  spiritual  piide,  selfrighteoi] 
charitableness,  sanctimonious  harshness  and  rigorism 
of  doctrine,  and  the  gracious  salvation  accorded  to 
humility,  to  believing  service,  to  endurance,  to  love, 
and  to  gentleness. 

4.   The  Seven  Parables  which  treat  of  the 

DEVELOPMENT    OF    THE    KINGDOM    OP  GOD,  MaTT.  XIII. 

— It  will  readily  be  perceived  that  these  parables  ex- 
hibit the  entire  development  of  the  kingdoi^i  of  God 
in  its  leading  outlines,  from  the  ccrnmencLiiient  to 
the  close  of  it.  The  first  parable  treats  of  the  insti- 
tution of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  last,  of  its 
completion  on  earth  by  the  final  judgment ;  while  the 
five  intermediate  parables  successively  mark  its  pro- 
gress :  the  wheat  among  the  tares ;  the  grain  of  mus- 
tard seed  among  the  trees  ;  the  leaven  leavening  the 
whole  lump ;  the  treasure  found  in  the  field ;  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  as  the  pearl  of  great  price.* 

At  the  same  time,  each  of  these  parables  forms 
in  itself  a  complete  and  independent  section, — like  all 
the  other  doctrinal  portions  of  Scripture,  and  espe- 
cially the  various  pi'ophetic  sketches  in  Isaiah  and  in 
the  Book  of  Revelation.  Still,  under  every  new  phase 
as  it  emerges  in  each  of  these  parables,  the  kingdom 
and  its  history  are  presented  from  another  aspect,  and 
in  a  new  form,  marking  its  onward  progress  fiom  the 
commencement  to  the  completion.  If  parables  present 
the  ideal  phases  in  the  development  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  we  shall  naturally  expect  that  they  also  bear 
reference  to  the  historical  succession  of  the  different 
forms  through  which  the  visible  Church  has  passed. 
Accordingly,  we  cannot  fail  to  trace  in  the  parable  of 
the  sower  a  picture  of  the  apostolic  age ;  in  the  par- 
able of  the  tares,  the  ancient  Catholic  Church  spring- 


*[Alfoud:  "The  seven  parables  related  in  this  chapter 
cannot  be  regarded  as  a  rcillcrtion  made  by  the  evangelist  as 
relating  to  one  subject,  the  Kiiudnni  of  lle'avi-n  and  its  devel- 
opment; they  are  cle:n!r  inliriitcil  by  ver.  5o  to  have  been 
all  spoken  on  ovr  hk.!  t:,,  ,,,.),•  ot'ru'.sion,  vm\  form  indeed 
a  complete  a;   '   ^'  1  "le  in  their  inner  and  deeper 

sense.     The  A'/    '  ■  i  !,-'■  [larables  iippear  to  have  been 

spoken  to  the.  mr::,!  :t..'.  jf.r.i  the  fillip;  X\i6la>st  three, tothe 
disciples  in  the  ho2t.se."  D.  Bkown:  "These  parables  are 
SEVEN  in  number;  and  it  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that 
while  this  is  the  sacred  number,  the  first  foub  of  them 
were  spoken  to  the  nii.xed  inultitnde,  while  the  remaining 
THREE  were  spoken  to  tb.e  Twelve  in  private — these  divi- 
sions,/(;!tr  and  three,  being  themselves  notable  in  the  sym- 
bolical arithmetic  of  Scripture.  Another  thing  rem.arkable 
in  the  structure  of  these  parables  is,  that  while  the  first  of 
the  seven— that  of  the  Sower— is  of  the  nature  of  an  intro- 
duction to  the  whole,  the  remaining  six  consist  of  three 
pairs — the  second  and  seventh,  the" third  and  fourth,  and 
the  fifth  and  sixth,  corresponding  to  each  other;  each  pair 
setting  forth  the  same  general  truths,  but  with  a  certain 
diversity  of  aspect.  All'  this  can  hardly  be  .accidental." — 
Observe  .also  the  natural  and  easy  transition  in  the  or- 
der of  the  seven  parables,  from  the  sower  and  the  good  seed 
to  the  enemy  and  the  tares  among  the  wheat;  from  the 
sown  field  to  the  mnstai-d  seed  and  mighty  tree,  from  the 
external  growth  of  the  plant  to  the  internal  growth  and  pro- 
cess of  penetration  and  .".ssimilation ;  then  to  the  treasure  in 
tlie  field,  suggested  by  the  seed  buried  in  the  ground,  from 
the  lucky  discoverer  to  the  earnest  seeker  and  finder,  from 
the  treasure  to  the  precious  pearl,  the  treasure  of  the  deep; 
which  suggests  the  sea,  the  fishermen  with  their  net,  the 
mixed  crowd  on  the  beach,  the  final  separation  and  consum- 
mation. Thus  from  the  first  sowing  of  Christianity  in  the 
d.aj's  of  Christ  and  the  apostles  to  the  genera!  judgment  wo 
have  one  continued  process  of  growth  and  development  of 
good  and  bad.  Christ  and  Anti-Christ  (wheat  and  tares),  ex- 
ternal and  internal  (mustard  seed  and  leaven),  finding  with- 
out seeking  (the  tri  asure  in  the  field),  and  seeking  and  find- 
ing (the  pe.arl  of  great  price),  and  a  continuous  partial  judg- 
ment and  separation — since  the  history  of  the  world  and  the 
church  is  a  (not  the)  judgment  of  both— foreshadowing  and 
ending  at  last  in  the  final  consumm.ation  on  the  banks  of 
eternity  (the  parable  of  the  net).  All  these  processes  go 
hand  in  hand  and  act  and  react  one  upon  another,  each  pe- 
riod doing  the  same  work  under  new  aspects,  with  peculiar 
gifts,  with  fresh  zeal  and  energy.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  Xm.  1-51. 


237 


ing  up  in  the  midst  of  heresies ;  in  the  parable  of  the  |  picture  of  the  closing  judgment.  These  parables  cm- 
mustard  bush,  resorted  to  by  the  birds  of  the  air  as  \  body  both  the  bright  and  the  dark  aspect  of  the  his- 
if  it  were  a  tree,  and  loaded  with  their  nests,  a  re-  j  tory  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  while  the  seven  be- 
presentation  of  the  secular  state-Church  under  Con-    atitudes  reflect  the  light  (being  primarily  a  delinea- 


stantiuc  the  Great ;  in  the  leaven  that  is  mixed  amon. 
the  three  measures  of  meal,  the  pervading  and  trans- 
forming influence  of  Christianity  in  the  medisoval 
Church,  among  the  barbarous  races  of  Europe ;  in 
tlie  jiarable  of  the  treasure  in  the  field,  the  period  of 
the  Reformation ;  m  the  parable  of  the  pearl,  the 
contrast  between  Christianity  and  the  acquisitions  of 
modern  secular  culture ;  and  in  the  last  parable,  a 


1.  The    poor    in    spirit:    the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

1.  The  sower:  the  good  field 
and  the  fruit. 

2.  They    that    mourn:     com- 
fort. 

2.  The  wheat  among  the 
tares. 

3.  The  meek:    possession  of 
the  earth. 

3.  The  grain  of  mustard  seed 
grown  into  a  tree. 

4.  Himgering     and     thirsting 
after  riditeousness :  being  filled. 


0.  The  merciful :  obtaming  of 


4.  The  leaven  put  among 
three  measures  of  meal. 


the 


mercy. 


6.  The  pure  in  heart: 
of  God. 


7.  The  peacemakers: 
of  the  children  of  God. 


dignity 


5.  The  treasure  found  in  the 
field. 


6.  The  pearl  of  great  price: 
sought  and  obtained  at  great  sa- 
crifice. 

7.  The  net  drawn  out  of  the 
sea:    separation  of  the  good  and 


the  bad  fis 


We  do  not  mean  to  say,  however,  that  the  ideal 
progression  in  these  parables  fully  reflects  the  histor- 
ical succession  of  the  principal  phases  in  the  history 
of  the  kingdom  of  God ;  it  only  delineates  its  gen- 
eral outlines. 

All  the  seven  parables,  then,  are  intended  to  repre- 
sent, in  regular  succession,  the  development  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  in  its  conflict  with  and  victory 
over  the  opposition  of  the  world,  and  in  its  hidden 
character  as  contrasted  with  the  Jewish  notions  of 
the  reign  of  Jlcssiah.  Hence  in  each  of  the  parables 
the  lights  and  shadows  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  are 
brought  out.  These  shadows  are,  in  the  first  para- 
ble, the  three  varieties  of  bad  soil ;  in  the  second,  the 
enemy,  the  tares,  and  the  indiscriminating  zeal  of  the 
servants ;  in  the  third,  the  mistake  of  treating  a  large 
garden  plant  as  if  it  had  been  a  forest  tree,  and  the 
lodging  of  the  birds  in  its  branches  (regarding  and 
treating  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as  if  it  had  been  a 
worldly  kingdom) ;  in  the  fourth,  the  mixing  up  and 
the  hiding  of  the  leaven  in  the  meal ;  in  the  fifth,  the 
concealment  of  the  treasure  ;  in  the  sixth,  the  seem- 
ing disappearance  of  the  pearl  of  great  price  in  the 
hands  of  the  merchants,  and  among  other  pearls ; 
and  in  the  seventh,  the  mixing  up  of  the  good  fish 
with  the  bad,  and  with  other  foul  breed  of  the  sea. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  bright  side  of  the  picture,  in 
the  first  parable,  is  the  rich  field  waving  with  fruit ; 


tion  of  the  ideal  progress  and  advancement  of  beUev- 
ers),  and  the  letters  to  the  seven  churches  in  the 
Book  of  Revelation,  mainly  the  shadows  of  the  final 
catastrophe,  or  of  the  coming  judgment  (being  pri- 
marily a  delineation  of  the  seven  churches  of  Asia 
Minor).  The  subjoined  table  will  serve  to  give  a 
clearer  view  of  this : 


1.  Ephesus.  Patience  and  per- 
severance in  the  loork  of  faith. 
Deficiency  in  the  root  of  the  life 
of  faith. 

2.  Smyrna.  Rich  and  flour- 
ishing, by  the  side  of  the  syna- 
gogue of  Satan. 

3.  Pergamos.  Hath  held  fast 
amidst  martyrdom.  Dwelleth 
where  Satan's  seat  is  (in  the 
world).  Balaamites  or  Nicolai- 
tanes :  combination  of  Christiani- 
ty with  the  lust  of  the  world.  ' 

4.  Thyatira.  Abundance  of 
works.  The  woman  Jezebel:  a 
fanatical  prophetess  committing 
fornication  with  the  world. 

5.  Sardis.  Hath  a  name  that 
it  liveth,  and  is  dead.  A  few 
names  in  Sardis,  which  have  not 
defiled  their  garments,  walk  with 
the  Lord  in  white. 

6.  Philadelphia.  An  open 
door.  A  little  strength.  Kept 
the  word.  Victorious  over  many 
of  the  synagogue  of  Satan. 

7.  Laodicea.  Neither  cold  nor 
hot.  "  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  My 
mouth.  Be  zealous  and  repent. 
Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door." 

in  the  second,  the  wheat  outgrowing  the  tares  ;  in  the 
third,  the  wonderful  upshooting  of  the  grain  of  mus- 
tard seed ;  in  the  fourth,  the  leaven  acting  as  a 
stronger  power,  pervading  and  affecting  by  its  unseen 
eificacy  the  three  measures  of  meal — thus  represent- 
ing the  influence  of  the  divine  Ufe  overcoming  and 
transforming  our  old  nature  ;  in  the  fifth,  the  picture 
of  the  treasure  found,  and  of  the  surrender  of  all 
other  things  for  its  possession ;  in  the  sixth,  the  pic- 
ture of  the  pearl  of  great  price,  and  of  the  ardent  de- 
votcdness  with  whi(£  it  is  sought  and  procured  ;  in 
the  seventh,  the  picture  of  the  good  fish,  and  of  the 
net  now  free  from  the  encumbrance  of  the  bad.  In 
accordance  with  the  structure  and  symbolical  mean- 
ing of  the  number  seven,  we  direct  our  attention,  in 
the  first  place,  to  the  first  four  parables.  Here  we 
observe  that  the  first  and  second  parables  primarily 
dchneate  the  immense  obstacles  which  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  has  to  encounter — negatively  from 
want  of  susceptibility  (the  first  parable),  and  posi- 
tively from  error,  heresy,  and  offences  (tlie  second 
parable).  The  third  and  fourth  parables  form  an 
antithesis  to  this  description,  and  delineate  the  won- 
derful progress  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as  it  sweeps 
before  it  these  obstacles.  Thus  the  parable  of  the 
n)ustard  seed  brings  out  the  marvellous  growth  of 
the  kingdom — how  it  springs  up  and  forces  itself 
upon  the  observation  of  the  men  of  the  v/orld,  till 


238 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


they  even  attempt  to  combine  the  Church  with  the 
world,  and  take  their  lodgment  in  it,  just  as  if  this 
garden  plant  had  been  any  ordinary  tree  ;  while  the 
parable  of  the  leaven  refers  to  the  unseen,  but  all- 
powerful  and  all-transforming,  efficacy  of  the  gospel 
among  the  nations.  If  the  first  four  parables  present 
mainly  the  objective  aspect  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
and  tlio  work  of  the  Lord,  of  His  servants  and  of 
His  Church,  the  three  last  parables  equally  show  the 
subjective  bearing  of  th^  kingdom,  or  the  action  of 
believers.  On  this  accoiiiit  the  divine  treasure  is  now 
represented  as  something  which  is  there,  but  which 
must  be  sought  and  acquired.  In  the  first  of  these 
parables  the  discovery  appears  as  a  happy  incident, 
or  rather  as  a  free  gift  of  Providence — the  treasure 
being  hidden ;  while  in  the  second  it  is  presented  as 
the  result  of  conscious  higher  aspirations,  which  must 
be  regarded  as  being  in  themselves,  though  not  con- 
sciously, Christian,  the  treasure  being  concentrated, 
as  it  were,  into  one  pearl  of  infinite  value.  The  last 
parable  is  again  prevailingly  objective  in  its  bearing. 
It  treats  of  the  judgment,  when  the  kingdom,  falsely 
expected  by  the  Jews  in  connection  with  the  first 
coming  of  the  Messiah,  comes  out  in  its  full  light  and 
glory.     Finally,  if,  according  to  the  analogy  of  the 


first  beatitude  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  we  re- 
gard the  first  parable  as  the  basis  of  all  the  rest,  the 
other  six  parables  form  an  antithesis  ;  the  first  three 
tracing  the  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  uf  heaven 
in  the  visible  Church,  and  the  last  three  delineating 
the  hidden  Christianity  of  the  invisible  Church.  This 
invisible  aspect  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  corresponds, 
as  we  might  have  expected,  with  the  great  element 
of  subjective  faith  and  striving,  and  with  its  final  tri- 
umph (comp.  the  exegetical  notes  on  ver.  44). 

Throughout  all  these  parables,  however,  the  pro 
gress  of  the  inward  form  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  also  clearly  marked.  In  the  first  parable,  the  seed 
is  the  direct  preaching  of  the  gospel ;  in  the  second, 
it  is  sound  doctrine  in  opposition  to  the  noxious  weeds 
of  heresy ;  in  the  third,  a  Christian  confession,  and  a 
professing  community  of  Christians ;  in  the  fourth, 
Christianity  as  the  spirit  of  fife,  and  the  power  of  re- 
generation ;  in  the  fiith,  saving  truth  in  its  grand,  all- 
comprehensive  principle  (Christ  for  us);  in  the  sixth, 
the  spiritual  treasure  in  its  highest  and  clearest  con- 
centration— the  love  and  peace  of  Christ,  or  Christ  in 
us  ;  and  iu  the  seventh,  the  final  result  of  all  history 
and  of  the  judgment — the  heavenly  feast. 


HOMILETICAL  HINTS   ON  THE  WHOLE   SECTION. 


The  wisdom  of  Jesus  as  a  Teacher. — The  words 
of  the  Lord  "  hke  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  sil- 
ver."— The  parables  of  the  Lord  are  gospel  to  the 
poor,  even  so  far  as  their  popular  form  is  concerned. 
— Oliiject  of  the  parabolical  mode  of  teaching :  both 
judgment  and  mercy. — The  parabohcal  discourse,  a 
repetition  and  revisal  of  the  revelation  of  God,  which 
man  had  forgotten.  L  At  first  God  revealed  Him- 
self to  man  by  the  parable  of  creation,  and  by  spe- 
cial parables  connected  with  it,  but  after  that  by  the 
word  ;  2.  man  made  an  idol  of  the  parable  itself,  and 
thereby  came  into  opposition  with  the  word ;  3. 
Christ  now  shows  again  to  man  the  word  in  the  par- 
ables, in  order  to  reclaim  him  for  the  spirit  of  His 
word. — The  truth  obliged,  in  compassion,  to  disguise 
itself  in  the  form  of  parables  in  the  presence  of  its 
children. — The  gospel  a  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life,  both 


as  to  its  kernel,  and  as  to  its  husk. — The  seven  par- 
ables concerning  the  development  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  prefaced  by  the  parable  concerning  the  fixed 
rule  of  this  development  (Mark  iv.  26). — The  seven 
leading  phases  of  the  kingdom  of  God. — The  seven 
forms  of  human  economy  which  portray  the  economy 
of  God  :  the  sower  ;  field-servants  ;  husbandry  ;  the 
mistress  of  the  house  preparing  bread  ;  the  farmer ; 
the  merchantman ;  the  fisherman. — Import  of  the 
fact,  that  in  these  seven  parables  the  Lord  brings  out 
with  increasing  distinctness  the  province  and  activity 
of  man  in  the  kingdom  of  God. — How  the  treasure 
of  the  kingdom  of  God  is  increasingly  to  assume  a 
more  definite  form  in  our  minds. — How  it  is  ultimate- 
ly to  be  transformed  into  the  pearl  of  great  price. — 
We  ourselves  attain  value  in  the  sight  of  God  by  find- 
ing the  pearl  of  great  price. 


1.  First  Parable  concerning  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  teaching  of  Jems  concerning  Parables  generally. 

Ch.  Xin.  1-23. 


I,  2     The  same  day*  went  Jesus  out  of  the  house,  and  sat  by  the  sea  side.     And  great 
multitudes  were  gathered  together  unto  him,  so  that  he  went  into  a  ship,  and  sat  [down]  ; 

3  and  the  whole  multitude  stood  on  the  shore.     And  he  spake  many  things  unto  them  in 

4  parables,  saying,  Behold,  a  sower  went  forth  to  sow ;  And  when  [as]  he  sowed,  some 

5  seeds  fell  by  the  way  side,  and  the  fowls  came  and  devoured  them  up  :   Some  [And  others, 
ciXXa  Se]  fell  upon  stony  [rocky]  places,  where  they  had  not  much  earth :  and  forthwith 

6  they  sprung  up,  because  they  had  no  deepness  [depth]  of  earth  :  And  when  the  sun  was 

7  up,  they  were  scorched ;  and  because  they  had  no  root,  they  withered  away.     And 

8  some   [others]    fell   among  thorns ;  and  the  thorns  sprung  up,  and  choked  them  :   But 
other  fell  into  [on  the]  good  ground,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  some  a  hundredfold,  some 

9  sixtyfold,  some  thirtyfold.     Who  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear. 

10  And  the  disciples  came,  and  said  unto  hira.  Why  speakest  thou  unto  them  in  para- 

1 1  bles  ?     He  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Because  it  is  given  unto  you  to  know  the 


CHAP.  Xni.  1-23. 


239 


12  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  them  it  is  not  given.  For  whosoever  hath, 
to  liim  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  more  abundance :  ^  but  whosoever  liath  not, 

13  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  he  hath.^  Therefore  speak  I  to  them  in  para- 
bles: because  they  seeing  [seeing  they]  see  not;   and  hearing  they  hear  not,  neither  do 

14  they  understand.  And  in  them  is  fultilled  the  prophecy  of  Esaias  [Isaiah],  which  saith, 
By  hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand ;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  shall 

1 5  not  perceive :  For  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing, 
and  their  eyes  they  have  closed ;  lest  at  any  time  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and 
hear  with  their  ears,  and  should  imderstand  with  their  heart,  and  should  be  converted, 

16  and  I  should   [shall]   heal  them.^     But  blessed  ere  your  eyes,  for  they  see :  and  your 

17  ears,  for  they  hear.  For  verily  I  say  unto  you,  That  many  prophets  and  righteous  men 
have  desired  to  see  those  things  which  ye  see,  and  have  not  seen  them;  and  to  hear 
those  things  which  ye  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them. 

18,  19  Hear  ye  therefore  the  parable  of  the  sower.*  When  any  one  heareth  the  word  of 
the  kingdom,  and  understandeth  it  not,  then  cometh  the  wicked  [evil]  oJie,  and  catch- 
eth   [snatcheth]   away  tliat  which  was  sown  in  his  heart.     This  is  he  which  received 

20  seed  [he  that  is  sown,  6  .  .  crTrapeis]  by  the  way  side.  But  he  that  received  the  seed 
[is  sown]  into  stony  [on  the  rocky]  places,  the  same  is  he  that  heareth  the  word,  and 

21  anon  [immediately,  at  once,  eu^us]  with  joy  receiveth  it;  Yet  hath  he  not  root  in  him- 
self, but  dureth  for  a  while  :  for  when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because  of  the 

22  word,  by  and  by  [immediately,  eu^us]  he  is  offended.  He  also  that  received  seed  [is 
sown]  among  the  thorns  is  he  that  heareth  the  word ;  and  the  care  of  tliis  [the]  world,® 

23  and  the  deceitfuluess  of  riches,  choke  the  word,  and  he  becometh  unfruitful.  But  he 
that  received  seed  [is  sown]  into  [on]  tlie  good  ground  is  he  that  heareth  the  word,  and 
understandeth  it;  which  also  beareth  fruit,  and  bringeth  forth,  some  a  hundredfold, 

sixty,  some  thirty. 


'  Ver.  1.— The  particle  Se  is  wanting  in  B.,  Z.,  and  A.,  and  is  omitted  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf.  It  weakens  the 
stress  laid  upon  the  fact  tbat  Jesus  on  the  same  day  changed  his  mode  of  teaching  into  that  of  parables  before  the  people. 
[Cod.  Sinaiticus  likewise  omits  5e. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  12. — [More  is  unnecessary.  The  Greek  is  simply:  Ka\  irepiffffevd-fiffeTui,  and  he  shall  le  made  io 
abound,  or  have  abundance.    Coinp.  ch.  xxv.  29. — P.  S.] 

=  Ver.  12.— [According  to  the  order  of  the  original :  even  what  he  hath,  shall  le  taken  from  him.] 

*  Ver.  15.— I  shall  heal  them.  The  future  Idaofjiat  for  the  conjunct.  idffcofJLai,  is  supported  by  the  best  authorities, 
B.,  C,  D.,  etc.,  Lachmann.  Tischendorf.  Comp.  also  Is.  vi.  10  {Sept.).  [See  exeget.  note  to  ver.  15,  where  the  Edinb.  trsl. 
erroneously  has  Idawixat  for  Idaofxai,  in  opposition  to  the  explanation.  Cod.  Sinaiticus,  as  edited  by  Tischendorf,  reads: 
ia,a'Ofit=:ldcronat. — P.  S.] 

s  Ver.  18.— Lit. :  of  him  thai  solved-  <rir  e'lpavro  s  (Codd.  B.,  X.,  etc..  Lachm.,  Tischend.) ;  not  (nreipovros. 
So  also  ver.  24  :   cnrtlpavri.      [Cod.  Sinait.  likewise  reads  aweipavTos.—'P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  22.— Lit. :  the  world  ;  rovrov  (this)  being  omitted  in  B.,  D.,  [Ood.  Sinait.],  Lachm.,  Tischend.,  and  probably 
an  explanatory  addition  by  a  later  hand  (Meyer). 

The  expression  refers  to  soil  from  which  the  thorns 
had  not  been  removed,  and  not  to  thorn  bushes. 

Ver.  8.  A  hundred  fold,  etc. — Round  parabol- 
ical numbers,  to  indicate  the  rich  return  of  the  seed, 
although  the  high  computation  is  based  on  tlie  fer- 
tility of  Galilee,  and  of  other  districts  in  tlie  East. 
For  the  monastic  applicadon  of  this  passage  by  Jei-- 
ome,  see  Ileubner,  p.  185. 

Ver.  11.  It  is  given  unto  you.  —  This,  and 
what  follows,  is  understood  by  Calvin  to  refer  to  the 
doctrine  of  decrees  (Instit.  iii.  ch.  24,  §  13).  But 
Hcubner  objects,  "  (1)  that  ver.  12  points  to  a  moral 
cause,  existent  in  the  Apostles ;  (2)  that  ver.  1-4  in- 
dicates that  the  bUndness  of  the  people  was  caused 
by  their  own  guilt." — The  mysteries. — The  myste- 
ries concerning  the  Ivingdom  of  heaven  (the  genilive 
being  here  that  of  the  object)  are  mysteries  to  the 
natural  man,  whose  mind  is  darkened  by  sin.  Thi.s 
held  true  in  an  especial  manner  of  the  Jewish  exclu- 
siveness  of  those  days,  both  as  regards  the  npirituali- 
ty  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  from  which  uubeheving 
Israel  was  excluded,  and  its  universaliiy,  in  which 
believing  Gentiles  were  embraced.  The  passage  may 
therefore  be   regarded  as   a   first  reference  to  the 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  2.  A  ship. — The  ship  being  here  analogous 
to  "  tlie  mountain."  He  sat  down,  while  the  people 
stood  in  a  line  along  the  shore  or  the  beach  {i  -k  \ 
r  h  V   a  I  y  t  a  \  J  V  ). 

Ver.  3.  [By  the  wayside. — "The  ordinary 
roads  or  paths  in  the  East  lead  often  along  the  edge 
of  the  fields,  which  are  unenclosed.  .  .  .  Hence  as  the 
sower  scatters  his  seed,  some  of  it  is  liable  to  fall  be- 
yond the  ploughed  portion,  on  the  hard,  beaten 
ground  which  forms  the  wayside."  Dr.  Hackett : 
IllustratioHH  of  Scripture.,  etc.,  p.  1G8.] 

Ver.  5.  Rocky  ground,  to.  ttst pdSri . — Not 
merely  soil  covered  with  stones,  but  7-och/  soil.  Think 
of  the  terraces  used  for  agricultural  purposes  in  an- 
cient Palestine.  The  cultivated  soil  terminated  in 
the  rocky  abutments  of  the  hills. 

Ver.  6.  Gerlach :  "  When  the  sun  rose  higher,  after 
the  winter  was  past."  But  the  parable  evidently  re- 
fers to  a  very  rapid  withering. 

Ver.  7.  Among  thorns ; — literally,  upon  thorns, 
i.  e.,  upon  soil  from  which  thorns  were  springing. 


240 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


"  mystery  "  which  Paul  afterward  declared  had  been 
epecially  intrusted  to  his  ministry,  Eph.  iii.  4  ;  Rom. 
xvi.  25.  These  mysteries  the  people  could  only  bear 
in  the  form  of  parables ;  but  to  the  disciples  it  was 
given  of  (Jod,  that  Christ  could,  along  with  the  par- 
ables, also  grant  them  the  interpretation  ;  and  that  in 
increasing  measure  He  could  speak  to  them  about 
these  mysteries  "  jjlaiuly,"  and  without  parable  or 
figures  (John  xvi.  29).  The  truth  concerning  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  has,  since  the  Fall,  become  a 
mystery  to  man,  (1)  by  his  guilt  and  self-delusion  ; 
(2)  by  the  divine  judgment  of  concealment.  Hence 
the  restoration  of  this  knowledge  is  a  revealing  of 
mysteries,  an  inroKaKv^pis. 

Ver.  12.  Whosoever  hath. — A  proverbial  ex- 
pression. "  A  i-ich  man  easily  grows  more  wealthy, 
while  the  poor  readily  lose  the  little  which  they  have." 
Meyer.  The  l^earing  of  the  iirst  clause  is  sufficiently 
plain ;  but  with  reference  to  the  second,  the  proverb- 
ial interpretation  of  Meyer  is  dovibtful.  Still  more 
unsatisfactory  is  his  explanation  :  "  The  people  would 
lose  even  the  limited  amount  of  knowledge  they  pos- 
sess, if  I  did  not  aid  their  capacities  by  the  use  of 
parables."  The  interpretation  which  would  most 
readily  occur  to  the  i-eader  is :  By  the  use  of  par- 
ables the  people  lose  even  what  they  have,  since  they 
cannot  readily  perceive  those  mysteries  when  pre- 
sented in  that  particular  form.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  we  may  suggest  that  the  word  apd-na-erai 
does  not  necessarily  mean  "  shall  be  taken  away." 
The  primary  rendering  of  the  verb  aipew  is  to  lift  up, 
or  to  lift  OH  hlfjh  ;  and  then  among  other  meanings 
it  may  also  be  rendered,  to  take  upon  oneself,  to  pre- 
serve or  keep*  And  thus  indeed  it  frequently  hap- 
pens that  the  little  which  a  poor  man  hath  is  taken 
away  from  him,  in  the  sense  of  being  tutorially  ad- 
ministered for  his  benefit.  Whether  this  explanation 
h&  correct  or  not,  such  at  least  is  the  fact  in  refer- 
ence to  the  present  instance.  The  economy  of  tutors 
and  governors  is  that  form  in  which  the  truth  requires 
to  be  disguised  under  legal  ordinances  and  types,  or, 
as  in  this  case,  under  parables,  in  order  that  in  this 
manner  it  may  be  presented  in  a  strmige  and  external 
form,  and  be  administered  by  otitcrs,  until  gradually 
it  comes  to  be  more  fully  understood. 

Yer.  13.  Because  seeing,  etc. — The  rendering 
of  oTi  by  because  is  warranted  by  the  use  of  'iva  in 
the  parallel  passages  in  Mark  and  Luke. 

Ver.  14.  Is  fulfilled,  or  rather,  is  completely 
fulfilled  {kva  ■KKT}povTai). — A  Strong  expression,  not 
otherwise  used  by  Matthew,  put  foremost  in  the  sen- 
tence by  way  of  emphasis.  The  quotation  from  Isa. 
vi.  9,  10,  is  made  after  the  Septuagint.  In  the  days 
of  Isaiah  it  was  in  a  certain  sense  fulfilled  that  the 
Jewish  people  had  hardened  itself  under  the  preach- 
ing of  the  "  Evangehst  of  the  Old  Testament."  But 
this  was  most  completely  fulfilled  when  the  Jews  re- 
sisted the  gospel  itself  In  this  respect,  therefore, 
the  words  of  Isaiah  were  a  typical  prophecy  of  gos- 
pel times.  But  as  this  saying  had  in  a  conditional 
sense  been  formerly  fulfilled,  the  Evangelist  does  not 


*  [Dr.  Lange  has  hers  in  view  no  doubt  the  threefold 
meaning  of  the  corresponding  German  verb  aufheben,  which 
plays  such  an  important  part  in  the  Hegelian  philosophy, 
but  cannot  be  rendered  well  in  English.  It  means  (1)  to  dc- 
6tvoy—ahrogare,tollere;  (2)  to  ^ee}f—pre!ierrare.;  (3)  to 
olevato  or  raise  to  a  higher  position— eiect/re.  Thus  the 
child  is  avfgehohen  in  the  man,  i.  «.,  it  ceases  to  bo  a  child, 
it  is  preserved  as  a  human  being,  and  it  is  raised  to  a  higher 
position,  from  childhood  to  manhood.  The  seed  is  destroy- 
ed!, in  the  plant  as  to  form,  preserved  as  to  substance  by  j 
being  elevated  to  a  moro  perfect  form  of  existence.— P.  S.]      | 


employ  the  simple  verb  nXripouTai,  but  the  compound 
a.i>aTr\7]podTai. 

Ver.  15.  This  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross, 

4ir  ax^vd  7). — Properly,  it  became  fat,  in  a  figurative 
sense — i.  e.,  their  heart  became  carnal,  and  lost  the 
spiritual  Ufe.  The  same  process  of  carnalization  took 
place  with  reference  to  their  ears  and  their  eyes,  all 
sjjiritual  life  being  surrendered,  or  rather,  tradition- 
alism transforming  the  things  of  the  Spirit  into  a  se- 
ries of  external,  finite,  and  carnal  ordinances.  Their 
ears  became  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  they 
closed,  covering  them  with  a  film,  and  thus  depriving 
them  of  the  power  of  vision.  The  same  carnahty  ex- 
tended through  all  the  departments  of  spiritual  life  ; 
their  heart  was  dead  to  spiritual  experience,  their  ear 
to  spiritual  obedience,  and  their  eye  to  spiritual  knowl- 
edge. It  deserves  special  notice,  that  in  the  prophe- 
cies of  Isaiah  the  passage  reads,  in  the  imperative 
spirit  of  the  Old  Testament:  "J/a/i-e  the  heart  of  this 
people  fat,  and  make  their  ears  heavy,  and  shut  their 
eyes,"  while  in  the  Gospels  the  Lord  specially  points 
to  their  own  guilt  in  this  judicial  visitation.  Every 
spiritual  faculty  in  them  had  become  gross,  or  rather, 
they  had  made  it  gross.  Their  eyes  they  have  closed, 
ii{dij.ij.vaav.  The  expression  refers  primarily  to  the 
shutting  of  the  eyes,  and,  from  a  reference  to  the 
words  of  Isaiah,  must  be  understood  as  implying  a 
continuous  and  determined  closing  of  the  eyes  against 
the  light  of  truth. 

Lest  at  any  time,  ix^-rrofe. — This  statement 
also  must  be  read  in  the  light  of  our  former  remarks. 
In  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  the  result  here  mentioned  ia 
traced  to  the  judicial  purpose  of  God;  in  the  text,  to 
the  determination  or  their  own  wicked  hearts,  eyes, 
and  ears :  They  will  not  (comp.  John  v.  40),  and 
therefore  they  can  not.  [Moral  unwillingness  resulting 
in  moral  inability. — P.  S.]  In  this  respect  it  deserves 
special  notice  that,  according  to  the  correct  reading, 
the  future  tense,  lao-o^ai,  is  here  used  (as  also  in  the 
Sept.),  and  not  the  conjunctive.  Accordingly,  the 
statement  does  not  mean  that  they  were  not  to  ob- 
tain healing  now,  during  this  season  of  judgment,  but 
only,  that  they  had  prevented  the  healing  which 
would  otherwise  have  been  accorded  to  them.  This, 
indeed,  implies  that  the  peojile  were  actually  under 
the  judicial  dispensation  of  God — a  state  of  things 
which  the  Lord  admitted  by  His  use  of  parables  ;  so 
that  it  was  not  quite  so  simple  a  process  as  Meyer 
supposes,  nor  merely  designed  for  educational  pur- 
poses (comp.  also  Acts  xiii.  46  ;  xxvi.  27  ;  Rom.  x. ; 
2  Cor.  iii.  14).  But  the  object  in  view  seems  to  have 
been  as  follows :  Those  who  were  aroused  by  the  par- 
ables would  progress  and  inquire,  as  the  disciples  in- 
quired ;  while  those  who  were  ready  to  harden  them- 
selves would  be  preserved  from  suddenly  incurring 
that  awful  guilt  which  the  full  disclosure  of  the  mys- 
teries of  the  kingdom  would  have  entailed. 

Ver.  16.  But  your  eyes,  blessed  are  they. — 
Mark  the  peculiar  emphasis  of  the  vixuv  Se,  etc. 
Blessed  are  the  eyes.  A  concrete  mode  of  expression, 
alluding  to  the  fact  that  their  outward  vision  was  in- 
spired and  directed  by  their  spiritual  sight,  in  opposi- 
tion to  these  who  were  destitute  of  spiritual  vision, 
Acts  V.  9 ;  Isa.  Iii.  7. 

Ver.  17.  Many  prophets  and  righteous  men. 
— The  SiVaioi  are  the  Old  Testament  saints,  who  were 
not  only  blameless  "  as  concerning  the  law,"  but  who, 
like  the  prophets,  looked  and  longed  for  a  higher  and 
better  than  this  external  righteousness.  They  only 
aspired  to  an  Idi^lv,  not  a  /SAeireii' ;  but  even  this  they 
did  not  obtain  in  the  same  measure  as  the  disciples. 


CHAP.  XIII.  1-23. 


241 


1  Pet.  i.  10,  to  whom  also  the  /SAeVeiv  was  granted, 
1  John  i.  1. 

Ver.  18.  Hear  ye  therefore. — Not  merely  un- 
derstand (de  Wette),  but  hear,  with  the  spiritual  per- 
ception accorded  to  you. 

Ver.  19.  When  any  one. — The  diDSculty  in  the 
structure  of  this  sentence  arises  from  the  putting  for- 
ward of  these  words  for  the  sake  of  emphasis.  The 
word  (Tvvi^vai  is  scarcely  rendered  by  the  German 
verstelieii  (as  Meyer  thinks),  and  the  English  under- 
stand. It  implies  active  and  personal  apprehension, 
or  entering  into  th&  matter.  The  genitive  indicates 
that  the  "  catching  aioay  "  takes  place  almost  during 
the  act  of  hearing. 

Ver.  10.  This  is  he  which  received  seed  by 
the  -way-side,  or,  rather,  this  is  he  who  is  sown 
by  the  way-side. — Meyer  :  "  A  change  in  the  figure 
quite  common  among  Orientals.  It  should  have  been : 
This  is  he  in  whose  case  the  seed  was  sown  by  the 
way-side."  But  there  is  a  deeper  meaning  in  this 
change.  The  loss  of  the  seed  becomes  m  reality  the 
loss  of  one's  own  life,  just  as  the  seed  sown  on  good 
soil,  so  to  speak,  becomes  identified  with  our  person- 
ality. The  change  in  the  figure  obviates  the  possible 
mistake,  as  if  Satan  could  catch  away  and  keep  the 
word  of  God  itself. 

Ver.  21.  Yet  hath  he  not  root  in  himself. — 
In  his  own  individuality.  His  foith  and  adherence 
had  their  I'oot  only  in  the  general  excitement  and  en- 
thusiasm around  him.  Accordingly,  he  duretli  only 
for  a  while,  is  changeable,  Trp6  cr  k  ai  po  y,  temjjora- 
rius.*  He  wants  the  perseverance  of  personal  con- 
viction. It  deserves  notice  that  the  grand  defect  of 
such  a  person  is  characterized  as  (:vQvs  /j-era  xo-pus 
\aa&6.vuv  avTov.  He  immediately  receives  the  word, 
as  gladsome  secular  news  are  received,  without  ex- 
periencing its  spiritual  poignancy,  in  the  moral  con- 
flicts and  the  deep  sense  of  repentance  which  it  en- 
genders.— By  and  by  he  is  offended,  or  rather, 
immediately  he  taketh  offence  and  falleth, 
ffKavdaKiCiTai. — Not,  he  is  oHended,  but  persecution 
becomes  to  him  a  aKauhaKov,  as  if  there  were  some- 
thing wrong  with  the  word ;  and  he  stumbles  and 
falls  at  this  rock  of  offence;  Luke  viii.  13,  afiarav- 
rat. 

Ver.  22.  He  that  heareth  the  word;  or  ra- 
ther, is  a  hearer  to  the  word. — Pre-eminently  a 
hearer.  The  expression  is  emphatic :  ovt  6  s  iar  iv 
6  Th  V  \6y  ov  a.Ko  vw  u ,  and  means  more  than 
the  simple  hearing,  already  noticed.f — The  care  of 
the  [not :  of  ihi^l  world,  ■!]  fxe  pi/xva  rod  alaivos. 
— Not  "of  the  pre-Messianic  time."  The  absence 
of  ovTos  deserves  notice.  Worldhness  in  persons 
of  a  serious  cast  of  mind  has  a  twofold  aspect — 
that  of  worldly  cares,  and  that  of  the  entangle- 
ments of  property,  or  of  the  deceitfulness  of  riches 
(personified),  2  Thess.  ii.  10  ;_  Heb.  iiL  13.— The  ex- 
pression, "  deceitfulness  of*  riches,"  does  not  pri- 
marily apply  to  luxuriousness  (delectatio),  which 
would  rather  fall  within  the  range  of  tlie  other  two 
classes  of  gospel-hearers.  It  refers  to  the  deceitful- 
ness of  a  false  confidence  in  this  worldly  ground  of 
subsistence,  on  the  part  of  persons  otherwise  serious. 
— And  he  becometh  unfruitful ;  aKap-rrus  yiv- 
€  T  a  J . — He  docs  not  jield  fruit ;  there  is  every  ap- 
pearance of  fruit — the  stalk,  the  leaves,  and  the  ear ; 

*[Alfoed:  "irpoo-Koipos  eVTij/,  not  only  '  enduveth  for 
a  while,'  but  also  'is  the  creature  of  circumstances,'  chang- 
ing as  they  change.    Both  ideas  are  included." — I*.  S.] 

t  LBut  the  same  expression  occurs  in  ver.  20  and  ver.  23, 
of  two  other  classes  of  hearers. — P.  8.] 

16 


but  there  is  no  spiritual  life,  no  full  surrender  to  the 
word,  and  accordingly  no  fruit. 

Ver.  23.  He  that  heareth  the  w^ord,  and  un- 
derstandeth  it,  in  the  fullest  import  of  both  terms. 
— The  cu-eumstance,  that  in  neither  of  the  other  three 
cases  such  understanding  of  the  word  had  taken  place, 
impUes  that  the  hearing  had  likewise  been  defective. 
In  the  first  case,  there  was  dulness  and  carnality ;  in 
the  second,  fancifulncss  and  a  combination  of  world- 
hness with  the  truth  ;  in  the  third,  legalism,  a  servile 
spirit,  and  the  absence  of  entire  self-surrender.  But 
he  that  heareth  aright  also  understandeth  the  word, 
and  accordingly  is  he  "  which  also  (&s  S?;)  beareth 
fi'uit." — The  different  measures  of  fruitfulness  de- 
pend on  differences  of  disposition,  of  gifts,  and  of 
capacity  for  receiving,  promoting,  and  representing 
the  kingdom  of  God. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  "  The  general  truth  lying  at  the  basis  of  this 
parable  is,  that  the  culture  of  the  earth  reflects  that 
of  heaven.  The  great  outstanding  features  of  hu-' 
manity — the  husbandry  of  God,  are  reflected  in  those 
of  earth — the  husbandry  of  man." 

2.  In  accordance  with  this  view  a  wider  bearing 
might  be  given  to  this  parable  by  referring  it  to  the 
sowing  of  God's  word  generally  in  the  world.  But 
evidently  the  passage  applies  in  a  special  manner  to 
the  foundation  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  under  the 
New  Testament.  The  sower  is  Christ,  and  the  seed  the 
gospel.  His  scattering  the  seed  in  such  abundance  is 
explained  on  the  ground,  (1)  of  the  freeness  and  fulness 
of  His  grace  in  sowing  {iv  r<fi  crTreipeiv  avruv)-^  (2)  of 
the  poor  condition  of  so  much  of  the  soil.  If  it  is  ob- 
jected that  this  would  savor  of  fatahsm,  we  reply, — 
(1)  That  the  passage  under  consideration  is  a  parable, 
and  hence  does  not  in  every  respect  adequately  ex- 
press the  idea  which  it  is  intended  to  convey ;  (2) 
that  the  difference  in  the  various  kinds  of  spiritual 
soil  is  mainly  the  result  of  our  own  doing ;  (3)  that 
this  difliculty  is  removed  by  the  change  which  the 
Lord  introduces  in  the  explanation  of  the  picture. 
Those  who  received  the  seed  were  themselves  sowed. 
The  four  classes  of  hearers  form  at  the  same  time  a 
gradation  and  a  contrast:  (1)  By  the  vrsLj-sidc:  souls 
trodden  down  and  beaten  down  into  hard,  impene- 
trable soil  by  the  lowest  and  meanest  kind  of  worldli- 
ness  and  corruption.  In  their  case  the  word  is  caught 
away  even  durmg  the  hearing  of  it.  (2)  Rocky  ground, 
covered  by  a  thin  layer  of  earth :  souls  all  the  more 
enthusiastic  in  their  early  ardor,  the  less  solid  and  set- 
tled they  are  in  their  personal  convictions, — mere 
weathercocks,  turning  with  every  change  of  wind; 
the  word  apparently  springing  up  with  marvellous 
rapidity,  but,  not  having  root,  withering  away  in  the 
hour  of  trial.  (3)  Soil  which  might  have  yielded  rich 
fruit,  had  it  not  been  covered  with  thorns  i  earnest 
but  legal  minds,  promising  but  superficial  hearers, 
whose  divided  heart  or  worldliness  causes  them  to 
lose  the  reward ;  the  word  springing  up — the  stalk 
and  blossom  appearing,  but  the  fruit  wanting.  (4) 
Lastly,  abundant  fruit,  showing  that  the  soil  from 
which  it  sprung  is  not  only  deep,  but  that  weeds  and 
thorns  had  been  removed :  souls  whom  the  hearing 
of  the  word  leads  to  its  practical  understanding,  and 
to  growing  self-surrender  unto  the  Lord. 

The  seed  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  being  thus  scat- 
tered broadcast,  it  folkjws,  from  the  character  of  the 
soil,  that  the  kmgdom  of  hecven — as  outwardly  visi- 


242 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


ble — cannot  present  the  picture  of  a  pure  and  un- 
mixed community  of  saints. 

3.  To  the  Jews,  and  to  mere  nominal  Christians, 
this  parable  conveys  the  solemn  truth  that  only  part 
of  the  soil  which  is  sown  bears  fruit.  Of  course,  any- 
thing like  an  arithmetical  calculation  of  the  "  fourth 
part "  is  out  of  the  question ;  still,  it  implies  that  the 
number  of  God's  people  is  small. 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PIJACTICAL. 

The  kingdom  of  heaven  under  the  figure  of  the 
BOwer  and  the  seed:  1.  The  sower;  2.  the  seed ;  3. 
the  manner  of  sowing ;  4.  the  field ;  5.  the  harvest. 
— The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  a  sowing  in  hope  on  the 
field  of  the  world :  1.  Dangers  which  encompass  this 
hope — bad  soil,  the  fowls  of  the  air,  a  burning  sun, 
thorns  ;  2.  certitude  of  this  hope.  Final  destiny  of 
the  soO,  its  husbandry,  the  seed,  the  sowing. — The 
various  classes  of  gospel-hearers  :  1 .  The  four  class- 
es (all  hearers) ;  2.  the  three  classes  (merely  hear- 
ers) :  3.  the  two  classes  (those  who  merely  hear  and 
those  who  receive) ;  4.  the  one  class  (they  who  truly 
hear  being  those  who  also  receive). — The  difference 
in  the  soil  as  accounting  for  the  difference  of  result 
from  the  sowing  :  1.  The  difference  in  the  soil :  a. 
Soil  that  is  trodden  down — the  way-side  (service  of 
sin) ;  6.  light,  stony  ground  (superficial  enthusiasm, 
outward  appearances) ;  c.  ground  from  which  the 
thorns  have  not  been  removed  (a  divided  heart,  legal- 
ism and  worldliness) ;  d.  good  ground  which  has  un- 
dergone a  threefold  preparation  (been  turned  up,  been 
broken  down,  and  from  which  thorns  and  weeds  have 
been  removed).  2.  The  difference  of  result :  a.  Scarce- 
ly has  the  seed  been  scattered  when  it  is  carried 
away  by  the  enemy ;  b.  springing  up  too  rapidly,  it 
withers  and  passes  away ;  c.  the  ears  make  their  ap- 
pearance, but,  alas  !  are  empty  ;  d.  the  full  ear  bend- 
ing under  its  precious  load. — Difference  between  mere 
appearance  and  reality  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  on 
the  one  hand,  seed-corn  exposed  by  the  way-side — 
too  rapid  growth  of  the  stalk,  and  large  but  empty 
ears ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  seed  taking  root  and 
sprouting  unseen,  springing  slowly,  growing  up,  and 
the  full  ear  ripening. — How  the  seed  becomes  identi- 
fied with  the  soil  on  which  it  is  sown ;  or,  the  his- 
tory of  the  word  in  our  hearts  as  marking  our  own 
history. — Glorious  character  of  that  harvest  which 
the  Lord  Hunself  desires,  and  with  which  He  is 
"  satisfied." — There  may  be  difference  in  the  quanti- 
ty of  the  return,  and  yet  the  whole  field  be  good  soil. 
— Spiritual  fruit  as  it  is  matured  ever  forming  new 
spiritual  seed. — How  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  being 
completed  by  a  continual  alternation  of  seed-time  and 
harvest. — "  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,"  etc. ;  or,  the 
great  importance  of  parables  for  the  increase  of  our 
spiritual  knowledge. — Let  us  ever  seek  to  apprehend 
the  meaning  and  language  of  the  signs  of  which  God 
makes  use. — Why  the  Lord  speaks  by  parables. — 
The  kingdom  of  heaven  the  one  great  mystery  which 
comprehends  and  sums  up  all  other  mysteries. — It 
is  ffiven  us  to  understand  the  mysteries  of  the  king- 
dom.— "  Whosoever  hath,"  etc.  The  gifts  which  the 
Lord  grants  may  be  infinitely  increased  and  extend- 
ed.— ^How  even  the  external  senses  seem  to  lose  their 
natural  capacities  where  the  soul  is  dead  to  spiritual 
considerations. — The  process  of  hardening  as  gradu- 
ally growing  into  the  final  judgiiicnt. — "  Bler-sed  are 
your  eyes." — Dignity  and  responsibility  of  tae  Chris- 
tian in  the  world. — How  Jesus  explr.':;  His  parables. 


—Jesus  explaining  by  His  Holy  Spirit  all  the  para- 
bles both  of  creation  and  of  life. 

Starke: — Qucmel :  The  heart  of  man  is  God's 
own  field. — Let  us  beware  lest  our  heart  become  hke 
the  way-side — ever  open  and  accessible  to  the  world, 
and  to  the  things  of  the  world. — Those  who  harden 
themselves  will  wax  worse  and  worse,  2  Tim.  iii.  13. 
— How  is  it  that  so  many  who  go  to  the  house  of 
God,  and  listen  to  His  word,  remain  unmoved  V — Be- 
ware of  quenching  the  Spirit. — The  great  privileges  of 
the  New  Testament  Church. —  Cramer:  Rest  assured 
that  where  God  has  His  word  preached,  the  devil  wiU 
not  be  far  away  (where  Christ  builds  a  church,  the 
devil  rears  a  chapel). — Nothing  more  dangerous  than 
want  of  stability :  to-day  professedly  for  Christ,  to- 
morrow against  Him  ! — Prepare  for  trials  the  moment 
you  give  yourself  wholly  to  the  Lord  (the  cross  and 
the  crown  are  always  combined). — The  word  of  God 
will  never  return  void  unto  Him,  Isa.  Iv.  11. — The 
word  of  God  not  a  dead  letter,  but  living  seed. 

Lifico  : — The  parables  serve  at  the  same  time  to 
reveal  and  to  conceal  spiritual  truth. — In  the  case  of 
genuine  inquirers  they  reveal  the  truth  to  the  eye  of 
faith,  while  they  conceal  it  from  the  carnal,  the  sen- 
sual, and  the  ungodly. — Explanation  of  the  parable 
in  the  text :  1.  Those  whose  minds  and  hearts  are 
dead;  2.  those  who  are  light-minded  and  unstable; 

3.  they  who  love  the  world,  or  who  are  undecided ; 

4.  they  in  whom  none  of  these  obstacles  prevail. 

Gerlach : — The  parables  are  like  the  pillar  of  the 
cloud  and  of  fire,  where  darkness  was  presented  to 
the  Egyptians,  but  light  and  brightness  to  the  coven- 
ant-people, Ex.  xiv.  20.  They  resemble  the  husk 
which  preserves  the  kernel  from  the  indolent,  and 
for  the  earnest  and  the  diligent. — Every  gift  of  God 
requires  personal  appropriation. — Care  has  precisely 
the  same  effect  on  the  heart  as  riches  ;  clinging  to 
the  things  of  earth  keeps  the  poor  as  well  as  the  rich 
from  coming  to  Christ. — To  hear,  to  understand,  and 
to  bring  forth  fruit ! 

,  Heubner  : — It  is  a  matter  of  indifference  where 
we  preach ;  the  word  of  God  sanctifies  the  place. — 
Let  us  learn  to  discern  a  spiritual  bearing  and  im- 
port in  the  things  that  are  visible. — To  be  always,  as 
it  were,  lying  by  the  way-side  will  at  last  convert  the 
heart  into  an  open  highway,  trodden  down  by  those 
who  pass  by. — Birds:  a  most  apt  figure  of  evil 
thoughts,  which  ever  flutter  around  the  soul  of  hard- 
ened sinners  and  catch  away  anything  good. — Let 
every  one  who  is  engaged  in  scattering  the  seed  re- 
member that  an  unseen  enemy  lieth  in  wait  to  mar 
his  work ;  accordingly,  let  us  ever  be  on  our  watch, 
and  warn  our  hearers  of  the  danger. — God  is  able  to 
soften  even  the  hardest  heart. — Stony  ground  :  senti- 
mental religion  (or  dead  orthodoxy) ;  religion  affect- 
ed and  imitated  for  the  time. — A  straw-flame  is  soon 
burnt  out. — Thorny  ground  :  a  divided  heait.  Lu- 
ther :  These  are  they  who  serve  two  masters.  But 
bear  in  mind  also  that  the  good  ground  does  not 
yield  fruit  of  itself.  Theirs  are  hearts  in  themselves 
empty,  but  whom  a  sense  of  poverty  has  softened  and 
rendered  susceptible. — They  bring  forth  fruit  with 
patience  (or  rather,  with  perseverance,  Luke  viii.  15). 
— Blessed  is  he  who  daily  sees  and  hears  Christ  in 
His  word. — The  patient  waitmg  of  the  fathers  for 
Christ  should  stir  us  up  to  think  what  cause  for  grat- 
itude we  have  who  live  in  gospel  times. — The  gospel 
the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  waiting, 
longing  soul. — How  young  ministers  are  prone  to  ex- 
pect too  much. — The  power  of  divine  grace  amidst  all 
the  obstacles  which  the  world  raises. — The  patience 


CHAP.  Xin.  24^3.  243 


which   both  ministers   and   hearers   require.  —  The  I  heart  of  man. — Opposite  effects  of  the  preaching  of 
preaching  of  the  word  of  God  the  grand  test  of  the  |  the  word. — The  right  preparation  of  the  heart. 


2.   The  Second,  Third,  and  Fourth  Parables,  and  Interpretation  of  the  Second  Parable.     Ch.  XIII.  24-43. 

24  Another  parable  put  he  forth  unto  them,'  saying,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  hkened 

25  imto  a  man  which  [who]  sowed''  good  seed  in  his  field:   But  while  men  slept,  his  ene- 

26  my  came  and  sowed  [over]'  tares ^  among  the  wheat,  and  went  his  way.     But  when 

27  the  blade  was  sprung  up,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares  also.  So 
the  servants  of  the  householder  came  and  said  unto  him.  Sir,  didst  not  thou  [thou  not]* 

28  sow  good  seed  in  thy  field?  from  whence  then  hath  it  tares ?^  He  said  unto  them.  An 
enemy  liath  done  this.     The  servants  said  unto  him.  Wilt  thou  then  that  we  go  and 

29  gather  them  up?     But  he  said,  Nay;  lest  while  ye  gather  up  the  tares,  ye  root  up  also 

30  the  wheat  with  them.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest :  and  in  the  time  of 
harvest  I  will  say  to  the  reapers,  Gather  ye  together  first  the  tares,  and  bind  them  in 
bundles  to  burn  them :  but  gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn. 

31  Another  parable  put  he  forth  unto  tliem,  saying,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  to 

32  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  which  a  man  took,  and  sowed  in  his  field :  Which  indeed  is 
the  least  of  all  seeds :  but  when  it  is  grown,  it  is  the  greatest  among  herbs  [greater 
than  the  herbs],'  and  becometh  a  tree,  so  that  the  birds  of  the  air  come  and  lodge  in 
the  branches  tliereof. 

33  Another  parable  spake  he  unto  them  ;  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven, 
which  a  woman  took,  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened. 

34  All  these  things  spake  Jesus  unto  the  multitude  in  parables ;  and  without  a  parable 

35  spake  he  not  [he  spake  nothing]^  unto  tiiem  :  That  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was 
spoken  by  the  prophet,'  saying,  I  will  open  my  mouth  in  parables;  I  will  utter  things 
which  have  been  kept  secret  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

36  Then  Jesus  [he]'"  sent  the  multitude  away,  and  went  into  the  house:  and  his  dis- 

37  ciples  came  unto  him,  saying,  Declare  unto  us  the  parable  of  the  tares  of  the  field.  He 
ansAvered  and  said  unto  them," 

38  He  that  soweth  the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  man;  The  field  is  the  world;  the  good 
seed  [these,  ourot]  are  the  children  of  the  kingdom ;  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of 

39  tlie  wicked  one ;  Tlie  enemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  devil ;  the  harvest  is  the  end  of 

40  the  world;  and  the  reapers  are  the'**  angels.     As  therefore  the  tares  are  gathered  and 

41  burned  in  the  fire;  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  this  [the]''  world.  The  Son  of  man 
shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that 

42  offend,  and  them  which  [that]  do  iniquity ;  And  shall  cast  them  into  a  [the]  furnace  of 

43  fire :  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine 
forth  '■*  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father.  Who  iiath  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
hear. 

*  Ver.  24— [nape0i7K€f,  He  set  or  laid  lefore  them  another  parable  as  a  spiritual  riddle,  challenging  the  close  attention 
and  solution  of  the  hearers;  comp.  Mark  iv.  34,  tireKv^ey  iravra,  Ae  «oZt'e<i  all,  viz.,  the  parables,  E.  V. :  he  expounded 
all  things  to  his  disciples.— P.  S.J 

^  Ver.  24. — B.,  M.,  X..  al.  crveip  a  vri.  [So  also  Lachmann  and  Alford,  following  the  Vatican  Codex,  etc.  Tischendorf, 
in  his  edition  of  1S59,  reads  trrreip  o  fTt  {seminanti,  instead  of  qui  seminavit).  Perhaps  be  will  in  a  new  edition  adopt 
the  other  reading,  since  the  Cod.  Sinaiticus,  as  published  by  him  in  1S63,  reads  (Twipavri,  a  provincial  (Egyptian?)  spelling 
for  ffinipavTt,  as  the  same  Cod.  frequently  has  i  for  ei,  e.  g.,  (pofiKrde  for  (poffi'iaBe  in  Matt.  .v.  2S,  31.— P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  25.— Cod.  B.,  [also  Cod.  Sinait],  L.ichmann,  Tischendorf:  €  ir  eanetofi'  {>n-  ianeipe.  [Vulg.:  e?j^er8eminavit ; 
Ehemish  Vers. :  oversowed;  Lange:  sdetedurauf;  soiced  over  the  first  seed.— P. '&.'\ 

<  Ver.  25.— [Zifoj/itt  (probably  a  Hebrew  word),  i.  e.,  darnel;  lolium  Umulentum;  Germ.:  Lolch,  ToUkorn; 
French:  ivroie,  so  called  to  indicate  the  vertigo  which  it  causes  when  eaten  in  bread.  Set-  the  Exee.  Notes.  But  tares 
is  more  popular,  as  the  German  Unkratit  in  Luther's  version  is  better  understood  than  Lolch  or  ToUkorn.  Hence  the 
propriety  of  a  change  in  this  case  might  be  questioned.     I  would  prefer  the  term  hastard  wheat. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  2".— [Conant:  "The  form  in  the  Common  Vers  on :  didst  not  thou,  gives  a  false  emphasis;  for,  in  the  Greek, 
the  negative  verb  qualifies  the  verb,  and  not  its  subject." — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  27. — The  ancient  testimony  is  decidedly  against  the  article  in  to  ^ifoi/ia.  [Lance  misplaces  this  note  to  ver. 
26,  where  the  critical  authoriiies  have  the  article.    The  Engl.  Vers,  is  right  in  both  cases.— P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  32.— [In  Gr. :  fJLiiC""  ■'"'>'''  Kaxii/onv;  Lange:  grosser  ate  die  (a/it/erft).fi>aM««r  (alle  andernGartengewachse); 
i.  e.,  larger  than  any  herb. — P.  S.] 


244 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


8  Ver.  34.— B.,  C,  M.,  [Coii.  Sinait.],  Lachmann,  TiscLendorf  read  o  !>  5  cV  [instead  of  o  u  «■]. 

'  Ver.  S5.— The  addition:  Imia/i,  is  false  in  fact  and  on  critical  grounds.  [Cocip.  the  critical  note  in  Tischendorf'fl 
large  edition  in  loc,  vol.  i.,  p.  59. — P.  S.] 

'"  Ver.  8G.— 'O  'I tj  ffo  0  s  is  an  explanatory  addition  not  fonnd  in  the  oldest  MSS. 

>i  Ver.  37. — Lit:  He  answering  mid;   a  utoTs  {to  thein)  is  omitted  in  the  critical  editions. 

12  Ver.  2,'i.  —  \^Angels,  without  the  article  which  is  omitted  in  the  Greek  :   wyyiXoi  iiaiv.—V.  S.] 

'3  Ver.  40. — Lachinilnn,  Tischendorf,  following  B.,  C,  D.,  al.,  read  simply  tov  ali>vos  [omitting  tovtov.  Alford,  how- 
ever, retains  it  aj^ainst  the  decided  weight  of  authorities,  including  Cod.  Sinait. — P.  S.] 

i<  VcT.  43.— [ShtJie  forth,  i  k  Aauxl/oucrii',  which  is  more  than  \du\povm,  effulgebnnt  (not  simply : /«^(7«&Mn<,  as  the 
Latin  Vulg.  trauslates),  hervorsiraJilen,  and  signifies  the  sudden  bursting  forth  of  the  inherent  glory  of  the  righteous, 
Oomp.  Dan.  sii.  3,  and  Meyer  in  loc. — P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  24.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened, 
or  made  like,  i^  i.Loid>e -q  .  — A  delineation  of  the 
trials  to  which  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  exposed 
from  its  first  introduction  into  the  world,  and  un- 
avoidable connection  with  it.  Hence  the  sower,  who 
is  the  chief  figure  in  the  parable,  cannot  prevent  the 
enemy  from  sowing  tares  among  the  wheat.  The 
same  expression  is  also  used,  ch.  xviii.  23.  The  rep- 
resentation of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by  "  a  certain 
man  "  recurs  again  in  ver.  45,  and  in  xx.  1.  It  is  an 
entire  mistake  to  interpret  the  passage  as  implying 
that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  "  at  the  time  not  yet 
founded." 

Ver.  25.  While  men  slept  f — i.  e.,  at  night,  when 
evil-disposed  persons  would  try  to  injure  the  property 
of  their  neighbors.  Hence,  the  application  of  this 
clause  to  the  negligence  of  Christian  teachers,  who 
were  appointed  to  watch  and  guard  the  field  (Chry- 
sostom,  Augustine),  is  incorrect.*  Still  less  does  it 
refer  to  the  sleep  of  sin  (Calovius).  Nor  is  it,  on  the 
other  hand,  merely  a  rhetorical  figure  (Meyer).  It 
aUudes  to  the  weakness  of  men,  through  wiiich  the 
enemy  succeeds  in  mixing  up  errors  with  saving  truth, 
without  this  being  perceived.  Or  perhaps  it  may  de- 
note, that  professors  of  religion  too  frequently  seek 
exclusively  their  personal  comfort,  without  seriously 
reflecting  upon,  or  being  zealous  lor,  the  truth  of  the 
doctrines  propounded. 

Ver.  25.  Tares  [lit. :  darnel]. — The  weed  grow- 
ing among  wheat,  ^i^dv  lov ,  lolium  temulenium, 
darnel.  The  only  species  of  grass  which  in  Eastern 
countries  springs  up  wild  among  oats  or  wheat  (Virg. : 
'•'■infeUx  lolium^''  Georg.  i.  154).  At  the  first  it  looks 
like  wheat,  but  its  fruit  is  black,  not  yellow,  and  its 
effects  are  intoxicating  and  otherwise  detrimental. 
If  allowed  to  grow  till  the  harvest,  it  is  extremely 
difficult  to  separate  it  from  the  wheat ;  and,  accord- 
ingly, it  happens  not  uufrequently  that  it  becomes 
mixed  up  with  the  flour.  The  Taimudists  regarded 
it  as  a  degenerate  wheat.  8ee  the  Art.  in  the  En- 
cycls.  [St.  Jerome,  who  resided  long  in  Palestine, 
speaks  in  loc.  of  the  stiiking  simihtude  between  tri- 
iicutn  and  zizania,  wheat,  and  bastard  wheat.  Dr. 
Hackett  {Illustrations  of  Scripture,  p.  130)  collected 
some  specimens  of  this  deceitful  weed,  and  found,  on 
showing  them  to  friends,  that  they  invariably  mistook 
them  for  some  species  of  grain,  such  as  wheat  or  bar- 

*  [It  should  be  observed  that  the  Saviour  says :  "while 
niMi  slept,"  not :  "while  the  men  (belonging  to  the  owner 
of  the  field),  or  the  servants  slept; "  and  that,  in  the  exposi- 
tion of  the  parable,  He  brings  no  charge  of  negligence  against 
them,  although  there  is,  alas  I  always  more  or  less  of  itin  all 
ages  and  branches  of  the  church.  Trench:  "The  phrase  is 
equivalent  to  'at  night,'  and  must  not  be  further  urged  (Job 
xxsiii.  15;  Mark  iv.  27).  This  enemy  seized  his  opportuni- 
ty, when  all  eyes  were  closed  in  sleep,  and  wrought  the  se- 
cret mischief  upon  which  he  was  intent,  and  having  wrought 
it  undetected,  withdrew."    So  also  Alford.— P.  S.] 


ley.  Hence  the  rabbinical  name,  bastard  (i.  e.,  bas- 
tard wheat}.— P.  S.] 

[The  sowing  of  tares  among  wheat  is  a  kind  of 
injury  frequently  practised  to  this  day  in  the  East, 
from  malice  and  revenge.  Roberts  {Biblical  Ulusira- 
tions,  p.  541,  as  quoted  by  Trench)  relates  of  India: 
"  See  that  lurking  villain  watching  for  the  time  when 
his  neighbor  shall  plough  his  field ;  he  carefully 
marks  the  period  when  the  work  has  been  finished, 
and  goes  m  the  night  following,  and  casts  in  what 
the  natives  call  pa'iidinellu,  i.  e.,  pig-paddy  ;  this,  be- 
ing of  rapid  growth,  springs  up  before  the  good  seed, 
and  scatters  itself  before  the  other  can  be  reaped,  so 
that  the  poor  owner  of  the  field  will  be  for  years  be- 
fore he  can  get  rid  of  the  troublesome  weed."  Trench 
{JVotes  on  the  Parables,  p.  83,  9th  Lond.  ed.)  re- 
lates a  similar  trick  of  malice  from  Ireland,  where  he 
knew  an  outgoing  tenant,  who,  in  spite  of  his  ejection, 
sowed  wild  oats  in  the  fields  of  the  proprietor,  which 
ripened  and  seeded  themselves  before  the  crops,  so 
that  it  became  next  to  impossible  to  get  rid  of  them. 
Dr.  Alford,  too,  in  loc,  4th  ed.,  mentions  that  a  field  be- 
longing to  hun  in  Leicestershire,  England,  was  malici- 
ously sown  with  charlock,  and  that  heavy  damages 
were  obtained  by  the  tenant  against  the  offender. 
—P.  S.] 

And  went  his  way. — The  devil  or  his  emis- 
saries sow  the  seed  and  go  their  way  ;  those  who  af- 
terward hold  the  errors  which  they  have  sown,  enter- 
tertaining  theta  rather  in  consequence  of  their  natural 
darkness  and  folly  than  of  set  hostile  purpose. 
[Trench:  "  The  mischief  done,  the  enemy  ^  went  his 
u'ai/,^  and  thus  the  worlc  did  not  evidently  and  at 
once  appear  to  be  his.  How  often  in  the  Church  the 
beginnings  of  evil  have  been  scarcely  discernible; 
how  often  has  that  which  bore  the  worst  fruit  in 
the  end,  appeared  at  first  like  a  higher  form  of 
good !  "—P.  S.] 

Ver.  26.  Then  appeared  the  tares  also;  — 
•(".  e.,  it  became  then  possible  to  distinguish  them. 
The  most  fascinating  error  is  seen  in  its  true  charac- 
ter whenever  its  poisonous  fruit  appears. 

Ver.  29.  Lest  ye  root  up  also  the  wheat. — 
Gerlach :  "  Our  Lord  allows  both  to  grow  together, 
not  because  His  servants  might  be  apt  to  mistake  the 
tares  for  the  wheat, — which  would  scarcely  be  the 
case  if  they  knew  anything  of  the  matter,  and  which, 
at  all  events,  would  not  apply  to  the  reapers  (ver. 
SO), — but  because,  however  different  the  plants  in 
themselves,  their  roots  are  so  closely  intertwined  in 
the  earth."  This  remark  is  very  important;  but 
some  other  elements  must  also  be  taken  into  account, 
such  as  the  excitement  and  haste  of  these  servants — 
they  are  not  angels,  as  the  reapers  spoken  of  in  ver. 
30;  and,  lastly,  that  the  difference  between  wheat 
and  tares  is  not  so  distinct  as  at  the  time  of  the  har- 
vest.— The  same  commentator  refers  this  verse  ex- 
clusively to  excesses  of  ecclesiastical  discipline,  for 
the  purpose  of  excluding  all  unbelievers  and  hypo- 
crites, and  constituting  a  perfectly  pure  Church.    He 


CHAP.  XIII.  24-43. 


245 


denies  all  allusion  to  the  punishment  of  death  for 
heresy,  since  the  Lord  spoke  of  the  OMirch^  and  not 
of  the  secular  power.  But  the  Church  here  alluded 
to  is  the  Church  in  the  world,  and  tainted  more  or 
less  with  secularism. 

Ver.  30>In  the  time  of  the  harvest,  ev  Kaipai, 
etc. — At  the  right  and  proper  time,  and  hence  in  the 
time  of  the  harvest. 

Yer.  31.  A  grain  of  mustard-seed. — The  mus- 
tard-plant, T  ii  aiv  cLiT  I  {sinapis  oricntalis,  in  Chaldee 
bn"in), — a  shrub  bearing  pods,  which  grows  wild,* 
but  ii\  Eastern  countries  and  in  the  south  of  Europe 
is  cultivated  for  its  seed.  Three  kinds  of  mustard 
were  known,  the  black  and  the  white  being  most  in 
repute.  The  Jews  grew  mustard  in  their  gardens. 
Its  round  seed-corns  "(-1-6  in  a  pod)  were  proverbial- 
ly characterized  by  them  as  the  smallest  thing  (Bux- 
iovi,  Lex.  Talm.  82-2) ;  "which,  indeed,  holds  true 
so  far  as  the  various  kinds  of  seed-corn  used  in  Jew- 
ish husbandry  are  concerned,  though  scientific  botany 
knows  still  smaller  seeds  "  (Winer).  In  hot  chmes 
the  mustard-plant  sometimes  springs  up  to  the  di- 
mensions of  a  small  tree.  Meyer  and  Royle  refer  the 
expression  to  the  mustard-^rfc  called  Salvadora  Per- 
sica.  (Comp.  Winer,  and  Ewald,  Jakrbucher  for 
1849,  p.  32.)  But  this  view  is  manifestly  inapt,  as 
it  would  destroy  not  only  the  popular  character,  but 
also  the  point  of  the  parable.  We  cannot  believe 
that  the  Lord  would  introduce  a  tree  growing  in  Per- 
sia into  a  picture  drawn  from  common  life  in  Judea.f 
Besides,  nobody  would  deem  it  strange  that  a  tree 
should  grow  up  to  its  proper  dimensions  ;  but  that  the 
small  shrub  vi'hich  had  sprung  from  the  least  of  all 
seeds  should  spread  into  a  tree,  and  that  the  birds  of 
the  air  should  seek  a  lodgment  in  its  branches,  might 
well  form  ground  of  surprise,  and  serve  as  the  basis 
of  this  parable.  Heubner:  Think  of  the  mustard- 
seed  of  Eastern  countries,  not  that  of  Europe, 
which  grov/s  to  the  height  of  from  nine  to  fifteen 
yards. 

Which  a  man  [handling  it]  took ;  Xa^wy. — 
Meyer :  "  Circumstantiality  and  pictorialness  of  de- 
tail." In  our  opinion,  it  alludes  to  the  fact,  that  a 
man  was  obliged  cautiously  and  carefully  to  take  up 
the  seed,  lest  he  should  lose  hold  of  it.  So  small  as 
scarcely  to  admit  of  being  handled. 

Ver.  32.  Lodge  in  the  branches  thereof. — 
Not  merely,  nestle  or  seek  shelter,  but  lodge  and  re- 
main, KaTamcrivovv. 

Yer.  33.  Unto  leaven;  C^ixt). — Eeferring  to 
the  uuperceived  power  and  efficacy  of  the  gospel, 
pervading,  transforming,  and  renewing  the  mind, 
heart,  and  hfe.  Starke  :  "  The  term  leaven  is  used 
in  other  passages  (xvi.  11 ;  1  Cor.  v.  6,  7)  in  the 
sense  of  evil.  Accordingly,  some  commentators  un- 
derstand it  as  also  referring  in  this  parable  to  the 
corruptions  which  have  crept  into  the  Church,  and 
ultimately  perverted  it ;  and  the  woman  as  alluding 
to  the  Papacy  and  the  Piomish  clergy  (Rev.  ii.  20 ; 
xvii.  1),  who,  with  their  leaven  of  false  doctrine,  have 
leavened  the  three  estates  of  Christendom  (the  three 
measures  of  meal).  However,  the  gospel  may  also, 
in  many  respects,  be  likened  unto  leaven ;  as,  for  ex- 


*  [And  to  a  very  considerable  size,  in  the  fertile  soil  of 
Palestine,  as  higli  as  the  horses'  heads.— P.  S.] 

t  [But  the  Salvadora  Persica  was  also  found  by  Irby  and 
Mangles  on  or  near  the  peninsula  of  the  Dead  Sea.  See 
Royle  in  Journal  of  Sacred  Lit.,  1^-19,  p.  271,  and  Kobinson, 
Diet,  sub  nivaTvi.  But  if  the  vxu&iavA-tree  h.ad  been  intend- 
ed, it  would  hardly  have  been  numbered  among  the  herbs, 
KdxO'fay  ver.  32,  which  grow  in  the  garden. — P.  S.J 


ample,  with  reference  to  its  pervading  influence  (Heb. 
iv.  12),  to  its  rapid  spread  (Luke  xii.  49),  to  its  ren- 
dering the  bread  palatable  and  wholesome,  etc.  Ac- 
cording to  Macarius,  the  parable  before  us  alludes  to 
both  these  elements  "  (the  leaven  of  original  sin,  and 
its  counter-agent,  the  leaven  of  grace  and  salvation). — 
Rieger  {JBeiracht.  Hber  d.  N.  T.  i.)  better  :  "  In  other 
passages  of  Scrfpture  the  term  leaven  is  used  as  a 
figure  of  insidious  and  fatal  corruption,  finding  its  way 
into  the  Church.  But  manifestly  this  cannot  be  the 
case  in  the  present  instance.  The  passage  does  not 
bear  :  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  hke  unto  three 
measures  of  meal,  with  which  leaven  became  mixed 
up ;  but,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven 
— shov/ing  that  the  leaven,  which  in  itself  is  not  nox- 
ious and  evil,  but^  on  the  contrary,  highly  useful  and 
wholesome,  serves  here  as  a  figure  of  the  secret  but 
all-pervading  and  subduing  power  of  the  gospel.  In 
point  of  fact,  the  same  idea  recurs  in  Heb,  iv.  2, 
where  we  read  of  the  word  being  mixed  with  faith  in 
them  that  hear  it."  To  these  remarks  we  add:  1. 
It  were  contrary  to  the  rules  of  hermeneutics  to  treat 
an  allegorical  figure  Uke  a  dogmatic  statement.  Thus 
in  different  passages  the  lion  is  used  as  a  figure  of 
Satan,  but  also  of  Christ ;  the  serpent  as  a  figure  of 
the  enemy,  but  also  of  the  wisdom  needful  to  the 
Apostles  ;  birds  as  a  figure  of  believing  trustfulness, 
but  also  of  the  devil  catching  away  the  word.  2.  All 
the  parables  in  this  section  bear  upon  the  develop- 
ment of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Hence,  if  Starke's 
supposition  were  correct,  the  parable  under  consid- 
eration would  be  quite  out  of  its  place  in  this  con- 
text. 3.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  that  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  could  be  leavened  by  evil  as  by  a 
power  stronger  than  itself,  and  thus  be  hopeless- 
ly destroyed.  4.  Leaven  may  indeed  be  employed  as 
a  figure  of  sin  and  evil  in  the  sense  of  being  stronger 
than  individual  Christians,  when  left  in  their  own 
strength  to  combat  with  error,  etc.  (xvi.  6 ;  1  Cor. 
V.  6,  7),  but  not  in  that  of  being  more  powerful  than 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  5.  Leaven  as  such  is  no- 
where in  the  Bible  a  figure  of  evil,  but  a  neutral  fig- 
ure of  an  all-pervading,  contagious  power.  Mark 
also  Lev.  xxiii.  17  :  "  They  shall  be  baken  with 
leaven  ;  they  are  the  first-fruits  unto  the  Lord." 

Three  measures. — 2  a.r  ov ,  nj\D,a  hoUow 
measure  used  for  dry  substances ;  according  to  Jose- 
phus,  equal  to  1^^  Roman  measures.  The  expression, 
three  measures,  is  not  accidental,  but  intended  to 
denote  the  large  quantity  which  the  leaven  has  to 
pervade.  Three  is  the  symbolical  number  for  spirits 
ual  things.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  pervades  and  trans- 
forms our  spirits  in  an  unseen  and  spiritual  manner. 
"  The  Fathers  interpreted  the  number  three  allegcri- 
cally."  Theod.  of  Mopsuest.  referred  it  to  the  Jews, 
the  Samaritans,  and  the  Greeks.*  This,  however,  is, 
strictly  speaking,  not  an  allegorical  interpretation ; 
comp.  Acts  i.  8.  Olshausen  approves  of  a  reference 
of  the  number  three  to  the  sanctification  of  the  three 
powers  of  human  nature  [body,  soul,  and  spirit]  by 
the  gospel.  Sunilarly  it  might  be  appUed  to  the 
three  grand  forms  in  our  Christian  world — individ- 
uals (catechumens).  Church  and  State,  and  the  physi- 
cal Cosmos.  The  main  point,  however,  is  to  remem- 
ber that  the  wliole  domain  of  mind,  heart,  and  life, 
in  all  their  bearings,  is  to  be  pervaded  and  transform- 
ed by  the  Spirit  of  Cod. 

Yer.  34.  He  spake  nothing  (o  u  5  e  v)  unto 
them  ; — i.  e.,  to  the  people  concerning  the  kingdom 

*  [Augustin,  and  quite  recently  Stier,  refer  it  to  tho 
three  sods  of  Noah. — P.  S.] 


246 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


of  heaven,  especially  at  that  particular  period.  Hence 
also  the  use  of  the  imperfect.     Meyer. 

Ver.  3.1.  By  the  prophet. — A  free  quotation 
of  Ps.  Ixxviii.  2.  Meyer  reminds  us  that  in  2  Chron. 
xxix.  30  Asaph  is  designated  a  "  seer,"  or  prophet. 

Yer.  38.  The  good  seed  are  the  children  of 
the  kingdom ;  but  the  tares  are  the  children 
of  the  wicked  one. — J'ritzsche :  fnigcs  ex  semine 
enatce.  As  in  the  explanation  of  the  first  parable,  so 
here  also  the  seed  is  identified  with  the  souls  in  which 
it  was  sown.  Our  life  becomes  identified  with  the 
spiritual  seed,  and  principles  assume,  so  to  speak,  a 
bodily  shape  in  individuals.  Such  a  concrete  mode 
of  presenting  this  truth  is  all  the  more  suitable  in  this 
place,  since  our  Lord  is  further  developing  and  ap- 
plying this  parable. — The  children  of  the  wicked  (lit- 
erally here  the  tares)  are  sown  by  the  wicked — of 
course,  in  a  moral  sense,  not  according  to  the  sub- 
stance of  their  human  nature,  just  as  the  sons  of  the 
kingdom  are  specifically  "  the  seed  "  sown  by  the  Sa- 
viour in  the  moral  and  religious  sense.  These  men 
have  become  what  they  are  by  the  principles  which 
they  have  embraced.  This  appears  from  the  expres- 
sion in  ver.  41 :  "  They  shall  gather  out  of  His  kmg- 
dom  TT  av  T  a  to.  aKai/SaAa  k  al  t  o  v  s  ir  o  i  - 
ovvT  as  ri]  y  av o  /u-lav ."  The scandala  are  offen- 
ces in  respect  of  doctrine,  heresies,  and  seductive 
principles ;  the  anomists  arc  those  who  represent  or 
embrace  these  principles  (among  whom  Christ  also 
included  the  representatives  of  Jewish  traditionalism). 

Ver.  40.  At  the  end  of  the  Tvorld,  or  rather, 
of  this  .Eon. — 4  Esra  vii.  43  :  Dies  judicii  erit  finis 
temporis  hujiis  et  initium  temporis  futuroe  immortali- 
tatis,  in  quo  (ranskit  corruptela. 

Ver.  41.  Out  of  His  kingdom, — clearly  show- 
ing that  the  <tvvt  iKe  la  must  be  regarded  as  an 
interval  of  time,  and  hence  indicating  that  there  is  a 
period  intervening  between  the  reappearing  of  Christ 
and  the  first  resurrection  connected  with  it,  and  the 
last  resurrection,  or  that  transformation  of  the  pres- 
ent ^on,  which  marks  the  close  of  the  final  judg- 
ment ;  Rev.  XX.,  compared  with  1  Cor.  xv.  23.  Mey- 
er :  "  The  separation  of  which  the  Lord  speaks,  is 
that  of  the  good  and  the  evil  (individuals),  and  only 
thereby  a  separation  of  good  and  evil  (things)."  But 
in  the  text  the  a Kav^aKa  are  mentioned  before 
the  TT  o  lovvr  es ,  who  are  here  identified  with  these 
o-KctcSaAa.  Similarly  also  the  righteous  are  identified 
with  that  heavenly  brightness  which  now  shines  forth 
in  them. 

Ver.  42.  A  furnace  of  fire. — Not  Sheol,  or 
Hades,  but  Gehenna,  or  Hell,  Rev.  xx.  1 5  ;  Matt.  xxv. 
41 ;  the  place  of  punishment  and  ^on  of  those  who 
are  subject  to  the  second  death.  [Trench  :  Fearful 
■words  indeed  !  and  the  image,  if  it  be  an  image,  bor- 
rowed from  the  most  dreadful  and  painful  form  of 
death  in  use  among  men.  David,  alas  !  made  the 
children  of  Ammon  taste  the  dreadfulness  of  it.  It 
was  in  use  among  the  Chaldeans,  Jer.  xxix.  22  ;  Dan. 
iii.  6.  Antiochus  resorted  to  it  in  the  time  of  the 
Maccabees,  2  Mace.  vii. ;  1  Cor.  xiii.  3.  In  modern 
times,  Chardin  makes  mention  of  penal  furnaces  in 
Persia.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  43.  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth, 
iKKa  tj.\\i  ova  iv .  —  Then  the  brightness  of  their 
oo|a  shall  visibly  break  forth  ;  Dan.  xii.  3  ;  Rom.  viii. ; 
and  other  passages. 

DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 
1.  The  Pakable  of  the  Takes  among  the  wheat. 


— The  basis  of  this  parable  is  the  natural  tendency 
of  the  ground  to  produce  noxious  weeds,  thorns,  and 
briers,  or  to  degenerate.  Hence  the  parable  is  in- 
tended to  represent  the  obstacles  with  which  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  meets,  and  which  it  has  to  over- 
come. As  in  the  natural  earth  tares  and  weeds  rap- 
idly spread,  till  they  threaten  to  destroy  the  precious 
grain,  so  the  seed  of  natural  corruption  in  the  heart 
and  life  threatens  to  choke  that  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  The  parable  embodies  three  leading  ideas. 
In  opposition  to  the  heavenly  sower  we  see  His  ad- 
versary similarly  employed  ;  by  the  side  of  the  good 
seed  which  Christ  scatters  we  have  that  of  the  tares 
and  the  weeds  of  the  devil ;  while  the  noxious  plants, 
as  they  spring  up,  threaten  to  choke  or  to  spoil  the 
precious  fruit.  In  other  words,  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  opposed  by  another  kingdom — that  of  conscious 
malice,  of  which  Satan,  the  adversary  of  Christ,  is 
the  head.  His  seed  are  the  oKav^aKa,  or  spiritually 
seductive  principles,  here  represented  by  the  tares, 
which  look  like  the  wheat,  just  as  heresies  resemble 
the  ti'Uth.  This  seed  he  scatters  at  night ;  i.  e.,  the 
enterprise,  dictated  by  the  malice  of  the  enemy,  suc- 
ceeds through  the  weakness  and  folly  of  man.  Pro- 
tected by  the  darkness  of  night,  the  noxious  weed, 
scattered  all  through  the  wheat,  springs  up,  and,  re- 
sembling the  good  fruit,  grows  up  luxuriantly,  till  it 
threatens  to  choke  the  wheat,  or  to  spoil  it  by  for- 
eign and  dangerous  admixture.  In  passing,  we  have 
already  hinted  that  the  picture  of  men  sleeping  may 
refer  to  the  contrast  between  the  religious  comforts 
and  enjoyments  indulged  in  by  the  Church,  and  the 
watchfulness  of  schools  on  behalf  of  purity  of  doctrine. 
2.  Movement  on  the  part  of  the  servants. — This 
constitutes  the  second  great  feature  of  the  parable. 
Their  proposals  arose  partly  from  indignation  against 
the  enemy,  partly  from  an  impatient  zeal  for  outward 
appearance  of  purity — from  pride  in  the  field,  and 
partly  from  appi'ehension  for  the  good  seed.  They 
were  desirous  of  removing  the  tares.  The  Lord  pro- 
hibited it,  lest  they  should  also  root  up  the  wheat. 
These  considerations  have  been  matter  of  the  utmost 
importance  in  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 
It  is  well  knowTi  that  Novatianism  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  papal  hierarchy  on  the  other,  have  address- 
ed themselves  to  this  work  of  uprooting,  despite  the 
prohibition  of  the  Lord,  and  that  the  Romish  Church 
has  at  last  ended  by  condemning  to  the  flames  only 
the  best  wheat.  But  from  this  passage  we  learn  that, 
according  to  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord,  the  Old  Tes- 
tament punishment  denounced  upon  false  prophets 
and  blasphemers  does  not  apply  to  the  New  econo- 
my.* It  is  contrary  to  the  mind  and  will  of  Christ 
to  pronounce  a  ban,  in  the  sense  of  denouncing  final 
judgment  upon  men,  by  way  of  removing  them  and 
their  errors  from  the  Church.  This  toleration  must 
not,  however,  be  regarded  as  implying  that  evil 
and  sin  are  to  escape  all  punishment  in  the  Church  : 
it  only  implies  that  we  are  to  remember  and  strictly 
to  observe  the  distinction  between  the  sowing  and 
the  reaping  time.     But  within  the  limits  here  indi- 

*  [The  mediasvnl  divines  who  defended  the  cajjital  pun- 
ishment of  heretics,  found  a  loophole  in  the  words:  letitye 
root  up  also  the  wheat  with  them;  from  which  they  inferred 
that  the  prohibition  was  binding  only  conditionally.  But 
unfortunately  for  this  inference,  the  Saviour  continues:  Let 
both  grow  together  until  the  liarvest,  and  makes  no  excep- 
tions at  all.  On  the  other  hand,  however,  this  passage  must 
not  be  abused  and  misunderstood  so  as  to  sanction  the  Eras- 
tian  latitudinarianism  and  to  undermine  discipline  which  is 
elsewhere  solemnly  enjoined  by  Christ  and  the  apostles,  and 
is  indispensable  for  the  spiritual  prosperity  of  the  Church.— 
P.  8.] 


CHAP.  Xin.  24-43. 


247 


cated,  it  is  our  duty  to  correct  all  current  mistakes, 
James  v.  19  ;  to  refute  every  error  and  heresy,  1  Tim. 
iv.  1-6  ;  and  either  to  remove  from  the  Church  anti- 
christian  doctrine  and  practical  offences,  with  all  who 
are  chargeable  therewith,  or  else  to  induce  such  per- 
sons to  leave  the  Church  by  refusing  to  own  and  ac- 
knowledge them,  Matt,  xviii.  15  ;  1  C  -r.  v.  ;  iS  John 
ver.  10. 

But  all  these  arrangements  are  only  intended  by 
way  of  discipline  during  the  course  of  the  develop- 
ment of  the  New  Testament  economy — in  hope,  not 
as  a  punitive  economy  of  judgment.  It  is  scarcely 
necessary  to  add,  thai,  they  bear  no  reference  wliat- 
ever  to  the  civil  administration  of  justice  (Rom.  xiii. 
4). 

[Dr.  Lange  might  also  have  referred  to  the  famous 
Donalist  controversy  in  the  African  Church  during 
the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries,  whose  chief  exegetical 
battle-ground  was  this  parable  of  the  tares.  The 
Catholics,  represented  by  St.  Augustine,  claimed  the 
whole  parable,  and  especially  the  warning  in  vers. 
29  and  30,  against  the  disciplinarian  rigorism  and  ec- 
clesiastical purism  of  the  Donatists ;  while  the  Donat- 
ists  tried  to  escape  the  force  of  the  parable  by  insist- 
ing that  the  field  here  spoken  of  is  not  the  Church 
but  the  world,  ver.  38.  The  parable,  they  said,  has 
no  bearing  on  our  controversy,  which  is  not  whether 
ungodly  men  should  be  endured  in  the  world  (which 
we  all  allow),  but  whether  they  should  be  tolerated 
in  the  Church  (wliich  we  deny).  The  Catholics  re- 
plied that  the  mixture  of  good  and  bad  men  in  the 
world  u  beyond  dispute  and  known  to  all ;  that  the 
Saviour  speaks  here  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  the 
Church  which  is  catholic  and  intended  to  spread  over 
the  whole  world.  Trench  speaks  at  length  on  this 
important  disciplinarian  controversy  hi  his  Notes,  p. 
84  sqq.,  and  defends  throughout  the  Augustinian  view 
(as  does  Wordsworth) ;  but  there  was  an  element  of 
truth  in  the  puritanic  zeal  of  the  Donatists  and  kind- 
red sects  in  their  protest  against  a  latitudiuarian, 
secularized  state-churchism.  Comp.  the  forthcom- 
ing second  volume  of  my  History  of  Ancient  Chris- 
tianiii/,ch.  vi.  §§  69-71.— P.  S.] 

3.  Vnfil  the  harvest. — A  final  and  complete  sep- 
aration shall  certainly  be  made.  But  it  requires  the 
heavenly  clearness,  purity,  calmness,  and  decidedness 
of  angels  properly  to  accomphsh  this  process.  — 
"  Then  shaU  the  righteous  shine  forth."'  This  shining 
forth  is  brought  about  by  the  deliverance  of  the 
Church  from  the  burden  of  its  former  comiection 
with  evil,  by  its  complete  redemption  (Luke  xxi.  28), 
and  by  the  change  and  entire  transformation  now 
taking  place  in  everything  around, — thus  combining 
at  the  same  time  inward  blessedness  with  outward, 
glorious  manifestation  of  spiritual  life,  in  all  its  ful- 
ness and  perfectness. 

4.  The  enemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  devil. — This 
passage  has  rightly  been  adduced  as  one  of  the  strong- 
est proofs  that  Christ  propounded  the  doctrine  con- 
cerning the  devil  as  of  His  own  revelation,  and  not 
from  accommodation  to  popular  prejudices.  For,  (1) 
Our  Lord  speaks  of  the  devil  not  in  the  parable,  but 
in  His  explanation  of  its  figurative  meaning,  which, 
of  course,  must  be  taken  in  its  literal  and  proper 
sense ;  (2)  He  speaks  of  him  not  in  presence  of  the 
people,  but  within  the  circle  of  His  intimate  disci- 
ples; (3)  He  refers  to  the  devil  as  the  personal 
founder  and  centre  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  and 
as  opposed  to  the  person  of  tlie  Ijon  of  Man,  the  cen- 
tre and  founder  of  the  kingdom  of  light.  Other  pas- 
sages show  that,  on  many  occasions,  Jesus  of  His 


own  accord  bore  witness  to  this  doctrine  (comp.  Matt 
iv. ;  John  viii.  44,  etc.). 

[Trench,  Notes,  p.  89  :  "  We  behold  Satan  here, 
not  as  he  works  beyond  the  limits  of  the  Church,  de- 
ceiving the  world,  but  in  his  far  deeper  skill  and 
malignity,  as  he  at  once  mimics  and  counterworks  the 
work  of  Christ :  in  the  words  of  Chrysostom :  '  after 
the  prophets,  the  false  prophets ;  after  the  Apostles, 
the  false  apostles;  after  Christ,  Antichrist.'  Most 
worthy  of  notice  is  the  plainness  with  which  the  doc- 
trine concerning  Satan  and  his  agencj',  his  active 
hostility  to  the  blessedness  of  man,  of  which  there  ia 
so  httle  in  the  Old  Testament,  comes  out  in  the  New ; 
as  in  the  last  parable,  and  again  in  this.  As  the 
lights  become  brighter,  the  shadows  become  deeper ; 
not  till  the  mighty  power  of  good  had  been  revealed, 
were  we  suffered  to  know  how  mighty  was  the  power 
of  evil ;  and  even  here  it  is  in  each  case  o.ily  to  the 
innermost  circles  of  disciples  that  the  explanation 
concerning  Satan  is  given."  Bengel  {Gnom.  on 
Eph.  vi.  12)  makes  a  similar  remark  :  "  Quo  apertiua 
quisque  Scripturoe  liber  de  Keonomia  et  gloria  Christi 
agit,  eo  apcrtius  rursum  de  regno  contrario  tenebra- 
rum.'"— P.  S.] 

5.  The  furnace  of  fire,  into  which  the  wicked  are 
to  be  cast  at  the  manifestation  of  the  new  Man,  is 
probably  intended  as  a  counterpart  to  the  fiei'y  fur- 
nace to  which,  during  the  best  period  of  the  old  Jion, 
the  faithful  had  so  often  been  consigned  (Dan  iii.). 
If  from  the  one  furnace  a  hymn  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving rose  to  heaven,  from  the  other  resounds  the 
wailing  of  anguish  and  pain,  and  the  gnashing  of 
teeth  in  rage  and  malice ;  comp.  Rev.  ix.  2.  The 
fieiy  torments  which  the  righteous  underwent  afford- 
ed a  view  of  heaven  as  in  tnd  among  men ;  those 
which  the  wicked  endure  bring  out  the  inward  hell 
existing  in  the  bosom  of  humanity.  Similarly  the 
"  outer  darkness,"  where  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth  (viii.  12,  etc.),  forms  an  antithesis 
to  the  sacred  darkness  in  which  Jehovah  dwelleth, 
Ex.  XX.  21,  amidst  the  praises  of  Israel,  Ps.  xxii.  4; 
and  to  the  darkness  of  trials  and  sorrows  which  the 
Lord  lightens  up,  Isa  Iviii.  10.  All  these  contrasts 
point  to  the  fact,  that  it  is  the  wicked  who  make  hell 
what  it  \A.  The  auto  dafc's  of  the  Middle  Ages  were 
only  a  horrible  caricature  and  anticipation  of  that 
fiery  judgment. 

6.  Tkeji  the  righteous  shall  shine  forth  as  the  sun. 
With  the  separation  at  the  judgment,  the  Christian 
fife,  subjectively  and  objectively  considered,  appears 
in  its  full  heavenly  glory.  [Trench:  "As  ^Ve  was 
the  element  of  the  dark  and  cruel  kingdom  of  hell, 
so  is  light  of  the  pure  heavenly  kingdom.  Then, 
when  tlie  dark,  hindering  element  has  been  removed, 
shall  this  element  of  light,  which  was  before  strug- 
gling with  and  obstructed  by  it,  come  forth  in  its  full 
brightness.  Col.  iii.  3  ;  Rom.  viii.  18 ;  Prov.  xxv.  4, 
5.  A  glory  shall  be  icvealed  in  the  saints  :  not  mere- 
ly brought  to  them  and  added  from  without;  but 
rather  a  glory  which  they  before  had,  but  which  did 
not  b^'fore  evidently  appear,  shall  burst  forth  and 
show  itself  openly,  as  once  in  the  days  of  His  flesh, 
at  the  moment  of  transfiguration,  did  the  hidden 
glory  of  our  Lord.  That  shall  be  the  day  of  '  the  man- 
ifestation of  the  sons  of  God.'  " — P.  S.] 

7.  The  Grain  of  Mustard-seed. — The  first  two 
parables  were  intended  (just  as  Mark  iv.  26-29)  to 
delineate  the  succession  of  events  in  the  development 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  that  of  the  grain  of  mus- 
tard-sued bears  reference  principally  to  its  extension 
in  space,  not  in  tune,  while  at  the  same  time  it  de- 


248 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


picts  the  conquering  power  of  the  gospel.  At  first 
it  seems  as  if  the  hostile  principle  had  now  wholly  dis- 
appeared. The  grain  of  mustard-seed — so  small  and 
despised  in  the  outward  appearance  of  Him  who  bore 
the  form  of  a  servant,  or  rather,  in  that  of  His  disci- 
ples— shoots  up,  and  the  smallest  of  seeds  grows  into 
a  high  bush,  so  as  even  to  resemble  a  tree.  But  in 
consequence  of  this  very  growth,  the  birds  of  the  air 
mistake  the  bush  for  a  tree,  and  seek  to  make  a  lodg- 
ment in  its  branches.  This  was  verified  in  the  ecclesi- 
astical establishment  which  Constantino  founded,  in 
the  mediaeval  Church,  and  indeed  aj)plies  to  the  visi- 
ble Church  generally.  Not  only  sweet  songsters,  but 
even  birds  of  prey,  seek  to  build  their  nests  on  this 
heavenly  tree. 

[Alford  :  "  This  parable,  like  most  others  re- 
specting the  kingdom  of  God,  has  a  double  reference 
— general  and  individual.  (1)  In  the  general  sense, 
the  msignificant  beginnings  of  the  kingdom  are  set 
forth  :  the  little  babe  cast  m  the  manger  at  Bethle- 
hem ;  the  Man  of  sorrows  with  no  place  to  lay  His 
head  ;  the  crucified  One  ;  or  agam  the  hundred  and 
twenty  names  who  were  the  seed  of  the  Church  after 
the  Lord  had  ascended  ;  then  we  have  the  Kingdom 
of  God  waxing  onward  and  spreading  its  branches 
here  and  there,  and  different  nations  coming  into  it. 
'  He  must  increase,'  said  the  great  Forerunner.  We 
must  beware,  however,  of  imagining  that  the  outward 
Church-form  is  this  kingdom.  It  has  rather  reversed 
the  parable,  and  is  the  worldly  power  waxed  to  a 
gi'eat  tree,  and  the  Churches  taking  refuge  under  the 
shadow  of  it.  It  may  be,  where  not  corrupted  by 
error  and  superstition,  subservient  to  the  growth  of 
the  heavenly  plant :  but  is  not  itself  that  plant.  It 
is  at  best  no  more  than  (to  change  the  figure)  the 
scafiblding  to  aid  the  building,  not  the  building  itself 
(2)  The  individual  application  of  the  parable  points 
to  the  small  beginnings  of  divine  grace ;  a  word,  a 
thought,  a  passing  sentence,  may  prove  to  be  the  lit- 
tle seed  which  eventually  fills  and  shadows  the  whole 
heart  and  being,  and  calls  '  all  thoughts,  all  passions, 
all  delights,'  to  come  and  shelter  under  it." — P.  S.] 

8.  The  Leaven. — Heubner :  "  If  the  former  para- 
ble presentc  the  extensive  power  of  Christianity,  this 
exhibits  its  intensive,  dynamic  force."  Sec  also  the 
list  furnished  by  that  author  (p.  199)  of  works  on 
the  effects  of  Christianity,  and  the  works  of  writers 
on  Apologetics,  Missions,  etc.  The  woman  is  an  apt 
figure  of  the  Church.*  Leaven,  a  substance  kindred 
and  yet  quite  opposed  to  meal, — having  the  power 
of  transforming  and  preserving  it,  and  of  converting 
it  into  bread,  thus  representing  the  divine  in  its  rela- 
tion to,  and  influence  upon,  our  natural  life.  One  of 
the  main  points  m  the  parable  is  the  "  hiding,''''  or 
the  mixing  of  the  leaven  ki  the  three  measures  of 
meal.  This  refers  to  the  great  visible  Church,f  in 
which  the  living  gospel  seems,  as  it  were,  hidden  and 
lost.     It  appears  as  if  the  gospel  were  engulfed  in  the 

*  [So  already  St.  Ambrose  {Expos,  in  Luc.  vii).  Trench 
{Notes,  p.  115)  remarks  :  "In  and  tbrouarh  the  Churcli  the 
Spirit's  work  proceeds:  only  as  tlie  Spirit  dwells  in  the 
Church  (Eev.  xxii.  7)  Is  that  able  to  mingle  a  nobler  clement 
in  the  msiss  of  humanity,  in  the  world."  .  .  "The  woman 
took  the  leaven  from- elsewhere  to  mingle  it  with  the  lump: 
and  even  such  is  the  gospel,  a  kingdom  not  of  this  world, 
not  the  unfolding  of  any  powers  which  already  existed 
therein,  a  kingdom  not  rising,  as  the  secular  kingdoms,  'out 
of  the  earth'  (Dan.  vii.  IT),  but  a  new  power  brought  into 
the  world  from  above  ;  not  a  philosophy,  but  a  Kevelation." 
—P.  B.] 

t  [Lange  calls  it  Weltkirche.  by  which  be  does  not  mean 
either  the  church  secularized  nor  the  various  established  or 
etate-churches,  but  the  large  body  of  nominal  Christendom. 


world  ;  but  under  the  regenerating  power  of  Chris- 
tianity it  will  at  last  be  seen  that  the  whole  world 
shall  be  included  in  the  Church.  Here,  then, 
the  transformation  of  human  nature,  of  society,  of 
institutions,  of  customs,  in  short,  of  the  whole  Cosmos 
— or  the  gradual  "  regeneration  "  (Matt.  xix.  28) — 
forms  the  principal  point  in  view.*  But  this  Chris- 
tianization  of  the  whole  world  is  not  incompatible 
with  the  development  of  Antichrist  in  the  world,  nor 
with  the  unbelief  and  the  hardening  of  individual  sin- 
ners. Nay,  this  very  dedication  of  fife  as  a  whole,  in 
consequence  of  which  the  Church  will  at  last  possess 
and  claim  everything,  only  becomes  a  judgment,  un- 
less it  be  made  ours  by  personal  regeneration,  just  as 
unbelief  transforms  the  most  glorious  truths  into 
the  most  awful  and  the  most  dangerous  errors,  2 
Thess.  ii. 

[Alford  :  "  The  two  parables  are  intimately  !&• 
lated.  That  was  of  the  inherent,  self-develop-ing  power 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as  a  seed  containing  in  it- 
self the  principle  of  expansion ;  this,  of  the  pemer 
which  it  possesses  of  penetrating  and  assimilating  a 
foreign  mass,  till  all  be  taken  up  into  it.  And  the 
comparison  is  not  only  to  the  power  but  to  the  effect 
of  leaven  also,  which  has  its  good  as  well  as  its  bad 
side,  and  for  that  good  is  used  :  viz.,  to  make  whole- 
some and  fit  for  use  that  which  would  otherwise  be 
heavy  and  insalubrious.  Another  striking  point  of 
comparison  is  in  the  fact  that  leaven,  as  used  ordi- 
narily, is  a  piece  of  the  leavened  loaf  put  amongst  the 
new  dough — (jh  ^v/xcoOeu  oiira^  C'-'I^V  T'VfTai  tw  \onr^ 
TTo-Kiv.  Chrys.  Horn.  xlvi.  p.  484  a) — just  as  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  the  renewal  of  humanity  by  the 
righteous  Man  Christ  Jesus. — The  parable,  like  the 
last,  has  its  genercd  and  its  individual  application  : 
(1)  In  the  peneti-ating  of  the  whole  mass  of  humanity, 
by  degrees,  by  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  so 
strikingly  witnessed  in  the  earlier  ages  by  the  drop- 
puig  of  heathen  customs  and  worship  ; — in  modern 
times  more  gradually  and  secretly  advancing,  but 
still  to  be  plainly  seen  in  the  various  abandonments 
of  criminal  and  unholy  practices  (as  e.  g.  in  our  own 
time  of  slavery  and  duelling,  and  the  increasing  ab- 
horrence of  war  among  Christian  men),  and  without 
doubt  in  the  end  to  be  signally  and  universally  mani- 
fested. But  this  effect  again  is  not  to  be  traced  in 
the  establishment  or  history  of  so-called  Churches, 
but  ill  the  hidden  advancement,  without  observation, 
of  that  deep  leavening  power  which  works  in-espect- 
ive  of  human  forms  and  systems.  (2)  In  the  trans- 
forming power  of  the  '  new  leaven '  on  the  whole  be- 
ing of  individuals.  '  In  fact  the  Parable  does  noth- 
ing less  than  set  foi'th  to  us  the  mystery  of  regenera- 
tion, both  in  its  first  act,  which  can  be  but  once,  as 
the  leaven  is  but  once  hidden ;  and  also  in  the  con- 
sequent (subsequent  ?)  renewal  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
which,  as  the  ulterior  working  of  the  leaven,  is  con- 
tinual and  progressive.'  (Trench,  p.  97.)  Some  have 
contended  for  this  as  the  sole  application  of  the  par- 
able ;  but  not,  I  think,  rightly. — As  to  whether  the 
yvvi]  has  any  especial  meaning  (though  I  am  more 

*  [Dr.  Tkench  (p.  16)  aptly  illustrates  this  feature  of  the 
parable  from  the  early  history  of  Christianity,  whose  work- 
ing below  the  surface  of  society  was  long  hidden  from  the 
view  of  the  heathen  writers,  and  yet  went  on  with  irresisti- 
ble force  until  the  whole  Eoman  world  was  leavened  by  it 
And  yet  the  external  conversion  of  the  empire  was  only  a 
part  of  the  work.  Besides  this,  there  was  the  eradication  of 
innumerable  heathen  opinions,  practices,  and  cubtoms  which 
had  entwined  their  tibres  rouud  the  very  heart  of  society. 
This  work  w.as  never  thoroughly  accomplished  till  the 
whole  structure  of  Eoman  society  went  to  pieces,  and  the 
new  Teutonic  civilization  was  erected  on  its  ruins. — P.  S.] 


CHiVP.  Xnr.  24-43. 


249 


and  more  convinced  that  such  considerations  are  not 
always  to  be  passed  by  as  nugatory),  it  will  hardly  be 
of  much  consequence  here  to  inquire,  seeing  that 
yvvaiKis  (TiTonoiol  would  be  everywhere  a  matter  of 
course." — P.  S.] 

9.  2Yiat  it  mic/ht  he  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by 
(he  prophet  (not  as  a  verbal,  but  as  a  typical  prophe- 
cy).— Asaph  was  a  seer,  and  the  Psalm  here  quoted 
was  prophetic,  tracing  iu  a  series  of  historical  pic- 
tures the  disobedience  and  the  hardening  of  Israel, 
the  divine  judgments,  and  the  subsequent  compassion 
and  mercy  of  God.  This  prophecy  was  fulfilled  in 
the  parables  of  Christ,  so  far  as  concerned  both  tlieir 
form  and  their  matter.  In  reference  to  their  form, 
Christ  unfolded  iu  them  all  the  mysteries  of  the  king- 
dom of  God ;  in  reference  to  their  matter,  the  first 
parables  bear  chiefly  on  the  hardening  of  the  people, 
while  the  subsequent  parables  exhibit  His  infinite 
and  glorious  compassion. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

A.  The  Parable  of  the  Tares,  Matt.  xiii.  24- 
30,  and  interpretation  of  the  same  in  vers.  36^3. — 
The  tares  among  the  wheat  in  the  field  of  Christ :  1. 
What  is  their  character  ?  (outwardly  they  resemble 
the  wheat,  but  in  reality  they  are  quite  different  and 
opposed.)  2.  How  did  they  come  among  the  wheat  ? 
(through  the  malice  of  the  devil  and  the  weakness  of 
man.)  3.  What  are  the  dangers  accruing  from  their 
presence?  (they  injure  the  wheat  by  robliing  it  of  its 
beauty  and  strength ;  and,  indirectly,  through  the 
imprudent  zeal  of  the  servants,  they  even  endanger 
its  existence.)  4.  Still  they  are  made  to  subserve  a 
good  purpose  (teaching  us  to  watch,  to  discern,  to 
live,  and  to  spare  hfe,  and  to  wait  in  humiUty  and  pa- 
tience). 5.  They  assuredly  shall  be  separated  in  the 
day  of  harvest  (judged  by  their  own  fruit,  by  the  sen- 
tence of  Christ,  by  the  angels  of  heaven,  by  fire). — 
And  he  went  his  way  (cowardice,  malice,  calculation). 
— How  the  seed  of  the  evil  one  frequently  assumes  the 
appearance  of  human  nature,  and  even  of  the  divine 
hfe. — Mark  !  it  is  not  the  wheat  among  the  tares,  but 
the  tares  among  the  wheat  (in  answer  to  the  charges 
of  ancient  and  modern  Novatianism  against  the 
Church). — An  enemy  hath  done  this. — Impatience  of 
thcservardH  in  the  kingdom  of  God  :  1.  Its  higher  and 
nobler  motives ;  2.  marks  of  its  carnal  and  sinful 
origin. — Spurious  zeal  (fanaticism)  the  worst  enemy 
we  have  to  meet  in  the  Church. — Satan  accomplishes 
more  by  calling  forth  false  zeal  in  the  disciples  than 
even  by  sowing  tares. — Has  the  Church  of  Christ 
always  obeyed  this  injunction  of  the  Master  ? — Let 
both  grow  together:  1.  Absolutely  and  uncondition- 
ally ;  yet,  2.  within  how  narrow  limits ! — How  the 
tares  and  the  wheat  mutually  protect  each  other  till 
the  time  of  harvest. — How  the  godly  and  the  ungod- 
ly serve  and  assist  each  other  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
— Freedom  of  religion  must  be  connected  with  reli- 
gion of  freedom. — A  proper  religious  toleration,  at 
the  same  time  a  proper  discipline,  in  the  spirit 
of  the  gospel.  —  Let  us  seek  to  distinguish  the 
visible  and  the  invisible  Church,  but  not  to  separate 
them  upon  earth. — The  whole  world  is  the  field  of 
Christ. — As  the  seed  in  our  hearts,  so  are  we. — Final 
judgment  upon  the  offences  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  the  glorious  manifestation  of  the  Church  of 
Christ. 

Starke: — Osiander  :  God  spares  the  wicked  for 
the  sake  of  the  godly  who  live  among  them. — Chry- 


sostomus :  Fortem  diabolum  facit  nostra  negligentia, 
nan  illius  potentia. — When  the  watchmen  sleep,  the 
devil  is  awake,  Acts  xx.  29,  30 ;  Nova  Bibl.  Tub. — 
Quesncl:  Let  faithful  ministers  be  careful  to  point 
out  the  tares. —  Cramer :  The  devil  is  the  cause  of  all 
the  evil  in  the  world,  John  viii.  44. — It  is  not  every 
kind  of  zeal  for  the  glory  of  (lod  which  deserves  com- 
mendation.— Zcisius  :  The  good  seed  must  not  be 
neglected  on  account  of  the  tares :  one  sincere  and 
earnest  Christian  is  worth  far  more  in  the  sight  of 
God  than  a  thousand  hypocrites  and  sinners. — It  is 
impossible  to  transform  the  tares  into  wheat ;  but 
the  grace  of  God  may,  through  the  earnest  zeal  of 
the  disciples,  convert  the  ungodly  into  humble  fol- 
lowers of  Jesus. — The  ungodly  despise  Christians,  but 
they  are  indebted  to  them  for  preservation  and  im- 
munity from  judgments.  Gen.  xviii.  26. —  Canstein  : 
If  we  would  understand  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  let  us  iu  retirement  seek  enhghtemnent  from 
the  Lord. — The  Church  is  the  husbandry  of  God. 

Heubner  : — 77ie  enemy  gocth  his  way. — How  the 
evil  one  succeeds  iu  craftily  concealing  his  presence  I 
— Along  with  the  spread  and  extension  of  good,  evil 
also  increaseth. — The  will  of  (he  Master  is,  Nay  ! — 
The  long-suffering  and  patience  of  God  puts  them  to 
shame,  and  worketh  patience  in  them. — Here  Christ 
bears  witness  to  that  divine  toleration  which  He  man- 
ifests in  the  government  of  His  Church. — Reasons 
of  this  prohibition  :  1.  The  servants  might  commit  a 
mistake  (confound  the  wheat  with  the  tares) — some 
may  have  the  root  of  the  thing  in  them ;  2.  they 
might  root  up  the  wheat  along  with  the  tares  (since 
good  and  evil  are  often  very  closely  intertwined) ;  8. 
the  godly  are  to  be  tried ;  4.  the  wicked  may  yet  be 
saved. — They  are  bound  in  bundles  :  indicating  their 
fellowship  in  misery. — The  real  and  internal  dignity 
of  God's  people  does  not  yet  appear. 

Driiscke  : — The  enemy  comes  when  people  are 
aslegp. — What  a  strange  mixture  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven ! — Bachmann  :  The  mixture  of  the  godly  and 
of  smners  in  the  Church  of  Christ. — Reivhard  :  On 
the  view  which  Christ  Himself  entertained  of  His 
kingdom  upon  earth. 

B.  The  Parable  of  the  Grain  of  Mustard-seed. 
— The  kingdom  of  heaven  under  the  figure  of  a  grain 
of  mustard-seed :  1.  The  least  of  all  seeds  (poverty 
and  humility  of  Christ ;  His  Apostles,  pubhcans  and 
fishermen ;  His  message,  reconciliation  through  a  cru- 
cified and  risen  Saviour).  2.  The  greatest  among 
herbs  (the  Church  universal  and  a  universal  reUgion) : 
a.  The  richest  and  best  among  herbs  (the  planting  of 
the  Lord) ;  6.  appearing  to  be  a  tree  (so  strong  as  to 
be  able  to  bear  even  that  worldly  spirits  should  lodge 
in  its  branches). — Christianity,  as  reflecting  both  the 
liumility  and  the  majesty  of  its  Founder  (at  first  so 
small  in  its  outward  appearance,  that  men  could 
scarcely  seize  it ;  then  so  large,  as  to  comprehend 
all :  thus,  both  in  history  and  in  the  life  of  the  indi- 
vidual Christian). — The  contrast  between  the  infinite 
smallness  of  the  seed  and  the  greatness  of  the  herb, 
an  evidence  of  the  intensity  of  the  principle  of  growth 
in  the  plant. — Christianity  twice  misunderstood  and 
twice  glorified  :  at  first  in  its  smallness,  and  then  in 
its  vast  extent. — The  commencement  of  all  the  works 
of  God  small  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  :  commence- 
ment of  creation  (the  fight),  of  humanity  (the  first 
pair),  of  the  covenant-people  (Isaac,  the  younger  of 
the  two  brothers),  of  the  Church  (the  confession  of 
fishermen),  of  the  new  life  (faith). — Contrast  between 
the  commencement  of  Christianity  and  that  of  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world. 


250 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


Starke : — Marginal  note  of  Luther :  There  is  not 
anywhere  a  word  more  despised  than  the  gospel ;  yet 
there  is  none  more  powerful,  since  it  justifies  those 
who  believe  in  it,  which  neither  the  law  nor  works 
could  do. — This  passage  may  be  applied  either  to  the 
gospel  or  to  the  Church.  —  Vanstchi :  This  is  the 
work  and  wisdom  of  God,  that  He  makes  something 
of  things  which  are  not,  and  mighty  things  of  those 
which  are  weak,  while  He  humbleth  and  abaseth  the 
things  which  are  high  and  great,  1  Cor.  i.  26,  2*7. — 
Zeisius  :  The  weakest  faith  will  grow  and  extend,  and 
comprehend  more  than  heaven  and  earth,  even  Christ 
Himself,  with  all  that  He  is,  and  all  that  He  hath, 
Eph.  iii.  17  ;  1  Pet.  v.  10. — Majus  :  No  human  pow- 
er-is able  to  obstruct  or  prevent  the  extension  of  the 
Church. 

Lisco: — Small  the  beginning,  gradual  the  prog- 
ress, but  great  and  glorious  the  issue. — Nations  shall 
flock  into  the  Church  of  Christ,  where  they  will  find 
safety,  salvation,  peace,  and  true  happiness. — Ileub- 
ner:  The  great  things  of  God  have  always  had  a 
small  beginning  (to  outward  appearance). — When 
commencing,  in  humble  confidence  on  the  Lord,  what 
seemeth  a  small  work,  always  remember  that  it  may 
grow  into  a  mighty  blessing  to  those  who  are  near, 
and  to  those  who  are  afar  off.  This,  indeed,  is  the 
proper  way  of  triumphing :  a  small  beginning  and  a 
mighty  ending.     The  opposite  is  a  lamentable  failure. 

C.  The  Parable  of  the  Leaven. — Christianity 
the  hidden  power  of  regeneration  both  in  the  world 
and  in  the  life  of  believers. — The  Church  under  the 
figure  of  the  woman  hiding  the  leaven  among  the 
meal  :  1.  The  woman;  2.  the  leaven;  3.  the  three 
measures  of  meal ;  4.  the  hiding  of  the  leaven  among 
them  ;  5.  the  result. — The  life  from  God  in  its  progres- 
sive victory  over  the  natural  life  of  the  world. — The 
more  fully  the  leaven  is  hid,  and  the  more  complete- 
ly it  seems  to  have  disappeared,  the  more  rapidly  and 
powerfully  does  it  penetrate  and  leaven  the  whole 
mass. — The  work  of  regeneration :  1.  On  what  if  de- 
pends (leaven  stronger  than  meal) ;  2.  its  process 
(hidden,  gradual,  all-subduing) ;  3.  the  result  (all  the 
measures  of  meal  leavened,  the  divine  life  penetrat- 
mg  everywhere  and  everything). — The  regeneration 


of  humanity  does  not  necessarily  imply  that  of  every 
individual. — The  higher  society  as  a  whole  is  elevated 
by  Christianity,  the  lower  may  the  individual  sink. — 
The  transfonuation  of  the  heart  must  correspond  to 
that  of  the  world. 

Starke  : — The  eye  of  the  Lord  is  not  only  upon 
important  affairs  of  state,  but  also  upon  our  common 
and  humble  employments.  —  Hedinger :  Not  only 
vices,  but  also  good  examples  are  infectious. — If  the 
word  of  God  is  to  appear  in  all  its  power  and  efficacy, 
it  must  be  mixed  with  faith  in  the  heart. 

Lisco  : — Man  remains  man,  but  he  becomes  par- 
taker of  the  divine  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  3,  4  ;  and  hence 
an  entirely  changed  being. — This  power  works  invis- 
ibly, gradually,  effectively,  and  irresistibly,  till  the 
whole  nature  of  man,  from  its  principle  to  its  indi- 
vidual faculties,  is  penetrated,  transformed,  subdued, 
and  assimilated,  and  until  every  foreign  and  ungodly  el- 
ement is  expelled. — IndissolulDle  communion  between 
what  is  leavened  and  the  leaven :  between  believers 
and  Christ. 

Heubner :  The  all-penetrating  power  of  the  gos- 
pel and  of  its  economy,  especially  of  the  blood  of 
reconciliation  in  the  death  of  Jesus. — Even  avowed 
enemies  of  Christianity  have  been  ol^hged  partly 
to  own  the  power  of  the  gospel. — Where  the  leaven 
of  Christianity  is  wantmg,  the  whole  mass  will  become 
corrupt. — Each  Christian  should  operate  as  leaven 
upon  all  around. 

D.  Fulfilment  of  the  peophect  (vers.  34,  35). 
— Christ  the  revelation. — Christ  the  revealer  of  all 
secrets  :  1.  Of  those  of  God ;  2.  of  humanity ;  3.  of 
the  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  4.  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. — The  parables  of  Christ  revealed  so- 
crets  of  God. — Even  the  paraboUc  form  used  by 
Christ,  partly  for  conceaUng  the  truth,  became  a  new 
revelation. 

Starke: — Osiander  :  Whenever  we  see  natural 
things,  let  us  elevate  our  minds  to  heavenly  realities. 
— Quesnel:  The  mysteries  which  from  all  eternity 
had  been  hid  in  God,  and  which  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world  had  been  presented  in  types  and  prophe- 
cies, were  at  last  revealed  by  Christ,  and  are  more 
and  more  fulfilled  in  and  by  Him,  Rom.  xvi.  25. 


8.   The  Fifth,  Sixth,  and  Seventh  Parables,  and  Parabolical  Close  of  this  Section.     Ch.  XIII.  44-52. 

44  Again,^  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  [a]  treasure  hid  in  a  [the,  rw]  field ;  the 
which  when  a  man  hath  found,  he  hideth  [which  a  man  found,  and  concealed ;],  and  for 
joy  thereof  [he]  goeth  and  selleth  all  that  he  hath,  and  buyeth  that  field. 

45  Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like   unto  a  merchantman   [merchant],-  seeking 

46  goodly  pearls:  Who  [And],^  when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  [he]  went 
and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and  bought  it. 

47  Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  tmto  a  net   [draw-net],  that  was  cast  into  the 

48  sea,  and  gathered  [gathering  together,  crvvayayov<Trj\  of  every  kind:  Which,  when  it 
was  full,  they  drew  to  [the]  shore,  and  sat  down,  and  gathered  the  good  into  vessels, 

49  but  cast  the  bad  away.     So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of  the  world:  the  angels  shall  come 

50  [go]  forth,  and  sever  [separate]  the  wicked  from  among  the  just,  And  shall  cast  them 
into  the  furnace  of  fire  :  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

51  Jesus  saith  unto  them,*  Have  ye  understood  all  these  things?     They  say  unto  him, 

52  Yea,  Lord.^  Then  said  he  unto  them,  Therefore  every  scribe  which  is^  instructed  unto 
[in]  the  kingdom  of  heaven,'  is  like  unto  a  man  that  is  a  householder  [to  a  householder], 
which  [who]  bringeth  forth  out  of  his  treasure  things  new  and  old. 


CHAP.  XIII.  44-52. 


251 


'  Ver.  4-i.— [Again,  irdXiv,  is  wanting  in  the  best  MSS.,  as  B.,  D.,  also  in  Cod.  Sinait.,  in  the  Latin  Vulgate,  and  is 
thrown  out  by  Tiscbcndorf,  Tregelles,  Alford,  nnd  Conant.  Laclimann  retains  it,  but  in  braclicts.  It  may  easily  have  been 
inserted  from  vers.  45  and  47;  but  it  may  also  have  been  omitted  here  at  the  beginning  of  a  new  series  of  parables.  Lange 
retains  it  in  bis  translation  and  ingeniously  defends  it  in  the  Kxeg.  Notes.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  ib. — [Merchant-TOa?j  is  now  only  used  of  a  trading  vessel,  as  distinguished  from  a  ship-of-war.  See  the  English 
Diet.— P.  S.J 

s  Ver.  46.— [According  to  the  true  reading  of  Codd.  Sinait.,  Vatic,  Contabr.,  etc.,  and  the  critical  editions:  fupwv  Se, 
Instead  of  os  fvpiiv.    See  Meyer,  p.  278.— P.  8.] 

*  Ver.  51.— Codd.  B.,  D.,  It.il.,  Vulg.,  etc.,  omit:  Xtyei  alrols  6  'Irjaovs.  So  Lachmann  and  Tisohendorf,  [Tregelles, 
Alford,  Conant] ;  but  Meyer  defends  the  sentence.   It  looks  like  an  exegetical  interpolation.   [Cod.  Sinait.  omits  the  words.] 

'  Ver.  51. — Kt'pie  is  wanting  in  numerous  authorities. 

•  Ver.  52. — [The  interpolated  words:  Which  -is,  are  better  omitted.] 

'  Ver.  5-2.— Different  readings.  Tj]  fiaai\eia  [for  di  ti]v  ^aaiAelav]  is  supported  by  B.,  C,  K.,  etc.  [Also  by  Cod. 
Binait.  which  reads:  ttj  PaffiKia,  substituting  i  for  ei,  as  usual  in  this  MS.  It  is  the  dative  of  reference:  "instructed  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven." — P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CPJTICAL. 

Ver.  44.  Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
like  to  a  treasure. — Tisclieudorf,  following  Codd. 
B.,  D.,  etc.,  omits  waKiv,  affoAn.  But  Meyer  with  good 
reason  defends  it.  The  omission  appears  to  have 
originated  in  a  st5'listic  correction.  But  a  considera- 
tion of  the  parables  in  their  connection  will  convince 
us  that  this  particle  is  necessary. — After  a  general 
introduction  about  the  parables,  the  first  of  them  is 
at  once  introduced  in  the  form  of  a  simple  narrative. 
This  parable  is  then  succeeded  by  the  following  well- 
marked  paralleUsm  : — 

1)  aWrju  irapafioXiiv,  ver.  24.      1)  iraKiv  o/xoia,  ver.  44. 

2)  "  "  ver.  81.2)"         "      ver.  45. 

3)  "  "  ver.  S3.     3)     "         "      ver.  47. 

From  the  unmistakable  antithesis  here  indicated,  we 
gather  that  the  first  three  parables — introduced  by  an 
&K\oi — are  intended  to  exhibit  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven under  a  threefold  aspect,  being  each  time  pre- 
sented as  more  enlarged  and  universal  in  its  charac- 
ter. And  although  the  third  parable  bears  more  par- 
ticularly upon  the  unseen  efiScacy  of  Christianity,  this 
power  is  only  hid  in  order  afterward  to  appear  all  the 
more  glorious  in  its  absolute  uuiversaUty,  when  the 
entire  mass  shall  have  been  leavened  by  the  gospel. 
It  is  at  this  point  that  the  antithesis  comes  in.  Most 
significantly  it  is  introduced  by  irdKiv,  which  seems 
to  point  back  to  the  seed  hid  in  the  ground,  spoken 
of  in  the  first  parable.  Shortly  before,  Christianity 
had  been  presented  m  its  universal  extent,  under  the 
figure  of  a  tree  in  whose  branches  the  birds  sought 
lodgment,  and  as  humanity  leavened  by  the  gospel. 
Now  again  the  scene  is  changed,  and  Christianity  is 
likened  unto  a  treasure  hid  in  the  field — to  a  rare  pearl 
which  seems  to  have  disappeared, — nay,  even  to  a 
draught  of  fishes  concealed  in  the  depths  of  the  sea. 
[The  transition  in  these  parables  is  very  easy  and 
natural  :  from  the  seed  buried  in  the  ground  and  the 
leaven  hid  in  the  meal,  to  the  treasure  buried  in  the 
field ;  from  the  treasure  to  the  pearl  of  great  price, 
the  treasure  of  the  deep,  which  suggests  the  sea ;  the 
fishermen  with  their  net,  the  mixed  throng  on  the 
beach,  the  bank  of  time,  the  final  separation.  Comp. 
also  Alford  and  Trench.— P.  S.] 

In  the  field. — Meyer  remarks  in  reference  to 
the  article  :  "  In  that  particular  field  in  which  it  lay 
concealed."  But  this  were  mere  tautology.  The  ar- 
ticle points  out  a  contrast,  showing  that  the  treasure 
was  left  there,  having  no  special  owner.  The  cir- 
cumstance that  it  lay  hid  ui  a  field  where  it  would 
not  be  looked  for,  impUes  that  the  finder  might  re- 
gard it  as  a  treasure-trove.  But  there  was  still  a  de- 
fect about  the  title  to  this  possession.     Accordmgly, 


the  finder  again  hides  the  treasure,  and  purchases 
the  field  in  which  he  had  discovered  it.  Meyer  quotes 
a  similar  instance  from  Bava  Mezia,  F.  28.  2.  R.,  in 
which  Rabbi  Emi  purchases  a  field  where  he  had 
found  a  treasure,  "  ut  pleiio  jure  thesaurum  possideret^ 
oimiemque  litium  occasionem  prcecidereV  Paulus 
{Execj.  Handbuch,  ii.  187)  rightly  observes:  "It 
would  have  been  foreign  to  the  purpose  of  this  par- 
able, and  to  the  point  of  the  comparison,  if  Jesus 
had  entered  on  the  question  as  to  the  legal  right  and 
title  to  what  was  found."  However,  the  action  of  the 
person  who  found  the  treasure  is  mtended  to  shov/  his 
strict  honesty.  The  treasure  is  represented  as  a  lost 
and  unclaimed  possession,  lying  where  such  a  deposit 
would  never  be  looked  for.  But  as  the  field  itself 
belonged  to  another  proprietor,  the  person  who  found 
it  selleth  all  that  he  hath  in  order  to  purchase  the 
ground.  Even  in  this  view  of  the  matter,  hovv^ever, 
it  is  not  intended  to  discuss  the  absolute  right  of  the 
case.  The  notions  of  right  current  on  such  a  ques- 
tion, serve  as  a  basis  for  presenting  higher  and  spirit- 
ual relationships. 

For  joy  thereof.  —  With  Erasmus, .  Luther, 
Beza,  etc.,  we  read  outoD  as  the  genitive  of  the  ob- 
ject. 

Ver.  45.  A  merchant. — In  this  figure  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  the  merchant  and  the  goodly 
pearl  must  be  regarded  and  treated  as  a  unit.  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  here  exhibited  as  presenting 
the  contrast  of  conscious  aun,  and  of  the  surpassing 
possession  accorded  to  it. 

Ver.  48.  The  good  fishes. — la  Ka\d  and  iroTrpa, 
here  in  the  same  sense  as  above,  in  chaps,  vii.  and 
xii.  Not  bad  fishes  only,  but  all  kinds  of  unclean 
sea  animals,  had  got  into  tlie  net.  That  such  ani- 
mals are  here  referred  to,  and  not  merely  fishes,  ap- 
pears from  the  contrast  between  KaA6u  and  aairpnv — 
clean  or  good,  and  unclean,  wild,  or  whatever  is  de- 
voted to  destruction,  whether  in  the  vegetable  or  in 
the  animal  kingdom.  To  the  same  conclusion  point 
the  words,  sk  iravTOS  yifovs  auuayayovar;.  Bad  fishes 
could  scarcely  be  designated  as  forming  a  peculiar 
yffos.  The  Aorists  in  vers.  47  and  48  are  used  in 
the  narrative  sense,  and  not  in  the  sense  of  habit  or 
custom. 

Ver.  52.  [Every  scribe,  ypo/UM  are  us.— The  Jew- 
ish writer  or  scribe,  "isio  ,  a  teacher  (connected  with 
"130 ,  a  book),  also  called  ro/^t/cos,  vofioSiSdrrKaAus,  is 
a  transcriber  and  interpreter  of  the  sacred  Scriptures 
of  the  0.  T.,  a  theologian  and  a  lawyer.  So  the  word 
is  used  in  the  Septuagint  and  in  the  N.  T.  Many  of 
them  were  members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  hence 
they  are  often  mentioned  in  connection  with  the 
elders  and  priests.  But  here,  as  Meyer  correctly  sug- 
gests, the  empirical  conception  of  a  Jewish  scribe  is 
raised  to  the  higher  idea  of  a  Christian  teacher,  who 


252 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


is  a  pupil  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven:  iJ.aOT)Tev0els  rrj 
$aa:  r.  ovp.,  or  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  as  the  Jewish 
scribes  were  disciples  of  Moses,  xxiii.  2  ;  John  ix.  28. 
The  true  Christian  divine  is  always  learning  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  and  true  learning  is  always  connected 
with  childlike  docility  and  humihty. — P.  S.] 

Things  new  and  old. — Olshausen,  following 
many  older  commentators,  applies  the  expression  to 
the  law  and  the  gospel ;  Meyer,  to  things  hitherto 
unknov.-n,  and  to  things  already  known  and  formerly 
propounded.  The  most  obvious  explanation  is,  the 
things  of  the  new  world  [the  Christian  order  of 
things]  under  the  figures  of  the  old.* 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  Treasure  in  the  Field. — The  following 
points  are  clearly  laid  down  in  this  parable:  1.  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  represented  as  having  once 
more  become  invisible  in  the  visible  Church,  as  hid 
like  a  treasure,  erst  concealed  in  a  most  unlikely 
place  (in  the  midst  of  worldly  things).  2.  It  appears 
as  a  treasure-trove,  i.  c,  as  a  free  gift  of  grace,  dis- 
covered by  a  person  in  a  fortunate  hour,  though 
while  he  was  engaged  in  digging.  3.  True  Chris- 
tianit}-,  when  again  discovered,  a  subject  of  great  joy. 
4.  The  surrender  of  all  our  possessions  (of  works,  of 
our  ov/n  righteousness,  of  the  world,  and  of  self)  in 
order  to  secure  this  treasure.  We  first  become  poor 
in  order  to  be  made  rich  by  the  possession  of  this 
treasure. — The  only  difficulty  in  the  parable  lies  in 
the  statement  about  buying  the  field.  If  "the  field  " 
refers  to  external  worldly  ecclesiasticism,  the  expres- 
sion might  mean  that  we  were  not  to  carry  the  trea- 
sure out  of  the  visible  Church,  as  if  we  were  stealing 
it  away ;  but  that  we  should  purchase  the  field  in 
order  to  have  a  full  title  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  pos- 
session hid  in  it.  Accordingly,  it  would  apply  against 
Novatianism  and  every  other  kind  of  sectarianism. 
But  if  the  expression  included  also  the  m.ediseval 
Church,  it  would  of  course  not  imply  that  we  were 
to  become  Papists,  but  that  we  were  to  make  Cathol- 
icism our  own,  as  the  symboUcal  garb  under  which 
the  gospel  was  presented, — in  other  words,  that  we 
were  to  convert  all  mediseval  and  legal  symbols  into 
evangehcal  truths  and  forms  of  life.  (Comp.  my 
work  :  The  legal  Catholic  Church  a  symbol  of  the 
free  Evangelical  Church.) 

2.  The  Pearl  of  Great  Price. — The  following 
points  are  plain  :  He  who  obtains  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  no  longer  represented  merely  as  a  fortunate 
finder,  but  at  the  same  time  as  an  untiring  searcher. 
He  is  consciously  seeking  and  strivmg  after  goodly 
pearls,  or  precious  spiritual  goods,  f  At  the  same  time, 
what  was  formerly  described  as  a  treasure  is  now 
characterized  as  a  pearl  of  great  price  :  it  is  present- 
ed in  a  concentrated  form,  as  the  one  thing  needful, 
bright  and  glorious  in  its  appearance, — i.  e.,  the  per- 
son of  Christ,  and  fife  in  Him,  are  now  all  and  in  all. 
Accordingly,  all  fonner  possessions  are  readily  sur- 
rendered.     Not  that  everything  great  and    good, 

*  [Doubtful.  Better:  the  old  truths  reproduced  in  new 
and  living  form  from  the  Bible,  from  history  and  from  por- 
eonal  experience.  In  the  kinjrdom  of  God  the  old  is  ever 
new,  and  the  new  old.  The  old  becomes  stagnant  and  dead,  if 
not  always  renewed  and  personally  applied  ;  the  new  must 
be  rooted  in  the  old,  and  grow  out  of  it.  Comp.  the  addi- 
tions in  the  Doctrinal  and  Ethical  Notes,  sub  No.  5. — P.  S.] 

t  [Trench  instances  Augustine  as  an  example  of  the  dili- 
gent seeker  and  finder,  Nathanael  and  the  Samaritan  woman 
a.s  examples  of  the  finders  without  seeking.— P.  S.] 


which  may  formerly  have  been  sought  or  attained,  is 
to  be  cast  away,  but  that  it  merges  into  this  new 
possession  and  pearl  of  great  price. — The  difficulty 
in  this  parable  lies  in  the  circumstance  that  the  pearl 
of  great  price  seems  to  have  become  matter  of  mer- 
chandize, -and,  like  the  jewel  of  the  fable,  is  found 
somewhere  in  a  distant  part  of  the  world.  Probably 
the  meaning  of  this  is,  that  Christianity  is  now  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  active  mental  Ufc  and  int'i course, 
and  that  the  pearl  of  great  price  ciiunot  bo  found 
without  merchandize,  i.  e.,  without  spiritual  inter- 
course, and  moral  and  earnest  aspiration.  But  when 
this  pearl  is  discovered,  it  is  made  the  inmost  property 
of  the  soul,  and  our  highest  ornament :  the  merchant 
gives  up  hie  business,  and  has  become  a  prince  through 
his  new  possession. 

3.  The  Net  in  the  Sea. — The  whole  Church  is 
now  presented  in  her  missionary  capacity,  as  a  net 
cast  into  the  sea  of  nations.  Christianity  alone  com- 
bines the  nations  of  the  world,  and  converts  them,  so 
to  speak,  into  one  spiritual  ocean.  The  net  itself  is, 
of  course,  only  intended  to  enclose  a  draught,  not  to 
separate  its  contents.  Accordingly,  along  with  the 
good  fishes,  unclean  sea  animals,  bad  fishes,  mud, 
etc.,  are  brought  to  land.  This  exactly  applies  to 
the  Church  in  her  missionary  capacity.  Hence  the 
process  of  separating  judgment  at  the  close,  which 
forms  the  main  point  in  this  parable  ;  while  in  that 
of  the  wheat  and  tares  it  was  only  introduced  in  or- 
der to  supplement  and  explain  the  prohibition  ad- 
dressed by  the  Lord  to  His  servants.  From  the  cir- 
cumstance that  those  to  whom  the  process  of  separa- 
tion is  entrusted  are  said  to  sit  down  on  the  shore, 
and  to  gather  out  the  good,  we  infer  that  "  the  day 
of  judgment  "  will  be  a  season,  of  judgment,  or  an 
ason  in  the  appearing  of  Christ. 

4.  The  leading  idea  which  pervades  the  three  last 
parables  is,  that  vital  Christianity  is  concealed  from 
common  view.  In  the  first  parable  it  was  represented 
as  hid  in  a  field  which  sparingly  yielded  earthly  bread 
— or  amid  established  ecclesiastical  order ;  in  the 
second,  we  discover  it  in  the  course  of  busy  mercantile 
enterprises,  or  in  the  midst  of  active  mental  inter- 
change ;  while  in  the  last  parable  it  appears  conceal- 
ed by  the  waves  and  the  depths  of  the  sea  of  life. 
Similarly,  the  believer  is  represented,  first,  as  a  hus- 
bandman cultivating  a  field  not  his  own,  or,  as  de- 
pendent, without  possession  of  his  own  in  the  Church, 
and  only  able  to  acquire  anything  for  himself  in  his 
private  capacity  (in  consequence  of  his  own  research- 
es and  prayer) ;  in  the  second  parable  he  is  described 
as  a  merchant,  who  has  entered  into  active  men- 
tal and  spiritual  intercourse ;  and  in  the  last,  under 
the  figure  of  a  fish  in  the  sea,  whose  new  nature  and 
life  are  safely  preserved  amid  the  waves,  the  dangers, 
and  the  unclean  animals  of  the  deep.  Lastly,  we 
note,  that  while  in  the  first  parable  Christianity  was 
characterized  as  a  treasure  that  had  been  hid,  of  un- 
defined, unknown,  yet  of  infinite  value ;  and  in  the 
second,  as  the  one  pearl  of  great  price  ;  it  is  set  be- 
fore us  in  the  third  as  a  draught  of  good  fishes — 
Cliristianity  and  Christians  being  here  indissolubly 
connected  and  identified.  In  the  first  case,  the  ac- 
quisition of  the  treasure  was  a  happy  discovery,  grant- 
ed while  the  finder  was  earnestly  engaged  in  the  ser- 
vice of  works ;  in  the  second,  it  was  the  highest  aim 
of  conscious  endeavors ;  and  in  the  third,  it  was  the 
experience  of  the  decisive  final  catastrophe,  when 
Christians  are  to  be  separated  from  the  things  of  the 
world,  put  into  a  clean  vessel,  and  thus  made  to  ful- 
fil then-  heavenly  destmy.     Hence  also  the  judgment 


CHAP.  Xm.  44-52. 


253 


is  in  tliis  instance  exhibited  in  all  its  power.  In  the 
first  parable  the  judgment  was  chiefly  negative — the 
land  yielded  no  fruit;  in  the  second  parable  it  was 
confine.l  to  the  real  authors  and  representatives  of 
spiritvi.il  evil  on  the  earth  ;  while  in  the  third,  every 
kind  of  unclean  animals  are  doomed  to  share  the  fiery 
judgment  awarded  to  the  wicked. 

5.  Tiri:  True  Scribe. — The  expression  manifestly 
applies  to  Christian  teachers,  or  else  to  genuine  dis- 
ciples who  follow  the  example  of  the  Lord.  The  true 
scribe  must  bring  forth  out  of  his  treasure  not  only 
things  old  and  dead,  but  also  things  new  and  living — 
the  one  along  with  the  other ;  the  new  in  the  garb  and 
in  the  light  of  the  old,  and  the  old  in  its  fulfilment 
ajid  development  as  the  new. 

[Cur.  Wordsworth  ;  "  Christ  in  His  own  para- 
bles, precepts,  and  prayers  did  not  disdain  to  avail 
Himself  of  what  was  already  received  in  the  world. 
He  built  His  religion  on  the  foundation  of  the  Old 
Testament,  and  also  on  the  primeval  basis  of  man's 
original  constitution  and  nature  rightly  understood. 
And  He  teaches  His  Apostles  and  ministers  not  to 
reject  anything  that  is  true,  and  therefore  of  God  ;  but 
to  avail  themselves  of  what  is  old,  in  teaching  what 
is  new,  and,  by  teaching  what  is  new,  to  confinn  what 
is  old  ;  to  show  that  the  gospel  is  not  contrary  to  the 
law,  and  that  both  are  from  one  and  the  same  source, 
in  harmony  with  nature,  and  that  one  and  the  same 
God  is  the  author  of  them  all.  God  the  Father  is  the 
original  of  all ;  and  God  the  Son,  the  eternal  Logos, 
who  manifests  the  Father  by  creation  and  by  revela- 
tion,— who  made  the  world  and  who  governs  it, — 
is  the  dispenser  and  controller  of  all."  Matthew 
Henry  :  "  See  here  (1)  what  should  be  a  minister's 
furniture,  a  treasure  of  things  neio  and  old.  Those 
who  have  so  many  and  various  occasions,  need  to 
stock  themselves  well  in  their  gathering  days  with 
truths  new  and  old,  out  of  the  6.  T.  and  out  of  the 
N. ;  wit'a  ancient  and  modern  improvements,  that  the 
man  of  God  may  be  thoroughly  furnished,  2  Tim.  iii. 
16,  17.  Old  experiences  and  new  observations,  all 
have  their  use  ;  and  we  must  not  content  ourselves 
with  old  discoveries,  but  must  be  adding  new.  Live 
and  learn.  (2)  What  use  he  should  make  of  this  fur- 
niture ;  he  should  bring  forth  :  laying  up  is  in  order 
to  laying  out,  for  the  benefit  of  others.  Sic  vos  non 
vobis — you  are  to  lay  up,  but  not  for  yourselves. 
Many  are  full,  but  they  have  no  vent  (Job  xxxii.  19), 
have  a  talent,  but  they  bury  it ;  such  are  unprofit- 
able servants.  Christ  Himself  received  that  He  might 
^ve ;  so  must  we,  and  we  shall  have  more.  In  bring- 
ing forth  things,  new  and  old  do  best  together ;  old 
truths,  but  new  methods  and  expressions,  especially 
new  afiections." — P.  S.] 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAU 

The  three  parables  in  their  connection :  Christian- 
ity manifested  m  a  threefold  form,  and  again  con- 
cealed in  a  threefold  manner. — The  divine  invisibility 
of  the  Church  concealed  under  its  worldly  visibility. 
— Christianity  the  great  revelation,  and  yet  the  great 
mystery  in  the  world,  to  the  end  of  time,  1  Tim.  iii. 
16. 

1.  The  Treasure  in  the  Field. — True  Christian- 
ity ever  again  like  an  unexpected  discoveiy,  even  in 
the  ancient  Church. — The  best  possession  we  can 
find,  a  gift  of  free  grace. — Every  one  must  find  and 
discover  Christianity  for  himself. — Description  of  him 
who  found  the  heavenly  treasure  of  a  free  gospel  in 


the  earthly  field  of  the  Church.  1.  What  he  may 
have  been  :  one  who  had  taken  the  field  for  a  tune, 
and  was  busily  employed  upon  it  (engaged  in  earnest 
endeavors  after  righteousness) ;  or  else  a  miner,  who 
may  have  anticipated  the  possibihty  of  some  discov- 
ery ;  but  certainly  not  an  indolent  perspn  engaged  in 
digging  for  treasures.  2.  What  he  ccriainli/  was  : 
most  faithful  in  his  labors,  and  happy  in  his  discov- 
ery ;  finding  something  for  which  he  had  not  wrought, 
nor  even  sought. — In  order  to  secure  possession  even 
of  what  we  have  found,  without  any  merit  of  our 
own,  we  must  be  willing  to  sacrifice  all ;  or,  salvation, 
though  entirely  of  free  grace,  requires  the  fullest  self- 
surrender. 

Starke  : — Marginal  note  of  Luther  :  The  hidden 
treasure  is  the  gospel,  which  bestows  upon  us  all  the 
riches  of  free  grace,  without  any  merit  of  our  own. 
Hence  also  the  joy  when  it  is  found,  and  which  con- 
sists in  a  good  and  happy  conscience,  that  cannot  be 
obtained  by  works.  This  gospel  is  likewise  the  pearl 
of  great  price. — Hedinger  :  Let  us  hazard  every- 
thing— honor,  possessions,  and  life — for  the  sake  of 
the  gospel,  which  so  far  surpasses  everything  else  in 
value.  What  were  temporal  possessions  without  this 
treasure !  comp.  vi.  26. — If  we  lose  Christ,  then  in- 
deed all  is  lost ;  but  if  Christ  be  found,  nothing  can 
be  said  to  be  lost. — He  who  has  Christ  as  his  own 
is  rich  indeed,  and  may  well  rejoice. 

Braune  : — He  was  silent  about  his  discovery.  By 
silence  the  kingdom  of  God  is  most  efiectually  pro- 
moted. (Yet  there  is  a  time  for  speech  and  a  time 
for  silence.) 

Lisco  :  —  Learn  to  understand  and  know  this 
mark  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  It  always  seem- 
eth  as  if  he  possessed  it  who  possesses  it  not,  and 
again  as  if  he  possessed  it  not  who  really  possesses  it. 
The  treasure  is  hid,  etc, 

Gerlach  : — In  order  to  be  certain  of  our  posses- 
sion of  the  kmgdom  of  heaven,  let  us  first  seek  in- 
ward assurance  of  our  part  in  it  by  faith,  before 
we  come  forward  openly,  lest  we  lose  everything. — 
Not,  as  if  we  could  purchase  or  acquire  for  ourselves 
the  kingdom  of  God. — Self-abnegation  is  always  re- 
quisite. Only,  it  must  be  of  free  choice  and  willing- 
ly, not  of  constraint. 

Heubner  : — The  treasure  is  lost.  1.  The  natural 
man  knows  not  its  character  or  value  ;  2.  the  world 
does  not  care  for  it ;  3.  it  can  only  be  received  by 
and  in  the  heart. — Where  is  it  concealed  ?  In  the 
field :  the  visible  Church,  or  else  the  word.* — Comp. 
Muslin,  Sermon  iv.  on  Col.  iii.  3,  "  Your  Ufe  is  hid 
with  Christ  in  God"  (although  this  is  a  different 
thought). 

2.  The  Pearl  op  Great  Price. — Without  spirit- 
ual aspirations,  Christian  life  is  impossible. — Chris- 
tianity the  necessary  goal  of  all  true  aspirations  of 
the  soul. — If  we  have  been  awakened  to  true,  inward 
aspirations,  we  shall  not  be  satisfied  with  anything 
less  than  goodly  pearls :  1.  We  shaU  seek  genuine 
spiritual  possessions;  2.  such  as  arc  simple,  most 
precious,  and  yet  easily  preserved ;  3.  which  never 
lose  their  value. — Christianity  under  the  figure  of  a 
merchant :  1.  The  man  and  his  calling  (he  takes 
pleasure  in  his  business,  and  carries  it  on  with  enthu- 
siasm, not  as  a  hired  laborer).  2.  His  oVjject :  to 
find  goodly  pearls.  What  he  wishes  to  avoid — spu- 
rious pearls  ;  what  he  scarcely  dares  anticipate — the 
pearl  of  great  price.  3.  His  discovery  :  far  surpass- 
ing his  hopes.    4.  His  resolution:  to  give  up  his 

■  [Not  world,  as  the  Edinb.  translation  has  it.  Heubner 
means  the  Bible,  as  containing  tlie  treasure  of  truth. — P.  8.] 


254 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


merchandize,  and  to  retire,  enjoying  his  new  princely 
possession. — The  goodly  pearl :  the  person  of  Christ, 
all  in  one. — This  pearl  reflects  both  the  waters  of  the 
world  and  the  brightness  of  heaven. — On  the  dangers 
and  the  blessings  connected  whh  the  rapid  mental 
interchange  of  modern  times. — True  disciples  com- 
bine the  gracious  and  free  gift  of  life  from  above  with 
earnest  seeking  and  striving  after  heavenly  blessings. 
— Who  has  discovered  the  goodly  pearl  ?  He  that 
has  found  the  Lord  in  His  gospel,  that  has  found  him- 
self in  the  election  of  grace,  and  that  has  found  both 
heaven  and  earth,  by  finding  and  experiencing  the 
love  of  God. 

Starke.  : — Quemel :  Merchants  who  go  from  one 
end  of  the  earth  to  the  other,  and  venture  everything 
in  search  of  worldly  gain,  may  well  put  to  shame 
many  Christians  who  care  so  little  for  the  Lord,  and 
their  own  salvation. — Osiander  :  Men  often  at  great 
cost  buy  pearls  and  jewels,  which  cannot  save  them 
from  death  ;  but  the  gospel,  etc. —  One  thing  is  need- 
ful, Luke  X.  42. — Zeisius  :  Oh  wise  diligence  !  Oh 
blessed  discovery  ! — To  adorn  the  body  with  pearls, 
but  to  forget  the  pearl  of  great  price,  will  bring  to 
shame  in  the  day  of  judgment. — Gossner:  Christ — 
truth — peace — a  pearl  of  gi-eat  price  indeed. — Lisco  : 
The  transcendent  value  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
— Heubner  :  In  the  first  parable  the  discovery  was, 
so  to  speak,  a  matter  of  good  fortune,  while  in  the 
present  instance  the  merchant  is  busy  searching  for 
pearls. — Souls  awakened  (Justin  Martyr). — Christ  in 
us  is  the  pearl  of  great  price. 

3.  The  Net  cast  into  the  Sea.  —  The  whole 
Church  of  Christ  essentially  missionary  in  its  char- 
acter.— The  net  encloses  every  species,  both  good 
and  bad. — First  they  are  gathered,  and  then  separat- 
ed.— For  a  season  souls  are  at  the  same  time  in  the 
sea  and  in  the  net :  L  In  the  sea,  and  yet  in  the  net ; 

2.  in  the  net,  and  yet  in  the  sea. — The  whole  world 
drawn  to  the  shore  of  eternity  in  the  net  of  the 
Church. — Ultimately,  it  is  not  the  net,  but  the  draught 
of  fishes,  which  is  of  importance. — The  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  the  Church  at  the  end  of  the  world :  L  The 
whole  world  one  sea ;  2.  the  entire  Church  one  net ; 

3.  the  whole  kingdom  of  heaven  one  draught  of  fishes. 
— The  separation  of  the  clean  from  the  unclean:  I. 
It  is  not  done  precipitately  (only  when  the  net  is 
full) ;  2.  nor  tumultuously  (they  sit  down  and  gather) ; 
3.  but  carefully  (the  good  into  vessels) ;  and,  4.  de- 
cisively (the  bad  are  cast  away) ;  5.  universally. — 
Fiery  judgments  descendmg  upon  sinners.  —  The 
gnashing  of  teeth  of  the  condemned  shows  that  their 


wailing  is  not  weeping. — Those  who  are  finally  cast 
away  cannot  truly  w-eep. 

Starke  : — Quesnel :  In  the  net  of  the  divine  word 
souls  are  drawn  from  the  depths  of  error  and  sin  into 
faith  and  blessedness. — The  world  as  resembling  a 
tempest-tossed  sea,  Isa.  Ivi.  20. — The  fishermen  are 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel. — Hcdingcr  :  Bad  fishes, 
or  hypocrites,  will  be  found  even  in  the  hohest  as- 
semblage.— Everybody  wishes  to  appear  pious,  and 
none  likes  to  be  thought  godless ;  but  the  day  of 
judgment  will  disclose  the  true  character  of  men. — 
The  net  is  still  in  the  sea. — Heubner  :  The  kingdom 
of  heaven  here  means  the  apostolic  or  ministerial  of- 
fice in  the  Church.  (This  is  too  narrow.  It  is  the 
Church  as  an  institution  of  grace.) 

4.  The  True  Scribe. — "  Have  ye  understood  all 
these  things  ?  " — The  parable  about  the  parable. — 
The  scribe  instructed  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — 
The  living  treasury  containing  old,  and  ever  sending 
forth  new  treasures. — Defects  and  dangers  of  com- 
mon religious  instruction :  1.  It  presents  the  old  with- 
out the  new  ;  2.  or  the  new  without  the  old ;  or,  3. 
fails  to  exhibit  the  proper  relationship  between  them. 
— The  ministerial  office  a  constant "  bringing  forth :" 
L  Presupposing  a  continual  receiving  from  on  high  ; 
as,  2.  again  manifesting  itself  by  a  right  "  bringing 
forth  "  (of  wise,  fresh,  and  rich  instruction). 

Starke  : — Let  teachers  frequently  examine  their 
pupils. — The  kingdom  of  heaven  must  form  the  cen- 
tral-point of  all  theological  leammg.  Nov.  Bihl.  Tub. 
— Majus  :  Approved  teachers  are  only  trained  in  the 
school  of  Christ  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Lisco  : — The  ability  and  the  activity  of  a  true 
teacher. 

Gerlach  : — Everything  connected  with  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  at  the  same  time  old  and  new. 

Heubner  : — Jesus  the  model  for  all  preachers. — 
Love  the  secret  of  true  popularity. — Rhetorical  fig- 
ures and  worldly  oratory  is  what  many  hearers  most 
admire. — Authentic  definition  here  given  of  what  con- 
stitutes a  good  divine  :  his  inspirations  ai-e  drawn 
from  Scripture  (he  is  instructed  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  and  bound  to  extend  it.  All  science  and 
learning  which  do  not  tend  to  the  furtherance  of 
Christ's  kingdom  cannot  be  divine) ;  his  treasure 
(things  new  and  old.  He  learns  from  others  and  draws 
from  his  own  resources,  finding  in  his  meditation  and 
spiritual  experience  things  both  new  and  old). — On 
the  danger  of  preaching  oneself  empty  [by  neglecting 
and  despising  the  old,  or  by  ceasing  to  produce  new 
thoughts  and  sermons]. 


THIKD    SECTION 


CHRIST    MANIFESTS    HIMSELF  AS   THE   HIGH  PRIEST   IN   HIS    SUFFERINGS; 
JECTED— (A.)  BY  HIS  OWN  CITY  NAZARETH. 


BEING  RE- 


Chapter  XIII.  53-58  (Mark  vi.  1-6 ;  Luke  iv.  14^30). 

53  And  it  came  to  pass,  tJiat'^  when  Jesus  had  finished  these  parables  [of  the  kingdom  of 

54  heaven],  he  departed  thence.  And  when  he  was  come  [having  come,  iX6wv]  into  his 
own  country,^  he  taught  them  in  their  synagogue,  insomuch  [so]  that  they  were  aston- 
ished, and  said,  Whence  hath  this  man  this  wisdom,  and  these  mighty  works  [the  mir- 

55  acles]?^     Is  not  this  the  carpenter's  son?  is  not  his  mother  called  Mary?  and  his  bre- 


CHAP.  Xni.  53-58. 


255 


56  thren  [brothers],*  James,  and  Joses  [Joseph],*  and  Simon,  and  Judas?     And  his  sis- 

57  ters,  are  they  not  all  with  us?     Whence  then  hath  this  man  all  these  things?   And 
they  were  offended  in  [at]  him.     But  Jesus  said  unto  them,  A  prophet  is  not  without 

58  liouour,  save  in  his  own  country,  and  in  his  own  house.     And  he  did  not  many  mighty 
works  [miracles]  there  because  of  their  unbelief. 

>  Ver.  b9.—[Thai  is  an  unnecessary  interpolation  placed  before,  when  in  Cranmer's  and  James's  versions,  or  before  he 
departed  by  Tyndalc  and  the  Geneva  Bible,  and  is  omitted  by  Wielif,  the  N.  T.  of  Rbeinis,  also  by  Conant  in  his  work  on 
Matthew,  but  restored  before  he  departed,  in  the  revised  Vers,  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union.— P.  S.] 

'  Vev.  b-i. — [Lange,  as  also  de  Wette,  Ewald,  and  others,  translate  irar piSa  here:  Vaterstadt,  paternal  (m.aternal) 
town,  for  Vaterland  (Luther),  father^/Hrf.  Nazareth  is  meant  as  the  residence  of  his  mother  and  reputed  father.  Euthyra. 
Zigab.:  Kiyn  ttju  Na^apsr,  dij  TrarpiSa  rrjs  ixtjrph-:  avrov  Kcd  tov  voixi^oiiivov  irarphs  avrov,  kuI  cLs  rpacpeU  iv 
OUTJ).— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  54.— [A  /  Suj/a^ets,  de  Wette  :  die  Wtmder  ;  Lango  :  die  Wunderkrdfte  ;  Ewald  :  die  BeilsmudUe. 
Comp.  the  note  on  si.  20,  p.  210.  The  definite  article  here  is  more  emphatic  than  the  demonstrative  pronoun  of  the  E.  V. 
-P.  S.] 

*  Yer.  55.— [Comp.  my  note  on  sii.  46,  p.  231.-P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  55.— B.,  C,  and  several  translations  read  'lui(r-))(p.  So  Lachmann,  Tischendorf.  Many  uncial  MSS.  D.,  E., 
P.,  G.,  etc.,  'I  o>  d  v  V  t]  i  •,  — K.,  L.,  etc.,  'I  to  cr  f;  r .  lu  the  parallel  passage  of  Mark  the  reading  Jose>i  is  by  far  better  sup- 
ported than  Joseph.  According  to  Lightfoot  the  T.ilmudists  write  ''Oi^  for  vlOT^.  Perh.aps  the  person  in  question  was 
called  by  both  names  already  in  the  apostolic  age.  [Dr.  Lange,  in  his  Gerpian  translation,  retains  Joses  from  the  received 
text.  But  Joseph  is  undoubtedly  the  true  reading  according  to  the  .ancient  authorities,  including  Cod.  Sinaitiuus,  and  is 
adopted  also  by  Meyer,  Tregelles,  Alford,  Conant.  The  reading  has  some  bearing  on  the  question  concerning  the  brothers 
of  Christ.  For  if  'lwa-ii<p  be  the  true  reading,  there  remains  but  one  brother  of  Christ,  viz.  James,  of  the  samo  name  with 
one  of  the  two  sons  of  Mary,  the  wife  of  AlphiBus  (supposed  to  be  the  same  with  Cloophas),  ch.  xxvii.  5G  ("Mary  the  mo- 
ther of  James  and  Joses'');  and  this  argues  against  the  view  defended  by  Dr.  Lange,  that  the  brothers  of  Christ  were 
merely  his  cousins.    See  below.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

According  to  Schleiermaclier  and  many  others, 
the  passage  before  us  is  identical  with  Luke  iv.  16. 
But  this  view  is  controverted  by  Wieseler,  Ewald, 
and  Meyer.  The  opinion  of  Schleiermaclier  is,  how- 
ever, supported  by  the  fact,  that  in  both  passages 
the  people  of  Nazareth  are  described  as  putting  the 
question :  Is  not  this  the  carpenter's  son,  or  the  son 
of  Joseph?  and  that  in  both  cases  the  Saviour  re- 
plies that  a  prophet  is  not  without  honor,  etc.  But 
the  chronological  arrangement  seems  to  be  rightly 
given  by  Luke,  as  his  narrative  fully  accounts  for  the 
removal  of  .Jesus  to  Capernaum.  Matthew  indeed 
furnishes  different  details  as  to  the  time  and  circum- 
stances of  this  occurrence  (vers.  53,  54).  But  we 
would  suggest  as  probable,  that  the  Lord  may,  after 
His  controversy  with  the  Pharisees,  have  retired  for 
a  time  with  His  disciples  into  the  mountains  and  to 
Nazareth.  This  may  explain  the  introduction  of 
this  narrative.  When  recording  the  stay  at  Naza- 
reth, Matthew,  in  his  usual  pragmatic  method,  also 
relates  some  events  which  had  formerly  taken  place 
there.  At  the  same  time,  it  will  be  observed  that 
the  Evangelist  only  states  the  great  outUnes  of  this 
conflict  of  Jesus  with  His  fellow-citizens,  without  re- 
peating the  details  connected  with  it. 

Ver.  54.  His  own  city. — On  the  situation  of 
Nazareth,  and  the  meaning  of  the  word,  comp.  the 
Exegetical  Notes  on  ch.  ii.  23. 

Whence  hath  this  man ? — t ovrep.  By  way 
of  contempt,  as  if  they  were  inquiring  what  schools 
He  had  attended  while  in  their  city. 

Ver.  55.  The  carpenter's  son. — The  word 
reKTwv  (artifex),  faher  lir/narius  in  the  widest 
sense  (carpenter,  wright,  etc.). 

[The  occupation  of  a  carpenter  was  always  regard- 
ed as  an  honorable  and  respectable  employment ;  hence 
this  question  was  not  a  question  of  contempt,  but  of 
surprise.  The  Nazarenes  regarded  Jesus  not  as  their 
inferior,  but  themselves  as  His  equals,  and  doubted 
only  His  claim  to  superiority,  which  was  forced  upon 
them  by  His  wisdom  and  miracles.    It  is  the  same 


natural  surprise  which  is  always  felt  if  an  old 
acquaintance  meets  his  former  humble  associates 
with  a  distinguished  rank  or  reputation  as  a  scholar, 
or  artist,  or  statesman,  or  merchant-prince. — P.  S.] 

A  prophet. — A  fact  of  experience — exculpatory 
in  its  general  bearing,  but  condemnatory  in  its  spe- 
cial application  in  this  instance. 

Ver.  58.  He  did  not  many  miracles. — Mark : 
"  He  could  there  do  no  mighty  works ; "  i.  e.,  He 
found  them  not  prepared  to  receive,  and  therefore 
would  not  as  He  could  not.  The  latter  expression 
indicates  not  a  want  of  power,  but  the  moral  limits 
which  Himself  imposed  on  the  exercise  of  His  power. 
However,  it  also  implies  that  we  are  not  to  regard 
these  displays  of  Christ's  power  as  merely  the  mani- 
festations of  absolute  might. 

Ver.  55-57.  The  brothers  of  Jesus. 
Matt.  xiii. 
vi.  3). 


Mark  xv.  40. 

Mary. 
John  xix.  25 

The  Apostles, 
Matt.  X. 
(the    s 
phaeus 
phas). 


James,  Joses,*  Simon,  Judas  (Mark 
James  the  Less,  Joses,  their  mother 


James 
1  of  Al- 
or    Cleo- 


(Mary  the  wife  of  Cleophas.) 

Simon  Ze-  Lebbeus  (Thad- 
lotes.  deus)    (or   Ju- 

das, the  bro- 
ther of  James. 
Luke  \'i.  16). 

Simon  Ze-  Judas,  the  bro- 
ther of  James. 


lotes. 


Acts  i.  13. 

the    son    of    Al- 
phseus. 

From  the  above  we  conclude : 

(1.)  That  three  brothers  of  the  Lord  bore  the 
names  of  James,  Simon,  and  Judas ; 

That  three  Apostles  also  bore  the  names   of 
James,  Simon,  and  Judas : 

(2.)  That  James,  the  brother  of  the  Lord,  had  a 
brother  called  Joses  [Joseph]  ; 

That  the  Apostle  James,  the  son  of  Alphaeus,  had 
a  brother  called  Joses : 

(3.)  That  the  father  of  the  Apostle   James  the 
Less  bore  the  name  of  Alphaeus ; 

*  [Or  rather  Joseph.    See  the  critical  note  above.— P.  S.] 


256 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


That  the  father  of  Joses,  the  son  of  Mary,  bore 
the  name  of  Alpha;u3 : 

(4.)  That  the  Apostle  Judas  had  a  brother  called 
James ; 

That  Judas,  the  brother  of  Jesus,  had  a  brother 
called  James: 

(5.)  That  the  wife  of  Clopas  or  Cleophas  was 
called  Mary,  and  that  she  was  the  mother  of  James 
and  Joses. 

(6.)  Hence  that 
Cleophas  was  the  father  of  James  and  Joses ; 

"  "  "     of  the  Apostle  James ; 

"  "  "     of   Judas,    the    brother    of 

James. 

(Brother  of  the  Lord ; 
Brother  of  James  (brother 
of  the  Lord) ; 
Apostle  of  the  Lord. 
Manifestly,  then,  the  brothers  of  the  Lord  and 
the  Apostles  whom  we  have  just  named  are  identical. 
The  relationship  existing  between  them  was  probably 
as  follows :  Clopas  (Cleophas),  or  Alphajus,  was  a 
brother  of  Joseph,  the  foster-father  of  Jesus  (Euse- 
bius,  iii.  11).  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  Mary 
the  wife  of  Cleophas  was  the  sister  of  the  mother  of 
the  Lord.*  Alphseus  probably  died  early  [V],  and 
Joseph  [the  poor  carpenter  ?]  adopted  his  family  [of 
at  least  six  children  ?  and  tliis,  when  their  mother 
was  still  living,  John  xix.  25  ? — P.  S.] ;  so  that  the 
cousins  of  Jesus  became  His  adopted  brothers,  and 
in  the  eye  of  the  law  were  treated  as  His  brothers. 
Probably  they  were  older  than  Jesus,  and  hence  ap- 
.pear  to  have  interfered  on  several  occasions  with  His 
work.  Although  at  an  early  period  they  were  in  the 
faith,  some  time  elapsed  before  they  attained  to  full 
obedience.  Besides  these  sons,  Alphesas  seems  also 
to  have  left  daughters  [?]. 

The  idea  that  the  Apostles  James  the  Less  and 
Judas  were  dififerent  from  the  brothers  of  the  Lord, 
originated  among  the  Judaso-Christian  sect  of  the 
Ebionites.  The  oldest  Catholic  tradition,  on  the 
contrary,  has  always  regarded  them  as  identical 
(Hegesippus,  Clement  of  Alexandria,  Origen).f  For 
further  particulars,  see  my  article  Jakobus  in  Herzog's 
Real  Encyclop.  [vol.  vi.,  p.  406  sqq.  Comp.  also 
Alford  on  Matt.  xiii.  55 ;  Dr.  Mill  :  On  the  Brethren 
of  our  Lord  (quoted  by  Alford  and  Wordsworth,  as 
defending  the  cousin-theory),  and  Sam.  S.  Andrews  : 
The  Life  of  our  Lord,  N.  Y.,  1863,  p.  104  sqq.— 
P.  S.] 

[Note  on  the  Brothers  of  Jesus. — After  a  re- 
newed investigation  of  this  difScult  exegetical  and 
historical  problem,  I  beg  leave  to  difl^er  from  the 
cousin-theory,  even  in  the  modified  form  so  plausibly 
defended  by  Dr.  Lange  here  and  elsewhere.  I  shall 
present  as  clearly  and  concisely  as  I  can  the  princi- 
pal execfclical  data  in  the  case,  on  which  the  right 
conclusion  must  be  based.  For  a  fuller  treatment  I 
refer  to  my  monograph  on  James  (Berlin,  1842), 
where  the  whole  subject  is  discussed  exegetically  and 
historically,  with  special  reference  to  James  the  bro- 
ther of  the  Lord  and  his  relation  to  James  the  Less. 

*  Comp.  WJeseler  in  the  Studien  wnd  Kritiken  for  1840. 
p.  648:  '•There  stood  by  the  cross  of  Jesus  His  mother,  aud 
the  sister  of  Ilis  mother — i.  e.,  Salome—,  Mary  the  wife  of 
Cleophas,  and  Mary  Magdalene."  John  xix.  25.  Comp. 
Mark  xv.  40;  Matt.  xxvii.'"56. 

t  [But  it  must  be  added,  that  the  oldest  tr.idition,  includ- 
ing the  most  distinguished  Greek  and  Latin  fathers,  .is  Ori- 
gen,  Gregory  of  Nyssa,  Cyril  of  Alexandiia,  Epiphanius, 
Hilary,  and  Ambrose,  regarded  the  brothers  of  Christ  as  sons 
of  Joseph  by  a  former  marriage.  &e  the  passages  in  full  in 
my  book  on  James,  p.  80  sqq.— P.  8.] 


(Compa,re  also  my  History  of  the  Apostolic  Church, 
p.  3*78,  and  the  notes  in  previous  parts  of  this  Com 
mentary,  on  ch.  i.  25  ;  xii.  46,  47 ;  xiii.  55  above.) 

1.  The  brothers  of  Jesus,  four  in  number,  and 
bearing  the  names  Jacob  or  James,  Joseph,  (or  Joses), 
Simon,  and  Jude,  are  mentioned  wither  wis  liout  their 
names,  fourteen  or  fifteen  times  in  the  N.  T.  (not  ten 
times,  as  Alford  in  loc.  says),  twice  in  connection 
with  sisters  (whose  number  and  names  are  not  record- 
ed), viz.,  twelve  times  in  the  Gospels,  Matt.  xii.  46, 
47  ;  xiii.  55,  56  {khiXtpol  and  ah^Kfpo.i);  Mark  iii.  31, 
32;  vi.  3  (here  the  sisters  are  likevifise  introduced); 
Luke  viii.  19,  20;  John  vii.  3,  5,  10; — once  in  the 
Acts,  i.  14 ; — and  once  by  St.  Paul,  1  Cor.  ix.  5,  to 
which  must  be  added  Gal.  i.  19,  where  James  of  Je- 
rusalem is  called  " /Ae  brother '  of  the  Lord^  Be- 
sides, the  Saviour  Himself  speaks  several  times  of 
His  brothers  (brethren),  but  apparently  in  a  wider 
sense  of  the  term,  Matt.  xii.  48,  49,  50;  Mark  iii.  S3, 
34,  35  ;  Matt,  xxviii.  10 ;  John  xx.  17. 

In  the  former  fourteen  or  fifteen  passages  it  is 
agreed  on  all  hands  that  the  term  brothers  must  be 
taken  more  or  less  literally  of  natural  affinity,  and  not 
metaphorically  or  spiritually,  in  which  sense  all  Chris- 
tians are  brethren.  The  question  is  only,  whether 
the  temr  means  brothers  proper,  or  cousins,  accord- 
mg  to  a  somewhat  wider  usage  of  the  Hebrew  PIN  . 

2.  The  exegetical  or  grammatical  (though  not  per 
haps  the  dogmatical)  a  priori  presumption  is  undoubt- 
edly in  favor  of  the  usual  meaning  of  the  word,  the 
more  so  since  no  parallel  case  of  a  wider  meaning  of 
kdnX'pus  (except  the  well-known  and  always  apparent 
metaphorical,  which  is  out  of  the  question  in  our 
case),  can  be  quoted  from  the  New  Testament.  Even 
the  Hebrew  nx  is  used  only  twice  in  a  wider  sense, 
and  then  only  extended  to  nephew  (not  to  cousin), 
viz..  Gen.  xiii.  8  ;  xiv.  16  ;  of  Abraham  and  Lot,  who 
was  his  brother's  son  (xi.  27,  31),  and  Gen.  xxix.  12, 
15,  of  Laban  and  Jacob  his  sister's  son  (comp.  ver. 
1 3).  Here  there  can  be  no  mistake.  The  cases  are 
therefore  not  strictly  parallel  with  ours. 

S.  There  is  no  mention  anywhere  of  cousins  or 
Jcinsmen  of  Jesus  according  to  the  flesh  ;  and  yet  the 
term  av  e\li  i6  s  ,  con'iobrinus,  covsin,  is  well  known 
to  the  N.  T.  vocabulary  (compare  Col.  iv.  10,  where 
Mark  is  called  a  cousin  of  Barnabas) ;  so  also  the 
more  exact  term  v  Ih  s  rf/s  aS  e \(p t)  s  ,  sister''s  son 
(comp.  Acts  xxiii.  26,  of  Paul's  cousin  in  Jerusalem) ; 
and  the  more  general  term  cr  vyy  e  vn  s ,  kinsman, 
relative,  occurs  not  less  than  eleven  times  (Mark  vL 
4  ;  Luke  i.  36,  58  ;  ii.  44 ;  xiv.  12 ;  xxi.  16  ;  John 
xviii.  26 ;  Acts  x.  24  ;  Rom.  ix.  3 ;  xvi.  7,  11,  21). 

Now,,  if  the  brothers  of  Jesus  were  n^erely  His 
cousins  (either  sons  of  a  sister  of  Mary,  as  is  general- 
ly assumed,  or  of  a  brother  of  Joseph,  as  Dr.  Lange 
maintains),  the  question  may  well  be  asked  :  Why 
in  the  name  of  sense  did  the  sacred  historians  never 
call  tkem  by  their  right  name,  av f\l/ to i,  or  viol 
T^s  aSe\(pri  ^  rfjs  Map  i  as,  or  rov  ad  s  A(p  ov 
rod  '  lu  ai]  (p  ,  or  a,t  least  more  generally  tr  1^77  e- 
r  6  ts  ?*  By  doing  this  they  would  have  at  once  pre- 
vented all  future  confusion  among  commentators; 
while  by  uniformly  using  the  term  aSeAfoi,  without 
the  least  intimation  of  a  wider  meaning,  they  certain- 
ly suggest  to  every  unbiased  reader  the  impression 
that  real  brothers  are  intended. 

4.  In  all  the  passages  where  brothers  and  sisters 

*  Hegesippus  (ap.  Euscb.  H.  E.  iv.  22)  speaks  of  cousins 
of  Christ,  calling  Simeon,  the  successor  of  James  in  Jerusa- 
lem:  ave^ihf  Tov  Kvpiov  dei/repoy. 


CHAP.  XIII.  53-58. 


2r)7 


of  Jesus  are  mentioned,  except  in  John  vii.  (where 
they  are  represented  in  conflict  with  the  Lord),  and 
1  Cor.  ix.  (which  was  written  probably  after  the  death 
of  Mary),  they  appear  in  close  connection  with  llim 
and  His  mother  Mary  as  being  under  her  care  and 
direction,  and  as  forming  one  family.  This  is  cer- 
tainly surprising  and  unaccountable,  if  they  were  cou- 
sins. Why  do  they  never  appear  m  connection  with 
their  own  supposed  mother,  Mary  the  wife  of  Clopas 
(or  Alphieus),  who  was  living  all  the  time,  and  stood 
under  the  cross  (Matt,  sxvii.  56  ;  John  xix.  25),  and 
at  the  sepulchre  (Matt,  xxvii.  61)? 

Lange  calls  to  his  aid  the  double  hypothesis  of 
an  early  death  of  Clopas  (whom  he  assumes  to  have 
been  the  brother  of  Joseph*),  and  the  adoption  of 
his  children  by  the  parents  of  Jesus,  so  that  they  be- 
came legally  His  brothers  and  sisters.  But  this  stdop- 
tion,  if  trae,  could  not  destroy  their  i-elation  to  their 
natural  mother,  Mary,  who  was  still  living,  and  one  of 
the  most  faithful  female  foUowei'S  of  Christ.  Besides, 
both  the  assumption  of  the  early  death  of  Clopas 
and  the  adoption  of  his  children  by  Joseph,  is  with- 
out the  shadow  of  either  exegetical  or  traditionary  evi- 
dence, and  is  made  extremely  improbable  by  the  fact 
of  the  poverty  of  the  holy  family,  who  could  not  in 
justice  to  themselves  and  to  their  own  Son  adopt  at 
least  half  a  dozen  children  at  once  (four  sons  and  two 
or  more  daughters),  especially  when  their  own  mother 
was  still  living  at  the  time.  We  would  have  to  as- 
sume that  the  mother  Ukewise,  after  the  death  of  her 
husband,  lived  with  the  holy  family.  But  would  she 
have  given  up  in  this  case,  or  under  any  circum- 
stances, the  claim  and  title  to,  and  the  maternal  care 
of,  her  own  children  ?  Certainly  not.  The  more  we 
esteem  this  devoted  disciple,  who  attended  the  Sa- 
viour to  the  cross  and  the  sepulchre  (Matt,  xxvii.  56, 
61 ;  John  xix.  25),  the  less  we  can  think  her  capable 
of  such  an  unmotherly  and  unwomanly  act. 

5.  There  is  no  intimation  anywhere  in  the  New 
Testament,  either  by  direct  assertion  or  by  implica- 
tion (unless  it  be  the  disputed  passage  on  James,  in 
Gal.  i.  ]  9),  that  the  brothers  of  Christ,  or  any  of  them, 
were  of  the  number  of  the  twelve  Apostles.  This  is 
a  mere  inference  from  certain  facts  and  combinations, 
which  we  shall  consider  afterward,  viz.,  the  identity 
of  three  names,  James,  Simon  and  Judas,  who  occur 
among  the  brothers  of  Christ  and  among  the  Apos- 
tles, and  the  fact  that  a  certain  Mary,  supposed  to  be 
an  aunt  of  Jesus,  was  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses 
(but  she  is  never  called  the  mother  of  James,  Joseph, 
Simon,  and  Jude),  and  with  the  fact  of  the  eminent, 
Apostle-like  position  of  James,  the  brother  of  the 
Lord,  in  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 

6.  On  the  contrary,  the  brothers  of  Jesus  are 
mentioned  after  the  Apostles,  and  thus  distinguished 
from  them.  In  Acts  i.  13,  14,  Luke  first  enmneratos 
the  eleven  by  name,  and  then  adds  :  "  These  all  [the 
Apostles]  contmued  with  one  accord  in  prayer  and 
SuppUcation,  with  the  women,  and  Mary  the  mother 
of  Jesus,  and  with  His  bretJireti.'"  Here  they  seem 
to  form  a  distinct  class  with  their  mother,  next  to 
the  Apostles.     So  also  1  Cor.  ix.  5  :    ul  Aonroi  a-n-o- 


*  IlegesippiTS  (in  Eiisebins'  H.  K.  iii.  11)  asserts  that  Clo- 
pas was  the  brother  of  Joseph.  Lange  denies  that  Mary,  the 
wife  of  Clopas,  was  the  sister  of  the  Virgin  .M.ary.  But  Lich- 
tenstein  {Lehensgeschichte  des  Iferm,  Krlangcn,  1S56,  p. 
124)  assumes,  that  the  two  brothers,  Joseph  "and  Clopas, 
married  two  sisters,  both  named  Mary.  Clopas  dying,  Jo- 
seph took  his  wife  and  her  children  into  his  family.  Schneck- 
enburger  reverses  the  hypothesis  and  assumes  that  Mary, 
after  the  early  death  of  Joseph,  moved  to  the  household  of 
her  bister,  the  wife  of  Clopas. 


(TToAoi  Kal  ot  a.5e\(t>o\  -rod  Kvplov.  Such  distinct  men- 
tion of  tlie  brothers  after  the  Apostles  was  not  justified 
if  three  of  the  four,  as  is  assumed  by  the  cousin- 
theory,  were  themselves  Apostles ;  consequently, 
only  one  remained  to  make  a  separate  class.  The 
narrative.  Matt.  xii.  46-50,  likewise  implies  that  the 
brothers  of  Jesus  who  stood  without,  seeking  to 
speak  with  Him,  were  distinct  from  the  disciples 
(ver.  69),  who  always  surrounded  Him. 

v.  More  than  this  :  before  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  His  brothers  arc  represented  in  the  (iospel  of 
John,  in  ch.  vii.  3-10,  long  after  the  call  of  the  Apos- 
tles, as  unbelievers^  who  endeavored  to  embarrass  the 
Saviour  and  to  throw  difiiculties  in  His  way.  This 
makes  it  morally  impossible  to  identify  them  with  the 
Apostles.  Even  if  only  one  or  two  of  the  four  had 
been  among  the  twelve  at  that  time,  John  could  not 
have  made  the  unqualified  remark :  "  Neither  did 
His  brethren  [brothers)  believe  in  Him  "  (vii.  5) ;  for 
faith  is  the  very  first  condition  of  the  apostolate. 
Nor  would  Christ  in  this  case  have  said  to  them : 
"My  time  has  not  yet  come ;  but  your  time  is  always 
ready ;  the  world  cannot  hate  you ;  but  Me  it  hateth  " 
(vers.  6,  7) ;  nor  would  He  have  separated  from  them 
in  His  journey  to  Jerusalem.  It  will  not  do  here  to 
weaken  the  force  of  iricmveiv,  and  to  reduce  their 
unbelief  to  a  mere  temporary  wavermg  and  uncer- 
tainty. The  case  of  Peter,  Matt.  xvi.  23,  and  that  of 
Thomas,  John  xx.  25,  are  by  no  means  parallel. 
The  whole  attitude  of  the  brothers  of  Christ,  as 
\'iewed  by  Christ  and  described  by  John,  is  entirely 
inconsistent  with  that  of  an  apostle.  It  is  an  atti- 
tude not  of  enemies,  it  is  true,  but  of  doubtful,  dis- 
satisfied friends,  who  assume  an  air  of  superiority, 
and  presume  to  suggest  to  Him  a  worldly  and  ambi- 
tious policy.  After  the  resurrection  they  aj'e  ex- 
pressly mentioned  among  the  beUevers,  but  as  a  dis- 
tinct class  with  Mary,  next  to  the  Apostles. 

All  these  considerations  strongly  urge  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  brothers  of  Christ  were  real  brotliers^ 
according  to  the  flesh,  i.  e.^  eitlier  later  sons  of  Mary 
and  Joseph,  or  sons  of  Joseph  by  a  former  marriage 
(more  of  this  below),  unless  there  are  very  serious 
difficulties  in.  the  way,  which  make  this  conclusion 
either  critically,  or  morally,  or  reUgiously  impossi- 
ble. 

Let  us  now  approach  these  difficulties. 

8.  There  are  serious  but  no  insurmountable  ob- 
jections to  the  conclusion  just  stated. 

(a)  The  first  objection  is  the  identity  in  name  of 
three  c^f  these  brothers  with  three  of  the  Apostles, 
viz.,  James,  Simon,  and  Jude.*  But  it  should  be  re- 
membered that  these  were  among  the  most  common 
Jewish  names.  Josephus  mentions  no  less  than 
twenty-one  Simons,  seventeen  Joses's,  and  sixteen 
Judes.  Why  could  there  not  be  two  or  three  persons 
of  the  same  name  in  the  apostofic  Church?  We 
have  at  all  events  two  James's,  two  Simons,  and  two 
Judes  among  the  twelve  Apostles.  This  difficulty  is 
more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  opposite  difficulty 
of  two  sisters  with  the  same  name. 

[b)  The  second  objection,  likewise  of  a  critical 
and  exegetical  character,  is  derived  from  Gal.  i.  19 : 
"  But  other  of  the  Apostles  saw  I  none,  save  {el  yurj) 
James,  the  Lord's  brother."  Here  James,  who  waa 
one  of  the  brothers  of  Jesus,  seems  to  be  included 

*  Dr.  Lance,  in  his  article  Jakobns  in  Herzogs  Encycl., 
vol.  vi,,  p.  412,  calls  this  die  UnhiUtbarkeit  einer  dreina- 
rnigen  Itoppetgdnijerlinie  in  dem  apostoliscfien  Kreise, 
and  afterward  eine  unerMrie  zwei-  bis  vierfache  Boppel- 
gdngerei. 


17 


258 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


among  tKc  Apostles,  and  this  must  have  been  James 
of  AlphiEUH,  or  James  the  Less.*  But  the  passage 
bears  tlic  exactly  opposite  interpretation,  if  after  fl  /j-r, 
we  supply  simply :  eiooi',  and  not''  eUov  rhv  a-:rSi>TuAui; 
viz. :  "  I  saw  none  other  of  the  Apostles  (besides 
Peter,  ver.  18),  but  only  (I  sav/)  James,  the  Lord's 
brother."  This  interpretation  is  very  old,!  and  is 
defended  by  some  of  the  highest  grammatical  au- 
thorities of  our  age.:j:  I  think  with  Meyer  §  that  James 
is  here  distinguished  from  the  tv/elvc  to  whom  Peter 
belonged,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  mentioned  with 
the  Apostles  m  a  wider  sense  of  the  term.  In  other 
words,  he  is  represented  as  a  man  who,  on  account 
of  his  close  natural  relationship  to  Clirist,  and  of  his 
weight  of  character  and  piety,  enjoyed  an  apostolic 
dignity  and  authority  among  the  strict  Jewish  Chris- 
tians. He  was  the  acknowledged  head  and  Icader-of 
this  branch  and  the  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  where 
he  permanently  resided  and  died,  while  the  apostles 
proper  were  not  fixed  in  a  particular  diocese,  but  tra- 
veling missionaries,  with  the  whole  world  for  their 
field  of  labor.  That  this  was  precisely  the  position 
of  James  is  evident  from  various  passages  in  the 
Acts,  in  the  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  from  Josephus, 
Hegesippus,  and  the  traditions  of  the  Eastern 
Church."  II 

(c)  The  third  objection  is  of  a  moral  character, 
and  derived  from  the  consideration  that  Christ  on 
the  cross  could  not  have  commended  His  mother  to 
the  care  of  John  if  she  had  other  sons  (John  xix.  26, 
27).  "  But  why,"  we  may  ask  with  Andrews,*]"  "  if 
James  and  Judas  were  Apostles  and  His  cousins, 
sons  of  her  sister  and  long  inmates  of  her  family,  and 
it  was  a  question  of  kinship,  did  He  not  commend 
her  to  their  care  ?  "  The  difficulty  then  remains,  and 
must  be  solved  on  other  grounds.  The  brothers  -of 
Jesus  at  that  time,  as  appears  from  John  vii.,  were 
not  yet  full  believers  in  Christ,  although  they  must 
have  been  converted  soon  after  the  resurrection  (Acts 
i.  14).  Moreover,  John  was  the  most  intimate  bosom 
friend  of  the  Saviour,  and  could  better  sympathize 
with  Mary,  and  comfort  her  in  this  peculiar  trial  than 
any  human  being.  If  the  modern  interpretation  of 
John  xix.  25  be  correct,  as  it  probably  is,  Salome  (not 
Mary,  wife  of  Clopas)  was  a  sister  of  Christ's  mother, 
consequently  John  His  cousin.  But  we  would  not 
urge  this  as  an  additional  reason  of  the  commenda- 
tion, which  must  be  based  on  a  deeper  siDiritual  affin- 
ity and  sympathy. 

(d)  The  fourth  objection  is  rcligioria  and  dogmat- 
ical, arising  from  the  pious  or  superstitious  belief  in 
the  perpetual  virginity  of  Mary,  and  the  apparent  im- 
propriety of  the  birth  of  any  later  descendants  of  the 
house  of  David  after  the  birth  of  the  Messiah.  The 
perpetual  virginity  of  the  mother  of  our  Saviour  is  an 
article  of  faith  in  the  Greek  and  Eoman  Church  ;  it 
is  taught  also  in  a  few  of  the  older  Protesiant  sym- 

*  So  Schneckenburser  on  the  Epistle  of  James,  and  all 
the  commentators  on  Galatians  who  adopt  the  ci.usin-hypo- 
thesis,  also  EUicolt  ad  Gal.  i.  19,  who,  however,  does"  not 
enter  Into  a  discussion  of  the  jreneral  question. 

+  Victorinus,  in  his  Comuientary  in  loc,  says:  "Paul 
disclaims  James  as  an  apostle,  saying,  that  he  saw  uo  other 
apostle  besides  I'eter,  but  oiilv  Jame.s." 

t  Winer,  Grammatik,  Cth  ed.,  p.  .557  (§  6T,  snb  T.  e) ; 
who  quotes  for  a  similar  use  of  el  jxi]  Acts  xxvii.  22  and 
Rev.  xxi.  27;  Frilzsche,  Comment,  in  Matt.,  p.  4S2.  who 
translates:  alium  apostolnm.  no"  rixU,  atd  vidi  Jacohum ; 
Blcek  (in  Studien  tend  Kritiken  for  lSo6,  p.  1059),  and,  as  to 
the  inference  drawn,  also  Meyer  and  Hilpenfeld  ad  Gal.  1. 
19. 

8  In  his  Comment,  on  Gal.  i.  19. 

I  This  subject  is  fully  discussed  in  my  book  on  James. 

^  The  Life  of  our  Lord  vpon  the  EarV>.  p.  llj. 


bols,*  and  held  to  this  day  by  many  evangelical  di- 
vines. Bishop  Pearson  says  that  the  Church  of  God 
in  all  ages  has  maintained  that  Mary  continued  in  the 
same  virginity. f  Olshauscn  takes  the  same  view, 
and  Lange,  though  the  latter  only  as  far  as  offspring 
is  concerned.  Dr.  Jos.  Addison  Alexander,  a  Presby- 
terian, wlio  will  not  be  accused  of  any  sympathy  with 
Romanism,  says  with  apparent  approbation  :  "  Multi- 
tudes of  Protestant  divines  and  others,  independently 
of  all  creeds  and  confessions,  have  believed,  or  rather 
felt,  that  the  selection  of  a  woman  to  be  the  mother 
of  the  Lord,  carries  with  it  as  a  necessary  implication 
that  no  others  could  sustain  the  same  relation  to 
her ;  and  that  the  selection  of  a  virgin  still  more  ne- 
cessarily imphed  that  she  was  to  continue  so  ;  for  if 
there  be  nothing  in  the  birth  of  younger  children  in- 
consistent with  her  maternal  relation  to  the  Saviour, 
why  should  there  be  any  such  repugnance  in  the  birth 
of  older  children  likewise  ?  .  .  .  The  same  feeling 
which  revolts  from  one  hypothesis  in  some,  revolts 
from  both  hypotheses  in  both.";]: 

A  doctrine  or  feeling  so  old  and  widely  spread  must 
be  treated  with  proper  regard  and  delicacy.  But  it 
should  be  observed  : 

In  the  first  place,  that  these  doctrinal  objections 
hold  only  against  the  view  that  the  brothers  of  Christ 
were  younger  cliildren  of  Mary,  not  against  the  other 
alternative  left,  that  they  were  older  children  of  Jo- 
seph by  a  former  marriage. 

Secondly,  the  virginity  of  Mary  can  be  made  an 
article  of  faith  only  as  far  as  it  is  connected  with  the 
mystery  of  the  supernatural  conception  and  tlie  ab- 
solute freedom  of  Christ  from  hereditary  as  well  as 
actual  sin.  But  neither  His  nor  her  honor  require 
the  perpetual  virginity  after  His  birth,  unless  there 
be  something  impure  and  unholy  in  the  marriage  re- 
lation itself.  The  latter  we  cannot  admit,  since  God 
instituted  marriage  in  the  state  of  innocence  in  Par- 
adise, and  St.  Paul  compares  it  to  the  most  sacred 
relation  existing,  the  union  of  Christ  with  His 
Church. 

Thirdly,  the  Apostles  and  Evangelists,  who  are 
certainly  much  safer  guides  iir  all  matters  of  faith 
and  religious  feeling  than  even  fathers  and  reformers, 
seem  to  have  had  no  such  feeling  of  repugnance  to  a 
real  marriage  betv/een  Joseph  and  Mary,  since  they 
not  only  frequently  mention  brothers  and  sisters  of 
Christ,  without  any  intimation  of  an  unusual  or  in- 
definite sense  of  the  word,  but  Matthew  and  Luke  (ii.  7) 
call  Christ  the/rsi-bom  son  of  Mary,  and  Matthew 
moreover  says  (i.  25),  that  Joseph  knew  not  Mary, 
i.  e.,  did  not  cohabit  with  her  as  man  and  wife,  till 
she  had  brought  forth  her  first-born  son.  I  admit  that 
neither  vrptoTciTOK-os  nor  6a>i  ol  are  conclusive  in  fa- 
vor of  subsequci\t  cohabitation  and  offspring,  but  they 
naturally  look  that  way,  especially  in  a  retrospective 
historical  narrative,  and  in  connection  with  the  subse- 
quent frequent  mentipn  of  the  brothers  and  sisters  of 

*  The  Articles  of  Sinalkald,  Par^.  I.  art.  IV.  (p.  803.  ed. 
Ilase):  "Ex  Maria  pura,  sancta,  semper  virgine.'"  The 
Form  of  Concord,  p.  707:  "Undo  et  veve  SeoroKO?,  Dei  ge 
netrix  est,  et  tamen  virgo  tnanitit."  Even  Zwingli  shared 
in  this  view,  Comment,  in  Matt.  i.  IS.  25.  and  the  Helvetic 
Confession  speaks  of  Jesus  as  "  natus  ex  Maria  semper  zir- 
gine.'" 

+  Exposition  of  the  Creed,  art.  III. 

i  Commentary  on  Matthew,  siii.  56,  pp.  3S3  and  884,  and 
in  the  same  language.  Com.  on  Mark  vi.  3.  Dr.  Alexander 
does  not  decide  bne'wHV  or  the  other  (though  leaning  to  tho 
cousin-theory),  and  thinks  that  the  difference  of  taste  and 
sensibility  on  this  subject  is  likely  to  continue  to  affect  the 
interpretation  until  the  question  has  received  some  new  and 
unequivocal  solution. 


CHAP.  Xm.  53-5S. 


259 


Christ  by  the  same  writers.  At  all  events,  we  are  war- 
ranted to  say  that  those  terms  could  not  have  been 
used  by  the  Evangelists  if  they  had  regarded  legitunate 
cohabitation  as  essentially  profane,  or  in  any  way  de- 
grading to  Joseph  and  His  mother.  The  Old  Tcsta- 
mcut,  it  is  well  known,  nowhere  sustains  the  ascetic 
Romish  views  on  the  superior  merits  of  ceUbacy,  and 
represents  children  as  the  greatest  blessing,  and  ster- 
ility as  a  curse  or  misfortune. 

Finally,  it  may  be  regarded  as  another  proof  of 
the  true  and  full  humanity  and  the  condescending 
love  of  our  Saviour,  if  He  shared  the  common  trials 
of  family  life  in  all  its  forms,  and  moved  a  brother 
among  brothers  and  sisters,  that "  He  might  be  touch- 
ed with  a  fceUng  of  our  infirmities."  This  last  con- 
sideration, however,  has  its  full  weight  if  we  adopt 
Dr.  Lange's  modification  of  the  cousin-hyjjothesis, 
viz.,  the  formal  adoption  of  Christ's  cousins  into  the 
holy  family. 

9.  It  rcmaius  to  be  seen  whether  the  cousin- 
theory  is  more  free  from  difficulties.  This  theory  is 
very  old,  and  goes  back  not  only  to  Jerome,  as  is  gen- 
erally stated,  l>ut  even  to  Papias,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  second  century,*  probably  also  to  Hegesippus, 
although  tills  may  be  disputed,  and  has  the  authority 
of  the  whole  Latin  Church,  and  the  older  Protestant 
divines,  who,  however,  paid  very  little  attention  to 
this  question. I  But  this  theory  did  not  obtain  credit 
and  currency  without  an  undue  weight  of  dogmatical 
considerations  connected  with  the  perpetual  virginity 
of  Mary  and  the  superior  sanctity  of  celibacy  (as  is 
very  evident  fi'om  Jerome's  work  against  Helvidius). 
It  has  moreover  to  contend  with  all  the  facts  pre- 
sented under  No.  1-7,  wluch  are  as  many  arguments 
against  it.  And  finally  it  has  to  call  to  its  aid 
two  assumptions,  which  are  at  least  very  doubtful, 
and  give  the  theory  an  intricate  and  complicated 
character.     These  assumptions  are : 

(a)  That  Mary,  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses 
(Matt,  xxvii.  56  ;  Mark  xv.  40),  was  a  sister  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  and  that  consequently  her  children  were 
cousins  of  Jesus.  But  who  ever  heard  of  two  sisters 
bearing  the  same  name  without  any  additional  one 
by  which  to  distinguish  them  ?  Then,  the  only  pas- 
sage on  which  th.e  alleged  relationship  of  the  two 
Marys  is  based,  John  xix.  25,  admits  of  a  different 
and  more  prolwble  explanation,  by  which  the  term 
"  His  mother's  sister "  is  appUed  to  Salome,t  who 
stood  certainly  under  the  cross  {see  Matt,  xxvii.  oo ; 
Mark  xv.  40),  and  could  not  well  be  passed  by  in  si- 
lence by  her  own  son,  Ft.  John,  while  he,  with  his 
accustomed  modesty  and  dchcacy,  omitted  her  name, 


•  In  a  remark.iblc  fragment  on  tlie  four  Maivs  (ap.  Itorxii. 
Reliquiae,  tsao-ce  ex  Cod.  M6S.  2697):  "I,  J/<iHu,  mater 
Domini.  II.  Maria,  Cleoph*  sive  Alpr^i  uxor,  qu:c  fiiit 
maUr  Jacobi  E/dscopi  ft  Apontoli,  et  Simonis,  et  Tluidei 
[Judae  Jacobi],  ct  cujusdam  Joseph.  III.  Maria  Salome, 
uxor  Zebodei.  luatc-r  .Joannis  evan-'elistiu  ct  Jacobi.  IV. 
Marici  Magdalf  nil."'  But  Papias  umits  one.  Mart/  of  Beth- 
any, and  is  well  known  to  bave  been  somewhat  weakmind- 
eil,  superstitious,  and  confused ;  althouph  in  a  mere  matter 
of  f..ct  his  testimony  may  neverllieless  be  very  valuable. 

t  Calvin  for  instance  regards  the  question  as  one  of  idle 
cnriosity  in  Slatt.  i.  25:  '■'■  Cei-te  nemo  tinquam  hac  de  re 
questionem  movebit  iti»i  curiosu« ;  nemo  vera  pertinaciter 
imUstet  nisi  conUntiomis  rixainr." 

t  Ttii.s  explanation  was  broncht  out  first  clearly  by  Wiese- 
ler  (in  the  Studien  nnd  Kriiileen  for  1S40,  p.  64a  fqq.),  ami 
adopted  by  Meyer,  Lan^e,  and  Alford.  ■  But  the  old  Syriac 
version  already  iijij)lieil  this  interpretation  by  inserti"n>:  a 
Kai  before  Mapi'a,  and  translating:  "And  there  were  stand- 
ing near  the  cross  of  Jesus,  Ilis  mother,  and  His  mother's 
sister  [Salome],  and  Mary  of  Cleophiis,  and  Mary  Macda- 
Icne." 


and  intimated  her  presence  by  bringing  out  her  re- 
lation to  Mary. 

{h)  That  Clopas,  or  Cleophas,  the  husband  of 
Mary,  the  supposed  sister  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  is  the 
same  with  Aiplia:as,  the  father  of  James,  the  younger 
Apostle  of  that  name,  who  is  called  '\a.Kufio%  b  rod 
'AXcpaiov  (Matt.  X.  3;  Mark  ii.  14;  iii.  18;  Luke  vi. 
XV ;  Acts  i.  13).  But  this,  though  not  improbable, 
and  supported  by  the  testimony  of  Papias,  is  at  least 
not  certain.  Besides,  Matthew  (or  Levi)  was  also  a 
son  of  Alphsous,  Mark  ii.  14,  and  if  'loi'Sas  'laieii- 
000,  and  Simeon,  two  of  the  twelve,  were  likewise 
among  the  brothers  of  Christ,  we  would  have  four 
Apostles,  of  whom  it  is  said  in  John  vii.  that  they  did 
not  beheve.  Finally,  Mary,  it  should  be  remembered, 
is  called  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses  only,  but 
never  the  m.other  of  Sunon  and  Jude,  the  other  two 
brothers  of  Jesus,  and  both  of  them  supposed  to  have 
been  Apostles,  which  Joses  was  not.  It  is  nowhere 
intimated  that  she  had  more  sons  than  two,  or  any 
daughters  at  all ;  and  even  from  her  two  sons,  one, 
Joses,  must  be  exenii^t  from  being  a  namesake,  since 
Joseph,  and  not  Joses,  according  to  the  con-ect 
reading,  in  Mu,tt.  xiii.  55,  is  the  second  brother  of 
Christ. 

Dr.  Lange,  it  is  true,  avoids  some  of  these  dif- 
ficulties by  giving  up  the  sisterhood  of  the  two  Marys, 
and  assuming  in  its  place  the  brotherhood  of  Clopas, 
or  Alphfeus,  and  Joseph,*  as  the  basis  of  the  cousin- 
ship  of  their  sons,  and  calling  to  his  aid  the  addi- 
tional hypothesis  of  the  early  death  of  Alphseus  and 
the  adoption  of  his  children  into  the  holy  family, — 
but  all  this  v.ithout  a  shadow  of  exegetical  proof. 
The  absence  of  all  allusion  in  the  Evangelists  to 
Mary,  the  real  and  still  living  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren, when  they  are  collectively  mentioned,  is  a  sur- 
prising fact,  which  speaks  as  strongly  against  Lange's 
hypothesis  as  against  the  older  and  usual  form  of  the 
cousin-theory. 

10.  We  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  strict  gram- 
matical explanation  of  the  term  brothers  and  sisiers 
of  Christ,  though  not  without  difficulties,  is  still  far 
more  easy  and  natural  than  the  explanation  which 
makes  them  mere  cousms. 

But  from  the  exegetical  data  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment we  are  still  at  Uberty  to  choose  between  two 
views : 

(a)  The  brothers  of  Jesus  were  younger  children 
of  Joseph  and  Mar  I/,  and  hence  His  uterine  brothcr.s, 
though  in  fact  only  half-brothers,  since  He  had  no 
human  father,  and  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
over=;hadowing  the  Blessed  Virgin.  This  view  may  be 
supported  by  the  ea>  s  and  the  tt^wto  to/cos  in  Matt. 
i.  25  and  Luke  ii.  V,  and  has  been  adopted  by  Ter- 
tulliau,  Helvidius,  and  many  modem  Protestant  di- 
vines of  (xermany,  as  Herder,  Neander,  Winer,  Meyer, 
Wieseler,  Rothe,  Stier,  and  by  a  few  English  divines, 
Alford  (on  Matt.  xiii.  55),  T.  W.  Farrar  (in  W.  Smith's 
Diilionari/  of  the  Bible,  vol.  i.,  p.  231),  and,  though 
not  decidedly,  by  Andiews  {Life  of  our  Lord,  p.  114). 
This  view  of  the  case  is  the  most  natural,  and  would 
probably  be  taken  by  a  majority  of  commentators, 
if  it  were  not  from  the  scruples  arising  from  the  long 
and  widely  cherished  doctrine  of  the  perpetual  vir- 
ginity of  Mary.  Once  clearly  and  fully  estabhshed 
on  the  testimony  of  Scripture  and  history,  this  theory 
would  give  a  powerful  polemical  weapon  into  the 

*  Ileprsippus,  in  Eusebius'  H.  E.  iii.  11,  comp.  iv.  22,  as- 
serts, that  Clopas  was  liic  brother  of  Joseph,  but  it  does  not 
afipear  whether  he  uses  the  term  brollior  strictly,  or  for 
brother-in-law. 


260 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW, 


hands  of  Protestants,  ;md  deslioy  by  one  fatal  blow 
one  of  the  strongest  pillars  of  Itomish  Mariology  and 
Mariolatry,  and  the  ascetic  overestimate  of  the  state 
of  celibacy.  But  the  case  is  by  no  means  so  clear  at 
the  present  state  of  the  controversy  that  we  could  avail 
ourselves  of  this  advantage ;  and  Protestants  them- 
selves, as  already  remarked,  differ  in  their  views,  or 
i'eelings,  or  tastes,  concerning  the  perpetual  virginity 
of  Mary. 

(h)  The  brothers  of  Jesus  were  older  son.'t  of  Jo- 
seph from  a.  former  marriage,  and  thus  in  the  eyes  of 
the  law  and  before  the  world,  though  not  by  blood, 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Christ.  This  view  has  the 
doctrinal  advantage  of  leaving  the  perpetual  virginity 
of  Mary  untouched.  It  seems,  moreover,  to  have 
been  the  oldest,  and  was  held  not  only  among  the 
Ebionites,  and  in  the  pseudo-apostolical  constitution, 
but  by  several  early  fathers,  as  Origen,  Eusebius  (who 
calls  James  of  Jerusalem  a  "  son  of  Joseph,"  but  no- 
where of  Mary),  Gregory  of  Nyssa,  Cyril  of  Alexandria, 
Epiphanius  (who  even  mentions  the  supposed  order  of 
birth  of  the  four  sons  and  two  daughters).  Hilar)', 
Ambrose,  etc.*  It  is  equally  consistent  with  the  Scrip- 
ture data  on  the  subject  as  the  other  alternative,  and 
in  some  respects  even  more  so.  For  it  agrees  better 
witii  the  apparent  difference  of  age  between  Joseph 
(who  early  disapjiears  in  the  gospel  history)  and  Mary, 
and  especially  witli  the  patronizing  and  presumptuous 
air  of  the  brothers  of  Christ,  when  they  sought  an  inter- 
view with  Him  at  a  particular  crisis  (Matt.  xii.  46),  and 
when  they  boldly  dared  to  suggest  to  Him  a  more 
expeditious  and  ostentatious  Messianic  policy  (John 
vii.  3-10).  This  is  at  least  more  readily  explained, 
if  they  were  older  according  to  the  flesh ;  while  on 
the  other  theory  some  of  them  must  have  been  al- 
most too  young  to  figure  so  prominently  in  the  gos- 
pel history.  It  is  true,  they  are  nowhei-e  called  sons 
of  Joseph  ;\  but  neither  are  they  called  sons  ofj/ar)/. 
The  reason  in  both  cases  must  be  found  in  the  fact, 
that  Christ  is  the  great  central  figure  in  the  Gospels, 
round  which  all  others  move. — P.  S.] 

DOCTEIKAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  In  this  narrative  the  Evangelist  sets  before  us 
the  circumstances  under  which  the  sufferings  of  our 
High  Priest  were  introduced — by  successive  rejections 
of  His  person  and  claims.  This  in  all  probability  in- 
duced him  to  relate  in  this  connection  that  Christ  was 
rejected  even  in  His  own  city.  But  the  historian 
drops  a  veil  over  the  particulars  an''  circumstances 
of  His  rejection.  Nazareth  adjoined  Matthew's  na- 
tive city,  and,  perhaps,  lay  even  within  the  district 
of  his  home. 

2.  On  the  fact  that  our  Lord  had  no  uterine  bro- 
thers or  sisters,  comp.  my  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  1,  p.  139 
sqq.  To  our  mind,  there  seems  nothing  offensive  in 
the  idea,  that  Joseph  and  Mary  lived  on  conjugal 
terms  ; :[:  but  it  appears  to  us  inconceivable  that  the 

*  See  the  quotations  in  my  book  on  James,  p.  80  sqq. 
Cbrysostom  may  also  be  incluiled  in  this  class;  at  least  he 
clearly  separates  the  brothers  of  Christ  from  the  apostles,  for 
the  reason  that  they  were  for  a  long  time  unbelievers  (Hom. 
V.  in  Matt.). 

t  Eusebiu.s,  however,  H.  E.  ii.  1,  calls  James  of  Jerusa- 
lem a  "son  of  Joseph." 

X  [In  this  point  Langre  differs  from  the  view  of  the  Greek 
and  Latin  Churches,  which  deny  every  conjugal  intercourse 
as  degrading  the  character  of  the  holy  Virgin,  and  inconsistent 
with  her  perpetua  Yirginitas.— P.  S.] 


mother  of  Jesus  should  afterv.'ard  have  given  birth 
to  other  children.  Besides,  the  brothers  of  the  Lord 
are  introduced  as  speaking  and  acting  hke  persons 
who  claim  to  have  more  enlarged  experience  than 
Jesus,  or,  as  we  infer,  as  His  seniors. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  (question :  " Is  not  this  the  carpenter'' s  son?  " 
or  prejudice. — How  the  people  of  Nazareth  condemn- 
ed themselves,  while  Imagining  that  they  judged  Je- 
sus.— How  they  unconsciously  verified  the  exclama- 
tion of  Nathanael :  "  Can  any  good  thing  come  out  of 
Nazareth?"  —  How  every  prejudice  against  Chris- 
tianity contains  the  germ  of  its  own  condemnation. 
For,  1.  it  evidences  a  want  of  proper  faith,  (a)  in  the 
power  of  God,  (6)  in  humanity,  (c)  in  the  miracles  of 
history,  (rf)  in  the  deeper  recesses  of  our  own  inner 
life ;  2.  and  yet  even  iirejudice  must  confess  that  the 
wisdom  and  the  works  of  Christ  are  most  mysterious 
and  inexplicable.  Hence  such  persons  readily  have 
i-ecourse  to  lying  and  hostile  criticisms. — The  offence 
of  the  people  of  Nazareth  on  account  of  the  humble 
origin  of  the  Lord,  a  picture  of  all  other  offences  in 
Him.  1.  An  offence,  (a)  in  His  terrestrial  state  and 
existence ;  (h)  in  His  human  lowhness ;  (c)  in  His 
brothers  and  sisters  with  their  human  weaknesses. 
2.  Yet  an  offence  which  will  leave  us  self-condemned, 
since  it  implies  an  admission  of  His  wisdom  and  of 
His  deeds.  3.  A  most  fatal  offence,  since  unbelief 
deprives  us  of  the  blessings  of  Christ's  wondrous 
works. — The  saying  of  Christ,  ".4  propliet  is  not 
without  honor,  save  in  his  own  country,  and  in  his  own 
house:"  1.  As  an  extenuation;  2.  as  a  reproof. — 
Jesus  rejected  by  His  own  city. — The  rejection  of 
Jesus  in  Nazareth  a  prelude  to  His  rejection  by 
the  people. — Nazareth,  so  poor,  yet  casting  out  the 
Lord  of  glory  :  1.  Nazareth  in  Galilee ;  2.  the  land 
of  Judea  so  poor ;  8.  the  earth  so  poor. — The  inmost 
characteristic  of  tmbelief  is,  that  it  implies  contempt 
of  our  own  being  and  higher  nature. — Whenever  we 
read  that  the  Lord  "  could  not  do,"  or  else  that  He 
"  knew  not,"  the  circumstancco  connected  with  it 
show  that  it  was  not  from  weakness  or  ignorance,  but 
that  His  infinite  power  and  wisdom  were  controlled 
and  limited  by  supreme  love  and  faithfulness. — 
How  the  King  gradually  merged  into  the  High 
Priest. 

[Matt.  Henry : — ^Ver.  58.  Unbelief  is  the  great  ob- 
struction to  Christ's  favor. — If  mighty  works  are  not 
wrought  in  us,  it  is  not  for  want  of  power  or  grace  in 
Christ,  but  for  want  of  faith  in  us. — P.  S.] 

Starke  : — Caiistein :  Jesus  is  in  truth  the  son  of 
the  carpenter ;  but  of  that  Carpenter  who  made  hea- 
ven and  earth. — Ungrounded  prejudices  are  too  often 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  faith,  John  vii.  40-42. — 
Jerome :  Naturale  propemodxmi  est  cives  civibus  inn 
videre. — Homines  familiaria  contemnere,  peregrina 
exosculari  et  in  admiratione  ac  pretio  habere  solent.* 

Gerlach : — Carnal  men  look  at  the  outward  ap- 
pearance ;  and  this  state  of  mind  repels  them  from 
the  Son  of  God,  appearing  in  the  form  of  a  servant. 

Heubner  : — Jesus  does  not  force  His  love  or  His 
blessings  upon  us. — Pride  brings  its  own  punishment. 
(Of  this,  history  furnishes  ample  confinnation.) 

*  [Comp.  the  proverbs:  "Familiarity  breeds  contempt;" 
"Distance  lends  enchantment  to  the  view;"  '■'■  Es  ist  7iichi 
tceit  her  "  (It  is  not  far  oil).— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XIV.  1-13. 


261 


B.  CHRIST  MANIFESTS  HIMSELF  AS  THE  HIGH  PRIEST  IX  HIS  SUFFERINGS;  BEING 
REJECTED   BY   THE  POLITICAL  DESPOTISM   OF   HEROD,   THE   RULER  OF   GALILEE. 

Chaptek  XIV.  1-33  (xMark  vi.  14^56;  Luke  ix.  7-17;  John  vi.  1-21). 

Contents: — Jesus  -withdraws  Himself  from  the  court  of  Herod  Antipas,  M'ho  had  just  murdered  John  the  Baptist.  Th€ 
priestly  realm  of  the  Lord  iu  the  desert  among  the  poor  people ;  or,  the  first  miraculous  feeding  of  the  multitude. 
Priestly  sway  of  the  Lord  amid  the  terrors  of  the  night  at  sea. 


1.  Retirement  oftlie  Lord  from  the  vicinity  of  Herod.     Cii.  XIV.  1-13. 


1,  2  At  that  time  Herod  the  tetrarch  lieard  of  the  fame  of  Jesus,  And  said  mito  his  ser- 
vants. This  is  John  the  Baptist ;  he  is  risen  from  the  dead ;  and  therefore  mighty  works 

3  do  shew  forth- themselves  in  hun.^  For  Herod  had  laid  hold  on  John,  and  bomid  him, 
and  put  him   [out  of  the  way]  ^  in  prison  for  Herodias'  sake,^  his  brother  Philip's^ 

4,  5  wife.  For  John  said  unto  him.  It  is  not  lawful  for  thee  to  have  her.  And  Avlien  he 
would  have  put  him  to  death,  he  feared*  the  multitude,  because  they  counted   [held] 

6  him  as  a  prophet.     But  when  Herod's   birthday  was  kept,®  the  daughter  of  Herodias 

7  danced  before  them,  and  pleased  Herod.      Whereupon  he  promised  with  an  oath  to 

8  give  her  whatsoever  she  woidd  [should]  ask.  And  she,  being  before  instructed  of  [led 
on  b}'] '  her  mother,  said,  Give  me  here  John  Baptist's  head  in  a  charger  [platter].^ 

9  And  the  king  was  sorry  :^  nevertheless  [but]   for  the  oath's  sake,  and  them  which  sat 
10   [that  reclined]  with  him  at  meat,  he  commanded  it  to  be  given  her.     And  he  sent,  and 


13 


beheaded  John  in  the  prison.  And  his  head  was  brought  iu  a  charger  [platter],  and 
given  to  the  damsel :  and  she  brought  it  to  her  mother.  And  his  disciples  came,  and 
took  up  the  bodj','"  and  buried  it,  and  went  and  told  Jesus. 

AVhen  Jesus  heard  of  it,  he  departed  [withdrew  from,  dve^wpT/crev]  thence  by  ship 
into  a  desert  place  apart :  and  when  the  people  had  heard  thereof  they  followed  him  on 
foot  out  of  the  cities. 


'  Ver.  2. — [Ai  ^uvolll^is  (uepyovaiv  ev  avTa>;  Lange  :  dar^im.  wnlten  die  Wiinderkrufte  in  ihm ;  Ewald:  desswe- 
gen  wirken  die  IleilmCivMe  in  ihm ;  J.  Wesley  :  Tlicrefore  these  mighty  jxywers  exert  themnelves  in  him  ;  Green  (Gram, 
of  the  N.  T.,  p.  151) :  The  Spiritual  Powers  are  active  in  him  ;  Conant  and  the  revised  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union : 
therefore  do  these  powers  work  in  hitn. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  3.— Lachmann :  awfOeru,  after  Ood.  B.  So  also  Origen  twice.  [Cod.  Sinait.  sustains  the  more  expressive  read- 
ing et>  (pvKaKfi  dTT  edero  instead  of  t6ero  eV  (bv\. — P.  8.] 

^  Ver.  3.—' [Conant  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  A.  B.  U.  more  smoothly :  for  the  sake  of  Herodias.— P.  8.] 

*  Ver.  3. — ^iK'tTTTrou  is  wanting  in  Cod.  D.,  Vulg.,  etc.    Meyer  regards  it  as  an  insertion  from  Mark. 

6  Ver.  5. — [Lange:  er  war  willens  (ge-eigt)  ihn  zu  ibdien^farchtete  »ich  aher,  etc.  Conant  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  A. 
B.  U. :  and  he  desired  {bi\cav)  to  put  him  to  death,  hut  feared  {i(i)o  PvO  tj). — P.  S] 

^  Ver.  0. — ^Lachmann,  Tischendorf:  yeuecrinis  5e  -/(i/ofxeuois,  after  B.,  D.,  Z.  [Cod.  Sinait.  sustains  this 
reading  for  the  received  reading:   -YeveiTiuv  Se  ayo/nevajv. — P.  8.] 

'  Ver.  8.— [Lange  translates  v pa P i^arrB elrr a:  hearieilet  von;  Luther:  zngerichtet;  de  Wette  :  hewogen; 
Slier:  angestiftet;  Meyer:  gefordert,  d.azu  gehracht;  Ew.ild  still  stronger:  avfge-sUichelt.  Conant:  "The  verb 
■Kpo&iBiC^tv  means  to  lead  forioard,  to  lend  on,  the  only  use  of  irpn  in  this  compound.  The  error  of  the  English  vernac- 
ular Bible  originated  in  the  Vulgate  xaaA&ria'^  ijrmmonita.     Margin  of  the  Bishop.s'  Bible:  '  Or  enticed,  or  induced.'" 

*  Ver.  8. — [Tyndale,  Coverd.aIe,  Cranmer,  Genevan,  and  the  Bi.shop.s'  Bible,  all  correctly  render  e5r!  vlvaKi: 
in  a  platter  (a  large,  shallow  dish),  for  which  the  translators  of  King  James  sub.stituted:  in  a  charger,  which  also  means 
a  large  dish,  but  now  more  commonly  a  horse  used  in  battle.  Wiclif  and  the  Eheims  Vers,  have:  in  a  dish,  the  Lat.  Vulg. : 
ill  disco.— v.  S] 

»  Ver.  9.— The  reading:  iKvr-rjd'/)  is  not  quite  suie.  Laohmann  and  Tischendorf  [also  Tregelles  and  Alford]  read 
with  B.,  T>.,  etc.  :  X  u  7r  77  0  e  i  s  .     [But  this  does  not  affect  the  sense,  nor  the  English  rendering. — P.  8.] 

">  Ver.  12. — Laohmann,  after  the  oldest  authorities,  reads  :  tttw  jxa.  [Cod.  Sinait.  sustains  Trroi/ua,  corpse,  against 
the  usual   crui/xa,  liodi/.—V.  8] 


EXEGETICAL  AND    CRITICAL. 

Chronological  Arrangement. — The  offence  which 
Christ  had  experienced  in  His  own  citt/  is  followed  by 
another  offence  on  the  part  of  His  sovereign.  This 
may  have  been  another  practical  reason  why  Matthew 


records  in  this  connection  what  had  taken  place  on 
a  former  occasion.  The  chronological  succession  of 
events  appears  from  Jolin  vi.  1.  After  the  return 
of  Jesus  from  the  festival  of  Purim,  He  passed  over 
the  Sea  of  Galilee,  as  it  would  seem  near  Tiberias. 
Evidently  the  feeding  of  the  multitude,  here  record- 
ed, was  the  first  occasion  of  that  kind ;  the  circura- 
stances  are  the  same  as  in  John — five  loaves,  two 


262 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


fishes,  five  thousand  people,  twelve  baskets  full  of 
fragments ; — the  narrative  being  followed  in  both 
Gospels  by  an  account  of  Christ's  walking  on  the  sea. 
On  the  other  hand,  Luke  reports  the  return  of  the 
Apostles  (Luke  ix.  10),  after  having  recorded  that 
Ik-rod  had  wished  to  see  Jesus.  Christ,  however, 
withdraws  with  His  disciples  into  the  wilderness  near 
Bethsaida  (on  the  other  side  of  tlie  lake).  There 
the  miraculous  feeding  of  the  multitude  took  place. 
Mark  records  in  the  same  manner  and  connection 
the  motive  for  His  passage  across  the  sea,  as  also 
His  feeding  the  multitude  and  walking  on  the  wa- 
ters. From  all  this  we  conclude  that  this  event  took 
place  at  the  time  when  Jesus  again  met  His  disciples 
in  Galilee,  on  His  return  from  the  visit  to  Jerusalem, 
which  closed  with  His  last  missionaiy  journey  through 
Galilee.  On  the  other  hand,  Matthew,  xi.  12,  13, 
represents  the  Saviour  as  again  going  .iboutwith  His 
disciples. 

Ver.  1.  Herod  Antipas  {'Avt  i-n  as  =  'A  I'r  l- 
TT  o  T  p  0  s),  the  son  of  Herod  the  ( jreat  and  of  Mal- 
thace,  a  Samaritan.  In  his  testament,  Herod  had 
appointed  him  tctrarch  of  Galilee  and  Perpea.  Anti- 
pas  entered  into  a  secret  contract  of  marriage  with 
Herodias,  the  daughter  of  Aristobulus,  his  half-bro- 
ther, and  the  wife  of  another  half-brother,  Herod 
Philippus  ;  and  in  consequence  repudiated  his  lawful 
wife,  the  daughter  of  Aretas,  long  of  Arabia.  Are- 
las  declared  vrar  and  conquered  Herod ;  but  was  pre- 
vented by  the  Romans  from  following  up  his  victory. 
From  motives  of  ambition,  Herodias  persuaded  her 
weak  and  indolent  husband  to  repair  to  Rome,  after 
the  accession  of  Caligula,  in  order  to  secure  lor  him- 
self the  title  of  king,  which  had  been  previously  ob- 
tained by  Herod  Agrippa,  the  nephew  of  Antipater 
(Jos.  Aritiq.  18,  7,  1).  But,  on  the  accusation  of 
Agrippa,  Antipater  w.is  deposed  by  the  emperor,  and 
banished  to  Lyons,  where  Herodias,  his  wife,  followed 
him.  He  died  in  Spaiu,  whither  probably  he  was  af- 
terward transported.  From  the  first,  Herod  was  a 
light-minded,  unreliable,  prodigal,  and  luxurious 
prince ;  hence  also  he  proved  superstitious  and  cun- 
ning (Luke  xiii.  32 ;  Mai'k  viii.  15),  and  on  certain 
occasions,  either  from  folly  or  weakness,  utterly 
heartless,  cruel,  and  callous  (see  the  history  of  the 
Passion).  Jewish  tradition  likeivise  represents  him 
in  an  unfavorable  fight.  Herod  Philippus,  the  son 
of  a  high  priest's  daughter,  was  disinherited  by  his 
father,  and  Uved  as  a  private  citizen.  He  must  not 
be  confounded  with  PhiUp  the  tetrarch.  According 
to  Jerome  {Contra  Rv.fin.  iii.  42),  Herodias  vented 
her  fury  even  against  the  dead  body  of  John  the 
Baptist.  The  daughter  of  Herodias  here  spoken  of 
was  by  the  first  marriage;  her  name  was  Salome 
(Jos.  Antiq.  18,  .5,  4). — On  the  title  rerpdpxvh 
comp.  Bretschneider,  Lexicon.  The  term  tetrarch, 
or  ruler  over  a  fourth  part  of  the  country,  is  here 
used  in  a  general  sense,  and  as  equivalent  to  eth- 
narch.  Properly  speaking,  Herod  was  a  triarch. 
See  ch.  ii. 

At  that  time. — The  sovereign  over  the  country 
of  Jesus  seems  now  to  have  heard  of  Him  for  the 
first  tune.  Grotius  suggests  that  Antipater  had  only 
returned  from  Rome ;  Baronius,  that  he  had  been 
engaged  in  war  with  Aretas.  In  our  view  of  the 
matter,  the  tetrarch  had  been  wholly  absorbed  by 
the  pleasures  and  the  foUies  of  his  court,  until,  as  his 
conscience  became  aroused,  he  began  to  bestow  more 
attention  upon  such  events  and  tidings.  However,  it 
is  probable  that  at  the  time  when  Jesus  went  through 
the  Tarious  cities  along  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  Antipater 


had  resided  at  Macha^rus,  which  was  at  some  distance 
from  the  scene  of  Ihe  Saviour's  preaching. 

Vcr.  2.  Unto  his    servants, — or  "slaves,   viz., 
his  courtiers.     An  Oriental  mode  of  expre.'iKioii. 

This  is  John  the  Baptist. — It  has  sometimes 
been  argued  that  Herod  was  a  Sadducee,  partly  on 
the  ground  of  a  mistaken  combination  of  Mark  viii. 
15  with  Matt.  xvi.  6  (the  expression  in  the  one  pas- 
sage being,  "the  leaven  of  Herod,"  in  the  other,, 
"  the  leaven  of  tlie  Sadducoes "),  and  partly  from 
the  notion,  now  exploded,  that  the  Sadducees  were 
immoral  libertines.  But  then  the  difiieulty  naturally 
arose,  how  he  could  in  that  case  have  befieved  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead.  Wetstein  suggests  that  an 
evil  conscience  hud  awakened  in  his  breast  doubts 
and  fears  on  this  subject ;  while  Meyey  infers  from 
the  passage  that  he  had  not  been  a  Sadducee.  Still 
more  unsatisfactory  is  the  explanation  offered  by  Gro- 
tius, and  others,  that  Herod  had  referred  to  the  trans- 
migration  of  souls,  as  the  monarch  distinctly  speaks 
of  [he  resurrection  of  John.  The  Jews  never  serious- 
ly entertained  such  a  doctrhie,  although  it  has  some- 
times been  imputed  to  the  Pharisees.  In  our  opin- 
ion, Herod  was  neither  a  Pharisee  nor  a  Sadducee 
by  conviction,  although  he  was  identified  with  the 
latter  party,  chiefly,  perhaps,  from  tendencies  shared 
by  the  whole  of  his  family.  In  this  view  of  the  case, 
it  is  quite  conceivable  that  he  should  have  spoken 
under  the  influence  of  a  conscience  roused  and  quick- 
ened by  siTjjerstitious  fears,  and  that  all  the  more 
readily,  that  the  people  generally,  and  even  the  court- 
iers of  Herod,  seem  at  that  time  to  have  been  specu- 
lating upon,  and  discussmg  the  character  and  mission 
of  Jesus.  The  rejection  of  the  Pharisees  must  to  a 
certain  extent  have  counteracted  the  pubfic  testi- 
mony borne  to  Jesus.  Hence  some  said  that  He  was 
Elijah ;  others,  that  He  was  one  of  the  old  prophets, 
perhaps  Jeremiah ;  while  some  broached  the  idea, 
that  in  Him  John  the  Baptist  was  risen  from  the 
dead  (Luke  ix.  Y).  We  may  readily  suppose  that,  in 
the  circumstances,  some  of  the  flatterers  at  court,  in 
their  desire  to  quiet  the  fears  of  their  prince,  may 
have  caught  at  this.  Suffice  it,  Herod  immediately 
took  it  up.  It  might  serve  various  purposes.  At 
any  rate,  it  implied  a  kind  of  denial  of  the  Messiah- 
ship  of  Jesus ;  besides,  it  would  diminish  his  guilt, 
accord  with  his  superstitious  disposition,  flatter  his 
theological  ambition  (remember  Henry  VIII.),  and 
serve  as  apology  for  his  desire  to  see  Jesus,  Avhich  to 
some  might  appear  suspicious.  Nay,  he  may  even 
have  given  expression  to  these  views  in  a  semi-hypo- 
critical manner,  as  "  a  fox,"  Luke  xiii.  32.  At  all 
events,  a  theological  curiosity  like  that  of  Herod, 
and  such  motives,  could  only  repel  the  Lord  Jesus. 

Ver.  4.  It  is  not  lawful,  Lev.  xviii.  16  ;  xx.  21. 
— Josephus  adds,  that  besides  this  motive  for  im- 
prisoning John,  Hercd  was  also  afraid  lest  John 
should  excite  a  popular  tumult  {Antiq.  18,  5,  2). 
But  this  apprehension  must  have  originated  in  the 
Baptist's  denunciations  of  his  adultery. 

Ver.  6.  Herod's  birth-day. — The  anniversary 
of  his  accession  to  the  throne,  his  kirigly  birth  ;  Ps. 
ii.  7;  1  Sam.  xiii.  1.  Suicer,  Thesaurus,  i.  p.  746; 
Vi^ieseler,  293.* — The  dativ.  ahs.  [according  to  the 
true  reading]  is  probably  intended  to  indicate  that 
the  feast  was  nearing  its  close  ;  hence  that  the  guests 
were  intoxicated,  and    that    the  excitement  of  the 


*  [The  word  yevicria  may  just  as  well  be  takcu  m  the 
usual  sense,  birthday,  as  is  doue  by  Meyer.  See  his  refer* 
ences  i7i  loc.—V.  S,  ] 


CHAP.  XIV.  1-18. 


263 


scene  offered  the  most  favorable  opportunity  for  ac- 
complishing the  Satanic  purpose  of  llerodias. 

Danced  before  them. — The  dance  of  Salome 
was,  "  without  doubt,  mimic,  and  probably  voluplu- 
ous.  Hor.  Od.  3,  6,  '21."  [Meyer.]  The  po-jr  girl 
was  on  the  mother's  side  a  grandchil  1  of  Ma.iamne, 
the  Asmonean  princess.  Her  dauciuj;  was  a  crime 
not  only  against  the  Baptist,  but  also  against  Philip 
her  owni  fother.  To  engage  in  a  profane  dance,  and 
that,  as  the  test  has  it,  <  v  t  w  ju  e  j-  <f — in  the  raidst, 
referring  probably  not  merely  to  the  banqueting-hall, 
but  to  the  circle  of  spectators  which  formed  around 
her — was  to  forget  even  the  decency  and  decorum  of 
a  Jewish  maid, 

Vcr.  S.  Bat  she  being  prepared  {wrought  i<pon, 
lei  on)  by  her  mother. — Meyer:  '■'■ir po^ifia- 
n-Qilaa.,  induced,  instigated,  not  instructed."  But 
the  verb  includes  the  idea  of  instructing  along  v/ilh 
that  of  training  and  determining.  In  the  present 
instance,  not  merely  was  moral  resistance  overcome, 
but,  evidently,  cunning  and  detailed  instructions 
had  been  given.  Every  one  of  the  expressions  used 
by  her  points  to  the  determination  of  taking  Herod 
by  surprise. 

Ver.  9.  And  the  king  was  sorry. — This  is  not 
incompatible  with  ver.  5.  Herodias  had  on  former 
occasions  sought  to  kill  the  Baptist.  (Lachmann, 
following  Cod.  C.  and  others,  reads  f  C'Rei  in  Mark 
vi.  1V>.)  But  Herod  (infiueaeed  by  her)  was  mere- 
ly willing,  or  inclined  toward  it  (9  *  A  w  y ;  the  word 
eiKeiv  is  frequently  applied  to  inclination,  where  as 
yet  there  is  no  decision).  Two  opposite  motives 
kept  liiiu  in  a  state  of  hidecision.  On  the  one 
hand,  he  was  urged  on  by  the  rancor  of  Herodias ; 
while,  on  the  other,  he  was  kept  back  by  fear  of  the 
people.  Nor  was  his  sorrow  merely  caused  by  a 
sudden  call  of  conscience ;  he  was  startled  by  this 
terrible  demand,  made  in  so  daring  and  ghastly  a 
manner,  which  awakened  him  all  at  once  from  in- 
toxication to  full  consciousness  of  the  important  po- 
litical consequences  of  this  act. 

Per  the  sake  of  the  oath. — An  instance  of 
smful  performance  of  an  oath  (Meyer).  But  the  re- 
mark about  them  that  reclined  with  him  at  ta- 
ble is  significant.  Two  elements  besides  his  oath 
seem  to  have  determined  him — his  princely  honor, 
and  tlie  hatred  of  the  court  to  the  Baptist.  In  all 
this  fashionable  throng,  no  angel's  voice  was  heard 
onbehalf  of  John. 

Yer.  11.  And  his  head  was  brought  in  a 
platter. — The  narrative  seems  to  imply  that  the 
head  of  the  Baptist  was  brought  while  the  feast  still 
lasted.  This  circumstance,  however,  suggests  the 
place  where  the  banquet  was  held.  If  Herod  had 
been  at  Tiberias,  his  usual  residence,  the  messengers 
would  have  required  two  days  to  execute  their  com- 
mission. Fritzsche  assumes  that  Herod  was  at  the 
time  actually  at  Tiberias,  and  concludes  that  the  nar- 
rative must  be  incorrect  in  this  particular.  Follow- 
ing the  opinion  of  Maldonatus,  Grotius,  and  others, 
Meyer  holds  that  the  feast  had  taken  place  in  Ma- 
chccrus  itself.  According  to  Hug  and  Wieseler, 
it  was  celebrated  at  Julias  or  Livias,  another  place 
of  residence  of  Antipas,  situate  not  far  from  Machse- 
rus,  in  the  mountains  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Dead 
Sea.  This  view  seems  to  us  to  have  most  in  its  fa- 
vor. Not  only  was  there  a  royal  palace  at  Livias, 
but  the  narrative,  more  especially  in  Mark,  conveys 
the  impression  that  the  messengers  of-  Herod  were 
despatched  to  some  distance. 

Ver.  12.  And  went  and  told  Jesus. — An  evi- 


dence that  the  faith  of  the  Baptist  had  been  entirely 
re-estabUshed  by  his  embassy  to  Jesus,  and  that  it 
had  also  served  to  attach  the  disciples  of  John  to  tho 
pei'son  of  the  Saviour — a  bond  further  strengthened 
by  tlie  death  of  their  master.  However,  some  of 
Jolin's  disciples  may  have  taken  offence  when  Christ 
still  persevered  in  His  course  of  endurance  and  sub- 
mission ;  and  tliis  may  have  driven  them  into  the  an- 
tagonism which  afterward  issued  in  the  formation  of 
a  separate  sect.  The  execution  of  the  Baptist  took 
place  shortly  before  Easter,  in  the  year  782  (John 
vi.  4).  When  in  the  summer  of  the  year  781  Jesus 
returned  from  Judea  to  Galilee,  John  was  at  ^Enon, 
near  Salim,  in  the  midst  of  his  ministerial  activity. 
But  M'hcn,  toward  the  month  of  Adar  (about  March) 
of  the  year  782,  Christ  journeyed  to  Jerusalem  to  at- 
tend the  festival  of  Purhu,  John  had  been  already 
for  some  time  confined  to  prison.  Accordingly,  we 
infer  that  his  imprisonment  must  have  taken  place 
during  the  autumn  of  the  year  781,  and  that  he  was 
confined  I'jr  fully  half  a  year.  Thus  his  active  life 
was  somcAvhat  shorter  than  that  of  the  Lord.  While 
the  operations  of  Christ  gradually  extended  from  Ga- 
lilee to  Juuoa,  the  reverse  was  the  case  with  those 
of  the  Biiptist.  Commencing  his  work  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Judah,  he  gradually'passed  through  the  lower 
valley  of  tiie  Jordan  to  Salim  and  yEnon,  John  iii.  23, 
and  lastly  to  the  court  of  Herod.  And  as  the  Lord 
met  death  at  Jerusalem,  so  His  forerunner  at.  the 
court  of  the  ruler  of  Galilee. 

Ver.  13.  When  Jesus  heard  of  this. — Refer- 
ring in  the  first  instance  to  the  tidings  brought  by  the 
disciples  of  John.  Besides,  we  must  not  overlook, 
as  an  additional  motive  for  Christ's  departiu'c,  the 
impression  produced  by  these  tidings  upon  the  disci- 
ples. No  doubt  the  Apostles,  us  well  as  the  disciples 
of  John,  were  deeply  moved  by  t'ne  news  of  the  Bap- 
tist's execution.  The  enthusiasm  with  which  they 
had  returned  from  their  first  mission  had  in  great 
measure  given  place  to  depression.  This  seems  to 
be  implie.i  in  the  language  of  Mark  :  "  Come  ye  your- 
selves apart,  and  rest  a  Avhile."  Luke  conveys  the 
impression  that  Antipa^;  v/as  tiiking  measures  to  bring 
about  an  interview  with  Jesus.  This  determined 
Christ  i;i:!rr'';,,ii  i^  to  leave  the  place  where  He  then 
was — pi'd'  ii'ily  '."I'lijrias,  whiiher  Antipas  may  in  the 
interval  h^!,vu  returned.  The  motives  of  the  Saviour 
were,  moral  abhorrence  and  distrust  of  Herod,  and 
the  necessity  of  restoring  the  disciples  to  a  right  state 
of  feeling — the  more  so,  that  Judas  was  in  his  heart 
already  forsakmg  the  cause  of  the  gospel.  On  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  lake,  and  in  the  wilderness,  He 
and  they  were  safe  under  the  mild  sway  of  Philip,  the 
only  one  of  Herod's  sons  who  deserved  the  name  of 
a  good  prince.     {See  the  article  in  the  Encyclops.) 

Into  a  desert  place  apart. — According  to  Luke 
ix.  10,  in  Gaulonitis,  near  the  easiern  Bethsaida.  In 
the  dominions  of  Philip,  Jesus  found  a  safe  retreat, 
where  His  followers  might  recover  their  tone  of  mind, 
and  prepare  for  going  tbrth  anew. 


DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  On  three  different  occasions  was  the  Lord  re- 
pelled by  the  duplicity  and  utter  want  of  all  charac- 
ter in  Herod.  On  the  occasion  just  considered,  this 
prince  was  anxious  for  an  interview,  partly  from  po- 
litical motives,  and  partly  from  superstitious  curiosi- 
ty, in  the  hope  of  thereby  assuaging  the  voice  of 
conscience.    Again,  shortly  before  the  Saviour  for 


264 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


the  last  time  left  Galilee,  Herod  conveyed  to  Him  by 
a  third  [)arty  a  threat,  for  the  purpose  of  inducing  Him 
immediately  to  quit  his  territory  (Luke  xiii.  31).  Last- 
ly, on  the  day  of  Christ's  final  sufierings  we  mark  the 
same  bold  and  carnal  intrusiveness,  inducing  him  to 
ask  for  signs  and  miracles — demands  which  the  Sa- 
viour met  with  unbroken  silence,  Luke  xxiii.  8.  Thus 
Antipas  may  be  designated  as  the  representative  of 
that  class  with  whom  the  Saviour  enters  upon  no 
terms, — whom  He  avoids  when  they  flatter,  rebukes 
when  they  threaten,  and  at  last  punishes  by  complete 
silence.  Again,  we  may  learn  from  the  case  of  An- 
tipas, the  sad  upshot  of  a  d'lsposition  to  be  interested 
in.,  and  patronizingly  to  condesceiid  to.,  ilie  gospel, 
which  characterizes  the  relation  of  so  many  supersti- 
tious worldlings  toward  that  which  is  holy. 

2.  Herod  seems  to  have  been  inclined  to  bestow 
on  the  Lord  the  vacant  place  of  honor  formerly  oc- 
cupied by  John  at  his  court  (conip.  Mark  vi.  20). 
But  Christ  treats  the  execution  of  the  prophet  as  aim- 
ed against  Himself.  And  so  it  really  was.  After  all, 
every  true  martyrdom  is  the  martyrdom  of  Christ  in 
the  world. 

3.  Besides  the  two  elements  already  adverted  to 
— the  Lord's  independence  of  all  worldly  pomp  and 
His  wisdom — we  may  also  notice  m  this  history  both 
the  faithfulness  of  John's  disciples,  and  the  earnest- 
ness of  the  poor  people  who  followed  Him  on  foot 
out  of  all  their  cities. 

4.  It  is  a  strange  fact  that  the  marriage  offences 
in  the  families  of  princes  during  the  Middle  Ages  ap- 
pear to  have  been  partly  an  heir-loom  of  the  Cru- 
sades, and  thus  to  point  back  to  the  Arabs  and  to 
Hagar.  The  Idumeans  were  a  race  kindred  to  the 
Arabs.  The  history  of  the  family  of  Herod  is  full 
of  such  oliences.  Nor  can  we  fail  to  perceive  the  in- 
creased importance  attaching  to  such  sins  in  the  case 
of  princes,  though,  in  general,  the  family  must  ever 
be  regarded  as  the  root  of  the  state. 

5.  The  vows  of  Herod.  Sinful  vows  must  be  re- 
pented of.  Gossner :  God  would  rather  have  us 
break  our  word  than  His  word. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

How  the  great  of  this  world  stand  affected  toward 
the  message  concerning  the  works  of  Jesus  :  1.  It 
is  late  of  reaching  them  ;  2.  it  is  ill  understood  ;  3. 
it  is  wrongly  interpreted. — Herod  Antipas  the  figure 
of  a  weak  despotism,  as  Herod  the  Great  was  of  a 
strong  tyranny.  1.  Wherein  they  agree:  In  their 
contempt  of  men,  selfishness,  want  of  feeling,  cun- 
ning, and  affectation  of  intellectual  and  spiritual  as- 
pirations. 2.  Wherein  they  differ:  In  the  case 
of  strong  despots,  pride  and  cruelty  are  foremost,  and 
voluptuousness  only  secondary ;  while  the  reverse 
is  the  case  with  weak  tyrants. — How  a  Herod  seeks 
to  appease  his  conscience:  1.  By  superstition;  2. 
by  theological  pretensions  ;  8.  by  an  affectation  of 
interest  in  spiritual  achievements.  —  How  supersti- 
tion and  the  service  of  sin  support  and  minister  to 
each  other. — Sketch  of  a  demorahzed  court :  1.  Hy- 
pocritical religiosity  ;  2.  dissolute  manners  and  mar- 
riage scandals ;  3.  a  poor  statecraft ;  4.  luxurious 
festivities ;  5.  bloody  donations  and  payments. — Sad 
portraiture  of  the  world  and  its  pomp :  1.  Its  religion 
and  its  theology ;  2.  its  pretended  liberty  and  its 
love :  3.  its  works  and  its  feasts ;  4.  its  interest  in 
the  Beautiful  and  its  art;  5.  its  oaths  and  its  scrupu- 
lous honor. — Bloody  marriages  connected  with   the 


history  of  martyrs  (Ahab,  Herod,  etc.*). — The  feast 
of  Herod  viewed  in  the  light  of  his  reign.  —  The 
festivities  of  worldliness. — The  character  of  Herod. 
— Herodias. — The  courtiers. — The  flattery  and  deceit 
of  the  fashionable  world. — How  the  tempter  watches 
for  the  moment  of  our  intoxication. — Cordial  agree- 
ment between  the  wicked  both  at  the  beheading  of 
John  and  at  the  crucifixion  of  Christ. — The  sorrow 
of  Herod,  and  the  fear  of  Pilate. — How  they  both 
thought  themselves  excused.  —  Salome;  or,  awful 
lessons  given  by  a  mother. — Art  in  the  service  of  sin. 
— The  oath  of  Herod  ;  or,  how  he  wishes  to  be  con- 
scientious in  his  own  way. — The  courage  and  faith- 
fulness of  John  the  Baptist.  —  Becoming,  modest, 
and  yet  firm  and  faithful  manner,  in  which  the  Bap- 
tist reproved  the  sin  of  Herod. — Faithful  unto  the  end. 
— Different  estimate  attaching  to  the  blood  of  proph- 
ets :  1.  In  the  sight  of  the  v/icked,  and  of  their  blind 
instruments ;  2.  of  vain  people  ;  3.  of  faithful  disciples ; 
4.  of  the  Lord  Himself. — Bloody  presents  of  tyrants 
and  of  enemies  of  the  truth. — How  the  sufferings  of 
the  saints  often  sei-ve  to  efface  both  their  disappoint- 
ments and  their  weaknesses. — How  the  Lord  applied 
as  to  Himself  the  death  of  John. — How  in  reahty 
it  was  Christ's  death  which  was  encompassed. — 
Christ  suffering  in  His  martyrs. — How  moral  ab- 
horrence drives  the  Lord  across  the  wide  sea,  and 
far  into  the  wilderness. — Conduct  of  Jesus  toward 
Antipas. — The  decease  of  John  a  prelude  to  that 
of  Christ. — Comparison  between  the  end  of  John  and 
that  of  Christ:  l.'The  one  long  confined,  the  other 
suddenly  carried  away;  2.  in  the  one  case  the  se- 
crecy of  the  prison  ;  in  the  other,  the  concourse  of 
the  people  at  Golgotha;  3.  the  one  beheaded,  the 
other  crucified,  etc, — Blessing  of  good  princes  in 
whose  territories  believers  have  often  found  a  ref- 
uge.— Safe  retreats  which  the  Lord  in  ancient  and  in 
modern  times  has  prepared  for  His  own. — The  ser- 
vants of  the  Lord  recovering  themselves  in  retire- 
ment. 

Starke  : — Courts  are  generally  the  paradise  of 
foxes  and  of  flatterers. — Hedingei- :  Many  an  honest 
man  has  paid  with  his  fortune  and  success,  if  not 
with  his  life,  for  the  dancing,  the  flattery,  or  the 
calumnies  of  a  harlot. — A  sedate  and  devout  Chris- 
tian leaves  dancing  to  goats,  calves,  and  children, 
and  orders  his  steps  according  to  the  word  of  God, 
and  not  the  directions  of  the  dancing-master. — Incest, 
adultery,  and  unlawful  divorce,  were  combined  in 
this  instance. — Hedlnger  :  Persecution,  reproach,  and 
death  are  like  daily  bread  to  faithful  preachers. — 
Great  lords  may  issue  their  injunctions,  but  they  can- 
not annul  one  of  God's  commandments. — The  ser- 
vants of  the  Lord  must  bear  testimony  to  the  truth, 
whatever  may  befall  them  in  consequence. — /.  Hall  : 
Courage  and  impartiahty — two  very  necessary  quali- 
ties in  a  preacher. — Zeisbis  :  There  is  nothmg  m 
which  courts  are  more  deficient  than  in  preachers  of 


*  [ReTnember  also  the  fearful  night  of  St.  Bartholomew, 
Aufr.  -24, 15T2,  and  the  massacre  of  the  Huguenots  in  Paris, 
atttr  llie  marriaae  of  Henry  of  Navarre  with  the  sister  of  the 
kinfT  of  France,"to  which  all  the  leaders  of  the  French  Pro- 
testants had  been  treacherously  invited,  to  be  most  cruelly 
murdered.  Pope  Gregory  XIII.,  on  hearing  the  news  of  the 
destruction  of  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  Protestants  in  one 
nisht,  and  the  probable  destruction  of  heresy  in  Prance, 
caused  a  Te  deum  to  be  sung  in  the  churches  of  Eome,  and  a 
medal  to  be  struck  in  commemoration  of  this  infernal  trage- 
dy. This  approbation  is  one  of  the  foulest  deeds  of  popery 
and  one  of  the  darkest  spots  on  the  pages  of  its  history,  de- 
plored and  condemned  even  by  many  Catholics.  Comp. 
WAriiLER  ;  Die  Bhithochzeit,  Leip.,  182S,  and  the  respective 
sections  in  the  Histories  of  the  French  Pveformation.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XrV.  14-21. 


265 


the  truth. — Osiander  :  The  noble  and  the  mighty 
too  frequently  imagine  that  they  are  at  liberty  to 
do  anything  they  please,  just  as  if  there  were  no  God 
in  hearen. — What  folly  to  be  afraid  of  man  and  of 
the  devil,  and  not  to  fear  God ! — In  the  godless,  one 
affection  often  restrains  another ;  so  that  it  is  nature, 
not  grace,  which  restrains  them  from  many  a  sin. — 
A  thoughtless  oath. — Contradiction :  To  swear  by 
the  name  of  God  in  the  midst  of  sinful  festivities. — 
Thoughtless  and  daring  promises. — Curse  of  patents 
who  encourage  their  children  to  sin. — Cans/eln  : 
There  is  nothing  so  bad  or  so  devilish  which  an  adul- 
terous and  shameless  woman  would  not  undertake 
and  perform,  Pro  v.  xxiii.  27,  28. — It  is  the  way  of  the 
wicked  to  prefer  their  own  honor  to  that  of  God. — 
Hall :  It  is  more  difficult  to  arrest  sin  in  its  progress 
than  to  avoid  its  commencement. — Zeisius :  The  death 
of  God's  people  is  precious  in  His  sight,  however 
grievous  the  torments  which  men  may  inflict  on  them. 
— Abel  the  first  just  one  under  the  Old,  John  under 
the  New,  Testament. — The  birthday  of  Herod  to  full 
shame,  that  of  John  to  full  glory. — Majus :  In  gen- 
eral, harlots  are  not  afraid  of  shedding  blood,  and 
often  murder  their  own  children. — Osiander:  The 
splendid  banquets  of  the  wicked  have  often  a  very 
sorrowful  termination. — True  disciples  and  hearers 
will  reverence  a  faithful  teacher  even  after  his  death. 
— Zeisius :  Let  the  bodies  of  the  saints  be  honorably 
committed  to  the  grave  :  they  are  the  temples  of  the 


Holy  Spirit. —  Qiicsnel :  Let  us  open  our  hearts  to 
Christ. — It  is  an  alleviation  of  our  misery  to  ha  able 
to  communicate  it  to  friends. — It  is  an  act  of  friend- 
ship to  warn  another  of  his  danger. 

Hcubncr  :  —  Anecdotes  on  the  connection  be- 
tween unbeHef  and  superstition ;  instances  of  a  bad 
conscience,  of  bold  reproof  from  the  pulpit,  p.  205- 
207. — Courtiers  have  enough  to  do  to  discuss  their 
worldly  affairs.  But  when  tlic  kingdom  of  heaven 
spreads  among  the  people,  the  gTeat  of  this  world 
take  notice  of  it,  if  it  were  only  on  account  of  the 
pohtical  influence  which  it  may  exert. — Frcfiuently, 
however,  the  world  takes  notice  of  what  passes  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  from  hostiUty  to  it,  or  in  or- 
der to  mock. — The  coarser  unbelief,  the  nearer  to  su- 
perstition.— How  did  Herod  come  to  think  of  John? 
— An  uneasy  conscience. — An  evil  conscience  sees 
terrors  everywhere. — A  Jezebel  could  not  be  scanting 
in  the  history  of  the  second  Elijah. — Fear  of  the  peo- 
ple often  acts  as  a  curb  upon  despotism. — The  fear 
of  God  delivers  from  that  of  man. — Worldly  festivi- 
ties often  become  the  occasion  of  iniquitous  deeds. — 
Danger,  when  mothers  try  to  show  off  their  children. 
— Sinful  promises  can  never  bo  binding. — False  am- 
bition.— Tyrants  are  themselves  under  the  most  ab- 
ject tyranny. — The  head  of  a  prophet  a  spectacle  to 
gaze  on.  ("  The  body  of  Coliguy  was  exposed  dur- 
ing the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  and  his  head 
sent  to  Rome.") 


2.   The  First  Mraculous  Feedimj.     Ch.  XTV.  14-21. 

]  4         And  Jesus  [he]  ^  went  forth,  and  saw  a  great  multitude,  and  was  moved  with  com- 

15  passion  toward  them,  and  he  healed  their  sick.  And  when  it  was  evening,  his  [the]  *  dis- 
ciples came  to  him,  saying,  This  is  a  desert  place,  and  the  time  [hour,  wpa]  is  now  past ; 
send  the  multitude  away,  that  they  may  go  into  the  villages,  and  buy  themselves  vic- 

IG  tnals.       But   Jesus   said   unto   them,   They  need  not  depart;    give  ye  them  to  eat. 

17,  18  And  they  say  unto  him,  We  have  here  but  five  loaves,  and  two  fishes.     He  said, 

19  Bring  them  hither  to  me.  And  he  commanded  the  multitude  to  sit  down  [reclme, 
(tva.KXiQr]vai\  on  the  grass,  and  took  the  five  loaves,  and  the  two  fishes,  and  looking  up 
to  heaven,  he  blessed,  and  brake,  and  gave  the  loaves  to  Ms  [the]   disciples,  and  the 

20  disciples  to  the  multitude.     And  they  did  all  eat  [all  ate],^  and  were  filled :  and  they 

21  took  up  of  the  fragments  that  remained  twelve  [travelling-]  baskets  full.  And  they 
that  had  eaten  [ate]  *  were  about  five  thousand  men,  beside  women  and  children. 


1  Ver.  14.— 'Itjo-oDs  is  wanting  in  Codd.  B.,  C,  etc.,  as  also  in  ver.  22  [and  ver.  25].  Probably  in  both  [all]  cases 
inserted  from  the  beginning  of  Scripture-lessons.  [So  Meyer.  Cod.  Sinait.  likewise  omits  'iTjtroCr  in  vers.  14,  22,  and  25 
-P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  15.— [The  critical  editions  omit  avrov  after  oi  /xadriTat.  Lange,  however,  translates  :  '•«}««. lunger,"  and 
takes  no  notice  of  this  ditference  of  reading.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  20.— [■'E  0  07  0  1/  TravTis,  lit:  they  all  ate.  It  is  the  simple  p:i.st  tense,  while  the  C.  Vers.  :  did  all  eat 
Is  in  niodf-rn  English  an  omphalic  expression,  the  auxiliary  did  implying  a  doubt  or  denial  of  the  foot.— P.  S.] 

<  Ver.  21.— [Lit.  :  the  persofis  eating,  oi  5e  icreiovres.  The  present  participle  means  the  time  present,  as 
usual,  but  with  reference  to  a  past  act  of  numbering  the  persons  fed.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETia\X  AND  CPJTICAL. 

Ver.  14.  And  when  He  went  forth,  e  |  e  A  - 

dti  V . —  According  to  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke, 
Christ  had  gone  tU  fpTi/xoi/  tuttqv  kqt'  ioiav  ;  accord- 
ing to  John,  also  els  r6  tjpo's.  He  now  went  forth 
upon  the  ground  covered  by  the  multitudes  who  had 


followed  Him  ;  and,  moved  with  compassion.  His  first 
occupation  was  again  to  heal  tlieir  sick. 

Ver.  1 5.  And  when  it  was  evening,  '  o^las 
5e  y  fuofxi  vris . — "  This  refers  to  the  Jirst  evening, 
which  lasted  from  the  ninth  to  the  twelfth  hour  of 
the  day  [according  to  the  Jewish  mode  of  counting 
from  sunrise  to  sunset]  ;  while  ver.  23  refers  to  the 
second  evening,  which  commenced  at  the  twelfth  hour 


266 


'Ih'E  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTUEW. 


[at  six  o'clock  P.  M.].  Sec  the  word  -"j:::  in  Gcsen. 
Lex."    Jleyer. 

The  hour  is  now  past. — Fi  itzsche  and  Kiiufler : 
tempus  opportunum^  sc.  dhserardi  et  sanandi. — De 
Wette,  Meyer :  Tlie  day-time.  Why  not  more  defi- 
nitely, in  view  of  what  follows  :  the  hour  of  the  even- 
ing meal? — De  Vr'etle  and  Meyer  have  erroneously 
supposed  that  the  account  of  this  event,  as  recorded 
by  John,  where  Jesus  Himself  is  represented  as  in- 
troducing the  qut-ition  as  to  the  bread,  is  incompat- 
ible with  the  narrative  in  the  otlier  gospels.  But  as 
John  evidently  intended  to  relate  merely  the  fact  of 
the  miraculous  feeding,  we  must  not  press  his  words 
as  if  he  meant  that  the  Saviour  had  put  this  question 
when  first  beholding  the  people.  According  to  the 
account  in  John,  it  was  a  lad  who  had  the  five  loaves 
and  the  tv/o  fishes. 

Ver.  IS.  To  recline  on  the  grass. — In  Pales- 
tine, spring  commences  in  the  middle  of  February. 
If,  therefore,  the  festival  of  Purim  occurred  that  year 
on  the  19th  of  March,  the  miraculous  feeding  must 
have  taken  place  in  the  second  half  of  March,  or 
during  the  middle  of  spring  in  the  holy  land. 

[Green  grass  (eTt  t&5  x^^PV  X"P'''Vj  ^^  Mark  vi. 
39  has  it),  or  pasture,  which,  according  to  John  vi. 
10,  abounded  in  that  region,  was  a  delightful  resting- 
place  at  that  season  of  the  year  in  Palestine.  Mark 
adds  a  graphic  touch  concerning  the  manner  in  which 
the  Saviour  commaaiie.i  the  multitude  to  recline  on 
the  pasture  ground,  vi/,.,  in  ranks  (better,  by  par- 
ties, or  in  groups,  Greek  :  irpamai,  Trpaaial  =  areo- 
latim,  in  square  garden  plots),  by  hundreds,  and 
by  fifties  (vi.  40;  comp.  Luke  ix.  14  :  '■'■  by  fifties, 
in  a  company  ").  They  probably  formed  two  semi- 
circles, an  outer  semicircle  of  thirty  hundreds,  and 
an  inner  semicircle  of  forty  fifties.  This  was  a  wise, 
symmetrical  arrangement,  which  avoided  all  confu- 
sion, and  facilitated  an  easy  and  just  distribution 
of  the  food  among  all  classes  by  the  disciples. — P. 
S.] 

Ver.  19.  He  took  the  five  loaves. — Baked  ac- 
cording to  Jewish  fashion ;  bread-cakes,  in  the  shape 
of  a  plate.  i 

He  blessed.— Literally,  lie  gavepraise,  evAoyn- 
<T  €.  John  expresses  it  :  eux^P'^'^'Vay.  Luke  uses  the 
terms  €u\uyr](rev  avrovi,  indicating  the  consecration  of 
the  bread,  as  in  the  Eucharist,  1  Cor.  x.  16.  "Accord- 
ing to  Jewish  custom,  at  the  commencement  of  every 
meal  the  head  of  the  house  gave  thanks  while  he 
broke  bread.  This  prayer  was  called  '  a  blessing.'  " 
According  to  Mark,  the  disciples  distributed  the 
bread  among  the  people,  who  were  arranged  in 
groups,  Mark  vi.  40. 

Ver.  20.  Of  the  fragments. — Broken  pieces,*  not 
crumbs.  [Olshausen:  Vfith  the  God  of  nature,  as 
with  nature  herself,  the  most  prodigal  bounty  goes 
hand  in  hand  with  the  nicest  and  exactest  economy. 
This  notice  of  the  Evangelist  is  an  additional  mark 
of  the  truthfulness  of  the  narrative,  and  the  divine 
character  of  the  miracle.  The  gathering  of  the  frag- 
ments was  also  for  the  purpose  of  impressing  the 
miracle  more  vividly  on  the  memory,  and  perpetuat- 
ing its  effect,  as  well  as  for  teaching  a  lesson  of  econ- 
omy.—P.  S.] 

Twelve  travelling-baskets  full,  ,c6(piuoi.— 
The  number  twelve  seems  to  refer  to  that  of  the  Apos- 
tles, although  it  by  no  means  implies  that  the  bas- 
kets belonged  to  them.    The  Apostles  gathered  these 

*  [KXacr/xara  from  KXdoi,  to  ireaJc,  as  fragments 
immfrango,  Bruahstucke  from  hreclien.—V.  S.] 


fragments,  when  each  brought  his  basket  full.  At 
the  second  miraculous  feeding,  the  seven  baskets  are 
called  (TTT  V  p  1  S  e  s ,  the  term  employed  for  the  round 
plaited  baskets  commonly  used  for  bread  and  for 
fishes.  De  Wette :  "  The  narrative  clearly  conveys 
the  fact,  that  more  fragments  were  left  than  would 
have  constituted  the  five  leaves.  Paulus  [the  ration- 
alist] attempts  to  paraphrase  the  language  of  the 
text  :  '  they  took  there  twelve  baskets  full.'  Of  course, 
that  would  destroy  the  miraculous  character  of  the 
event.  But  this  clumsy  device  may  now  be  regard- 
ed as  only  a  historical  curiosity." 

Ver.  21.  And  they  that  had  eaten. — As  the 
feast  of  Passover  was  at  hand,  the  people  had  already 
collected  in  larger  numbers. 

General  Remarks.  1.  On  the  relation  of  this 
miracle  to  the  other  miraculous  feeding  related  in  oh. 
XV.  32. — The  critical  conjecture  of  Schleiermacher, 
Strauss,  and  others,  that  the  first  and  the  second 
miraculous  feeding  were,  in  reality,  two  different  and 
incorrect  nai-ratives  of  one  and  tlie  same  event,  is 
evidently  untenable.  Irrespective  of  the  confusion 
which  is  presumed  to  exist  in  the  account  of  the 
Evangelists,  even  a  slight  consideration  of  the  differ- 
ences in  point  oftime  and  circumstances  will  convince 
us  of  its  groundlessness.  The  provision,  the  num- 
ber of  the  people,  and  the  fragments  left  on  each 
occasion,  were  entirely  dissimilar.  Besides,  in  the 
first  instance,  the  miracle  was  wrought  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  first  day;  in  the  secoiid,  after  the  people 
had  remained  for  three  days  with  the  Saviour.  Last- 
ly, there  is  an  equal  difference  bctvi'een  the  events 
which  preceded  and  succeeded  each  of  these  miracles. 
In  the  one  instance,  Jesus  had  passed  over  from  the 
western  shore,  and  the  feeding  of  the  multitude  was 
succeeded  by  His  walking  on  the  sea.  In  the  other 
instance,  Jesus  had  arrived  at  the  eastern  shore,  af- 
ter His  journey  through  the  Phoenician  territory,  and 
the  distiict  around  the  sources  of  the  Jordan,  while 
the  miracle  was  succeeded  by  His  last  conflict  with 
the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  of  Galilee.  Again,  the 
people  which  were  fed  on  each  occasion  were,  aa 
might  readily  be  supposed,  those  who  had  just  lis- 
tened to  his  teaching,  and  who  followed  Him  from 
the  places  which  He  had  visited.  Accordingly,  on 
the  first  occasion  they  were  chiefly  gathered  from  the 
cities  along  the  western  shore  of  the  lake  ;  wliile,  on 
the  second,  they  assembled  from  the  mountains  on 
the  eastern  side.  Lastly,  as  the  place  where  the 
miracle  took  place  was  different,  so  the  time  also, — 
the  first  occurring  in  spring,  and  the  second  a  con- 
siderable tune  after  Easter,  or  in  summer. 

2.  The  miracle  itself. — Different  theories  on  the 
subject  have  been  current.  1.  It  has  been  attempt- 
ed to  explain  it  away :  («)  By  excgetical  devices,  or 
attempts  to  represent  it  as  a  natural  event.  Thus 
Paulus  suggests  that  those  who  sat  doT?n  at  this  meal 
were  induced  by  the  example  of  Christ  to  give  up 
their  provisions,  etc.  Similarly,  Gfrorer,  Ammon, 
etc.  {b)  On  the  mythical  theory  ;  it  being  supposed 
that  it  v/as  an  imitation  of  Old  Testament  models  (Ex. 
xvi. ;  1  Kings  xvii.  8-16;  2  Kings  iv.  1,  42),  with 
the  view  of  meeting  the  popular  notions  concerning 
the  Messiah  (Strauss).*     (c)  By  viewmg  it  symbolic- 


*  [In  Ids  new  and  more  popular  work  on  the  Life  of  Je- 
.<:«.«,  which  has  just  appeared  (Leipzig,  1864,  p.  496  sqq.), 
Strauss  takes  tlie  same  mythical  view  of  tliis  miracle,  as  in 
his  Iav.<!:er  work,  and  states  that  the  account  of  the  evange- 
lists contains  no  feature  which  may  not  be  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained from  the  Mosaic-prophetic  precedent  of  the  twofold 
miraculous  feeding  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness  (E.\od.  xvi. 


CHAP.  XIV.  14-21. 


267 


ally*  This  may  be  characterized  as  a  combination 
of  the  theory  of  Paulus  with  the  mythico-poetical 
theory  of  Strauss.  It  is  supposed  that,  with  special 
reference  to  certain  analogous  passaj-es,  a  natural 
event  had  assumed  in  the  mind  of  the  Cliurcli  a  sym- 
bolical bearing ;  the  truth  thus  conveyed  being  sim- 
ply, that  Jesus  had  broken  the  bread  of  life,  or  the 
bread  of  Christian  fellowship  (de  Wette).  {d)  By  re- 
garding it  as  a  parable  {i.  e.,  as  mythical  only  so  far 
as  its  form  is  concerned) ;  the  narrative  being  sup- 
posed to  have  arisen  from  what  was  originally  in- 
tended as  a  parable  (Weisse). — 2.  The  miracle  has 
been  fully  admitted,  but  it  has  been  viewed, — (a)  as 
an  abstract  miracle,  or  simply  as  the  result  of  omni- 
potence, no  attempt  being  made  to  account  for  it 
either  in  a  mental  or  moral  sense ;  nay,  these  inter- 
mediate links  of  connection  being  intentionally  ig- 
nored or  denied.  (6)  An  attempt  has  been  made  to 
account  for  the  manner  in  which  the  miracle  was 
brought  about  by  what  Olshausen  calls  a  quickening 
and  acceleratinct  of  the  natural  process — an  explana- 
tion which  we  frankly  confess  our  inability  to  under- 
stand.! (*■)  Christ  eifected  IJie  increase  of  the  pro- 
vision rS  Aiiyqi  Ka\  ri)  ei'/Aoyiot  (Origen,  Meyer). 
Everybody  admits  this ;  but  the  difficulty  is,  what 
we  are  to  understand  by  the  expression  ev\6yr]cr€u 
avTovs  in  Luke,  (d)  We  regard  it  as  a  concrete  and 
moral  nuniifestation  of  tlte  miracidous  poiocr  of 
Christ.  This  miraculous  feeding  may  be  viewed  as 
a  parallel  to  the  miraculous  production  of  wine  at  the 
marriage  in  Cana,  and  both  as  foreshadowing  the 
Eucharist.  In  His  capacity  as  glorified  Redeemer, 
Christ  is  here  working  and  acting  upon  His  creatures, 
quickening,  so  to  speak,  and  inflnitely  enlarging  the 
qualities  inherent  in  bread ;  wldle,  at  the  same  time, 
Ho  awakens  a  corresponding  disposition  in  those  who 
sit  down  to  partake  of  the  meal.  It  is  a  heavenly 
meal  where  hearts  and  minds  as  well  as  bodies  are 
fed,  and  where  the  inner  man  is  not  dead,  or  standing 
witliout,  like  a  beggar,  but  where,  for  the  time,  all 
are  treated  as  members  of  Jesus  in  the  house  of  the 
Lcrd.  Viewed  in  this  light,  the  increase  of  quantity 
is  just  the  blessing  of  God  the  Son,  as  Creator  of  the 
kingdom  of  bliss  and  of  love.  This  explanation,  we 
venture  to  say,  has  not  yet  been  sufficiently  under- 
stood and  appreciated.  However,  it  must  not  be  re- 
garded as  implying  that  the  result  produced  was 
merely  moral  and  religious.  As  in  the  production  of 
the  wine,  power  went  forth  from  the  Logos,  by  which 
earthly  water  was  converted  into  heavenly  wine — real 
wine,  though  not  of  earthly  vintage  ;  so,  in  the  pres- 
ent case  also,  power  went  out  from  Him  which  in- 
creased the  natural  quality  of  the  bread — enlarged  it 
— just  as,  to  some  extent,  the  leaven  does.  Even  the 
operation  of  leaven  shows  that  bread  is  thus  capable 

and  Numb,  xi.),  and  from  tbo  antitype  of  tbe  Christian  eu- 
chanst.-l>.  S.] 

*  [Ilase,  and  de  Wctte.l 

t  [Olshausen's  idea  of  a  divinely  hastened  process  of  nn- 
ture  (eiii  beHchleunigler  Mi(urprooess),  by  wliicli  Cliii.^t 
brought  about  In  a  niomcnt,  what  comes  to  pass  by  the  slow 
process  of  growth  in  .several  months,  does  not  suffice  in  the 
ciiso  -without  the  additional  hypothesis  of  a  hastened  process 
of  art  {Kanttprocexis),  or  tli'e  combined  labor  of  inowinfj, 
reaping,  thrfsliini.',  grinding,  and  baking,  by  which  wheat  is 
ch.".n<;ed  int"  bread.  Nor  does  the  forni  of  the  miracle  favor 
this  attempt  to  explain  the  inexplicable.  AVe  should  rather 
expect  in  this  case  tliat  the  Saviour  had  cant  a  few  grains  of 
wheat  into  the  ground  and  m.ade  them  germinate  into  a  rich 
harvest  at  once.  But  this  would  have  been  rather  an  un- 
natural udracle,  sucli  as  the  apocryphal  Gospel  of  St.  Tho- 
mas really  ascribes  to  the  child  Jesus,  at  least  as  regards 
the  quantity  of  wheat  produced  from  a  single  grain  for  the 
benefit  of  the  poor.  (Tuilo  :  Cod.  Apocryph.,  p.  302.)— 
P.  S.] 


of  having  its  powers  increased.*  Something  of  this 
kind  seems  to  have  been  present  to  the  miml  of  Ols- 
hausen, who  also  aptly  remarks,  that  "  throughout 
the  gospel  history  we  never  read  of  any  purely  crea- 
tive work  on  the  part  of  the  Saviour.  Just  as  nature 
forms  a  new  creation  from  the  seed,  so  Christ  trans- 
forms water  into  wine,  or  increases  the  five  loaves ; 
but  without  some  substratum  He  creates  neither  wine 
nor  bread. "f  In  thinking  of  similar  miracles  under 
the  Old  Testament,  we  specially  recall  to  mind  the  pro- 
vision of  manna  and  of  quails  ;  while  we  regard  as  a 
parallel  case  what  is  recorded  of  Elijah  in  1  Kings 
xix.  8 :  "  And  he  rose,  and  did  eat  and  drink,  and 
went  in  the  strength  of  that  meat  forty  days  and 
forty  nights  unto  Uorcb  the  mount  of  God." 

[The  English  and  American  interpreters  general- 
ly pass  by  in  silence,  or  expressly  reject,  all  attempts 
to  make  this  and  similar  miracles  intelligible,  and 
resort  to  an  act  of  divine  omnipotence  on  the  part 
of  Hira  who  was  the  Eternal  Word  of  God,  similar 
to  the  original  act  of  creation,  with  this  difference, 
however,  that  in  our  case  there  was  a  material  sub- 
stratum to  work  on  in  the  five  loaves  and  two  fishes, 
so  that  it  was  not  a  creation  out  of  nothing,  but  an 
act  of  ci-eative  accretion;  the  bread  growing  and 
multiplying  in  the  hands  of  Christ  (so  J.  A.  Alexan- 
der, and  Owen),  or  of  the  distributing  apostles  (so 
Alford,  following  Meyer),  or  of  the  eaters,  or  of  all, 
at  all  events  in  such  a  manner  that  the  whole  multi- 
tude were  abundantly  fed,  and  much  more  remained 
and  was  gathered  in  the  twelve  travelling-baskets, 
than  the  whole  original  provision.  Teexch,  Notes 
on  the  Miracles,  p.  267  (6th  ed.,  Lond.,  1858): 
"  Here,  too,  even  more  remarkably  than  in  the  case 
of  the  water  changed  into  wine,  when  we  seek  to 
realize  to  ourselves  the  manner  of  the  miracle,  it  ever- 
more eludes  our  grasp.  We  seek  in  vain  to  follow 
it  v/ith  our  imaginations.  .  .  .  But  this  is  the  wis- 
dom of  the  sacred  narrator,  to  leave  the  description 
of  the  indescribable  unattempted.  His  appeal  is  to 
the  same  faith  which  believes  '  that  the  worlds  were 
framed  by  the  Word  of  God,  so  that  things  which 
are  seen,  were  not  made  of  things  which  do  appear ' 
(Hebr.  xi.  3)."  J.  A.  Alexander,  on  Matt.  xiv.  21 : 
"  The  greatness  of  the  miracle  consists  not  merely  in 
the  vast  increase  of  nutritive  material,  but  in  the  na- 
ture of  the  process  which  eflected  it,  and  which  must 
be  regarded  as  creative,  since  it  necessarily  involves 
not  merely  change  of  form  or  quality,  or  new  com- 
binations of  existing  matter,  but  an  absolute  addi- 
tion to  the  matter  itself.  .  .  .  The  only  rational  al- 

*  [As,  indeed,  God's  creatures  should  not  be  viewed  as 
dead  abstractions,  but  as  possessing  living  powers  and  prin- 
ciples, on  which  the  Creator  may  breathe,  giving  them  new, 
or  rather  enlarged  capacities  ;  thus  working  what  to  the 
carnal  onlooker' may  seem  a  miracle,  in  the  sense  of  being 
an  interference  with  the  course  of  nature,  while  the  deeper 
thinker,  or  the  devout  believer,  sees  iu  it  only  a  higher  or- 
der of  nature,  the  .setting  free  of  qualities  and  powers, 
bound  <lown  by  sin,  through  the  operation  of  an  ever-pres- 
ent, .•ilmiiihty,  and  all-gracious  Sovereign.— The  Edinb. 
Translator.] 

+  f  Olshausen  add.s,  however  (vol.  i.,  p.  520,  in  Kendrick's 
edition):  ''In  these  remarks  1  refer  only  to  tlje  recorded 
facts;  liow  far  it  is  conceivable  th.at  Christ's  miraculous 
powers  might  have  been  put  forth  in  a  di.'lerent  form,  is  an- 
other quo.stion.  According  to  the  gosjiel  history,  tlie  Sa- 
viour constantly  api)ears  as  the  restorer  of  creation.  He 
creates  no  new  men,  but  lie  tran.sforms  the  old;  He  makes 
no  new  bodily  members  formerly  wanting,  but  He  restores 
the  old  that  were  useless."— But  on  the  other  hand  He  raLsed 
tho  dead  to  life,  and  is  literally  and  truly  the  Kesurrection 
and  the  Life.  Ho  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light. 
The  regeneration  of  the  Spirit,  too,  is  a  new  birth,  a  new 
creation,  by  which  we  become  "now  crcitm-es "  in  Christ 
Jesus.- P.  S.] 


2G8 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


ternative  is  either  to  refute  the  overwhelming  proof 
of  authenticity  and  inspiration,  or  to  accept  the  pas- 
sage as  the  Htcral  record  of  a  genuine  creative  mir- 
acle, the  lirst  and  greatest  in  the  history  [is  the  rais- 
ing of  L;izarus  not  efjually  great  if  not  greater?],  and 
therelore  ])crhaps  fully  detailed  in  all  the  Gospels." 
Even  the  German  commentator  H.  A.  W.  Meyer,  so 
often  quoted  in  this  work  {Com.  on  Matt.,  p.  298  sq. 
of  the  4th  ed.),  in  view  of  the  unanimous  testimony 
and  circumstantial  agreement  of  the  evangelists,  fully 
admits  the  miracle,  but,  in  view  of  its  transcendent 
creative  character,  renounces  all  attempts  at  a  ra- 
tional explanation.  He  derives  the  interpretations 
of  Faulus,  Strauss,  Weisse,  de  Wette,  from  a  denial 
of  the  possible  creative  working  on  dead  matter,  a 
power  which  is  not  explained  by  the  heterogeneous 
idea  of  a  hastened  process  of  nature  (Olshausen),  but 
■which  stands  historically  so  firm,  that  we  must  rest 
satisfied  with  its  absolute  incomprehensibleness  {dass 
man  sick  bei  der  volUgen  Unbegreiflichkeit  dieser 
moc/Ucfien  schop/erischen  E'mwirkung  heruhigen  muss, 
auf  Veransclmulichung  dcs  Processes  durch  tiatiir- 
liche  Analogieen  verzicMend).  But  compare  the  for- 
cible second  doctrinal  reflection  of  Dr.  Lange,  which 
foUows.— P.  S.] 


DOCTPJNAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  The  holy  feast  spread  in  the  wilderness  for  the 
upbuilding  of  the  spiritual  Israel  is  evidently  intend- 
ed as  a  contrast  to  the  bloody  festivities  enacted  in 
the  palace  of  Herod,  which  may  be  said  to  have  ac- 
celerated the  ruin  of  the  nation.  Here,  the  curse  of 
sin  destroys  the  enjoyment  of  the  choicest  gifts,  and 
the  guests  at  the  rich  banqueting  table  are  still  thirst- 
ing for  the  blood  of  the  prophet.  There,  heaven's 
blessing  converts  a  few  barley  loaves  and  fishes  into 
a  spiritual  feast.  Thus  the  holy  desert  realm  of 
Christ  rises  in  all  its  beauty  and  majesty  by  the  side 
of  the  crumbling  kingdom  of  the  old  world,  sinking 
through  moral  decay.  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  fed 
by  the  manna,  may  be  regarded  as  the  Old  Testament 
type  of  this  history ; — as  its  counterpart,  David  in 
the  wilderness  and  in  the  cave  of  Adullam,  when  all 
■who  were  distressed  gathered  around  him.  There  is 
the  same  contrast,  as  here,  between  Saul  the  perse- 
cuting tyrant,  and  David  the  anointed  of  the  Lord, — 
only  the  excellency,  as  always,  is  of  the  New  Dispen- 
sation ;  for  if  David  had  to  ask  the  shew-bread  from 
others,  Christ  gives  it  to  all  the  people  around  Him. 
Nor  are  similar  instances  in  the  history  of  Christ's 
people  wanting.  Severinus,  Columbanus,  and  others, 
remind  us  of  the  miraculous  provision  (das  Wmider- 
brod) ;  while  the  Waldenses,  the  Hussites,  the  Hu- 
guenots, [the  Puritans],  and  other  of  God's  persecut- 
ed people,  have  often  partaken  in  the  wilderness 
of  such  miraculous  food.  Nor  let  us  forget  that 
since  so  large  a  portion  of  the  gifts  of  earth  is  de- 
voted to  selfishness,  luxury,  and  sin,  it  is  the  more 
incumbent  on  God's  people  to  devote  the  remainder 
to  the  Lord,  in  order  that,  by  the  blessing  of  Christ, 
it  may  be  converted  into  the  miraculous  provision  of 
the  kingdom  of  love.  Thus  is  it  at  all  times  true, 
that  Jesus,  while  poor  Himself,  feeds  the  hungering 
people  of  rich  Herod. 

2.  The  Church  has  rejected  the  doctrine  of  Pa- 
tripassianism  as  a  heresy.  We  would  add  a  warn- 
ing against  a  parallel  error  which  we  might  call  Pa- 
trimcssiani-sm,  in  reference  to  the  miracles  of  Chi'ist. 
The  distinction  betv/een  the  economy  of  the  Father 


and  of  the  Son  must  ever  be  kept  in  mind :  crea- 
tion being  ascribed  to  the  Father,  and  redemption — 
which,  however,  also  includes  transformation — to  the 
Son.  Hence  it  is  a  confusion  of  these  economies  to 
represent  as  strictly  (or  rather  abstractly  and  magic- 
ally) creative  acts  what  really  are  manifestations  of 
this  transfoi'raing  power.  Besides,  we  must  not  for- 
get that  when  the  Church  repudiated  Monophysite 
views  in  reference  to  the  person  of  Christ,  i'  e  same 
principle  also  applies  to  the  manifestation  and  the 
economy  of  the  Son.  Hence  we  must  always  view 
Him  as  the  God-Man,  and  all  His  working  as  thean- 
thropic.  He  is  the  Creator  in  a  moral  and  religious 
sense,  who  above  all  influences  the  heart,  and  who, 
by  and  with  the  heart,  transforms  all  old  things  into 
new.  Under  His  word  the  withered  hand  moves  and 
extends,  along  with  the  withered  heart.  Perliaps 
the  idea,  that  a  ban  of  miscarriage  and  of  barren- 
ness rests  on  our  earthly  bread,  which  Christ  remov- 
ed by  this  miracle,  showing  the  positive  fulness  which 
it  contains  when  His  blessing  descends  upon  it,  may, 
in  some  measure,  help  us  to  understand  the  grand 
mystery  which  awaits  us  at  the  final  transformation  of 
this  world  (the  transformation  of  what  is  mortal,  the 
renovation  of  the  earth,  the  setting  free  of  its  fulness, 
and  the  restoration  of  the  tree  of  life). 


IIOMILETICAL  AND   PKACTICAL. 

The  tidings  of  the  death  of  the  Baptist  an  indicor 
tion  to  the  Lord  to  prepare  in  retirement. — Infinite 
riches  of  Christ  even  when  a  fugitive. — The  wicked- 
ness of  Herod  could  not  embitter  the  heart  of  Christ. 
— Despite  the  opposition  cf  the  great  of  this  world, 
the  people  were  drawn  after  Him. — How  the  Lord 
still  rewards  with  His  miracles  the  confidence  that 
leadeth  after  Him  into  the  wilderness. — The  Lord, 
who  withdrew  into  tlie  wilderness  from  the  intrusive- 
ness  and  presumption  of  the  great,  is  drawn  out 
again  by  tlie  confidence  of  the  poor  and  the  needy 
who  look  up  to  Him  for  help. — The  compassion  of 
the  Lord  ever  new,  and  ever  assuming  new  forms. — 
How  the  disciples  closed  the  day's  work,  and  how 
the  Master  closed  it. — The  old  and  the  new  time  as 
represented  by  these  two  sayings :  "  Send  the  multi- 
tude away,"  and,  "Give  ye  them  to  eat." — It  is  not 
necessary  for  them  to  go  away. — It  is  not  necessary 
to  go  away  from  Jesus  for  anything. — The  feast  of 
Herod  and  the  feast  of  Christ  (the  ibrmer  at  first  a 
meal  of  pleasure,  then  of  guilt,  and  lastly  of  anxiety 
and  of  sorrow  ;  the  latter  at  first  a  meal  of  necessity, 
then  of  the  Spirit,  and  at  last  of  heavenly  transport). 
— The  desert  realm  of  Christ  founded  in  love  a  figure 
of  His  heavenly  kmgdom. — The  Lord  gives  every- 
thing in  His  Idngdom  without  price  :  \.  Healing  ;  2. 
teaching ;  3.  pro^'isiou.  The  grace  before  the  meal 
and  its  effects. — How  those  around  the  Lord  enter 
into  spiritual  fellowship  with  Him  by  faith  :  1.  The 
Apostles,  by  inviting  to  the  meal ;  2.  the  people,  by 
gathering  arouiid  Him. — The  miraculous  feeding  at 
meeting,  and  that  at  parting. — Trust  entirely  to  the 
blessing  of  Christ. — Throw  open  the  secret  springs 
of  blessing. — Gather  the  fragments  ;  or,  the  super- 
abundance of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  always  com- 
bined with  the  greatest  carefulness  of  its  resources. 
— How  the  Lord  of  glory  watcheth  over  His  gifts 
and  husbandeth  them :  1.  In  nature  (life  from  death) ; 
2.  in  gi-ace  (Christ  made  poor) ;  3.  in  glory  (every 
thing  converted  into  good). — How  the  Lord  converts 
the  wilderness  from  a  dwelling-place  of  evil  spirits 


CHAP.  XIV.  22-33. 


269 


into  a  well-spriDg  ioi-  the  kiugdom  of  heaven:  1.  In 
a  literal  sense  ;  2.  in  a  figurative  sense. 

Starke : — Quesncl :  the  further  Christ  appears  to 
remove  fi-om  us,  the  more  closely  should  we  endea- 
vor to  follow  Him. — Jesus  has  never  been  idle,  but 
lias  alwaj-s  wrought  with  His  Father,  John  v.  17  ;  2 
Thess.  iii.  8. — It  is  often  unseasonable  to  Hsten  to  the 
dictates  of  reason,  when  we  should  rather  think  of 
the  gooilness  and  the  omnipotence  of  God. — Still  it 
is  right  to  use  all  ordinary  and  prudent  means,  since 
God  always  honors  their  employment. — Hed'mger  : 
Christ  can  create  l)rcad  even  in  the  wilderness,  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  19. — It  matters  not  with  the  Lord  whether  the 
provision  be  great  or  small,  Ps.  cvii.  36. — It  is  the 
Lord  who  addeth  the  blessing.— We  should  bring  back 
to  the  Lord  the  bread  which  we  have  got  from  His 
hand,  in  order  that  He  may  bless  it. — Let  us  not  tliink 
of  the  smallness  of  our  provision,  but  rather  of  the 
blessing  of  God. —  Cramer  :  Why  weepest  thou?  the 
Lord  reigneth,  Ps.  cxlv.  45. — Let  us  not  preserve 
anything  from  covetousness,  but  for  future  use. — To 
bestow  alms  on  the  needy  will  never  make  us  poorer. 
— God  can  nourish  those  who  have  many  cliildren 
quite  as  readily  as  those  who  have  none. 

Gvrlach  : — Meat  is  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God 
and  prayer,  1  Tim.  iv.  5. — Hence  the  wicked  first  de- 
file and  corrupt  the  meat,  and  then,  by  the  meat, 


themselves. — Tliose  who  arc  desirous  of  witnessing 
this  glorious  miracle  must  be  willing  to  be  content 
with  barley  loaves  and  dry  fishes. — Tleubncr  :  Christ 
never  continued  late  meetings  with  a  large  multi- 
tude. His  example  may  therefore  be  rightly  quoted 
in  reference  to  protracted  conventicles  al  night  (.still, 
a  Christian  congregation  can  scarcely  be  placed  on 
the  same  level  with  this  multitude,  conip.  Acts  xx. 
7). — Jesus  as  the  Head  of  a  house. — Grace  before 
meat  enjoined  by  the  example  of  Clirist. — Similarly, 
carefulness,  preservation,  order,  and  arrangement 
taught  by  His  example. — The  daily  miracle  of  the 
feeding  of  the  millions  who  people  our  earth. 

[FrudetiHus  : — Tu  cibus  panisque  noster,  Tu  joe- 
rennis  suaviias  ;  nescit  csurire  in  cevwa,  qui  Turim 
sumit  dapein. —  Trench  :  Christ  proclaims  Himself 
in  this  miracle  the  true  bread  of  the  world,  that 
should  assuage  the  hunger  of  man,  the  inexliausted 
and  inexhaustible  source  of  all  life,  in  whom  there 
should  be  enough  and  to  spare  for  all  the  spiritual 
needs  of  aU  hungering  souls  in  all  ages. — D.  Brown: 
(Com.  on  Mark  vi.  35-44) :  The  Bible,  so  little  iii  bulk, 
like  the  five  barley  loaves  and  the  two  fishes,  what 
thousands  upon  thousands  has  it  fed,  and  will  it  feed, 
in  every  age,  in  every  land  of  Christendom,  to  the 
world's  end ! — P.  S.] 


3.  Jesus  Walking  on  the  Sea.     Ch.  XIV.  22-33. 

22  And  straightway  Jestis  [he]  constrained  his  disciples  to  get  [enter,  cyn^T^vat]  into  a 
ship,  and  to  go  before  him  unto  [to]  the  other  side,  whife  he  sent  [until  he  should  liave 

23  sent]  the  multitudes  away.     Aud  when  he  had  sent  the  multitudes  away,  he  went  up 
into  a  mountain  apart   [Kar  IStav]  to  pray :  and  when  the  evening  was  come,  he  was 

24  there  alone.     But  the  ship  was  now  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  tossed  with  [vexed  by  the] 

25  waves :  for  the  wind  was  contrary.     And  in  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night  [at  3  o'clock, 

26  A.  M.]  Jesus  went  unto  them,  walking  on   [over]  the  sea.'     And  wlien  the  disciples  saw 
him  walking  on  the  sea,^  they  were  troubled,  saying.  It  is  a  spirit  [spectre,  ^di/racr/xtt] ; 

27  and  they  cried  out  for  fear.     But  straightway  Jesus  spake  unto  thein,  saying,  Be  of 

28  good  cheer:  it  is  I;  be  not  afraid.     And  Peter  answered  him  and  said,  Lord,  if  it  bo 

29  thou,  bid  me  come  unto  thee  on  the  water.     And  he  said,  Come.     And  when  Peter 
was  come  down  out  of  the  ship,  he  ^  walked  on  [over]  the  water  [irrl  to,  vSara],  to  go 

30  to  Jesus.     But  when  he  saw  the  wind  boisterous,  he  was  afraid;  and   begiiming  to 

31  sink,  he  cried,  saying,  Lord,   save  me.     And  immediately  Jesus  stretched  forth  his 
hand,  and  caught  [took  hold  of]  him,  and  said  unto  him,  0  thou  of  little  faith,  where- 

32  fore  didst  thou  doubt?     And  when  they  were  [bad]  come  [up]*  into  the  ship,  the  wind 

33  ceased.     Then  they  that  were  in  the  ship  came  and  worshipped  him,  saying.  Of  a  truth 
thou  art  the  Son  of  God  [©eoC  vtos  elj. 


1  Ver.  25.— 'EttJ  t^v  SaAao-ffOf,  B.,  E.,  D.,  al.,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  instead  of  the  led.  reeepta:  eirl  rrji  ^a\d(T(T-ns. 
[Lanee:  dahin  schreitend  uber  das  Meer;  Ewald:  wandelnd  uber  den  See;  Meyer:  uber  den  See  kin  wandelnd.~ 

'^  Ver.  26.— Here  B.,  C,  T>.,  etc.,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  read  eirl  rris  ^a\a(TCTr]s  ;— the  text.  reo.  with  younger  MSS.  :  iwl  t^p 
dd\a(T(Tav.  [The  E.  Vers,  obliterates  the  distinction  between  inl  r-qv  (accusative  of  motion),  and  eirl  rris  (the  geni- 
tive, of  the  mere  appearing  on  the  lalie) ;  as  does  also  the  Lat.  Vulgate  (nuper  mare  in  both  cases),  and  Luther  (auf  dent 
Meer).  The  change  of  case  is  appropriate.  The  disciples  saw  the  Lord  walking  on  tho  lake,  when  He  walked  over  the 
lake  to  meet  them.     Coinp.  the  Exeg.  Note,  and  Meyer  in  loc. — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  29.— [Better  Conant:  And  coining  down  from  the  ship,  Peter  walked,  etc.,  KaTojSas  ciTrb  toC  irKoiov  6 
Uerpos,  K.T.\.—P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  32. — [The  oldest  authorities,  including  Cod.  Sinaiticus,  read  avafiavrcav,  "when  they  had  come  ?//>,"  for  the 
t  fj.  PdvTwv  of  the  received  text.  Tischendorf  adheres  to  the  latter,  but  Lachmann,  Tregellcs,  and  Alford  adopt  the  for- 
mer.—r.  S.] 


270 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


EXEGETICi^L  AND   CRITICAL. 

Connection. — The  same  order  as  that  of  tlie  nar- 
rative before  us  is  observed  in  the  Gospels  of  Mark 
and  John.     Luke  wholly  omits  the  event. 

Ver.  22.  Straightway  He  constrained  His 
disciples,  e  vd  4  w  s  ij  yay  k  aa e .  —  The  miracu- 
lous feediug  had  made  the  strongest  imi)rGSsion  on 
the  minds  of  the  people,  who  now  wislied  to  make 
Christ  their  king,  i.  e.,  to  proclaim  Hira  Messiah, 
John  vi.  15.  On  this,  as  on  other  occasions,  Jesus 
had  considerable  difficulty  in  withdrawing  Himself 
from  the  multitude,  which,  according  to  John,  follow- 
ed Him,  to  the  western  shore.  The  reason  why  Jesus 
dismissed  his  disciples  was  probably  their  sympathy 
with  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people.  In  proportion  as 
they  had  at  J3.rst  been  encouraged  by  the  success  of 
their  apostolic  mission,  must  have  been  their  depres- 
sion when  the  tidings  of  John's  martyrdom  arrived 
(Mark  vi.  30,  31 ;  Luke  ix.  10).  This  sudden  revul- 
sion of  feeling  rendered  them  all  the  more  suscepti- 
ble to  impressions  such  as  those  evoked  by  the  scene 
which  they  had  just  witnessed.  In  all  likelihood,  the 
proposal  to  make  Jesus  king  was  intended  in  con- 
trast to  the  crime  of  Herod,  and  was  hence  all  the 
more  dangerous.  Tlie  Lord  tarried  behind  in  order 
to  withdraw  Himself  the  more  easily  from  the  people 
after  lie  had  calmed  them.  Upon  a  lonely,  quiet 
mountain-top  would  He  offer  His  sacrifice  on  that  no- 
table and  glorious  day. 

To  go  before  Him.— With  Lightfoot  and  Wie- 
seler,  we  view  the  event  as  follows  : — The  disciples 
were  not  to  pass  over  directly,  but  only  to  go  before 
Him  along  the  coast,  and  to  take  Him  up  at  the  place 
appointed  {ir  ph  s  Bi^e  a  aXSdv,  which  Wieseler  un- 
derstands as  referring  to  the  eastern  Bethsaida, 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Jordan).  When  Jesus  had 
dismissed  the  people  and  ascended  the  mountain,  the 
ship  was  already  a  prey  to  the  wind  and  waves,  and 
driven,  contrary  to  the  will  of  tlie  disciples,  into  the 
middle  of  the  sea.  (The  expression  Haa-av  1(6  iJ.e - 
voy  implies  that  the  ship  was  helpless.)  During 
three  watches,  or  till  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  disciples  had  vainly  endeavored  to  bring  the 
ship  back  to  the  eastern  coast,  in  order  to  meet  the 
Master  near  Bethsaida.  They  were  oidy  driven  far- 
ther westward ;  and  -svlien  the  Saviour  finally  came 
into  the  ship,  they  were  alrea:ly  quite  close  to  the 
western  shore.  \Vhile  thus  laboring  tiU  completely 
exhausted,  the  Lord  Jesus  avraited  them  on  the  east^ 
em  shore.  It  was  under  these  distressing  circum- 
stances that  He  felt  impelled  to  manifest  His  miracu- 
lous power,  in  an  entirely  new  manner.  Compassion 
for  those  who  toiled  on  the  sea,  and  arSSnse  of  exalt- 
ation over  the  rebellious  -  element  Vi^hich  separated 
Hun  from  His  disciples,  determined  Him  to  go  forth 
upon  the  sea.  la  this  view  of  the  matter,  this  mir- 
acle is  as  fullof  meaning  and  importance  as  any  other 
of  the  many  displays  of  His  compassion  and  love. 
— According  to  the  common  view,  which  is  adopted 
even  by  Meyer,  the  liOrd  had  commanded  the  disci- 
ples to  pass  over  before  Him ;  but  their  passage  was 
much  retarded  by  contrary  winds,  wdien  He,  walking 
on  the  sea,  overtook  them,  and  cahned  the  storm. 
Against  this  view  we  have  to  urge  the  follov/ing  con- 
siderations :  1.  If  the  above  view  were  correct,  we 
should  have  expected  that  the  disciples  would  have 
asked  the  Master  how  he  intended  to  pass  over.^Xo 
other  ship  than  theirs  was  in  waiting  (John  vi.) ;  nor 
would  it  have  been  possible  to  have  contemplated 


the  long  road  by  land,  more  especially  as  the  Evan- 
gelist speaks  of  7r  poa7e  <r,  which  implies  a  short 
passage,  until  He  had  dismissed  the  people.  Least 
of  all  would  the  disciples  expect  that  Christ  would 
walk  over  the  sea,  else  they  could  not  afterward  have 
been  afraid  and  regarded  Him  as  a  spectre.  2.  If  it  had 
been  intended  that  the  disciples  should  have  directly 
passed  over,  and  not  have  met  the  Lord  on  the  east- 
ern shore,  the  journey  by  which  they  so  soon  reached 
the  middle  of  the  sea  would  have  been  extremely  ra- 
])id,  and  the  statement  about  contrary  winds  would 
appear  unaccountable.  3.  As  the  disciples  were  close 
by  the  western  shore  when  the  Lord  came  up  to 
them,  the  miracle  which  He  performed  would  have 
been  entirely  useless  if  they  had  hitherto  followed 
their  intended  destination.  On  the  other  hand,  we 
urge  in  favor  of  our  own  interpretation  :  1.  The  terms 
TT  0  0  a  7  0  1 !/,  e  w  s , — implying  that  He  intended  to 
join  them  very  shortly.  The  expression  ds  to  tt i- 
p  au  must  be  explained  as  meaning,  "  in  the  direction 
of,"  or  "  toward  the  other  side,"  or  else  "  with  a  view 
to  passing  to  the  other  side."  2.  If,  as  John  states, 
Capernaum  was  their  ultimate  destbiation,  the  ob- 
vious interpretation  of  -it ph  s  B-n  da-  a'iSdv  would 
be  that  it  referred  to  the  eastern  Bethsaida,  not  far 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Jordan,  and  that  the  disciples 
were  to  sail  along  the  coast,  and  there  to  meet  the 
Lord.  3.  Under  such  circumstances,  it  would  indeed 
be  contrary  to  their  will  when  they  fouml  themselves 
in  the  evening  in  the  midst  of  the  sea.  The  ship  had 
been  driven  out  by  a  contrary  wind,  and  all  their  ef- 
forts at  rowing  proved  insufficient  to  counteract  its 
eiiects.  The  ship  was  Harrai'i^oiu.eyoi'.  4.  Ac- 
cording to  the  account  in  John,  they  were  close  by 
the  western  shore  when  the  Saviour  joined  them,  and 
the  wind  was  stil!  strong.  Had  it  been  a  westerly 
wind  their  difficulties  would  by  that  time  have  been 
almost  overcome,  and  thus  help  arrived  too  late.  But 
here  the  objection  may  be  urged,  that,  according  to 
the  narrative  of  Mafthew  and  Mark,  the  wind  was  al- 
layed when  Jesus  entered  the  ship.  It  might  be 
ai-gued  that  the  wind,  which  was  contrary  to  them 
while  they  sought  to  reach  the  eastern  shore,  would 
now  be  propitious,  when,  after  having  received  Jecus 
iuto  the  ship,  they  would  steer  for  the  western  shore. 
But  a  glance  at  the  map  will  remove  this  difficulty. 
From  any  point  on  the  eastern  shore  the  disciples 
would  require  to  steer  northward  in  order  to  reach 
Juhas.  A  strong  northeasterly  wind  had  driven  them 
in  an  opposite  direction,  and  far  into  the  sea.  Hence 
they  were  probably  a  good  way  beyond  Capernaum  ; 
and  if  the  wind  had  lasted,  it  would  still  have  been 
contrary  to  tliera  in  reference  to  reaching  that  port. 
This  also  explains  the  terror  of  Peter.  The  Lord 
came  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  while  Peter,  m 
meeting  Him,  had  to  go  against  wind  and  waves  5. 
Lastly,  according  to  our  interpretation  of  this  mira- 
cle, it  was  evidently  called  forth  by  the  distress  of 
the  disciples,  which  at  the  same  tune  was  symboUcal, 
while  the  miraculous  help  afforded  them  had  both  a 
direct  and  a  symbolical  import. 

Ver.  23.  ill  the  four  J  h  watch  of  the  night, — 
i.  e.,  between  three  and  six  o'clock  in  the  luomir^g. 
At  an  earUer  period  both  the  Jews  and  the  Greeks 
divided  the  night  into  three  v.atches,  each  of  four 
hours.  From  the  lime  of  Pompey,  hov/ever,  they 
adopted  the  Roman  practice  of  reckoning  ibur  watch- 
es, each  of  three  hours,  viz.,  oi/zf,  fierrotvuTK.i'.  dXtKio- 
poipwvia,  -rrput     (Comp.  Winer  sub  Nachttuachc.) 

Ver.  25,  26.  Over  the  sea  (ver.  25,  eVi  t  v,  v  '^.i- 
Aairaaf,  according  to  the  true  reading) ;  on  the  sea 


CHAP.  XIV.  22-33. 


271 


(rer.  26,  eVl  t  ?}  s  SaA..). — The  text  thus  points  out  a 
nice,  but  very  important  distinclion.  In  ver.  25,  the 
main  point  of  ti\e  narrative  lies  in  this,  that  Jesus 
hastened  over  the  sea  to  join  the  disciples  ;  while  in 
ver.  26  the  disciples  are  chiefly  struck  with  the  mirac- 
ulous sight  of  one  walking  on  the  sea.  It  is  scarce- 
ly necessary  to  say  that  the  gloss  of  Paulus,  Stolz, 
and  Gfrorer,  "  walking  on  the  high  shore  above  the 
sea,"  is  a  poor  evasion  of  the  difliculty.*  Any  such 
idea  is  completely  refuted  by  the  expression  irepie- 
■n-arria-eveTrlra  iJS  ara  (ver  29),  and  by  the 
scene  beLween  Christ  and  Peter,  as  well  as  by  the 
impossibility  of  a  conversation  carried  on  between 
Christ  on  the  shore  and  the  disciples  in  the  midst  of 
the  sea  [especially  during  a  storm  on  tlie  lake].  Be- 
sides, the  terror  of  the  disciples  shows  that  the  event 
was  miraculous. 

The  miraole  itself. — It  has  been  regarded  :  1. 
As  merely  a  manifestation  of  the  sway  of  the  Son  of 
God  over  tha  elements — a  Monophysite  view  which 
has  lately  again  been  advanced  by  Meyer,  f  In  re- 
ply, it  is  sutiicient  to  say,  that  tl'ic  naiTative  implies 
not  merely  sway  over  the  elements,  but  also  omnipo- 
tent sway  over  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  which 
was  not  a  docetle,  but  a  real  body.  2.  We  have  al- 
leady  adverted  to  the  natural  [or  rather  unnatural, 
because  grammatically  and  excgetically  impossible] 
explanation  by  Paulus  and  others,  v/hich  is  wholly  in- 
compatible with  the  narrative.  3.  Some  have  repre- 
sented it  as  merely  a  natural  event,  which  tradition 
had  clothed  in  a  symbolical  or  mythical  form  (Baum- 
garten-Crusius,  Hase,  and  partly  also  de  Wette).  4. 
Bolten  speaks  of  swimmmg  (! !).  5.  Some  have  char- 
acterized it  as  a  mythical  anecdote  of  the  sea,  with 
special  reference  to  2  Kmgs  ii.  14  ;  vi.  6  ;  Job  ix.  8, 
and  to  foreign  legends  (Strauss).  6.  Weisse  views  it 
allegorically ;  while,  V.  Olshausen  holds  that  our 
Lord  here  manifested  a  power  inherent  in  His  higher 
corporeity.  Meyer  denounces  this  view  as  docetic, — 
a  charge  which  Olshausen  might  have  retorted  with 
much  greater  justice ;  for  manifestly,  if  we  suppose 
that  the  divinity  of  Christ  had  sustained  His  human 
nature  whUc  walking  on  the  water,  we  make  a  com- 
plete separation  between  the  two  natures  in  the  per- 
son of  Christ,  wliicii  after  all  is  Docetlsm.  Olshausen 
is,  in  the  main,  right  in  remarking  that  it  is  a  mistake 
to  regard  the  transformation  of  Christ  as  the  work  of 
a  moment,  but  that  this  transformation  and  perfec- 
tion extended  over  all  His  life;  We  object  only  to 
the  manner  iu  which  he  expresses  this  truth.  It  were 
more  correct  to  say,  that  while  the  transfiguration  of 
Christ,  viewed  as  a  state,  commenced  with  His  resur- 
rection, the  disposition  toward  it  was  not  only  inhe- 
rent in  His  body  from  the  first,  but  increasingly  man- 
ifested itself  and  developed  during  the  whole  course 
of  His  life.  Ilenee  also  the  Lord  manifested  this 
glory  on  special  occasions,  even  before  His  final  suf- 
ferings. At  His  baptism  it  had  appeared  in  a  sign 
from  heaven.    Again,  at  the  miracle  in  Caua,  and 


*  [The  preposition  fTi  with  the  genitive  may  mean :  on 
the  hank  of,  but  only  after  verbs  of  rest,  as  in  John  xxi.  1 
(eVl  T7)s  ii>a\6.(xay]s  -rf/v  Ti/3fpia'5oy),  not  after  verbs 
of  motion,  as  vipiiraTitv,  and  still  less  with  the  accusative. 
—P.  S.] 

t  [I  can  see  no  monophysitisni  in  Meyer,  who  simply 
says  in  loc.  (p.  .300) :  "  Die  Sache  bleibt  ein  wiinderbafes 
Gehen  auf  ilem  See,  welches  ....  untor  den  Gesiehtspunkt 
der  Christo  als  Sohn  Gottes  inwohnenden  Ilerrsehaft  iiber 
die  Elementfi  und  ihre  Kriifte  zii  stolli-n,  hinsichtiich  des 
Wie  der  Ausfulirurif;  aber  vollig  iinbostimnibar  ist; "  *.  e., 
Meyer  admits  here  a  snpernatural  miracle,  which  must  bo 
derived  from  Christ's  power  over  nature  dwelling  in  Him 


when  miraculously  feeding  the  multitude,  it  had  ! 
forth,  and  that  not  merely  as  inherent  in  Him,  but  a? 
extending  to  others  and  working  wonders.  And  now, 
in  the  extremity  of  his  disciples,  it  burst  forth  in  all 
its  majesty ;  while  soon  afterward  it  manifested  itself 
even  in  a  visible  manner  on  the  Mount  of  Transfigu- 
ration, for  the  twofold  purpose  of  showing  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  entered,  of  His  own  free  choice,  upon  the 
path  of  suffering  which  now  opened  before  Him,  and 
of  coufirmiug  the  failli  of  the  disciples.  From  the 
fact  that  by  faith  Peter  could  shai-e  in  this  matter, 
we  infer  tliat  the  walldng  on  the  sea  was  a  moment- 
ary manifestation  of  a  spiritual  power,  inherent  in  tho 
body  of  Christ,  which  had  not  as  yet  appeared,  Pe- 
ter— as  indeed  our  human  nature  generally — possess- 
ed the  same  inherent  power,  which  represents  the 
germ  of  the  resurrection.  But  in  our  present  state 
this  power  is  clogged  and  fettered  by  sinfulness ; 
and  in  this  instance  is  only  awakened  by  the  wonder- 
working word  of  the  Lord,  while  it  again  disappears 
so  soon  as  faith  gives  place  to  doubt.  Thus  this  mir- 
acle of  Christ  is  a  miracle  on  His  own  person,  just 
like  the  miraculous  birth,  the  testimony  at  His  bap- 
tism, the  transfiguration  on  the  mount,  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  the  ascension — pointing  back  to  the  first 
two,  and  again  forward  to  these  other  events.  This 
miracle  on  Him  led  to  the  miracle  by  Him,  or  to 
the  summons  addressed  to  Peter  to  walk  with  Hirn 
on  the  water.  The  instances  sometimes  adduced  of 
somnambulists*  and  others  who  have  \valked  on  tho 
water  can  by  no  means  explain  this  miracle,  but 
they  deserve  notice  as  mechanical  and  pathological 
manifestations  of  a  power,  showing  what  is  possible 
P-vA  inherent  in  human  nature,  weighed  down  as  it 
still  is  by  sin,  and  concealed  by  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  first  and  the  second  life.  At  any  rate,  they 
shed  a  dim  light  over  that  world  of  higher  life  which 
the  God-Man  opened  up,  and  into  which  Peter  for  a 
short  space  entered,  through  the  operation  of  faith. 

[Trench,  following  Olshausen,  Neander,  UUmann, 
and  other  German  divines,  remarks  on  this  miracle 
{Notes  on  the  Zfiracles,  p.  286):  "  The  miracle  is  not 
the  violation,  nor  yet  the  suspension  of  lav.',  but  the 
incoming  of  a  higher  law,  as  of  a  spiritual  in  the 
midst  of  natural  laws,  and  the  momentary  asserting, 
for  that  higher  law,  of  the  pi'edominance  which  it  was 
intended  to  have,  and  but  for  man's  fall  it  would  al- 
ways have  had,  over  tho  lower ;  and  v/ith  this  a  pro- 
phetic anticipation  of  the  prevalence  which  it  shall 
one  day  recover.  Exactly  thus  was  there  here  the 
sign  of  the  lordship  of  man's  will,  when  that  will  is 
in  absolute  harmony  with  God's  will,  over  external 
nature.  In  regard  of  this  very  law  of  gravity,  a  fee- 
ble, and  for  the  most  part  unconsciously  possessed, 
remnant  f  of  his  power  survives  to  man  in  the  well- 
attested  fact  that  his  body  is  lighter  when  he  is 
awake  than  sleeping  [as  was  observed  even  by  Pliny, 
Hist.  Nat.  vii.  18]  ;  a  fact  v/hich  every  man  wli.o  has 
carried  a  child  v/ould.  be  able  to  attest.  From  this 
we  conclude  that  the  human  consciousness,  as  an  in- 
ner cintre,  works  as  an  opposing  force  to  the  attrac- 


as  the  Son  of  Goil,  but  the  exact  mode  of  which  cannot  be 
defined. -P.  S.] 

*  Die  Siherin  tion  PrerorH,  i.  77. 

t  [This  collocation  of  woids,  jilacing  two  or  more  adjec- 
tives, \vhi:;h  are  defined  by  :ulvi;rl>3,  before  tho  noun,  is  a 
l)alpable  Germ.ani.-^in,  wbicli  to  the  English  ear  .sounds  heavv 
un<r  inelcsant.  It  in  strange  that  Dr.  Trench,  who  wrol'e 
such  readable  books  on  the  Eiii^lisb  language,  and  the  study 
of  words,  ami  u  otherwise  a  fresh,  racy,  aiul  idiomatic  wri- 
ter, should  be  frequently  so  careless  and  nonchalant  in  his 
style.— r.  S.] 


272 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTUEW. 


tion  of  the  eartli  and  the  centripetal  force  of  gravity, 
however  unable  now  to  overbear  it." — P.  S.] 

Ver.  26.  It  is  a  ghost,  or  a  spectre  [not  spirit, 

as  m  the  E.  V.],  (p  d  v  t  a  a  /.i  d  [not  tt  i^e  v/na]  i  a- 
T I V  . — Their  belief  in  the  apiiarition  of  spectres  is 
here  presupposed.  The  vivid  sketch  of  their  sudden 
terror  may  be  regarded  as  an  indirect  evidence  of  the 
faithfulness  of  the  narrative.  They  seem  to  have  re- 
garded the  apparition  as  an  indication  of  coming  evil. 
— According  to  the  narrative  of  John,  they  were  al- 
ready between  twenty-five  and  thirty  furlongs  from 
the  eastern  shore,  i.  c,  across  about  three  fourths  of 
the  lake. 

Ver.  28.  [Alford  :  "  This  narrative  respecting  Pe- 
ter is  peculiar  to  Mattliew.  It  is  in  very  strict  accord- 
ance with  his  warm  and  confident  character,  and  has 
been  called  almost  a  '  rehearsal '  of  his  denial  after- 
ward. It  contains  one  of  tlie  most  pointed  and  strik- 
ing revelations  which  we  liave  of  the  nature  and  an- 
alogy  of  faith,  and  a  notable  example  of  the  power 
of  the  higher  spiritual  state  of  man  over  the  inferior 
laws  of  matter,  so  often  brouglit  forward  by  our  Lord. 
See  ch.  xvii.  20  ;  xxi.  21." — Peter's  faidt  lay  in  the 
words :  "  Bid  «i^,"  which  betray  an  ambitious  and 
overconfident  desire  to  outdo  and  outdare  the  other 
disciples,  and  may  be  regarded  as  a  prelude  of  the 
boastful :  "  Although  all  shall  be  offended  at  Thee, 
yet  will  not  /."—P.  S.] 

Ver.  29.  And  He  said  :  Come! — One  of  those 
commands  Of  sovereignty  which  prove  that  the  Lord 
possessed  the  full  consciousness  of  His  power.  [But 
it  is  more  probably  the  permissive  Come,  i.  e.,  "  Make 
the  experiment,  if  thou  desirest."  The  Lord  knew 
that  Peter's  courage  would  fail  him. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  30.  But  when  he  saw  the  wind  boister- 
ous,— i.  e.,  the  high  waves,  impelled  by  the  wind, 
rushing  against  him.  [As  long  as  Peter  looked  to 
Jesus  only,  he  rose  by  faith  over  the  elements  of  na- 
ture ;  but  as  soon  as  he  looked  away  from  Jesus  to 
the  boisterous  waves,  he  began  to  doubt,  to  despond, 
and  to  sink.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  SI.  Wherefore  didst  thou  doubt?  — 
A  Iff  rd(  e  Lv  means  properly,  to  turn  irresolutely  in 
two  directions,  to  waver.  Matt,  xxviii.  l*?.  Xlpwrov 
fxif  idappTitras,  vcrrfpov  Se  ibeiXiaaas.  Euth.  Ziga- 
benus. 

Ver.  32.  And  when  they  were  come  into 
the  ship. — Meyer :  "  According  to  the  narrative  in 
John,  Christ  did  not  enter  the  ship,  though  the  disci- 
ples were  willinr/  to  receive  Him.  An  actual  though 
unimportant  discrepancy."  Olshauseu  accounts  for 
the  difficulty  by  remarking  that  the  disciples  at  first 
sought  to  avoid  what  they  regarded  as  a  spectre  ;  but 
when  they  recognized  the  Lord,  they  were  anxious  to 
receive  Him, — which  implied,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
that  He  actually  entered  the  ship.  Agahi,  in  the 
Gospel  of  Mark,  we  read :  ije  e\e  irape  \e  elu  av- 
T  ovs .  Apparently  it  liad  been  the  intention  of 
Christ  to  precede  the  disciples,  and  to  point  out  the 
direction  in  which  to  follow  Him.  This  intention  was 
afterward  modified  by  the  occurrence  with  Peter. 
Accordingly,  we  interpret  the  narrative  in  John  as 
I'ollows :  They  were  willing  to  receive  Him  into  the 
ship  on  the  eastern  shore  at  the  commencement  of 
their  passage,  and  now  (after  the  scene  on  the  sea, 
and  His  entering  the  ship,  which  John  passes  over) 
they  were  immediately  at  the  western  coast,  whither 
they  went.  Thus  Christ  had  passed  over  the  greater 
part  of  the  sea  liefore  meeting  the  disciples. 

Ver.  33.  Of  a  truth  Thou  art  the  [a]  Son  of 
G-od. — Not  merely  the  Messiali  in  the  ordmary  sense, 


but  with  special  reference  to  His  divine  character  aa 
revealed  in  the  New  Testament.  Meyer :  "  According 
to  Matthew,  Jesus  is  here  for  the  first  time  owned  by 
man  as  the  Son  of  God  (iii.  17 ;  iv.  3 ;  viii.  2fi)." 
[The  persons  here  introduced  as  o  i  ev  t  w  nKoicfi, 
were  probably  the  crevr  of  the  ship,  the  boatmen,  the 
mariners,  and  perhaps  some  other  passengers,  as  dis- 
tinct from  the  disciples;  comp.  vers.  15,  lit,  22,  26, 
and  ol  &vBpuTToi,  ch.  viii.  27.  So  Jerome  :  Nauue  at- 
que  vectorcK.  Jerome  adds :  "  The  sailors  acknowledge 
Him  to  be  truly  the  Son  of  God  on  witnessing  one 
miracle,  the  calming  of  the  tempest :  yet  Arius  pro- 
claims Him  to  be  a  mere  creature."  But  it  should 
not  be  overlooked  that  the  omission  of  the  article  be- 
fore vlo%  generaUzes  the  meaning  of  the  term.  Christ 
is  more  than  a  son  of  God,  He  is  the  Son  of  God,  in 
a  unique  and  absolute  sense,  as  He  is  the  Son  of  Man. 
The  mariners,  however,  being  probably  Jews,  could 
not  understand  the  term  in  a  polytheistic  sense,  and 
meant  to  infer  from  Christ's  control  over  the  elements 
that  He  was  clothed  with  divine  power. — P.  S.] 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  On  the  miracle  itself,  see  the  exegetical 
notes.    , 

2.  Scripture  often  compares  the  people  with  the 
sea  and  its  waves  (Ps.  xlvi. ;  Dan.  vii.  3  ;  Rev.  xiiL 
1).  Christ  had  just  assuaged  a  storm  on  land,  which 
had  almost  swept  away  the  disciples.  The  same  scene 
is  now  re-enacted  in  a  figurative  manner.  Jesus 
sways  the  waves  of  the  sea  as  He  had  calmed  those 
of  the  people,  and  as  He  shall  sway  those  of  the  na- 
tions. But  the  Apostles  are  unequal  to  the  emergen- 
cy. And  when  Peter  ventures  for  a  while  to  walk 
with  the  Lord  on  the  waves,  lie  soon  sinks  in  the  storm, 
and  is  onlij  preserved  when  Christ  brings  him  back 
into  the  ship  which  contains  the  rest  of  the  Apostles, 
with  the  reproof :  0  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore 
didst  thou  doubt  ? 

3.  Along  with  a  view  of  the  exaltation  of  Christ 
over  all  nature,  v.-e  here  obtain  a  glimpse  not  only  of 
the  future  glory  of  the  children  of  God,  but  also  how 
the  throes  and  struggles  of  nature  are  calmed  and 
cease  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  The  narrative  contains 
tliree  miracles  combined.  The  first  prefigured  and  in- 
troduced Christ's  resurrection  and  ascension.  From 
the  second  we  learn  how,  even  upon  earth,  believers 
may,  in  anticipation  of  their  future  glory,  triumph 
and  conquer  in  the  midst  of  waves  or  flames.  The 
third  aflbrds  us  an  insight  how  nature  herself  shall 
be  delivered  from  her  subjection  to  vanity  into  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  Lastly,  we 
have  here  a  typical  prophecy  of  the  future  dominion 
of  the  spirit  of  Christianity  over  the  sea  of  nations. 
A  British  painter,  H.  Richter,  has  given  us  the  most 
affecting  representation  of  Christ's  walking  over  the 
sea. 

4.  Shortly  before  this,  Christ  had  conquered  two 
giants  which  ever  endanger  society — famine,  and  rev- 
olutionary attempts  to  estabhsh  a  new  millennium. 
By  removmg  the  terrors  of  the  deep,  He  overcame  a 
third  and  equally  great  danger.  In  the  interval  He 
had  been  on  the  mount.  From  the  mountain  of 
prayer  did  the  great  Captain  of  humanify  conduct 
all  il'is  wars,  and  gain  all  His  conquests.  But  Christ 
preferred  to  meet  these  three  giants,  rather  than  trust 
Himself  to  the  whims  of  that  despot  who,  after  hav- 
ing murdered  the  Baptist,  showed  a  disposition  to 
condescend  to  Hunself. 


CHAP.  XIV.  22-33. 


273 


5.  Fronj  that  time  forward  commenced  the  sway 
of  the  Spii-itof  Christ,  by  which  He  will  ultimately 
subdue  th  cse  three  giants  in  the  world. 

6.  It  is  true  that  Peter  could  swim ;  but  in  his 
terror  he.  lost  not  only  his  spiritual,  but  even  his  nat- 
ural, atvamments. 

[T  REXcii :  Peter  is  here  the  image  of  all  the  faith- 
ful oC  all  ages,  in  the  seasons  of  their  weakness  and 
\'neir  fear.  So  long  as  they  are  strong  in  faith,  they 
are  able  to  tread  under  foot  all  the  most  turbulent 
agitations  of  an  unquiet  world  ;  but  when  they  lose 
heart  and  fear,  they  begin  to  sink  ;  and  were  it  not 
for  Christ's  sustaining  hand,  which  is  stretched  out 
in  answer  to  their  cry,  they  would  be  wholly  over- 
whelmed and  swallowed  up. — P.  S.] 


HOMILETICAL  A^"D   PRACTICAL. 

Christ  walking  on  the  sea  :  1.  He  goes  over  the 
sea  to  bring  help ;  and  hence  walks,  2.  on  the  sea, 
displaying  His  omnipotence.  —  The  three  miracles 
combined  prefiguring  the  threefold  transfiguration : 
1.  Of  the  Lord  ;  2.  of  believers  ;  3.  of  nature  (Rom. 
viii.). — Why  the  Lord  constrained  His  disciples  to 
quit  the  nmltitude  ;  or,  the  dangers  accruing  to  the 
Church  from  the  enthusiasm  of  popular  excitement. 
— Christ  had  as  frequently  to  withdraw  from  the  peo- 
ple as  to  go  and  meet  them. — The  disciples  would 
have  sent  away  the  people  when  they  were  hungry ; 
Christ  dismisses  them  when  they  were  too  weU  satis- 
fied.— Jesus,  in  those  nights  of  prayer  solitary  on 
mountains,  alone  with  His  Father. — The  lonely  nights 
of  the  Saviour,  of  which  the  blessing  descends  on  the 
world  in  the  light  of  day. — The  disciples  driven  by 
the  sea  from  the  Lord  until  the  fourth  watch  :  1.  In 
the  gospel  narrative  ;  2.  in  the  history  of  the  Church. 
— How  the  necessity  of  the  disciples  evokes  the  most 
glorious  power  of  the  Lord. — The  miracles  occasion- 
ed by  the  need  of  His  people. — How  the  fear  of  spirits 
increases  a  thousandfold  the  real  terrors  of  life. — The 
fear  of  spectres  :  1.  The  truth  lying  at  the  foundation 
of  it ;  2.  its  errors  and  dangers. — Sad  self-deception 
on  the  part  of  the  disciples :  to  be  afraid  of  their 
Lord  and  Saviour  as  if  He  had  been  a  spectre. — How 
the  disciples  in  the  ship  of  the  Church  still  cry  out 
from  fear,  whenever  the  Lord  comes  over  the  waves 
with  a  new  display  of  His  glory. — How  they  imagine 
that  the  Lord  Himself  is  always  obliged  to  pass  over 
in  a  vessel. — How  the  world  will  be  set  free  from  its 
fear  of  spectres:  1.  From  superstition,  by  faith;  2. 
from  apparitions,  by  miracles ;  3.  from  fear,  by 
peace  ;  4.  from  crying  out,  by  giving  praise. — "  Be 
of  good  cheer:  it  is  I ;  be  not  afraid." — The  reply 
of  Peter  :  "  Lord,  if  it  be  Thou," — indicatmg  the  ap- 
pearance of  uncertainty  in  the  midst  of  faith. — The 
faith  of  Peter. — The  character  of  Peter  the  same  here 
as  at  the  ti;ne  of  Christ's  last  sufferings,  and  during 
his  later  apostolate  (Acts  ii.  x. ;  Gal.  ii.). — The  his- 
tory of  Peter  on  the  sea,  a  prelude  to  his  fall. — "  And 
He  said :  Come." — How  it  clearly  appears  that  the 
Lord  grant.s  help  only  on  condition  of  a  faith,  which, 
however,  Himself  has  called  forth. — Origin  of  doubt : 
he  looked  much  at  the  wind,  and  little  at  the  Lord. 
— How  the  Lord  rescues  His  own  from  all  depths  of 
the  sea. — Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  His  people  amid  the 
terrors  of  the  sea. — Christ  an  all-sufficient  Saviour 
both  at  sea  and  on  land. — The  Spirit  of  Christ  in  His 
victory  over  the  resistance  of  nature. — If  our  strength 
prove  insufficient  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  His  strength  | 
18 


is  sufficient  to  bring  Him  to  us. — How  unexpectedly 
at  the  end  of  the  journey! — They  wislied  to  land  on 
the  eastern,  but  landed  on  the  western  shore. — The 
first  confession  of  tlie  Messiah  as  the  Son  of  God,  the 
fruit  of  a  night  of  unparalleled  terror. — The  most 
glorious  success  following  the  most  hopeless  toil. — 
Evening  and  morning  Avituessing  the  miracles  of  the 
Lord. — How  Christ  ever  reminds  us  of  His  former 
miracles  by  working  new  wonders. — "  They  worship- 
ped Him  ; "  or,  the  homage  due  to  Christ  as  king. — 
Christ  walking  on  the  sea,  a  prelude  to  the  history 
of  His  sufleruigs  and  rcsuiTcction  :  1.  Christ  separat- 
ed by  the  people  from  His  disciples  ;  2.  Christ  lost  to 
view  in  the  darkn&ss  of  night  on  the  other  shore ;  3. 
the  disciples  driven  from  Him,  anil  toiling  in  deep 
sorrow  and  need;  4.  the  miraculous  reappearance 
of  Christ :  fear  and  joy. 

Starke : — Quesnel :  An  humble  person  will  with- 
draw from  praise  and  glory. —  Zcis'ius  :  The  word 
which  we  have  heard  and  learned  must  be  evidenced 
by  the  cross. —  Osiander  :  The  kingdom  of  Christ 
not  of  this  world. — Christ  withdrew  from  worldly 
honors,  while  we  seek  them  ;  is  this  to  follow  after 
Him  ? — J.  Hall :  Worldly  prosperity  is  more  danger- 
ous than  adversity. — If  Christ  was  thus  instant  in 
prayer,  how  much  more  should  we  wrestle  in  it ! — ■ 
The  quiet  of  evening  the  time  for  prayer. — Alone 
with  God. —  Quesnel :  The  Church  like  a  sliip  in  the 
midst  of  the  sea. — God  leads  His  own  people  often  in 
strange,  but  always  in  a  blessed  and  holy,  way,  Ps. 
iv.  3. — If  Jesus  be  absent,  there  is  only  misery  and 
temptation.  Nov.  Bihl.  Tub. — ,/.  Hall :  Man's  ex- 
tremity is  God's  opportunity. — New  wants  will  bring 
fresh  help  and  fresh  experiences. — Hedinger :  The 
heart  of  man  is  unstable, — bold  now,  and  again  fear- 
ful, Jer.  xvii.  9. — Bihl.  Wurt. :  Alas  !  how  fearful  do> 
believers  often  become  in  their  difficulties  and  sor- 
rows.—  Canstein  :  Even  believers  are  afraid  when 
God  comes  to  them  in  an  unusual  way. — J.  Hall  : 
The  gi'acious  help  of  Christ  comes  always  at  the  right 
moment. — "  It  is  //  "  I  am  with  thee  in  trouble,  Ps. 
xci.  15. — The  confidence  of  Clmstians. — The  assur- 
ance of  Christ's  gracious  presence  the  greatest  com- 
fort of  Christians  in  their  deepest  sorrows. — Hall  : 
A  good  sheep  knows  even  the  voice  of  its  shepherd, 
John  X.  4. — Lord,  bid  me  come  unto  Thee. — The 
word  of  Christ  a  strong  bridge. — With  God  Ave  can 
achieve  mighty  things. — Xature  and  grace  side  by 
side. — However  good  our  purpose,  it  is  sliaken  by 
temptation. — Bihl.  Wiirt.  :  Beware  of  being  too  bold. 
— Christ  does  not  suffer  us  to  sink  in  our  weakness. 
—  Quesnel:  It  is  good  for  Christians  that  God  from 
time  to  time  allows  them  to  feel  their  weakness  and 
their  impotence. — Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord. — The  Lord  sometimes  allows  His  people  to  sink, 
but  only  in  order  to  humble  them. — Osiander  :  To 
doubt  the  help  of  God,  must  lead  to  adversity;  there- 
fore keep  firm  hold  of  the  promise,  and  do  not  sink, 
Isa.  xhii.  12. —  Canstein  :  The  Lord  mimsters  to  His 
ministers  more  than  they  minister  to  llim. — Zeisius: 
Christ  the  wonder-worker,  whom  even  the  wind  and 
waves  obey. —  Quesnel:  A  consideration  of  the  mira- 
cles of  Jesus  tending  to  strengthen  our  faith. — Christ 
claiming  our  worship,  Pliil.  ii.  10. 

Gerlacli :  The  glorified  body  of  Christ  was,  as  it 
were,  visible  even  through  His  earthly  body ;  ch.  xvii. 
Hence  the  waves  Avere  like  finn  soil  under  Him ;  just 
as  Christ  passed  through  the  Avorld  untouched  by  hu- 
man corruption  and  umnoved  by  the  passions  around 
Him. — In  his  faith  and  deep  attachment  to  Jesus, 
Peter  can  no  longer  bear  the  uncertainty.  As  on  other 


274 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


occasions,  so  now,  lie  precedes  the  other  disciples ; 
but  not  knowing  his  own  weakness,  he  soon  fails. — 
Greater  than  common  demands  are  made  upon  those 
who  come  pi'omineutly  forward ;  but  if  their  tempta- 
tions are  stronger,  their  deliverances  are  also  more 
glorious. 

Hmhncr  : — In  the  history  of  Christ,  work  and 
prayer  always  succeeded  each  other.  Ora  et  labora. 
— His  need  of  solitude. — God  allows  sorrow  to  befall 
us  because  He  foresees  its  end. — When  He  is  absent, 
rest  is  wanting. — When  the  Helper  is  expected,  lie 
is  ah-eady  present. — He  knows  the  need  of  His  peo- 
ple.— The  presence  of  Jesus  drives  away  all  fear. — 
Peter  feels  his  human  impotence  only  when  he  is  on 
the  water  ;  i.  e.,  when  he  has  progressed  beyond  hu- 
man experience  and  strength  into  the  domain  of 
faith,  where  the  power  of  God  alone  can  sustain  him. 


lie  now  feels  that  he  has  passed  beyond  thie  limits  of 
human  nature,  and  this  sense  overpowert.i  him  (but 
only  because  his  heart  is  divided). — Faith  can  never 
wholly  sink ;  it  takes  hold  of  the  right  hand  of  the 
Lord. 

l^AuffJisUne : — AmasDeum,  amhulas  supey  mare: 
sub  pcdihus  iuis  est  seculi  tumor.  Arnas  seimlum, 
absorbebit  tc. —  Chrtjsostom :  We  need  not  fear  the 
tempest,  but  only  the  weakness  of  our  faith.  Henc  « 
Christ  does  not  calm  the  storm,  but  takes  Peter  by 
the  hand. — It  is  of  no  use  to  be  near  Christ  in  person, 
unless  we  are  near  Him  by  faith. —  Wordsworth  :  Pe- 
ter was  enabled  by  Christ  to  walk  on  the  sea ;  so  the 
risen  bodies  of  the  saints  will  be  enabled  to  fly  up- 
ward and  meet  Him  in  the  air,  1  Thess.  iv.  1 1. — Pe- 
ter sinks  without  Christ.  (Think  of  the  Church  of 
Rome  in  her  errors.) — P.  S.] 


O.  CHRIST  MANIFESTS  HIMSELF  AS  THE  HIGH  PRIEST  IN  HIS  SUFFERINGS;  BEING 
REJECTED  BY  THE  SCRIBES  AND  PHARISEES  OF  JERUSALEM,  OR  THE  THEOLOGI- 
CAL AUTHORITIES   OF  THE   SCHOOLS. 

Chapter  XIV.  34-36,  XV.  1-38. 

Contents  :— Secret  landing  of  the  Lord  in  Galilee,  and  His  recognition.  Accusation  of  the  deputation  from  the  synagogue 
at  Jerusalem,  that  His  disciples  transp-essed  the  traditions.  Reply  of  Jesus,  and  rebuke  addressed  to  the  Pharisees  of 
Galilee.  Christ's  teaching  to  the  disciples  in  reference  to  tradition.  Jesus  journeying  into  the  heathen  country  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  the  woman  of  Canaan.  Second  miraculous  feeding  of  the  multitude ;  or,  second  realm  in  the 
desert,  as  contrasted  with  that  of  the  spiritual  authorities,  which  allowed  the  people  to  perish  from  want 


1.   The  deputation  from  Jerusalem,  and  the  rebuke  of  Jesus  addressed  to  the  Pharisees  of  Galilee.     Christ's 
teaching  to  the  disciples  in  reference  to  tradition.     Ch.  XIV.  34-30,  XV.  1-20. 


Ch.  XIV.  34  And  when  they  were  gone   [had  passed]   over,^  thej^  came  into  the  land  of 

35  Gennesaret.     And  when  the  men  of  that  place  had  knowledge  of  him,^  thej  sent  out 

36  into  all  that  country  round  about,^  and  brought  unto  him  all  that  were  diseased;  And 
besought  him  that  they  might  only  touch  the  hem  [fringe]  *  of  his  garment :  and  as 
many  as  touched  were  made  perfectly  whole. ^ 

Ch.  XV.  1  Then  came  to  Jesus  scribes  and  Pharisees  which  [who]  were  of  Jerusalem,® 

2  saying,  Why  do  tliy  disciples  transgress  the  tradition  of  the  elders?  for  they  wash  not 

3  their  hands  when  they  eat  bread.    But  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Why  do  ye  also 

4  transgress  the  commandment  of  God  by  [because  of]'  your  tradition?     For  God  com- 
manded, saying,*  Honour  thy  father  and  mother :  and,  He  that  curseth  father  or  mother, 

5  let  him  die  the  death  [surely  die].^     But  ye  say.  Whosoever  shall  say  to  his  ^^  father 
or  Ms'^''  mother,  It  is  a  gift  [devoted  to  God,  a  sacrifice],  by  whatsoever  thou  mightest  be 

6  profited  by  me  ;  And  honour  not  his  father  or  his  mother,  he  shall  he  frcc.^'^     Thus  have 
ye  made  the  commandment  [law]  ^^  of  God  of  none  [no]  effect  by  [because  of]  your 

7,  8  tradition.      Ye  hypocrites,  well  did  Esaias   [Isaiali]   prophesy  of  you,   saying,  This 

people  draweth  nigh  unto  me  with  their  mouth, ^^  and  honoureth  me  with  their  lips ; 

9  but  their  heart  is  far  from  me.     [Is.  xxix.  13.]     But  in  vain  they  do  worship  me, 

10  teaching  for  [as]  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.     And  [then]  he  called  the  mul- 

11  titude,  and  said  mito  tliem,  Hear,  and  imderstand:  Not  that  which  goeth  into  the  mouth 
defileth  a  [the]   man   \i.  f.,  makes  him  legally  unclean]  ;    but   that  Avhich   cometh   out   of  the 

12  mouth,  this  detileth  a  [the]  man.     Then  came  his  disciples,  and  said  unto  him,  Know- 

13  €st  tliou  that  the  Pharisees  were  offended,  after  they  heard  this  saying?     But  he  an- 


CHAP.  XIV.  34-36,  XV.  1-20.  275 


swered  and  said,  Every  plant,  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be 

14  rooted  up.     Let  them  alone:  they  be  [are,  ctcrt]  blind  leaders  of  the  blind.     And  if  the 

15  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  shall   [will]    fall  into  the  ditch.     Then   answered  Peter  and 

16  said  unto  him,  Declare  unto  us  this  parable.     And  Jesus  said.  Are  ye  also  yet  without 

1 7  understanding  ?     Do  not  ye  yet  [Do  ye  not]  ^^  understand,  that  whatsoever  entereth  in 

18  at  the  mouth  goeth  into  the  belly,  and  is  cast  out  into  the  draught?     But  those  things 
which  proceed  out  of  the  mouth  come  forth  from  the  heart ;  and  they  defile  the  man. 

19  For  out  of  th  5  heart  proceed  evil  tlioughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornications,  thefts,  false 

20  witness,  blasphemies:  These  are  the  things  which  deSie  a  [the]  man:  but  to  eat  with 
unwashen  hands  defileth  not  a  [the]  '°  man. 

I  Ch.  xiv.,  ver.  34— [A lairepda avr  es,  E wald  and  Lange :  da  sie  Jdnubergesehifft icaren ;  G.  Campbell :  having 
passed  ocer;  A.  Norton,  Conant,  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  A.  B.  U. :  passing  over;  Kheims  and  Archbishop  Kendrick  (TVta 
Four  Gospels,  N.  Y..  1849) :  having  passed  the  tcater;  Wicllf :  whanne  thei  hadden  passid  ouer  the  see.— P.  S.] 

^  Ver.  35.— [Lange:  da  die  Leiite  . . .  Ihn  erkamiten;  Norton:  when  they  sate  who  he  was;  Campbell,  and  Conant : 
knotoing  him,  iiriyvovTes  ai/rdv  .—P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  35.— [E  i  s  oX-qv  r'fip  Trepix'^pov  eKeivriv,  into  the  whole  neighboring  country;  Lange:  in  die 
game  Umgegrnd ;  Campbell:  throiigit,  all  that  country ;  Conant:  into  all  that  country  roiMid  {omitling  only  the  abo^it 
oftheE.  v.— P.  !?.] 

■*  Ver.  8G. — [Kpdo'ireSa  correspond  to  the  n^lt'^S  ,  which  the  Jews  were  directed  to  wear  on  the  corners  of  the  outer 
garments,  Kum.  xv.  3S  sq.  Campbell,  and  Kendrick  translate:  tuft;  Norton,  and  Conant:  fringe;  all  the  older  English 
versions  to  A.  D.  1611 :  hem.— I'.  S.] 

5  Ver.  36.— [Campbell,  Norton,  and  Conant  drop:  perfectly;  but  Lange  retains  it :  (ToUstd7idig)  geheilt,  hitafeQt]- 
a  ay]  Meyer:  sie  wurden  durchgerettet,  so  dass  sie  sofort  gesund  aus  dor  Krankheit  hervorgingen.- P.  SJ 

^  Ch.  XV.,  ver.  1.— [Simpler  .and  better  with  modern  translators  and  revisers:  Pharisees  and  Scribes  from  Jerusalem 
(dropping:  which  were),  even  in  case  we  retain  the  article  ol  before  dird,  which  is  omitted  in  the  authorities  of  Lachmann 
and  Trcgelles,  and  also  in  Cod.  Sinaiticus. — P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  8. — [A  ta  t^]v  TrapdSoaii'  v/xwy,  or  on  account  of,  or  for  the  sake  of  (Conant),  but  not:  on  the  pretense  of 
(Norton),  nor :  by  (E.  V.  and  Campbell).  The  proposition  5 1  a  with  tho  accusative  seldom,  if  ever,  denotes  instrumental- 
ity; besides  this  would  not  suit  the  connection;  for,  as  Conant  correctly  TemnTy.»,'' it  was  regard  for  traditi07i,  as  of 
higher  worth  and  authority,  which  led  them  to  set  aside  the  word  of  God,  and  it  is  this  with  which  they  are  here  charged." 
The  Vulgate  correctly  translates:  propter  traditionem  ve.stram;  the  Poschito  (Syriac  V.)  likewise  :  07i  account  of  your 
tradition;  Wiclif,  Eheims:/o/-  your  tradition;  Cranmer :  because  of;  Tyndale  and  Geneva  B.  falsely:  through,  ior 
which  the  Bishops'  B.  and  King  James'  B.  substituted  by.  All  the  good  German  versions  have :  um  . .  willen,  or  wegen, 
on  account  of. — P.  S.] 

8  Ver.  4.— [So  according  to  the  reading :  euerti\aro  Keyaiv.  But  the  older  reading  of  manuscripts,  versions, 
and  patristic  citations,  is  6  Ittc,  said  (without  commanded).  So  Lachm.  and  Tischend.,  while  Alford  retains  eVereiAa- 
To  Kiyuiv.    Lange  puts  geboten  und  {commanded  and)  in  smaller  type  in  parenthesis.— P.  S.] 

»  Ver.  4— [©az/arw  TeAeuraTo;,  lit:  shall  end  by  death,  shall  be  executed,  the  inaccurate  LXX  rendering  of  the  in- 
tensive Hebrew  form  t^^-Q"^  niTS  ,  Ex.  xxi.  17;  Lev.  xx.  9.— P.  S.] 

10  Ver.  5.— [His  hefore  father  and  mother,  need  not  be  italicized;  the  definite  article  in  Greek  (to?  -jraTpl  ^  t?; 
/ui]Tpi)  having  here  the  force  of  our  possessive  pronoun.— P.  S.] 

II  Vers.  5  and  G.— [The  translation  of  this  somewhat  difficult  sentence,  which  is  generally  regarded  as  elliptical,  bnt- 
not  necessarily  so,  dejiends  partly  on  the  construction  (.see  Eseg.  Notes),  partly  on  the  reading.  The  common  text  reads, 
ver.  6:  ov  p-v  riuriari  (which  tho  E.  V.  co-ordinates  with  t>-v  ei'Trj;,  as  a  second  part  of  the  protsais :  ichosoerer  shall 
say  .  .  .and  honor  not) ;  but  the  majority  of  ancient  critical  authorities  are  in  favor  of  the  future :  oii  ^J.^^  ri/x-naei, 
either  with  Kai  (so  Tischondorf  and  Alford),  or  without  Kai  (as  Lachmann  and  Tregelles  read).  The  Cod.  Sinait  like- 
wise omits  Kai,  but  reads  t  i  fj.7]  ar] ,  and  inserts  after  cb(pi\T}dij';  the  words  :  ovSev  ear  iv ,  which  I  have  not  seen 
in  any  other  manuscript  or  critical  apparatus  (the  reading  is:  ovSev  ecmv  ov  fj.ri  ri/j.T](T7i  tov  irpa,  abridged  for  Trarfpa, 
etc.).  The  choice  lies  between  the  following  explanatory  translations  :  (1)  But  ye  say:  ''Whoever  saith  to  his  father  or 
motlier :  'A  giff  [_i.  e.,  it  is  an  offering  consecrated  to  God,  and  therefore  not  alienable  to  other  use],  'whatsoever  thou 
mightest  be  profited  with  from  me''  \i.  e.,  by  which  I  might  support  thee] ;  a')id  honor  not  (koX  ov  /xr)  rtfiriaT],  coordinate 
with  iiv  ei-rrr),  and  second  member  of  the  protasiti)  his  father  or  his  mother  ..."  (supply  the  apodosis:  he  shall  be  fi'ee, 
or  is  free,  viz.,  from  the  obligation  of  the  fifth  commandment).  Ayul  [words  of  the  Saviour]  ye  have  made  the  law  of  God 
of  no  effect,  for  the  sake  of  your  tradition.  (2)  Or,  if  we  re.ad  {noX)  ov  jxt]  Tt/ar^afi,  and  commence  here  the  words  of  the 
Lord,  we  must  translate:  But  ye  say:  "Whoever  saith  to  his  father  or  his  mother:  'It  is  a  gift  [i.  e.,  an  inalienable 
altar-offering] /row  which  t/iou  mightc.^t  be  benefited  by  me,''\  .  .  [supply  the  apodosis  of  the  Pharisees  :  the  same  is  not 
bound  to  honor  or  support  his  parents,  since  by  doing  so  he  would  violate  his  vow,  or  alienate  what  belongs  to  God]. 
{And)  he  [words  of  Christ]  sluill  in  no  ■iri.^e  honor  his  father  or  his  mother.  And  thus  ye  have  made  the  law  of  God  of 
no  effect,  etc.  So  Meyer  and  Lange.  But  this  ellipsis  seeuis  somewhat  forced  and  unnatural.  (3)  Or,  finally,  we  rilay  re- 
gard the  second  clause,  with  Grotius,  Bengcl,  Winer,  and  Conant,  as  the  apodosis,  no  matter  whether  we  read :  Kai  ov 
uT)  T  i  p.'h  a' ri ,  or  ov  /j.^  t  i/ul-t)  a  e  i.  I  prefer  the  latter  (without  Ka))  as  the  older  reading,  and  explain  :  But  ye  say  : 
"Wfioezier  saith,  etc.,  lie  (the  same)  s?i.ail  in  no  wise  honor  his  father  or  his  mother.''''  Thiis  have  ye,  etc.  This  explana- 
tion avoids  the  hypothesis  of  aa  aposiopesis  and  requires  no  supplement  of  an  apodosis ;  it  also  retains  the  full  force  of 
ov  /i'»},  a  strong  negative  asseveration,  which  in  connection  with  the  future  expresses  earnest  dissuasion  or  positive  pro- 
hibition (as  in  Matt.  xvi.  22:  ov  /j.^  tcrrai  aot  tovtu).  If  we  retain  Kai  we  must  explain  it,  with  "Winer:  "he  too,'''' 
i.  «.,  In  such  a  case  (comp.  Winer's  Grammatik,  etc.,  §64  sub  aposiopesis.  p,  529,  note  :  wer  eu  seinen  Fltern  spricM  .  .  . 
d^r  braucht  auch — in  diesem  Falle— seine  EUem  nicht  eit  Wircw),  or  render  with  Scrivener:  he  shall  not  then  ho>ior. 
At  all  events  it  seems  to  me  most  natural  to  regard  the  second  chanso  as  the  apodosis  of  the  Pharisees,  whicli  expresses 
their  decision  and  ncutr.ilizes  the  fifth  commandment.  The  Saviour  thinks  it  unnecessary  to  refute  them  and  simply 
states  the  result:  Thus  ye  have  made  the  law  of  God  of  no  «jfecf.— Conant  observe.s,  that  the  ellipsis  in  the  Common  Ver- 
sion :  he  sluill  be  free,  "  is  supjilied  from  Beza's  Latin  Version  :  insons  erit,  and  is  one  of  the  many  evidences  of  its  in- 
fluence (often  injuriou,")  on  King  James'  revisers,'"— P.  S.] 

12  Ver.  6. — [The  autliorities  are  divided  between  Trju  ii'To\r]v,  the  comnunidment,  tov  v6fxov.,th6  law, 
(Tischend.,  Alford),  and  rhv  \6yov,  the  word  (Lachm.  and  Tregelles.— P.  8.] 

13  Ver.  8.— The  words  of  the  text,  rec:  iyyi(ii  (xoi  b  \abs  ovros  t^j  (rroVaTi  aiiruiv,  are  wanting  in  the  oldest 


276 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


authorities  [including  Cod.  Sinait.],  and  uiiiittud  in  all  critical  editions  [since  Griesbacli].  Probably  an  insertion  from  tho 
fecjituagiut. 

'<  Ver.  17.— [Leave  out  yet.  The  best  authorities  and  editions  read  o  y,  not,  for  o^-nu,  not  yet.  Dr.  Lange  includes 
7ioc7t,  yet,  in  parenthesis.— P.  S.] 

's  Ver.  20. — [The  Greek  has  always  the  definite  article  before  &.vd))unros  in  this  Fcction,  and  the  E.  Vers,  thus  renders 
it  in  ver.  lb:  dcjile  the,  man. — P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CEITIGAL. 

Ver.  34.  Into  the  land  of  Gennesaret. — As 

the  time  of  persecution  had  commenced,  tliey  prob- 
ably landed  on  a  retired  part  of  the  coast.  This  ap- 
pears, 1.  from  the  manner  in  which  the  place  where 
they  landed  is  described ;  2.  from  the  circumstance 
that  the  people  of  that  place  brought  sick  persons 
from  the  scattered  houses  in  the  district,  and  that, 
according  to  Mark,  Jesus  passed  through  villages 
and  towns  before  He  appeared  in  the  synagogue  at 
Capernaum  ;  while,  lastly,  this  view  is  also  supported 
by  the  analogous  account  of  the  landing,  contained 
in  ch.  XV.  39.  The  designation,  "land  of  Gennesa- 
ret," Mark  vi.  53,  was  given  to  the  western  shore  of 
the  lake ;  from  which,  indeed,  the  latter  derived  its 
name.  According  to  Josephus  {De  Bella  Jud.  3,  10, 
8),  the  district  extended  30  furlongs  in  length  and 
20  iu  breadth,  so  that  it  must  have  comprised  only 
a  part  of  the  western  shore.  Robinson  (ii.  p.  400) 
suggests  that  it  extended  from  Khan  Minyeh  on  the 
north  to  Mejdel  on  the  south ;  in  which  case  it  would 
nearly  embrace  the  modern  district  of  el-Ghuweir,  or 
the  "  Little  Ghor."  According  to  Josephus,  the  cli- 
mate of  this  district  was  very  mild,  and  the  soil  fer- 
tile. 

Ver.  35.  And  when  the  men  of  that  place 
had  knowledge  of  Him. — Meanwhile  morning  had 
dawned,  and  Jesus  was  immediately  recognized  by 
the  people. 

Ver.  36.  The  fringe  of  His  garment. — Comp. 
is.  20.  Christ  merely  passed  through  the  district, 
and  the  haste  of  His  journey  accounts  for  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  cures  were  performed ;  the  expres- 
sion being  at  the  same  time  symbolical,  and  indicat- 
ing on  the  one  hand  the  most  passing  touch,  and  on 
the  other  the  strong  faith  of  the  people  in  that  dis- 
trict. We  might  almost  have  expected  that  tradi- 
tion would  have  laid  the  scene  of  healing  the  woman 
with  the  issue  of  blood  in  the  country  of  Gennesaret 
iastead  of  at  Paneas.  If  that  woman  lived  here 
after  she  was  restored,  we  may  perhaps  conjecture 
that  ever  afterward  special  importance  attached  in 
the  mind  of  the  people  to  tliis  mode  of  healing.  But 
we  must  remind  the  reader  that  Jesus  passed  through 
the  lower  district  of  the  sea-shore  when  He  perform- 
ed that  miracle. 

Ch.  XV.  1.  Then  met  Jesus,  etc. — The  follow- 
ing three  sections  (about  the  washing  of  hands,  the 
woman  of  Canaan,  and  the  second  feeding  of  the 
multitude)  are  only  related  by  Matthew  and  by  Mark. 
Between  these  events  and  those  formerly  related,  we 
must  insert  the  address  of  Jesus,  in  the  synagogue  at 
Capernaum,  concerning  the  manna  of  heaven  (John 
vi.  22-71),  as  also  the  festival  of  Easter,  which,  ac- 
cording to  John  vi.,  was  close  at  hand,  even  at  the 
first  feeding  of  the  multitude.  From  Luke  x.  38,  we 
would  infer  that  Jesus  had  on  that  occasion  tarried 
in  Bethany,  wliile  the  disciples  went  on  to  Jerusalem. 
In  the  Jewish  capital,  the  disciples  seem  to  have 
given  offence  by  their  bold  statements  and  by  the 
evangehcal  liberty  of  their  conduct.  Hence  Jesus 
jff^as  now  pharged  with  heresj  in  Galilee,  and  was 


watched  in  tlie  field.  Then  followed  the  healing  of 
the  man  with  the  withered  hand,  and  of  him  who 
was  possessed  with  a  blind  and  dumb  devil,  the  last 
conflict  between  Jesus  and  the  Pharisees  of  Galilee, 
the  parables  and  probably  the  events  recorded  in 
Luke  xiii.  1-9  and  11-1 7.  Meantime,  the  deputa- 
tion of  Pharisees  and  scribes,  with  winch  our  section 
opens,  had  arrived  from  Jerusalem ;  having  been 
despatched  partly  on  account  of  the  offence  which 
the  disciples  had  given  in  the  holy  city,  and  partly 
on  account  of  the  report  of  the  Pharisees  of  Galilee, 
to  the  eft'ect  that  Jesus  was  too  powerful  for  them, 
and  that  they  required  assistance  from  the  capital. — 
The  arrangement  of  Matthew  follows  the  order  of 
things  more  than  of  time.  After  having  related  how 
the  Lord  was  repelled  by  the  ruler  of  Gahlee,  he  now 
records  the  conflict  between  Jesus  and  the  supreme 
authorities  of  the  synagogue. 

The  Pharisees  and  Scribes. — With  the  arti- 
cle.* We  adopt  the  arrangement  of  Codd.  B.,  D., 
Grig.,  etc.,  by  which  the  Pharisees  are  mentioned  be- 
fore the  scribes,  although  this  is  opposed  by  Lach- 
mann  and  Tischendorf.  The  persecution  at  Jerusa- 
lem originated  with  the  Pharisees,  the  scribes  having 
given  it  a  proper  legal  form  in  the  shape  of  a  deputa- 
tion from  the  synagogue.  This  is  no  doubt  indicated 
by  the  use  of  the  article,  and  not,  as  Meyer  supposes, 
"  the  scribes  who  lived  in  Jerusalem  and  had  come 
thence."  The  deputation  represented  the  whole  body 
of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  in  Jerusalem.  There 
are  references  to  several  such  deputations  in  the  New 
Testament. 

Ver.  2.  Why  do  Thy  disciples  transgress  ? — 
Referring  to  the  occasion  to  which  we  have  above 
alluded.  The  charge  is  at  first  urged  iu  a  cautious 
manner,  although  the  Master  is  made  responsible  for 
the  supposed  transgressions  of  His  disciples. — The 
tradition,  irapaBocns . — A  new  and  more  danger- 
ous mode  of  attack.  Hitherto  they  had  only  charged 
Him  with  violating  the  Sabbath,  or  with  supposed 
transgressions  of  the  law  itself.  But  now  they  based 
their  accusations  upon  tradition,  as  of  acknowledged 
aiUhority.  The  miraculous  cures  of  Jesus  and  His 
teachmg  might  be  urged  in  answer  to  their  charges 
of  violation  of  the  law  ;  but  the  disciples  were  appar- 
ently transgressing  the  traditions  without  any  excuse 
for  it.  The  irapaSoo-ij,  aypatpos  SiSaaKaXia.  Hesy- 
chlus.  See  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  Within  the 
circle  of  His  disciples,  Jesus  had  from  the  first  de- 
clared Himself  opposed  to  traditions,  but  their  renun- 
ciation on  the  part  of  His  followers  had  only  of  late 
appeared.  This  charge  of  the  Pharisees  is  illustrated 
by  the  following  extract.  Meyer :  "  The  Jews  at- 
tached greater  value  to  tradition  than  even  to  the 
written  law,  appealing  in  support  of  it  to  Deut.  iv. 
14  ;  xvii.  10.  More  especially  did  they  pay  respect 
to  the  traditionary  injunction  of  washing  the  hands 
before  meals,  to  which  it  was  thought  Lev.  xv.  11 
referred.  See  Lightfoot,  Schijttgen,  and  Wetstein  on 
the  passage."  Jesus  did  not  reject  this  tradition, 
viewing  it  merely  as  a  custom  (which  was  also  com- 
mon among  the  Persians,  Greeks,  and  Romans).     He 

*  [See  my  critical  note  6,  p.  2T5.  Cod.  Sinait  likewise 
puts  the  Pharisees  first. — P.S.] 


CHAP.  XIV.  84-36,  XV.  1-20. 


277 


only  refused  to  recognize  it  as  a  binding  or  religious 
ordinance,  and  hence  omitted  it  in  urgent  circum- 
stances. Tlie  whole  passage  may  be  regarded  as 
throwing  a  peculiar  light  upon  the  history  of  Phari- 
saism, with  its  "  hedge  around  the  law,"  and  upon 
that  of  the  Sanhedrim  and  of  the  Talmud. 

Of  the  elders. — Fritzsche  :  The  teachers  of  the 
law.  Meyer :  Our  ancestors,  with  special  reference 
to  lleb.  xi.  2.  But  we  must  not  forget  that  the 
official  irpfa-^vTefjOi  of  the  Sauhedrin  and  of  the 
synagogues  were  the  theocratic  authorities  which 
administered  and  sanctioned  the  traditions  of  their 
ancestors. 

Ter.  4.  Let  him  die  the  death. — In  the  original 
Hebrew :  r^or  nio  ,  he  shall  surely  die.  The  Sept. 
rcudei'S  it,  he  shall  end  by  death  (by  execution) : 
Oavdrcf)  re\evra.Tw. 

Ver.  5.  But  ye  say. — The  change  of  the  verb 
deser\^es  notice.  It  is  a  gift,  Swpov,  "3"};^  ,  a  sacri- 
fice or  gift  to  the  temple.  There  are  two  significant 
omissions  in  the  phraseology  of  the  text.  1.  eVri  or 
eiTTai  is  omitted.  If  a  person  merely  jn-onounced  the 
word  "  Corban  "  over  any  possession  or  property,  it 
was  irrevocably  dedicated  to  the  temple.  Thus  it 
became  a  kind  of  interdict.  Compare  Lightfoot, 
von  Ammon  ii.  226.  Mishna,  cmD ,  de  votis. 
Joseph.  Confr.  Ap.  1,  22. — 2.  "But  ye  say,  or  make 
the  tradition,  Whosoever  shall  say  to  his  father,  or 
his  mother,  It  is  a  gift !  that  with  which  thou  might- 
est  be  assisted  by  me,"  .  .  .  Here  Jesus  breaks  off  and 
allows  His  opponents  to  state  their  own  conclusion, 
which  was  as  follows  :  "  he  is  free  of  his  duty  as  a 
child."  Tlie  Lord  seems  unwilling  to  draw,  or  at 
least  to  state,  the  sinful  conclusion  at  which  Phari- 
saism had  arrived.  Hence  the  aposiopesis,  which 
appears  most  clearly  in  the  language  of  Mark,  is 
peculiarly  suitable.*  Perhaps  the  inference  might 
have  been  differently  expressed  by  some  of  tiae  Puib- 
bins.  Jesus,  however,  draws  his  own  conclusion,! 
which  is  :  He  will  surely  not  honor  his  father  or 
his  mother.  So  Meyer.  But  Grotius,  Bengel,  and 
Winer  regard  this  clause  as  being  the  words  of  the 
Pharisees  themselves,  implying :  He  neetl  not  honor 
his  father,  etc.  But  this  view  is  improbable  in 
itself,  and  contrary  to  the  language  of  the  text. 
[Not  at  all.  Comp.  my  critical  note  11  on  vers.  5  and 
C,  p.  275.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  6.  Made  of  no  effect. — More  than  merely 
"  transgressed."  Some  Ral^bius  (as  Rabbi  Eliezer) 
regarded  the  duty  of  children  to  honor  their  parents 
as  higher  than  all  the  commandments.  But  the 
Jewish  authorities  insisted  that  vows,  even  if  incom- 
patible with  this  injunction,  were  binding. 

Ver.  7.  Well  (aptly,  ica\u)<;)  did  Isaiah  pro- 
phesy of  you.  Is.  xxix.  13. — Not  in  the  sense  of 
natural  inspiration  (de  Wette),  uor  of  prediction  in 
the  strictest  sense  (Meyer),  nor  merely  of  applica- 
tion (Maldonatus) ;  but  as  iu  Matt.  xiii.  14  sqq.  with 
special  reference  to  Isa.  vi.  We  have  here  the  other 
aspect  of  the  hardening  to  which  the  prophet  re- 
ferred, in  the  shape  of  a  i)retcndcd  sanctity.  As  the 
statement  of  Isaiah  in  reference  to  the  hardening  of 
his  cotemporaries  was  completely  fulfilled  in  the  co- 

*  [The  'tposiopesis  is  clear  in  tlie  parallel  pascage  of 
Mark  vii.  11,  after  Kop^av,  but  he  omits  the  second  clause 
altogether,  viz.  the  words:  (ku'i)  ov  ut)  Tiix-fimt  (ti.uV/o-j;), 
which  create  the  only  ditHciilty  in  our  case.— P.  S.] 

+  [This  is  inconsistent  with  the  preceding  remark  that 
the  Saviour  was  unwilling  to  draw  or  to  state  the  conclusion 
of  the  Pharisees.— P.  3.] 


temporaries  of  Jesus,  so  also  his  statement  about 
their  pretended  sanctity  ;  in  other  words,  his  verbal 
prophecy  alxiut  his  cotemjioraries  was,  in  this  respect 
also,  a  typical  prophecy  of  the  times  of  Jesus. 

Ver.  9.  In  vain,  ^  ci  t  rj  c . — Meyer  explains  the 
expression  as  implying  that  it  was />?«tZes.s  (without 
moral  result)  and  groundless  (temere).  In  our  opin- 
ion, it  expresses  the  idea  of  emptiness  or  vanity, 
which  includes  groundlessness  in  point  of  principle, 
and  fruiflessness  so  far  as  results  were  concerned. 
The  Hebrew  text  has  no  expression  corresi)onding  to 
this  M  a  T  rj  r  ;  but  the  Sept.  may  probably  have  trans- 
lated from  another  reading. 

Ver.  10.  Then  He  called  the  multitude.— The 
Saviour  turns  away  from  these  hypocrites,  whose 
questions  about  the  washing  of  the  hands  He  does 
not  even  condescend  to  answer,  since  out  of  their 
own  mouths  they  were  convinced  of  making  the  com- 
mandments of  (jod  of  no  effect.  Christ  now  turns  to 
the  people,  and  instructs  them  in  the  difference  be- 
tween Levitical  and  real  defilement.  • 

Ver.  11.  Not  that  which  goeth  into  the 
mouth  defileth ; — i.  e.,  with  reference  to  the  rela- 
tion between  Levitical  defilement  and  the  br\  , 
or  profa7ius,  in  the  real  sense  of  the  term.  The 
Lord  presents  the  Levitical  idea  of  impurity  in  a 
moral  light.  The  question  is  not — to  take  the  pres- 
ent instance — to  be  decided  by  the  physical  mouth 
(or  tlie  use  of  certain  meats),  but  by  the  moral 
mouth  (or  the  language).  What  is  here  said  con- 
cerning the  going  into  and  coming  out  of  the  mouth, 
applies  to  the  whole  series  of  Levitical  and  moral 
injunctions  concerning  purity.  The  statement  was 
in  the  first  place,  indeed,  intended  as  a  justification 
of  His  disciples  on  the  charge  brought  against  them 
by  the  Pharisees.  But  the  inference  was  obvious, 
that  all  these  injunctions  required  to  be  fulfilled  in  a 
higher  sense  (although  this  did  not  imply  that  the 
Lord  denied  their  validity  as  Levitical  ordinances). 
As  a  matter  of  course,  when  the  symbol  would  be 
completely  fulfilled,  its  outward  representation  must 
fall  to  the  ground. 

Ver.  12.  After  they  heard  this  saying. — 
"  This  remark  is  commonly  referred  to  vers.  3-9. 
But  we  would  rather  apply  it,  with  Euthyni.  Zigab., 
to  ver.  11."  Meyer.  It  is,  indeed,  quite  true  that  it 
would  have  been  unpossible  for  them  to  have  replied 
to  vers.  3-9,  while  in  answer  to  ver.  11  they  might 
bring  against  Him  the  charge  of  subverting  not  only 
tradition,  but  even  the  written  law.  Still,  their 
anger  about  His  application  to  them  of  the  prophecy 
of  Isaiah  must  have  increased  their  resentment  and 
offence  at  His  \6yos.  Nor  must  we  here  omit  to  ob- 
serve the  moral  distinction  between  giving  offence 
to  the  Pharisees  and  to  the  least  of  the  disciples. 

Ver.  13.  Every  plant. — Referring  to  the  ieach- 
ing  and  the  iraditiom  of  the  Pharisees  (Ewald, 
Meyer,  etc.),  not  to  tlieir  persons  (Fritzsclie,  Olshau- 
sen,  de  Wette).  At  the  same  time,  we  should  also 
bear  in  mind  what  was  said  in  Matt.  xiii.  about  the 
identification  of  individuals  with  the  doctrines  which 
they  professed. 

Ver.  14.  Into  the  ditch. — The  cistern.  Meyer 
supposes  that  the  expression  refers  to  Gehenna,  im- 
plying that  they  were  hopelessly  lost.  But,  in  our 
opinion,  it  primarily  ap[)lies  to  historical  and  na- 
tional, not  to  personal  judgments.  We  infer  this 
from  the  fact,  tluvt  both  classes  of  the  blind  are  said 
to  fall  into  the  ditch, — those  who  feel  their  need  of 
being  guided  (or  the  people),  as  well  as  those  who 


2T8 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


think  they  see,  and  assume  to  be  leaders  {see  John 
ix.).  The  dift'erence  between  them,  however,  was 
very  great ;  and  with  reference  to  the  Jewish  people, 
comp.  Rom.  ix.-xi. 

Ver.  15.  Peter. — Acting  as  the  representative  of 
all  the  disciples ;  see  Mark  vii.  17. — This  parable. — 
The  whole  discourse  was  parabolical,  but  sufKciently 
explained  by  the  context,  and  not,  as  Peter  seems  to 
have  supposed,  a  separiile  parable  in  the  more  Um- 
ited  sense  of  the  term.  It  appears  as  if  Peter  had 
felt  it  difficult  to  distinguish  between  the  symbol  and 
the  reaUty.  Jesus  had  em'ployed  the  physical  as  an 
emblem  of  the  moral  mouth,  and  in  that  particular 
His  statement  might  be  regarded  as  parabohcal. 
But  even  in  that  respect  the  paraljolical  form  had 
not  been  strictly  carried  out. 

Yer.  lY.  Do  not  ye  understand  ? — The  place 
where  the  bodily  functions  are  iinally  purified,  is 
that  where  they  terminate,  6  a  <t>  t  o  p  d' v  (which,  ac- 
cording to  Suidas,  designates  both  anum  and  sd- 
lam ;  derivatur  enlm  airh  t uv  iSpwv.  The  tenn 
is  evidently  related  to  £i(f)e5poy,  by  which  the  Sept. 
render  the  place  where  menstruous  women  under- 
went purification).  But  that  which  constitutes  the 
true  nature  of  man  can  only  be  cleansed  if  the  heart, 
whence  words  o,nd  actions  issue,  is  purified.  And 
this  is  the  only  true  purity,  contrasted  with  which 
all  symboUcal  purifications  are  of  no  value.  {See 
above,  the  antithesis  between  mercy  and  sacrifice.) 
A  symbol  becomes  null  and  void  if  applied  against 
the  truth  which  it  had  been  intended  to  present  to 
the  mind.  In  that  case  its  real  object  is  lost,  and  it 
does  harm  instead  of  good.     Compare  here  Mark. 

Ver.  19.  For  out  of  the  heart  proceed. — The 
Saviour  implies  that  c'v'il  works  first  pass  th.rough 
the  channel  of  an  evil  mouth,  thus  disclosing  the  evil 
state  of  the  heart. 


DOCTIUNAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  As  the  Gospel  histoiy  unfolds,  the  gulf  be- 
tween the  beUeviug  and  tJie  unbelieving  portion  of 
the  people  becomes  wider.  If  the  former  would  fain 
touch  the  hem  of  Bis  garment  in  order  to  be  restored, 
the  latter  excommunicate  Him,  because  His  disciples 
had  offended  against  their  traditions. 

2.  Let  us  mark  the  progressive  hostility  against 
the  Lord.  First  the  Pharisees  of  Judea,  then  they 
of  Galilee,  had  pronounced  against  Him  ;  while  both 
are  now  combined  against  Him  und  His  word.  The 
expression,  "  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  from  Jerusa- 
lem," clearly  imphes  that  they  were  a  deputation 
from  the  synagogue,  representing  the  whole  body  of 
the  Pharisees  and  scribes. 

3.  No  doubt  the  peculiar  arrangement  adopted  by 
Matthew  was  intended  to  indicate  this  state  of  mat- 
ters. Hence  the  description  of  Christ's  conflict  with 
the  secular  authorities  is  followed  by  that  of  the 
assaults  on  the  part  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes. 

4.  The  increasing  bitterness  of  His  enemies  ap- 
pears also  from  the  circumstance,  that  they  now 
charged  Him,  in  presence  of  the  people,  with  setting 
at  nought  pojiular  traditions.  They  evidently  seem 
to  have  regarded  the  conduct  of  the  disciples  as 
reflectmg  the  teaching  of  their  Master.  Hence  the 
Lord  feels  called  upon  to  set  before  the  people  the 
contrast  between  self-righteous  traditionalism  and  the 
eternal  commandments  of  God.  This  He  illustrates 
in  connection  with  tlie  first  and  most  special  law  of 
humanity.     But  the  principle  here  laid  down  em- 


braces a  far  wider  range.  It  condemns  all  dead  tra- 
ditionalism which  is  inconsistent  with  life,  and  indeed 
every  ecclesiastical  ordinance  v/hich  in  spirit  or  iu 
form  is  uicompatible  with  the  fundamental  principles 
of  our  humanity,  with  the  institutions  of  God,  or  with 
the  demands  of  our  moral  nature. 

5.  The  mere  traditions  of  men  are  plants  which 
our  Father  in  heaven  has  not  planted.  They  have 
sprung  from  temporal  motives,  were  suljservient  to 
temporal  interests,  and  becajue  a  temporal  curse  to 
those  who  blindly  follov/ed  them.  Hence  also  they 
shall  at  last  meet  with  an  earthly  fate,  and  be  rooted 
up.  According  to  Heubner,  the  future  tense,  here 
used,  must  be  regarded  as  implying  that  a  certain 
thing  must  necessarily  be  done.  Btit  although  it  is 
cjuite  true  that  Christ  by  His  word  roots  up  the  prin- 
ciple of  tradition  in  His  Church,  yet  the  actual  pro- 
cess of  uprooting  will  take  place  in  the  course  of 
those  judgments  which  the  progress  of  history  shall 
evolve.     Comp.  1  Cor.  iii.  18. 

6.  The  antithesis  between  the  mouth  in  the  phys- 
ical and  in  the  moral  sense  involved  a  principle  by 
vihich  all  the  ordinances  concerning  meats  were  re- 
moved, in  A-iew  of  and  as  fulfilled  by  the  law  of  the 
spirit.  This,  indeed,  was  the  main  gi'ound  of  offence 
to  the  Pharisees.  However,  it  was  not  the  intention 
of  the  Lord  to  annul  on  this  occasion  these  ordinan- 
ces, as  little  as  He  meant  to  enjoin  the  cessation  of 
sacrifices  when  He  quoted  the  saying  of  the  prophet, 
"  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice."  In  the  pres- 
ent uistance  also,  a  reference  to  the  Hebrew  expres- 
sion would  exhibit  the  right  relationship  between 
what  was  material  and  what  unmaterial  (which  had 
been  perverted  by  hypocrisy),  implying,  as  it  did, 
that  the  latter  was  of  no  importance,  and  even  con- 
temptible, when  contrasted  with  what  in  itself  was 
material.  On  the  symbolical  import  of  these  ordi- 
nances comp.  the  well  known  works  on  Old  Testa- 
ment SymboUsm  [by  Biihr,  Kurtz,  Fairbairn],  and 
the  article  lieinic/keit  in  Winer's  Bilil.  Encycl.  The 
religious  lustrations  prescribed  in  the  law  gave  rise 
to  the  Pharisaical  ordinances  concerning  the  wash- 
ing of  hands  before  meals.  •  In  His  teaching  the 
Lord  goes  back  upon  the  fundamental  principle 
of  all  lustrations,  laying  peculiar  stress  on  the  an- 
tithesis between  what  was  external  and  what  was 
internal,  since  the  Pharisees  were  in  danger  of  substi- 
tuting what  was  intended  as  a  symbol,  for  the  reality 
to  which  it  pointed. 

7.  The  words  of  Jesus  may  be  regarded  both  as 
a  doctrinal  and  as  a  controversial  statement.  The 
charge  of  the  Pharisees  implied  that  He  and  His  dis- 
ciples were  a  company  of  defiled  sinners.  Our  Lord 
retorts  by  showing  that  defilement  really  attached  to 
the  Pharisees,  not  in  any  outward  sense,  but  by  the 
wicked  thoughts  issuing  from  their  hearts.  The  doc- 
trine, that  out  of  the  heart  come  e%il  thoughts,  is  not 
inconsistent  with  the  dogma  concerning  the  devil, 
since  Satan  can  only  tempt  man,  not  produce  sin  in 
him.     Comp.  James  i.  14. 

8.  The  moment  when  Christ  turns  from  the  rulers 
of  the  synagogue  to  address  Himself  to  the  people,  is 
both  highly  significant  in  itself  and  typical.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  the  fact,  that  immediately  after- 
ward He  passed  for  the  first  time  beyond  the  bound- 
ary of  the  Holy  Land  ;  not,  indeed,  directly  into  the 
coast  of  Tyre,  although  soon  afterward  into  the  terri- 
tory of  Sidon.  "  Perhaps  He  found  it  necessary  to 
impress  upon  the  disciples,  who  as  yet  could  not 
fully  receive  the  contrast  between  Pharisaism  and 
the"rehgion  of  the  Spirit,  that  the  curse  of  defilement 


CHAP.  XIV.  S.4-36,  XY.  1-20. 


279 


hung  over  the  Holy  Land."  Shnikrly,  Ehjah,  when 
he  could  no  longer  find  a  habitation  in  Judea,  had 
passed  into  Phoenicia,  and  even  tarried  there  for  a 
time. 

HOMILKTICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

The  welcome  and  the  ban  which  aw.iited  the 
Lord  on  His  return  into  His  own  country. — The 
secret  landing  of  the  Lonl  anon  a  public  event. — The 
secret  arrival  of  Christ  a  blessed  event  %r  the  poor 
and  needy  who  trusted  in  Him. — How  the  Pharisees 
and  scribes  would  have  shut  up  the  way  of  the  Lord : 

1.  Opposing  their  human  authority  to  His  di\due 
mission ;  2.  their  vain  scholastic  questions  to  His 
heavenly  revelation  ;  3.  the  objections  of  their  tradi- 
tionalism to  His  proclamation  of  mercy ;  4.  their 
miserable  pretensions  to  His  blessed  reality  ;  o.  their 
thoughts  of  death  to  His  way  of  life. — Sad  decay  of  the 
once  glorious  synagogue. — The  small  masters  in  the 
presence  of  the  great  Master.  1.  They  call  on  Him, 
who  is  the  Judge  and  Saviour  of  the  world,  to  rebuke 
His  disciples ;  2.  to  wash  that  hand  which  restores 
life  and  health  ;  3.  to  purify  that  mouth  whose  word 
and  breath  sanctify  the  world  ;  4.  to  hallow  the  meal 
of  Him  who  is  the  bread  of  hfe. — The  tradUionalisni 
of  the  elders  in  its  antagonism  to  the  law  of  the  Eter- 
nal One:  1.  By  a  perversion  of  the  law  it  dares  to 
prefer  cliarges  against  Him  who  is  the  personal  law ; 

2.  by  its  traditions  it  renders  vain  even  the  eternal 
commandments  of  God  ;  3.  under  the  mask  of  sanc- 
tity it  dares  to  condemn  everlasting  righteousness 
itself. — Inseparable  connection  l)etweeu  zeal  for  tra- 
ditions and  hypocrisy. — How  the  Lord  brings  to 
nought  the  plans  of  these  zealots  :  1.  By  replying  to 
them,  (a)  throwing  light  on  their  doctrine;  {li)  on 
their  character  ;  2.  by  turning  from  them,  (a)  giving 
liberty  to  the  people  by  the  word  of  hberty  ;  (Ij)  giv- 
ing hberty  to  His  own  disciples  by  the  call  of  liljerty : 
"  Let  them  alone." — Hypocrisy  in  its  historical  de- 
velopment :  1.  What  fonns  it  assumed  at  the  time  of 
Isaiah  ;  2.  at  the  time  of  Christ ;  3.  in  our  own  days. 
— The  unprofitableness  and  the  judgments  of  hypoc- 
risy :  1.  It  is  a  spurious  service  of  the  lips  ;  2.  it  is 
a  vain  and  external  service  of  the  temple  ;  3.  it  is  the 
vain  service  of  the  schools  (unreal  in  the  family,  in 
the  church,  in  the  school,  and  in  the  state). — Let  us 
meet  the  hypocrisy  of  officiahsm  by  imitating  the 
example  of  the  Lord  and  turning  to  the  people. — The 
teaching  of  the  Pharisees,  and  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord.  1.  The  former  exalt  what  is  sensuous  above 
that  which  is  spiritual,  the  external  (as,  for  exam- 
ple, washings,  fasts,  prayers,  almsgiving,  etc.)  above 
the  internal ;  while  Jesus  sanctifies  what  is  external 
by  that  which  is  internal.  2.  The  Pharisees  convert 
the  emblem  into  the  reality,  and  thereby  destroy  it ; 
while  Jesus  merges  in  and  fulfils  the  symbol  by  the 
reahty. — The  ofi'ence  of  the  Pharisees. — Objections 
to  traditionalism :  1.  It  wants  a  divine  origin.  It 
has  not  its  root  in  truth  or  in  life,  and  hence  has 
neither  divine  authority  nor  divine  efficacy.  It  will 
give  way  before  divine  institutions  (it  is  rooted  up) ; 
it  must  give  way  before  spiritual  civilization,  like 
heathenism,  or  hke  primeval  forests. — "  Let  tJiem 
alone"  (ver.  13),  or  justification  of  tlie  Reformation 
by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord. — The  blind  leaders  of  the 
blind.  1.  What  they  have  in  common:  [a)  Their 
guilt  ;  (6)  their  ultimate  fate.  2.  Wherein  they 
differ:  the  blind  leaders  are  responsible  both  for 
themselves  and  for  those  whom  they  mislead ;  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally  sinful  on  the  part  of  j 


the  bhnd  to  allow  themselves  to  be  led  by  ])lind  load- 
ers.— The  fall  into  the  ditch. — "  Do  not  ye  yet  under- 
stand, that  whatsoever  cntereth  into  the  mouth," 
etc.  ? — Terril)k!  import  of  these  words  of  the  Lord  in 
regard  to  those  who  pass  moral  judgments  upon 
points  connected  with  merely  outward  observances. 
— Even  the  mouth  must  be  regarded  as  sacred  to  the 
Lord,  and  what  it  partakes  becomes  a  spiritual  feast, 
but  only  fron\  its  connection  with,  and  dependence 
upon,  the  state  of  the  heart. — If  we  seek  purity  in 
external  things,  our  purification,  being  of  the  earth, 
will  pass  away. — That  which  proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  Cometh  forth  from  the  heart. — Keep  thy  heart 
with  all  diligence,  for  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of  hfe, 
Prov.  iv.  23. — The  deeds  of  the  heart  manifesting 
themselves  by  the  words  of  the  mouth. — Whatever 
cleaves  to  and  defaces  an  object  contrary  to  its  pur- 
pose, defiles  it ;  hence  the  defilement  of  sin. — The 
progress  of  that  defilement  which  separates  between 
the  Lord  and  us:  1.  Evil  distinctions  (exaltation  of 
the  outward  over  the  inward) ;  2.  adulteries  (apos- 
tasy from  the  Uving  God) ;  3.  fornications  (with  the 
world  and  its  pomp) ;  4.  thefts  (what  is  holy  is  taken 
from  the  Lord  and  given  to  the  world) ;  5.  false  wit- 
nesses (lying  accusations  against  what  is  holy) ;  6. 
blasphemies  (see  Matt.  xii.). — What  defileth  a  man 
before  God:  1.  Wherein  defilement  consisteth ;  2. 
how  it  is  contracted. — How  eternal  purity  answered 
the  charge  of  defilement  brought  against  it  by  im- 
pure sinners. — How  the  wondrous  beauty,  purity, 
and  deUcacy  of  the  emblem  may  be  perverted  into 
impurity,  if  it  is  set  up  in  opposition  to  the  reaUty 
which  it  was  intended  to  foreshadow. 

Starke : — Nov.  Bill.  Tub. :  Those  self-conceited 
hypocrites  who  boast  of  being  the  Church,  are  gen- 
erally the  worst  enemies  and  persecutors  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ.  Full  of  impurity  themselves,  they 
represent  as  sin  what  is  not  sin,  and  spy  out  the 
hberty  of  Christians,  Gal.  ii.  4  ;  2  Tim.  iii.  5." — What  a 
shame  that  the  name  of  God  should  be  used  as  a  pre- 
text to  cover  ambition  and  covetousness  !  This  the 
false  church  has  always  done. —  Que-inel :  A  desire 
for  new  inventions,  and  love  for  old  errors  and  super- 
stitions, are  the  fruitful  source  whence  the  disturban- 
ces of  the  Church  spring,  1  Tim.  i.  4-7. —  Cramer: 
This  is  the  mark  of  all  hypocrites  and  sanctimonious 
persons,  that  they  treat  as  a  matter  of  conscience 
things  indifiercnt,  while  they  deal  lightly  with  things 
of  which  they  should  make  a  matter  of  conscience. — 
Woe  to  children  who  would  rather  see  the  back  than 
the  face  of  their  parents,  who  would  rather  commit 
them  to  the  grave  than  support  them ! — Quesnel:  It  is 
sacrilegious  to  devote  to  God  what  should  have  been 
given  in  fulfilment  of  duties  to  v.hich  the  mstincts  of 
nature  and  the  law  of  God  equally  point. — Hedinger: 
Beware  of  sanctimonious  people :  they  deceive  the 
simple,  but  are  ignorant  of  Christ. — Nothing  is  to  be 
refused  if  it  be  received  with  thanksgiving,  1  Tim.  iv. 
4. — An  unwashen  mouth. — The  heart  in  its  natural 
state  a  poisonous  fountain  of  evil  thoughts. — Every 
plant,  etc.,  1  Cor.  iii.  12. — It  is  quite  possible  to  be 
spiritually  blind  while  possessing  accurate  knowledge 
of  the  letter  and  even  outward  learning,  Isa.  Ivi.  10. 
— Nov.  Bihl.  Tub.  :  That  which  is  external  can 
neither  defile  nor  sanctify  what  is  within,  but  the 
mind  and  heart  sanctify  or  defile  the  outward  deed. 
— Gossner:  Lymg  traditions  are  turned  into  truth, 
and  the  Word  of  God  and  the  truth  of  Christ  are 
condemned  as  lies  and  heresies. — God  desires  above 
all  tlie  heart. — Look  to  your  plants.  What  does  not 
proceed  from  God.  is  not  tolerated  by  God. — Preach- 


280 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


ers  and  hearers  often  lie  in  the  same  ditch  of  igno- 
rance, worldliuess,  and  pharisaical  self-righteousness. 

Lhco: — It  is  characteristic  of  a  false  faith  to 
exalt  the  traditions  of  men  above  the  commandments 
of  God. —  Gerlach : — It  is  characteristic  of  sin  that  it 
cannot  remain  quiescent,  but  must  manifest  itself 
outwardly,  and  thereby  be  completed. — A  high  repu- 
tation before  men,  and  the  applause  of  our  cotempo- 
raries,  are  of  no  avail  in  the  kingdom  of  God  if  the 
new  birth  be  wanting. — That  which  is  external  re- 
mains such,  even  though  a  man  have  received  it  in- 
ternally. 

Heubner : — Genuine  and  spurious  purity. — The 
false  teachers  calling  the  heavenly  Master  to  account. 
— They  accuse  Him  of  fhstilling  into  His  disciples 
erroneous  and  dangerous  principles. — Let  us  not  be 
astonished  when  we  see  the  most  vain  and  heartless 
persons  arrogating  to  themselves  the  post  of  leaders 


in  religious  matters. — Custom  has  frequently  the 
most  pernicious  authority,  and  proves  a  fetter  to  the 
truth. — Immense  difference  between  the  traditions  of 
men  and  the  commandments  of  God. — Outward  reli- 
gious claims  can  never  come  into  conflict  with  those 
of  love. — None  could  have  been  further  removed 
from  a  religion  without  love  and  righteousness  than 
Christ. — Any  religious  or  ecclesiastical  usage  which 
proves  inconsistent  with  the  law  of  love  is  an  abom- 
ination unto  Him. — The  words  of  the  prophets  always 
true. — Th% human  heart  the  same  at  different  periods 
of  time. — Man  has  a  natural  tendency  to  hypocrisy. 
— How  careful  are  we  to  be  outwardly  ])ure,  regard- 
less of  the  state  of  matters  within  ! — To  follow  Jesus, 
we  must  be  free  from  all  human  authority. — The 
heart  of  man,  which  ought  to  be  a  temidc  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  naturally  the  dweUing-place  of  all  abom- 
inations. 


2.   Chrisfs  Journey  into  the  Heathen  Coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  the  Woman  of  Canaan.     Ch.  XV. 

21-28. 

(The  Gospel  for  Reminiscere.) 

21  Then  Jesus  went  tlience,^  and  departed  [withdrew,  av^x^PW^^^  "^to  the  coasts  [re- 

22  gions]  of  Tyre  and  Sidon.  And,  behold,  a. woman  of  Canaan  came  out  of  tlie  same 
coasts,  and  cried  unto  him,  saying,  Have  mercy  on  me,  0  Lord,  thou  Son  of  David ; 

23  my  daughter  is  grievously  vexed  with  a  devil  [KaKws  Sat/tovt^erat] .  But  he  answered 
her  not  a  word.     And  his   disciples  came  and  besought  him,  saying.  Send  her  away 

24  [dismiss  her]^;  for  she  crieth  after  us.     But  he  answered  and  said,  1  am  not  sent  but 

25  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.     Then  came  she  and  worshipped  him,  saying, 

26  Lord,  help  me.     But  he  answered  and  said,  It  is  not  meet^  to  take  the  children's  bread, 

27  and  to  cast  it  to  [little]  dogs.     And  .she  said,  Truth  [Yea,  Nut],  Lord:  yet  [for  even]* 

28  the  [little]  dogs*  eat  of  the  crumbs  which  fall  from  their  master's  table.  Then  Jesus 
answered  and  said  unto  her,  0  woman,  great  is  thy  faitb :  be  it  [done,  yev^^r^Tw]  unto 
thee  even  ®  as  thou  wilt.     And  her  daughter  was  made  whole  from  that  very  hour, 

1  Ver.  2].— [Lit.  :  went  forth  from  thence  {i^eKdwv  iKe70ev)  ;  Lange:  ging  aiis  von  dori.—P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  23.— [Lange  translates  dirdKvaov  avTov  :  finde  sie  ah,  either  by  granting  or  refusing  her  request;  Campbell, 
Norton,  Conant,  Alford :  dimiiss  her.  So  also  Meyer  :  entlasse  sie,  viz.,  by  granting  her  request,  which  is  implied  in  the 
answer  of  Christ,  ver.  24. — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  26.— Fritzsche,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Alford]  read:  ovk  «|e<rTi,  following  D.  and  some  versions  and 
fathers  [instead  of  the  foa-i.  rcc.  o  1/ K  ecrri  ku\6;',  it  is  not  good,  or  proper].  A  false  interpretation.  [Meyer  derives 
the  received  reading  from  Mark  vii.  27,  and  prefers  ovk  e^ecrr  i,  es  ist  nicht  erhmht,  it  is  not  lawful,  it  is  wrong. 
Lange  retains  tlie  received  reading  and  translates  Ka.\6v:  fein.  Codd.  Alex..  Vatic.,  and  Sinait.  sustain  the  text.  rec. : 
oiiK  ear  I.  Ka\6r.—V.  S.] 

■•  Ver.  27. — [Ka.1  yap  cannot  mean  yet  (Luther  :  aierdoch;  Campbell:  yet  even), -which  denotes  opposition,  and 
would  qualify  the  preceding  affirmative:  Yea,  but /or  also,  nam  etiam,  or  nam  et  (Lat.  Vulgate),  denn  audi  (Lange),  by 
which  the  wonv^  supports  her  assent  to  the  Saviour's  assertion  and  turns  it  to  her  own  account.  Alford:  "The  sense  of 
Ka\  yap  is  not  given  by  'yeV  in  the  E.  V.  The  woman,  in  her  humility,  accepts  the  appellation  which  our  Lord  gives 
her,  and  grounds  her  p)lea  upon  an  inference  from  it.  .  .  .  Our  Lord,  in  the  use  of  the  familiar  diminutive  [(du'ctpm], 
has  expressed  not  the  iincleanness  of  the  dog.  so  much  as  his  attachment  to  and  dependence  on  the  hvman family ; 
she  lays  hold  on  this  favorable  point,  and  makes  it  her  own,  'if  we  are  dogs,  then  may  we  fare  as  such;— be  fed  with  the 
crumbs  of  Thy  mercy.'  She  was,  as  it  were,  under  the  edge  of  the  table— close  on  the  confines  of  Israel's  feast."  Comp. 
also  Lange's  Exeg.  Note.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  27.— [Lit.  here  and  in  ver.  26 :  Utile  dogs,  Kvpdpia;  Vulg.  :  catelli ;  Luther  and  Lange :  Jliindlein.  The 
Lord  purposely  softened  the  harsh  term,  and  caused  his  mercy  to  shine  through  the  Jewish  contempt  of  the  heathen. 
Comp.  Enreg.  Notes.— V.  S.] 

^  Ver.  28. — \_Dven  is  an  unnecessary  insertion  of  the  E.  V. — P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  21.  The  journey  of  Jesus  through  the 
regions  of  Tyre  and  Sidon. — The  representatives 
of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  at  Jerusalem  had  not 


merely  accused  the  Lord  of  transgressing  the  tradi- 
tions, but  also  indirectly  declared  Him  defiled,  or 
profane,  because  in  the  circle  of  His  disciples  He 
had  omitted  the  washing  of  hands.  To  this  charge 
Jesus  had  replied,  by  convincing  them  of  their  own 
moral   defilement,  contracted    by  their   words   and 


CHAP.  XV.  21-28. 


281 


thought;;.  The  interview  had  ended  in  their  taking 
offence,  which,  of  course,  imphed  that  Jesus  was  now 
to  be  formally  accused  of  heresy.  Accordingly,  as 
pi'eviously  in  Judea,  so  now  in  Galilee,  He  could  no 
longer  show  Himself  openly  without  being  exposed  to 
their  murderous  jilans.  But  His  decease  was  to  be 
accomplished  at  Jerusalem.  Hence  lie  withdrew 
from  Galilee  (a  c  e  x  '^  P  'I  <'■ «  ")•  It  '"'^s  as  if  He  were 
driven  into  the  boundary  lands  of  heathenism  by  His 
horror  of  Jewish  hypocrisy,  as  well  as  by  way  of 
precaution  against  their  designs.  In  the  first  place 
He  passed  northwest  through  the  mountains  of  Up- 
per Galilee,  and  into  the  border  land  of  Phoenicia. 
Hence  He  literally  went  e  i  s  to.  fie  f>^^,  and  not  mere- 
ly in  thr.t  direction  (Grotius,  Bengel).  But,  accord- 
ing to  ver.  22,  He  only  touched  the  heathen  bound- 
ary line  (Kuinoel,  Vatablus,  Meyer).  From  Mark  vii. 
24  we  infer  that  He  had  wished  to  continue  there  for 
some  time  in  retirement,  probably  to  prepare  for  fur- 
ther public  movements.  Thus  He  had,  so  to  speak, 
been  again  driven  to  the  very  limits  of  human  society, 
just  as  at  His  birth,  on  entering  upon  His  office,  and 
again  at  last  on  Golgotha.  The  Jewish  world  was 
closed  against  Him ;  nor  had  the  hour  yet  come  when 
the  heathen  world  would  Ije  open  to  His  word,  the 
wall  of  separation  not  having  yet  been  broken  down 
by  His  death.  For  a  season,  Jesus  seems  hemmed 
up  La  the  narrow  border  land  between  Canaan  and 
Phoenicia,  there  to  meditate  in  deep  solitude  upon 
His  further  movements.  But  He  could  not  remain 
unknown.  The  healing  of  the  Syrophenician  woman's 
daughter,  who  had  discovered  His  presence  in  those 
parts,  spread  His  fame.  He  now  travelled  northward 
through  the  territory  of  Sidon  (Lachmann  and  Tis- 
chendorf  read  Sm  ^lSuvos  in  Mark  vii.  31,  after  B., 
D.,  L.),  and  came  to  the  foot  of  Mount  Lebanon. 
Thence  He  passed  (Mark  vii.  31)  through  the  bound- 
ary land  of  Decapolis  {i.  e.,  the  northern  districts  of 
the  Decapolis,  which  according  to  Pliny  included 
Damascus ;  according  to  Lightfoot,  only  Cesarea 
Phihppi).  Thus  the  Lord  again  arrived  at  the  east- 
em  shore  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  "As  Jesus  passed 
through  the  territory  of  Sidon  from  north  to  south, 
to  return  to  the  Sea  of  Galilee  through  the  boundary 
districts  of  the  Decapolis,  He  must  have  described  a 
Eemicircle,  passing  through  the  mountain  solitudes 
and  valleys  at  the  foot  of  Lebanon  and  Anti-Leba- 
non, and  close  by  the  snow-capped  top  of  Hermon. 
Under  a  deep  sense  of  having  been  driven  from  His 
own  country.  He  travelled  through  the  solitudes  of 
that  district.  His  mind  already  engaged  with  the  de- 
cease which  He  was  to  accomplish."  {Leben  Jesu,  ii. 
2,  870.) 

Ver.  22.  And,  behold,  aw^oman  of  Canaan. 
— X  av  av  aia  ,  a  Phcenician.  "  During  the  earliest 
times  of  Jewish  history,  several  tribes  of  Canaanitcs, 
■■JSZS  ,  who  were  the  original  inhabitants  of  Pales- 
tine, had  retired  northward  before  the  Israelites. 
From  these  the  Phoenicians  were  descended.  See 
Keland,  Palcsiina,  pp.  7,  50 ;  Winer,  Peal  -  Worter- 
huch  ;  Lightfoot,  in  loc."  Meyer.  Further  particu- 
lars are  given  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark. — Came  out. 
—  From  the  territory  beyond  to  the  place  where 
Christ  was. — (Thou)  Son  of  David. — The  Messian- 
ic hopes  of  the  Jews  were  well  known.  Besides,  we 
conclude  that  the  woman  had  somehow  been  informed 
that  the  Son  of  David,  or  the  Messiah,  was  at  hand. 
She  believed,  although  from  ver.  26  it  appears  that 
she  was  not  a  proselyte  of  the  gate,  and  the  genuine- 
ness and  spirituality  of  her  faith  required  to  be  tried. 
— Have  mercy  on  me. — Bengel:  Suam  feccrat  pia 


mater  miscriam  flicp.  Of  course,  the  heathens 
would  share  the  Jewish  belief  in  demoniacal  posses- 
sions. 

Ver.  23.  Dismiss  her. — Or,  "  have  done  with 
her,"  as  we  might  render  the  sense  otairoAvcroy 
auT-n  V — leaving  it  indefinite  whether  this  was  to  be 
accomplished  by  fulfilling  or  by  refusing  her  request. 
The  fonner,  however,  is  more  likely ;  for  the  answer 
of  Jesus  shows  that  the  disciples  had  interceded  on 
behalf  of  the  woman.  [Alford :  "  The  word  6.ir6- 
\v<Tuv  does  not  necessarily  imply  granting  her  request, 
nor  the  contrary ;  but  simply,  dismiss  her,  leaving 
the  method  to  our  Lord  Himself."  But  Jesus,  who 
penetrated  into  the  heart  of  the  disciples,  interprets 
their  request  as  an  intercession  in  behalf  of  the  poor 
woman  (ver.  24),  which  agrees  better,  also,  with  their 
natural  sympathy  and  charity. — P.  S.] 

Yer.  24.  I  am  not  sent  but  to  the  lost  sheep 
of  the  house  of  Israel. — The  question  has  been 
urged,  whether  this  statement  implied  a  positive 
or  a  hypothetical  refusal  of  the  woman's  petition. 
Hase,  de  Wette,  Stier,  Ewald,  and  Meyer,  hold  that 
it  was  intended  as  a  real  refusal,  which  afterward, 
however,  ivas  overcome  by  the  firm  trustfulness  of 
the  woman.  But  what  meaning  do  these  commenta- 
tors attach  to  the  term  overcome  ?  Jesus  could  only 
be  overcome  as  God  Himself  is  overcome.  In  other 
words,  for  the  sake  of  magnifying  the  office  of  faith, 
He  allows  the  trial  of  our  faith  to  assume  the  form 
of  a  conflict.  On  the  other  hand,  it  cannot  have  been 
His  sole  aim  to  try  the  faith  of  the  woman  (Chrysos- 
tom  and  others).  If  this  were  the  case,  the  reply  of 
Christ  would  still  remain  unexplained.  In  our  view, 
the  faith  of  the  woman  was  tried  in  order  to  show 
that  slie  really  was  a  spiritual  daughter  of  Abraham; 
in  which  case  she  would  in  truth  be  reckoned  one  of 
the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  Possibly  she 
might  have  attached  only  heathen  ideas  to  the  ex- 
pression. Son  of  David,  when  her  faith  would  merely 
have  been  superstition.  This  would  become  mani- 
fest, if,  on  trial,  the  spiritual  elements  were  found  to 
be  wanting,  \iz.,  perseverance,  Immilitt/,  reflection,  and 
confidence.  In  these  respects  the  faith  of  the  woman 
v.as  now  to  be  tried  and  proved.  Such  a  test  would 
show  to  the  disciples  that  she  really  was  a  spiritual 
daughter  of  Israel.  For,  while  showing  mercy  to 
those  who  were  susceptible  among  the  heathen,  the 
Lord  would  not  give  offence  to  His  own  people  in 
Israel.  Hence  it  was  necessary  to  prepare  the  disci- 
ples themselves  to  receive  the  woman  into  their  fel- 
lowship. The  same  principle  also  regulated  the  pro- 
gress of  the  Church  subsequent  to  the  feast  of  Pente- 
cost. It  is  a  summary  solution  of  the  question  to 
say,  that  before  Pentecost  only  Jews  had  been  re- 
ceived, and  afterward  heathens  also.  If  the  hea- 
thens who  were  now  received  wanted  outward  cir- 
cumcision, they  had  undergone  the  circumcision  of 
the  heart  (Kom.  ii.).  Only  as  belonging  to  the  spir- 
itual Israel  could  they  share  in  the  salvation  of  Isra- 
el ;  and  the  believing  Jews  themselves  were  con- 
strained to  acknowledge  that  they  had  part  with 
them  (Acts  x.  xi.),  having  previously  been  taught 
that  they  themselves  were  the  true  Israel,  only  under 
the  same  conditions  of  faith  and  circumcision  of  the 
heart.  Thus  the  narrative  of  the  text  prefigures  the 
future  enlargement  of  the  Church,  and  the  reception 
of  the  heathen  into  it.  And  this  at  the  right  mo- 
ment— when,  on  the  one  hand,  the  conduct  of  Israel 
had  driven  the  Lord  into  the  border  land  of  heathen- 
ism ;  while,  on  the  other,  the  anticipation  of  the  in- 
gathering of  the  heathen  would  elevate  Him  above 


282 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


the  sorrow  which  weighed  upon  Him.  But  such  in- 
dividual instances  of  mercy  shown  to  the  heathen  be- 
fore tlie  death  of  Christ,  differ  from  the  general  call 
addressed  to  them  after  His  decease,  in  that,  in  the 
former  case,  those  who  obtained  mercy  had  become, 
so  to  speak,  beheving  Israelites — owning  the  privi- 
leges of  the  chosen  race  and  the  validity  of  their  law 
— while  by  the  death  of  Christ  the  law  itself  was  ful- 
filled, and  therefoi'e  abolished,  so  far  as  its  outward 
fonn  was  conceined. 

Ver.  26.  It  is  not  meet,  or  proper. — The  read- 
ing it  is  not  lav/ful,  is  evidently  a  gloss  or  interpre- 
tation. Such  a  reply  would  have  removed  all  doubt, 
and  cut  off  every  hope ;  v/hile  the  expression  actual- 
ly used  allows  tlie  law  of  the  spirit  to  shine  through 
that  of  the  letter.  At  first  sight  it  might  appear  as 
if  Jesus  Himself  designated  this  order  of  things  "  ex 
publico  Judoeorum  affectu  "  (Erasmus).  But  a  closer 
examination  shows  that  this  was  not  the  case.  For, 
while  the  Jews  were  wont  to  designate  the  heathen 
as  doga  (Lightfoot,  Suicer,  Wetstein,  Eisenmeuger, 
Entdecktcs  Judenthum,  ^13),  they  are  in  the  text  only 
called  Kvv6.pt  a,  not  nwis  \  implying  that  they 
were  not  like  the  great  wild  dogs  wliich  in  the  East 
infested  towns  and  villages,  but  that  they  miglit  be 
compared  to  small  dogs  attached  to  households  (in 
Luke  xvi.  21,  hoAvever,  the  word  uvve<i  is  used).  This 
apparently  slight  distinction  forms  the  basis  of  the 
woman's  reply.  Besides,  the  antithesis — "to  take 
the  bread  from  the  children  and  to  give  it  to  Uttle 
dogs" — would  serve  to  show  the  huinane  motive 
prompting  the  seemingly  inhumane  conduct  —  the 
Christian  spirit  under  the  Jewish  guise,  and  to  con- 
vince the  woman  that  the  question  was  not  to  be  de- 
cided by  any  ordinance  of  traditionaUsm,  but  by  the 
law  of  the  spirit. 

Ver.  27.  Yea,  Lord. — The  word  v  a  l  by  way  of 
admission,  not  of  contradiction ;  but  not  exclusively, 
or  even  pi-imarily,  referring  to  the  desigTiatiou  "  Uitle 
dogs."  To  have  done  so  would  have  been  to  miss 
the  meaning  of  Christ,  although  He  had,  no  doubt, 
also  intended  to  set  before  her  mind  the  defilement 
clinging  to  her  as  a  heathen.  She  acquiesces  in  the 
truth  of  the  ivhole  statement^  humbly  submitting  to 
the  judgment  implied  in  the  figure  employed — that 
she  had  no  right  or  title  to  the  covenant-dispensa- 
tion. But  adopting  this  very  figure  (not  with  dAAa, 
as  Chrysostom,  Luther,  [and  our  authorized  version] 
have  it,  but  with  Ka\  y  a  i>),  she  converts  it  into  an 
argument.  Yea,  Lord — she  says — it  is  even  so  :  it 
is  not  meet  to  give  the  children's  bread  to  the  little 
dogs ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  little  dogs  are  sus- 
tained by  what  is  left  over  from  the  superabundance 
on  their  master's  table.  De  Wette  interprets  :  "For 
dogs  must  be  content  with  the  crumbs  which  fall 
from  their  master's  table."  The  meaning  of  her  re- 
ply seems  to  be :  Even  so.  Lord ;  for  it  is  not  cus- 
tomary for  the  children  to  suffer  want  in  order  that 
the  little  dogs  may  be  fed,  but  rather  that  the  latter 
are  sustained  by  the  crumbs  which  fall  from  the  ta- 
ble.* Viewed  in  this  liglit,  the  reply  is  most  becom- 
ing, indicating:    1.    Ilnmiufi/,   or  submission  to   a 

*  [So  iilso  Wordsworth  :  'Tea,  Lord,  Thou  sayest  true,  it 
is  not  risrht  to  tako  the  children's  iread  and  (five  it  to  the 
dogs:  for  the  dops  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  their 
master's  table.  Let  me  therefore  have  not  bread,  but  only 
crumbs;  and  do  not  give  me  even  them,  but  let  me  pick 
up  what  f<Ms  from  the  table.  A  beautiful  image  of  the  hu- 
mility of  the  faithful  Gentiles,  hungering  and  thirsting  for 
the  least  fragments  of  the  gospel  which  dropped  from  the 
table  of  the  Jews  who  despised  it."  Comp.  Alford's  expla- 
nation quoted  above. — I*.  S.] 


figure  which  apparently  involved  shame  and,  as  un- 
derstood by  tlie  Jews,  reproach.  2.  Ferseverajice, 
transibrming  a  seeming  refusal  into  an  implied  pro- 
mise of  help.  3.  Spiritualiiij,  recognizing  under  the 
repulsive  garb  of  the  figure,  the  mind  of  Christ,  whose 
love  and  benevolence  she  realized  even  through  the 
unpromismg  medium.  Evidently  she  beheld  the 
rich  fulness  of  Christ  and  of  His  kingdom.  4.  Con^ 
fidcnce,  that  the  goodness  and  grace  of  the  Lord 
were  unlimited  and  illimitable. 

Ver.  28.  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith. — Thus 
showing  that,  in  the  one  main  point,  she  was  one  of 
the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel. 

From  that  very  hour. — See  ch.  ix.  22  ;  John 
iv.  53.  An  instance  of  healing  at  a  distance,  as  in 
ch.  viii.  13  ;  John  iv.  The  intermediate  link  in  this 
case  was  the  heart  of  the  mother,  so  closely  knit  to 
that  of  her  daughter ;  as  in  the  other  two  instances 
it  had  been  the  paternal  affection  of  the  royal  offi- 
cer, and  the  deep  faith  of  the  centurion  at  Caper- 
naum. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Christ  banished  as  impure  from  the  Holy  Land, 
and  passing  through  heathen  countries.  Historical 
parallels :  Elijah,  Paul. 

2.  The  conduct  of  Christ  in  this  case  was  occa- 
sioned by  His  twofold  desire  of  influencing  His  dis- 
ciples, as  well  as  trying  the  faith  of  the  woman. 
When  her  deep  trustfulness  became  apparent,  it  must 
at  the  same  time  have  evoked  in  the  disciples  the 
conviction  that  she  was  a  genuine  daughter  of  Abra- 
h.am.  It  was  not,  and  could  not  be,  the  intention  of 
the  Saviour  to  form  a  new  communion  of  Ijeheving 
heathens  by  sweepmg  away  the  old  communion  of 
believing  Israelites.  Thus  the  event  here  recorded 
was  not  an  exception  to  His  ordinary  dealings,  but 
rather  a  Symbolical  directory  which  afterward  guided 
the  conduct  of  the  Apostles  ;  comp.  Acts  x.  xi.,  and 
the  journeys  of  Paul  to  Jerusalem,  with  which  each 
of  bis  missionary  expeditions  terminated. 

3.  When  modifying  the  Jewish  prejudice  to 
the  effect  of  treating  as  little  dogs,  who  are  included 
in  the  economy  of  mercy,  thosewhom  the  Jews  would 
have  excluded  from  it  as  mere  dogs,  our  Lord  ex- 
presses the  theocratic  contrast  between  Judaism 
and  heathenism  in  such  a  manner  as  to  enable 
the  woman  to  urge  it  in  support  of  her  plea.  As  or- 
dained by  God,  this  contrast  implied  that  salvation 
was  to  be  communicated  to  the  heathen  through  the 
spiritual  training  and  preparation  enjoyed  by  Israel. 
But  this  arrangement  had  been  perverted  by  Jewish 
prejudice,  and  the  heathen  were  represented  as  im- 
pure dogs  who  had  no  part  in  the  divine  economy, 
and  were  excluded  from  the  hope  of  salvation.  Christ 
rectified  this  error  by  transforming  the  term  of  re- 
proach employed  by  prejudice  into  a  parable.  It  is 
not  meet  to  take  the  bread  from  the  children  of  the 
house,  and  to  give  it  in  the  first  place  to  the  little 
dogs.  Not  that  He  imphed  that  the  house  was  poor, 
but  that  the  time  for  the  little  dogs  had  not  yet  ar- 
rived. And  such,  indeed,  was  the  general  rule.  But 
in  her  spiritual  wisdom  the  woman  took  up  the  other 
aspect  of  the  figure.  The  house  and  the  table — she 
urged  —  are  both  full,  and  even  during  the  meal 
crumbs  fall  to  the  ground.  These  may  surely  be 
eaten  by  the  Uttle  dogs.  Thus,  while  acknowledging 
the  arrangements  of  the  Old  Testament  economy, 


CHAP.  XV.  21-28. 


she  exalted  the  fulness  of  Christ,  which  far  exceeds 
all  limitations. 

4.  On  the  miraculous  cures  at  a  distance,  comp. 
my  Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  1,  275.  These  mysterious  com- 
munings of  mind  form,  so  to  speak,  the  basis  for 
gracious  blessmgs  granted  in  answer  to  intercessory 
prayer. 

HOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

The  journey  of  Jesus  through  heathen  territory 
an  imphed  injunction  of  missionary  labor. — As  Juda- 
ism gradually  closed,  the  heathen  world  commenced 
to  open  to  the  gospel. — The  new  place  of  retreat  of 
the  Lord. — The  sorrows  and  joys  of  the  Lord  on  this 
journey. — How  the  v,'orldly-mindeduess  of  His  pro- 
fessmg  people  always  drove  Him  anew  into  the  wil- 
derness :  1.  In  His  infancy;  2.  after  His  baptism; 

3.  in  the  midst  of  His  activity ;  4.  before  His  last  suf- 
ferings ;  5.  at  His  ascension. — Elijah  and  the  widow 
of  Sarepta  (1  Kings  xvii.  9) ;  Jesus  and  the  woman 
of  Canaan. — The  woman  of  Canaan ;  or,  successful 
prayer  :  1.  So  earnest ;  2.  so  believing ;  3.  so  humble  ; 

4.  so  wise ;  5.  so  instant  and  persevermg ;  and  hence, 
6.  with  such  glorious  results. — Boldness  of  this  peti- 
tioner :  1.  She  cned  afier  Him  ;  2.  she  fell  down 
before  Him. — Greatness  of  the  trial  to  which  the 
Lord  subjected  her  faith  :  1.  Her  difSculties  :  (a)  He 
answered  her  not  a  word ;  (b)  He  appeared  to  refuse 
her  request, — "  I  am  not  sent,"  etc. ;  {c)  He  gave  her 
a  seemingly  harsh  reply:  "It  is  not  meet,"  etc.  2. 
Yet  there  was  hope  for  her :  (a)  He  gave  not  a  pos- 
itive refusal,  or  did  not  turn  from  her ;  (b)  He  spoke 
of  the  lost  sheep,  or  reasoned  with  her ;  (c)  He  only 
said  that  the  httle  dogs  were  not  to  be  fed  if  it  de- 
prived the  children  of  their  bread,  or  He  put  a  plea 
into  her  mouth. — How  it  must  clearly  appear  that 
ours  is  genuine  faith,  and  not  superstition,  if  we  are 
to  have  part  in  the  salvation  of  Israel. — How  even 
the  heathen  may,  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  belong  to 
the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel. — How  the  Lord 
trains  His  disciples  to  be  apostles  to  the  heathen. — 
Shortcomings  in  the  intercession  of  the  disciples  :  1. 
Their  motive  was  good  (the  woman  required  help, 
and  the  Lord  was  able  to  grant  it) ;  2.  their  argu- 
ments were  insufficient  (they  were  molested  by  her 
cries) ;  3.  but  even  these  insufficient  arguments  indi- 
cated the  presence  of  love  and  compassion  (the  cry 
of  a  heathen  went  to  their  heart,  and  they  forgot 
their  Jewish  prejudices). — It  is  impossible  to  con- 
tinue cherishing  fanaticism  if  we  but  rightly  under- 
stand the  cry  of  the  human  heart  for  help. — Why 
the  Lord  would  have  the  disciples  receive  the  woman 
into  their  communion. — Let  us  not  go  forth  to  the 
heathen  attempting  to  win  souls  for  a  particular  sect 
at  home. — Exclamation  of  astonishment  about  the 
faith  of  this  poor  heatiien.  —  Glorious  declaration, 
"  Be  it  done  to  thee  even  as  thou  wilt." — The  great- 
ness of  her  faith  consisted  in  great  humility,  great 
trustfulness,  and  great  ardor,  notwithstanding  a  very 
small  measure  of  knowledge. — Maternal  love  and 
faith  here  combined. — Thus  the  Lord  showed  Him- 
self victorious  over  the  devils  even  among  the  hea- 
then.— Intercession  as  opening  up  the  heathen  world 
to  Christ. — How  the  longing  of  the  world  and  the 
compassion  of  the  Church  meet  and  coml:)ine  at  the 
footstool  of  Jesus. 

Starke  : — Cansiein:  God  withdraws  His  gracious 
presence  from  those  who  are  weary  of  it,  ami  who 
despise  His  word  and  benefits  :  Acts  xiii.  40;  Hosca 
V.  ]  5. — If  we  listen  to  the  doctrine  of  men,  we  shall 


lose  sight  of  Christ,  Gal.  v.  4. — Zcisius  :  It  is  the 
gracious  will  of  God  that  even  the  heathen  should  be 
gathered  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  Isa.  xlii.  6  ;*  xlix. 
6. — Hedincfcr  :  God  frequently  exercises  His  people 
by  manifold  trials  ;  He  even  appears  to  be  cruel  in  de- 
laying His  aid,  in  order  to  draw  out  their  prayers 
and  to  prove  their  faith. —  Canstein:  Even  the  tyran- 
ny of  Satan  must  be  subservient  to  the  glory  of  the 
divine  name. — Lo,  how  the  ci'oss  drives  people  into 
the  arms  of  our  blessed  Saviour ! — 0  thou  precious 
cross,  how  very  needful  and  useful  thou  art ! — Pros- 
perity leads  from  Christ,  but  adversity  brings  to 
Him. — Parents  should  feel  the  misery  of  their  chil- 
dren as  deeply  as  their  own ;  but  the  greatest  of  all 
afflictions  is,  if  they  are  under  the  dominion  of  Satan, 
and  do  his  works. — Parents  should  be  concerned  for 
the  physical,  and  still  more  for  the  spiritual,  well- 
being  of  their  children. —  Canstein  :  God  is  faithful, 
who  adapts  the  measure  of  our  temptations  to  that 
of  the  grace  given  us,  1  Cor.  x.  13. — It  is  sinful  to 
spend  upon  dogs  or  other  animals  that  by  which  we 
ought  to  reUeve  men,  who  are  the  children  of  God. 
— We  should  not  withhold  even  from  annuals  their 
necessary  sustenance. — Osiander  :  It  is  a  grievous 
temptation  to  think  that  you  are  not  one  of  Christ's 
sheep ;  still,  continue  to  cleave  implicitly  to  Christ, 
and  you  will  overcome. —  Quesnel :  A  genuine  peni- 
tent will  not  be  discouraged  by  the  way  in  which  God 
deals  with  him. — Faith  will  only  increase,  not  de- 
crease under  trials,  1  Pet.  i.  6,  '7. — The  Lord  is  near 
to  all  that  call  on  Him,  Ps.  cxlv.  19. — Intercession, 
James  v.  14,  1.5. — If  we  desire  to  receive  from  God 
what  we  ask,  we  must  be  content  first  to  bear  what 
God  may  be  pleased  to  send,  even  though  it  were 
the  greatest  trial. — The  prayers  and  the  faith  of 
parents  bring  down  the  richest  blessing  upon  their 
children. 

Gossner  : —  The  Canaanites,  once  so  corrupted 
that  they  had  to  be  expelled  from  the  Holy  Land, 
lest  the  Jews  might  be  ruined  by  their  contact,  were 
now  in  fact  better  than  the  Jews,  and  this  woman 
left  hur  home  to  meet  Jesus.* — If  we  would  show 
mercy,  we  should  not  be  too  hasty,  but  proceed  cau- 
tiously. 

Gerlach  : — The  woman  of  Canaan  had  heard  lit- 
tle of  Christ ;  but  her  faith  shows  how  even  small 
knowledge  may  produce  great  effects,  if  received  into 
a  humble  and  broken  heart. — Analogous  passages  of 
Scripture :  the  parable  of  the  unjust  judge,  Luke 
xviii.  3  ;  the  wrestling  of  Jacob,  Gen.  xxxii.  24  ;  the 
distress  of  Moses,  Ex.  iv.  24 ;  the  cry  of  Jesus,  Matt. 
xxvii.  46  (Ps.  xxii.). — It  is  remarkable  how,  in  a  cer- 
tain sense,  this  woman  rectified  the  v.'ords  of  Jesus  ; 
but  this  arises  from  the  nature  of  the  thing. — The 
law,  which  accuses  and  condemns  man,  is  removed 
by  the  grace  which  faith  appropriates. 

Henbner  :  —  Expelled  from  His  own  country, 
Clu'ist  still  remained  faithful  to  it. — He  often  delay- 
eth  His  answer,  lest  we  should  grow  weary  of  calling 
upon  Him,  and  that  although  the  promise  remaineth 
true,  Isa.  Ixv.  24,  "  Before  they  call,  I  will  answer ; 
and  while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will  hear." — Let 
us  not  be  tempted  to  treat  the  entreaties  of  any  one 
as  troublesome.  Ees  sacra  miser.  —  Chrijsostom  : 
Jesus  fulfilled  even  the  law  which  prohibited  the 
Jews  from  having  communion  with  the  Canaanites 
(Dent.  vii. ;  although  it  only  api^Ued  to  their  idola- 
trous  customs,  comp,  the  life  of  Elijah),  in  order 


*rTh 
P.S.J 


thought   is  borrowed  from  St.  Chrysostom.- 


284 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


that  He  might  be  able  to  say,  Which  of  you  con- 
vinceth  me  of  nin?  John  viii.  40. — A  Christian 
combines  love  to  his  own  country  with  affectionate 
interest  in  the  world  generally. — Import  of  the  word 
"  nevprthdess,''^  to  which  the  Christian  cleaves  in 
pleading  with  God,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  23-26.— Truth,  Lord  ; 
yet* — The  whole  system  of  faith  contained  in  these 
three  words. — In  one  sense  I  have  no  claim  upon 
Thee,  yet  in  another  I  have. — Faith  will  stand  the 
most  searching  and  painful  trial,  and  at  last  obtain 
the  victory. — "  Truth,  Lord  "  (humility) ;  yet  (faith). 
— Bemjel :  Let  us  ever  bear  in  mind  that  we  are  hea- 
thens.— We  should  be  glad  to  receive  the  crumbs 
which  fall  from  the  table,  instead  of  attempting  to 
jump  upon  it,  and  even  to  upset  it — Chrysostom  : 
"  Great  is  thy  faith : "  thou  hast  not  seen  a  single 
miracle ;  thou  hast  not  heard  any  one  of  the  proph- 
ets ;  thou  hast  not  been  trained  in  the  law ;  thou 
hast  been  passed  by  and  treated  with  contempt  by 
Me.  Still  thou  hast  persevered ;  receive  then  the 
acknowledgment  of  thy  faith. — Noble  mother  of  Ca- 
naan !  how  many  mothers  has  thy  example  encour- 
aged ! — Wisdom  and  grace  of  Jesus  in  His  deaUugs 
with  the  woman  of  Canaan :  1.  In  drawing  her  ;  2. 
in  trymg  her ;  8.  in  rewarding  her. — The  woman  of 

*  [Assuming  this  rendering  of  the  Authorized  English 
Version,  and  the  corresponding  German  Version  of  Luther 
(aber  dock)  to  be  correct,  against  which  compare  the  Sxeg. 
Kotes.—V.  S.] 


Canaan  a  figure  of  the  Christian  wrestling  in  faith. — 
Faith  and  prayer  are  inseparable. 

Reinhard: — On  the  connection  between  true  hu- 
mility before  God  and  genuine  confidence  in  Him. — 
Mehlins :  Even  when  help  is  deferred  our  confidence 
should  not  fail. — Bachmann  :  The  Lord  the  Author 
and  the  Finisher  of  our  faith. — Krabb  (of  Langen- 
berg) :  Jesus  and  the  woman  of  Canaan ;  or,  faith  : 
1.  How  it  wrestles  ;  2.  how  it  conquers. 

[Matthew  Henry: — Those  whom  Christ  intends 
most  signally  to  honor,  He  first  humbles  and  lays 
low  in  a  sense  of  their  own  meanness  and  unworthi- 
ness.  We  must  first  feel  ourselves  to  be  as  dogs, 
leas  than  the  least  of  all  God^s  mercies,  before  we  are 
fit  to  be  dignified  and  privileged  with  them. — Christ 
delights  to  exercise  great  faith  with  great  trials,  and 
sometimes  reserves  the  sharpest  for  the  last,  that  be- 
ing tried,  we  may  come  forth  like  gold. — Special  or- 
dinances and  church  privileges  are  children's  bread, 
and  must  not  be  prostituted  to  the  grossly  ignorant 
and  profane.  Common  charity  must  be  extended  to 
all,  but  spiritual  dignities  are  appropriated  to  the 
household  of  faith. — If  we  cannot  reason  down  our 
unbelief,  let  us  pray  it  down. — "  Great  is  thy  faith." 
The  woman  had  many  graces,  wisdom,  humility, 
meekness,  patience,  perseverance  in  prayer  ;  but 
these  were  the  fruits  of  her  faith,  which  of  all  graces 
honors  Christ  most ;  therefore  of  aU  graces  Christ 
honors  faith  most. — P.  S.] 


3.   The  Second  Miraculous  Feeding.     Ch.  XV.  29-38. 

29  And  Jesus  departed  from  thence,  and  came  nigh  unto  the  Sea  of  Gahlee ;  and  [he] 

30  went  up  into  a  mountain,  and  sat  down  there.  And  great  muUitudes  came  unto  him, 
having  with  them  those  that  were  lame,  bhnd,  dumb,  maimed,^  and  many  others,  and 

31  cast  them  down  at  Jesus'  [his]  feet;^  and  he  healed  them:  Insomuch  [so]  that  the  mul- 
titude [multitudes,  rov<;  oxXors]  wondered,  when  they  saw  the  dumb  to  speak  [speaking, 
AaXowras],  the  maimed  to  be  whole  [whole],  the  lame  to  walk  [walking],  and  the  blind 

32  to  see  [seeing] :  and  they  glorified  the  God  of  Israel.  Then  Jesus  called  his  disciples 
unto  him,  and  said,  I  have  compassion  on  the  multitude,  because  they  continue  with  me 

.  now  three  days,  and  have  nothing  to  eat :  and  I  will  not  send  them  away  fasting,  lest 

33  they  faint  in  the  way.     And  his  disciples  say  unto  him,  Whence  should  we  have  so 

34  much  bread  in  the  wilderness,  as  to  fill  so  great  a  multitude  ?     And  Jesus  saith  unto 

35  them,  How  many  loaves  have  ye?    And  they  said,  Seven,  and  a  few  little  fishes.    And 

36  he  commanded  the  multitude  [multitudes,  6)^ols\  to  sit  [lie]  down  on  the  groimd.  And 
he  took  the  seven  loaves  and  the  fishes,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake  them,  and  gave  to 

37  his  disciples,  and  the  disciples  to  the  multitude.  And  they  did  all  eat  [all  ate],  and 
were  filled:  and  they  took  up  of  the  broken  meat  [of  the  fragments]   that  Avas  [were] 

38  left  seven  baskets  full.  And  they  that  did  eat  [ate]  were  four  thousand  men,  besides 
women  and  children. 


1  Ver.  30.— The  order  in  the  enumeration  of  the  sick  varies  in  the  critical  authorities.    The  one  followed  in  the  text  is 
supported  by  E.,  G.,  R.,  etc.,  Lachinann. 

2  Ver.  30.— [For  the  tea^t.  rec. :  tt  o'  5  a  s  rov  'I  t;  cr  o  9 ,  all  the  critical  editions  read   Tro'Sar  avrov,  Uh  feet.    So 
also  Lange  in  his  version. — P.  fc>.] 

the  sources  of  Jordan,  He  again  arrived  at  the  east- 
ern shore  of  the  sea,  and  sat  down  there,  or  settled 
on  the  mountain, — i.  e.,  continued  His  solitary  com- 
muning in  prayer.  But  He  could  not  remain  un- 
known. 

Ver.   30. — The  text  here  mtroduces    a  new  de- 
scription of  sulFerers,  the  k  vWol,  or  maimed  iu 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  29.  From  thence,— further  on;  ixtra- 
fids.     See  above. 

And  sat  down  there. — He  must  needs  return 
to  His  people.  Accordingly,  after  having  passed  round 


CHAP.  XV.  29- 


285 


hands  or  feet.  Perhajis  the  term  may  allude  to  cre- 
tins.— The  people  cast  them  down  at  His  feet, — 

iudicatiug.  according  to  Bciigcl  and  Meyer,  their 
haste  ;  according  to  Fritzsche  and  de  Wette,  imiJicit 
confidence;  and  according  to  Baumgarteu-CrusHS, 
the  helplessness  of  the  persons  who  were  afflicted. 
But  may  it  not  at  the  same  time  indicate  both  tte 
rudeness  of  these  mountaineers,  and  their  confidence, 
boldness,  and  their  rapid  movements  in  order  to 
bring  to  the  feet  of  Jesus  all  who  were  diseased "? 
Among  these  cm-es  Mark  specially  instances  that  of 
a  deaf  and  dumb  pei-sou  (vii.  32). 

Vcr.  31.  They  glorified  the  God  of  Israel. — 
These  remote  mountaineers  knew  Uttle  of  the  Messi- 
anic character  of  Jesus.  Probably  they  had  adopted 
many  heathen  notions,  and  were  wont  to  compare 
other  gods  with  the  God  of  Israel.  Hence  they  now 
glorified  the  God  of  Israel,  in  consequence  of  the 
miracles  of  Him  whom  they  acknowledged  as  His 
prophet. 

Ver.  32-38.  But  Jesus  called  His  disciples  to 
Him. — The  case  was  much  more  urgent  than  on  the 
former  occasion.  The  multitude  had  followed  Him 
from  the  mountains,  and  not,  as  formerly,  gathered 
in  preparation  for  the  festival  of  Easter.  For  three 
days  they  had  continued  with  Him,  partly  forgetful 
of  the  wants  of  nature.  Such  scanty  provision  as 
they  had  brought  with  them  was  consumed.  There 
was  no  possibility  of  either  going  into  neighboring 
towns,  or  quickly  returning  across  the  lake.  They 
could  only  retire  to  their  mountain  homes  through 
the  passes  by  which  they  had  followed  Hun.  They 
might  therefore  readily  faint  by  the  way.  Similarly, 
the  case  was  one  of  much  greater  difficulty  than  for- 
merly. The  multitudes  here  collected  were  more 
ignorant  of  the  extent  of  Christ's  power.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  supply  of  the  disciples  was  somewhat 
larger — seven  loaves  and  a  few  fishes ;  vvhilst  the 
multitude  was  smaller,  at  least  by  a  thousand  men. 
These  circumstances  will  explain  why  the  disciples  in 
their  discouragement  designated  their  fishes  as  ( x  ^  v- 
h  la,  and  why  Christ  here  commanded  {eKeKevae) 
the  multitude  to  sit  down. 

From  the  similarity  of  this  narrative  to  that  of 
the  first  feeding  of  the  people,  and  from  the  evident 
perplexity  of  the  disciples,  Schleiermacher  and  others 
have  erroneously  inferred  that  Matthew  had  here  a 
second  time  reported  one  and  the  same  fact.  Krabbe, 
Hoflmann,  Ebrard,  and  others  controvert  this  view. 
Meyer  thinks  that  the  two  events  were  different ;  but 
that  the  narratives  had,  in  the  course  of  tradition, 
become  more  like  each  other  than  the  facts  them- 
selves. But  the  difltereuce  between  them  appears 
even  in  the  terms  for  the  baskets  {airv  pi5e  s ,  bas- 
kets for  provisions)  in  which  the  fragments  were 
gathered,  and  in  the  circumstance  that  there  were 
seven  of  them.  Meyer  :  "  The  seven  baskets  corre- 
spond to  the  number  of  the  loaves ;  the  twelve  bas- 
kets to  that  of  the  Apostles."  If  it  be  asked  why 
less  was  left  over  when  the  provision  had  been  ori- 
ginally greater,  and  the  number  of  guests  smaller,  we 
might,  perhaps,  in  reply,  point  to  the  difference  in 
the  baskets.  But  if  the  twelve  baskets  impUed  that 
the  Lord  would  make  abundant  provision  for  all  the 
Apostles  if  they  surrendered  everything  for  Him,  the 
seven  baskets  may  indicate  both  that  He  would  rich- 
ly reward  their  sacrifices  (seven  baskets  for  seven 
loaves),  and  that  their  requirements  were  diminishing 
since  their  pUgrimage  was  nearing  its  end. 


DOCTEINAL   AND   ETHICAL. 

As  above  in  the  account  of  the  first  feeding  of  the 
multitude,  ch.  xiv.  14-21. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  rEACTICAL. 

They  cast  those  who  were  afflicted  at  Jesus'  feet. 
— Cast  all  your  care  upon  Him. — How  the  gracious 
help  of  tlie  Lord  should  incite  us  to  compassion. — 
Christ  and  His  cures:  1.  The  variety  of  sufiermgs 
(the  maimed  also) ;  2.  the  rude  attendants ;  3.  the 
Saviour  always  ready  to  help. — The  repetition  of  the 
miraculous  feeding  of  the  multitude  reminding  us  of 
ihe  words  of  the  Lord,  "  The  poor  ye  have  always 
vith  you." — Comparison  between  the  two  occasions 
on  which  the  multitudes  were  fed:  1.  The  second  oc- 
casion was  seemingly  less  distinguished  than  the  first 
(seven  loaves,  five  loaves ;  five  thousand,  four  thou- 
sand ;  twelve  baskets,  seven  baskets).  2.  In  reality, 
it  was  greater.  (On  the  first  occasion  the  people 
knew  Him  well,  while  on  the  second  they  were  igno- 
rant mountaineers  from  the  utmost  boundaries  of  the 
land  ;  on  the  first  occasion  the  crowd  was  preparing 
to  go  up  to  the  feast,  while  on  the  second  it  was 
gathered  from  the  mountains ;  on  the  first  occasion 
the  miracle  took  place  at  the  close  of  the  first  day, 
but  on  the  second  after  they  had  contmued  for  three 
days  with  Jesus.)  Suuilarly,  the  results  were  differ- 
ent. (On  the  first  occasion  they  would  have  made 
Him  their  king,  while  on  the  second  they  glorified 
the  God  of  Israel.) — What  lessons  the  Lord  here  im- 
parts for  Christian  households.  He  teaches  them  : 
1.  Confidence  in  His  own  superabundant  riches  ;  2. 
carefulness  in  the  use  of  the  blessings  which  He  be- 
stows on  them. — Provision  is  always  made  for  the 
women  and  children  along  with  the  men. — The  cir- 
cumstance that  the  women  and  children  are  not 
specially  mentioned,  implying  a  promise  for  their 
provision. 

Starke  :  See  how  obtuse  our  reason  is  when  we 
contmue  to  hai'bor  doubts  and  unbeUef,  although  we 
have  so  many  evidences  of  the  power  and  goodness 
of  our  God,  Num.  xi.  18-23. —  Osiaader :  When  God 
bestows  His  blessing,  that  which  seemeth  little  be- 
cometh  much.  —  Cramer :  Nature  is  satisfied  with 
plain  fare  (bread  and  fishes). — To  cat  and  be  satis- 
fied are  always  combined  when  God  spreads  the  ta- 
ble for  His  children. — Carefulness  turns  everything 
to  account. — Quesnel :  The  more  liberally  we  employ 
the  gifts  of  God  in  a  manner  pleasmg  to  Him,  the 
more  abundantly  shall  we  receive  of  them.  Gal.  vi.  9. 
— Luther :  Let  us  frequently  think  of  the  great  multi- 
tude of  peoples  who  daily  sit  down  at  God's  table, 
and  are  satisfied.  This  will  help  us  to  glorify  the 
love  and  power  of  our  God. — Quesnel :  Let  heads  of 
houses  rely  upon  the  divine  provision,  however  nu- 
merous their  families,  Ps.  Iv.  23. 

Lisco  : — Erroneously  :  "  This  event  occurred  near 
Magdala,  a  city  by  the  Lake  of  Galilee." — Gerlach  : 
Magdala,  a  city  by  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  not  far  from 
Gadara. — This  mistake  seems  to  have  originated  with 
Lightfoot  and  Wetstein. 

Heuhner  : — The  less  the  people  thought  about 
eating  and  drinking,  the  more  did  Christ  care  for 
their  wants. — "  Many  children,  many  prayers."  — 
Christ  the  spiritual  Head  of  the  house. — The  Chris- 
tian parent  after  the  example  of  Christ. 


28G 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


D.  CHRIST  MANIFESTS  HIMSELF  AS  THE  HIGH  PRIEST  IN  HIS  SUFFERINGS ;— BEING 
REJECTED  BY  THE  PHARISEES  AND  SADDFCEES,  OR  BY  THE  COMBINED  THEOCRAT- 
ICAL  AUTHORITIES  OF  GALILEE. 

Chapter  XV.  39-XVI.  12. 

Contents  :— Although  the  Lord  landed  privately  on  the  western  shore  near  Magdala,  He  was  immediately  met  by  His 
enemies.  The  combined  authorities  of  tlie  country  now  demand  of  Him  to  prove  Ilis  claims  to  the  Messianic  title  by 
showing  that  sign  from  heaven,  which  in  their  carnal  expectations  they  connected  with  the  appearance  of  the  prom- 
ised Deliverer.  Their  object  evidently  was  to  represen'.  His  probable  refusal  of  their  request  as  an  acknowledgment 
of  His  being  a  false  Messiah.  Jesus  dismisses  them  witii  a  rebnke,  in  which  He  again  points  them  to  the  sign  of  Jonah, 
i.  e.,  to  His  death  and  resurrection.  Thus  rejected  in  Jralilee,  Ho  immediately  returns  across  the  sea  to  the  eastern 
shore,  there  to  prepare  in  retirement  for  His  last  jouri.ey  to  Jerusalem.  The  warning  addressed  to  tlie  disciples  about 
the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  was  intended  iO  teach  them  that  they  were  now  to  forsake  Galilee,  which  had 
practically  surrendered  itself  to  heathenism,  just  as  Jloses  and  his  people  had  left  the  land  of  Egypt. 


1.   The  Sign  from  Heaven.     Ch.  XV.  39-XVL  4. 

Cn.  XV.  39  And  he  sent  away  the  multitude  [multitudes,  o;i(Xous],  and  took  ship  [entered 

into  the  ship],^  and  ca;me  into  the  coasts  of  Magdala  [Magadan].^ 
Ch.  XVI.  1  The  Pharisees    also  with   the  Sadducees  came,^  and   tempting,  desired   him 

2  that  he  would  shew  [to  show]  them  a  sign  from  heaven.     He  answered  and  said  unto 

3  them,  When  it  is  evening,  yo  say,  It  will  he*  fair  weather:  for  the  sky  is  red.  And  in 
the  morning,  It  toill  he  foul  weather  to  day :  for  the  sky  is  red  and  lowering.  0  ye 
hypocrites,^  ye  can  [ye  know  how  to]  ^  discern  the  face  of  the  sky ;  but  can  ye  not  dis- 

4  cern  the  signs  of  the  times  ?  A  wicked  and  adulterous  generation  seeketh  after  a  sign ; 
and  there  shall  no  sign  [and  no  sign  shall]  be  given  unto  it,  but  the  sign  of  the  proph- 
et' Jonas  [Jonah].     And  he  left  them,  and  departed. 

1  Ch.  sv.,  ver.  .39.— ['Aj/e'/STj  ils  rb  irAoiof.] 

2  Ver.  89. — [The  authorities  are  divided  between  Ma75o\a»',  tliaya^  av^  and  M  07  5  a  A.  a.  The  Vatican  and 
the  Sinaitic  MSS.  read  Ma-yaScir,  and  so  do  Tischendorf,  Lachmann,  and  Alford.  Lange  prefers  MaySaAoy. 
See  bis  Eseg.  and  Grit.  Notes  in  loc.—P.  S.] 

3  Ch.  xvi.,  ver.  1. — [Better:  And  the  Pharisees  and  {the)  Sddducees  came,  Koi  irpoaeXdnyrfs  01  ^aptaaloi  Kcd  (oi) 
:S,a5SovKa7oi.-P.  B.] 

*  Ver.  2. — [The  interpolation  hero  and  in  ver.  3  is  unnecessary.  Fair  weather  !  is  more  lively.  So  Ewald,  Lange: 
Schon  Wetter!  Meyer:  Ileiteres  Wetter!  The  Greek  has  only  one  word  in  each  case,  evSia  (from  eS  and  Aio's, 
gen.  of  Zsuf),  clear  sl-tj^fine  weather,  and  x  ^ '  /^ '« »')  utorm,  rainy,  foul  weather.— 'P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  3.— 'TiroKpiTai,  hypocrites,  is  wanting  in  Codd.  C,  D.,  L.,  etc.,  and  thrown  out  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendort 
[Cod.  Sinait.  omits  all  the  words  from  oi(/i'os  yevof^ei/Tjs  to  Suvacrde,  ver.  2-3,  probably  by  an  oversight  of  the  transcri- 
ber.—P.  S.] 

6  Ver.  3.— [rij/cto-Kere.  So  also  Lange  :  ihr  ■verstefifs.  The  second  discern  (SiaKpivfiv)  of  the  E.  Vers,  is  an  in- 
terpolation, but  makes  the  sense  clearer.  The  lit.  rendering  is:  Te  know  {-yivwaKere)  how  to  dii^cern  the  face  of  the 
sky;  hut  can.  ye  not  {oh  dvi/airde)  the  sir/ns  of  the  times  f  Lange  gives  r  d>  u  KaipHv  an  emphatic  sense  and  trans- 
lates :  die  Zeichen  dejr  Entxcheidungszeiten,  the  decisive  epochs,  such  as  the  one  of  Christ's  ministry  on  earth.— P.  S.J 

'  Ver.  4.— T  ov  Trpocprirov  is  wanting  in  B.,  D.,  L.,  and  erased  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf.  [It  is  also  omitted 
in  the  Codex  from  Mt.  Sinai,  and  in  the  editions  of  Tregelles,  and  Alford.  Lange  retains  it  in  his  version,  but  in  smaller 
type  and  in  parenthesis.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CUITICAL. 

XV.  39. — Into  the  coasts  of  Magdala  [Mag- 
dalan,  Magadan], — The  circumstance  that  Jesus 
secretly  lands  in  an  obscure  and  unknown  place, 
throws  considerable  light  on  the  degree  of  hostility 
and  persecution  which  lie  had  to  encounter  during 
His  last  journey  in  Galilee.  The  watchfulness  of  the 
Jewish  leaders  appears  from  this,  that  despite  the 
precautions  used  by  the  Lord,  they  are  seemingly 
ready  immediately  to  meet  Him,  this  time  with  a 
categorical  demand. — Magdalan  lay  on  the  western 
shore  of  the  lake.  Probably  it  is  the  modern  small 
village  of  el  Mejdel,  about  an  hour  and  a  half  to  the 


north  of  Til^erias,  and  protected  toward  the  sea  by 
high  cliffs  (Robinson,  ii.  397;  Schubert,  iii.  250). 
Robinson  enumerates  the  various  arguments  against 
placing  it  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  lake.  In  all 
likelihood  the  name  of  Mary  Magdalene  was  derived 
from  this  place,  which  also  gave  birth  to  several  of 
the  Rabbins  mentioned  in  the  Talmud.  According 
to  Mark  viii.  10,  the  landing  took  place  in  the  dis- 
trict of  Dalmanutha,  probably  a  village  not  far  from 
Magdalan.  We  conjecture  that  the  Lord  touched 
the  shore  somewhere  between  these  two  village'^,  and 
nearer  to  Dalmanutha  than  to  Magdalan — the  ac- 
count in  Mark  being  the  more  accurate,  while 
Matthew  only  speaks  of  Magdalan,  as  being  the  place 
more  generally  known.     Winer  suggests  that  Magda- 


CHAP.  XV.  39-XVI.  1-4. 


287 


Ian  was  tlic  bs  ^^5^  of  the  Old  Testament ;  Ewald, 
that  it  was  Megiddo,  which,  however,  according  to 
Robinson,  ii.  329,  lay  farther  inland.  The  view  of 
Ewald  is  based  on  the  reading  MayaSdv,  in  Codd. 
B.,  D.,  the  Syriac  version,  etc.  (which  has  been 
adopted  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf),  and  with 
which  the  readhig  MayeSdv  (Vulg.,  Ital.)  may  be  com- 
pared. 15ut  Codd.  C,  M.,  the  Coptic  translation,  etc., 
read  MaySaKdv.  Now  it  is  qnite  possible,  either  that 
this  diflcrcnce  of  reading  may  have  originated  from 
a,  desire  to  assimilate  this  name  to  that  of  a  better 
known  place,  or  else  that  Magada,  the  name  of  an 
obscure  village  on  the  lake,  may  have  been  con- 
verted into  that  of  the  well-known  birthplace  of  Mary 
Magdalene. 

XVI.  1.  And  the  Pharisees  and  (the)  Saddu- 
cees. — According  to  Strauss  and  de  Wette,  this  is 
the  same  event  as  that  recorded  in  ch.  xii.  88.  The 
remark  is  true,  but  only  so  far  as  the  spirit,  the 
tendency,  and  some  of  the  external  features,  not  so 
far  as  the  peculiar  characteristics,  of  the  narrative 
are  concerned.  Evidently,  it  occurred  at  a  later 
period  of  history  ;  the  place  where  the  Saviour  land- 
ed, the  demand  made  upon  Him,  and  His  reply,  are 
all  different.  Strauss  and  de  Wette  regard  it  as  im- 
probable that  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  should 
have  combined.  And  yet  these  two  parties  must 
have  united  in  the  Sanhedrin  which  condemned 
Jesus  to  death  !  Instead  of  such  idle  conjectures,  it 
would  have  been  well  if  critics  had  rather  inquired 
how  it  came  that  the  two  parties  even  at  this  early 
period  united  in  their  hostility  to  the  Saviour.  That 
both  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees  are  introduced 
with  the  article,*  implies  that  in  this  case  they  repre- 
sented the  hierarchical  authorities  of  the  country 
generally.  In  the  former  contest,  the  Synarjogiie 
alone  had  been  represented,  while  now  in  all  prob- 
abiUty  the  Sanhedrin  itself,  in  its  official  capacity, 
deals  with  Jesus.  Hence  also  the  express  demand 
of  a  sign  from  heaven,  which  may  be  considered  as 
the  logical  inference  from  the  last  interview  between 
the  Pharisees  and  Jesus.  On  that  occasion,  the 
Saviour  had  not  only  discarded  the  authority  of 
traditionaUsm,  but  His  statements  might  even  be 
interpreted  as  implying  superiority  to  the  law  itself 
This  they  knew  was  equivalent  to  asserting  His 
claims  as  the  Messiah.  Accordingly,  they  now  gave 
full  utterance  to  the  idea  which  the  Pharisees  of 
Galilee  had  previously  urged,  tliough  in  a  less  dis- 
tinct manner  (ch.  xii.),  by  demanding  a  sign  from 
heaven.  Withal,  as  Theophylact  remarks,  their  re- 
quest still  implies  the  supposition  that  the  miraculous 
cures  performed  by  Him  had  been  effected  by  the 
power  of  Bcelzebul. 

Tempting  {-Keipa^ovres),  or  in  order  to  tempt 
Him. — This  does  not  necessarily  imply  the  presuppo- 
sition that  He  was  really  a  false  Messiah,  and  hence 
unable  to  show  the  sign  from  heaven.  For,  if  He 
had  acceded  to  their  request,  they  would  have  been 
well  satisfied  with  Him,  and  He  would  have  been  a 
Messiah  according  to  their  own  mind,  pledged  to 
fulfil  all  their  carnal  hopes  {see  Matt,  iv.)  Repeatedly 
afterward  did  they  utter  their  secret  desire  that  it 
might  even  be  so ;  nor  does  this  hope  seem  to  be 
wholly  extinct  even  in  the  derisive  taunt,  "  If  He 
be  the  Son  of  God  let  Him  come  down  from  the 
cross."    But  these  carnal  hopes  were  already  in 

*  [The  article  before  'S.a^dovKo.'ioi  is  omitted  by  Tischen- 
dorf, Lachin.-inn,  and  Alford  on  the  best  authorities,  which 
Dr.  Lange  must  have  overlooked. — P.  8.] 


great  measure  eclipsed  by  their  unbelief  and  their 
hostility.  Hence  the  primary  object  of  this  twofold 
temptation  was  to  represent  Jesus  to  the  people  as  a 
spurious  Messiah,  who  was  unable  to  substantiate 
liis  claims. 

A  sign  from  heaven The  same  request  had 

already  been  proffered  by  the  Jews  after  He  had 
driven  from  the  temple  those  .that  bought  and  sold 
(John  ii.  18) ;  and  His  reply  "Destroy  this  temple," 
etc.,  substantially  conveyed  the  same  meaning  as  the 
answer  given  on  the  occasion  recorded  in  the  text. 
A  second  demand  to  the  same  effect  was  made, 
according  to  John  vi.  oO,  immediately  after  the  first 
miraculous  feeding  of  the  multitude,  or  about  the 
same  time  as  the  request  mentioned  in  Matt.  xii.  38  ; 
a  proof  that  the  artifice  of  entrapping  Him  by  such  a 
proposal  was  at  the  time  further  carried  out.  In  the 
text,  this  demand  is  brought  forward  a  third  time, 
and  now  in  most  exphcit  language.  This  sign  from 
heaven  was  popularly  expected  to  be  outwardly 
visible;  such  passages  as  Dan.  vii.  13  being  inter- 
preted in  a  sensuous  manner,  and  probably  referred 
to  some  visible  manifestation  of  the  Shechinah. 
From  the  answer  of  Christ,  in  which  the  appearance 
of  the  clouds  as  a  sign  of  the  weather  is  subordi- 
nated to  the  signs  of  the  spiritual  world,  we  infer 
that  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  shared  the  popular 
notions.  The  sign  which  they  expected  was,  there- 
fore, something  purely  external,  belonging  to  a  totally 
different  sphere  from  the  miraculous  cures  performed 
by  Jesus.  That  the  term  «  tt  e  p  c  t  ci  i/  impHes  not 
merely  questioning  (as  Fritzsche  and  Meyer  suppose), 
but  a  formal  demand,  appears  from  the  reply  of 
Jesus:  yeved,  k.t.X.,  ar)  ^le'io  v  e  tt  i  (.'tj  t  €  ?,  and 
from  the  meaning  of  ripuTcav  in  ch.  xv.  23.  The 
reply  of  Jesus  is  entu-ely  adapted  to  the  character  of 
the  deputation.  If  on  a  former  occasion  He  had 
convinced  the  deputation  from  the  synagogue  that 
they  were  wretched  teachers  of  the  "law.  He  now 
shows  that  these  rulers  were  equally  indifferent  poli- 
ticians, i.e.,  very  superficial  observers  of  the  signs  of 
the  times.  They  knew  how  to  prophesy  the  weather 
for  the  ensuing  day,  but  not  how  to  interpret  the 
signs  of  the  times. 

Vers.  2  and  3.  When  it  is  evening. — Curiosi 
erant  admodum  Judcei  in  observandis  tempestatibus 
cceli  et  tem.peramenlo  aeris.  Lightfoot.  We  woidd 
suggest  that  the  Lord  attached  a  symbolical  meaning 
to  what  He  said  about  the  signs  of  the  weather.  The 
red  at  even  of  the  Old  Testament  betokened  fair 
weather  at  hand.  Sunilarly,  the  red  sky  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  New  Testament  indicated  the 
storm  about  to  descend  upon  Israel.  But  they  were 
incapable  of  understanding  either  one  or  other  of 
these  signs. 

Ver.  3.  The  signs  of  the  times. — The  plural 
TO.  <rif)ixi'ia  Tuv  Katpwv  IS  here  used  on  account 
of  the  contrast  of  these  two  times.  Beza,  Kuinoel, 
and  others,  apply  the  expression  to  the  miracles  of 
Jesus ;  Grotius,  to  the  fulfilment  of  Old  Testament 
prr,[ihecies ;  Meyer  and  de  Wette,  to  the  Messianic 
hopes  and  views  entertained  by  the  people  in  con- 
nection with  Jesus.  But  undoubtedly  these  sign3 
of  the  times  depended  mainly  on  their  own  relation- 
ship and  conduct  toward  the  Lord,  which  really  con- 
stituted the  contrast  between  tliis  evenmg  and  mom- 
mg,  or  the  contrast  of  these  i<atpu>y.  Accordingly, 
we  might  apply  the  redness  of  the  sky  at  evening  to 
the  activity  of  Christ,  and  the  red  and  lowering  sky 
in  the  morning  to  His  sufferings  on  the  cross.  This 
would  strictly  accord  with  His  sign  of  the  prophet 


288 


TOE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Jonah.  Bosiiles,  the  reply  of  Jesus  also  involved  the 
rebuke,  that  Iheh-  views  of  the  sign  from  heaven 
were  entirely  carnal  and  sensuous,  applying  only  to 
the  clouds  and  the  outward  sky ;  while  the  true 
sign  from  heaven  consisted  in  the  spiritual  indica- 
tions of  the  tunes.  The  circumstance  that  Jesus 
thus  addressed  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  before 
the  people,  seems  to  li^ve  been  the  reason  why  Luke 
records  the  event  in  a  diiferent  connection  (ch.  xii. 
D4).  Compare  also  the  /.i-n  nerecDpi^faOe  of  Luke 
xii.  29. 

Ver.  4.  The  sign  of  Jonah. — This  time  without 
any  further  explanation  ;  implying  that  their  present 
demand  was  connected  with  the  former  request  of 
the  Pliarisccs  (cli.  xii.),  and  hence  that  they  were 
already  ac(|uainted  with  His  explanation  of  the  sign 
of  Jonah.  As  if  He  would  say,  I  refer  you  to  My 
former  statement  on  this  subject  as  sufficient  and 
iinal. 

And  He  left  them. — This  abrupt  termination 
indicates  that  He  judicially  gave  them  up.  Bengel : 
Jusia  sever  Has.  Comp.  ch.  xv.  10;  xxi.  IV ;  xxii. 
46 ;  xxiv.  1.  But  the  strongest  evidence  of  this 
judicial  surrender  lies  in  the  fact  that  Jesus  at  once 
passed  to  the  eastern  shore,  and  in  His  warning  of 
the  disciples  against  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees.  Manifestly  Jesus  now  immediately  re- 
turned with  His  disciples  to  the  other  side.  (Comp. 
here  Meyer  against  Fritzsche.) 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  demand  of  the  Pharisees  for  a  sign  from 
heaven  was  certainly  in  itself  no  absurdity.  But  it 
depended  upon  an  entire  confusion  of  the  first  and 
the  second  advent  of  Christ.  It  is  quite  true  that 
the  prophecies  on  which  they  founded  their  views 
contained  references  to  vast  transformations  in  the 
world  which  would  result  from  the  completion  of 
Christ's  mission.  But  as  tJie  death  and  resurrection 
of  Christ  are  related  to  the  end  of  the  world  as  the 
principle  to  the  full  development,  or  as  the  seed-corn 
to  the  I'ipe  fruit,  so  also  is  the  sign  of  Jonah  (or 
Christ's  death  and  resurrection)  most  definitely  con- 
nected with  those  signs  from  heaven  which  shall 
usher  in  the  final  catastrophe.  Indeed,  strictly 
speaking,  it  is  the  sign  from  heaven  in  principle 
which  by  and  by  will  also  appear  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven  (Matt.  xxiv.  SO). 

2.  Ye  know  how  to  discern  the  face  of  the  sh/, 
but. — Of  course  this  statement  does  not  imply  that  it 
was  easier  to  interpret  the  signs  of  the  spiritual 
world  than  those  of  the  sky.  But  the  former,  and 
not  the  latter,  was  the  calling  and  business  of  the 
Sanhedrin,  while  in  reality  they  were  better  prophets 
of  the  weather  than  interpreters  of  those  prophecies 
which  it  was  their  duty  to  expound.  Besides,  the 
statement  also  indicates  that  the  signs  of  the  sky  are 
uncertain,  and  may  deceive  us ;  while  moral  signs, 
if  properly  understood,  never  mislead. 

3.  Mark  relates  that  the  Saviour  sighed  deeply 
in  spirit  w-heu  His  enemies  again  met  Him  with  tliis 
demand.  He  fully  comprehended  the  decisive  im- 
portance of  that  hour.  Henceforth  He  could  no 
longer  tarry  in  Galilee — Gahlee  rejected  Ilim.  This 
holds  even  more  true  of  Judea,  whence  these  perse- 
cutions issued.  The  Master  felt  that  now  only  a 
brief  time  of  respite  was  left  Ilim  on  the  other  side 
of  Jordan,  to  prepare  Himself  and  His  intimate  dis- 
ciples for  the  decease  at  Jerusalem. 


4.  This  was  the  third  occasion  on  whicli  Jesus 
was  driven  from  Galilee,  and  passed  over  tlic  lake 
into  the  mountains.  The  first  time  it  was  to  avoid 
the  court  of  Herod ;  the  second  time  He  retreated 
before  the  tradilionaUsm  of  the  schools ;  the  third 
time  before  the  hardened  hierarchy  of  the  whole 
country. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

The  demand  of  a  sign  from  heaven ;  or,  the  old 
temptation  under  a  new  form.  1.  The  old  tempta- 
tion :  (a)  The  proposal  itself,  to  be  a  worldly  Mes- 
siah, a  Jewish  con(iueror,  not  a  Saviour  of  nations  ; 
to  overthrow  the  old  world,  not  to  renew  the  spiritual 
world  by  regeneration,  and  thereby  to  transform  the 
external  world.  (6)  Why  a  temptation  ?  Because 
it  was  based  upon  elements  of  truth  which  were  per- 
verted into  error.  2.  The  new  form  of  this  tempta- 
tion, (a)  It  was  under  the  guise  of  a  sign  from 
heaven ;  {b)  partly  an  allurement  and  partly  a  threat, 
forming  a  transition  from  the  temptations  from  the 
plercsures  of  the  world  (Matt,  iv.)  to  those  from  its 
sufferings  (Matt,  xxvi.) ;  (c)  it  was  urged  with  the 
evident  intention  to  represent  the  Lord  to  the  people 
as  a  false  Messiah,  and  thus  to  destroy  His  influence, 
even  if  He  escaped  their  hands. — How  the  Jewish 
politicians,  in  their  knowledge  of  the  weather,  over- 
looked the  signs  of  the  spiritual  weather :  (a)  They 
lost  the  brightest  day;  {b)  they  encountered  the 
severest  storm. — The  successors  of  the  prophets 
sunk  to  the  level  of  weather-prophets, — a  warning 
example. — How  even  their  superficial  knowledge  of 
nature  would  rise  in  testimony  against  their  theol- 
ogy.— Why  the  Lord  here  calls  them  hypocrites  ? 
(a)  Because  they  neglected  and  misunderstood  those 
spiritual  signs  which  it  was  their  calling  to  interpret, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  they  gave  themselves  to 
the  interpretation  of  outward  signs  with  which  they 
had  no  business ;  {b)  because  in  general  they  per- 
verted their  spiritual  into  a  secular  calling. — Out- 
ward calculations  of  things  always  end  in  this,  that 
a  man  at  last  becomes  slavishly  dependent  upon 
wind  and  weather. — How  most  men  allow  themselves 
to  be  so  engrossed  by  tlie  signs  of  the  visible  sky  as 
to  overlook  what  is  going  on  in  the  si^iritual  sky. — 
The  true  signs  of  the  time. — Signs  at  evening  and  in 
the  morning  in  the  kingdom  of  God. — Let  us  not 
be  dependent  on  wind  and  weather,  but  look  up  to 
the  Sun  of  righteousness. — Why  no  other  sign  than 
that  of  Jonah  could  be  given  to  this  evil  and  adulter- 
ous generation. — lie  left  them  and  departed  ;  or,  the 
decisive  hour  :  1.  His  death  was  now  decided  upon; 
2.  their  fidl  and  judgment  were  now  decided  ;  3.  the 
grand  course  of  events  during  the  long-suffering  of 
Christ,  from  His  resurrection  to  His  second  advent, 
was  now  decided ;  4.  the  future  condition  of  the 
Church  as  sharing  the  fate  of  her  banished  and  per- 
secuted Lord  was  now  decided ;  5.  the  termination 
of  the  old  things  of  this  world  by  the  final  judgment 
was  now  decided. — And  He  left  them  ;  or,  the  silent 
commencement  of  a  new  era. — He  departed;  but 
they  are  still  standing  and  waiting  for  the  sign  from 
heaven. 

Starke: — The  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees. — 
Hedinger  :  In  any  undertaking  against  Christ  or  His 
people,  Pilate  and  Herod  will  always  be  ready  to  join 
hands,  Luke  xxiii.  12. — The  enemies  of  Christ  always 
repeat  objections  which  have  already  been  thorough- 
ly answered  and  refuted. — Unbelief  trusts  God  no 


CUAT.  XYI.  5-12. 


289 


further  than  it  can  see  with  its  eyes  and  feel  vnth  its 
hands  ;  while  true  faith  simply  relies  ou  the  word  of 
God,  even  though  it  sees  neither  signs  nor  miracles. 
—  Camtcin:  Let  us  give  heed  to  those  tunes  w\ni'h 
God  has  marked  by  certain  signs. — Woe  to  those 
from  whom  Josus  departs;  who  is  to  be  their 
Saviour  find  Helper '? 

Ocrlach  : — If  your  vision  were  not  at  fault,  you 
would  descry  miracles  enough  to  satisfy  you ! 


Heuhner: — How  fruitful  is  human  wisdom  in 
expedients  for  our  earthly  concerns,  and  how  inex- 
perienced and  imskilful  in  divine  things  ! — Thqi-e  are 
"  signs  of  the  times  "  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — 
These  signs  only  a  devout  mind  can  read  ;  the  Sph-it 
of  God  discloses  the  purposes  of  God. — A  t'luistiau 
and  a  spiritual  policy. — Christ  does  not  beg  for  ap- 
plause. 


2.   The  Leaven.     Cn.  XVI.  5-12. 


5  And  when  his  disciples  were  come  to  the  other  side,  they  had  forgotten  to  take 

6  bread.     Then  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Take  heed  and  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Phari- 

7  sees  and  of  the  Sadducees  [and  S.].^     And  they  reasoned  among  themselves,  saying, 

8  It  is  because  we  have  taken  [we  took,  eAa/3o/xcv]  no  bread.      Which  when  Jesus  per- 
ceived," he  said  unto  them,  0  ye  of  little  faith,  why  reason  ye  among  yourselves,  be- 

9  cause  ye  have  brought  [ye  took,  IXdfSere]  ^  no  bread  ?     Do  yc  not  yet  understand,  nei- 
ther  [nor]   remember  tlie  five  loaves   of  the  five  thousand,  and  how  many  baskets 

10  [travelling-baskets]  *  ye  took  up  [eAa^ere]  ?     Neither  [Nor]  the  seven  loaves  of  the 

1 1  four  thousand,  and  how  many  baskets  [provision-baskets]  ye  took  up  ?  How  is  it  that 
ye  do  not  understand  that  I  spake  it  not  to  you  concerning  bread  [spake  not  to  you  of 
loaves],'  that  ye  should  [but]  beware*'  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Saddu- 

12  cees  [and  S.]'?  Then  understood  they  how  that  he  bade  them  not  beware  of  the 
leaven  of  bread,  but  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Sadducees  [and  S.].' 

'  Ver.  C— [Without  the  article,  which  is  wanting  in  the  Greek  before  Sadducees.— V.  S.] 

2  Yer.  S.— [Better  :  And  when  Jesiia  perceived  it,  he  said,  or  :  A7id  Jes^iS  knoviing  it  said  to  them,  yvov^  5  f  6 
'iTjfroCs   elirfj/  aliro'is. — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  S— For  e  \a;8  €T  e,  B.,  D.,  Vulgata,  etc.,  read  e x « ■"■  «  i  2/«  ^«'^'*-  So  Lachmann.  Meyer  favors  it.  Tischcn- 
dorf  [and  Alford]  adhere  to  the  i?(;c«;)^rt,  which  accords  best  with  tlio  connection.  [Codex  Sinaitlcus  reads:  exsTt, 
and  omits  the  words  ov  firriixovi  v er  e  in  the  following  verse. — P.  8.] 

*  Ver.  9.—[Ko<pivovs,  as  distinct  from  airvpiSas  in  ver.  10.  "The  K6<pivos  was  proverbially  the  Jewish  trav- 
elling-basket; corap.  Juv.  Sal.  iii.  In;  \^iidais,  quorum  cophimis  foemtmque  supeUea.''"  Kobinson,  G'r.  and  K  Le».  of 
the  N.  T.  2  TT  u  p  (  r  {(Tirupa)  is  a  round  jilaited  basket  for  storing  grain,  bread,  flsh,  and  other  provisions ;  comp.  Matt. 
XV.  87;  Mark  viii.  8,  20 ;  Acts  is.  25.  The  Vulgate  translates  tlie  one  cophiiws.iha  othor  spnrtas;  Ewald  uses:  JTorbo 
and  Ilandkorhe;  Lange,  better  :  Reisek'oihe  a\u\  Speinekorhc  (travel! ing-biiskets  o.x\iX  provixion-hagketii)',  Wiclif:  cqfyna 
and  lepiis;  the  Rheims  Vers.  :  baskets  anil  moumles;  Campbell  likewise:  baskets  and  maunds;  but  all  other  Eugk 
Vers,  which  I  compared,  use  baskets  in  both  coses.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  11.— Tischendorf,  following  Griesbach  and  the  majority  of  witnesses,  reads  the  plural  &praii'.  [So  also  Lach- 
mann, and  Alford,  who  regards  the  leet.  rec.  &pr  ov  as  an  emendation  to  express  the  sense  better.  Codd.  Sinaitlcus,  Va- 
ticanus.  and  Eplir.Tmi  Syri,  the  three  oldest  extant,  unanimously  sustain  the  plural,  but  Cod.  Alexnndrinus  (as  published 
by  B.  II.  Cowper)  reads  tlie  singular,  and  so  the  Lat.  Vulgate  (pane).    Lange  translates  Srode,  loai-es.—V.  S.] 

«  Ver.  11.— np  o  IT  e  X  e  T  6  5  *  ,  according  to  B.,  C,  L.,  al.,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  against  Trpoadxfif-  Ilenco  a  re- 
peated admonition,  not  simply  a  narrative.  See  Meyer  against  Fritzsche.  [Cod.  Sinaitii'us,  and  the  English  critical  edi- 
tors of  the  Greek  Test.,  Tregellos  and  Alford,  likewise  read  the  imperative  irpoaexfre  5f',  but  beware,  instead  of  the  In- 
finitive trpoa-fxft",  ^  beware,  or  tliat  ye  should  beware.— F.  S.] 

">  Vers.  11  and  12.— [Omit  of  the,  .is  in  ver.  G;  the  article  not  being  repeated  in  the  Greek.— P.  S.] 

Schneckenburger  and  de  Wette,  our  Lord  here  refer- 
red to  the  hj-pociisy,  not  to  the  teaching  of  the  Phar- 
isees, which  the  Lord  commenilH,  comp.  ch.  xxiii.  4. 
But  Meyer  rightly  insists  that  the  expression  refers 
not  to  their  teaching  in  general  (including  their  agree- 
ment with  the  law),  but  only  to  their  sectarian  pecu- 
liarities.*   The  iVTaAfiara  avOpuinwv  (xv.  9),  however, 

*  [Tho  Edinb.  translator,  who  never  .seems  to  have  re- 
ferred to  Meyer,  so  often  quoted  in  tins  Commentary,  makes 
him  and  Lange  say  here  the  exact  reverse,  viz. :  '•  Meyer  In- 
sists tliat  tho  expression  applied  not  merely  to  their  own 
teaching,  but  also  to  those  iiointw  in  which  they  agreed  with 
the  law' itself."  In  this  case  C'luist  would  have  warned  tho 
disciples  against  the  law  of  (io.l  !  l!ut  Meyer  says,  p.  816 
(note),  after  opposing  t'cliiu'cki'iibiirgor's  and  de  Wetto's 
reference  of  the  leaven  to  the  hi/pocris;/  of  the  Pharisees: 
"  Aus  dein  Bilde  des  Sanerleias  erliellt  von  selbst,  dass  tiicht 
die  Lehre  jencr  Secten  Hberhuupt  vnd  im  Gansen  (auch 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  5.  The  circumstance  that  the  disciples  for- 
got to  take  bread  with  them  forcibly  illustrates  their 
excitement,  and  the  haste  with  which  they  had  left 
the  western  shore.  According  to  Mark  (viii.  14), 
they  had  not  more  than  one  loaf  in  the  ship  with 
them.  The  event  here  recorded  took  place  during 
the  passage  across  the  lake. 

Ver.  C.  The  leaven. — "  7.vixt]v  tjjv  SiSax'V  iKa- 
Xeffev,  (lis  o^aSri  ical  aairpau.  Euth.  Zigab.  On  the 
analogous  apjilication  of  "ixb  Ity  the  Rabbins  (to 
every  contagious  influence  of  and  for  evil),  see  Bux- 
torf,  Lcxie.  Tahn.  p.  2303 ;  Lightfoot  on  the  passage. 
Differently,  xiii.  33."  So  Meyer.  According  to 
19 


100 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


constitute  only  one  part  of  the  leaven.  Applying  to 
the  two  sect8'(the  Sadducces  as  well  as  the  Phari- 
sees), the  expression  must  refer  to  the  corruptness 
of  their  teaching,  arising  from  their  sccularisni, 
which,  like  leaven,  had  infected  and  poisoned  the 
vrhole  peoi)le,  and  from  which  even  the  disciples  were 
not  quite  free ;  more  especially  Judas,  in  whose  heart 
this  leaven  was  probably  already  beginning  to  oper- 
ate. On  the  significance  of  the  leaven,  compare  our 
remarks  on  Matt.  xiii.  33. — With  the  usual  super- 
ficiality of  rationalism,  von  Ammon  (ii.  285)  supposes 
that  domestic  requirements  or  business  engagements 
may  have  rendered  the  return  to  the  eastern  shore 
necessary,  entirely  overlooking  the  deep  import  of 
this  event.  In  point  of  fact,  it  was  a  virtual  banish- 
ment. As  such  the  disciples  also  felt  it.  But  a 
short  time  before  they  had  traversed  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  lake  under  peculiarly  trying  circum- 
stances. Now  they  returned  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion by  the  same  track.  A  second  time  they  saw  Ca- 
pernaum at  a  distance,  and  they  felt  as  if  their  home 
there  were  already  lost.  The  Master  read  these  feel- 
ings, and  understood  their  sorrow.  With  brave  de- 
termination, but  as  yet  only  partially  renouncing  the 
world,  they  followed  Him  ;  but  their  hearts  still  clung 
to  the  scene  of  their  aifections  and  hopes.  Under 
these  circumstances,  Jesus  addressed  to  them  the  sol- 
emn warning,  "  Take  heed,  and  beware,"  etc.  "  When 
the  children  of  Israel  went  out  of  Egypt,  they  were 
commanded  to  put  away  the  leaven,  and  to  leave  it 
behind  them  (Ex.  xii.  15-1 7).  At  the  time,  the  ex- 
pression referred  to  the  spirit  of  Egypt  as  an  infec- 
tious principle,  most  powerful  for  evU.  They  were 
not  to  take  to  Canaan  any  of  the  infectious  corrup- 
tions of  Egypt  (comp.  1  Cor.  v. ;  Stier,  ii.  158).  This 
journey  of  the  Lord  with  his  disciples  resembled  the 
passage  of  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt ;  like 
them,  they  now  left  behind  the  heathenism  of  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  The  Saviour  felt  that  the 
great  Paschal  feast — not  symbolically,  but  in  reality 
— was  at  hand.  Withal,  He  was  deeply  affected  by 
the  thought  that,  unconsciously.  His  disciples  still 
carried  with  them  some  of  the  leaven  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  Sadducees."  Hence  the  warnmg  (see  the 
author's  Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  2,  878). 

And  Sadducees. — Mark  has  instead :  kuI  rris 
Cv/jLTjs  'HpwSov.  If  the  Sadducees  had  enlisted  the 
sympathies  of  Herod  in  demanding  a  sign  from  hea- 
ven, the  situation  of  matters  had  become  even  more 
critical.  But  this  does  not  necessarily  follow  from 
the  text.  There  was  a  twofold  kind  of  leaven,  which 
might  be  designated  as  hypocritical  secularism,  and 
distinguished,  as  assuming  in  the  one  case  the  garb 
of  exclusiveness,  in  the  other  that  of  liberalism.  Here 
we  have  for  the  first  time  an  indication  of  another 
offence  than  that  of  pharisaical  exclusiveness,  in  the 
shape  of  the  worldly  policy  of  Herod  coquetting  with 
the  Roman  authorities  of  the  land.  We  see,  as  it 
were,  the  germ  of  the  later  calumny,  that  Jesus 
claimed  to  be  a  king,  and  must  therefore  be  au  enemy 
to  Caesar. 

How  many  baskets. — From  Acts  ix.  25,  Ben- 
gel  rightly  infers  that  a    anvpis  was  larger  than  a 

ihreUebereinstimmuugmit  dem  Gesetze  mit  eingeschlossen) 
gemeiut  gewesen  sei,  sondern  ihi\^  charakteristische  Sectcn- 
Lehre,  ihre  die  Moralitiit  verderbenden  4vTa.Kfx.aTa.  avdpili- 
irwv  (xv.  9),  daher  Er  aueh  die  Lehrc  beider  zusammen  als 
&IJ.t)  darstellen  konnte,  so  verschieden  auch  ihre  beider- 
seitingen  Princlpien  waren."— P.  8.] 


DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  false  exegesis  of  the  disciples  on  the  words 
of  the  Saviour  may  be  regarded  as  the  prototype  of 
uiany  a  later  miserable  performance  of  the  same  kind. 
At  first  they  probably  tiied  to  understand  them  lit- 
erally, and  therefore  as  meaning  :  Beware  of  partak- 
ing of  the  bread  of  tlie  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  or 
have  no  further  conamunion  with  them.  But  this 
would  have  implied  that  they  would  have  had  to  make 
a  separate  provision  for  themselves,  as  the  whole 
country  was  divided  between  the  parties  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  Sadducees,  and  hence  any  provision  which 
they  might  have  got  from  without  would  have  been 
impure. — These  thoughts  were  succeeded  by  the  rec- 
ollection that  they  had  no  bread,  and  by  cares  which 
drew  down  upon  them  the  rebuke  of  the  Lord  about 
the  littleness  of  their  faith. 

2.  Do  ye  not  yet  understand  ?  The  expressions  are 
the  same  as  before  in  connection  with  the  washing 
of  the  hands.  Now  that  the  separation  had  actually 
commenced,  it  was  high  time  that  they  should  have 
better  understanding.  The  Gospel  of  Mark  gives  a 
fuller  outline  of  this  rebuke. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  threefold  retirement  of  the  Lord  across  the 
lake. — Resemblance  between  the  passage  of  the  Lord 
across  the  lake  and  that  of  the  children  of  Israel  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt. — Beware  of  the  leaven  of  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees  :  1.  Its  designation  :  a  two- 
fold kind  of  leaven,  and  yet  in  reality  only  one  leaven 
(exclusive  bigotry  and  lax  imiversalism, — after  all 
only  secularity  under  the  guise  of  piety).  2.  The 
warning :  (a)  Beware ;  (6)  so  that,  while  avoiding  one 
of  these  errors,  ye  fall  not  into  the  other. — To  cross 
with  Jesus  to  the  other  side  implies  and  requires 
complete  renunciation  of  the  world. — It  matters  httle 
that  we  outwardly  leave  Egypt,  if  we  carry  its  cor- 
ruption in  our  hearts. — The  feelings  of  the  Master 
and  those  of  His  disciples  on  leaving  the  realm  of  the 
Pharisees  :  1.  The  foresight  of  the  Master,  and  the 
negligence  of  the  disciples ;  2.  the  freedom  from  care 
of  the  Master,  and  the  anxieties  of  the  disciples ;  3. 
the  calumess  of  the  Master,  and  the  excitement  and 
distress  of  the  disciples. — Connection  between  the 
memory  and  the  heart:  1.  Excitement  the  spring  of 
forgetfulness ;  2.  calmness  and  peace  the  surest 
means  of  presence  of  mind. — The  circumstance  that 
the  disciples  had  so  frequently  misinterpreted  the 
meaning  of  the  Lord,  recorded  for  our  warning. — 
Principal  causes  of  false  interpretations  of  the  word 
of  God:  1.  Slavish  literality;  2.  personal  interests; 
3.  fear ;  4.  arbitrary  perversions. — How  the  Lord  had 
to  repeat  to  His  disciples,  and  to  question  them  on, 
the  history  of  the  twofold  feeding  of  the  multitude. — 
The  anxiety  of  the  disciples  after  the  miraculous  feed- 
ing of  the  multitude  itself  a  mournful  wonder. — Al- 
though the  Lord  ever  performs  new  miracles,  yet  frith 
in  Him  still  continues  a  miracle. —  Then  understood 
they  (ver.  12):  when  error  is  removed,  truth  finds  an 
entrance.  —  The  Lord  emphatically  reiterates :  Be- 
ware of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees. 
— The  leaven  of  Jewish  legalism  and  of  heathen  sec- 
ularism in  the  Church  of  Chi-ist. 

Starke  : — Quesiiel :  We  do  not  lose  by  following 
Christ  so  closely  as  for  a  tmie  to  forget  every  earth- 
ly consideration,  since,  after  all,  we  have  the  best 


CHAP.  XVI.  13-XVn.  27. 


291 


part,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25. — Majus  :  Let  us  not  mix  up  dif- 
ferent creeds. — Beware  of  heretics  and  false  teachers. 
—  Cramer  :  As  leaven  pervades  the  whole  mass,  so 
will  a  single  error  on  any  fundamental  doctrine  cor- 
rupt all  our  other  views,  depriving  them  of  their  spir- 
itual value,  2  Tim.  ii.  lY. — Zeisius  :  Hearers  are  apt 
to  suppose  that  certain  sermons  are  aimed  agamst 
them,  while  this  may  be  due  to  the  voice  of  their 
own  conscience,  not  to  the  words  of  the  preacher. — 
Majns :  The  mistakes  of  disciples,  and  their  conse- 
quences.—  Canstcin:  How  often  does  anxiety  for  dai- 
ly bread  take  the  place  of  anxiety  for  the  soul ! — 
Jesus  searching  the  heart. — Christ  bearing  with  the 
weakness  of  our  faith,  and  givmg  more  grace. —  Cra- 
mer: Frequent  meditation  on  the  past  gracious  and 
wonderful  provisions  of  our  God  an  approved  reme- 
dy for  unbelief. — How  fi-equently  is  it  thus  that 


they  who  ought  to  have  been  teachers  have  need 
to  be  taught  again  the  first  principles  of  divine 
truth  ! 

Gerlach : — The  words  of  Jesus  may  be  misinter- 
preted or  forgotten  simply  from  weakness  of  faith. — 
Accordingly,  the  Lord  rebukes  not  so  much  their  ig- 
norance, as  their  weakness  of  faith  and  their  carnali- 
ty, which  was  the  source  of  that  ignorance. 

Heubner  :  —  Pharisaism  :  appearance  of  piety, 
hypocritical  ostentation  of  faith.  Sadducism:  ap- 
pearance of  a  spirit  of  inquiry,  concealment  of  faith 
from  fear  of  men. — On  ver.  7  :  Similarly  we  might 
say,  Simple-minded  Christians  do  not  understand  the 
arts  and  plans  by  which  unbelief  undermines  Chris- 
tianity.— Vers.  8-10:  A  clear  evidence  this  that  the 
Apostles  were  neither  credulous,  nor  on  the  watch  for 
miracles. 


PART    THIRD. 

Christ  presents  the  future  history  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  in  opposition  to  the 
Ancient  World  and  the  Theocracy. 

Co>JTENT8  (from  ch.  xvi.  13-xx.  16)  :— The  period  has  now  arrived  for  founding  the  Church  of  Christ,  or  iKKkrjffia,  as  a 
distinct  and  visible  Community,  in  opposition  to  that  ancient  form  of  the  Theocracy  which  was  henceforth  doomed  to 
judgment.  Tlie  open  and  full  confession  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  formed,  so  to  speak,  the  moment 
when  the  eKKAritria  was  born.  From  that  hour  Christ  manifested  and  owned  His  Chnrch  as  such,  through  the  con- 
fession -R-hich  the  Church  made  of  Ilira.  This  Church  is  here  presented  in  its  leading  characteristics:  1.  In  its  ^w- 
pketio  character  as  confessing  Christ,  from  ch.  xvi.  13-xvii.  27;  2.  in  its  priexUy  capacity,  from  ch.  xviii.  1-xis.  26; 
a.  In  its  kingly  manifestation,  from  ch.  xix.  27-x.x.  16. 


FIRST    SECTION. 

THE  CHURCH  IN  ITS  PROPHETIC  CHARACTER,  AS  CONFESSING  CHRIST,  THE  SON  OF 
GOD,  IN  OPPOSITION  TO  THE  LEGAL  OPINIONS  CONCERNING  HIM,  ENTERTADfED 
BY  THE  SYNAGOGUE. 

Chaptee  xvi.  13-XYII.  27. 


The  Church  of  Christ  in  its  prophetic  character  is  here  set  before  us,  first,  as  confessing  Christ,  ch.  xvi. 
13-20 ;  then  as  bearing  the  cross  of  Christ,  in  contrast  to  that  worldly  fear  of  the  cross  by  which  He 
was  assailed,  vers.  21-28 ;  then,  as  in  real  fellowship  with  the  spirits  of  the  blessed,  in  opposition  to 
the  sohtary  tabernacles  of  spurious  separation  from  the  world,  ch.  xvii.  1-8. — Next,  the  Church  is  de- 
scribed as  wholly  unknown  and  hidden,  vers.  9-13;  yet  as  wonder-working,  vers.  14-21 ;  though  still 
in  human  weakness,  vers.  22,  23 ;  as  free,  but  voluntarily  subject  and  paying  tribute  to  the  old  tem- 
ple, vers.  24-27. 

The  historical  succession  of  events  was  as  follows : — In  company  with  His  disciples,  the  Lord 
passed  along  the  left  bank  of  the  Jordan,  toward  the  mountains.  At  Bethsaida  JuUas  He  performed 
the  cure  of  a  blind  person  (recorded  in  Mark  viii.  22),  at  the  same  time  enjoining  strict  silence  upon 
him.  Thence  they  continued  their  journey  to  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Ca;sarea  Phihppi,  touch- 
ing (as  it  would  seem  from  Mark  viii.  27)  only  the  adjoining  villages,  but  avoiding  the  town  itself.  It 
was  in  these  coasts,  or  district,  that  the  Lord  evoked  the  confession  of  Peter,  which  was  followed  by 


292  TnE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 

the  aiinounccmcut  of  the  foundation  of  His  Church,  4KK\rioia.  Immediately  afterward,  Jesus  distinct- 
ly announced  liid  impending  sufferings,  since  tliese  were  connected  with  the  foundation  of  His  Church, 
as  the  latter  was  with  the  confession  of  His  name.  On  this  occasion  Peter  began  to  rebuke  IJira ;  and 
he  who  had  lately  been  commended  as  confessing,  was  now  reproved  as  tempthig.  The  event  just 
recorded  led  to  the  admonition,  addressed  to  His  disciples  generally,  on  the  subject  of  taking  up  the 
cross  and  following  Him.  A  week  later,  the  Lord  called  His  three  most  intimate  disciples  to  witness 
His  transfiguration  on  the  Mount.  As  they  came  down,  Jesus  explained  to  them  the  advent  and  mis- 
sion of  Elijah.  At  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  the  healing  of  the  lunatic  boy,  possessed  with  a  devil, 
took  place.  From  thence  Jesus  secretly  passed  through  Galilee,  ])robably  for  the  purpose  of  acquaint- 
ing His  friends  with  those  impending  sufferings,  for  which  He  had  already  prepared  His  disciples. 
Refusmg  the  solicitation  of  His  brethren  to  jom  the  caravan  going  up  to  the  feast.  He  went  secretly  to 
Jerusalem,  to  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  whicli  was  celebrated  in  autumn.  Thus  the  history  advances 
to  the  nio;ith  of  October  of  the  year  782  (according  to  Wieseler,  to  the  12th  October),  John  vii.  1-10. 
In  Jerusalem  the  events  i-ecorded  in  John  vii.  11,  etc.,  took  place,  when  Jesus  pointed  to  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  Old  Testament  symbols  in  His  life.  The  healing  of  the  man  blmd  from  his  birth  (John 
ix.),  hastened  the  full  and  final  determination  of  the  Jewish  authorities  to  put  Him  to  death.  But  in 
all  probability  Jesus  did  not  continue  in  Judea  during  the  interval  between  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  in 
October,  and  the  festival  of  the  Dedication  of  the  Temple  in  December  (according  to  Wieseler,  the 
2'7th  December).  During  that  period  He  appears  to  have  paid  a  farewell  visit  to  Galilee,  and  to  have 
passed  from  Samaria  to  Perea,  where  He  tarried  till  the  feast  of  the  Dedication  of  the  Temple  {Lebcn 
Jem,  ii.  2,  1003).  After  His  return  to  Galilee,  Jesus  again  appeared  in  public,  though  probably,  as 
in  Jerusalem,  only  surrounded  by  a  large  number  of  His  friends.  For  the  last  time  Jesus  now  came 
to  Capernaum,  where  He  was  asked  for  the  payment  of  the  temple  tribute,  ch.  xvii.  24-27.  Thus 
far  our  section. 


A.   The  Church  as  confessing  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.     Ch.  XVI.  13-20. 
{The  Gospel  for  the  Festival  of  St.  Peter  and  Paul— Paxa&ds:  Mark  viii.  27-30;  Luke  ix.  18-21.) 

13  Wlien  Jesus  came  into  the  coasts  [parts,  to.  iiiprj]  of  Cesarea  Pliilippi,  he  asked  his 

14  disciples,  saying,  Whom  [Who]  do  men  say  that  I,^  the  Son  of  man,  am?  And  they 
said,  Some  say  that  thou  art  John  the  Baptist ;  some,  Elias  [Ehjah]  :  and  others,  Jere- 

15  mias  [Jeremiah],  or  one  of  the  prophets.     He  saith  unto  them,  But  whom  [who]  say 

16  ye  that  I  am  ?     And  Simon  Peter  answered  and  said.  Thou  art  the  Christ  [the  Messiah], 

17  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Blessed  art  thou, 
Simon  Bar-jona  [Bar  Jonah,  son  of  Jonah]  ^ :  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it 

18  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven  [the  heavens].  And  I  say  also 
[And  I  also,  Kayw  8e,  say]  unto  thee,  That  thou  art  Peter  [IleTpos],  and  upon  [on]  this 
rock  [-TreVpa]  ^  I  will  build  my  Church  [cKKXTyo-ia]  ;*  and  the  gates  of  hell  [hades]  ^  shall 

19  not  prevail  against  it."  And  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
[the  heavens]  :  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  he  bound  in  heaven  [the 
heavens]  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth  shall  he  loosed  in  heaven  [the 
heavens]. 

20  Then  charged 'he  his  [the]*  disciples  that  they  should  tell  no  man  that  he  was 
Jesus  the  Christ  [he  is  the  Christ].** 

1  Ver.  13. — The  pers.  pron.  IJ.4  in  Cod.  C.  after  AfjovTi,  [in  the  text.  rec.  before  the  verb],  is  wanting  in  Cod.  B. 
[and  in  Cod.  Sinaiticus]  and  in  several  versions,  and  is  omitted  by  Tischendorf  [and  Tregelles  and  Alford] ;  Laehmann  re- 
tains it,  but  in  brackets.  The  insertion  is  more  easily  explained  than  the  omission.— [If  we  omit  /.i.  6,  we  must  translate, 
with  Campbell  and  Conant :  Who  do  men  say  that  the  Son  of  Man  is  ?  Or  with  Alford,  who  retains  the  grammatical  anom- 
aly, if  not  blunder,  of  the  Author.  Vers. :  Whom  (riVa)  do  men  say  that  the  Son  of  Man  is  ?  Thv  viuv  tov  ai/Opci-Kov 
is  equivalent  to  7  in  the  corresponding  sentence  below,  ver.  15.  Some  who  retain  /x  e  in  the  text  (Beza,  Clericus,  etc.) 
translate :  Who  do  men  say  that  1  am  ?  the  Son  of  Man  f  i.  «.,  Do  they  believe  me  to  be  the  Messiah  ?  But  this  does  not 
suit  the  form  of  the  answer,  and  would  require  either  .an  affirmative  Yea,  or  a  negative  Xo.  In  the  received  text 
rh  If  vibv  r  uv  ^  e  ov  must  be  regarded  as  in  apposition  to  fie ,  and  is  so  rendered  in  the  E.  V. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  n.—[Bar  ("'-)  is  the  Aramaic  or  Chaldaic  word  used  by  Daniel  in  the  prophetic  passage,  vii  13  (_'' J  saw  .  .  . 
and  one  like  the  Son  of  Man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven"  etc.),  for  the  Hebrew  Ven  ('jS),  son.  In  the  Authorized 
E.  V.  it  is  retained  as  the  patronymic  of  Peter,  as  Matthew  retained  it  in  Greek  :  Bap  'I  ai c a  ;  Jerome  in  Latin :  Bar- 
Jona;  Bengel,  do-  AVctte,  and  Ewald  in  their  German  Version.-!:  Bar-Jona  ;  while  Tyndale,  Cranmer's,  and  the  Geneva 
Bibles,  also  Luther  and  Lange  translate  it  into  tho  corresponding  vernacular.    Compare  similar  compound  names:  Bar- 


CHAP.  XVI.  13-XVn.  27.  293 


Abba%  B(7r-Jesu<,  Jiar-^\il/as,  Bar-Sabas,  Bar-Timmus,  Bar-Tholonucun.  Tho  transliitiou  depends  on  whether  the 
name  is  here  simply  the  patronymic,  or  whether  it  has  an  allegorical  meaiiinj:,  as  Olshausen  and  Laujre  contend.  In  the 
latter  case  it  must  bo  translated :  son  of  Jonah,  or  Jonas.    See  Langes  Exeg.  Jfote,  and  my  protesting  footnote,  on  ver.  17. 

3  Ver.  IS.— [2 i»  el  IIsTpoy,  Kal  iirl  ravrri  ttj  ireTpa, — one  of  the  profoundest  and  most  far-reaching 
prophetical,  but,  at  the  same  time,  one  of  the  most  controverted  saying's  of  tlie  Saviour,  the  exesetical  rock  on  which  the 
Papacy  rests  its  gigantic  claims  (but  not  by  direct  proof,  but  by  inference  and  with  the  help  of  undemonstrable  interven- 
ing assumptions,  as  the  transferability  of  Peter's  primaej'.  his  presence  in  Konic,  and  his  aotiinl  transfer  of  the  primacy  upon 
the  bishop  of  Kome),  under  the  united  protest  of  the  whole  Greek  Catholic  and  I'rotestaiit  Kvaiifrelical  Churches,  who  con- 
tend that  Christ  says  not  a  word  about  successors.  Leaving  the  fuller  exposition  to  (he  J-S.rcjiiicdl  Kotes,  we  have  to  do 
here  simply  with  the  verbal  rendering.  In  our  Engl.  Vers.,  as  also  in  the  German,  the  emiiliasis  is  lost,  since  rock  and 
jFe/«  are  never  used  as  proper  names.  We  might  literally  translate :  "  Thou  art  P«ffr  and  upon  this  ;>ic</-e.ss,-"  or:  "Thou 
&rt  Stone,  Bookman,  Man  of  rock  (Felsenmann),  and  upon  this  rook;'"  but  neither  of  them  would  sound  idiomatic  and 
natural.  It  is  perhaps  remarkable  that  the  languages  of  the  two  most  Protestant  nations  cannot  render  the  sentence  in 
any  way  favorable  to  tho  popish  identification  of  the  rock  of  the  church  with  the  person  of  Peter;  while  the  Latin 
Vulgate  simply  retained  tho  Greek  Petrus  and  petra,  and  the  French  translation:  "Tu  cs  Pierre,  et  sur  cette  pterre," 
even  obliterates  the  distinction  of  the  gender.  The  Saviour,  no  doubt,  used  in  both  clauses  the  Aramaic  word  ND^D 
(hence  the  Greek  K-ri<pa.s  applied  to  Simon,  John  i.  42;  comp.  1  Cor.  i.  12;  iii.  22;  ix.  5;  .\v.  5;  Gal.  ii.  9),  which  means 
rocJc  and  is  used  both  as  a  proper  .and  a  common  noun.  Hence  the  old  Syriac  translation  of  the  N.  T.  renders  tb«  passage 
in  question  thus:  '■'■  Anath-her-KivnK.'v'aUhodeYivenx.''''  The  Arabic  translation  has  alsachram  both  cases.  The  prop- 
er translation  then  would  be :  "  Thoti,  art  Rock,  and  upon  this  rock,"  etc.  Yet  it  should  not  be  overlooked  that  Matthew 
in  rendering  the  word  into  Greek,  no  doubt  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  deliberately  changed  the  gender,  using 
the  masculine  in  the  one  case  and  tho  feminine  in  the  other.  Ho  had,  of  course,  to  use  Tier  po  s  in  addressing  a  man 
(as  Maldonatus  in  loo.  correctly  remarks  ;  Petrus,  quia  vir  erut,  non  petra  foemineo,  sed  Petrus  masculino  nomine 
-cocandus  erat);  but  ho  might  with  perfect  propriety  have  continued:  e'lri  tovtu>  red  Tier  pay,  instead  of  cirl 
T  avTTj  rri  tt  4t pa  (which  change  Maldonatus  less  satisfactorily  accounts  for  simply  on  the  philological  reason  that  tho 
ma-culine  Trerpof  ei  Atticum  et  rartim  est).  The  masculine  irerpos  in  Greek  (in  Homer  and  elsewhere)  means  gen- 
enilly  only  a  piece  of  rock,  or  a  stone  (like  the  corresponding  prose  word  \i6os),  and  very  rarely  a  rock.  (Meyer,  how- 
ever, quotes  for  the  latter  signification  a  passage  from  Plato:  ^iav(pov  irirpos,  one  from  Sophocles,  and  one  from  Pin- 
dar) ;  but  the  feminine  irfTpa  always  signifies  rock,  whether  it  be  used  literally  or  metaphorically  (as  a  symbol  of  firm- 
ness, but  also  of  hardheartedness).  I  would  not  press  this  distinction,  in  view  of  the  Syriac  N2"'3  ,  and  in  opposition  to 
such  eminent  commentators  as  Bengel  and  Meyer,  who,  like  the  Rom.  Cath.  commentators,  admit  no  difference  of  the 
terms  in  this  case.  (Bengel:  7iceo  duo,  ireTpa  et  Trerpos  stant  pro  uno  nomine,  sicut  unum  utrinque  nomen 
Kepha  legitur  in  Si/r-iaco.")  But  it  is  certainly  possible,  and  to  my  mind  almost  certain,  th.at  Matthew  eo'prexsed  by  the 
slight  chanse  of  word  in  Greek,  what  the  Saviour  intended  in  using,  necessarily,  the  same  word  in  ~\  ri::<',  ■,  i/  .  liiut  the 
petra  on  which  the  Churclx  is  built  by  Christ,  the  Divine  architect  and  Lord  of  this  spiritual  i.iii|i:'  .  .  rson 

of  Peter  as  «McA,  but  something  more  deep  and  comprehensive;  in  other  words,  that  it  is /"('("cr  (/,.'' /.  <.t' the 

central  mystery  of  Christianity,  or  Peter  as  the  confessor  of  Christ,  Peter  in  Christ,  and  Peter,  iiuiniu  w.  :i-  r  i  ■  -.  nting 
alt  the  other  apostles  in  like  relation  to  Christ  (coiiip.  £ph.  li.  20;  Rev.  xxi.  14).  Nor  should  we  c.xphiin  ver.  IS  indepen- 
dently of  ver.  23.  It  is  very  significant  that,  while  the  leliexing  and  confessing  Peter  here  is  called  rock,  the  disobedient 
and  rfJss?taf7in£7  Peter  immediately  afterward  (ver.  2-3),  with  surprising  severity,  is  called  for  the  time  being  Satan,  the 
enemy  of  Christ.  If  the  papacy  has  any  claim  to  tlie  rocklike  nature  of  Peter,  it  has  certainly  also  fallen  at  times  under 
the  condemnation  of  the  .satanic,  anti-clni  i  im.  himI  denying  Peter.  Let  us  hope  that  it  may  imitate  Peter  also  in  his 
sincere  repentance  after  thd  denial.  I  _  \  :  i.iit  Petra  romana,ne  cadat  sub  censuram  versus  %Z. — Comp.  tlae 
Exeg.  Note^  below,  and  my  llistonj  .  /        .i  .■  ('hurch,  §89,  p.  851  sqq.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  IS.— [All  the  Engli.sh  versions  before  t,>ueen  Elizabeth,  except  that  of  Wiclif  (which  reads  chirohe),  translate 
eKK\r](ria  by  the  corresponding  English  word  congregaiinn  :  but  the  Bishops'  Bible  substituted  for  it  cAwrcA,  and 
this,  by  express  direction  of  King  James,  was  retained  nut,  only  here,  but  in  all  other  passages  of  the  N.  T.  in  the  revLscd 
and  authorized  version  of  1611.  Among  German  translators  and  commentators,  the  Poman  Catholics  (van  Ess,  Arnoldi, 
Allioli)  render  fKKK-qffia  by  the  term  Kirche  (^church) ;  while  the  Protestant  translators  and  commentators  (Luther,  John 
Fricdr.  von  Meyer,  Stier,  de  Wette,  Ewald,  H.  A.  "W.  Aleyer,  and  Lange)  render:  Gemeinde  (congregation).  The  Greek 
iKic\v(ria,  from  fHKaXfo-;  to  call  out,  to  summon,  occurs  114  times  in  the  N.  T.  (twice  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  but  in 
no  other  Gospel,  24  times  in  the  Acts,  6S  times  in  the  Epistles,  20  times  in  Eevelation),  and  corresponds  to  the  Hebrew 
bnp  .  It  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  more  spiritual  and  com^rthQxi&XYd  term  kingdom  of  God  ov  kingdom  of 
heaven,  so  often  used  by  our  Saviour.  It  means  generally  any  popular  convocation,  congregation,  assembly,  and  in  a 
Christian  sense  the  congregation  of  believers  culled  out  of  the  world  .and  consecrated  to  the  service  of  Christ.  It  is  used 
in  the  N.  T.  (1)  in  a  general  sense,  of  the  whole  body  of  Christian  belierers,  or  the  church  universal,  Matt.  xvi.  18;  1 
Cor.  xii.  28;  Gal.  i.  13;  Eph.  i.  22  (and  in  all  the  passages  where  the  church  is  called  the  body  of  Christ);  1  Tim.  iii.  15; 
Heb.  xii.  23,  etc:  (2)  more  frequently  in  a  particular  sense,  of  a  local  congregation,  as  in  Jerusalem,  in  Antioch,  in 
Ephesus,  in  Corinth,  in  Eome,  in  Galatia,  in  Asia  Minor,  etc. ;  hence,  also,  it  is  often  used  in  the  plural,  e.  g., 
at  (KKXriaiai  tt)?  'Ao-i'ay,  1  Cor.  xvi.  19;  ai  a<K\riaiaL  toju  zOpcoi',  Eom.  xvi.  4;  the  seven  churches,  Kev.  i.  4,  11,  20, 

»etc.  The  Saviour  Himself  makes  use  of  the  word  only  twice,  viz. :  in  our  passiige,  where  it  evidently  means  the  church 
■universal,  which  alone  is  indestructible,  and  in  Matt,  sviii.  17,  where  it  can  be  understood  only  of  a  local  church  or  con- 
gregation (tell  it  to  the  church).  John  never  uses  the  term  except  in  his  third  epistle.  The  word  churc/t.  is  properly  no 
translation  of  e/ftcATV'Ji'a  at  all,  but  has  etymologically  a  different  meaning,  being  derived  from  the  Greek  Kvp  laKov, 
i.  «.,  belonging  to  the  Lord,  through  tho  medium  of  the  Gothic,  whence  also  the  cognate  terms  in  the  Teutonic  and  Sla- 
vonic languages,  the  German  Kirche,  the  Scotch  kirk,  the  Swedish  kijrka,  the  Danish  kyrke,  the  liussian  serkow,  the 
Polish  cerkiew,  the  Bohemian  zyrkeic.  (Leo,  Ferienschriften,  Halle,  1847,  derives  the  word  from  the  Celtic  cyrch  or 
cyloh,  i.  e.,  centre,  meeting  place;  but  this  would  not  explain  the  introduction  of  the  word  into  the  Slavonic  nations,  who 
received  Christianity  from  the  Greek  church.)  The  word  cAwrcA  is  now  used  both  in  the  general  and  in  the  particular 
sense,  like  eKKky\aia,  and  in  addition  to  this  also  in  a  third  sense,  viz.,  of  a  building,  or  house  of  worship  (Eusebius, 
Hist,  heel.,  ix.  10,  calls  the  meeting  houses  of  tho  Christians  Kvpiaica  olKela).  As  regards  the  English  translation  of 
fKK\T)aia,  a  number  of  modern  commentators  advocate  a  return  to  tho  term  congregation  throughout  the  whole  N.  T. 
But  it  is  neither  possible  nor  desirable  to  expel  the  term  c?iurch  from  the  English  Bible,  which  has  long  since  become  the 
full  equivalent  of  the  Greek  ewJcAtjcria.  "We  might  use  church,  where  the  word  signifies  the  whole  body  of  believers,  and 
congregation,  where  a  particular  or  local  assembly  of  Christians  is  intended.  But  even  this  is  unnecessary.  The  Geneva 
Bible  also  employed  the  term  church  in  a  few  passages,  though  not  in  ours,  where  it  seems  to  me  to  be  more  appropriate 
than  congregation. — P.  S.] 

5  Ver.  18.— [n  ijA.0  1  a  Sou,  in  Hebrew  biXCJ  "'"'"Iii ,  sMare  eheol,  an  alliteration,  Isa.  xxxviii.  10.  On  hades,  aa 
distinct  from  hell,  compare  the  Exeg.  Kotes  below,  and  also  the  Crit.  Notes  on  xi.  23,  p.  210.— P.  9.] 

*  Ver.  18. — [O  u  /ut)  icar  iit  xoo^  ov  a  iv  ainris,  Uom  KaTKTX^'f^v  twos,  prwtalere  adverstis  aliquem,  comp. 
Isa.  XV.  18.  Sept.  Tyndale,  the  Bishops'.  Kinc:  James',  and  the  Douay  Bibles  as-'ree  in  translating:  sJiall  not  pre/vail 
against  it;    the  Lat.  Vu!gate:  non  pjrcevaleb^int  adversus  earn;    Luther,  de  Y^'^ette,  Ewald,  Lange:    ubericdltigen ; 


294 


THE  GOSl'EL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Meyor:  die.  Ohermacht  hahen  (hehaUen).  I  prefer  the  prevail  of  the  Authorized  Vers,  to  overcow,e  (Geneva  Bible),  aa 
expressing  better  the  idea  of  lonji-continuea  resistance  on  tlie  part  of  hades.  The  term  must  be  e.xpliuned  in 
conformity  to  the  architectural  fl^re  which  runs  tliroiigh  this  whole  passage t—fi-a^^s,  hnild,  keys.  Hades  is  represented 
as  a  hostile  fortress  which  stands  over  against  the  apparently  defenceless,  yet  immovable  temple  of  the  Christian  Church, 
to  which  our  Lord  here  promises  indestruetihle  life.  (Ecclesia  non  potest  dejicere.)  The  gates  of  hades,  or  the  realm  of 
death,  by  virtue  of  the  universal  dominion  of  sin,  admit  and  confine  all  men,  and  (lilce  the  gates  in  Dante's  Inferno  with 
the  famous  terrific  inscription)  were  barred  against  all  return,  until  the  S;iviour  overcame  death  and  "him  that  hath  the 
power  of  death  "  (Heb.  ii.  14),  and  came  forth  unharmed  and  triumphant  from  the  empire  of  death  as  conqueror  and  Prince 
of  life.  Hades  could  not  rctidn  Him  (Acts  ii.  27,  31).  The  same  power  of  life  He  imparts  to  His  people,  who  often,  espe- 
cially during  the  ages  of  persecution  and  martyrdom,  seemed  to  be  doomed  to  destruction,  but  always  rose  to  new  life  and 
vigor,  and  shall  reign  with  Christ  forever.  Comp.  Kev.  i.  18:  "I  am  alive  forevermore,  and  have  the  keys  of  death  and 
h.ades; "  and  1  Cor.  xv.  2C:  "The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed,  is  death."  This  interpretation  of  the  figure  appears  to 
me  much  more  appropriate  than  the  usual  one,  which  takes  hades  here  in  the  sense  of  hell,  and  assumes  an  active  assault  of 
the  infernal  armies,  rushing,  as  it  were,  through  these  gates  and  storming  the  fortress  of  Christ's  Church.  To  this  interijro- 
tation  I  object:  (1)  That  "c/ates  are  not  an  active  and  «firy/'«swi-«,  but  a  passive  and  co»/?m;!gr  power;  (2)  that  7w/d<'«,  al- 
though closely  related  to  gehenna  or  hell  and  including  it,  is  yet  a  wider  conception,  and  means  here,  as  elsewhere,  the 
realm  of  death  (das  lieich  der  Todten),  which  swallows  up  all  mortals  and  confines  forever  those  who  have  no  part  in 
the  victory  of  Cnrist  over  death,  hell,  and  damnation.— P.  S.J 

'  Ver.  20. — Lect.  rec. :  5  tear  e  iKaT  o  Ipracepit,  imperavii].  Codd.  B. ,  D. :  iiv  qt  iix7](T  ev  \com7ninatu8  esf], 
probably  from  Mark  viii.  30;  Luke  i.^.  21. 

"  Ver.  20.— [The  oldest  MSS.,  including  Cod.  Sinait.,  read  simply:  rots  fMadijrals  without  avTov.  Meyerand 
Lange  overlook  this  difference  of  reading.    See  Tregelles  and  Alfbrd.— P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  20.— 1 7j  (TO  C  J  is  wanting  in  important  MSS.  [The  correct  reading  of  all  critical  editions,  sustained  by  the 
oldest  MSS.,  including  Cod.  Sinait.,tho  ancient  versions,  and  patristic  quotations,  is  simply:  on  aitros  4irriv  6 
X  p  iffT  6  s,  that  he  is  the  Christ  (the  promised  Messiah).  The  insertion  of  Jesus  in  later  MSS.  was  a  blunder  of  some 
mechanical  copyist,  who  paid  no  attention  to  the  connection,  and  added  the  personal  to  the  oflicial  appellation,  according 
to  tho  usual  designation  of  our  Lord.  Everybody  knew  and  admitted  the  personal  name  of  our  Saviour,  and  it  would 
have  been  useless  to  deny  or  to  affirm  that  He  was  Jesus. — P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  13.  Into  the  parta  of  Caesarea  Philippi. 

— The  cure  of  the  blind  person  at  the  eastern  Beth- 
saicla  (Mark  xiil.  22)  had  taken  place  before  that. 
Ccemrea  Fhilippi,  formerly  called  Payiean  (Plin.  H. 
N.  V.  15),  from  the  mountain  Panius,  dedicated  to 
Pan,  in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  The  town  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  ancient  Leshem,  Josh. 
xix.  47  ;  Laish,  Judg.  xviii.  7  ;  and  Dan — "  from 
Dan  to  Beersheba."  It  lay  near  the  sources  of  Jor- 
dan, at  the  foot  of  Mount  Lebanon,  a  day's  journey 
from  Sidon,  in  Gaulouitis,  and  was  partly  inhabited 
by  heathens.  The  town  was  enlarged  and  beautified 
by  Philip  the  Tetrarch,  who  called  it  Ccesarca  [Kings- 
ton) in  honor  of  Caesar  Tiberius.  The  name  Philip- 
pi  was  intended  to  distinguish  it  from  Ocesarea  Pal- 
estince  (Robinson,  Palest,  ii.  439  ;  also,  vol.  iii.  sect, 
ix.).  Tradition  reports  that  the  woman  with  the  is- 
sue of  blood  resided  here.  Her  name  is  said  to  have 
been  Berenice.  Agrippa  II.  further  embellished  this 
city,  and  called  it  Neronias  in  honor  of  Nero.  The 
modern  village  of  Banias,  and  the  ruuis  around  it, 
mark  the  site  of  the  ancient  city. 

Who  [not  whom]  do  men  say  that  I  am  ? — 
How  do  men  explain  the  appearance  of  the  Son  of 
Man?  Meyer:  What  do  they  understand  by  the 
designation,  Son  of  Man '?  De  Wette  :  I  who  am  a 
humble,  lowly  man.  But  this  completely  misses  the 
peculiar  import  of  the  expression,  Son  of  Man. 

Ver.  14.  Some  say. — "  The  reply  shows  that,  in 
general.  He  was  not  yd  looked  upon  as  the  Messiah." 
Sleyer.  But  according  to  the  representation  of  the 
evangelist,  we  must  rather  infer  that  Christ's  enemies 
had  by  their  calumnies  succeeded  in  lowering  the 
popular  estimate  concerning  Him. 

John  the  Baptist. — Sea  ch.  xiv.  2.  This,  for  a 
time,  had  been  the  opinion  of  the  courtiers  of  Herod. 
— £jlijah, — as  the  precursor  of  the  Messiah.  Such 
was  the  view  professed  by  those  whom  fear  of  their 
superiors  induced  to  deny  His  claims  to  the  Messian- 
ic office,  while,  from  a  desire  of  not  entirely  surren- 
dering the  expectations  which  had  been  excited  by 
His  appearance,  they  still  regarded  Him  as  a  proph- 
et.— Jeremiah. — Of  course,  in  the  same  sense  as 
Ehjah, — not  in  the  sense  of  literally  revisiting  the 


earth,  nor  in  that  of  implying  the  doctrine  of  the 
transmigration  of  souls  [metempsychosis].*  The 
opinion  of  these  persons  concerning  Jesus  was  evi- 
dently lower  than  that  of  those  who  regarded  Him  as 
Elijah  (Mark  xv.  85  ;  John  i.  21).  The  one  party  re- 
ferred especially  to  what  might  be  designated  as  the 
reformation  inaugurated  by  Jesus,  while  the  other 
had  regard  to  His  denunciations  of  the  corruptions  of 
the  times. — Or  one  of  the  prophets. — According 
to  the  lowest  view.  He  was  represented  by  diseour-, 
aged  friends  as  one  of  the  old  prophets.  Three  points 
are  clearly  brought  out  in  this  conversation :  1.  That, 
to  a  certain  extent,  Jesus  was  still  generally  acknowl- 
edged by  the  people.  2.  That  the  faith  of  the  major- 
ity had  been  lowered  and  misled  by  the  influence  of 
their  superiors,  so  that  diverging  opinions  were  now 
entertained  regarding  Him.  3.  That  this  incon- 
stancy and  wavering  led  to  a  decreasing  measure  of 
homage. 

Ver.  15.  But  who  say  ye  that  I  am  ? — This 
was  the  decisive  moment  in  which  the  separation  of 
the  New  Testament  iKKKriaia  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment theocracy  was  to  be  made.  The  hour  had 
come  for  the  utterance  of  a  distinct  Christian  con- 
fession. 

Ver.  16.  Simon  Peter. —  Peter  answered  not 
merely  in  his  own  name,  but  in  that  of  all  the  disci- 
ples.f — Thou  art  the  Christ, — i.  <?.,  the  Messiah 
Himself.  And  this  not  in  the  sense  in  which  carnal 
Jewish  traditionahsm  held  the  doctrine  of  the  Messi« 
ah,  but  in  the  true  and  spiritual  import  of  the  title — 


*  [Some,  however,  no  doubt  believed  in  a  bodily  resur- 
rection of  Elijah  or  Jeremiah.  The  latter  was  accounted  by 
the  Jews  as  tlie  first  in  the  prophetic  canon.  See  Lightfoot 
on  Malt,  xxvii.  9.— P.  S.] 

t  [This  is  the  correct  view,  already  maintained  by  the 
fathers,  e.  y.,  Chrysostoni,  who,  in  Hom.  54,  calls  Peter  in  this 
connection  the  mouth  of  the  apostles,  rh  (TTo/jt-a  twv  airo- 
(TToAoij',  by  Jerome :  Pctrus  ex  persona  omnium  aposio- 
lorum.  projitetur,  and  by  Thomas  Aquinas:  Ipse  re~ipoudet 
et  pro  se  et  pro  aliis.  Some  Kom.  Cath.  commentators,  as 
Passaglia  and  Arnoldi,  for  obvious  reason.^,  maintain  that 
Peter  spoke  only  in  his  own  name.  But  the  Saviour  ad- 
dressed His  question  to  all  the  disciples,  and  they  certainly 
must  have  assented  to  Peter's  confession  of  faith,  which  they 
had  from  the  time  of  their  calling,  and  without  which  they 
could  not  have  been  apostles.  Comp.  John  i.  42,  46,  50,  also 
the  remarks  of  Dr.  Schegg,  a  Eom.  Cath.  Com.,  in  lac.  (vol. 
ii.  p.  349).-P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XVI.  13-20. 


295 


the  Son  of  the  living  God. — The  latter  expression 
must  not  be  taken  merely  ia  a  7iegaiive  sense,  as  de- 
noting the  IVue  God  in  opposition  to  false  deities ; 
it  must  also  be  viewed  in  a  positive  sense,  as  referring 
to  Him  whose  manifestations  in  Israel  were  complet- 
ed in  and  crowned  by  the  appearance  of  His  Son  as 
the  Messiah.  This,  however,  implies  Sonship  not 
only  ui  a  moral  or  official,  but  also  in  the  ontologieal 
sense.  Thus  the  reply  of  Peter  had  all  the  charac- 
teristics of  a  genuine  confession — being  decided,  sol- 
emn, and  deep. 

[The  confession  of  Peter  Is  the  first  and  funda- 
mental Christian  confession  of  faith,  and  the  germ 
of  the  Apostles'  Creed.  It  is  a  confession,  not  of 
mere  human  opinions,  or  views,  or  convictions,  how- 
ever firm,  but  of  a  divinely  wrought  faith,  and  not  of 
faith  only  (/  believe  that  Thou  art),  but  of  adoration 
and  worship  {Thou  art).  It  is  christological,  i.  e.,  a 
confession  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  centre  and  heart  of 
the  whole  Christian  system,  and  the  only  and  all-suf- 
ficient fountain  of  spiritual  life.  It  is  a  confession 
of  Jesus  Christ  as  a  true  man  ( T/iou,  Jesus),  as  the 
promised  Messiah  {the  Christ),  and  as  the  eternal  Son 
of  God  {the  Son — not  a  son — of  the  living  God),  hence 
as  the  God-Man  and  Saviour  of  the  world.  It  is  thus 
a  confession  of  the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation  in  the 
widest  sense,  the  great  central  mystery  of  godliness, 
"  God  manifest  in  the  flesh." — Compare  also  the  ex- 
cellent remarks  of  Olshausen  (in  Kendrick's  Am.  ed., 
vol.  i.  p.  545  sq.)  and  Alford,  who,  following  Olshau- 
sen, says  in  loc. :  "  The  confession  is  not  made  in  the 
tenns  of  the  other  answer :  it  is  not  '  we  saij,^  or  '  / 
say,'  but '  Thou  art.'  It  is  the  expression  of  an  in- 
ward conviction  wrought  by  God's  Spirit.  The  ex- 
cellence of  this  confession  is,  that  it  brings  out  both 
the  human  and  the  divine  nature  of  the  Lord :  6 
Xpi  cTTo  s  is  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  David,  the 
anointed  King  •,dvihsrod  &  eo  v  rod  (uvt  o  s 
is  the  Eternal  Son,  begotten  of  the  Eternal  Father,  as 
the  last  word  most  emphatically  impUes,  not  '  Son 
of  God  '  in  any  inferior  figurative  sense,  not  one  of 
the  sons  of  God,  of  angelic  nature,  but  the  Son  of 
the  living  God,  having  in  Him  the  Sonship  and 
the  divine  nature,  in  a  sense  in  which  they  coidd 
he  in  none  else.  This  was  the  view  of  the  person  •f 
Christ  quite  distinct  from  the  Jewish  Messianic  idea, 
which  appears  to  have  been  (Justin  Mart.  Dial.  p. 
26*7)  that  he  should  be  born  from  men,  but  selected 
by  God  for  the  office  on  account  of  his  eminent  vir- 
tues. This  distinction  accounts  for  the  solemn  bles- 
sing pronounced  in  the  next  verse.  Za>  ut  os  must 
not  for  a  moment  be  taken  here,  as  it  sometimes  is 
used  {e.  g..  Acts  xiv.  15),  as  merely  distinguishing 
the  true  God  from  dead  idols :  it  is  here  emphatic, 
and  imparts  force  and  precision  to  vl6s .  That  Pe- 
ter, when  he  uttered  the  words,  understood  by  them 
in  detail  all  that  we  now  understand,  is  not  of  course 
here  asserted,  but  that  they  were  his  testimony  to 
the  true  Humanity  and  true  Divinity  of  the  Lord,  in 
that  sense  of  deep  truth  and  rehance,  out  of  which 
springs  the  Christian  life  of  the  Church." .  Meyer, 
indeed,  takes  rov  ^ivros  simply  as  the  solemn  epithet 
of  the  true  God  in  opposition  to  the  dead  idols  of  the 
heathen ;  but  there  was  no  reason  here  for  contrast- 
ing the  true  God  with  heathen  idols,  and  Peter  must 
have  meant  to  convey  the  idea,  however  imperfectly 
understood  by  him  at  tlie  time,  that  the  Godhead  it- 
self was  truly  revealed  in,  and  reflected  from,  the  hu- 
man person  of  Christ  in  a  sense  and  to  a  degree  com- 
pared with  which  all  former  manifestations  of  God  ap- 
peared to  him  like  dead  shadows.     He  echoed  the 


declaration  from  heaven  at  Christ's  baptism  :  "  This 
is  my  beloved  Son  m  whom  I  am  well  pleased,"  and 
recognized  in  Him  the  essential  and  eternal  life  of 
the  great  Jehovah.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  17.  Jesus  answered. — Also  a  confession, 
decided,  solemn,  and  deep  ;  being  the  divine  confes- 
sion of  the  Lord  in  favor  of  the  Church,  which  had 
now  eonl'essed  His  name,  and  of  her  first  witness. 

Blessed  art  thou  (comp.  Eom.  x.  9),  Simon,  son 
of  Jonah.* — Meyer  denies  in  vain  the  antithesis  be- 
tween this  address  and  the  new  title  given  to  Peter. 
Different  views  have  been  taken  in  reference  to  this 
antithesis.  1.  Paulus  explains  it  :  Simon,  or  obe- 
dient hearer, — son  of  Jonas,  or  sou  of  oppression. 
2.  Olshausen :  HDl'^ ,  dove,  with  reference  to  the  Holy 
Spirit  under  the  figure  of  a  dove.  Thou,  Simon,  art 
a  child  of  the  Spirit.  3.  Lange  {Lcben  Jesu,  ii.  2, 
469) :  Thou,  Simon,  son  of  a  dove  (which  makes  its 
nest  in  the  ro<?k,  a  figure  of  the  Church),  shalt  be 
called  a  rock  (the  rockhke  dwelling-place  of  the  dove, 
i.  e.,  of  the  Church).f  With  this  antithesis  the  other 
in  the  same  verse  is  connected.  According  to  the 
flesh,  thou  art  a  natural  son  of  Jonah  ;  but  accord- 
ing to  this  revelation  of  the  Spirit,  a  child  of  the  Fa- 
ther who  is  in  heaven  (referring  to  his  regeneration, 
and  consequent  faith  and  confession).  [Similarly  Al- 
ford :  The  name  "  Simon  Bar  Jonas "  is  doubtless 
used  as  indicating  his  fleshly  state  and  extraction, 
and  forming  the  greater  contra.st  to  his  spiritual  state, 
name,  and  blessing,  which  follow.  The  name  2iVa)j» 
'\wvu,  Simon,  son  of  Jonas  or  Jonah,  is  uttered  when 
he  is  reminded  by  the  thrice-repeated  inquiry,  "  Lov- 
est  thou  me  ?  "  of  his  frailty,  in  his  previous  denial 
of  his  Lord,  John  xxi.  15,  16,  17.— P.  S.] 

]Flesh  and  blood. — Various  views  have  been 
taken  of  this  expression.  1.  Calvin,  Beza,  Neander, 
de  Wette,  refer  it  to  our  physical  nature  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  TTVivixa.  To  this  Meyer  objects,  that  our 
physical  nature  is  termed  in  Scripture  only  aap^,  not 
aapi,  KoX  alixa  (in  1  Cor.  xv.  50,  '■'■flesh  and  blood " 
should  be  literally  understood).  2.  According  to  Light- 
foot  and  Meyer,  it  must  be  taken  (with  special  refer- 
ence to  the  fact,  that  t'ne  Rabbins  use  Oil  ni!33 
as  a  kind  of  paraphrase  for  Son  of  man,  including 
the  accessory  idea  of  the  weakness  involved  in  our 
corporeal  nature),  as  simply  dei.oting  loeak  man, 
equivalent  to  nemo  moriaUnm  (as  in  Gal.  i.  16).  3, 
We  explain  it :  the  natural,  carnal  descent,  as  con- 
trasted with  spiritual  generation.  John  i.  13  :  ol 
ovK  ii,  aina.Taii',  ot/5e  fK  ©.ATJitiaroy  aapKoi,  k.  t.  A. 
This  appears  still  further  from  the  connection  be- 
tween the  expressions,  "^mA  aw(^  J/oor/ "  and  "son 
ofJo>iah,"  and  from  the  antithesis,  "Mi/  Father  who 

*  [Accorrling  to  Lange's  version.  Comp.  my  critical  note 
abovo.-r.  S.] 

t  [I  confess  that  this  allegoric.il  exposition  of  the  term 
appears  to  me  as  far-fetched  and  as  improbable  as  that  of  Ols- 
hausen. Bar-Jona  has  nothing  to  do  with  a  dove,  but  is  a 
contraction  for  Bar-Joanna  (Chaldaic),  i.  e..  Son  of  John, 
as  is  Evident  from  John  xxi.  15,  16,  17,  where  Christ  ad- 
dresses Peter:  SiVtw  ^loxit-vvov.  But  there  may  be  in  thi^ 
use  of  the  patronymic  an  allusion  to  the  title  Son  of  Man  1* 
ver.  13,  which  would  give  additional  emphasis  to  the  coun- 
ter confession,  in  this  sense :  That  I,  the  Son  of  Man,  am  at 
the  same  time  the  Messiah  and  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  is  as 
true  as  that  thou,  Simon,  art  the  son  of  Jona ;  and  as  thou 
hast  thus  confessed  Me  as  tlie  Messiah,  I  will  now  confess 
tliee  as  Peter,  etc.  If  the  Saviour  spoke  in  Aramaic  or 
Clialdaic,  as  lie  undoubtedly  did  on  ordinary  occasions  and 
with  His  disciples.  He  used  the  term  Barm  ver.  17,  with 
reference  to  Dan.  vii.  13,  the  prophetic  passage  from  which 
the  Messianic  appellation  Son  of  Man  was  derived,  so  that 
Bar-enahsh  {Son  of  Man)  and  Bar-Jona  would  correspond. 
-P.  S.] 


296 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


98  in  heavoi."  Hence  Gal.  i.  16  must  mean:  When 
I  received  a  commission  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles,  I 
conferred  not  with  my  Jewish  nationality  ;  and  Ej)h. 
vi.  12  :  I.,  reality,  we  wrestle  not  with  beings  of  hu- 
man kind,  but  with  the  powers  of  darkness,  whose 
representatives  and  instruments  they  are  ;  and  1  Cor. 
XV.  50 :  The  kind  which  is  of  this  world  (of  the  first 
man,  who  is  of  the  earth)  shall  not  inherit  the  king- 
dom of  God ;  but  we  must  enter  it  by  a  complete 
transformation  into  a  second  and  new  life  which  is 
from  heaven.  Accordingly,  the  antithesis  in  the  test 
is  between  knowledge  resulting  from  natural  human 
development,  or  on  the  basis  of  natural  birth,  and 
knowledge  proceeding  from  the  revelation  of  the  Fa- 
ther in  heaven,  or  on  the  basis  of  regeneration. 

Hath  not  revealed  it, — but  My  Father. — 
A  difficulty  has  been  felt,  how  to  reconcile  this  dec- 
laration with  the  fact,  that  the  disciples  had  at  a  much 
earlier  period  recognized  Jesus  as  tfte  Messiah  (John 
i.  42,  46,  60).  1.  Olshausen  holds  that  this  confes- 
sion of  Peter  indicates  a  much  more  advanced  state 
of  knowledge  :  6  vlhs  tov  ©eoi",  rod  ^d'UTos,  2.  Ne- 
ander  thinks  that  all  earlier  revelations  had  more  or 
less  proceeded  from  flesh  and  blood.  3.  Meyer  sug- 
gests that  the  text  refers  to  that  first  acknowledg- 
ment of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  in  consequence  of 
which  the  disciples  came  and  surrendered  themselves 
to  Him.*  4.  In  our  view,  the  new  element  in  this 
confession  lies,  first  of  all,  in  its  ethical  form.  It  was 
no  longer  a  mere  knowledge  (or  recognition)  of  Christ. 
While  the  general  knoivledge  of  the  Jews  concerning 
the  Messiah  had  retrograded,  and  degenerated  into 
discordant  and  self-contradictory  opinions^  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  disciples  had  advanced,  and  was  now 
summed  up  and  concentrated  into  an  act  of  spiritual 
faith  in  Peter's  confession,  which,  in  view  of  the 
hostility  of  the  Jewish  rulers,  may  be  characterized 
as  a  real  martyrdom  {napTvpia).  Another  new 
element  lay  in  the  view  now  expressed  concerning 
the  Messiah.  On  all  the  main  points,  the  Jewish 
and  traditional  notions  of  the  Messiah  had  evident- 
ly been  thrown  off,  and  a  pure  and  spiritual  faith 
.attained  from  converse  with  the  Hfe  of  Jesus.  In 
both  these  respects,  it  was  a  revelation  of  the  Fa- 
ther in  heaven,  i.  e.,  a  heavenly  and  spiritual  produc- 
tion. The  new  life  was  germinating  in  the  hearts 
of  the  disciples. — De  Wctte  regards  this  passage  as 
incompatible  with  the  earlier  acknowledgments  of 
the  Messiah  ;  while  Fritzsche,  Schneckenburger,  and 
Strauss  talk  of'a  twofold  period  in  Christ's  ministry : 
the  first,  when  He  was  a  disciple  of  John ;  the  sec- 
ond, when  He  attained  to  consciousness  of  His  Mes- 
sianic dignity.  But  these  critics  have  wholly  misun- 
derstood this  narrative. 

Ver.  18.  But  I  also  say  luito  thee. — The  ex- 
pression shows  in  a  striking  manner  the  reciprocity 
existing  between  Christ  and  His  disciples.  Their  con- 
fession solicits  His  confession,  f 

*  [Not  exactly.  In  the  fiiiirtli  edition  of  his  Com.  on 
Matt.,  p.  320,  Meyer  assumes  that  Peter,  although  long  since 
♦  convinced,  with  the  rest  of  the  disciples,  of  the'Messiahship 
of  Jesus,  -was  on  this  occasion  iivvored  with  a  special  divine 
revelation  on  the  subject,  and  spoke  from  a  state  of  inspira- 
tion. "J9a7i«?',"  he  says,  "w<  a-rr  f  Ka.\v\p  e  nicht  auf 
e/ine,  schon  heim  ersten  Anse/iliesscn  an  Jesiim,  erhalte/iie 
Offenharung,  welche  den  Jungern  gewordcn,  zu  heziehen, 
sondern  auf  Petrcs  ^ind  eine  ihn  auszeiduiende  heson- 
dere  airoKaXv^  is  zu  leschrdnken"  Bat  Peter  con- 
fessed in  the  name  of  all  the  other  apostles,  see  p.  294.— P.  S.] 

t  [Maldonattjs  :  "  Et  ego.  Elegans  antithesis,  Greece 
etiam  efflcacior :  Ko.yclo  5  e ,  sed  et  ego  dico  tibi  ;  quasi 
dicat:  tu,  qui  homo  es,  Filium  Dei  vivi  me  esse  dixisti, 
ego  vero,  qui  Filias  Dei  livi  siijyi,  dico  te  esse  Peirum,  id 


Thou  art  Peter, — n  4rpos,  in  Aramaic  sta"'3  > 
the  stone,  or  the  rock  {see  Meyer).  The  Greek  mascu" 
line  noun  arose  from  the  translation  of  the  name  into 
(ireek ;  the  name  itself  had  been  given  at  an  earlier 
period,  John  i.  42.  It  was  now  bestowed  a  second 
time  to  indicate  the  relationship  subsisting  between 
Peter  and  the  Ecclesia,  rather  than  to  prove  that  Pe- 
ter really  was  what  his  name  implied  (Meyer).  From 
the  first  this  name  was  intended  to  be  symbolical ; 
although  its  real  meaning  was  only  attained  at  a  later 
period  in  the  history  of  Peter.  But  at  the  same  time 
the  words  of  Jesus  imply  the  acknowledgment  that 
his  character  as  Peter  had  just  appeared  in  this  con- 
fession. [It  should  be  observed  that  in  John  i.  42 
(in  the  Gr.  text,  ver.  43)  we  read  :  "  Thou  shall  be 
called  {KK7]ei]fT7i)  Cephas,"  but  here :  "  Thou  art  (el) 
Peter."— P.  S.] 

And  on  this  rock. — For  the  various  inter- 
pretations of  this  passage,  see  Wolf's  Curie.  We 
submit  the  following  summary  of  them:  1.  The 
term  "rock"  is  referred  to  Christ  Himself  Thus 
Jerome,*  Augustine, f  Chemnitz,  Fabricius,  and  oth- 

est  vicarimn  meum  [?],  quern  Filium  Dei  esse  confessua 
es.  Nam  Ecclesium  meam,  qiim  super  me  adijicata  est, 
super  te  etiam,  tanquam  super  secundaritim  quoddam 
fundamentum  cedijicaho." — P.  SJ 

*  [This  needs  modification.  .Jerome,  in  his  Comment, 
on  3/att.  xvi.  18  (C/"/.'.  -!.  V;irM>,,  toin.  vii.  p.  124).  ex- 
plains the  passage  tliu-  •  /iinnti  Jjio.^fo/is  do- 
n<tvit,ut  lumen  m,t(i"i'  i  '  -r.  rattrnqiie  (3-  Do- 
mino sortiti  s^mt  vociihn'i :  i'.l  ,/  ,yi>ilO?n\  (jUl  CKEDEBAT 
IN  PETEAM  Chp.istum,  J'ctri  lavgitus  est  vomcn.  Ac  se- 
cu7iditin  metax/horwm  peirm,  rel-te  dicitur  ei:  jEdificabo 
ECCLESiAM  MEAM  SUPER  TE."  The  last  words  (super  te) 
show  that  he  referred  the  petra  not  only  to  Christ,  but  in  a 
derivative  sense  also  to  Peter  as  the  confessor.  So  in  an- 
other passage  (Fj).  ad  Dainas.  papam,  Ep.  15,  ed.  Vail.,  i. 
8T  sq.)  he  says  of  Peter:  '■'•super  illam  petnim  adificatam 
ecclesiam  scio."  Jerome  also  regards  the  bishop  of  Eome 
as  the  successor  of  Peter,  but  advocates  elsewhere  the  equal 
rights  of  bishops,  so  that  he  can  be  quoted  only  in  favor  of  a 
Eoman  primacy  of  honor,  not  of  a  supremacy  of  jurisdiction. 
Comp.  on  Jerome's  views  concerning  the  papacy  the  second 
vol.  of  my  Ge?ieral  Church  History,  now  preparing  for  tho 
press,  §  CI,  p.  304  sq.— P.  S.] 

t  [/.  e.,  ArrGCSTiNE  in  his  later  years;  for  at  first  he  re- 
ferred the  2)etra  to  the  person  of  Peter.  He  says  in  his  Jie- 
tructations,  i.  cap.  21,  at  the  close  of  his  life:  "I  have 
somewhere  said  of  St.  Peter  that  the  church  is  built  upon 
l^m  as  rock.  .  .  .  But  I  have  since  frequently  said  that  the 
word  of  the  Lord:  'Thou  art  P(tru8,  and  on  this  petra  I 
will  build  my  church,'  must  be  understood  of  Him,  whom 
Peter  confessed  as  Son  of  the  living  God;  and  Peter,  so 
named  after  this  rock,  represents  the  person  of  the  church, 
which  is  founded  on  this  rock  and  has  received  the  keys  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  For  it  was  not  said  to  him :  '  Thou 
art  a  rock'  {x>etra),  but,  '  Thou  art  Peter''  {Petrus);  and 
the  rock  was  Christ,  through  confession  of  whom  Simon  re- 
ceived the  name  of  Peter.  Yet  the  reader  may  decide 
which  of  the  two  interpretations  is  the  more  probable."  In 
the  same  strain  he  says,  in  another  place:  "Peter,  iu  virtue 
of  the  primacy  of  his  apostolate,  stands,  by  a  figurative  gen- 
eralization, for  the  church.  .  .  .  When  it  was  said  to  him,  'I 
will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,'  &c., 
he  represented  the  whole  church,  which  in  this  world  is  as- 
sailed by  various  temptations,  as  if  by  floods  and  storms,  yet 
does  not  foil,  because  it  is  founded  upon  a  rock,  from  which 
Peter  received  his  name.  For  the  rock  is  not  so  named  from 
Peter,  but  Peter  from  the  rock  (jion  enim  a  Petro  petra, 
sed  Petrus  a  jyetra).  even  as  Christ  is  not  so  called  after  the 
Christian,  but  the  Christian  after  Christ.  For  the  reason 
why  the  Lord  says,  '  On  this  rock  I  will  build  mv  church,'  is 
that  Peter  had  said:  'Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
living  God.'  On  this  rock,  which  thou  hast  confessed,  says 
he,  I  will  build  my  church,  i'  or  Christ  was  the  rock  (petra 
eirim,  erat  Christus),  upon  which  also  Peter  himself  was 
built ;  for  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay,  than  that  is  laid, 
which  Is  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  the  church,  which  is  built 
upon  Christ,  has  received  from  Ilim,  in  the  person  of  Peter, 
the  keys  of  heaven  ;  that  is,  the  power  of  binding  and  loos- 
ing sins."  (Aug.  Tract,  in  Frang.  Joannis,  124,  §5.)  Am- 
BuosE,  too,  at  one  time  refers  the  pet?-a  to  Christ,  as  when 
he  suys  in  Luc.  ix.  20:  "Petra  est  Christus,'  etc.,  hut  at 
other  times  to  the  person  of  Peter,  as  in  tho  famous  morn- 
ing hymn  quot«d  by  Augnstin  (ffoc  ipsa  petra  ecclesia 


CHAP.  XVI.  13-20. 


297 


ers.* — 2.  It  is  referred  to  Peter's  confession.  Thus  most 
of  the  Fathers,  several  Popes,  Leo  I.,  f  Huss  in  the 
Tradat.  cie  ecclesia,  the  Articuli  Smalcald.  in  the  Ap- 


Canente,  culpam  diluU),  atid  afrain  to  his  confession,  or 
rather  to  Peter  and  his  confession.  Comp.  my  Church 
History,  vol.  il.  p.  804.  A  similar  apparent  inconsistency 
we  find  in  other  fathers.  The  reference  of  the  rock  to  Christ 
was  also  advocated  by  Theodoeet,  ad  1  Cor.  iii.  11,  the 
venerable  Bede  in  Marc,  iii  :  "J'etra  ernt  ChriMiM  (1  Cor. 
X.  4).  Kam  Simoni  qui  credebat  in  Petram  Chkistum, 
Petri  largitus  est  nomen;"  and  even  by  Pope  CJreaoiy 
"VII.  in  the  inscription  to  the  crown  he  sent  to  the  German 
rival  emperor  Rudolph:  "Petba  (/.  e.,  Christ)  dedit  Petro 
(Peter),  Petbus  (the  pope)  diadema  liiidolpho."' — P.  S.] 

*  [Especially  Calovius,  of  the  Lutheran,  and  quite  re- 
cently Dr.  Wordsworth,  of  the  Anglican,  and  (evidently 
under  the  influence  of  Wordsworth's  arguments)  Dr.  Jos.  A. 
Alexaxder,  of  the  Presbyt.  Church  (although  the  latter,  as 
usual  with  liim  in  critical  passages,  does  not  finally  decide). 
Dr.  Wordsworth  rests  his  labored  defence  of  the  later  Augus- 
tinian  interpretation  mainly  on  the  difl'erence  between 
irerpos,  stone,  and  treipa,  rock,  which  he  thinks  (referring 
to  Lightfoot  .ind  Beveridge)  had  a  parallel  in  the  Syriac 
Cephan  and  Cepha  (doubtful) ;  on  the  foct  that  in  the  O.  T. 
the  title  Rock  is  reserved  to  God  Almighty  (2  Sam.  xxii.  32; 
Ps.  xviii.  81;  Ixii.  2,  6,  7,  etc.);  and  on  the  admitted  equality 
of  the  apostles.  He  thus  paraphrases  the  words  of  the  Sa- 
viour :  '"  I  myself,  now  confessed  by  thee  to  be  God  and 
Man,  am  the  Kock  of  the  Church.  This  is  the  foundation 
on  which  it  is  built.'  And  because  St.  Peter  had  confessed 
Him  as  such.  He  says  to  St.  Peter,  '  Thou  hast  confessed 
Me,  and  I  will  now  "confess  thee;  thou  hast  owned  Me,  I 
will  now  own  thee;  thou  art  Peter;  i.  e.,  thou  art  a  lively 
eione,  hewn  out  of,  and  built  upon  Me,  the  living  Hoch. 
Thou  art  a  genuine  Petros  of  Me,  the  divine  Fetra.  And 
whosoever  would  be  a  lively  stone,  a  Peter,  must  imitate 
thee  in  this  thy  true  confession  of  Me  the  living  Kock  ;  for 
upon  this  Rock,  that  is,  on  Myself,^  believed  and  confessed 
to  be  60^/4  God  and  Man,  I  will  build  My  Church.'" — This 
Is  all  true  enough  in  itself  considered,  but  it  is  no  exposition 
of  the  pas.sage.  Everybody  knows  and  admits,  th.at  in  the 
highest  sense  of  the  U'vm  Christ  and  He  alone  is  the  im- 
movable (divine)  Eock  of  the  Church,  the  foundation 
(6e^eAiu$),  on  which  the  apostles  built  and  besides  which 
no  other  can  be  Laid,  1  Cor.  iii.  11 ;  comp.  1  Cor.  x.  4  (ireVpo) ; 
Matt.  vii.  24,  25.  But  it  is  equally  true  that  in  a  subordi- 
nate sense  the  apostles  are  called  the  (human)  foundation 
on  which  the  Church  is  built,  Eph.  ii.  20  (eVoiKoSo^Tj^eV- 
T6S  eVj  Tw  de,ue\icii  tCjv  diroaToXoiv  ico.l  irpocpTiTiiiv, 
K.T.\.);  Eev.  xxi.  14  (06,ue'\io(  SxS^Ka,  K.r.X.).  Now  in 
our  passage  Christ  appears  not  as  rock,  i.  e.,  as  part  of  the 
buildintc  itself,  but  under  a  higher  figure  as  architect  and 
Lord  of  the  whole  spiritual  temple;  and  the  mixing  of  fig- 
ures in  one  breath,  as  this  interpretation  implies,  would  be  a 
plain  violation  of  rhetorical  taste  and  propriety  such  as  we 
ehould  not  for  a  moment  think  of  in  connection  with  our 
Saviour.  Again,  the  antanarlasis  (t.  e.,  the  rhetorical  fig- 
ure of  repeating  the  same  word  in  a  different  sense)  is 
conclusive  against  this  explanation.  The  demonstrative 
ravTT)  must  refer  to  H  erpo  s,  which  immediately  pre- 
cedes;'for  there  is  not  tlic  least  intimation  that  the  Sa- 
viour, after  having  said  :  "  Thou  art  Rockman,"  turned 
flway  from  Peter,  and,  pointing  to  Himself,  continued: 
"flwrf  on  THIS  rock  {i.  <?.,  Myself,  fV  ifj.avTu)  I  toill  build 
My  Church.'"  On  the  contrary.  He  immediately  continues: 
^^And  Iicill  give  TO  TBr.F.,''''  Kal  Swaco  aoi,  which  can,  of 
course,  mean  nobody  else  but  Peter.  This  interpretation  of 
Augustine  and  Wordsworth  destroys  the  rhetorical  beauty 
and  emphasis  of  the  passage,  iind  can  give  us  no  advantage 
whatever  in  our  controversy  with  Rome,  which  must  and  can 
be  refuted  on  far  better  grounds  than  forced  exegesis.— P.  S.l 

t  [This  reference  to  the  fathers  is  too  indefinite,  and 
hardly  correct  as  far  as  Leo  and  the  popes  are  concerned. 
The  majority  of  the  fathers.  Hilary,  Ambrose,  Jerome,  Au- 
gustine. Leo  I.,  Gregory  of  Nazianzen,  Chrysostom,  Cyril  of 
Alexandria,  Theodoret,  etc.,  vary  in  their  interpretation,  re- 
ferring the  petra  sometimes  to  the  person  of  Peter,  some- 
limes' to  his  faith  or  confession,  and  sometimes  (as  Jerome 
and  Augustine)  to  Christ  Himself.  (Coinp.  Maldonatus, 
Comment,  in  quatuor  Evangelistas,  ed.  Martin,  torn.  i.  p. 
219  sq.,  and  my  History  of  the  Christian  Church,  vol.  ii. 
§§61  and  68,  pp.  .802  eqq.  and  314  sqq.,  where  the  principal 
passages  are  quoted.)  But  this  inconsistency  is  more  ap- 
parent than  real,  since  Peter  and  his  faith  in  Christ  cannot 
be  separated  in  this  passage.  Peter  (representing  the  other 
apostles)  as  believing  and  confessing  ChrUt  (but  in  no 
other  capacity)  is  the  7;«<rrt  ecciexive.  This  is  the  true  in- 
terpretation, noticed  by  Lange  sub  number  3.  b).    Comp. 


pend..,  Luther,*  Febronius,  and  others, f — 3.  It  is  ap- 
plied to  Feter  himself,  (a)  In  the  popish  sense,  by 
Baronius  and  Bellarmin,  [Passaglia,]  as  implying  that 
Peter  was  invested  with  a  permanent  prunacy,|  (6) 
With  reference  to  the  special  call  and  work  of  Peter 
as  an  Apostle.  By  thee,  Peter,  as  the  most  promi- 
nent of  My  witnesses,  shall  the  Church  be  founded 
and  established :  Acts  ii.  and  x.  So,  many  Roman 
Catholics,  as  Launoi,  Dupin, — and  later  Protestant 
expositors,  as  Werenfels,  Pfaff,  Bengel,  and  Crusius. 
Heubner  thinks  that  the  antanaclaals,  or  the  connect- 
ing of  Peter  with  -n- 1  t  p  a  ,  is  in  favor  of  this  view. 
But  he  [as  also  nearly  all  other  commentators  who 
represent  this  view]  combines  with  it  the  application 
of  the  term  to  the  confession.§ — 4,  It  is  applied  to 
Peter,  inclusive  of  all  the  other  Apostles,  and,  indeed, 
of  all  believers.  Thus  Origen  on  Matt,  svi,  18: 
"  Every  believer  who  is  enlightened  by  the  Father  is 

my  Critical  Note,  3,  p.  293.  But  the  confession  or  faith 
alone  cannot  be  meant,  for  two  reasons :  first,  because  this 
construction  assumes  an  abrupt  transition  from  the  person 
to  a  thing  and  destroys  the  significance  of  the  demonstrative 
and  emphatic  rauTj?  which  evidently  refers  to  the  nearest 
antecedent  Petros;  and  secondly,  because  the  church  is  not 
built  upon  abstract  doctrines  and  confessions,  but  upon  liv- 
ing persons  believing  and  confessing  the  truth  (Epli.  ii.  20; 
1  Pet.  ii.  4-6;  Gal.  ii.  9;  Rev.  xxi.  14).  Dr.  Jos.  A.  Alexan- 
der, however,  is  too  severe  on  this  interpretation  in  calling 
it  as  forced  and  unnatural  as  the  Roman  Catholic.  It  un- 
doubtedly implies  an  element  of  truth,  since  Peter  in  this 
passage  is  addressed  as  the  bold  and  fearless  confessor  of 
Christ.— P.  S.] 

*  [In  Luther's  Randglosse,  but  so  as  to  combine  this  ex- 
planation with  the  fourth  mentioned  above  (of  Origen): 
"  Alls  Christen  sind  Petri  iim  der  Bekcnntniss  u-illen,  die 
hier  Petriis  ihut,  welche  ist  der  Fels,  darauf  Petrus  und 
alle  Petri  gebauet  sind."— P.  S.] 

't  [Among  modern  commentators  Ewald,  Die  drei  ersten 
Evangelien,  p.  272,  who  understands,  however,  by  trirpa, 
not  so  much  the  confession,  as  the  faith  itself  which  pre- 
cedes it.— P.  8.] 

X  [The  Romish  interpretation  is  liable  to  the  following 
objections:  (1)  It  obliterates  the  distinction  between  petros 
and  petra;  (2)  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  true  nature  of  the 
architectural  figure  :  the  foundation  of  a  building  is  one  and 
abiding,  and  not  constantly  renewed  and  changed ;  (3)  it 
confounds  priority  of  time  with  permanent  superiority  of 
rank ;  (4)  it  confounds  the  apostolate,  which,  strictly  speak- 
ing, is  not  transferable  but  confined  to  the  original  personal 
disciples  of  Christ  and  inspired  organs  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
with  the  post-apostolic  episcopate;  (5)  it  involves  an  injus- 
tice to  the  other  apostles,  who,  as  a  body,  are  expressly 
called  the  found.ation,  or  foundation  stones  of  the  church ; 
(6)  it  contradicts  the  whole  spirit  of  Peter's  epistles,  which 
is  strongly  antihierarchical,  and  disclaims  any  superiority 
over  his  "fellow-presbyters ;  "  (7)  finally,  it  rests  on  gratui- 
tous assumptions  which  can  never  be  proven  either  exegeti- 
cally  or  historically,  viz.,  the  transferability  of  Peter's  prima- 
cy, and  its  actual  transfer  upon  the  bishop,  not  of  Jerusalem 
nor  of  Antioch  (where  Peter  certainly  was),  but  of  Roma 
exclusively.  Comp.  also  the  long  note  to  §  94  in  my  History 
of  the  ApostoUa  Church,  p.  374  sqq.— P.  S.] 

§  [So  also  OLSirAusBN:  "  Peter,  in  his  new  spiritual  char- 
acter, appears  as  the  supporter  of  (;hrist's  great  work ;  Je- 
sus Himself  is  the  creator  of  the  whole,  Peter,  the  first  stone 
of  the  building;"  de  Yv'ette:  "  eVl  TauTjj  rj}  TreVpqi, 
on  thee  as  this  flrtn  confessor  ;  "  Meyer  :  "  on  no  other  but 
this  {ravTri)  rock,  i.  e.,  Peter,  so  called  for  his  firm  and 
strong  faith  in  Christ;"  Alfokd:  "Peter  was  the  first  of 
ihose  foundation-stones  (Eph.  ii.  20;  Rev.  xxi.  14)  on  which 
the  living  temple  of  God  was  built:  this  building  itself  be- 
ginning on  the  day  of  Pentecost  by  the  laying  of  three  tho^ 
sand  living  stones  on  this  very  foundation;"  D.  Brown: 
"not  on  the  man  Bar-jona;  but  on  him  as  the  heaven-taught 
Confessor  of  such  a  faith ; "  and  more  or  less  clearly,  Gro- 
tius  (•'■Petrus  a  me  nomimitus  es,  quia  eris  quasi  petra"), 
Le  Clerc,  Whitby,  Doddridge,  Clarke,  Bloomfield,  Barnes, 
Eadie,  Owen,  Crosby  (who,  however,  wrongly  omits  the  ref- 
erence to  the  confession),  Whedon,  Nast.  I  can  see  no  ma- 
terial difference  between  this  interpretation  and  Lange's  own 
sub  No.  5,  which  is  only  a  modification  or  expansion  of  it.  I 
have  already  rem.arked  in  a  former  note  that  this  is  the  true 
exposition  which  the  m.ajority  of  the  fathers  intended,  though 
with  some  inclination  to  tlie  subsequent  Romish  application 
of  the  promise  to  a  supposed  successor. — P.  S.] 


298 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


also  a  rock." — 5.  In  our  opinion,  the  Lord  here  gen- 
eralizes, so  to  speak,  the  nidividual  Peter  into  the 
general  ireVpa,  referring  to  what  may  be  called  the 
Pctrine  characteristic  of  the  Church — viz.,  faithful- 
ness of  confession* — as  first  distinctly  exhibited  by 
Peter.  Hence  the  words  of  Jesus  only  refer  to  Peter 
in  so  far  as  by  this  confession  he  identified  himself 
with  Christ,  and  was  the  first  to  upbuild  the  Church 
by  his  testimony.  But  in  so  far  as  the  text  alludes 
to  an  abiding  foundation  of  the  Church,  the  expres- 
sion refers  not  to  the  Apostle  as  an  individual,  but  to 
TreVpa  in  the  more  general  sense,  or  to  faithfulness  of 
confession.  That  Peter  was  here  meant  in  his  higher 
relation,  and  not  in  himself,  appears  from  the  change 
of  terms,  first  tt  e t p o s  ,  then  -k  i t p a\  also  from 
the  contrast  in  ver.  22 ;  while  the  fact  that  his  dis- 
tinction conferred  no  official  primacy  is  evident  from 
this,  that  the  same  rights  and  privileges  were  be- 
stowed upon  all  the  Apostles :  Matt,  xviii.  18  ;  John 
XX.  23  ;  Eph.  ii.  20 ;  Rev.  xxi.  14.  That  he  himself 
claimed  no  preeminence  appears  from  his  First  Epis- 
tle, in  which  he  designates  Christ  as  the  corner-stone, 
and  Christians  as  living  stones,  1  Pet.  ii.  5,  6  (as 
themselves  Peters,  or  related  to  Peter).  Lastly,  that 
he  knew  of  no  successors  in  the  sense  of  the  Papacy, 
is  proved  by  his  exhortation  to  the  presbyters  not  to 
be  lords  over  God's  heritage  (the  kKi)  poi,  1  Pet. 
V.  3). 

My  Church. — Here  the  €KK\7i<Tia  of  Christ 
appears  for  the  first  time  in  distinct  contrast  to  the 
Jewish  congregation,  bri|5 .  Hence  the  passage 
refers  not  simply  to  a  community  of  believers,  but 
to  a  definite  organization  of  this  community  (compare 
what  follows  on  the  keys).  Accordingly,  the  passage 
alludes  to  the  Church  as  the  organized  and  visible 
form  of  the  0aai\iia  raiv  ovpavwv.  The  Church  is 
not  the  kingdom  of  heaven  itself,  but  a  positive  insti- 
tution of  Christ  by  vifhich,  on  the  one  hand,  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  becomes  directly  manifest  in  the 
world  by  its  worship,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  it 
spreads  through  the  world  by  means  of  its  missionary 
efforts.  The  Church  bears  the  same  relation  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  as  the  Messianic  state  under  the 
Old  Testament  to  the  theocracy,  the  two  being  cer- 
tamly  not  identical. 

The  gates  of  hades  (underworld). — De  Wette : 
"  Here,  equivalent  to  the  kingdom  of  Satan."  But 
this  is  not  the  scriptural  conception  of  hades  or 
sheol.  Throughout  the  Bible  hades  means  the  king- 
dom of  death  ;  which  is,  indeed,  connected  with  the 
kingdom  of  Satan,  but  has  a  more  comprehensive 
meaning.  Hades  is  described  as  havmg  gates  ;  it  is 
figuratively  represented  as  a  castle  with  gates  (Song 
viii.  6  ;  Job  xxxviii.  17  ;  Isa.  xxxviii.  10 ;  Ps.  cvii. 
18).  These  gates  serve  a  hostile  purpose,  since  they 
opened,  hke  a  yawning  abyss  of  death,  to  swallow  up 
Christ,  and  then  Peter,  or  the  Apostles  and  the 
Church,  in  their  martyrdom.  For  a  long  time  it 
seemed  as  if  the  Church  of  Christ  would  become  the 
prey  of  this  destroying  hades.  But  its  gates  shall 
jiot  ultimately  prevail — they  shall  be  taken ;  and 
Christ  will  overcome  and  abohsh  the  kingdom  of 
death  in  His  Church  (see  Isa.  xxv.  8  ;  Hos.  xiii.  14  ; 
1  Cor.  XV.  15  ;  Eph.  i.  19,  20).  Of  course,  the  pas- 
sage also  imphes  conflict  with  the  kmgdom  of  evil, 
and  victory  over  it ;  but  its  leading  thought  is  the 
triumph  of  life  over  death,  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
resurrection  over  the  usurped  reign  of  the  kingdom 
of  hades. — Erasmus,  Calvin,  and  others,  refer  it  to 

*  [Die  petrinische  Bekenntnisstreue.—P.  S.] 


the  victory  over  Satan ;  Grotius,  to  that  over  death  ;* 
Ewald,  to  that  over  all  the  monsters  of  hell,  let  loose 
through  these  open  gates  ;  Glockler,  to  that  over  the 
machinations  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness  (the  gate 
being  the  place  of  council  in  the  East) ;  Meyer,  to 
the  superiority  of  the  Church  over  hades,  without 
any  allusion  to  an  attack  on  the  part  of  hades.  The 
idea,  that  the  Old  Testament  e/cKATjiri'a  would  fall 
before  the  gates  of  hades,  is  here  evidently  implied 
[Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  887.) 

Ver.  19.  The  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heav- 
en.— Luke  xi.  52  ;  Rev.  i.  18 ;  iii.  1 ;  ix.  1 ;  xx.  1. 
It  is  the  prerogative  of  the  Apostles,  either  to  admit 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  to  exclude  from  it. 
Meyer :  "  The  figure  of  the  keys  corresponds  with 
the  figurative  expression  oikoSomwoi  in  ver.  18  ; 
since  in  ver.  18  the  eK/cArjuia,  which,  at  Christ's 
second  appearing,  is  destined  to  become  the  PaaiXda 
raiv  uiipavuv — (as  if  this  were  not  already  its  real, 
though  not  its  open  character,  which  at  Christ's 
second  coming  shall  only  become  outwardly  mani- 
fest !) — is  represented  as  a  building.  But,  in  refer- 
ence to  Peter,  the  figure  changes  from  that  of  a 
rock,  or  foundation,  to  that  of  an  olKoyo/jLos ;  or,  in 
other  words,  from  the  position  and  character  of 
Peter  to  his  office  and  work."  But  evidently  the 
antithesis  here  presented  is  different  from  this  view. 
Peter  is  designated  the  foundation-stone  as  being  the 
first  confessing  member  of  the  Church,  though  with 
an  allusion  to  his  calling ;  while  in  his  official  rela- 
tion to  the  Church  he  is  represented  as  guardian  of 
the  Holy  City.  Hence  the  expression,  rock,  refers  to 
the  nucleus  of  the  Church  as  embodied  m  Peter ; 
while  the  keys  allude  to  the  apostohc  office  and  voca- 
tion in  the  Church. 

[Alford  :  "  Another  personal  promise  to  Peter, 
remarkably  fulfilled  m  his  being  the  first  to  admit 
both  Jews  and  Gentiles  into  the  Church  ;  thus  using 
the  power  of  the  keys  to  open  the  door  of  salvation." 
WoRDSWOETH  appHcs  the  promise  in  a  primary  and 
personal  sense  to  Peter,  but  in  a  secondary  and  gen- 
eral sense  also  to  the  Church,  and  especially  the  min- 
isters who  hold  and  profess  the  faith  of  Peter  and 
are  called  to  preach  the  gospel,  to  administer  the 
sacraments,  and  to  exercise  uiseiplhie.  Augustine  : 
"  JIas  claves  iion  homo  unus,  sed  imitas  accepit  eccle- 
siw."—F.  S.] 

And  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind. — A  some- 
what difficult  antithesis,  especially  with  reference  to 
the  preceding  context.  IJretsehneider  (Lexicon) : 
"  The  expression  '  binding '  means  to  bind  with  the 
Church ;  and  '  loosing,^  to  loose  from  the  Church." 
But  this  is  to  confoimd  ideas  which  are  very  difierent. 
Olshauseu  understands  it  of  the  ancient  custom  of 
tying  the  doors.  But  the  text  speaks  of  a  key. 
Stier  regards  it  as  in  accordance  with  rabbinical 
phraseology,  taken  from  the  Old  Testament ;  binding 
and  loosing  being  equivalent  to  forbidding  and  per- 
mitting, and  more  especially  to  remitting  and  retain- 
ing sins.  But  these  two  ideas  are  quite  different. 
Lightfoot,  Schottgen,  and,  after  them,  von  Amnion, 
hold  that  the  expression  imphed  three  things :  1. 
Authority  to   declare   a  thing  unlawful   or  lawful.  ^ 

Thus  Meyer  regards  Steiv  and  Kueiv  as  equivalent  to 
the  rabbinical  *iOX  and  "iTn  ,  to  forbid,  and  to 
permit.     2.  To  pronounce  an  action,  accordingly,  as 

*  [Grotius  has  a  long  aud  learned  note  on  the  passage,  and 
says:  '■^ Is^'usquam reperis  aSov  vocem  neque  apud  Ed- 
lenistas  neque  apud  novi  foederis  scriptores  in  alia  signi- 
fieatione  quwm  aut  mortis,  aut  sepulchri,  aut  status  pout 
mortem,  qum  omnia  sv/nt  inter  86  a£mix,"  etc. — P.  8.] 


CHAP.  XVI.  13-20. 


299 


criminal  or  innocent.     3.  Thereupon  to  pronounce  a 
ban  or  to  revoke  it.     But  as  the  Lord  here  speaks 
of  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  lieaven,  He  can  only 
hare  referred  directly  to  the  last-mentioned  meaning 
of  the  expression,  though  it  involved  the  first  and 
second,  as  the  sentence  of  the  Apostles  would  always 
be  according  to  truth.     A  comparison  of  the  par- 
allel passage  ui  Matt,  xviii.  18  confirms  this  view. 
There  Church  cUscipUne  is  enjoined  on  the  disciples 
collectively,  to  whom  precisely  the  same  assurance  is 
given  which  in  the  text  is  granted  to  Peter  alone ; 
wliile  in  John  xx.  23  the  order  is  reversed :  the  ex- 
pression, remiUhiff  sins,  being  equivalent  for  loosing, 
and  retaining  sins,  for  binding.     The  whole  passage 
forms  a  contrast  to  the  ecclesiastical  disciphne  of 
the   Pharisees,  Matt,   xsiii.     From   the   evangelical 
character  of  the  Xcw  Testament  ministry,  it  seems  to 
us  impossible  to  interpret  the  expression  as  meaning 
to  forbid  and  to  permit,  according  to  the  analogy  of 
rabbinical  usage.     To  bind  up  sins,  as  in  a  bundle, 
implies  coming  judgment  (Job  xiv.  17  ;  Hos.  xiii.  12) ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  sins  forgiven  are  described 
as  loosed  (LXX.  Isa.  xl.  2).     Both  figures  are  based 
on  a  deeper  view  of  the  case.  When  a  person  is  refused 
admission  into  the  Church,  or  excluded  from  it,  all  the 
guilt  of  his  Ufe  is,  so  to  speak,  concentrated  into  one 
judgment ;  while  its  collective  effect  is  removed,  or 
loosed,  when  he  is   received   into  the   Church,  or 
absolved.     The  object  of  this  binding  and  loosing  is 
stated  only  in  general  terms.     No  doubt  it  combined 
aU  the  three  elements  of  the  power  of  the  keys,  as 
the  non-remission  or  remission  of  sins  (Chrysostom 
and  many  others), — viz. :  1.  The  principle  of  admis- 
sion or  non-admission  into  the  Church,  or  the  an- 
nouncement of  grace  and  of  judgment  (the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  closed  to  uubehevers,  opened  to  be- 
lievers).    2.  Personal  decision  as  to  the  admission 
of  cate(^umens  (Acts  viii.).     3.  The  exercise  of  dis- 
cipline, or  the  administration  of  excommunication 
from  the  Church  (in  the  narrower  sense,  i.  e.,  without 
curse  or  interdict  attaching  thereto).     In  the  anti- 
thesis between  earth  and  heaven,  the  former  expres- 
sion refers   to   the  order  and   organization  of  the 
visible  Church  ;  the  latter,  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
itself.     These  two  elements  then — the  actual  and  the 
ideal  Church — were  to  coincide  in  the  pure  adminis- 
tration of  the  Apostles.     But  this  promise  is  limited 
by  certain  conditions.     It  was  granted  to  Peter  in 
his   capacity  as   a  witness,  and   as   confessing  the 
revelation  of  the  Father  (Acts  v.),  but  not  to  Peter  as 
wavering  or  declining  from  the  truth  (Matt.  xvi.  23  ; 
Gal.  ii.). 

Ver.  20.  That  they  should  tell  no  man. — 
Since  the  people  would  not  give  up  their  carnal 
notions  of  a  worldly  millennium.  The  Christian 
acknowledgment  of  the  Messiah  was  not  to  be  mixed 
up  with  Jewish  expectations.  Christ's  Messianic 
life  had  to  be  actually  completed  before  His  disciples 
were  to  testify  of  Him  as  the  Christ.  Nay,  the  Lord 
Himself  was  to  be  the  first  pubhcly  to  announce  it 
to  the  people,  in  the  hour  of  His  martyrdom  (Matt. 
xxvL  64). 

DOCTEINAL  AXD  ETHICAL. 

1.  At  first  sight  it  may  seem  an  accident  that  the 
first  announcement  of  the  Church  as  distinct  from, 
and  in  contrast  to,  the  State — while  the  ancient  theo- 
cratic community  combined  both  Church  and  State — 
should  have  been  made  in  the  district  of  Csesarea, 
which  owned  the  sway  of  so  mild  a  monarch  as 


Philip.  At  any  rate,  the  event  was  one  of  universal 
historical  importance,  and  may  be  regarded  as  the 
preparation  for  the  feast  of  Pentecost. 

2.  In  what  passed  between  our  Lord  and  His 
disciples  we  are  led  to  observe, — (1)  The  contrast 
between  human  opinions  of  rchgion  and  a  confession 
of  faith  prompted  and  evoked  by  the  grace  of  God  : 
— in  the  former  case,  fear,  dejection,  uncertainty,  and 
discordance ;  in  the  latter,  courage,  frankness,  cer- 
tainty, and  unity.  (2)  The  indissoluble  connection 
between  true  confession  and  a  life  of  revelation  and 
in  the  Spirit,  or  regeneration  ;  (3)  between  a  common 
confession  and  the  formation  of  the  visible  Church  ; 
(4)  between  the  confession  of  the  Church  to  Christ 
and  Christ's  confession  to  the  Church ;  (5)  between 
the  character  of  the  first  behoving  confessor  and  his 
official  calling. 

3.  In  the  text,  Peter  is  presented  to  us  in  a  two- 
fold relationship  :  (1)  As  Peter ;  (2)  as  receiving  the 
keys.  The  former  designation  applied  to  him  as  the 
first  believing  confessor,  the  first  member  of  the 
iKK\7i<ria,  to  which  others  were  afterward  to  be 
jomed.  Hence  it  referred  to  his  practical  Ufe  as  a 
Christian  bearing  witness  to  Jesus,  rather  than  to 
bis  official  position  in  the  Church.  This  spiritual 
character  formed  the  basis  of  his  office  in  the  nar- 
rower sense,  the  main  purport  of  which  was  to  ar- 
range individual  believers  into  a  community,  and,  by 
organizing  a  visible  Church,  to  separate  between  the 
world  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  As  being  the 
first  witness  to  Jesus,  Peter,  so  to  speak,  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  Church  :  (1)  By  his  confession  on 
this  occasion  ;  (2)  by  his  testimony.  Acts  ii. ;  (3)  by 
his  admission  of  the  Gentiles  into  the  Church,  Acts 
X. ;  (4)  by  being  the  means  of  communicating  to  the 
Church  the  distinguishing  feature  of  his  character — 
fidehty  of  confession. 

4.  On  the  fact  that  the  Church  indelibly  bears 
not  only  the  characteristic  of  Peter,  but  of  all  the 
Apostles ;  or  that  all  the  apostoUc  offices  are  un- 
changeably perpetuated  in  it,  comp.  Com.  on  ch.  x. 
(against  Irvingism),  and  Schaff's  History  of  the 
Apostolic  Church,  §  129,  p.  516  sqq. 

5.  In  its  apostolic  micleus,  its  apostolic  beginning, 
and  its  apostolic  depth  and  completeness,  the  Church 
is  so  thoroughly  identified  with  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  itself,  that  its  social  determinations  should 
in  all  these  respects  coincide  with  the  declaration 
of  God's  Spirit.  But  this  appUes  only  in  so  far  as 
Peter  was  really  Peter — and  hence  one  with  Christ, 
or  as  Christ  is  in  the  Church.  That  there  is  a 
difference  between  the  Church  and  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  which  may  even  amount  to  a  partial  opposi- 
tion, is  impUed  in  the  antithesis :  "  on  earth  " — "  in 
lusavenP 

6.  The  present  occasion  must  be  regarded  as  the 
initial  foundation,  not  as  the  regular  and  solemn  insti- 
tution, of  the  Church.  The  promises  given  to  Peter 
still  relate  to  the  future.  For  the  strong  faith  which 
prompted  his  confession  was  rather  a  prophetic  flash 
of  inspiration  (the  blossom),  than  a  permanent  state 
of  mind  (the  fruit).  This  appears  from  the  followmg 
section. 

7.  In  this  passage  Peter  is  represented  as  the 
foundation-stone,  and  Christ  as  the  builder ;  while  in 
1  Cor.  iii.  11,  Christ  is  designated  the  foundation, 
and  the  Apostles  the  builders.  "  The  latter  figure 
evidently  aUudes  to  the  relation  between  the  chang- 
ing and  temporary  laborers  in  the  Church,  and  her 
eternal  and  essential  character,  more  especially  her 
eternal  foundation ;  while  the  figurative  language  of 


300 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Jesus  applies  to  the  relation  between  the  starting- 
point  and  commencement  of  the  Chinch  in  time,  her 
outward  and  temporal  manifestation,  and  her  eternal 
Builder."  (From  the  author's  Lehcn  Jcsu,  ii.  2,  p. 
886).  Richter  {Erklarte  Hamhibel,  i.  157):  "The 
Cliurch  opens  tlie  way  into  the  kingdom  Oi  heaven. 
Chri.st  built  on  Peter  and  the  Apostles,  not  His  king- 
dom., but  His  Church,  which  is  one,  though  not  the 
onhf,  form  in  which  Christianity  manifests  itself." 
Hence  Olshausen  is  mistaken  in  regarding  the  eKK\T}- 
aia  as  simply  tantamount  to  the  ^aaiXtia  -rod  Qeov. 

[Wordsworth  observes  on  the  words  :  they  shall 
not  prevail:  "That  these  words  contam  no  promise 
of  infallibility  to  St.  Peter,  is  evident  from  the  fact 
that  the  Holy  Spirit,  speaking  by  St.  Paul  in  Canon- 
ical Scripture,  says  that  he  erred  (Gal.  ii.  11-13).* 
And  that  they  do  not  contain  any  promise  of  mfalli- 
bility  to  the  bishop  of  Rome  is  clear,  among  other 
proofs,  from  the  circumstance  that  Pope  Liberius  (as 
Athanasius  relates,  Historia  Arian.,  41,  p.  291)  lapsed 
into  Arianism,  and  Honorius  was  anathematized  of 
old  by  Roman  pontiffs  as  an  heretic." — P.  S.] 

8.  For  special  treatises  on  the  supposed  primacy 
of  Peter,  sec  Heubner,  p.  236  ;  Danz,  Universal- 
toorterbuch,  article  Primat  ;  Bretschneider,  Syste- 
tnatische  Entwicklung,  p.  796,  etc. 

9.  On  the  power  of  the  keys,  see  Heubner,  p. 
240;  THE  author's  Positive  Dogmatik,  p.  1182, — 
the  literature  belonging  to  it,  p.  ll'Qe  ;  Berl.  Kirchl. 
Vierteljahrsschrift,  ii.  1845,  Nr.  1  ;  Rothe,  Ethik,  iv. 
1066.  [Compare  also  Wordsworth,  Alford,  Brown, 
and  the  American  commentators,  Barnes,  Alexan- 
der, Owen,  Jacobus,  Whedon,  Nast,  on  ch.  xvi. 
19.— P.  S.] 


UOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  Church  of  Christ  founded  under  the  sentence 
of  expulsion  pronounced  on  Christ  and  His  Apostles 
both  by  the  Jewish  Church  and  the  State:  1.  Its 
preparatory  announcement,  ch.  xvi. ;  2.  its  complete 
and  real  foundation  (Golgotha) ;  3.  its  solemn  insti- 
tution and  manifestation.  Acts  ii. ;  comp.  cb.  iii.  and 
iv.  and  Heb.  xiii.  1 3. — The  decisive  question,  "  Who 
do  men  say  that  the  Son  of  Man  "  is  ? — Difference 
between  opinions  about  Christ  and  the  confession  of 
Christ. — The  first  New  Testament  confession  of  Christ. 
#viewed  both  as  the  fruit  and  as  the  seed  of  the  king- 
[dom  of  heaven :  1.  The  fruit  of  the  minful  labor  and 
sowing  of  Christ ;  2.  the  germ  and  seeSlTFbvei^  fuLum 


confession  of  Christ. — The  ct)ntession  6f  V'^lkf^ 
evidenc(iiOis_apiatual_life  :  1.  In  its  freedom  and 
cheerful  self-surrender ;  2.  in  its  decidedness ;  3.  in 
its  infinite  fulness  ;  4.  in  its  general  suitableness  for 
all  disciples. — Jesus  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God  :  1.  In  His  nature  ;  2.  in  His  mission ;  3.  in  His 
work. — The  joy  of  the  Lord  at  the  first  fruits  of  His 
mission. — The  confession  of  the  Lord  to  His  Congre- 
gation :  1.  How  it  will  continue  to  become  more 
abundant  even  to  the  day  of  judgment.  ("  Whoso- 
ever shall  confess  Me,"  etc.)  2.  What  it  imports. 
(The  blessedness  of  Simon  in  his  character  as  Peter.) 
— The  Son  of  the  Uving  God  acknowledging  those 
who  are  begotten  of  the  Father  as  His  own  relatives 
and  brethren.— The  life  of  faiUi  of  Christians  ever  a 
revelation  of  the  Father  in  heaven. — Genuine  confes- 
sion a  fruit  of  regeneration. — The  rock  on  which 

*  [But  this  was  only  an  error  of  conduct,  not  of  doctrine  ; 
and  hence  proves  notliing  against  the  inspiration  of  the  apos- 
tles, nor  the  pretended  infallibility  of  their  successors.— P.  S.] 


Christ  has  founded  His  Church,  or  Peter  in  a  spir- 
itual sense,  is  faithfulness  of  confession  {Bekenrdniss- 
treue). — Fidelity  of  confession  the  first  characteristic 
mark  of  the  Cliurch. — Relation  between  Christ,  the 
Rock  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  corner-stone  of 
the  everlasting  Church,  and  the  rock-foundation  on 
which  His  visible  Church  on  earth  is  reared  :  1.  In 
the  one  case,  the  Apostles  are  the  builders,  and  Christ 
the  rock  and  corner-stone  ;  2.  in  t'u3  other  c.se,  the 
Apostles  are  the  foundation,  and  Chiist  the  Guilder. 
— Only  when  resting  on  that  rock  which  is  Christ 
will  His  people  become  partakers  of  the  same  nature. 
— How  the  Church  of  Christ  will  endure  forever,  in 
spite  of  the  gates  of  Hades. — The  old,  legal,  and 
typical  Church,  and  the  new  Church  of  the  living 
Saviour,  in  their  relation  to  the  kingdom  of  death : 

1.  The  former  is  overcome  by  the  kingdom  of  death ; 

2.  the  latter  overcomes  the  kingdom  of  death. — 
Complete  victory  of  Christ's  kingdom  of  life  over  the 
kingdom  of  death. — F'irst  Peter,  then  the  keys ;  or, 
first  the  Christian,  then  the  ofiice. — The  power  of 
the  keys  as  a  spiritual  office :  1.  Its  infinite  impor- 
tance :  announcement  of  the  statutes  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven ;  decision  respecting  the  admission  and 
continuance  [of  members]  ;  or,  in  its  threefold  bear- 
ing— (a)  on  the  hearers  of  the  word  generally,  {b)  on 
catechumens,  and  (c)  on  communicants.  2.  The 
co7idiiions  of  its  exercise:  a  living  confession,  of 
which  Christ  is  the  essence;  readiness  to  bind  as 
well  as  to  loose,  and  vice  versd,  the  ratification  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The  keys  of  the  prisons 
of  the  Inquisition,  and  of  the  coffers  of  Indulgences,* 
as  compared  with  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heav- 
en ;  OX',  the  difference  between  the  golden  and  the 
iron  keys. — The  confession  of  faith  kept  as  a  secret 
from  the  enemies  of  Christ. — The  preparatory  festi- 
val of  the  New  Covenant. 

Starke; — It  is  useful,  and  even  necesltry,  for 
preachers  to  be  aware  of  the  erroneous  fancies  which 
are  in  vogue  among  their  hearers  on  the  subject  of 
religion. —  Cramer:  Every  man  should  be  able  to 
give  an  account  of  his  faith,  John  xvii.  3. — The  dis- 
cordant  thoughts  respecting  the  person  of  Christ. — 
Majus :  The  just  must  five  by  his  own  faith. — 
Osiander :  Be  not  vacillating,  but  assured  in  your 
own  minds. — Jerome:  Quemadmodum  os  loquitor 
pro  toto  corpore,  sic  Petrus  lingua  erat  Apostolorum 
et  pro  omnibus  ipse  respondit. — The  other  two  con- 
fessions of  Peter,  Matt.  xiv.  33  ;  John  vi.  68. — If  we 
acknowledge  Gferist  aright  in  our  heart,  Vv-e  shall  also 
freely  confess  Him  with  our  mouth,  Rom.  x.  10. — 
The  divine  and  human  natures  combined  in  the  per- 
son of  Christ. — Blessedness  of  faith. — To  know 
Christ  is  to  be  saved,  John  xvii.  3. —  Quesnel :  True 
blessedness  :  1.  It  consists  not  in  the  advantages  of 
birth,  nor  in  natural  gifts,  nor  in  riches,  nor  in  repu- 
tation and  dignity ;  but,  2.  in  the  possession  of  the 
gifts  of  grace  through  Christ. — Hedinger :  All  true 
faith  is  the  gift  of  God. —  Osiander :  If  the  truth  of 
God  is  mixed  up  with  human  fancies,  it  does  more 
harm  than  good. — Let  no  one  hastily  talk  of  the 

*  [In  German :  Die  TnquisiiiomkerherscJilussel  und 
Alhtniikasteiischlmsel.  The  Edinb.  transl.  mixes  these  two 
distinct  ideas  into  one  by  rendering:  "  The  keys  of  the  pris- 
ons und  indulgences  of  the  Inquinition."  The  cotters  of 
the  indulsences,  according  to  the  scholastic  doctrine,  arc 
filled  with  the  treasures  of  the  so  called  supererogatory 
■works  and  merits  of  canonized  saints  from  which  the  popes 
can  dispense  extraordinary  indulgences  or  remissions  of  sins. 
It  was  this  trade  in  papal  indulgences  carried  on  by  a  monk- 
ish quack  or  humbug,  Tetzel,  which  gave  rise  (as  the  exter- 
nal occasion,  but  not  as  the  caiiso  which  lay  far  deeper)  to 
the  Lutheran  Eeformation.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XVI.  21-28.  301 


good  which  he  has  received,  but  let  him  first  make 
experiment  of  its  reality,  Eccles.  v.  1. 

Gerlach: — The  Christian  Church  possesses  this 
power  of  the  iceys,  not  in  its  outward  capacity  or 


valent  opinions. — Peter's  confession  not  his  faith 
only,  but  that  of  all  disciples,  John  vi.  C8. — Peter's 
confession  the  collective  confession  of  the  Apostles. — 
See  what  value  Christ  sets  on  this  faith. — It  is  impos- 


organization,  but  in  so  far  as  the  Spirit  rules  in  it.    sible  for.  any  man,  even  though  lie  were  an  apostle,  to 
Hence,  whenever  it  is  exercised  as  a  merely  outward    impart  faith  to  another.     This  is  God's  prerogative, 
law,  without  the  Spirit,  the  Lord  in  His  providence 

riknwii';  tlipdp  fikp  nrptf>Ti«inns  of  thn  vi^ihlp  nhnrph      versos  the  meaning  of  the  original,  thus  Biaking  Heiibner 
dibowns  these  talhC  pietensions  ot  tnt  mmDIC  Oliuicn.     (.o„trudict  himself  in  the  next  sentence.    Heubner  alhides 
Heubner  : — In  order  to  be  decided,  and  to  become  \  to  the  confused  and  contradictory  opinions  of  the  Jews  con- 
cur own  faith,  we  must  publicly  profess  it. — How  j  ceming  Christ,  ver.  15,  and  then  contrasts  with  them  the 

little  value  attaches  to  the  opinions  of  the  age  on    ?"", f"?^';.';.",'?^  "^  ^'"*';  *  ■»,? f,^"""'  ^'''■'  ^^-    ^''e^t  ™en,  dur- 
—     .    -  -    ^       — ..    .    .  p.  ing  their  lifetime,  meet  with  the  very  opposite  judgments  at 

the  bar  of  ever-changing  popular  opinion,  and  they  are  not 
truly  great  unless  they  can  rise  above  it  and  quietly  pursue 
the  path  of  duty,  leaving  the  small  matter  of  their  own  fame 
in  the  hands  of  a  just  God  and  of  an  appreciating  posterity 
which  will  judge  them  by  the  fruits  of  their  labor. — P.  S.] 


great  men !  * — The  independence  of  Christians  of  pre- 

*[Not:  ffato  much  great  men  are  influenced  by  the 
opiniovs  of  the  age,  as  the  Edb.  trsl.,  misled  by  the  Ger- 
man %cie  iiel  (which  must  be  understood  ironically),  re- 


B.    The  Church  as  bearing  the  Cross  of  Christ,  in  contrast  to  that  worldly  fear  of  the  Cross  by 
which  the  Lord  is  assailed.     Cn.  XVI.  21-28. 

(Mark  viii.  Sl-ix.  1 ;  .Luke  ix.  21-28). 

21  From  that  time  forth  ^  began  Jesus  to  show  unto  [to]  his  disciples,  how  ^  that  he 
must  go  unto  [to]  Jerusalem,  and  suffer  many  things  of  [from]  the  elders,  and  chief 
priests,  and  scribes,  and  be  killed  [put  to  death],  and  be  raised  again  [rise]  ^  the  third 

22  day.     Then  Peter  took  him,*  and  began  ^  to  rebuke  him,  saying,  Be  it  far  from  thee, 

23  Lord:  this  shall  not  be  unto  thee.  But  he  turned,®  and  said  unto  [to]  Peter,  Get  thee 
behind  me,  Satan ; '  thou  art  an  offence  unto  me   [my  offence] :  *  for  thou  savourest 

24  [mindest]  not  the  things  that  be  [are]  of  God,  but  those  that  be  [are]  of  men.^  Then 
said  Jesus  unto  [to]  his  disciples.  If  any  man  [one]  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny 

25  hiniself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me.     For  whosoever  will  save  his  life  shall 

26  losAt ;  and  whosoever  will  [may]  lose  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it.  For  what  is  a 
man  profited  [will  a  man  be  profited], '°  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 

27  own"  soul?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?  For  the  Son  of  man 
shall  come  in  the  glory  of  his  father,  with  his  angels ;  and  then  he  shall  reward  every 

28  man  according  to  his  works.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  There  be  [are]  some  standing  here'^'' 
which  [who]  shall  not  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom. 

1  Ver.  ^\.— [Forth  is  unnecessary  and  may  be  omitted,  ^he  Greek  is  airh  Tore  .—P.  S.] 

»  Ver.  21.— [Better:  that,  on,  without  how,  which  dates  from  Tyndale.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  21. — [The  Vulgate  correctly  translates  resurgere;  Luther,  Ewald,  and  Lange:  auferstelien,  rise;  taking 
iyepB^iyat  in  the  middle  sense,  as  in  ch.  viii.  15,  26  (rjyepdri,  she  arose) ;  ix.  0  {arise) ;  xvli.  7  (ai'ise) ;  xxv.  7  (arose) ; 
xxvi.  46;  xxvii.  52,  64,  etc.  Wiclif,  Tyndale,  and  the  Genevan  Bible  had  it  correctly  :  to  rise  again;  but  Cranmer  changed 
It  Into  the  passive,  and  this  was  retained  in  King  James's  version,  although  the  intervening  Bishops'  Bible  (ed.  1583)  fol- 
lowed the  older  rendering.— P.  S.] 

■•  Ver.  22.—inpo<TAa06fj.evos  may  be  rendered:  taking  hold  of  him  (English  Vers,  and  Lange),  or  taking  Jam  aside, 
to  himself,  apart  from  others  (Euthym.  Zigab.,  Ewald,  Meyer,  Conaut).  The  first  is  stronger.  See  the  Exeg.  Notes.— 
P.  S.] 

6  Ver.  22.— "HploTo.  The  difference  of  readings  is  here  important.  Cod.  B.  omits  ^p|aTO  and  reads:  Ae'yct 
avT<fi  iir IT ifiS>v .  Cod.  D.  and  others:  fip^aro  avTw  iir it t fiuv  Kal  A.eyeij'.  Similarly  the  text,  rea, 
[Cod.  Sinait.  reads,  like  the  text.  ree. :  ijplaro  siriTifxav  avrta  Xeyuv.  So  also  Tischendorf  and  Lachmann  (ex- 
cept that  the  latter  places  uvtw  before  iinrinciv);  while  Alford  here  follows  the  reading  of  Cod.  Vaticanus,  omitting 
fip^aTO.     This  verb  implies  that  the  Lord  interrupted  Peter  and  prevented  him  from  finishing  the  rebuke.— P.  S.] 

8  Ver.  23.— [Or,  turned  round,  in  ktt pacpi  19,  as  Lange  reads,  following  D.,  K.,  L.,  etc.,  instead  of  the  led.  reo. 
cr  T  p  a  *  e  I  y  .—P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  2Z.— [Satan  is  the  proper  translation  of  the  Vulgate  (satana),  and  nearly  all  the  English  and  German  versions, 
and  is  not  to  be  weakened  into  the  more  general  adversary.  The  word  occurs  &i  times  in  the  N.  T.  (generally  with  the 
art.,  sometimes  without  it),  and  is  always  the  Hebrew  proper  name  for  the  Devil,  d  Std8o\os,  the  Prince  of  evil.  See 
Exeg.  Note.-V.  S.] 

8  Ver.  23.— [So  Lange:  du  list  mein  Aergernis.i,  literally  according  to  the  reading  of  the  text,  rec:  ffKavlaXSv 
fiov  el  (Tischendorf ),  or  fl  efxov  (Lachmann  following  Cod.  Vaticanus,  with  which  here,  as  very  often.  Cod.  Sinaiti- 
cus  agrees).  El  ifioi,  and  the  Lat.  Vulgate:  scandalum,  es  mihi,  is  more  mild  and  looks  like  a  later  modification. 
Lachmann's  text  here  (efJ-ov)  is  the  same  in  sense  with  the  received  text  ((uou).— P.  S.] 

9  Ver.  2.3.— [O  y  (ppove'is  to.  tov  Qtov,  aWa  to.  tSiv  a  v  6  p  u>  it  w  v  ,  thou  art  not  minded  like  God  bvt 
like  men,  or  thou  art  not  of  the  mind  of  God.  hut  of  men,  or  ttoM  mindest  not  the  things  of  God,  but  of  men.  Lange  :  du 
denkest  nicht  aufdas  was  Gottes  ist,  etc. ;  Ewald ;  du  sinnest  nicht  was  Gottes,  sondern  was  dor  Mensohen.    All  Eng- 


302 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTBEW. 


lish  versions  from  "Wiclif  to  James  have  savoref.t.  This  is  a  Latinism  from  sapere  and  the  Vulgate  rendering::  non  eaj>ia 
ea  qum  Dei  sunt,  and  must  ni)t  be  taken  in  the  usual  sense  of  the  transitive  verb  to  savor,  i.  e.,  to  relish,  to  delight  in, 
Campbell  makes  it  too  strong  by  traublatinfr :  rellihest.—P.  S.] 

"•  Vor.  2G.— The  future  0)<pe\rjQricT  erai  is  strongly  attested  by  Codd.  B.,  L.,  al.,  against  ai(|)  e  \  €  Tt  a  4 ,  but  may 
be  conformed  to  the  following  hoiffn.  ['n<pe\7]6r)airai  is  also  sustained  by  Cod.  SiiiHit.,  and  adopted  by  Tischendor^ 
Lachmann,  Tiegelles,  and  Alford.— P.  S.] 

11  Ver.  20.— [Owre  is  an  unnecessary  addition,  and  implies  a  contrast  to  anothA-  man's  souL— P.  S.] 

i'-*  Ver.  28  —Tiiv  «5e  ecrTiiruv,  warranted  by  B.,  C,  D.,  etc. 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CPJTICAL. 

Vor.  21.  From  that  time. — From  the  first 
Jesus  had  given  obscure  intimations  of  the  sorrows 
which  were  before  Him  :  John  ii.  4,  etc.  Now,  bow- 
ever,  He  made  a  distinct  announcement  of  the  pre- 
cise form  of  His  sufferings ;  1.  because  the  disciples 
were  strong  enough  in  faith  to  bear  this  intelligence ; 
2.  because  their  laith  in  the  Messiah  would  thereby 
be  effectually  guarded  from  the  admixture  of  carnal 
Jewish  notions  ;  3.  because  the  Lord  could  not  con- 
ceal from  His  disciples  what  awaited  them,  and 
would  have  none  but  voluntary  followers  on  His  path 
of  suffering.  But  Christ  not  only  announced  His  im- 
pending suiferings ;  He  also  explained  and  showed  their 
necessity — it  was  a  Be  iKvve  iv  '6t  i  S  el,  although 
interrupted  by  the  remonstrance  of  the  disciples. 

Of  the  elders. — The  detailed  enumcrption  of 
these  parties  proves  that  there  was  a  general  con- 
spiracy on  the  part  of  all  the  Jewish  authorities,  and 
hence  indicates  the  rupture  of  the  whole  outward 
theocracy  with  Christianity. 

And  rise  again  the  third  day. — ^Even  Meyer 
considers  it  impossible  to  reconcile  so  clear  and  dis- 
tinct a  prediction  of  the  resurrection  with  the  circum- 
stance that  the  disciples  were  so  much  disheartened 
by  the  Lord's  death,  as  not  to  expect  His  restoration 
to  life,  and  that  they  did  not  know  what  to  think  of 
the  empty  sepulchre,  etc.  Accordingly,  this  critic 
assumes,  with  Hasert,  Neander,  de  Wette,  and 
others,  that  Christ  had  on  this  occasion  indicated 
His  resurrection  in  a  much  more  indefinite  manner 
than  in  the  text,  and  that  this  intimation  had 
assumed  the  shape  of  a  distinct  prediction  only  ex 
eventu,  and  from  tradition.  Siisskind,  Heydenreich, 
Kuinoel,  Ebrard,  and  others,  regard,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  narrative  in  the  text  as  an  accurate  ac- 
count of  what  took  place  at  the  time.  {See  also 
Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  894.)  Nor  can  we  see  any  dif- 
ficulty in  regard  to  the  later  conduct  of  the  disciples. 
As  they  evidently  did  not  receive  Christ's  announce- 
ment of  His  impending  death,  we  cannot  wonder  at 
their  failing  to  apprehend  and  remember  what  He 
had  said  of  His  resurrection.  Besides,  until  the  day 
of  Pentecost,  they  were  very  doubtful  expositors  of 
the  words  of  Jesus ;  the  figurative  and  symboUcal 
language  employed  often  leaving  them  uncertain 
what  to  take  in  a  literal  and  what  in  a  symbolical 
sense.  Hence  they  frequently  explained  figurative 
expressions  literally.  Matt.  xvi.  V  ;  Jolm  iv.  33,  xi. 
12;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  they  understood 
literal  expressions  figuratively,  John  vi.  70 ;  Matt. 
XV.  15-17.  Accordingly,  in  this  instance  also  the 
disciples  seem  to  have  remained  in  doubt  in  what 
sense  the  Lord  uttered  this  solemn  and  mysterious 
saying,  and  that  even  after  He  had  repeated  it  a 
second  time,  Mark  ix.  10.  Their  uncertainty  was 
all  the  greater  from  the  state  of  their  minds,  which 
assumed  an  attitude  of  opposition  whenever  the  Lord 
made  such  disclosures.  Hence,  we  conceive  that 
the  ^'  p  I  a  T  o  of  the  Lord  ("  He  beffan  to  show  them," 
etc.)  was  interrupted  by  the  vehement  remonstrance 


of  Peter,  just  as  Peter's  attempted  rebuke  was  inter- 
rupted by  the  Lord's  reproof.  In  all  these  instances, 
we  must  not  picture  to  ourselves  the  Lord  as  deliver- 
ing lectures  ex  cathedra  to  His  disciples,  but  as  mak- 
ing disclosures  and  revelations  which  caused  intense 
commotion.  Besides,  the  statement  that  the  disci- 
ples gave  way  to  despair  after  the  death  of  Jesus,  is 
quite  contrary  to  the  account  of  the  EvangeUsts. 
The  honorable  interment,  the  anointing  of  the  corpse 
(which  must  not  be  regarded  as  identical  with  the 
Egj^itian  practice  of  embalming),  their  meetings, 
and  their  going  to  the  grave,  sufliciently  show  that 
there  were  gleams  of  fight  in  their  darkest  hours. 
On  the  other  hand,  their  doubts  in  regard  to  the 
resurrection — even  after  they  had  been  informed  of 
it — are  explained  by  the  prodigious  greatness  both 
of  the  anticipation  and  of  the  reality.  (The  idea, 
that  the  language  of  Jesus  was  sjTnbolical,  and  re- 
ferred to  a  fresh  impulse  to  be  given  to  His  cause, 
scarcely  requires  refutation.) 

Ver.  22.  Then  Peter  took  Him; — vpocrXa- 
^onevos . — He  laid  his  hand  upon  Him,  or  seized 
Him  from  behind,  as  if  he  would  have  moved  Him  by 
main  force  to  alter  His  purpose.  He  stoj^ped  the 
Master  in  this  manner  for  the  purpose  of  remonstrat- 
ing with  Him.  Grotius  explains  it :  he  embraced 
Him ;  Euthymius  Zigabenus  and  Meyer :  he  took 
Him  aside,  kut^  Ibiav.  The  account  says  nothing  of 
either.  When  Jesus  turned  round.  He  taklressed 
Himself  not  only  to  Peter,  but  also  to  the  other  dis- 
ciples ;  for,  as  in  his  confession,  so  at  this  time,  Peter 
represented  the  general  feeling.  Meyer  rightly  in- 
fers from  the  exi)ression  ^p^aTo,  that  Jesus  did  not 
allow  Peter  to  finish  his  address.  But  we  see  no 
reason  to  conclude  that  He  turned  His  back  upon 
Peter;  the  expression,  6  Si  aTpa<peis,  or  tTrt- 
(TTpacpeii  (as  in  Mark),  being  rather  against  this 
■^ipposition.  Jesus  turned  round  to  Peter  and  the 
other  disciples  ;  and  the  conmiand,  vwaye  h-nlau  nov, 
Referred  to  the  fact,  that  in  a  spiritual  sense  Peter 
was  attempting  to  obstruct  His  path. 
/  Be  it  far  from  Thee. — 2'his  shall  not  happen 
ho  thee,  'l\ews  aoi,  a  proverbial  expression,  d-q  6 
iQeos  being  understood  :  Propitius  sit  tibi  Deus,  God 
he  merciful  to  thee,  God  preserve  thee  I — equivalent 
I  to  the  Hebrew  "^"'Sn  (2  Sam.  xx.  20  ;  xxiii.  17,  Ixx). 
I  [The  sudden  change  in  Peter  from  a  bold  confessor 
|of  Christ  and  rock  of  His  Church,  to  an  adversary 
and  stumbling-block  of  His  Master,  although  unac- 
countable on  the  mythical  or  legendary  fiction-theory 
of  Strauss  or  Renan,  is  nevertheless  true  to  life,  and 
easily  explained  and  understood  in  view  of  the  san- 
guine, impulsive,  and  ardent  temper  of  Peter,  and 
in  view  of  the  high  praise  and  lofty  promise  just 
(bestowed  upon  him,  which  was  a  strong  temptation 
(to  his  natural  vaiuty  and  ambition.  The  experience 
/^jf  beUevers  confirms  the  frequent  occurrence  of  the 
same  sudden  transition.  As  there  is  but  one  step 
from  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculous,  from  the  tragical 
to  the  comical,  so  also  in  spiritual  life  opposite  ex- 
tremes often  meet,  and  Satan  is  most  busy  to  seduce 
us,  when  we  are  most  highly  exalted  and  favored  by 
Christ.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XVI."  21-28. 


303 


Vcr.  23.  Get  thee  [lit. :  go,  begone]  behind  Me 
[out  of  Mij  sight,  aicay  from  Me],  Satan. — -"Ttt  a  y  e 
6 IT i aw  fj.ov.  See  ch.  iv.  10;  Luke  iv.  8,  where 
Christ  uses  the  same  words  to  Sataa  in  the  wilderness. 
The  expression  Sainti  is  here  used  in  a  more  general 
sense,  denoting  an  Adversary,  or  Tempter,  with  an  allu- 
sion to  the  Satanic  element  which  was  unconsciously 
at  work  in  Peter,  and  tempted  the  Saviour  away  from 
His  true  calling  and  path  of  duty.  The  meaning 
therefore  is  :  "  What,  is  Satan  come  again  to  tempt 
Me,  as  he  did  of  old  ?  Get  thee  hence,  thou  Tempt- 
er ! "  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  it  was  not 
meant  as  a  term  of  reproach  or  as  a  mere  expression 
of  abhorrence  or  contempt.  Most  Roman  Catholic 
critics  adopt  the  suggestion  of  Hilary,  and  maintain 
that  only  the  first  words  ( Go  out  of  My  sight)  were 
addressed  to  Peter,  and  the  rest  (from  Satan)  to 
the  personal  Devil.*  Maldonatus  takes  the  term 
"  Satan  "  in  the  general  sense  of  adversariu-s,  which 
may  be  admitted,  provided  we  keep  in  mind  that 
there  was  an  allusion  to  Satan  himself.  As  Judas 
afterward  became  permanently  and  consciously,  so 
Peter  now  became  momentarily  and  unconsciously,  a 
representative  of  the  cause  of  Satan,  who  would  iain 
have  banished  the  cross  and  the  kmgdom  of  Christ. 
In  opposition  to  this,  Christ  chose  the  cross  as  con- 
formable to  the  divine  purpose,  as  the  manifestation 
of  His  righteousness,  and  as  the  basis  of  His  re- 
demption. 

Thou  art  an  offence  unto  Me. — According  to 
the  better  readmg :  My  offence,  or  My  stumbling- 
block,!  o-Kov Sa\6v  fiov,  which  is  stronger  than 
ffjLoi  (a  stumbling-block  to  Me).  The  word  a-Kav- 
SaKov,  a  later  form  of  aKavSaXridpoi^,  a  trap-stick; 
hence  a  snare,  or  generally,  an  obstruction  in  the 
way,  especially  in  a  metaphorical  sense. 

Thou  mindest  {carest  for)  the  things  of  God, 
TO  roil  Qeov . — The  things  of  God  as  represented 
by  the  will  of  Christ.  The  antithesis  to  this :  the 
things  of  men,  r  a  r  u  v  a  v  6  p  unr  wv .  It  deserves 
notice  that  human  depravity  is  always  expressed  by  the 
plural,  and  not  the  singular.  If  the  singular  is  used, 
the  epithet  TraKaios  is  added  to  avOpuTroi.  The  rea- 
son is  obvious.  Human  nature  is  not  represented  as 
in  itself  opposed  to  God,  but  only  in  its  present  state. 
The  general  meaning  of  the  passage  is :  On  this  occa- 
sion thou  thinkest  not  of  what  is  conformable  to  the 
holy  counsel  of  God,  but  to  the  smful  inclination  of 


*  [Maldonatus,  who  dwells  at  great  leng:th  on  vers.  IS  and 
19  (pp.  217-224),  disposes  of  ver.  2-3  very  briefly.  He  refers 
the  term  Satan  correctly  to  Peter,  but  in  a  wider  sense,  and 
accounts  for  the  severity  by  the  importance  of  the  subject, 
not  by  the  guilt  of  Peter:  At  cur  tarn  aeriter  reprehenditf 
non  iam  quod  Petri  culpa,  si  qua  tamenfuit,  quam  qx(,od 
rei.  de  qua  ngebatur,  magnitudo  merehaiur.  Schegrg,  one 
of  the  latest  Roman  Catholic  commentators  (Dieheil.  £cang., 
Munich,  1S57,  vol.  ii.  p.  376)  admits  in  strong  language  the 
awful  severity  of  the  rebuke,  one  of  the  severest  ever  ut- 
tered, but  gets  over  the  difficnlty  by  three  considerations : 
(1)  that  the  rebuke  was  intended  for  all  the  apostles,  whom 
Peter  presented  in  their  aversion  to  Christ's  suffering,  as  be- 
fore in  his  faith  (which  is  correct):  (2)  that  the  primacy 
promised  in  ver.  IS  was  not  yet  actually  conferred  on  him 
(which  admits  the  force  of  the  rebuke) ;  (3)  that  the  transfer 
of  the  primacy  does  not  create  a  new  man  (which  admits 
the  possibility  of  the  pope's  falling  under  the  same  con- 
demnation as  Peter).  Bengel,  in  his  Gnomoti,  warns  Rome : 
"  Videat  Petra  romana,  ne  cadat  sub  censuram  versus  23." 
—P.  S.] 

+  [Or  stumbling-stone,  which  would  be  in  keeping  with 
the  metaphorical  Petros,  a  foundation-atone.  Compare 
Ai0o9  TrpoffKOfxnaTOi  Kal  irirpa  aKav5d\ov, 
a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock,  of  offence,  as  Peter  him- 
eelf  calls  Christ  for  those  who  are  disobedient,  ivhilo  to 
them  who  believe  He  is  the  chief  corner  stone,  elect  and 
precious.    1  Pet.  ii.  7.— P.  B.] 


men.  Its  special  application  is  :  Thou  rejectest  the 
counsel  of  Him  who  has  determined  to  make  the 
cross  and  its  sufferings  the  ground  of  salvation,  and 
payest  homage  to  the  carnal  views  and  expectations 
of  the  Jews  concerning  a  secular  kingdom  of  the 
Messiah. 

Ver.  24.  If  any  man  will  come  after  Me. — 
This  declaration  throws  light  both  upon  tlie  state- 
ment of  Christ  and  the  counter-statement  of  Peter. 
The  impending  sufierings  of  Christ  would  certainly 
involve  the  disciples  in  simOar  persecutions  and 
trials,  though  perhaps  not  immediately  or  outwardly. 
Hence  they  were  unfit  to  follow  Him  ;  nor  could  He 
employ  them,  unless  they  were  ready  and  willing 
wholly  to  surrender  themselves  to  Iliu),  and  to  suffer 
for  His  sake.  To  follow  Jesus  requires  both  inward 
self-renunciation  and  an  outward  manifestation  of  it, 
in  wilHng  submission  to  whatever  sufferings  may  be- 
fall us  as  disciples.  This  renunciation  must  amount 
to  self-denial,  that  is,  it  must  become  complete  abne- 
gation and  surrender  of  our  selfish  nature  and  of  our 
self-will.  The  expression  deny  himself  forms  a 
solemn  prophetic  contrast  to  Peter's  later  denial  of 
his  Lord.  Taking  up  the  cross  was  a  proverbial 
expression ;  but  in  this  connection  referred  to  readi- 
ness to  endure  even  the  most  painful  and  ignominious 
death  in  following  Christ.  At  the  same  time,  it  also 
alluded  to  the  Lord's  crucifixion,  and  may  be  taken 
as  a  typical  expression  for  the  later  death  on  the 
cross  of  Peter  himself.     See  Matt.  x.  38  ;  John  xxi. 

Here,  as  at  an  earlier  period  of  His  history,  when 
the  first  signs  of  persecution  and  of  popular  defec- 
tion appeared,  the  Lord  left  it  to  the  free  choice  of 
His  disciples  whether  or  not  they  would  continue 
to  follow  Him. 

Ver.  25.  For  whosoever  will  save  his  life. — 
Comp.  ch.  X.  39  (p.  198).  Words  these  of  the  deep- 
est import,  embodying  the  fundamental  prmciple 
both  of  the  hidden  and  mystical,  as  well  as  of  the 
outward  and  temporal  life  of  a  Christian.  The  fear 
of  death  subjects  to  the  bondage  of  death,  Heb.  ii. 
15 ;  while  readiness  to  suffer  a  holy  death  for 
Christ's  sake  opens  up  before  us  true  life.  This  is 
our  watchword  in  baptism,  Rom.  vi. ;  and,  indeed,  in 
all  our  Christianity. 

Ver.  26.  For  what  is  a  man  profited,  if  he 
shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  (forfeit.^. 
fr) /ti  1  CO  0 >7)  his  own  soul? — If  his  soul  be  for- 
feited by'  this  bargam.  The  explanation,  "  and 
damage,^''  or  "  mjure,  his  own  soul,"  *  falls  entirely 
short  of  the  meaning  of  the  expression.  The  fol- 
lowing four  propositions  are  implied  in  the  statement 
of  the  text,  which  is  intended  to  show  that  a  man 
win  lose  his  life  except  he  follows  Christ :  1.  Who- 
ever seeks  to  save  his  life  by  ungodly  means,  wishes 


*  [As  Luther  has  it  in  his  version :  Schaden  nehmen  or 
leiden  an  seiner  Seele.  instead  of  seine  Seele  einbu«sen,  or 
ihrer  veriustig  werden,  animce  detnmentum  pati  (Vulg.), 
to  suffer  the  loss  of  his  soul  (or  his  higher  life),  to  forfeit  it, 
as  .a  penalty  for  a  fault  or  a  crime.  This  is  the  true  force  of 
i-nfiiwdr],  which  should  be  translated  forfeit,  to  distin- 
guish it  from  the  more  general  term  oTroXeVj;,  ver.  25. 
Comp.  the  parallel  passage,  Luke  ix.  25  :  iavrhv  aTroAfVas 
fl  (7)iJ.tot)deis,  having  lost  or  forfeited  himself,  i.  e.,  his 
whole  beins.  Wvyv  in  this  connection,  of  course,  does 
not  mean,  as  in  ver.  25,  the  perishing  life  of  the  body  (which 
a  man  can  not  lose  and  at  the  same  time  gain  the  whole 
world),  but  the  true  eternal  life  of  the  soul,  which  begins  in 
this  world  by  faith  in  Christ  and  will  be  fully  developed  in 
the  world  to  come.  The  word  iJ'uX'?  '>'is  ^^^  double 
meaning  life  and  soul,  for  which  thero  is  no  corresponding 
term  in  English  or  German.— P.  S.] 


304 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


for  a  portion  of  worldly  gain.  2.  But  to  gain  the  j 
world  (as  such)  iu  a  selfish  and  sinful  manner,  im-  I 
plies  the  loss  of  the  soul.  3.  This  loss  is  infinitely 
greater  than  even  tlie  gain  of  the  whole  world,  j 
asisuming  that  such  were  possible.  4.  In  truth,  I 
whoever  has  lost  his  own  soul  for  the  world  has  ! 
gained  even  the  world  only  iu  appearance,  but  lost  it 
in  reality. 

Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  [lit. : 
as  an  exchange]  for  his  soul  {avTdAAay/j.a  xf/vxv^)- 
— A  proof  that  the  loss  of  the  soul  is  i)erpetual 
and  irreparable.  If  a  man  loses  his  soul,  he  can 
find  no  equivalent  for  it  within  the  whole  range 
of  tlie  apparent  possessions  of  this  world,  by 
which  to  ransom  it  from  its  bondage  unto  death. 
'Avrd\kayij.a,  properly  counter-p)-ice.  The  price 
which  a  man  gives  is  the  aWaypa ;  the  countcr- 
price  which  a  man  receives  is  the  a  p  t  dway/xa. 
Hence  the  expression,  c/iving  an  avrdway/xa  (not 
takiiiff  it),  must  imply  the  idea :  •'  if  the  bargain 
should  be  broken  oif."  This  is,  indeed,  possible  in 
secular  transactions,  but  not  when  a  man  has  bar- 
tered his  soul  for  the  world  ;  since,  in  point  of  fact, 
he  has  gained  only  an  iUusory  demoniacal  image  or 
Ukeuess  of  the  world,  not  the  world  itself  {see  Leben 
Je^i^  ii.  2,  p.  899).* — The  Lord  here  shows  that  the 
desire  and  endeavor  of  gaining  the  world  really  lay  at 
the  root  of  the  carnal  Messianic  hopes  of  the  Jews, 
as,  indeed,  had  already  appeared  in  the  third  tempta- 
tion by  which  He  was  assailed  at  the  commencement 
of  His  course,  Matt.  iv.  A  caricature  this  of  the  real 
KKt]povofx[a. 

The  next  verse  shows  that  the  Lord  referred  not 
merely  to  a  negative  damage,  but  also  to  a  positive 
punishment. 

Ver.  27.  For  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  the 
Son  of  Man  shall  come.— M  e  A  A  « j  7  d  p .  [Em- 
phatically  placed  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence.] 
Not  a  suuple  future,  but  meaning :  the  event  is  hn- 
pending  that  He  sliall  come,  He  is  about  to  come. 
On  this  second  advent,  see  ch.  xxiv.,  xxv. ;  2  Thess. 
ii. ;  Rev.  xix.,  xx.,  etc. — In  the  glory  of  His 
Father. — Not  merely  as  the  representative  of  the 
Father  in  the  judgment  which  is  to  be  executed,  but 
as  the  Founder  of  a  new  world,  the  Centre  and 
Autlior  of  the  new  creation  (-TraAiyytj/ecria).  He 
■will  reward  every  man  according  to  liis 
work, — TT  p  5 1 1  r ,  or  the  total  outward  manifestation 
of  his  inner  life  as  a  believer  or  unbeliever.  This 
reference  to  the  second  advent  is  specially  intended 
to  prove  the  former  statement :  "  Whosoever  will  lose 
?iis  life  for  My  sake  shall  find  it.'''' 

Ver.  28.  There  are  some  of  those  standing 
here. — [The  twelve  then  present,  and  immediately 
addressed,  and  the  crowd  referred  to,  Mark  viii.  34.] 
Various  explanations  of  this  ditficult  passage  have 
been  ofiered.  1.  Chrysostom  and  many  others  hold 
that  the  limit,  until  they  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming, 
etc.,  refers  to  the  history  of  the  Transfiguration,  im- 
"mediately  following.  2.  Grotius,  Capellus,  Wetstein, 
Ebrard,  [Alford,  Owen],  etc.,  apply  it  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  and  the  founding  of  the  Church. 
3.  Dorner  interprets  it  of  the  conquests  and  progress 
of  the  gospel.     4.  Meyer  and  others  apply  the  expres- 

*  [Comp.  J.  A.  Alexander  in  Inc. :  "  The  Lord  pursues 
the  awful  supposition  further,  to  the  verge  of  paradox  and 
contradiction,  but  with  terrible  advantage  to  the  force  of 
this  transcendent  argument. ...  A  m.an  may  lose  his  present 
life  and  yet  live  on  and  have  a  better  life  in  lieu  of  it ;  but 
when  he  loses  his  eternal  life,  ho  is  himself  lost,  lost  forever, 
and  the  thought  of  compensation  or  recovery  involves  a 
contradiction."— P.  S.] 


sion  to  the  proximity  of  the  second  advent  itself,  and 
assume  that  the  disciples  understood  in  a  literal 
sense,  and  hence  misunderstood,  Christ's  figurative 
statements  about  His  ideal  advent.  5.  De  Wette 
seems  in  the  main  to  agree  with  the  opinions  of  Gro- 
tius, Wetstein,  sub  (2.):  "According  to  Mark  and 
Luke,  Christ  merely  predicted  the  advent  of  His 
kingdom."  But  we  question  whether  Mark  ix.  1  can 
be  separated  from  viii.  38,  or  Luke  ix.  27  from  ver. 
26.  6.  In  our  opinion,  it  is  necessary  to  distinguish 
between  the  advent  of  Christ  in  the  glory  of  His 
kingdom  within  the  circle  of  His  disciples,  and  that 
same  advent  as  applying  to  the  world  generally  and 
for  judgment.  The  latter  is  what  is  generally  mider- 
stood  by  the  second  advent ;  the  fonner  took  place 
when  the  Saviour  rose  from  the  dead  and  revealed 
Himself  in  the  midst  of  His  disciples.  Hence  the 
meaning  of  the  v/ords  of  Jesus  is :  The  moment  is 
close  at  hand  when  your  hearts  shall  be  set  at  rest 
by  the  manifestation  of  My  glory  ;  nor  will  it  be  the 
lot  of  all  who  stand  here  to  die  during  the  interval 
The  Lord  might  have  said  that  only  two  of  that  cir- 
cle would  die  till  then,  viz..  Himself  and  Judas.  But 
in  His  wisdom  He  chose  the  expression,  "  some 
standing  here  shall  not  taste  of  death,"  to  give  them 
exactly  that  measure  of  hope  and  earnest  expectation 
which  they  needed.* 

Taste  of  death. — T  eveareai  Oavarov,  a,  rab- 
binical, Syriac,  and  Arabic  mode  of  expression; 
death  being  represented  under  the  figure  of  a  bitter 
cup  or  goblet. 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  See  the  preceding  Ezegetical  Notes. 

2.  Tlie  prediction  of  Christ's  death. — Two  pomts 
here  I'equire  to  be  kept  in  view :  1.  The  difference 
of  the  times  when,  and  2.  the  difference  of  the  per- 
sons to  whom,  Jesus  spoke.  The  more  obscure 
intimations  took  place  at  an  earlier  period,  and  were 
made  to  a  wider  circle  of  Christ's  hearers.  Hence 
also  they  are  more  frequently  recorded  under  these 
circumstances  in  the  Gospel  of  John.  But,  after  the 
last  decisive  events,  Jesus  made  the  most  full  and 
clear  disclosures  on  this  subject  within  the  circle  of 
His  disciples.  Nor  could  He  have  concealed  His  im- 
pendmg  death  from  the  disciples,  when  the  Pharisees 
had  so  manifestly  laid  snares  for  Him  over  the  whole 
land. 

3.  Tlie  prospect  of  the  resurrection  on  the  third 
clay. — The  progressive  clearness  with  which  it  was 
announced,  was  closely  connected  witli  the  prophecies 
of  the  Old  Testament.  It  is  a  mere  sophism  on  the 
part  of  certain  critics  to  maintain  that  Jesus  should 
at  once  have  derived  full  knowledge  of  it  either  from 
the  Old  Testament  or  from  His  own  supernatural 
consciousness.  Christ  was  conscious  of  embodying 
iu  His  person  the  fulfilment  of  the  Old  Testament. 

*  [A.  Barnes  refers  the  passage  to  the  day  of  Pentecost 
and  the  founding  of  the  cliurch.  J.  k.  Ale.xander  gives  it  a 
more  general  and  indefinite  application  to  the  gradual  and 
progressive  establishment  of  Christ's  kingdom,  cspeci.illy 
the  effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  as  the  two  salient  points,  be- 
tween which,  as  those  of  its  inception  and  consummation, 
lies  the  linaering  death  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  and  the 
gradual  erection  of  Messiah's  kingdom.  This  is  the  last 
passar'e  of  Scripture  on  which  the  lamented  Dr.  Jos.  Addison 
Alexander  of  Princeton  commented  in  full.  Of  the  remaining 
chapters  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  he  left,  a  few  diiys  before 
his  death  in  1860,  merely  ^  meagre  analysis,  "as  though  ho 
anticipated  the  approaching  interruption  of  his  earthly  la- 
bors."—P.  8.] 


CHAP.  XVI. 


305 


In  its  pages  He  found  everywhere  indications  of  the 
progressive  experience  of  His  life,  or  of  His  humilia- 
tion and  exaltation.  In  the  most  general  manner 
this  principle  was  embodied  in  the  history  of  the 
covenant-people  itself.  But  the  curve  of  humiliation 
and  exaltation  seemed  always  to  become  stronger, 
the  more  exalted  the  life  of  those  who  occupied 
prominent  places  in  the  theocracy.  With  these 
saints  of  old,  it  seemed  to  descend  into  ever  lower 
and  more  awful  depths,  and  again  equally  to  rise 
into  more  glorious  heights.  This  contrast,  whicli 
appeared  distinctly  even  in  the  history  of  Abraham, 
came  out  more  fully  in  his  successors — in  Jacob, 
Joseph,  Moses,  David,  and  Elijah.  But  Christ  would 
i'Ot  only  discover  this  fundamental  principle  in  the 
Nistory  of  the  Jewish  people  aud  its  most  prominent 
representatives,  but  also  trace  it  in  numberless  fea- 
tures of  Old  Testament  history :  in  the  Book  of 
Psalms,  in  the  types  of  the  law,  and  in  the  utterances 
of  the  prophets.  It  seemed  as  if  this  curve  were  the 
distinguishing  characteristic  of  things  great  and  small. 
Thus  every  page  of  the  Old  Testament  would  convey 
to  the  Lord  not  only  the  certainty  of  His  death,  but 
also  the  assurance  of  His  resurrection ;  just  as  the 
fundamental  idea  of  the  pointed  arch  may  be  traced 
in  every  part  of  a  Gothic  cathedral.  But  how  could 
Jesus  predict  that  He  would  rise  07i  the  third  day ' 
Hasert  (on  the  Predictions  of  Christ  concerning  His 
death  and  resurrection)  repUes :  "  According  to  the 
regular  course  of  nature,  in  the  process  of  the  separa- 
tion between  soul  and  body,  the  absence  of  all  traces 
of  life  during  three  days,  is  regarded  as  an  evidence 
of  death."  But  Christ  was  assured  in  the  Spirit  that 
He  should  not  see  corruption  (Ps.  xvi. ;  Acts  ii.  27, 
31).  Thus  He  drew  from  the  depth  of  His  thean- 
tkropic  consciousness  evidence,  explanation,  and 
assurance  of  the  types  and  predictions  of  the  Old 
Testament — all  these  being  sealed,  as  it  were,  by  the 
administration  of  His  Father  in  the  experiences  of 
His  life. — (On  the  remarks  of  Strauss  against  the  pre- 
dictions of  Jesus,  see  Ebrard,  p.  540.) 

4.  When  the  Lord  informed  His  disciples  about 
His  approaching  sutrerings,  He  at  the  same  time  an- 
nounced to  them  His  return  in  glory.  In  doing  this, 
He  might  well  set  before  them  His  approaching  ad- 
vent in  the  resurrection  in  the  full  glory  of  His  final 
advent  at  the  end  of  the  world,  since  to  believers  His 
resurrection  implied  His  final  advent,  beii^g  the  jrrin- 
ciple  of  His  full  glory.  Comp.  the  concluding  dis- 
courses of  Jesus  in  the  Gospel  according  to  John ; 
and  Phil.  ii.  6-11.  We  also  observe  a  distinct 
gradation  in  these  revelations:  Matt.  xvi.  21 ;  xvii. 
22,23;  XX.  18,  19;  X3:vi.  2. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

How  the  Lord  purifies  the  enthusiasm  of  His  dis- 
ciples for  the  approaching  kingdom  of  the  Messiah, 
by  directing  their  thoughts  to  His  path  of  suffering. 
— From  the  knowledge  of  the  Divine  Messiah  to  that 
of  the  suffering  Saviour  is  a  great  step. — Connection 
between  confession  and  the  path  of  the  cross. — The 
New  Testament  Church  and  the  preaching  of  the 
cross  commenced  at  the  same  moment. — Peter  the 
first  coirfessor  of  Jesus,  and  His  first  tempter  on  the 
path  of  suffering. — How  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  re- 
flected in  His  disclosures  respecting  His  impending 
Bufferings  :  1.  His  divine  clearness  of  vision,  survey- 
ing the  whole  way.  2.  His  wisdom  :  hitherto  a  spar- 
ing uxdication ;  now  disclosures  adapted  to  the  knowl- 
20 


edge  of  His  disciples.  3.  His  fiuthfulness  :  they  are 
to  follow  Him  freely  and  voluntarily.  4.  His  cer- 
tainty of  victory  :  on  the  third  day.— Why  the  dis- 
ciples had  not  rightly  received  the  saying  about  the 
resurrection. — Only  that  man  can  believe  in  tho 
resurrection  who  is  willing  to  beheve  in  the  cross  of 
Christ. — The  quick  relapse  of  Peter  from  divme 
power  into  human  weakness. — Still,  despite  all  his 
relapses,  he  was  Peter. — The  spurious  imitation  of 
Peter  during  the  progress  of  the  history  of  the 
Church:  1.  Seizing  the  Lord  ;  obstructing  His  path ; 
abounding  in  protestations ;  simulating  love.  2. 
Shunning  the  cross  ;  loving  the  world. — Peter  set  by 
the  Lord  before  the  Church  as  a  warning  example. — 
IIow  Peter  anticipated  his  destiny. — He  wished  to 
bind  the  Lord  Himself,  but  to  loose  the  world. — How 
he  shut  himself  out,  while  seizing  in  a  carnal  spirit 
the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The  leading 
element  in  Peter's  mistaken  advice:  1.  It  was  the 
device  of  men,  in  opposition  to  the  good  pleasure  of 
God ;  2.  love  to  the  human  Messiah  instead  of  faith 
in  the  Son  of  God ;  3.  attachment  to  life,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  right  way  of  life ;  4.  hoping  for  the  in- 
heritance of  the  world,  in  opposition  to  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The  address  to  the 
disciples  with  which  the  Lord  entered  on  His  path 
of  suffering :  1.  Its  divine  clearness  :  the  whole  path 
is  traced  out.  2.  Its  heavenly  decision :  whoever 
obstructed  His  path  was  a  Satan.  3.  Its  holy  sum- 
mons :  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  Me."  4.  The 
foundation  and  ground  of  this  call :  "  What  shall  it 
profit  a  man  ?  "  5.  The  promises  connected  with  it : 
"  the  Son  of  man  in  the  glory  of  His  Father."  6. 
The  gracious  comfort:  "There  are  some  standing 
here." — Self-denial  the  preliminary  condition  of  fol- 
lowing Jesus. — Following  the  Lord  on  the  path  of 
suffering :  1.  Its  commencement :  confession  of 
Jesus  ;  denial  of  self.  2.  Its  course  :  looking  up  to 
tlie  Lord,  who  goeth  before ;  taking  up  the  cross. 
3.  Its  goal :  transitory  sufferings  with  Jesus ;  eternal 
glory  with  Him. — If  in  life  we  die  with  Christ,  we 
shall  in  dying  live  with  Him. — Whoever  in  fife  par- 
takes of  the  cup  of  Christ's  death,  wiH  in  death  drink 
abundantly  of  the  cup  of  His  fife. 

Starke : — Zeislus  :  Christ  the  pattern  of  Christian 
teachers,  as  gradually  and  carefully  progressing  from 
the  easier  to  the  more  difficult  lessons. — Hedinger : 
Christ  must  suffer,  and  thus  enter  into  glory,  Luke 
xxiv.  26. — The  doctrines  of  Christ's  sufferings  and 
I'esurrection  must  always  be  conjoined. — A  mere 
good  opinion  is  not  sufficient. —  Canatein:  Our  best 
friends,  so  far  as  this  world  is  concerned,  are  often 
our  greatest  enemies  in  spiritual  and  heavenly  mat- 
ters.— To  the  carnal  men  of  the  world,  the  crucified 
Saviour  is  still  either  a  stumbling-block,  or  else  fool- 
ishness, 1  Cor.  i.  23  ;  2  Cor.  x.  4,  5. — Hedinger :  Be 
not  lifted  up  by  knowledge  or  prosperity :  how  easily 
mayest  thou  fall,  and  from  an  angel  become  a  Satan ! 
— Zeisius :  All  carnal  wisdom  which  opposeth  itself 
to  the  word  an<l  will  of  God,  is  only  deviUsh,  how- 
ever great  or  plausible  it  may  appear. — Majus :  If 
the  truth  is  at  stake,  we  must  not  spare  our  dearest 
friends. — If  we  do  not  deny  ourselves,  we  cannot 
bear  the  cross. — It  is  the  duty  of  believers  to  die 
mito  self  and  to  live  unto  Christ. — Majus :  What 
appears  to  us  to  be  gain,  must  be  regarded  as  loss 
for  Christ's  sake,  Phil.  iii.  Y,  8. —  Quesnel :  The  loss 
of  the  soul  can  never  be  repaired. — If  thou  suffercst 
Injustice  at  a  human  tribunal,  wait  ^ith  confidence 
for  the  future  righteous  judgment  of  Christ. 

Lisco : — After  death,  the  resurrection.    Through 


306 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


death  to  life  ;  through  shame  to  glory  ;  by  the  cross 
to  the  crown ;  through  defeat  to  victory !  Thus 
Christ,  and  thus  His  people. — Sufiering  is  insepara- 
ble from  following  Christ. — To  take  up  the  cross  de- 
notes our  readiness  to  suffer. — Fear  of  suffering  is 
fatal. — (jlorious  reward  of  grace  which  will  follow 
Buffering. 

Gerlach : — Confession  and  suffering  must  go  to- 
gether. 

Ileuhncr : — Human  wisdom  would  dissuade  us 
from  making  sacrifices  for  the  sake  of  duty. — Jesus 
regarded  and  treated  every  one  as  Satan  who  wished 
to  turn  Him  aside  from  His  heavenly  mission. — To 
dissuade  from  duty  is  not  friendship,  but  seduction. 
— Luther :  What  is  the  Papacy  at  the  present  day, 
but  the  carnal  kingdom  which  the  Jews  expect  from 
the  Messiah  ! — As  with  Christ,  so  with  His  followers, 


the  path  to  exaltation  is  through  humiliation. — 
Christ's  frankness  in  announcing  the  fate  of  His  dis- 
ciples.— The  Christian's  mode  of  calculation. — The 
loss  of  what  is  eternal  cannot  be  compensated  by 
the  gain  of  earthly  possessions. — The  future  is  no 
illusion. 

[On  the  infinite  value  and  possible  loss  of  the  soul^ 
ver.  26. — M.  Henry :  1.  Every  man  has  a  soul  of 
his  own ;  2.  it  is  possible  for  the  soul  to  be  lost,  and 
there  is  danger  of  it ;  3.  if  the  soul  is  lost,  it  is  the 
sinner's  own  losing,  and  his  blood  is  on  his  own 
head  ;  4.  one  soul  is  more  worth  than  all  the  world  ; 
so  the  winning  of  tlie  world  is  often  the  losing  of  the 
soul ;  6.  the  loss  of  the  soul  cannot  be  made  up  by 
the  gain  of  the  whole  world  ;  7.  if  the  soul  be  once 
lost,  it  is  lost  forever,  and  the  loss  can  never  be  re- 
paired or  retrieved. — P.  S.] 


C.   The  Church  as  a  Spiritual  Communion,  in  oppositio7i  to  the  Solitary  Tabernacles  of  Spurious  Separa- 
tion from  the  World.     Ch.  XYII.  1-9. 

{The  Gospel  for  the  &th  Sunday  after  Epiphany. — Parallels:  Mark  ix.  2-9;  Luke  ix.  28-36.) 

1  And  after  six  days  Jesus  taketh  Peter,  [and,  KaC]  James,  and  John  his  brother,  and 

2  bringeth  them  up  into  an  high  mountain  apart/  And  [he]  was  transfigured  before  them: 
and  liis  face  did  shine  [shone]  ^  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  [garments]  was  [became, 

3  cycVero]  wliite  as  the  hght.     And,  behold,  there  appeared  ^  unto  them  Moses  and  EHas 

4  [Ehjali]  talking  with  him.  Then  answered  Peter,  and  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord,  it  is  good 
for  us  to  be  here :  if  thou  wilt,  let  us  make  [I  will  make]  ^  here  three  tabernacles ;  one 

5  for  thee,  and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias  [Elijah].  While  he  yet  spake  [was  yet 
speaking],  behold,  a  bright  [luminous,  ^wreivvj]  cloud ^  overshadowed  them:  and  behold 
a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  which  said   [saying,  Aeyo-ucra],  This  is  my  beloved  Sou,  in 

6  whom  I  am  well  pleased ;  hear  ye  him.     And  when  the  discij)les  heard  it,  they  fell  on 

7  their  face,  and  were  sore  afraid.     And  Jesus  came  and  touched  them,  and  said,  Arise, 

8  and  be  not  afraid.     And  when  they  had  lifted  up  their  eyes,  they  saw  no  man,  save 

9  Jesus  only.  And  as  they  came  down  from  [out  of]  ®  tlie  mountain,  Jesus  charged 
them,  saying,  Tell  the  vision  to  no  man,  imtil  the  Son  of  man  be  [is]  risen  again'  from 
the  dead. 


'  Ycr.  1.— [After  apart  there  ought  to  be  a  period,  and  he  inserted  after  And  in  ver.£.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  2.— [There  is  no  necessity  for  did  in  translating  e  A  a^usj/  e  .—P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  3.— [The  third  person  singular,  uxpdri,  is  preferred  by  Lac.hmann,  Tischendorf,  and  Alford,  and  is  better  attest- 
ed, especially  by  Codd.  Vaticanus  and  Sinai ticus,  than  HxpOrja  a.v ,  but  it  has  no  effect  upon  the  English  translation. 
Langc  translates  :  erschienen,  not  erschien. — P.  S.] 

<  Ver.  4.— Codd.  B.,  C,  etc.,  read:  noiiiaai,  I  will  make.  So  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Alford].  The  led.  rec, 
'irotri(To>iJ.ei',  let  us  make,  corresponds  with  the  text  in  Mark  and  Luke.  [The  first  person  singular,  ttoito-u;  is  also 
.iupported  by  Cod.  Sinait.,  and  is  more  in  keeping  with  the  ardent  temperament  and  self-confidence  of  Peter.— P.  S.] 

^  Ver.  5.— B.,  D.,  and  most  of  the  authorities  read  vepeKr]  ^oir  eivi)  (bright  cloud),  against  v((p.  (poor  6  s  (cloud 
of  light).     The  sense  is  essentially  the  same. 

•  Ver.  9.— The  critical  authorities  and  editions  favor  e  k,  out  of,  against  k  tt  c,  from.  It  indicates  probably  that  they 
proceeded  from  a  mountain-cave. 

^  Ver.  9.— B.,  D.,  etc,  iyep6fi. 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRPriCAL. 

Ver.  1.  Since  the  fourth  century  tradition  has 
fixed  on  Mount  Tabor,  in  Galilee,  as  the  locality  of 
this  event.  See  the  description  of  it  in  Schubert 
and  others.  This  opinion  is,  however,  evidently  un- 
tenable. Not  only  was  Motmt  Tabor  inhabited  to 
its  summit  at  the  time  (see  Robinnon),  but  it  seems 
exceedingly  improbable  that  Jesus  would  have  so 
suddenly  left  His  retreat  in  the  highlands  cf  Gauloni- 


tis,  and  transferred  the  scene  of  one  of  His  most  se- 
cret revelations  to  Galilee,  where  He  was  everywhere 
persecuted.  Besides,  ver.  22  implies  that  the  change 
of  residence  to  Galilee  took  place  at  a  later  period, 
while  in  Mark  ix.  30  it  is  distinctly  stated,  that  af- 
ter these  events  Jesus  had  secretly  passed  through 
Galilee. 

The  highest  mountain -top  in  Gaulonitis  was 
Mount  Hermo7i.  Accordingly,  some  fix  upon  Her- 
mon  itself  as  the  scene  of  this  event ;  others  on  Mount 
Fanius,  near  Caesarea  Philippi.     But  from  the  de- 


CHAP.  XVII.  1- 


307 


Bcription  of  the  mountain,  and  the  statement  in  ver. 
9,  (hat  "they  came  down"  from  its  height,  it  seems 
likely  to  have  been  Hermon. 

After  six  days. — So  Matthew  and  Mark.  Luke 
has  it  wcrtl  'on.  4  pat  hKTci).  According  to  the 
common  phraseology,  tlic  expression,  aboiit  eicjht 
da;is,  denoted  a  week — or,  after  a'?x  days,  adding  the 
day  of  Peter's  confession.  During  a  whole  week  the 
disciples  had  been  bearmg  about,  and  meditating 
upon,  the  revelation  which  Christ  had  made  concern- 
ing His  cross.  At  the  close  of  it,  the  Lord  prepared 
for  them  the  iirst  Sabbath  of  the  New  Testament,— 
an  earnest  and  foretaste  both  of  Uis  resurrection  and 
of  tlie  Christian  Sabbath. 

[Alford  and  others  suppose  that  the  transfigura- 
tion probably  took  place  m  the  nigJit,  for  the  follow- 
ing i-easons:  1)  Jesus  had  gone  up  to  the  mountain 
to'pray,  Luke  ix.  28,  which  He  usually  did  at  night 
(Lukevi.  12;  xxi.  3Y ;  xxii.  39;  Matt.  xiv.  23,  24). 
2)  The  Apostles  were  asleep,  and  are  described  as 
liaviug  kept  awake  through  this  occurrence,  hiayp-q- 
yopt'iaauTss,  Luke  ix.  32.  3)  They  did  not  descend 
till  the  next  day,  Luke  ix.  37.  4)  The  transfigura- 
tion itself  could  be  seen  to  better  advantage  at  night 
than  in  dayhght.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  2.  And  He  was  transfigured. — Matthew 
and  Mark  use  the  term  p-erenopcpdid)] ;  Luke  expresses 
it,  eyeVfTo  rh  tlSor  rod  irpoawiTou  auTov  erepov,  ic.t.\. 
According  to  Luke,  this  transformation  of  His  ap- 
pearance took  place  while  He  was  praying.  Ac- 
cording to  Matthew,  His  face  shone  as  the  sun, 
and  His  garments  became  white  (bright)  as  the 
light.  Luke  has  it  :  "  the  fashion  of  His  connte- 
nance  was  altered,  ajid  His  raiment  was  white  and  glis- 
tering [AeuKos  ila.arpa.Trrwv,  white-glistening,  zoeiss- 
leuchtendy  Mark  dwells  upon  the  brightness  of  the 
raiment :  "  it  became  shining,  exceeding  while  as  snow, 
so  [^sitch]  as  no  fuller  on  earth  can.  white  [whiteii] 
themy  Meyer  observes,  that  "  this  event  is  not  to 
be  regarded  as  a  parallel  to  what  is  recorded  in  Exod. 
xxxiv.  29,  since  the  shining  of  Moses'  face  was  the 
consequence  of  the  preceding  appearance  of  God." 
As  if  the  text  did  not  refer  to  a  ditFercnt  presence  of 
God  from  that  recorded  in  Exod.  xxxiv !  "  We  know 
how  the  human  countenance  is  often  lit  up  by  joy, 
beautified  by  affection,  or  wonderfully  transformed 
by  the  peace  and  blessedness  reaUzed  in  the  hour  of 
death.  The  revelations  vouchsafed  to  the  prophets 
often  made  them  pale  as  death  (Dan.  x.),  at  other 
times  resplendent  with  joy.  The  face  of  Moses  shone 
when  he  came  down  from  Mount  Sinai,  so  that  no 
one  could  bear  to  look  upon  his  countenance.  In 
the  text,  we  have  the  highest  instance  of  this  kind 
which  could  possibly  occur  in  human  experience. 
The  infinite  fulness  of  the  Spirit  was  poured  out  over 
His  whole  being ;  the  heavenly  glory  of  Uis  nature, 
which  was  still  concealed  under  His  earthly  appear- 
ance (and  during  His  conflict  with  the  kmgdom  of 
darkness),  now  broke  forth."  (Leben  Jcsu,  ii.  2,  905.)* 
Meyer  rightly  remarks,  that  this  manifestation  of  His 
5d|a  was  an  anticipation  of  His  future  state  of  glory 
(John  xii.  16,  23  ;  xvii.  5,  22-24;  2  Cor.  iii.  18; 
Matt.  xiii.  43). 

Ver.  3.  And  behold! — Indicating  that  this  was 
even  more  marvellous  than  His  own  transformation. 

There   appeared   unto  them. — The    reading 

♦  [This  bursting  forth  of  the  inherent  glory  of  Christ  is 
hardly  sufficient  to  account  for  the  brilliancy  of  His  gar- 
ments. I  see  no  objection  to  call  to  aid  an  external  heaven- 
ly illumination,  which  undoubtedly  surrounded  Moses  and 
Elijah  as  they  descended  from  heaven.— P.  S.] 


&^et\,  B.,  D.,  does  not  alter  the  sense.  The  vision 
of  Moses  and  Elijah  was  outward  and  actual,  though 
implyuig,  at  the  same  time,  a  pecuUar  subjective  state 
on  the  {jait  of  the  disciples,  which  was  caused  by 
their  communion  with  Jesus.  Luke  [a  physician  by 
profession]  furnishes  what  might  be  called  a  psycho- 
logical account  of  the  matter,  when  he  describes 
them  as  heavy  with  sleep  and  yet  awake  throughout. 
The  proximity  of  these  glorified  spirits  produced,  not 
indeed  a  morbid  state  of  somnambulism,  but  a  pe- 
culiar moral  state,  like  that  of  the  ancient  seers.  It 
is  an  idle  inquiry,  how  they  came  to  know  the  per- 
sons who  appeared  on  this  occasion;  we  presume 
that  they  immediately  recognized  the  vision  in  the 
same  manner  as  they  beheld  it. 

Moses  and  Elijah. — The  appearing  of  these 
blessed  spirits  explains  the  change  which  passed  on 
the  Lord.  For  the  time  He  exchanged  His  inter- 
course with  this  world  for  that  with  the  world  above. 
The  fact  that  a  person  looks  very  differently  in  the 
midst  of  festive  joy,  and  when  engaged  in  the  ordi- 
nary labor  of  his  calling — on  a  journey,  or  surveying 
the  scene  from  a  mountain  height,  and  surrounded 
by  his  daily  cares — while  triumphantly  standing  forth 
on  behalf  of  some  great  principle,  and  when  v^eighed 
down  by  temptation  or  trials, — affords  a  very  faint 
analogy  of  this  transformation.  Commonly,  Jesus 
was  engaged  in  conflict  either  with  the  lust  or  the 
sorrow  of  this  world ;  on  this  occasion,  it  was  the 
festive  celebration  of  the  Messiah. 

Talking  with  Him. — Meyer  remarks  that  we 
have  no  information  as  to  this  conversation.  But 
the  Evangelist  Luke  states  that  "  they  spake  of  His 
departure  lohich  He  should  fulfil  at  Jerusalem."  This 
also  furnishes  the  key  to  the  meaning  and  object  of 
this  vision.  It  presents  the  two  chief  representatives 
of  the  Old  Covenant  as  the  forerunners  of  the  Messi- 
ah, and  as  acquainted  with  and  cognizant  of  His  im- 
pending course  of  suSering.  Hence  this  may  be  re- 
garded as  an  evidence  of  the  agi-eement  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments  in  reference  to  the  sufferings 
of  the  Messiah. 

Ver.  4.  Lord,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here. — 
Not :  It  is  weU  that  we  the  disciples  are  here  (Paulus, 
Baumgarten-Crusius,  Meycp),  that  we  may  provide 
dwellings  for  a  longer  stay ;  for,  although  ij  fxas  pre- 
cedes w  5  f,  the  expression  evidcLtly  includes  the 
Lord.  Hence  we  adopt  the  common  explanation  of 
the  verse  (proposed  by  Chrysostom,  etc.) :  It  is  good 
for  us  to  be  in  this  place — in  opposition  to  Jerusa- 
lem ;  but  not  as  contrasted  with  the  impending  suffer- 
ings, as  is  often  assumed.  The  latter  would  imply 
that  Peter  had  agaLa  lapsed  into  the  carnal  views 
expressed  in  ch.  xvi.  22,  which  were  incompatible 
with  that  kingdom  of  Messiah  which  was  to  be  estab- 
lished by  suffering.  On  the  contrary,  we  understand 
the  words  of  Peter  as  implying  that  he  was  even  will- 
ing to  give  up  the  prospect  of  that  coming  glory, 
satisfied  if,  separated  from  the  world,  he  could  con- 
tinue, with  the  Lord  and  His  companions,  va.  spiritual 
communion  with  Moses  and  Elijah.  At  a  stiU  later 
period  we  find  him  ready  for  suffering,  though  in  the 
sense  of  a  conflict  of  suffering  by  the  sword.  Hence 
we  may  trace  the  following  course  of  development  in 
his  spiritual  history:  1.  Anticipation  of  the  glory  of 
Messiah  in  connection  with  the  ancient  national  pol- 
ity ;  2.  in  opposition  to  that  polity,  but  as  victorious 
over  it ;  8.  relinquishment  of  the  hope  of  the  Messi- 
anic kingdom  in  this  world,  both  in  its  sufferings  and 
its  glories;  4.  willingness  to  suffer — but  with  the 
sword  in  hand  ;  5.  after  his  denial  of  the  Saviour,  sim- 


308 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDIXG   TO   MATTHEW. 


pie  willingness  to  suffer — in  hope ;  6.  anticipation  of 
the  glory  of  the  king<lom  through  suffering  and  con- 
flict by  the  swon!  of  the  Spirit.  These  various  stages 
of  his  experience  may  be  regarded  a';  respectively 
typifying  the  Jewish  Church — the  Gentile  Church 
under  Constantino  the  Great — the  monastic  Church 
— the  Popish  Church,  with  its  two  swords  —  and 
(5  and  6)  the  true  Church,  with  its  sword  of  the 
Spirit. 

Three  tabernacles. — Arbors,  forest  tents,  her- 
mitages. 

Ver.  5.  Behold — and  behold. — A  threefold 
progression,  commencing  in  ver.  3.  The  first  mir- 
acle was  Christ  transfigured  and  surrounded  by  the 
beatified  spirits  of  the  representatives  of  the  Old  Cov- 
enant. The  second  miracle  was  the  bright  cloud, 
which  constituted  the  sign  from  heaven,  refused  to 
the  .Jewish  authorities  who  had  asked  for  it,  and  now 
granted,  unsolicited,  to  the  disciples.  The  third  mir- 
acle was  the  revelation  of  the  Father  by  a  voice  from 
heaven. 

A  luminous  cloud. — The  expression  ve<p  4xri 
<pw  T  e  IV  7)  denotes  a  light-like,  luminous  cloud,  and 
not  merely  "  a  bright  cloud  or  mist  lit  up  by  the  sun  " 
(Paulus),  (^ciTiivhs  'i]\ios).  It  was  of  the  same  kind 
as  the  cloud  at  the  ascension,  or  the  clouds  of  hea- 
ven at  the  advent  of  the  Son  of  man  (Matt.  xxiv.  30 : 
KoX  Tore  (ftavricrerai  rh  ay)fXiiav  Tov  vlov  rov  apOpaiwov 
iv  T<^  ovpava.  Mark  xiii.  26  :  koI  rare  oi^oj'Tai  rhu 
vlhv  Tov  ai/dpu!irou  ipxafxivov  iv  v^(pi\ai<s  yuexa  ivva- 
fieois  TToAAvls  KoX  5d|7)s.  Luke  xxi.  27  :  Iv  v^cpiKri 
IXSTO.  Svvdfxew;  Kal  5(i|-()?  TroAArjs.  Comp.  Dan.  vii.  IS). 
Hence,  this  was  the  sign  from  heaven,  the  real  Shechi- 
nah  (nj^Ztli ,  Talmud,  prcesenfia  Dei;  from  'r'c3, 
to  lie  down,  to  rest,  to  dwell),  of  which  that  in  Exod. 
xiii.  21 ;  xl.  34,  formed  the  type,  and  which  in  turn 
was  a  symbol  of  the  spiritual  glory  resting  on  the 
New  Testament  Church,  separating  between  the  holy 
and  the  unholy  (Isa,  iv.  5),  and  at  the  same  time 
also  a  ii/pe  of  the  splendor  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
Rev.  xxi.  23. 

Overshadowed  them;  avrovs. — According 
to  Lc  C'lerc,  all  present ;  according  to  Wolf,  Beivjel, 
etc.,  the  disciples ;  according  to  de  Wetie  and  Meyer, 
Jesus,  Moses,  and  Elijah.'  De  Wette  appeals  in  con- 
firmation of  his  view  to  the  account  given  by  Luke. 
But  to  us  his  narrative  conveys  the  impression  that 
all  present  were  overshadowed  by  a  dazzling  light, 
which,  as  it  were,  separated  them  from  the  earth 
generally ;  while  Jesus,  Moses,  and  Elijah  entered  into 
the  cloud  which  hovered  over  them,  floating  along 
with  it.  There  seems  to  have  been  a  mutual  attrac- 
tion— of  the  cloud  downward,  and  of  the  glorified 
figures  upward.  A  prelude  this  of  the  ascension. 
Olshausen  explains  the  expression  "  overshadowed,^'' 
as  implying  that  the  fight  was  so  overpowering  and 
dazzling  as  to  prevent  their  looking  into  the  cloud. 
"  The  strongest  light  is  =  ctkotos.  Hence  the  latter 
is  used  in  Scripture  instead  of  the  former.  The  Lord 
is  said  to  dwell  in  <pws  airpdairov,  and  again  in  dark- 
ness,! Kings  viii.  12;  Ex.  xx.  21."  Meyer  misses 
the  point  in  remarking  that  such  a  cloud  would  over- 
shadow or  place  the  figures  in  semi-darkness,  etc. 
The  eifect  of  the  cloud  was  to  overshadow  the  disci- 
ples, or  for  the  time  to  separate  them,  on  the  one 
hand,  from  the  immediate  bodily  vision  of  Jesus, 
Moses,  and  Elijah,  and  of  God  coming  to  them  ;  and, 
on  the  other,  from  the  profane  world.  The  shadows 
of  a  heavenly  night  were  closing  around  them.  Thus 
Mary  had  been  overshadowed  by  the  Swo/xis  in|/i'o-- 


Tov.  Under  the  Shechinah  which  overshadowed  the 
Virgin,  and  separated  her  from  the  whole  ancient 
world,  bringing  her  info  tlie  most  immediate  divine 
presence,  Christ  was  conceived,  through  the  inspira- 
tion of  heavenly  faith. 

A  voice. — Comp.  Lulv^  ii.  14 ;  Matt.  iii.  lY  ; 
Mark  i.  II  ;  Luke  iii.  22;  John  xii.  28.  Similarly 
in  2  Pet.  i.  17;  John  i.  33.  The  solemn  attestation 
of  the  Messiah  and  Son  of  God,  vouchsafed  to  the 
Jewish  theocracy  by  the  voice  from  heaven,  heard  by 
John  the  Baptist,  and  through  him  by  the  whole  na- 
tion, had  been  rejected  by  the  unbeHef  of  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  synagogue  and  of  the  schools. 
Hence  another  direct  testimony  was  now  granted, 
this  time  to  the  Apostles  as  the  representatives  of 
the  (KK\7)uia. — Hear  ye  Him, — a.  in  o'n  a  ic  o  v  e  t  e, 
in  an  emphatic  sense.  Tlie  divine  attestation  of  Je- 
sus which  they  had  just  witnessed,  implied  the  duty 
of  perfect  obedience,  and  of  complete  self-surrender. 
At  the  same  time,  this  command  would  also  convey 
to  the  disciples  that  ideas  such  as  those  which  Peter 
entertained,  about  tJic  king<iom  of  the  Messiah  and 
about  the  Church,  must  be  laid  aside. 

Ver.  7.  And  Jesus  came  and  touched  them. 
— Comp.  Isa.  vi.  5-7 ;  Dan.  x.  9,  10;  Rev.  i.  17. 

Ver.  8.  Save  Jesus  only. — The  moment  had 
now  arrived  when  the  Lord  required  no  further  testi- 
mony from  Moses  or  Elijah  in  the  presence  of  His 
disciples.  Hitherto  the  Old  Testament  had  been 
their  warrant  and  evidence  for  the  New.  But  now 
I  the  New  Covenant  was  not  only  self-evidenced,  but 
serving  as  confirmation  of  the  Old.  The  expression 
also  indicates  that  the  hour  of  festive  joy,  in  antici- 
pation of  the  coming  glory,  was  now  past.  From 
their  fellowship  with  the  spirits  of  the  blessed,  they 
were  now  to  descend  into  the  world  and  into  fresh 
conflicts. 

Ver.  9.  The  vision. — -"O  pafj-a;  the  outward 
and  objective  manifestation  which  they  had  seen  in 
a  state  of  prophetic  inspiration.  Different  views  are 
entertained  about  the  reason  of  this  prohibition. 
Meyer  suggests  that  the  Lord  wished  to  prevent  er- 
roneous expectations  of  Elijah.  We  are  incUned  to 
take  a  more  general  view  of  the  matter.  For  the  ob- 
ject aimed  at,  it  sufficed  that  the  principal  nucleus 
of  the  Church,  or  the  confidential  disciples  of  Jesus, 
should  be  strengthened  by  this  glance  of  spiritual  re- 
alities, while  the  secrecy  with  which  it  was  invested 
would  tend  to  preserve  the  deep  and  powerful  im- 
pression. Besides,  the  vision  could  not  have  been 
related  to  the  other  disciples  without  including  Judas 
among  them.  In  all  likehhood  it  would  have  incited 
envy,  carnal  hopes,  or  doubts  in  their  minds.  The 
people  were,  of  course,  not  prepared  to  receive  such 
a  communication.  Those  among  them  who  were  fa- 
vorably disposed  would  again  have  given  way  to  out- 
bursts of  enthusiasm;  while  the  adversaries  would 
have  either  directed  their  hatred  and  persecutions  to 
the  three  disciples  who  had  witnessed  the  glory  of 
Christ,  or  else  sought  to  controvert  and  to  shake  their 
blessed  conviction  of  the  spiritual  realities  which 
had  opened  before  them.  Not  till  after  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  from  Sheol  was  the  world  to  be  taught  how 
much  better  and  happier  than,  in  their  dread  of  death, 
they  had  hitherto  imagined,  was  the  state  of  the  pious 
in  Sheol  (for  example,  Moses  and  Elijah).  The  fact 
that  Christ — the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever 
— had  all  along  lit  up  the  gloom  of  Sheol,  was  only 
to  appear  when,  at  and  by  His  resurrection,  Sheol  it- 
self ceased  to  exist. 


CHAP.  XVII.  1-9. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  See  the  Exegetical  and  Critical  Notes. 

2.  The  historu  of  the  Ttnnsfguration. — Various 
views  are  entertained  on  this  sulyect :  1.  It  has  been 
regarded  as  merely  a  vision.  Tims  Tertulliau  ( Con- 
tra Marc.  iv.  22),  Herder,  and  Gratz.  2.  Meyer  re- 
gards it  as  partly  a  vision,  and  partly  an  objective 
reality.  The  appearance  of  Moses  and  Elijah  was,  m 
his  opinion,  merely  a  vision ;  while  the  glorious 
change  in  the  outward  appearance  of  Jesus  was  an 
objective  reality.  3.  All  the  ancient  dogmatic  writers 
characterize  it  as  a  purely  outward  and  visible  event. 
To  this  Meyer  objects,  that  it  would  imply  that  the 
resurrection  of  Moses  was  past ;  as  if  the  spirits  of 
the  blessed  were  necessarily  destitute  of  all  corporei- 
ty or  form.  To  the  same  effect  Grotius  remarks: 
Il€ec  corpora  videri  possunt  a  Deo  in  hutic  usum  as- 
servaia  ;  while  Thomas  Aquinas  suggests  that  Moses 
made  use  of  a  body  not  his  own.*  4.  A  number  of 
natural  explanations  of  the  event  have  been  hazard- 
ed. Thus  it  has  been  represented — (a)  as  a  vision 
in  a  dream  (Gabler,  Rau,  Kuinoel,  even  Neander) ; 
(6)  accompanied  by  a  thunder-stonn  (Gabler) ;  (t)  as 
a  meeting  between  Jesus  and  two  secret,  unknown 
adherents  (Kuinoel,  Venturini,  Paulus,  Hase)  ;  (d) 
as  an  atmospheric  phenomenon  (Paulus,  Ammon). 
5.  Ewald  regards  it  as  a  real  occurrence,  but  with 
mythical  embellishments.  6.  Schulz,  Strauss,  and 
others  represent  it  as  a  pure  myth,  on  the  ground  of 
the  injunction  to  keep  it  a  secret,  which  they  regard 
as  a  fhstion.f  V.  It  has  been  viewed  as  an  allegory, 
or  a  figurative  representation  of  the  spiritual  light 
imparted  on  that  occasion  to  the  disciples  respecting 
the  character  and  work  of  Jesus  (Weisse).  8.  In  our 
opinion,  it  belongs  to  a  higher  sphere  of  existence, 
combining  the  two  elements  of  outward  manifestation 
and  spiritual  vision  (see  Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  904  ;  and 
on  the  general  question,  ii.  1,  p.  41).  Even  Meyer, 
who  represents  one  part  of  the  narrative  as  an  ob- 
jective reaUty,  and  the  other  as  merely  a  vision,  ad- 
mits that  although  the  voice  from  heaven  was  a  spir- 
itual and  inward  transaction,  yet  it  seemed  an  out- 
ward perception  to  those  who  were  in  a  state  of 
vision. 

3.  The  transfiguration  of  the  Lord  was  a  manifes- 
tation of  the  spiritual  world  in  the  midst  of  earthly 
life.  It  was  as  if  the  Lord  had  already  entered  His 
mansions  of  glory.  Viewing  it  as  a  stage  in  the  his- 
tory of  His  personal  development,  the  transfiguration 
may  be  characterized  as  occupying  a  place  interme- 
diate between  the  walking  on  the  sea,  and  the  hear- 
ing the  voice  from  heaven  in  the  precmcts  of  the 
temple,  John  xii.  "  In  certain  diseases,  a  luminous 
appearance  of  the  body  has  been  observed  by  physi- 
cians as  a  strange  ai^d   rare  symptom.     This  may 

*  [Delitzsr-h,  BiU.  Pxijchologie,  p.  .<569,  supposes  that  Mo- 
ses assumed  an  immaterial  yet  extern.al  visible  (?)  appearance 
conformable  to  his  former  body. — P.  S.] 

+  [Strauss  view.s  the  transfiguration  as  a  poetic  imitation 
of  the  event  related,  Ex.  xxiv.  1 :  xxxiv.  29  sq.,  when  Moses 
went  up  to  Mount  Sinai  into  the  pre^ence  of  Jehovah,  and 
on  returnin?  "his  face  shoue,"  that  the  children  of  Israel 
were  ;ifraid  to  come  nigh  bim.  Strauss  thinks  the  only  alter- 
native lies  between  his  mytho-poetic  and  the  old  orthodo.x 
view.  See  his  new  Leben  Jexu,1S<il,  p.  5\6  sriq.  But  the 
circumstantial  asfreement  of  the  three  Evanjjelists  in  their 
account,  the  definite  chronological  date  of  the  event,  its  con- 
nection with  what  follows,  the  allusion  to  it  by  one  of  the 
witi. esses  in  2  Pet.  i.  16-18,  and  the  many  peculiar  traits  to 
whicli  no  parallel  is  found  in  the  transfiguration  of  Moses, 
make  the  mythical  view  impossible  here.  Ecnan,  in  his  Vie 
Ue  Jesue,  ignores  the  transfiguration. —P.  S.] 


serve  at  least  to  show  the  physical  possibility  of  such 
an  emission  of  light  from  tlie  body,  although  it  has 
never  been  noticed  as  marking  the  highest  state  of 
health  and  vigor."  Both  the  founder  and  the  restor- 
er of  the  kingdom  of  God  under  the  Old  dispensation, 
who  had  equally  been  removed  from  this  world  in  a 
miraculous  manner  (Deut.  xxxiv.  6  ;  2  Kings  ii.  11), 
and  Jesus  Himself  (whose  resurrection  was  at  hand), 
were  transfigured  into  the  same  glorified  state.  0. 
von  Gerlach  :  "  At  His  baptism  Jesus  had  as  the  Son 
of  Man  entered  that  new  kingdom  of  God  upon  earth 
whicli  He  Himself  had  founded.  But  at  the  trans- 
figuration He  had  reached  the  period  of  His  history, 
when,  having  fully  shown  His  active  obedience,  He 
was  to  display  chiefly  His  passive  obedience.  This 
may  be  described  as  a  season  of  rest  m  His  half-ac- 
complished -victory." 

4.  The  meeting  of  the  Lord  •v^th  Moses  and  Elijah 
conveys  a  threefold  lesson,  (a)  It  shoics  the  bearing 
of  the  future  upon  the  present  world.  The  dead  are 
waiting  the  appearance  of  the  Lord.  He  lit  up  the 
gloom  of  hades,  brought  life  to  its  inmates,  and  threw 
open  its  gates.  The  most  exalted  of  the  departed 
spirits  here  do  homage  to  Him.  (b)  It  discloses  the 
bearing  of  the  visible  upon  the  invisible  world.  The 
event  here  recorded  may  be  regarded  as  the  earnest 
and  commencement  of  Christ's  preaching  to  the  spirits 
in  prison.  It  was  succeeded  by  the  movement  which 
took  place  among  the  dead  when  Christ  arose  (Matt, 
xxvii.  42),  and  fully  realized  when  He  descended  into 
hades  to  preach  the  gospel  there  (Matt.  xii.  40 ;  Eph. 
iv.  9  ;  1  Pet.  iii.  19  ;  iv.  6).*  (c)  We  gather  how  this 
viorld  and  the  next  meet,  so  to  speak,  and  coalesce  in 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus.  The  difference  of  time  and 
circumstances  here  gives  place  to  a  higher  unity. 
The  disciples  were  now  taught  that  the  sufferings  and 
death  of  the  Messiah  did  not  sever  the  connection 
between  Him  and  the  Old  Testament, — more  especial- 
ly, that  between  Jesus  and  the  lawgiver  who  con- 
demned blasphemers  to  death,  and  even  the  zealous 
prophet  who  had  called  down  tire  from  heaven ;  while 
these  very  sufferings  constituted  the  superiority  of 
the  Saviour  over  the  representatives  of  the  Old  dis- 
pensation. "  Again,  as  at  Jordan,  did  the  represent- 
atives of  the  two  covenants  meet."  Besides,  the  gulf 
of  space  was  also  bridged  over  by  this  event.  In  the 
person  of  Christ  the  barriers  which  separate  between 
this  and  the  other  world  began  to  give  way.  They 
gave  place  to  a  higher  unity.  This  transition  was 
completed  at  His  resurrection.  Hence  also  this.meet- 
ing  may  be  characterized  as  an  anticipation  of  the 
final  "  reconciling  "  of  thmgs  in  heaven  and  in  earth 
(Col.  i.  20). 

5.  The  cloiid. — ("Not  a  dark  cloud,  hke  that 
which  rested  on  Smai."  0.  von  Gerlach.) — It  served 
not  merely  as  a  figure  of  the  presence  of  CJod,  but, 
like  the  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire  which  intervened 
between  Israel  and  the  Egyptians,  it  had  a  twofold 
aspect — bringing  light  to  the  one  party,  and  conceal- 
ing it  from  \he  other.  "As  the  brightness  which 
overshadowed  them  may  be  regarded  as  a  manifestar 
tion  of  heavenly  in  the  midst  of  earthly  life,  so  the 
luminous  cloud  as  the  outward  garb  which  heavenly 
life  prepares  for  itself  from  earthly  objects,  since  it 
cannot  appear  in  all  its  inherent  glory.  Similarly  is 
the  hght  of  heaven  tempered  for  our  earth  by  the  in- 
tervention of  clouds,"  which  reflect  that  hght  for  us 
as  need  reciuireth.  To  us  it  appears  exceedingly  sig- 
nificant, that  the  cloud  which  separated  the  disciples 

*  [Compare  here  ray  note  on  p.  228  sqq.— P.  S.] 


310 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


from  the  Lord  appeared  at  the  very  moment  when 
Peter  uttered  a  saying  whicli,  as  we  have  seen,  was 
indicative  of  his  peculiar  state  of  mind.  Hence  the 
command,  "  Hear  ye  Him,"  may  be  regarded  as  m  a 
special  manner  addressed  to  him. 

6.  From  Luke  ix.  S3  we  gather  that  Peter  ad- 
dressed this  proposal  to  the  Lord  when  he  saw  Moses 
and  Elijah  about  to  part  from  Him.  It  was  then  that 
the  cloud  overshadowed  them,  and  the  voice  from 
heaven  was  heard.  It  seems  as  if  Peter  would  have 
outwardly  detained  those  blessed  spirits  to  protract 
the  glory  of  that  hour.  "  He  wished  to  institute  a 
sort  of  liigh-church  estabUshment,*  or  to  found  a 
monastic  order.  The  communion  which  he  was  about 
to  inaugurate  was  to  have  Christ  for  its  leader,  Moses 
for  its  lawgiver,  and  EUjah  for  its  zealot, — in  short, 
there  was  to  be  an  outward  amalgamation  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament*  Hence  the  attempt  to  detain 
those  who  now  enjoyed  a  spiritual  existence,  and  to 
perpetuate  their  terrestrial  appearance  in  this  world. 
Thus  spake  Simon,  not  Peter — a  type  of  that  Church 
which  still  appeals  to  his  authority.  The  Evangelists 
add,  by  way  of  apology,  '  He  wist  not  what  he  said '  " 
{Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  907).  He  was  now  ready  in  one 
sense  to  renounce  the  world  ;  but  his  surrender  was 
merely  outward.  The  proposal  forcibly  recalls  to  our 
minds  a  later  scene  and  utterance :  "  Lord,  not  my 
feet  only,  but  also  my  hands  and  my  head." 

1.  The  prostration  of  the  disciples  at  the  vision, 
reminds  us  of  the  similar  experience  of  the  proph- 
ets. At  another  time,  John  experienced  the  same 
awe  (Rev.  i.),  showing  the  infinite  majesty  of  Christ's 
appearance.  Such  also  shall  be  the  effect  of  the  sign 
from  heaven  on  the  nations  of  the  earth  in  the  day 
of  judgment  (Matt.  xxiv.  30). 

8.  The  object  of  this  vision. — Before  the  disciples 
could  with  safety  descend  into  the  depths  of  tempta- 
tion connected  with  the  cross  of  Christ,  they  were,  so 
to  speak,  fastened  to  heaven  by  thcicords  of  this  vis- 
ion. "The  Church  was  to  have  fellowship  with 
spiritual  realities,  and  with  the  world  of  spirits,  be- 
fore those  weak  hearts  could  be  converted  into  bold 
and  triumphant  witnesses  to  meet  the  world,  death, 
and  hell "  {Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  909). 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

The  anticipation  of  Christ's  final  glory.  —  The 
miraculous  transfiguration  of  the  Lord  a  pledge  of 
our  miraculous  transfiguration  by  the  Lord. — And 
after  six  da^s  ;  or,  the  first  week  of  suff'ering  on  the 
part  of  the  disciples,  previous  to  the  sufferings  of  the 
Lord  Himself :  1.  Its  beginnmg:  the  confession  of 
Peter,  and  the  announcement  of  the  Lord's  suffer- 
ings. 2.  Its  employment :  famiharizing  their  minds 
with  thoughts  of  the  cross.  3.  Its  close :  a  glo- 
rious Sabbath  on  the  holy  mount. — The  three  inti- 
mate disciples  of  the  Lord  an  image  of  His  close  fol- 
lowers in  the  Church:  1.  John,  as  representmg  the 
friends  of  Jesus  who  rest  on  His  breast ;  2.  Peter,  or 
the  servants  of  Christ  who  prepare  the  extension  of 
His  kingdom ;  3.  James,  or  the  courageous  and  per- 

*  [In  German :  ITocMirche,  a  term  often  improperly 
used  by  German  writers  as  a  noun,  anfl  as  identical  with  the 
established  church  of  England,  when  high  church,  low 
church,  and  broad  church  are  adjectives  only  to  designate 
the  different  parties  or  theological  schools  in  the  Anglican 
Church,  or  in  tlie  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the 
United  States.  It  is  surprising  that  the  Edinb.  translation 
literally  renders  High  (jh'n-di,  which,  to  tl:e  best  of  my 
knowledge,  is  never  used  as  a  noun  in  good  English.— P.  S.j 


severing  witnesses  of  His  cross  :  Or,  contemplation, 
preaching,  and  martyrdom. — We  must  be  willing  to 
follow  the  Loi'd  to  the  summit  of  a  high  mountain, 
if  we  wish  to  see  His  own  gloiious  fight  shed  over 
the  deep  valley  of  His  humiliation  and  sufierings. — 
The  holy  mountains. — Prayer  the  path  to  glory  {see 
the  Psalms  which  ascend  from  supplication  to  praise). 
— Prayer  the  direction  of  the  heart  toward  heaven. — 
How  by  prayer  the  heart  of  the  pilgrim  may  outstrip 
his  footsteps  to  the  heights  of  transfiguration. — The 
transfiguration  of  Jesus  on  the  mount  at  once  the 
deepest  mystery  and  the  most  glorious  revelation. — 
The  transfiguration  of  the  Lord  an  earnest  of  the 
transfiguration  of  His  sufferings. — The  brightness  of 
spiritual  joy,  as  reflected  by  the  flame  of  the  sacri- 
fice of  a  heart  which  surrenders  all  unto  God. — The 
shining  raiment  of  Christ  the  garb  of  believers. — 
The  natural  body  destined  to  become  a  spiritual  body, 

1  Cor.  XV. — The  Church  of  Christ  at  its  first  festive 
season  appearing  as  a  sjjiritual  ccmm.union :  1.  A 
communion  of  the  saints  of  the  Old  and  New  Cove- 
nant ;  2.  of  the  Church  below  and  the  Church  above ; 
8.  of  the  Lord  and  His  disciples ;  4.  of  the  Father, 
and  of  all  the  blessed  spirits  who  serve  the  Son. — The 
suffering  Saviour  in  His  relationship  to  Moses  and 
Elijah. — The  office  of  the  law,  and  that  of  the  gospel, 

2  Cor.  in.  7. — The  three  glorified  figures,  and  the 
three  non-glorified  figures — between  them  the  Father 
— a  picture  of  the  Church  universal,  miUtant  and  tri- 
mnphant. — Moses  a  witness  of  immortality  under  the 
New  Testament. — The  history  of  Peter's  spiritual  de- 
velopment a  type  of  that  of  the  Church. — The  good 
intention,  and  the  error  of  Peter  :  1.  He  was  anxioua 
to  display  the  agreement  between  the  Old  and  New 
Covenants  ;  but  by  an  outward  amalgamation,  not  by 
their  internal  connection.  2.  He  was  ready  to  re- 
nounce the  world  ;  but  by  an  outward  institution 
(such  as  monasticlsm  and  anchoretism),  not  by  an  in- 
ward act.  3.  He  wished  to  perpetuate  this  season  of 
spiritual  fellowship  ;  but  by  giving  it  an  outward  and 
fixed  form,  not  by  converting  it  into  a  spring  of  hid- 
den life. — That  ibrm  of  antichristian  error  which  ap- 
peals to  the  authority  of  Peter  has  given  rise  to  the 
erection  of  three  tabernacles  (Moses :  the  Greek 
Church  ;  Elijah  :  the  Roman  Church ;  Christ :  the 
Evangelical  Church). — While  Peter  was  speaking,  a 
cloud  intervened,  which  for  a  while  separated  the 
disciples  from  their  Lord. — The  bright  overshadow- 
ing cloud,  a  figure  of  the  gospel  as  the  great  revealed 
mystery,  1  Tim.  iii.  16. — How  the  heavenly  voice 
ever  continues  to  resound  through  the  Church  :  "  This 
is  My  beloved  Son!  "  {See  2  Pet.  i.  IV.) — How  the 
disciples  received  a  fresh  prophetic  consecration  when 
they  were  overawed  by  the  majesty  of  God. — The 
awe  of  the  elect  under  the  manifestations  of  the  Lord. 
— How  Christ  restored  His  disciples  from  the  awe 
produced  by  this  revelation,  in  order  that  they  might 
experience  its  blessedness  ! — When  they  raised  their 
eyes,  they  saw  no  one  but  Jesns  alone — true  of  reli- 
gious experience  generally  :  1.  It  applied  to  the  dis- 
ciples in  reference  to  Moses  and  Elijah  ;  2.  to  the  Re- 
formers and  their  knowledge ;  3.  to  behevers  and  the 
ground  of  their  salvation. — During  our  whole  earthly 
pilgrimage  we  must  always  again  come  down  from 
the  Mount  of  Refreshment. — In  order  to  rise  the 
higher,  we  must  ever  be  ready  to  descend  lower  and 
lower. — We  should  jealously  watch  over  our  Chris- 
tian experiences,  and  not  lightly  cUvulge  them. — AU 
our  spiritual  comforts  are  granted  to  strengthen  us 
for  the  conflicts  which  we  have  to  encounter,  until 
the  last  decisive  conflict. — The  transformation  on 


CHAP.  XVII.  10-13. 


311 


the  mount,  a  symbol  of  Christ's  eternal  glory,  John 
xvii. 

Starke : — Nova  Bihl.  Tub. :  How  blessed  to  en- 
joy close  fellowship  with  Jesus !  for  then  shall  we  be 
allowed  to  see  His  glory. — The  Lord  bestows  a  pecu- 
iiar  measure  of  heavenly  comfort  on  those  whom  He 
calls  to  greater  than  ordinary  trials. — .special  revela- 
tions and  communications  are  special  gifts  which  all 
are  not  able  to  bear. — Christ's  glory  on  the  mount  a 
foretoken  of  His  greater  glory  in  heaven,  Rev.  i.  12. 
— How  great  will  be  the  briglitncss  of  the  saints  in 
glory,  when  they  shall  be  transformed  into  the  image 
of  the  glorified  body  of  Christ !  1  Cor.  xv.  41.— J/a- 
jm :  All  the  glory  of  tliis  world  is  not  worthy  to  be 
compared  with  the  transcendent  glory  of  eternity. — 
Canstcln :  Satan  and  his  kingdom  is  darkness ; 
Christ  and  His  glory  (His  kingdom)  pure  hght. — He- 
dinger :  The  blessed  communion  of  the  saints  in  glory. 
— the  communion  of  the  Church  militant  and  trium- 
phant.— Zehius  :  Thus  tlie  doctrine  Of  immortality  is 
established  and  sure. — The  saints  of  former  ages  will 
return  in  greater  glory. —  Osiander  :  Those  who  have 
tasted  (even  in  small  measure)  of  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come,  will  forget  all  that  is  transitory,  even 
though  it  have  been  glorious.  Zeisius  :  If  Peter  so 
soon  recognized  Moses  and  Ehas,  whom  he  had  never 
seen,  what  must  be  the  mutual  recognition  of  the 
elect,  and  what  their  commimion  in  heaven  ! — See  to 
it,  that  you  be  found  in  Christ,  and  God  will  also  be 
well  pleased  in  you,  Eph.  i.  6. —  Catistein:  Sinful  men 
cannot  approach  unto  God  without  a  Mediator. — 
Cramer  :  Christ's  hand  is  strong  to  heal ;  whatever 
He  touches  becomes  vigorous,  strong,  and  sound. — 
Osiander  :  God  reveals  Himself  unto  us,  not  to  de- 
stroy, but  to  save. — Such  also  will  be  Christ's  voice 
at  the  last  day,  "  Arise,  and  be  not  afraid  ! "  John 
V.  25. — In  Christ  the  law  and  the  prophets  are  ful- 
filled :  hence  Moses  and  Elias  must  vanish,  and  Christ 
alone  remain ;  for  there  is  salvation  in  none  other. 
Acts  iv.  12. — Zeisius  :  Truths  have  their  destined 
time  of  revelation  from  God,  Dan.  xii.  4,  S,  9. — High 
revelations  should  not  exalt  any  one,  2  Cor.  xii.  7. — 
Cramer  :  In  the  discharge  of  our  ministerial  duties 
we  should  do  nothing  without  a  special  call,  or  for 
the  purpose  of  advancing  our  own  reputation  and 
glory. 

Braime :  The  lawgiver  (Moses)  and  the  preacher 
of  repentance  (Elijah)  give  way  at  last  before  the 
glory  of  the  Son  of  God. — Jesus  alone. 

Gerlach  :* — When  entering  upon  His  sufferings, 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  confirmed  in  His  digiiity. — In  this 

*  Gerlacli  and  Lisco  adhere  to  tho  tradition  that  Tabor 
was  the  mount  of  transfiguration.  But  it  would  betray 
weakness  and  want  of  freedom  to  insist  upon  this  point  in  a 
sermon  simply  on  account  of  the  catholic  tradition. 


vision  the  disciples  were  to  recognize — 1.  The  unity 
and  connection  of  the  Old  and  New  Covenants ;  2. 
that  of  the  kingdoia  of  grace  and  of  glory ;  3.  of  our 
perishable  eartlily,  and  of  the  glorified  body.  — 
With  what  calmness  Christ  entered  into  a  state  by 
which  His  disciples,  in  their  weakness  and  carnality, 
were  overpowered. — The  similarity  of  the  glory  of 
Christ  and  that  of  Moses,  and  their  diiference  (2  Cor. 
iii. ;  Exod.  xxxiv.  29).  1.  Moses  only  reflected  a 
higher  light;  Christ  was  received  into  it.  2.  The 
glory  of  Moses  was  dazzling  and  terrifying;  that  of 
Christ,  though  overpowering,  was  full  of  comfort.  3. 
The  glory  of  Moses  gradually  vanished;  while  the 
transfiguration  of  Christ  remained  till  the  cloud  con- 
cealed Him  from  view. 

Lisco  : — This  foretaste  of  blessedness  must  have 
lightened  the  cross,  strengthened  the  disciples  for  the 
coming  conflict,  and  awakened  within  them  a  longing 
after  full  perfection. 

Heuhner : — The  transfiguration  of  the  Lord  in  its 
practical  import :  1.  So  far  as  the  Lord  Himself  was 
concerned,  it  served  to  strengthen  Him  on  the  path 
of  sorrow  and  suflering  on  which  He  was  about  to 
enter.  2.  So  far  as  the  disciples  were  concerned,  it 
served  as  an  evidence  that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God ; 
it  impHed  a  promise  of  support  under  severe  trials, 
and  a  pledge  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body. 

Sermons  on  the  transfiguration,  by  Ephraim  8y- 
rus,  Theremiii. — J.  Midler  (in  Fliedner's  Ein  Herr^ 
ein  Glaube) :  the  three  stages  in  the  Christian  life : 
the  transfiguration  of  Jesus,  the  emotion  of  the  dis- 
ciples, the  thronging  of  thg  people. —  (Jhle  :  How  we 
should  act  when  hearing  reports  of  extraordinary  op- 
erations of  grace:  1.  We  are  not  at  once  to  reject 
the  account ;  2.  nor  to  attempt  exciting  or  forcing  a 
revival ;  3.  but  in  the  humble  and  faithful  discharge 
of  our  work,  to  await  a  gracious  manifestation  from 
on  high. — Rambach  :  Heaven  on  earth :  1.  Where  it 
may  be  found :  (a)  In  secret  fellowship  with  God ; 
(6)  in  a  life  of  spiritual  love  and  friendship  ;  (c)  in 
the  court^s  and  at  tlie  altar  of  the  Lord.  2.  How  it 
should  be  sought :  (a)  By  preserving  purity  of  heart 
(or  by  perseverance  in  the  faith) ;  (6)  by  constant  in- 
crease of  spirituality  in  our  wishes  and  inclinations 
(or  sanctification) ;  (c)  by  ever  keeping  before  our 
minds  and  hearts  our  eternal  calling  (or  watching  and 
prayer). —  Carstddi  in  Zurn's  Fredigt-Buch,  1843  : 
How  Christ  is  still  transfig-ured  in  those  v/ho  follow 
Him  up  to  the  mountain. — Hagenbach :  Seasons  of 
transfiguration  in  the  fife  of  Christians. —  Gruner :  The 
spirits  of  our  friends  in  glory  hovering  around  us  so 
long  as  we  continue  worthy  of  them.  [Compare  a 
most  eloquent  sermon  of  Ur.  Fr.  W.  Krummacher 
on  the  Transfiguration,  at  the  close  of  his  Elijah  the 
Tishbiie.—P.  S.] 


The  Church  as  xoholhj  unknovin  and  hidden. 
(Mark  ix.  11-13.) 


Cn.  XVn.  10-13. 


10  And  his  disciples  asked  him,  saying.  Why  tlien  say  tho  scribes  that  Ehas  [Ehjah] 

1 1  nnist  first  come  ?     And  Jesus  [he]  '  answejed  and  said  unto  theni,'^  EUas  [Ehjah]  truly 

12  shall  first  ^  come  [cometh],  and  [shall]  restore  all  things.^  But  I  say  unto  you,  That 
Elias  [Elijah]  is  come  already,'^  and  they  knew  him  not,  but  liave  done  unto  him  [with 
him,  Iv  avrw]  whatsoever  they  listed  [would,  y]OiXr](ja.v\  :  likewise  shall  also  the  Son  of 


312 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


13  man  suffer  of  [by,  in]  them.     Then  the  disciples  imderstood  that  lie  spake  unto  them 
of  John  the  Baptist. 


1  Ver.  10.—  1 7)  (7  0  u  y  is  omitted  in  Codd.  B.,  D.,  L.,  Z.,  etc.  [also  in  Cod.  Sinait.,  and  in  all  the  modern  crit  editions. 
See  TrefTclIes  and  Alfnrd.— P.  S.] 

"^  Ver.  11.— A  vTo'it,  v/ito  tliem,  is  omitted  in  B.,  C,  D.,  etc.,  and  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf.  [The  literal  trans- 
lation, therefore,  according  to  tlie  oldest  reading,  would  be  :  And  lie  ansicermg  said. — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  11.— n  pwT  ov,  Jtrnt,  is  wanting  in  B.,  D.,  and  many  other  witnesses  [also  in  Cod.  Sinait],  and  looks  like  a 
repetitious  insertion  from  ver.  10  and  Mark  ix.  12.     [So  also  Meyer  and  Alford.] 

■•  Ver.  11.— ['H  A  I  as  uec  epx^rai  Kal  aw  o  k  a-r  aff  ri)  (t  e  i  iravra\  Lange :  Eliaa  kommi  freilich  mid 
wird  Allea  vyiederhemtellen ;  Ewald :  EUa  swar  koinmt  und  wird  Allen  wiederherstellen  ;  Conant:  Elijah  indeed 
comes  and  shall  restoi'e  all  things.  The  present  tense  in  the  first  verb  is  simply  an  assertion  of  the  certainty  of  the  com- 
ing of  Elijah  without  reference  to  the  past  or  future,  and  involves,  therefore,  no  contradiction  with  ^Sij  ^  \6  ep 
in  ver.  12.  The  verb  epx^  <^Oai,  however,  like  the  English  to  come,  and  the  German  kommen,  includes  in  the  nature 
of  the  case  the  signilicance  of  the  future  tense,  conip.  John  iv.  23:  tpx^TCit  wpa  Kui  vvv  iariv  ;  iv.  21;  xiv.  S;  xvL  2,  and 
the  part,  praes.  6  i  p  xo  fJie  v  o  %,  of  the  Messiah,  Matt.  iii.  11,  and  the  apoc.ilyptic  formula:  o  &!V  Ka.\  6  9iv  Kal  6 
i  PX^  f^  ^  "  o  i  .  There  is,  therefore,  no  necessity  whatever  to  resort  in  such  cases,  after  the  old  fashion,  to  a  supposed 
Hebraism,  an  arbitrary  enallage  temporum,  which  falls  with  tlu-  assumption  that  the  Hebrew  language  uses  promiscue 
the  past  for  the  future  and  rice  versa,  an  error  which  has  bi-en  amply  refuted  by  Ewald,  J^rit.  Granunat.,  \i.  523  sqq. 
Comp.  also  ^Yiner■s  tirammat,  §40,  p.  237;  and  Alex.  Buttmanns  Gramrnat.  des  N.  T.  (Berlin,  1S59),  p.  176.— P.  S.] 

^  Ver.  12. — [Better:  already  come,  -^Stj  ijKQev.l 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CEITICAL. 

Ver.  10.  Why  then  ? — Although  the  particle 
ovv  seems  at  first  sight  to  connect  this  query  with 
the  preceding  proliibition  of  Christ  (Meyer),  it  rather 
refers  to  the  fact  that  Elijah  had  departed,  and  was 
not  accompanying  them  (Grotius,  Michaelis,  Fritzsche, 
Olshausen,  and  the  author  in  his  '■'■  Leben  Jesu^^)."^ 
Euth.  Zigaben.,  and  others,  erroneously  interpret  the 
clause  :  Why  did  Elijah  not  come  before  Thee  (not 
till  now)  ? — Equally  untenable  is  the  view  of  Chry- 
sostom,  Theophylact,  and  Xeander,  who  understand 
it  as  implying  the  inquiry,  whether  the  appearance 
of  Elijah  which  had  just  taken  place  was  that  to 
which  the  scribes  referred,  or  whether  another  was 
still  to  be  expected.  Still  more  erroneous  is  the  glos- 
sary of  Schleierniacher  and  others,  that  the  disciples 
remarked  that  Elijah  had  not  yet  appeared.  Light- 
foot  observes  (on  the  passage) :  It  was  expected  that 
Elijah  should  come  and  settle  the  controversies  pend- 
ing between  the  various  Jewish  schools,  bring  back 
the  pot  of  manna  and  Aaron's  rod,  and  sanctify  the 
people  by  a  lustration. 

Ver.  11.  Elijah  truly  shall  first  come,  or  lit. 
and  according  to  the  true  reading  :  Elijah  indeed 
cometh. — Jesus  confirmed  this  doctrine,  which  was 
based  on  Mai.  iii.  13  ;  iv.  5.  He  adds  :  k  a  l  a  it  o  - 
Kar  acTT  -1)^  i  L  tt  avr  a,  "  which  is  derived  (says 
de  Wette  correctly)  and  somewhat  enlarged  from 
Mai.  iv.  6,  '  he  shall  turn  the  heart  of  the  fathers  to 
the  children,  and  the  lieartof  the  children  to  their  fa- 
thers'' (compare  Luke  i.  1*7) ;  and  iii.  1,  '  and  he  shall 
prepare  the  way  before  J/e  '  (Luke  iii.  4).  Properly 
speaking,  the  awoKaTdaTaats  TtavTciiv  (according  to 
the  Sept.  Mai.  iv.  6),  comp.  Acts  iii.  21,  is  specially 
the  work  of  the  Messiah,  and  EUjah  could  only  be 
said  to  prepare  the  way  for  it."  Of  course  the  ex- 
pression must  be  understood  as  merely  implying  such 
a  preparation.  Meyer  :  A  re.stihitio  in  integrum  of 
the  position  and  circumstances  of  the  theocracy, 
fwhich  was  to  be  eSected  by  the  Messiah,  and  prepar- 
ed and  introduced  by  Elijah. — In  the  confirmatory 
reply  of  Christ,  the  present  ^pxerai  is  used  in  the 
sense  of  the  future,  while  the  future  tense  in  the 

*  [Alford  refers  oSy  to  both,  the  withdrawal  of  Elijah 
from  the  eyes  of  the  disciples,  and  the  injunction  of  the 
Lord  not  to  tell  the  vision.  "  How  should  this  be  ?  If  this 
was  not  the  coming  of  Elijah,  was  he  yet  to  come  t  If  it 
was,  how  was  it  so  secret  and  so  short  f ' — P.  S.] 


next  clause  indicates  that  the  Lord  enters  into  this 
dogma.  Hence  it  is  not  incompatible  with  what  fol- 
lows :  "  Elijah  is  already  come." 

Ver.  12.  But  I  say  unto  you. — A  more  distinct 
explanation  of  the  disclosure  which  He  had  already 
made  on  an  earlier  occasion,  Matt.  xi.  14.  Hence  we 
conclude  that  the  prophecy  of  Malachi  concerning  the 
advent  of  Elijah  was  fidfiUed,  in  the  proper  sense,  in 
the  appearance  of  John  the  Baptist,  who  had  accom- 
plished the  preparatory  anoKaTdaTairts,  by  his  preach- 
ing of  repentance,  by  his  testimony  to  Jesus  and  by 
pointing  his  disciples  to  Him,  as  well  as  by  his  mar- 
tyrdom. 

They  knew  him  not. — In  his  peculiar  charac- 
ter as  the  forerunner  of  the  Messiah  (or  in  respect  of 
the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  concerning  Elijah). 
The  persons  here  alluded  to  were  his  contemporaries 
generally,  more  especially  the  scribes  (ver.  10).  Comp. 
Matt.  xi. 

Done  unto  him,  or  better :  with  him.* — Uoieiv 
iv  Tivi,  not  classical,  taken  from  the  Septuagmt,  Gen. 
xl.  14 ;  Dan  si.  7 ;  [Luke  xxxiii.  39]. — Whatever 
they  "would,  '6  a  a  tjO  e\7]  a  a  v. — In  wilful  apostasy 
from  their  living  connection  with  the  prophets,  and 
in  opposition  to  the  obedience  due  to  him.  A  pre- 
lude this  to  the  similar  and  decisive  rejection  of  the 
Messiah  Himself. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  t)n  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  of  Malachi, 
see  the  preceding  notes  and  Matt.  xi.  Otto  von  Gei^ 
lach  remarks :  "  It  refers  to  the  ministry  of  one  or 
more  messengers  of  God,  in  the  spirit  and  power  of 
Elijah.  In  this  sense,  Elijah  had  reappeared  in  John  ; 
and  in  the  same  sense  will  another  Elijah  precede  the 
second  coming  of  the  Lord."  But  we  must  maintain : 
1.  That  the  prophecy  of  Malachi  was  distinctly  ful- 
filled in  John  the  Baptist.  2.  That  in  the  same  sense 
no  other  Elijah  can  come,  as  the  Old  Covenant,  which 
both  represented,  is  abrogated  by  the  gospel. — Still, 
in  every  age,  the  Lord  has  His  forerunners  of  the 
order  of  Elijah,  and  especially  before  His  final  ap- 
pearance. 

2.  On  descending  from  the  mountain,  the  fact  of 
Christ's  future  sufferings  is  immediately  brought  for- 
ward again.     Gladly  would  the  disciples  have  taken 


*    [Lange :  qn  ihm  gethan.} 


CHAP.  XVII.  14-21. 


313 


the  glorified  spirits  down  with  them  into  the  conflict 
with  the  unbelief  of  the  world.  The  question  seems 
to  have  haunted  their  minds,  Could  not  Elijah  pre- 
vent the  impending  conflict  and  sufferings  ?  To  this 
mental  objection,  Christ  replied,  according  to  Mark, 
"  How  it  is  written  of  the  Son  of  Man,  that  He  must 
suffer  many  things,  and  be  set  at  nought."  In  other 
words,  they  were  to  read  the  prediction  concerning 
Elijah  in  the  light  of  those  concernmg  the  Son  of 
Man.  Then  follows  the  declaration :  Elijah  is  indeed 
come ;  but,  so  far  from  preventing  the  sufferings  of 
the  Messiah,  he  himself  has  fallen  in  the  service  and 
ministry  of  God.  From  this  the  disciples  might  infer 
what  His  future  would  be.  And  now,  more  than  ever 
before,  were  they  to  feel  that  they  were  about  to  wit- 
ness the  most  solemn  and  awful  conflict,  and  that  a 
deep  abyss  of  suffering,  into  which  they  were  imme- 
diately to  descend,  intervened  between  the  old  and 
the  new  order  of  things. 

3.  All  mere  traditionalism  and  ritualism  are  here 
denounced  as  arbitrary  will-worship,  and  a  demoni- 
acal service  of  the  flesh  and  of  self.  The  blessed 
spirits  who  represented  genuine  and  divine  tradition 
— the  prophets,  restorers  and  reformers  of  the  king- 
dom of  tiod — received  the  same  treatment  at  the 
hands  of  these  guardians  of  outward  and  legal  tradi- 
tionalism, as  civilized  men  do  who  land  on  inhospi- 
table shores,  inhabited  by  savages  and  cannibals.  In 
short,  they  failed  to  understand  and  see  what  their 
own  symbols  implied,  nor  did  they  acknowledge  their 
living  "embodiments,  because  their  will  was  perverted, 
and,  while  feigning  the  strictest  adherence  to  the  let- 
ter of  the  law,  they  m  reality  served  the  will  of  the 
flesh. 

HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  fresh  perplexities  of  the  disciples  on  descend- 
ing from  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration. — After  the 
barrier  which  separates  this  life  from  the  other  has 
fallen,  the  deep  abyss  of  the  cross  opens,  intervening 
between  the  old  and  the  new  order  of  things. — How 
the  scribes  by  their  false  Uterality  perverted  even  the 
word  of  God  into  traditions,  and  transformed  it  into 
dangerous  error. — The  Scripture  has  been  fulfilled  in 
a  much  wider  sense  than  that  elicited  by  the  dead 
learning  of  the  letter  only. — How  traditionalism  fails 
to  recognize  EUjah,  even  while  studying  his  descrip- 
tion as  given  in  the  word. — Self-seeking  under  the 
garb  of  traditionalism.-^The  true  Church  of  the  Lord 
hidden  and  unknown  amidst  the  old  and  formal  com- 
munity of  Israel. — The  gi-eat  messengers  of  God, 
known  only  by  report  in  the  world:  1,  They  were 


I  announced,  but  not  properly  expected.  2.  They  came, 
i  but  were  despised  and  ill-treated.     3.  While  actually 
I  in  the  world,  their  future  coming  was  still  expected 
1  with  fanatical  anticipations. — Even  in  this  world,  a 
!  distance  wide  as  the  poles  intervenes  between  the 
j  children  of  God  and  the  servants  of  the  devil. — Tra- 
ditionalism persecuting  and   murdering  the    living 
I  prophets,  and  at  the  same  time  adorning  the  graves 
of  the  old  prophets  whom  their  fathers  had  murder- 
I  cd  (Matt,  xxiii.  29). — The  glorious  day  of  God  is  hid 
j  in  this  mortal  life  from  the  children  of  darkness. — 
Elijah  had  just  been  among  them ;  yet  they  still  con- 
tinued to  expect  and  to  teach  that  Elijah  would  come. 
All  God's  dealings  and  works  are  spiritual,  and  pass 
by  unknown  and  unnoticed  on  account  of  the  carnal 
services  which    men  mistake  for  the  reahty. — The 
spirit  of  true  rcUgion,  and  a  dead  ministry  and  ser- 
vices.— John  the  Baptist  the  Elijah  of  his  age:  1. 
The  affinity  of  their  character  ;  2.  of  their  mission  ; 
3.  of  their  success  (Elijah  prepared  the  way  for  the 
Messianic  prophecies — John,  for  Christ  Himself). — 
The  age  of  Elijah  and  that  of  John:  1.  The  external 
difference  between  them  (in  the  one  case,  unbelief 
and  apostasy  from  the  law  ;  in  the  other,  traditional- 
ism).    2.  Their  internal  agreement  (in  the  one  case, 
worldlincss,  apostasy,  and  hatred  of  the  prophets; 
in  the  other,  obduracy  against  the  voice  and  reproofs 
of  the  Spirit). — The  sufferings  of  John  a  foretaste  of 
the  sufferings  of  Christ. — Preserve  in  your  hearts  the 
blessed  mystery  of  the  Mount   of  Transfiguration, 
and  then  boldly  descend  into  the  terrors  of  the  val- 
ley. 

Starke  : — Majus  :  We  must  not  take  in  a  literal 
sense  what  is  intended  to  be  spiritually  understood 
in  Holy  Writ,  as  this  would  necessarily  give  rise  to 
errors. — Quesnel :  There  never  was  an  age  which 
had  not  its  Elijah,  zealous  and  jealous  for  the  honor 
of  God ;  but  woe  to  him  who  stops  his  ears  ! — The 
world  knows  not  the  children  and  the  servants  of  God, 
1  John  iii.  1. — All  witnesses  to  the  truth  must  suffer 
sorrow,  ignominy,  and  tribulation.  Acts  xiv.  22. — Je- 
sus the  best  expositor  of  Scripture. 

Heubner  : — All  preachers  of  repentance  are  fore- 
runners of  Christ. — Great  men  have  commonly  the 
same  fate. — From  the  fate  of  His  forerunner,  the 
Lord  Jesus  might  anticipate  what  awaited  Himself. 
— 'hiTOKadiffTavai,  i.  c,  to  restore  the  ancient,  divine, 
and  original  order  of  things.  But  the  main  point  is, 
to  determine  the  right  date,  and  what  the  genuine 
original  really  is. — Thus  we  are  to  go  back  for  our 
authority  to  the  time  of  the  Apostles,  and  not,  Uke  the 
Roman  CathoUcs,  to  the  state  of  things  immediately 
before  the  Reformation. 


E.   The  Church  as  working  Wonders  by  (he  Power  of  Spiritual  Prayer  and  Fasting.     Ch.  XVII.  14-21. 
(Mark  ix.  14-29 ;  Luke  ix.  37-43.) 

14  And  when  they'  were  come  to  the  multitude,  there  came  to  him  a  certain^  man, 

15  kneeling  down  to  him,  and  saying,  Lord,  have  mercy  on  my  son;  fo«  he   is  lunatic 
[o-eXyji/id^erat],  and  sore  vexed  [sorely  afflicted]  :  ^  for  ofttimcs  he  falleth  into  the  fire, 

16  and  oft  into  the  water.     And  I  brouglit  him  to  tliy  disciples,  and  they  could  not  cure 

17  him.     Then  Jesus  answered  and  said,  0  faithless  and  perverse  generation,  how  long 
shall  I.  he  with  you?  how  long  shall  I  suffer  you   [bear  Avith  you,  dve^o/xai  v/awi']  ? 

18  Bring  him  hither  to  me.     And  Jesus  rebuked  the  devil  [him,  aurw],  and  he  [the  de- 


314 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


mon,  TO  BaifiovLov]  ^  departed  out  of  him :  and  the  child  was  cured  from  that  very  ^  liour. 

19  Then  came  the  disciples  to  Jesus  apart,  and  said,  Why  could  not  we  cast  him  out? 

20  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Because  of  your  unbelief  [little  faith]":  *  for  verily  I  say 
unto  you,  If  ye  have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard-seed  [mustard],  ye  shall  say  unto  this 
mountain,  Remove  lieuce  to  yonder  ])lace ;   and  it  sliall  remove;  and  nothing  shall  be 

21  impossible  unto  [to]  you.  ilowbeit  [But,  Be]  this  kind  goeth  not  out  but  [except]  by 
prayer  and  fasting. 

>  Ver.  11.— Codd.  B.,  Z.  [and  Cod.  Sinait.]  omit  avTwv,  and  so  does  Lactiniann.  Tischendorf  reads  iXddiv  after  Cod. 
D.,  Vulgate,  al.  [Tliis  must  refer  to  a  former  edition,  for  in  the  (•ditio  sepUma  of  his  large  Greek  Testament,  1859,  Tisehen- 
dorf  reads :   4\0  I'l  v  t  ca  »  avT  ui  v .      So  does  Alford.— 1'.  S.] 

2  Ver.  \\.—{Ccrt'nn.  is  an  unnecessary  interpolation,  which  dates  from  Tyndalo  and  was  retained  in  all  the  later  Pro- 
testant E.  V.     But  Wiclif  and  the  N.  T.  of  Eheinis  omit  it.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  15.-Ka/c&ir  TraffX^ '•  Lachmann  reads  ex«'  ^ft<"*'  ^-i  I'-i  2.,  [also  Cod.  Sinait.],  which  is  probably  an 
emendation,  since  it  a<r  x^  >■  seemed  to  be  superfluous  after  k  a  ic  do  y.  So  Meyer.  [Mark  has  instead  of  it  ex"''  '"v^v- 
fia  a\a\oy,  and  hence  Lango  translates  here:  hat  e.'n  hi^st^  Lc'iOcn,  has  a  malignant  evil. — P.  S.] 

<  Ver.  IS.— [The  tran-^position  of  devil  and  the  pronoun  in  some  of  the  English  versions,  is  an  attempt  to  improve  the 
etyle  of  the  original,  which  is  no  part  of  the  translator's  vrurk.  k-:ist  of  all  in  the  Bible.— P.  8.] 

^  Ver.  IS.— [/^/'om  tiMt  hour,  inrh  ttjs  wpas  iKeivTis.  Very  is  an  unwarranted  addition,  which  presents 
the  case  more  strongly  than  the  sacred  writer,  in  his  natural  simplicity  and  modesty,  intended. — P.  S.] 

^  Ver.  20. — [Lachmann  reads  with  his  authorities  6  \  tyoTr  icr  r  i  av,  little  faith.  This  may  be  an  emendation  to 
soften  the  expression,  as  Meyer  and  Alford  assume;  but  it  has  the  authority  of  the  Vatican,  and  of  the  Sinaitic  MS.  If  we 
retain  aw  lar  iay,  with  Tischendorf  and  Alford,  it  should  be  rendered  want  (absence)  of  faith,  instead  of  unbelief  which 
is  too  strong. — P.  S.l 


EXEGETICAL  AisD  CRITICAL. 

"  In  all  the  three  synoptists,  the  cure  of  the  luna- 
tic follows  on  the  transfiguration — a  circumstance 
which  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  evidences  of 
the  genuineness  uad  authenticity  of  the  narrative, 
and  against  the  mythical  hypothesis."     Meyer. 

"Ver.  14.  Kneeling  down  to  Him. — He  saluted 
Him,  doing  homage  with  bended  knees :  yovvweruv 
av  T  6  f . 

Ver.  15.  Lunatic. — Meyer  seems  to  suppose  that 
lunacy  and  epilepsy,  and  demoniacal  possession  ex- 
cluded each  other.  Our  conviction,  on  the  other 
hand,  is,  that  a  certain  amount  of  nervous  derange- 
ment uiiifonnly  accompanied  all  demoniacal  posses- 
sions. Comp.  our  previous  remarks  [on  ch.  iv.  24, 
p.  96,  and  on  ch.  viii.  28,  etc.,  pp.  164-166].  The 
suggestion  of  Olshausen,  that  they  were  partly  caused 
by  sensual  indulgences,  appears  to  us  based  on  a 
confusion  of  two  different  states — surrender  to  the 
power  of  demons,  and  to  that  of  sm. 

Ver.  1 1.  Perverse  Generation,  yevea  diea- 
Tf)anixivr] . — The  expression  is  not  merely  intended 
as  a  general  designation,  but  has  a  pecuhar  and  dis- 
tinctive meaning.  It  implies  perversion,  in  the  sense 
of  being  seduced  or  led  astray  (5iatrTpe'<j)eo-eai).  In 
their  grief  at  the  announcement  of  the  Lord's  impend- 
ing sufferings,  the  disciples  who  had  been  left  be- 
hind, had,  at  least  partially,  given  way  to  the  spirit 
of  the  world.  A  shght  analogy  may  here  be  traced 
to  the  return  of  Moses  from  the  mount,  when  he  | 
found  the  people  assembled  around  the  golden  calf  | 
According  to  the  ancient  expositors,  these  words  of  j 
Jesus  were  addressed  to  the  person  who  sought 
reUef ;  according  to  Calvin,  to  the  scribes ;  accord- 
ing to  Paulus,  Olshausen,  and  others,  to  all  the  peo- 
ple present ;  according  to  Bengel,  de  Wette,  and 
Meyer,  to  the  disciples.  No  doubt  the  Lord  referred 
primarily  to  the  disciples,  though  evidently  as  in  con- 
nection with  the  persons  by  whom  they  were  sur- 
rounded. The  rebuke  itself  may  be  regarded  as  a 
gentle  moral  exorcism,  addressed  to  them  before  the 
Lord  proceeded  to  cure  the  demoniac.  Meyer  speaks 
of  the  "  strong  leelmg  "  expressed  by  Jesus.  This 
should,  however,  be  viewed  in  its  higher  bearing  as 


an  indignant  emotion,  by  which  the  Saviour  first  of 
aU  expeUed  the  spirit  of  dejection  from  the  circle  of 
His  disciples. 

How  long  shall  I  bear  with  you  ? — Be  Wette 
remarks :  "  Jesus  here  blames  their  want  of  self- 
dependence,  tlieir  continual  dependence  upon  Him, 
since  He  would  so  soon  have  to  part  from  them  {ta  o- 
/ji  a  t),  and  that  tliey  so  often  put  His  patience  and 
forbearance  to  the  test."  In  that  case,  the  first  eas 
TT  or  e  would  mean  :  not  long  shall  I  be  with  you ;  and 
the  second  :  too  long^  etc.  But  this  view  is  evidently 
untenable.  Besides,  in  tlie  parallel  passage  in  Luke, 
the  expression  eajs  Trore  occurs  only  once.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  we  must  not  understand  it  as  imply- 
ing, I  have  been  and  borne  too  long  with  you.  In 
our  opinion,  the  consciousness  of  His  approaching 
departure  from  the  disciples  seems  to  have  led  the 
Saviour  to  a  twofold  application  of  it  to  present  cir- 
cumstances :  How  soon  will  you  require,  in  depen- 
dence on  My  Spirit,  to  stand  and  act  alone !  and 
again :  How  soon  shall  your  present  state  of  weak- 
ness, which  calls  for  infinite  forbearance  on  My  part, 
require  to  give  place  to  spiritual  decision  ! 

Bring  him  hither. — Although  this  is  addressed 
to  the  disciples,  it  must  also  have  applied  to  the 
father  of  the  lad.  According  to  the  narrative  in  the 
Gospel  by  Mark  (which  furnishes  a  number  of  de- 
tails), the  crowd  gave  way  at  the  appearance  of 
Christ.  The  people  ran  to  meet  the  Lord, — fore- 
most among  them,  no  doubt,  the  father  of  the  chUd, 
and  the  disciples.  The  scribes  probably  followed 
more  slowly,  the  lad  being  in  their  company.  While 
they  were  bringing  him  to  the  Lord,  he  was  seized 
with  a  fearful  paroxysm  whenever  he  came  wjthin 
sight  of  Jesus.  See  also  the  narratives  in  Mark  and 
Luke. 

Ver.  18.  And  Jesus  rebuked  him. — In  accord- 
ance with  His  ordinary  method  of  heahng  demoniacs. 
See  above.  The  details  of  the  cure  are  furnished  by 
Mark  and  Lute. 

Ver.  20.  Because  of  your  unbelief  [better: 
want  of  faith,  Sia  tt^v  a.iriar  ia  v\ — The  reproof 
does  not  refer  to  unbelief  in  regard  to  the  divine  power 
of  effecting  this  miracle.  In  point  of  fact,  they  had 
attempted  to  cure  the  child.  But  Christ  here  alludes 
to  their  dejection  on  account  of  His  impending  stifi'er- 


CHAP.  XVn.  14-21. 


315 


ings,  which  arose  from  unbelief  of  the  heart.  They 
had  not  yet  sufficiently  exercised  prayer  and  fasting, 
which  would  lead  them  to  full  renunciation  of  the 
world. 

As  a  g^rain  of  mustai-d. — See  ch.  xiii.  33. — To 
remove  mountains. — Comp.  Matt.  xxi.  21,  where 
the  expression  is  even  more  strongly  worded  than 
here.  In  botli  cases,  it  is  a  figure  implying  the 
removal  of  the  most  formidable  obstacles,  1  Cor. 
xiii.  2.  For  legends  about  the  removal  of  mountains, 
see  Calovius  and  Starke.  Similar  miracles  were 
ascribed,  amongst  others,  to  Gregory  Thaumaturgus 
and  Hilarion. — Among  the  Jews,  an  eloquent  teacher 
was  described  as  one  who  removed  mountains.  Stier, 
ii.  p.  242. 

Ver.  21.  This  kind,  to  Cm  rh  yivo^. — ^Va- 
rious explanations  of  this  expression:  1.  It  has  been 
appUed  to  the  demons  generally,  as  constituting  a 
"  ^•^«(/."  Thus  Chrysostom,  Fritzscbe,  and  others.  2. 
This  particular  kind  of  demons.  Grotius,  de  Wette, 
Meyer.  3.  Sieffert  refers  it  to  the  airicrTla  of  the 
disciples.  4.  Theile  applies  it  very  strangely  to  the 
Apostles,  in  the  sense,  this  kind  of  men  proceed  no 
further  than  prayer  and  fasting  (!) — The  second 
view  (of  Grotius,  etc.)  is  so  far  supported  by  the  cir- 
cumstance, that  the  case  of  this  demoniac  was  pecu- 
liarly aggravated.  He  was  dumb  and  deaf ;  he 
threw  himself  into  the  fire  and  into  the  water, 
foamed  and  gnashed,  and  could  only  be  healed  dur- 
ing a  fearful  paroxysm.  After  the  evil  spirit  had 
left  him,  he  fell  down  as  if  dead ;  and  the  Lord  was 
obliged  to  restore  him  by  a  second  miracle,  taking 
hold  of  him  by  the  hand.  Still  it  were  a  mistake  to 
regard  this  demoniacal  possession  as  different  from 
others  in  kind,  and  not  merely  in  degree,  and  hence 
as  constituting  a  pecuUar  kind,  for  which  specific 
prayer  and  fasting  were  required.  The  Lord  rather 
conveyed  to  His  disciples  that  they  had  not  preserved 
or  cultivated  the  ^tate  of  mind  and  heart  necessary 
for  the  occasion,  that  they  were  not  sufficiently  pre- 
pared and  coUected  to  cast  out  so  malignant  a  demon. 
The  dumbness  and  deafness  indicated  a  melancholy 
and  obstinacy,  from  which,  in  their  dejection  about 
the  impending  sufferings  of  Christ,  the  disciples 
themselves  were  not  at  that  moment  quite  free. 
Besides,  we  must  not  forget  on  all  such  occasions 
that  Judas  was  still  among  them. 

Prayer  and  fasting.  —  Some  commentators 
erroneously  apply  this  statement  to  the  diseased  per- 
son. Thus  Chrysostom ;  the  prayer  and  fasting  of 
the  sufferer.  Paulus  :  proper  diet  and  abstinence  (!) 
Ammon  :  invigoration  of  the  soul  by  devotional 
exercises,  and  depression  of  the  body  by  suitable 
abstinence.  De  Wette,  Meyer,  and  others  correctly 
refer  it  to  the  conditions  necessary  for  such  a  faith 
as  to  work  miracles.  Meyer  regards  vers.  20  and  21 
as  a  gradation.  But  even  in  ver.  20  the  term  moun- 
tain is  intended  to  convey  the  idea  of  a  very  great 
difficulty,  such  as  that  before  them.  Hence  ver.  21 
is  intended  to  furnish  directions  in  what  particular 
manner  they  were  to  prepare  for  meeting  this  kind 
of  demons.  The  demons  of  such  deep  melancholy 
could  only  be  overcome  by  the  sacrifice  of  most 
earnest  prayer,  and  complete  renunciation  of  the 
world. 

From  the  circumstance  (recorded  by  Mark)  that 
during  the  absence  of  Jesus  the  scribes  had  mingled 
with  the  disciples,  Neander  infers  tliat  the  transfigur- 
ation must  have  taken  place  in  GaUlee.  But  there  is 
no  reason  for  assuming  that  scribes  had  not  also 
resided  in  the  ten-itory  of  the  Jewish  prince  Phihp. 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  great  contrarjt:  Christ's  transfiguration 
on  the  mount,  and  the  scene  of  misery  and  unbehef 
in  the  valley  below,  here  brought  together  in  imme- 
diate contact.  In  the  art  of  painting,  Raphael  has 
solved  the  difficult  problem  [in  his  famous  Transfig- 
vraiion,  the  last  creation  of  his  genius,  representing 
Christ  with  Moses  and  Elijah  in  heavenly  glory  above, 
gazed  at  by  the  three  favorite  disciples  at  their  feet, 
and  the  frightful  scene  of  the  lunatic  below. — P.  S.]. 

2.  The  disciples  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  were 
to  be  strengthened  for  the  impending  conflict  in  a 
manner  quite  different  from  that  by  which  the  three 
more  intimate  disciples  of  Jesus  were  prepared  for 
it.  They  were  to  be  taught  and  trained  to  stand 
alone.  Still,  despite  their  number,  they  were  thrown 
into  peculiar  difficulties.  At  that  particular  season 
they  were  asked  to  cure  a  peculiarly  severe  case  of 
demoniacal  possession ;  they  were  surrounded  by 
hostile  scribes,  ready  to  draw  the  worst  inferences 
from  their  inabiUty  to  afford  relief,  and  to  dispute 
with  them ;  while  the  crowd  of  spectators  were  in 
danger  of  giving  way  to  frivoUty  and  derision.  Hence, 
also,  the  multitude  were  greatly  agitated  when  Christ 
appeared.  The  heavenly  leader  had  to  repair  a  se- 
vere defeat  of  His  adherents.  He  accomplished  it 
instantaneously  and  victoriously ;  thus  at  the  same 
time  both  humbling  their  unbelief,  and  evoking  and 
strengthening  their  faith.  The  three  more  intimate 
disciples  of  Jesus  had  been  strengthened  by  the  ex- 
perience of  communion  with  the  blessed  spirits  of 
heaven.  The  rest  were  now  strengthened  along  with 
them  by  witnessing  the  power  of  their  Lord,  which 
proved  victorious  over  the  worst  demons  of  hell. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

How  closely  the  Church  of  Christ  borders  on  the 
precincts  both  of  heaven  and  of  hell ! — Christ  the  King 
and  Lord  of  aU  blessed  spirits,  and  the  conqueror  of  the 
lost. — In  the  Church  of  Christ  it  appears  how  both 
heaven  and  hell  exert  their  influence  upon  earth. — 
The  descent  of  the  Lord  and  of  His  disciples  into  the 
valley:  1.  Illustrated  by  the  descent  of  travellers 
from  bright  mountam  heights  to  dark  gorges  of  val- 
leys ;  2.  a  lively  hnagc  of  the  conflicting  experiences 
reahzed  by  those  who  now  descended  from  the  moun- 
tain ;  3.  a  foretoken  of  the  descent  of  Christ  into 
the  kingdom  of  the  dead. — The  cure  of  the  lunatic 
child  itself  a  great  victory,  and  accompanied  by  two 
other  miracles.  1.  This  miracle  was  rendered  more 
difficult— (a)  by  the  character  of  the  sufferer  ;  (b)  by 
the  failure  of  the  attempt  made  by  the  disciples ;  (c) 
by  the  malicious  questions  of  the  scribes ;  (c?)  by  the 
presence  of  a  perplexed  multitude ;  (e)  by  the  cir- 
cumstance that  the  faith  of  the  father  of  the  child 
was  shaken,  although  immediately  restored.  2.  The 
introductory  miracle  :  the  removal  of  the  wrong  state 
of  feeling  in  the  persons  assembled,  and  of  the  inward 
dejection  of  the  disciples.  3.  The  supplementary 
miracle:  the  rescuing  of  the  child  from  the  deadly 
stupor  which  proved  all  but  fatal. — Although  the 
Church  of  Christ  may  appear  weak  in  many  of  its 
members,  it  always  rctams  possession  of  miraculous 
power  in  its  Lord" — How  the  disciples  of  Jesus  ought 
to  recover  themselves  from  their  unbehef,  when  they 
observe  the  loss  of  their  power. — The  error  of  the 


516 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


disciples  on  the  mount,  and  the  error  of  those  in  the 
valley.  The  former  wished  to  surrender  themselves 
to  the  vision  of  heavenly  objects,  or  to  a  merely  con- 
templative life  ;  the  others  ventured  without  sufficient 
faith  upon  the  most  trying  conflict  with  the  world 
and  hell  (attempting  the  cure,  disputing  with  the 
scribes,  and  risking  their  reputation  before  the  peo- 
ple).— "^'.ve  have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard,''' 
etc. — In  what  order  must  our  faith  remove  moun- 
tains ?  1.  First  of  all,  the  unbelief  out  of  our  own 
heart ;  2.  then  unbelief  in  those  who  are  disposed 
to  believe ;  3.  after  that,  the  unbelief  of  the  world. 
The  disciples  miscarried  in  their  work,  because 
they  reversed  the  right  order. — We  are  to  remove, 
first  of  all,  the  mountain  which  stands  nearest  in  our 
path. — In  tins  instance,  the  Jewish  authorities  had 
placed  themselves  in  the  way  of  the  disciples  as  a 
mountain  which  they  could  not  remove. — Faith  can 
only  achieve  what  it  has  recognized  and  felt  as  the 
will  and  call  of  God.  But  this  it  will  certainly  ac- 
complish in  the  strength  of  the  Lord. — Faith  makes 
no  experiments  ;  what  it  undertakes  is  already  decid- 
ed and  done  in  the  counsel  and  power  of  God. — 
"  This  kind  goclh  not  out,'''  etc. — Prayer  and  fasting 
are  the  fundamental  conditions  of  the  victory  of  faith 
over  the  kingdom  of  darkness :  1 .  Prayer  as  faith, 
taking  hold  on  the  Lord  and  deriving  strength  from 
Him.  2.  Fasting  as  faith  in  its  practical  renuncia- 
tion of  the  v/orld. — We  can  only  overcome  the  spirit 
of  melancholy  in  the  world  by  a  cheerful  renunciation 
of  the  world. 


Starke: — /.  Hall:  Felt  need  makes  a  man  at 
once  humble  and  eloquent. — Great  is  the  misery  of 
one  bodily  possessed ;  but  infinitely  greater  that  of 
one  spiritually  possessed. —  Canstein:  Satan  makes 
use  of  natural  causes  (such  as  lunacy)  for  his  designs. 
— There  are,  no  doubt,  even  at  the  present  day,  many 
incurable  diseases  which  are  ascribed  to  natural 
causes  (alone),  and  which  yet  may  be  (jointly)  the 
effects  of  the  invisible  evil  spirit. —  Quesnel :  (jod  of- 
ten allows  His  servants  not  to  succeed  in  the  cure  of 
souls,  partly  as  a  judgment  on  these  souls,  and  part- 
ly to  humble  and  arouse  His  servants. — The  indigna- 
tion of  Christ. —  Cramer  :  His  reproofs  and  chastise- 
ments, Ps.  cxli.  5. —  Osiander :  If  Jesus  bears  with 
our  great  weaknesses,  should  we  not  bear  with  those 
of  our  brethren?  1  Pet.  iii.  8. —  Cramer  :  Teachable 
scholars  should  be  willing  to  acknowledge  their  dul- 
ness,  and  should  often  ask  questions. — Zeisiiis  :  Un- 
belief stands  in  the  way  of  the  power  and  manifesta- 
tions of  the  Lord,  while  faith  at  all  times  works  mir- 
acles and  removes  mountains,  if  not  materially,  yet 
spiritually. — Hedhiger :  Behold  how  we  must  grap- 
ple with  the  powers  of  darkness. 

Heuhner  : — The  father  of  the  lunatic,  a  consola- 
tory example  for  poor  parents  who  have  children 
similarly  afHicted.  —  They  should  seek  help  from 
Christ  Himself. — The  patience  of  Christ  toward  His 
disciples. — Let  ministers  ask  themselves  why  they 
have  so  little  success  in  their  work. — We  cannot  ex- 
pect to  drive  out  the  evil  spirit,  if  our  state  of  mind 
be  in  harmony  with  that  which  he  produces. 


F.   The  Church  in  its  human  weakness.     Ch.  XVII.  22,  23. 
(Mark  ix.  30-32  ;  Luke  ix.  43-45.) 

22  And,  Avhile  they  [again]  abode '  in  Galilee,  Jesus  said  unto  them,  The  Son  of  man 
shall  be  beti'ayed  [is  about  to  be  given  up,  jxikXu  TrapaSt'Soo-^at]  into  the  hands  of  men ; 

23  And  they  shall  kill  him   [will  put  him  to  death],  and  the  third  day  he  shall  be  raised 
[rise]  again.^     And  they  were  exceeding  sorry. 

'  Ver.  22.— Lachmann  reads  :  (rvcrrp  i(po  fJ-evaiv  [to  tarn  about  icith,  to  gather  together],  with  Cod.  Vaticanus  I. 
[and  Cod.  Sinai  ticus],  for  avacrrpetpoixevuv  [to  return,  to  move  abovt,  to  sojourn];  Meyer  regards  it  as  a  gloss  to 
prevent  avaaTpecpoixiuuiv  from  being  understood  of  return  into  Galilee  ;  hence  in  the  interest  of  the  tradition  of  Tabor  as 
the  locality  of  the  transfiguration.     [So  also  Alford.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  23.— Lachmann,  following  Cod.  B.,  etc.,  reads:  a  ratm;  (rera  j  for  eyepO-fiaerai.  [But  even  if  we 
read  with  Tischendorf  and  Alford :  eyf  pdv<T er  ai,  it  should  be  translated :  he  shall rUe,  as  in  ch.  viii.  15,  26 ;  ix.  6 ; 
zvi.  21;  xvii.  7;  xxv.  7,  etc.  In  the  N.  T.,  and  with  later  Greek  writers,  verba  media  in  the  reflective  or  intransitive 
sense,  prefer  the  passive  form  of  the  aorist  to  the  middle  form.  Comp.  Alex.  Buttmann :  Grammatik  des  neu-iesiament- 
Hchen  Sprachidioms,  p.  45,  49,  and  165;  also  Robinson:  Lexic.,  sub  iyeipo),  middle  intransitive,  to  awake,  to  arise,— 
P.  S.] 

the  Gospel  of  Mark  seems  to  intimate,  which  has 
been  understood  by  some  as  referring  to  bye-roads 
(Grotius).  It  was  on  this  occasion  that  His  brethren 
asked  Him  to  attend  the  feast  at  Jerusalem — that  He 
declined  to  go  up  with  the  company  of  pilgrims — 
that  He  privately  went  afterward,  and  unexpectedly 
made  His  appearance  at  the  I^'east  of  Tabernacles. 
Then  followed  the  events  connected  with  it,  and  His 
last  visit  to  Capernaum,  ver.  24. 

Jesus  SEiid  unto  them. — Not  a  mere  repetition 
of  what  He  had  formerly  intimated  to  the  disciples ; 
for  the  term  TrapaSiSoo-Oai  conveyed  an  addi- 
tional element  of  information, — viz.,  that  He  was  to 
be  given  up  and  surrendered,— an  mthnation  which 


EXE6ETICAL  AND  CEITICAL. 

Ver.  22.  The  expression  av  aar  p  e<po  ix-ivvcv 
indicates  that  they  had  returned  into  Galilee.  But 
as  the  former  circumstances  had  not  changed,  the 
object  of  this  visit  must  have  been  to  prepare  for  the 
last  journey  of  Jesus  to  Jerusalem. 

The  Lord  was  now  ready,  and  His  disciples  were 
forewarned.  Hence  He  returned  to  Galilee  in  order 
to  commence  the  journey  which  was  to  bring  Him  to 
Golgotha.  In  all  probability  He  did  not  pass  over 
the  sea,  but  went  privately  through  Upper  Galilee  to 
His  own  country,  as  the  expression  TtixpeTropivovTo  in 


CHAP.  XYII.  24-27. 


317 


was  afterward  more  fully  explained.  Jesus  passed 
privately  through  Galilee  (Mark  ix.  30).  On  this  se- 
cret journey  Ho  prepared  His  disciples,  in  the  wider 
sense  of  the  term,  for  the  issue  before  Him.  An  an- 
alogous expression,  only  more  comprehensive,  occurs 
in  Matt.  xx.  19. 

Ver.  23.  And  they  were  exceeding  sorry. 
— For  further  details,  see  the  accounts  in  Mark  and 
Luke.  This  communication,  in  its  eifects  on  the  dis- 
ciples, is  not  incompatible  with  the  fact  that  Jesus 
had  so  clearly  intimated  His  resurrection.  Irrespec- 
tive of  its  bearing  upon  them  in  their  individual  ca- 
pacity, the  announcement  of  Christ's  crucifixion  im- 
plied what  would  affect  their  views  about  the  future 
of  the  world.  The  death  of  Jesus  on  the  cross  in- 
volved the  destruction  of  their  whole  scheme — of 
their  hopes  of  a  Messianic  temporal  kingdom,  and  of 
their  expectation  of  a  state  of  immediate  glory  in  this 
life. 


DOCTPJNAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  The  young  and  newly-formed  band  of  mem- 
bers of  Christ's  Church  now  began  to  anticipate  the 
immeasurable  consequences  of  His  course  of  suffer- 
ing. Thus  the  transition  from  the  Jewish  to  the 
Christian  view  of  the  relation  between  the  first  and 
second  aeon  was  preparing.  A  change  such  as  this 
woidd  necessarily  be  accompanied  by  manifold  doubts, 
struggles,  and  conflicts. 

2.  It  may  be  regarded  as  an  evidence  of  the  work 
of  Christ  in  the  hearts  of  His  disciples,  that  they  en- 
dured this  conflict ;  nor  can  we  wonder  tliat,  notwith- 
standing all  this  preparation,  they  felt  deeply  per- 
plexed during  the  solemn  and  awful  interval  between 
the  last  supper  and  the  resurrection. 

3.  Thus  it  seems  as  if,  like  a  timorous  fugitive. 


the  Lord  had  to  pass  by  mountain  tracks  and  bye-     . 
roads  througli   His  native  land,  in  order  to  prepare 
His  friends  for  His  impending  sufferings. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

The  journey  of  Jesus  through  Galilee,  now  and 
formerly. — How  everything  wears  a  different  aspect 
as  the  end  draws  nigh! — The  secret  journey  of  Je- 
sus through  His  native  land,  a  comfort  to  persecuted 
beUevers  at  all  times. — How  faithfully  and  calmly 
the  Lord  foretold  His  end  to  His  disciples ! — The 
Church  of  Jesus  in  its  first  human  sorrow  about  the 
divine  sufferings  of  Jesus :  1.  The  nature  of  this 
grief,  in  distinction  from  the  peculiar  sorrow  about 
Christ's  death  :  it  was  exalted,  though  not  yet  sacred, 

2.  Its  form  and  expression.  Contrast  between  the 
narrative  in  the  gospel,  and  the  festivals  to  commem- 
orate the  event,  introduced  by  the  mediajval  Church. 

3.  Its  ground :  acquiescence  in  Christ's  sufferings, 
implying  the  surrender  of  all  worldly  views,  hopes, 
and  expectations. — Difference  between  human  and 
divine  sorrow  in  connection  with  the  cross. — Heaven- 
ly wisdom  and  strength  of  the  Lord  Jesus. — The 
Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  did  not  hesitate  to  assume 
the  appearance  of  a  fugitive. — Like  a  chased  roe 
upon  the  mountains,  and  yet  Hunself,  1.  the  Lamb,  2. 
tlie  Lion. 

Starke  : — Canstein  :  When  the  time  of  our  de- 
parture draws  nigh,  we  should  prepare  our  friends 
for  it. —  Osiander  :  How  salutary  is  the  remembrance 
of  the  cross  ! 

Gossner  : — Christ  could  not  find  attentive  hear- 
ers, when  preaching  on  the  subject  of  His  approach- 
ing death. 

Heubner  : — In  mercy,  God  often  grants  us  fore- 
tokens of  heavy  trials  to  come. 


G.  The  Church  asfree^  and  yet  voluntarily  subject,  and  paying  Tribute  to  the  ancient  Temple  at  the  time  of 
its  approaching  end.     Ch.  XVII.  24-27. 

24  And  when  they  were  come  to  Capernaum,^  they  that  received  [the  receivers  of  the] 
tribute  money  [to.  8tSpa;^a,  e.  e.,  two  drachmas,  or  half  a  shekel]  ^  came  to  Peter,   and  said, 

25  Doth  not  your  Master  pay  tribute  [ra  8t8paxju.a]  ?  He  saith,  Yes.  And  when  he  was 
[had]  come  into  tlie  house,  Jesus  prevented  him  [anticipated  him],*  saying,  What 
thinkest  thou,  Simon?  of  whom  do  the  kings  of  the  earth  take  custom  [customs,  tcAt;] 
or  tribute  ?  of  their  own  children   [of  their  sons,  ciTro  tZ>v  vlCJv  aurwr],'*  or  of  strangers 

26  [the  other  folks,  twv  dAAorptW,  i.  e.,  those  not  of  their  household]  ?  ^  Peter  [he]®  saith 
unto  him,  Of  strangers.     Jesus  sahh  unto  him,  Then  are  the  children  [the  sons,  ol  vioi] 

27  free.  Notwithstanding  [But],  lest  we  should  oflend  them,  go  thou  to  the  sea,  and  cast 
a  hook,  and  take  up  the  fisli  that  first  cometh  up ;  and  when  thou  hast  opened  his 
mouth,  thou  shalt  find  a  piece  of  money  [a  stater,  aTarrjpa,  i.  e.,  four  drachmas,  or  one  shekel] : 
that  take,  and  give  unto  them  for  me  and  thee. 


*  Ver.  24. — Different  readings,  but  of  no  bearing  on  the  sense.  v 

^  Yer.  24.— [Tribute-money  and.  tribute  13  a  generalizing  c:sp\anatoTy  TenAenns:  of  ra  5  IS  paxi^ct,  lit.:  the  double 
drachma,  or  v,-hiit  is  its  equivalent  In  Hebrew,  ^Ae  half-shekel.  The  deflnite  article  moans:  the  obligatory,  cnstomary. 
Tyndale,  the  Geneva,  and  the  Bishops'  Bible  translate:  poll-money;  Cranmer,  and  King  James's  Kevisers  :  tribute- 
money;  the  Rheims  Version:  the  dir/rauhmes;  Campbell:  the  didrachma;  Archbishop  Newcombe,  Norton.  Conant, 
and  the  revised  N.  T.  of  tl)e  A.  B.  U. :  the  half-shekel.  Luther:  Zimgroschen ;  de  Wette,  van  Ess,  Allioli :  die  Dop- 
peldrachme ;  Ewald :  Zinagulden  {yiiih.  the  note:  jdhrliche  TempeUteuer);  Lange  :  Doppeldrachma,  and  in  parentlio- 
eis :  Tempelsteuer.    la  the  English  Bible  the  term  double  drachma,  or  half-shekel,  might  be  retained  with  a  marginal 


318 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


note :  the  annual  tribute  to  (he  temple,  or  the  temple-tax.  As  our  Authorized  Version  now  stands,  tlio  relation  between 
the  value  of  the  annual  tfinple-otTuring  (2  drachmas  or  half  a  shekel)  and  the  piece  of  money  miraculously  supplied,  ver.  27 
(4  drachmas  or  a  shokcl),  is  lost  to  the  English  reader.— P.  8.] 

'■>  Ver.  25.— [n  poecpeacTfu  avrov,  from  ir  poipO  dvoi,  to  preveiit,  to  forestall,  which  occurs  only  here  in  the  N. 
T. ;  but  the  verb  simplex  (pdai/etv  occurs  seven  times.  The  English  Version  (since  Craumer),  here  as  also  in  1  Thess. 
iv.  15  {wc  snail  not  prevent,  /xi]  (t>Od(Tuifji.€y,  them  who  are  asleep),  and  several  times  in  the  O.  T.,  uses  the  word  pre- 
vent in  the  old  English  sense  =  proivenire,  to  cmne  or  go  before,  to  precede  (so  also  in  the  Commoa.l'rayer  Book  :  "  Pre- 
vent us,  O  Lord,  in  all  our  doings,  with  Thy  most  gracious  favor");  but  now  it  has  just  the  opposite  meaning  to  hinder,  to 
obstruct.  On  the  contrary  the  old  English  verb  to  ^e*,  which  is  used  in  the  E.  V.  of  2  Thess.  li.  7  for  Karexe'") 
to  hold  back,  to  detain.,  to  hinder,  to  prevent,  and  in  Rom.  1.  13  for  kwKvuv  (wan  let,  i.  e.,  prevented,  hitherto).  Is  now 
only  used  in  the  sense  to  permit,  to  leave  {lasse^i) ;  or  also  to  lease.  In  such  cases,  which,  however,  are  very  rare,  the  com- 
mon reader  of  the  Bible  is  apt  to  be  misled  and  should  be  guarded  by  marginal  notes.  Campbell  renders  our  passage: 
before  lie  spake,  Jesus  said  to  him;  Norton:  before  he  had  spoken  of  it,  Jesus  said  to  him;  Tyndale,  the  Genevan  Bible, 
Wakefield,  Conant  better:  Jesus  spake  first,  saying.  But  our  anticipated  him  is  more  literal  and  corresponds  with  the 
usual  German  Version  :  kum,  ihm  zuvor,  etc. — P.  S.] 

<  Ver.  25.— [/Sons  is  more  expressive  here,  especially  in  view  of  the  bearing  of  the  analogy  on  the  Sonship  of  Christ 
(see  my  footnote  on  ver.  26),  than  children,  or  Kinder  as  Luther  has  it.  Ewald  and  Lange,  also,  translate:  8uhiie.  The 
possessive  own  of  the  E.  V.  is  hardly  necessary  (although  Lange.  too,  inserts  in  smaller  type  eigenen),  and  might  convey 
the  false  idea  that  the  contrast  was  between  the  children  of  the  kings  and  the  children  of  others,  while  the  contra.st  is  be- 
tween the  princes  and  subjects,  or  the  rulers  and  the  ruled.— P.  8.] 

6  Ver.  ib.  —  \_Strangers,  like  the  alieni  of  the  Vulgate  and  the  Fremde  of  Luther's  and  Ewald's  versions,  is  almost  too 
strong  a  term  for  oAAoTpioi,  which  in  this  connection  means  simply  those  who  are  not  viol  rwv  ^aai\iu>v,  who  do  not 
belong  to  the  royal  household.  Hammond  (one  of  the  best  of  tlie  older  English  commentators)  renders  :  other  folks;  da 
Wette  and  Lange  :  andere  Leute.    1  would  prefer  subjects  if  it  werenot  too  free.— P.  B.] 

«  Ver.  26.— lie  Tp  OS  is  omitted  in  B.,  D.,  etc.    [Also  in  Cod.  Sinaiticus  and  In  all  the  modern  critical  editions.— P.  8.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CPvITICAL. 

Circumstances  connected  with  this  event. — Jesus 
had  returned  from  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  at  Jeru- 
salem. He  had  explained  the  symbolical  import  of 
the  temple  service,  and  shown  how  it  was  fulfilled 
in  His  own  life.  The  drawing  of  water  (John  vii. 
37);  the  lighting  up  of  the  temple  (ch.  viii.);  the 
temple  as  His  Father's  residence,  where  He  appeared 
as  the  King's  Son ;  the  fountain  of  Siloah  (ch.  ix.) ; 
the  theocracy  itself  (ch.  x.) — all  pointed  to  Him. 
Immediately  afterward,  the  Jews  had  brought,  before 
the  ecclesiastical  tribunal,  the  man  born  blind,  whom 
Jesus  had  restored,  and  finally  excommunicated  him 
(ix.  34) ;  which  implied  that  Jesus  Himself  had  been 
excommunicated  previous  to  this  event,  probably  ever 
since  the  cure  of  the  lame  man  at  the  pool  of  Bethes- 
da  (ch.  v.).  The  Lord  now  waited  in  retirement  at 
Capernaum  for  the  next  festive  season.  So  far  as 
we  know,  He  performed  no  further  miracles  in  Gali- 
lee. The  cure  of  the  man  afflicted  with  dropsy,  which 
occurred  at  the  end  of  this  period,  took  place  under 
very  pecuhar  circumstances  (Luke  xiv.  1-24).  From 
the  retirement  of  the  Lord,  His  enemies  might  almost 
have  inferred  that  He  now  intended  to  settle  down 
in  Galilee,  to  give  up  His  work,  and  to  submit  in  si- 
lence to  the  institutions  of  the  land. 

Ver.  24.  The  receivers  or  collectors  of  the 
didrachmas,  or  the  double  drachma. — The  de- 
mand of  the  temple-tax  from  Jesus,  although  prhiaa- 
rily  addressed  to  Peter,  forms  a  contrast  to  the  rela- 
tion in  which  Jesus  had  placed  Himself  toward  the 
temple  when  in  Jerusalem.  The  Lord,  who  was  the 
living  and  real  Temple,  was  to  pay  tribute  to  tlie 
types  and  shadows  of  this  reality,  or  to  the  legal 
symbols  of  the  temple.  According  to  Exod.  xxx.  13  ; 
2  Chron.  xxiv.  6,  Joseph.  Antiq.  18,  9  {see  Wetstein, 
Michaelis,  and  Ewald,  Allerthumcr,  320),  every  male 
from  twenty  years  old  was  obliged  to  pay  half  a 
shekel  yearly  for  the  temple  service.  This  half  shek- 
el was  equal  to  two  Attic  drachmas  (one  shekel  = 
four  Attic  drachmas,  Joseph.  Antiq.  iii.  S,  2).  Ac- 
cording to  the  LXX.  (Gen.  xxiii.  15  ;  Josh.  vii.  21), 
the  Alexandrian  drachma  was  equal  to  half  a  shekel. 
The  whole  shekel  amounted  to  about  2s.  %d.  sterling, 
or  about  60  cents  in  American  money.*     After  the 

*  [Dr.  Lange  estimates  the  value  of  the  shekel  at  21  gute 
Groschen  or  more  (afterward,  Mote  on  ver,  2T,  at  23  to  24 


destruction  of  Jerusalem,  this  tax  went  to  the  Ptoman 
capitol.  It  was  due  in  the  month  Adar  (March). 
Hence  it  may  be  inferred  that  Jesus  was  in  arrears. 
The  supposition  of  Wicseler  {Chronol.  Synopse,  p. 
264),  that  the  demand  for  the  temple  tribute  was  only 
made  about  the  time  when  it  was  actually  due,  and 
that  it  must  hence  have  been  a  Roman  tax,  is  erro- 
neous. Local  payments  might  be  delayed  by  absence. 
(The  same  remark  may  also  apply  in  reference  to 
the  objection,  that  the  presentation  of  the  infant  Je- 
sus must  necessarily  have  taken  place  before  the 
flight  into  Egypt.)  The  use  of  the  solemn  term  ra 
5/5paxiua  indicates  that  it  was  a  religious,  not  a  secu- 
lar tax ;  the  plural  number  implying,  as  Meyer  ob- 
serves, that  it  was  annually  and  regularly  levied,  not 
that  on  this  occasion  it  was  asked  both  for  the  Lord 
and  His  disciples.  Besides,  the  supposition  of  a  Ro- 
man impost  would  be  entirely  incompatible  with  the 
reasoning  of  the  Saviour.  Of  course,  ideas  derived 
from  the  theocracy  could  not  have  been  applied  to 
the  Roman  government.  This  act  of  the  oflicials  of 
the  temple  may  be  regarded  as  an  indication  of  the 
feehng  of  the  priests.  The  servants  began  to  act 
rudely  toward  Jesus,  who  had  become  an  offence  to 
their  superiors.  Still,  there  is  a  certain  amount  of 
good-natured  simplicity  about  their  conduct,  and  it 
ahnost  seems  as  if  they  fancied  that  Jesus  was  about 
quietly  to  settle  down  iu  Capernaum. 

Doth  not  your  Master  pay  the  double 
drachma? — Manifestly  presupposing  the  expectar 
tion  that  He  v,-ould  pay— not,  as  some  have  suppos- 
ed, a  doubt,  that,  since  priests  and  Levites  were  free, 
He  might  v/ish  to  claim  a  similar  exemption. 

Ver.  25.  Jesus  anticipated  him. — This  antici- 

Groschen  or  about  a  Prussian  dollar).  But  its  v.alue  is  dif- 
ferently festimated  from  2s.  8(f.  to  over  3s.  sterling,  or  from 
50  to  VO  cents.  Before  the  Babylonian  exile  the  shekel  was 
only  a  certain  weight  of  silver,  since  the  time  of  the  Macca- 
bees (1  Mace.  XV.  6)  a  coined  money;  but  as  these  coins 
grew  scarce,  it  became  customary  to  estim.-ite  the  temple 
dues  (a  half  shekel;  as  two  drachmas.  It  must  not  be  con- 
founded with  the  gold  coin,  more  accurately  called  shekel, 
which  was  equal  not  to  four,  but  to  twenty  Attic  drachmas. 
See  the  Dictionaries,  sub  ?f?'r ,  (xIk  Ko  s .,  Shekel,  also  sub 
5  (  5  p  o  X  M  «  and  apyvpiov,  especially  Winer,  sub 
i<ekel  (Bill.  12ealworterbuch,  yi>\.  il,  4iS  sqq);  W.  S.mith, 
sub  Money  (Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  vol.  ii.,  4U4  sqq.) ;  and 
Dr.  M.  A.  Lkvy:  Geschichte  der  jtidischen  Munzen,  Brcs- 
lau,  1862  (which  is  mentioned  .as  an  important  work  in 
Smith's  Diet,  sub  Shekel,  vol.  iii.,  p.  1246;  but  which  1  have 
not  seen  myself).—?.  8.] 


CHAP.  XVn.  24-2Y. 


319 


pation  iraplics  a  miraculous  knowledge  of  Peter's 
assent.  TfX-n,  veciigaUa,  duties  on  merchandize, 
customs  ;  k9]v<t  os^  capitation  or  land-tax.  [Peter's 
afSrnnative  answer  to  the  tax-gatherers  was  rather 
hasty,  and  lost  sight  for  a  while  of  the  royal  dignity 
and  prerogative  of  his  Master,  who  was  a  Son  in  His 
own  house,  the  temple,  and  not  a  servant  in  anoth- 
er's, and  who  could  claim  the  offerings  in  the  name 
of  His  Father.— P.  S.] 

Or  of  strangers. — Not  of  the  princes,  but  of 
their  subjects. 

Ver.  20.  Then  are  the  Sons  free. — A  conclu- 
sion a  minori  ad  majus.  The  earthly  royal  preroga- 
tive serves  as  a  figure  of  theocratic  right.  God  is 
King  of  the  temple-city  ;  hence  His  Son  is  free  from 
any  ecdesiastical  tribute.* — De  Wette  regards  the 
passage  as  involving  some  difBculties,  since  Jesus  had 
disowned  every  outward  and  earthly  claim  in  His 
character  as  Messiah,  and  had  become  subject  to  the 
law.f  Accordingly,  this  critic  suggests  that  Jesus 
had  only  intended  to  reprove  the  rashness  of  Peter's 
promise,  and  to  suggest  the  thought  to  him  (as  he 
was  still  entangled  with  Jewish  legaHsui),  that,  in 
point  of  law,  the  demand  made  upon  Him  was  not 
vahd.  On  the  other  hand,  Olshausen  maintains  that 
Jesus  asserted  His  exaltation  over  the  temple-ritual 
(as  in  ch.  xii.  8 :  The  Son  of  Man  is  Lord  of  the 
Sabbath — One  greater  than  the  temple).  Meyer  re- 
minds us,  that  although  as  Messiah  Jesus  was  above 
the  law,  yet  in  His  infinite  condescension  He  submit- 
ted to  its  demands.  This  explanation  is  so  far  more 
satisfactory.  But  commentators  seem  to  forget  that 
the  breach  between  the  ancient  theocracy  and  the 
fKK\7]a-ia  had  already  begun  in  Judtea  and  Galilee, 
and  that  Jesus  had  entered  on  His  path  of  sufferings. 
It  was  inconsistent  to  reject,  and  virtually  (though 
perhaps  not  formally)  to  excommunicate  Jesus,  and 
yet  at  the  same  time  to  demand  from  Him  the  temple 
tribute.  And  in  this  sense  the  Apostles  themselves 
were  mcludcd  among  the  vioi  (in  the  plural).  They 
were  to  share  in  the  suffering  and  in  the  excommuni- 
cation of  their  Master.  Pavilus  and  Olshausen  apply 
the  expression  to  Peter  in  connection  with  Jesus ; 
Meyer  regards  it  as  a  locus  communis  referring  to  Jesus 

*  [In  Latin  tlie  intimate  relation  between  sonsbip  and 
freedom  miglit  be  thus  rendered:  Lib eri  sunt  liberi.  The 
plural  v'lo  i  is  necessitated  by  the  figure  of  the  "kings  of 
the  earth,"  and  does  not  interfere  with  Christ's  unique  position 
as  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  but  rather  establishes  it 
by  way  of  analogy,  since  there  Is  but  one  King  in  heaven. 
Grotius:  '■'■Flunili  mmiei'o  utdtnr,  non  quod  ad  alios 
earn  extendat  liberiateni,  sed  quod  comparatio  id  exige- 
bat,  sumta  non  ab  unius  sed  ab  omnium  regum  more  ao 
consuetudiney  Trench:  "It  is  just  as  natural,  when  we 
come  to  the  heavenly  order  of  things  which  is  there  shadow- 
ed forth,  to  restrain  it  to  the  singular,  to  the  one  Son ;  since 
to  the  King  of  heaven,  who  is  set  against  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  there  is  but  one,  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father "' 
Observe  also  in  ver.  27  He  says  not :  for  us,  putting  Him- 
self on  a  par  with  Peter,  but:  for  Me  and  thee ;  comp.  John 
XX.  17:  "unto  M>/  Father,  and  your  Father,"  and  His  uni- 
form address  to  God:  "My  (not :  Our)  Father," all  of  which 
implies  His  unique  relation  to  the  Father. — P.  S.] 

t  [This  objection  of  de  Wette  rests  on  a  false  assumption 
and  is  inconsistent  with  his  own  admission,  in  his  note  on 
ver.  24,  that  the  temple-tax  was  a  theocratic  or  religious,  not 
a  civil,  tax,  a  tribute  to  God,  not  to  C'sesar.  Many  commen- 
tators—Origcn,  Ausustine,  Jerome,  Maldonatus,  Corn,  a  La- 
pide,  'Wolf," even  Wieseler  (Chronol.  Si/nopse,  p.  265).  and 
others — have  overlooked  and  denied  this  fact  and  missed 
the  whole  mr-aning  of  the  miracle  by  the  false  assumption 
that  this  money  was  a  civil  tribute  to  the  Eoman  emperor, 
like  the  penny  mentioned  on  a  later  occasion.  Matt  xxii.  19. 
The  word  tribute  in  the  E.  V.  rather  fivors  this  error.  The 
emperor  Vespasian  converted  the  temple-tax  into  an  im- 
perial tribute,  but  this  was  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
and  the  temple,  aa  Josephus  expressly  states,  De  Bello  Jud. 
vii.  6,  6.-P.  S] 


alone,  since,  in  the  argument  as  used  in  the  text,  it 
could  only  designate  the  Lord  Himself.  But,  accord- 
ing to  the  Apostle  Paul,  believers  have  fellowship 
with  Christ  in  virtue  of  their  vloe^aia,  and  in  Him 
are  free  from  the  law.  "  The  Roman  Catholic  Church 
employs  this  passage  to  prove  the  freedom  of  the 
clergy  from  taxation,  at  least  in  reference  to  ecclesi- 
astical charges  "  (Meyer).  In  our  opinion,  it  would 
be  more  appropriate  to  deduce  from  it  the  freedom 
of  the  living  Church  from  the  burdens  of  the  law. 
[The  inference  of  the  Roman  Cathohcs  would  prove 
too  much,  viz.,  the  freedom  of  all  the  children  of 
God  from  taxation. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  27.  But  lest  we  should  offend  them. — 
Meyer  refers  the  latter  expression  to  the  tax-gather- 
ers :  Lest  we  should  lead  them  to  suppose  that  we 
despise  the  temple.  As,  in  dealing  with  the  Phari- 
sees (ch.  XV.),  Christ  did  not  avoid  giving  them  of- 
fence, we  are  led  to  infer  that  in  the  present  instance 
it  would  have  been  an  offence  to  "  these  httle  ones." 
Besides  the  tax-gatherers,  many  other  persons  in  Ca- 
pernaum, who  could  not  clearly  apprehend  the  spir- 
itual bearing  of  Christ's  conduct,  might  readily  have 
taken  offence,  under  the  impression  that  He  placed 
Himself  in  opposition  to  the  temple. 

A  piece  of  money,  lit. :  a  stater. — A  coin  = 
4  drachmas,  or  about  a  Prussian  dollar  [or  rather  less, 
about  60  cents]. 

Various  views  are  entertained  in  reference  to  this 
miracle.  1.  De  Wette  contents  himself  with  caUing 
attention  to  the  difficulties  connected  with  the  ortho- 
dox view  of  the  narrative  (tRe  miracle  was  unneces- 
sary ;  it  was  unworthy  of  Jesus,  since  He  had  on  no 
other  occasion  performed  a  miracle  for  His  own 
behoof ;  it  was  impossible,  since  a  fish  could  not  have 
carried  a  stater  in  its  mouth,  and  yet  bite  at  the 
hook,  as  Strauss  misstated  the  case).  2.  Paulus  and 
Ammon  have  attempted  to  represent  it  as  a  natural 
event.  Thus  Paulus  paraphrases  the  language  of 
Jesus :  When  thou  openest  the  mouth  of  this  fish  to 
detach  the  hook,  it  will  be  found  worth  a  stater.  [A 
wonderful  price  for  a  fish  caught  with  a  hook !]  Or, 
If  there  on  the  spot  {ainov)  you  open  the  mouth  to 
offer  the  fish,  etc.  3.  Strauss  characterizes  it  as  a 
myth,  derived  from  legends  comiected  with  the  lake 
of  Gahlee.*  Sunilarly,  Hase  represents  it  as  figura- 
tive language,  referring  to  the  success  accompanying 
the  exercise  of  their  calling,  vi'hich  tradition  had  after- 
ward transformed  into  a  miraculous  event.  5.  Ewald 
makes  the  curious  comment,  that  we  do  not  read  of 
Peter  having  actually  caught  such  a  fish,  but  that  the 
saying  was  one  which  might  be  readily  employed,  as 
pieces  of  money  had  sometimes  been  found  in  fishes. 
6.  It  has  been  regarded  as  a  miracle,  in  the  proper 
sense  of  the  term,  (a)  As  a  miracle  of  jwwcr,  di- 
rectly performed.  The  fish  was  made  to  fetch  the 
coin  from  the  deep,  and  then  to  come  up  to  the  hook. 
So  Bengel.f     Or,  (b)  As  a  miracle  of  knowledge  on 


*  [Strauss  profanely  calls  it  ^'■den  mahrchfinhnften  Aus- 
Idnfer  der  See-Anekdoten,'"  e.nA  in  his  new  Life  of  Jesus, 
1S64,  p.  34,  he  endeavors  to  ridicule  Dr.  Kbrard  for  suppos- 
ing, very  unnecessarily,  that  the  fish  spit  the  piece  of  money 
from  the  stomach  into  the  throat  the  moment  Peter  opened 
its  mouth.  In  this  case  tliere  is  no  assignable  occasion,  or 
Old  Tt  stament  ])r(>cedent,  or  possible  significancy  of  a  myth- 
ical fiction.-P.  S.] 

1  [So  also  TuENCit  (A^'otes  on  the  Miracles,  p.  3S5):  "The 
miracle  does  not  lie  in  the  mere  foreknowloc'ire  on  the 
Lord's  part  as  to  how  it  should  be  with  the  fish  which  came 
up;  but  lie  Himself,  by  the  mysterious  potency  of  His  will 
which  ran  through  all  nature,  drew  the  particular  fish  to 
that  spot  at  that  moment,  and  ordained  that  it  should  swal- 
low the  hook.    We  may  compare  Jonah  i.  17:  'The  Lord 


520 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


the  part  of  Jesus.  So  Grotius  and  Meyer.  Adopt- 
ing the  latter  explanation,  we  would  call  attention  to 
the  fact,  that  in  performing  this  miracle  the  Lord  was 
equally  careful  to  maintain  His  rights  as  King  of 
Zion,  and  to  avoid  giving  oflence.  Hence  the  tribute, 
for  which  Peter  himself  was  naturally  liable,  was  to 
be  procured  through  the  personal  exertions  of  that 
Apostle.  But,  as  in  this  case  he  acted  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  Lord,  the  money  was  miraculously 
provided.  All  the  requirements  of  the  case  seem  to 
us  sufficiently  met  by  the  fact,  that  Jesus  predicted 
that  the  first  draught  of  Peter  would  yield  the  sum 
needed.  Hence  the  words,  "  Wheti  thou  hast  opened 
his  moicth"  might  almost  be  regarded  as  a  metaphor 
for  "  when  thou  takest  off  the  hook  " — in  which  case 
it  would  imply  simply  a  prediction  that  Peter  would 
catch  a  very  large  and  valuable  fish.  But  the  state- 
ment, that  he  would  find  a  piece  of  money,  conveys 
to  our  minds  that  the  Apostle  was  to  discover  the 
state?-  in  the  inside  of  the  fish.  The  main  point  of 
the  narrative,  however,  hes  in  this,  that  the  stater 
was  to  be  miraculously  provided.  By  his  rashness, 
Peter  had  apparently  placed  the  Lord  in  the  diffi- 
culty of  either  giving  offence,  or  else  of  virtually  de- 
claring Himself  subject  to  tribute.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  Lord  looked  and  descried  the  stater 
in  the  lake ;  and  the  miraculous  provision  thus  pro- 
cured might  serve  both  for  Himself  and  for  Peter, 


DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  We  have  here  a  remarkable  instance  of  the 
vast  difference  between  giving  offence  to  the  "  httle 
ones "  and  to  the  Pharisees.  Similarly,  we  learn 
from  the  narrative  that  Christian  wisdom  must  be 
able  to  discover  a  way  out  of  evei-y  seeming  conflict 
of  duties,  since  such  conflicts  can  only  be  apparent, 
not  real. 

2.  It  were  a  great  mistake  to  suppose,  that  be- 
cause Matthew  does  not  record  that  Peter  actually 
caught  the  fish,  found  and  paid  the  stater,  all  this  did 
not  really  take  place.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  we 
infer  from  this  omission,  that  the  great  object  of  the 
Evangehst  was  to  record  the  spiritual  import,  rather 
than  the  outward  circumstances,  of  this  event.  It 
was  intended  to  set  before  the  Apostles  the  principle 
which  should  regulate  the  future  relations  between 
the  free  Church  of  the  gospel  and  the  ancient  legal 
community  at  the  time  of  the  cessation  of  its  services 
and  ritual.  The  point  here  lies  in  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  sons  of  the  King,  or  of  the  true  theocracy, 
and  mere  subjects,  who  in  the  text  are  very  signifi- 
cantly called  aWoTpioi,  strangers.  Christ  and  His 
people  are  the  children  of  the  kingdom  ;  the  Jewish 
legalists  its  subjects,  or  rather  its  bondsmen.  (Comp. 
John  viii.  So  :  The  servant  abideth  not  for  ever  in  the 
house,  or  in  the  temple ;  but  the  Son  abideth  there 
for  ever.) 

3.  "The  children  of  the  kingdom,  who  them- 
selves are  the  living  temple,  could  not  be  made  out- 
wardly or  legally  subject  to  the  typical  services  of 
the  temple.  As  the  free  children  of  God,  they  were 
superior  to  all   such  bondage.     But  perhaps  some 

had  prepared  a  great  fish  to  swallow  up  Jonah.'  Thus  we 
Bee  the  sphere  of  animal  lif«  unconsciously  obedient  to  His 
will ;  that  also  is  not  ovt  of  God.  but  moves  rn  Him,  as  does 
every  other  creature.  1  Kings  xiii.  24;  xx.  36;  Amos  ix.  3." 
Yet  Trench  does  nut  assume  that  the  stater  was  miraculous- 
ly created  for  the  occasion,  but  brought  In  contact  with  the 
fish  by  a  miraculous  coincidence.— P.  S.] 


historical  claim  might  yet  be  urged  upon  them,  or 
else  they  were  not  to  shock  the  prejudices  of  some 
of  these  'little  ones'  (comp.  Matt,  xviii.).  Hence,  in 
all  such  cases,  it  was  their  duty  to  avoid  giving  of- 
fence, and  to  perform  what  was  expected  from  them. 
But  in  so  doing,  they  would  display  such  joyousness, 
freedom,  and  princely  grandeur,  as  to  vindicate  their 
liberty  even  in  the  act  of  submitting  to  what  might 
seem  its  temporary  surrender"  {Zeben  Jes2i,  iii.  p. 
110).  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  by  pro- 
fessing adherence  to  a  particular  ecclesiastical  sys- 
tem, we,  as  Christians,  incur  the  obligation  of  con- 
tributing to  its  support.  Every  such  profession  is  a 
voluntary  obligation,  which,  among  other  things,  im- 
plies the  duty  of  outwardly  contributing  for  its  main- 
tenance. 

4.  There  is  something  peculiarly  characteristic 
of  Peter  in  this  history.  With  his  usual  rashness, 
he  would  make  the  Lord  Jesus  legally  subject  to  trib- 
ute. This  obligation  he  has  now  himself  to  discharge, 
and  that  by  means  of  a  fish  (the  symbol  of  a  Chris- 
tian) which  is  found  to  have  unnaturally  swallowed  a 
stater. 

5.  In  this  instance,  also,  Christ  did  not  perform 
a  miracle  "  for  His  own  behoof,"  but  as  a  sign  for 
others. 

[Trench  {Notes  on  the  Miracles,  p.  8'79) :  "  Here, 
as  so  often  in  the  life  of  our  Lord,  the  depth  of  His 
poverty  and  humiUation  is  lighted  up  by  a  gleam  of 
His  glory  ;  while,  by  the  mamier  of  His  payment, 
He  reasserted  the  true  dignity  of  His  person,  which 
else  by  the  payment  itself  was  in  danger  of  being  ob- 
scured and  compromised  in  the  eyes  of  some.  The 
miracle,  then,  was  to  supply  a  real  need,  .  .  .  differ- 
ing in  its  essence  from  the  apocryjDhal  miracles,  which 
are  so  often  mere  sports  and  freaks  of  power,  having 
no  ethical  motive  or  meaning  whatever." — P.  S.] 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  great  danger  of  the  servants  of  Christ  to  at- 
tempt bringing  Him,  in  His  Church,  in  subjection  to 
tradition. — The  outward,  secular  subjection  of  the 
children  of  God  under  outward  temple  ordinances,  a 
contradiction.  1.  In  general :  they  vv-ho  possess  the 
reahty,  are  expected  to  be  in  subjection  to  shadows. 
2.  In  a  special  sense :  it  is  required  of  the  stones  of 
the  living  temple  to  maintain  the  symbolical  temple 
buildings,  of  the  living  sacrifices  to  promote  the  typ- 
ical sacrifices,  of  the  children  of  the  Spirit  to  main- 
tain the  emblems  of  spiritual  things. — Contradiction 
of  hierarchism  :  it  excommunicates  and  yet  levies  tax 
upon  the  children  of  the  Spirit. — Cupidity  of  the  me- 
diaeval Church  in  seeking  the  fortunes  and  posses- 
sions of  those  who  were  stigmatized  as  heretics. — 
Important  consequences  implied  in  the  rash  assent 
given  ))y  Peter. — How  Christ  avoided  giving  offence 
to  devout  prejudices,  Rom.  xiv.  13. — The  humility 
and  the  glory  of  Christ  in  paying  the  temple-tribute. 
— How  Christians,  in  bearing  witness  to  their  faith, 
may  preserve  their  liberty  while  voluntarily  surren- 
dering it  for  the  sake  of  charity. — The  three  draughts 
of  Peter. — How  Christians  (fishes)  who  have  the  world 
(a  piece  of  money)  in  their  hearts,  may  be  caught 
and  made  subservient  to  outward  ordinances. — A 
Christian  will  always  find  a  miraculous  way  of  escape 
through  the  intricate  mazes  of  apparently  conflicting 
duties. — The  Lord  prepares  a  way  even  in  our  great- 
est difficulties,  viz.,  those  of  conscience. — If  we  have 
anticipated  the  Lord,  we  must  submit  to  severe  testa 


CHAP.  XVni.  1-14. 


321 


of  our  obedience. — How  the  Lord  can  most  glorious- 
ly repair  the  damage  done  by  His  people  by  their 
rash  anticipations  of  His  decisions. 

Starke: — Quesnel :  Jesus  humbles  Himself,  and 
submits  to  all  human  ordinances.  (The  text,  how- 
ever, does  not  refer  cither  to  the  payment  of  civil 
taxes  or  to  any  secular  arrangements.) — Let  us  avoid 
giving  offence  to  any  one. — Let  us  avoid  the  appear- 
ance of  evil. — Canstchi:  It  docs  not  matter  though 
the  children  of  God  may  not  possess  what  they  re- 
quire ;  (xod  will  care  for  them  (though  the  text  docs 
not  imply  that  the  whole  company  of  disciples  at 
Capernaum  did  not  possess  the  small  sum  of  about 


three  shillings  demanded  of  them). — Ze'mus :  Christ, 
Lord  over  all  His  creatures,  even  in  His  estate  of  hu- 
miliation. 

Oerlach  : — While  Jesus  never  forgot,  from  false 
humility,  what  was  due  to  Dim,  He  only  manifested 
His  dignity  before  those  who  were  capable  of  under- 
standing Him,  and  at  the  same  time  was  willing  to 
become  the  servant  of  all. 

Heubner  : — Ministers  must  be  ready  to  prove 
that  they  really  despise  earthly  things. — Humiliation 
and  exaltation  combined  in  this  event. — We  may 
submit  to  civil  oppression  even  while  preserving  in 
our  minds  and  hearts  our  dignity  and  rights. 


SECOND    SECTION. 

THE  PRIESTLY   ORDER  IN  THE   CHURCH   OF  CHRIST. 
Chapter  XVIII.  1-35. 

Contents  :— This  section  furnishes  a  sketch  of  the  Church  in  its  priestJy,  or  in  its  strictly  ecclesiastical,  relations.  The 
basis  of  these  is  the  hierarchy  of  the  service  of  love  (ch.  xviji.  1-14).  Rising  on  this  foundation,  the  Church  is  to  dis- 
play, on  the  one  hand,  spiritual  carnestuess  by  its  discipline  (vers.  15-20),  and,  on  the  other,  spiritual  gentleness  by  its 
absolution  (vers.  21-35).  This  delineation  of  the  priestly  character  of  the  Church  is  continued  in  the  next  section, 
which  tre.ats  of  marriage  in  the  Church,  of  children  in  the  Church,  and  of  property  in  the  Church. 

Historical  Succession. — The  scene  is  still  in  Galilee,  and  in  all  lilveUhood  at  Capernaum.  Once  more  had 
the  hopes  of  the  disciples  been  raised,  probably  in  connection  with  the  late  miracles  of  Jesus  in  Judoa 
and  Galilee,  and  from  a  misunderstanding  of  His  calmness  and  of  the  declaration  which  He  had  made 
when  providmg  the  tribute-money.  Friends  now  gather  around  the  Lord,  preparatory  to  going  up  to 
Jerusalem.  The  disciples  discuss  the  question  of  the  primacy  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  This  dispute 
(to  ver.  5)  was  no  doubt  occasioned,  if  not  by  the  confession,  yet  by  the  general  position,  of  Peter. 
According  to  Mark  ix.  38,  John  now  gave  occasion  to  the  saying  of  Christ  about  offences  (vers.  6  sqq.). 
Lastly,  the  question  of  Peter  again  evoked  the  teaching  of  Christ  concerning  absolution,  and  the  parable 
connected  with  it.  On  comparmg  the  corresponding  passages  in  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke,  we  conclude 
that  the  saymgs  and  events  recorded  in  chap,  xviii.  belong  to  the  period  of  Christ's  stay  at  Capernaum. 
Of  course,  in  holduig  this  view,  we  imply  at  the  same  time  that  the  Lord  uttered  on  two  different  occa- 
sions the  parable  concerning  the  hundred  sheep.  These  transactions  were  followed  by  the  commence- 
ment of  the  journey  to  Jerusalem. 


A.  Tlie  Hierarchy  of  the  service  of  Love.    Ch.  XVIII.  1-14. 
{The  Gospel  for  St.  Michael,  ch.  xviii.  1-11.— Parallels:  Mark  ix.  33-50;  Luke  xv.  4-V;  xvii.  1,  2.) 

1  At  the  same  time  [At  that  time,  kv  eKuvrj  ry  wpa]  ^  came  the  disciples  unto  Jesus, 

2  saying,  Who  [then,  apa]  is  the  greatest*  in.  the  kingdom  of  heaven?     And  Jesus  called 

3  a  little  child  unto  him,  and  set  him  in  the  midst  of  them,  And  said,  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  Except  ye  be  converted  [Unless  ye  turn],^  and  become  as  httle  children,  ye  shall 

4  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     Whosoever  therefore  shall  humble  himself^  as 

5  this  little  child,  the  same  is  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     And  whoso  shall  re- 

6  ceive  one  such  child  in  my  name  rcceiveth  me.     But  whoso  shall  offend  [give  offence  to, 
o-fcavSaXto-rj]  one  of  these  little  ones  which  [that]  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him 

21 


322  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 

[it  profitetli  him,  yea  for  this]  ®  that  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that 

7  he  were  drowned  [plunged]  in  the  depth  ®  of  the  sea.  Woe  unto  the  world  because 
of  offences  [(Itto  twi/  o-KavSuAwv]  !  for  it  must  needs  be  that  offences  come ; '  but  woe  to 

8  that  [the]  *  man  by  whom  the  offence  comoth !  Wlierefore  if  [But  if,  d  Se]  thy  hand 
or  thy  foot  offend  thee,  cut  them  [it]  "  off,  and  cast  them,  from  thee  :  it  is  better  for  thee 
to  enter  into  life  halt  or  maimed,  rather  than  having  two  hands  or  two  feet  to  be  cast 

9  into  everlasting  fire.  And  if  thine  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from  thee: 
it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  with  one  eye,  rather  than  having  two  eyes  to  be 

10  cast  into  hell  fire.  Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  little  ones;  for  I  say 
unto  you.  That  in  heaven  their  angels  [their  angels  in  heaven]  "*  do  always  behold  the 

1 1  face  of  my  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven.     For  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to  save  that 

12  which  was  lost."  How  [What]  think  ye?  if  a  man  have  a  hundred  sheep,  and  one 
of  them  be  gone  astray,  doth  he  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine,  and  goetli  into  the 
mountains,  and  seeketh  [doth  he  not  leave  the  ninety-nine  upon  the  mountains,  and  go 

13  and  seek]  ^^  that  which  is  gone  astray?  And  if  so  be  [if  it  be,  eav  yevTyrttt]  tliat  he  find 
it,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  rejoiceth  more  of  that  sheep  [more  over  it,  iir  airw  /xaXAov], 

14  than  of  [over]  the  ninety  and  nine  which  [that]  went  not  astray.  Even  so  it  is  not  the 
will  of  your  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven,  that  one  of  these  little  ones  sliould  perish 
[that  .  .  .  perish,  tVa  .  .  .  d7roA.rjTat]. 

1  Ver.  1. — Lachmann  reads  tj  fie  pa  (day)  for  wpa  (7wMr),  according  to  certain  authorities  of  Origen.  Less  attest- 
ed. [Origen  leaves  the  matter  undecided,  saying  simply:  Kara  jxiv  riva  rSiv  avTiypa.<paiv  ev  eKeivTj  ry  wpa 
rrpoarjAdov  ol  fj.a8riTa\  rtS  'IrjeroD,  Ka-ra.  Se  aWa  iv  eiceivrj  ttj  rj/xepa.  Cod.  Sinait.  with  the  great  majority 
of  witnesses  read  Sipa,  'which  has  been  retained  by  Tischendorf  and  Alford. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  1.— [Literally:  greater  (than  others,  or  the  rest),  major;  Lange  :  der  Grbssere.  It  is  a  superlative  in  effect, 
though  not  in  form.  The  English  idiom  requires  here  the  superlative,  as  fjiiKp6T(po<s  in  Matt.  xi.  11  is  correctly  rendered 
in  the  Authorized  Version  :  he  that  is  least,  etc.     Comp.  my  notes  on  pp.  205  and  206. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  3. — ['Eay  /H?;  (TTpa</)f;T6,  equivalent  as  to  sense  to  ixeravorire.  The  older  English  trsls.,  Tyndale, 
Coverdiile,  Cranmer,  Eogers,  the  Genevau  N.  T.  of  1557,  the  Bis-hops'  Bible,  also  Conant,  the  N.  T.  of  the  A.  B.  U'  (1864) 
unanimousl}''  render:  except  ye  turn;  Luther  :  es  sei  denn,  dass  ihr  lim'kehret  (Luther,  however,  inserts  eac/t,  which  is 
omitted  in  some  modern  editions);  Lange:  wennihrniohtmngekehrtseid.  The  Authorized  Version:  except  ye  he  con- 
verted, is  derived  from  the  ed.  of  the  Genevan  Bible  of  1560.  Similarly  the  Eheims'  Kew  Test,  of  l.o82:  unless  ye  he  con- 
verted. Campbell  and  Norton  translate  :  unless  ye  he  changed.  ^rpecpfffOai,  to  turn  oneself,  is  here  evidently  used  as 
a  term  for  conversion  under  the  figure  of  turning  hack  from  a  path  previously  pursued,  or  a  return  to  our  proper  and 
normal  relation  to  God,  as  His  obedient  and  confiding  children.  It  is  thus  equivalent  to  p<.iT avoilv ^  to  change  the 
mind,  which  imphes  repentance  and  i^iith.  Lange  presses  the  aorist  {unless  ye  shall  have  turned),  as  implying  that  the 
disciples  were  already  converted  and  needed  only  to  be  confirmed.  See  his  Exeg.  Notes.  But  the  Saviour  refers  here 
more  particularly  to  a  return  of  His  disciples  from  the  path  of  amhitious  rivalry,  which  is  implied  in  the  question  of  ver. 
1,  to  a  spirit  of  childlike  simxAicity  and  humility.  Conversion  may  be  repeated  and  sliould  be  repeated  after  every  fall, 
but  regeneration  c;innot  be  repe.ited  as  little  as  the  natural  birth.  Convereion  is  the  act  of  man  (under  the  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit),  regener.ation  is  the  act  of  God. — P.  S.] 

4  Ver.  4.— Lnchmann  and  Tischendorf  [and  Alford]  adopt  the  future  t  an  e  ivco  ae  i  [for  the  led.  rec.  rair  e  ij/cii  ir]?], 
after  Codd.  B.,  D.,  Z.,  etc. 

s  Ver.  6.— [This  is  a  more  literal  translation  of  ffv  ficpepe  i  avTw,  and  corresponds  with  Dr.  Lange's  Version:  es 
nutzt  ihm—ja  dazu.  Comp.  his  Exeg.  Note  below.  But  for  popular  use  I  would  prefer  the  Authorized  Version:  it  were 
hetterfor  him,  and  Luther's  Version  :  dem  ware  es  he^ser,  which  Ewald  retained,  while  de  Wette  renders:  ihmfrommete 
««.— P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  6.— ['E  v  ireXayn,  literally  :  the  high,  the  open,  the  deep  sea,  as  distinct  from  the  shallows  near  the  shore. 
Lange :  aufder  Eohe  (in  die  Tiefe)  des  Meeres.  The  drowning  is  a  necessary  consequence  of  being  plunged  in  the  high 
sea  with  a  mill-stone  around  the  neck,  but  is  not  necessarily  implied  in  /caTCTrovTi'^ai,  to  cast  or  sink  down  in  the  sea 
[irSyTov) — P.  S.] 

■  Ver.  7.— [Dr.  Lange  inserts  here  in  the  text  in  smaller  type:  geworden—historisches  Gerichtsverhdngniss,  i.  e.,  scan- 
dals have  hecome  (are  not  originally)  necessary,  as  a.  judgment  of  history.— F.  S.] 

8  Ver.  7.— [Lachmann  and  Tregelles  with  some  of  the  oldest  authorities,  to  which  must  now  be  added  also  the  Codex 
from  Mt.  Sinai,  omit  i  k  e  ivu  after  "rw  ai/6ptiiro:  Lange  translates  accordingly:  wehe  dem  Menschen,  but  does  not  no- 
tice the  diflFcrence  of  reading.     Tischendorf  and  Alford,  however,  retain   (Kelvcc. — P.  S.] 

9  Yer.  s.— B.,  D.,  L.,  and  many  other  Codd.,  read  avrov  (it)  for  alrd,  which  looks  like  an  emendation.  [The  for- 
mer conforms  in  gender  to  the  nearest  noun,  but  .as  to  sense  refers  to  both.] 

i»  Ver.  10.— [The  order  in  the  Greek:  ol  ayyeXot  ainwv  4v  ovpavots.  The  order  of  the  E.  V.  misleads, 
as  if  in.  heaven  belonged  to  the  verb. — P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  11.— ['HAfle  yap  6  vlos  rov  avdpanrov  cSiaai  rh  aTToAcoAds]  is  omitted  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf,  on 
the  authority  of  Codd.  B.,  L.,  T.,  [Cod.  Sinait,  likewise  omits  it],  and  in  Fome  ancient  versions.  But  it  is  found  in  Cod.  G., 
id.,  and  required  by  the  connection.  It  was  perhaps  omitted,  as  de  Wette  suggests,  to  avoid  the  .appearance  of  numbering 
the  children  with  the  lost.  [It  is  generally  supposed  that  ver.  11  is  an  insertion  from  Luke  .\i.\.  10,  but  there  is  no  good 
reason  for  such  insertion,  and  it  is  mtide  improbable  by  the  omission  of  the  verb  (riTrjcraL  of  Luke  before  awaai  (to  seek 
and  save),  which  would  have  suited  the  Cv^e^  of  ver.  12.     See  Alford,  who  retains  the  received  text.— P.  S.] 

1=  Ver.  12.— [This  is  the  proper  construction,  connecting  inl  ra  upr]  with  a<piis.  So  the  Vulgate  (nonn^.  re- 
linquit  nonagintanovem  in  montihu^.  et  vadit,  etc.),  the  Peschito,  Luther,  Bengel,  de  Wette,  Ew.ild,  Lange,  Wiclif,  Tyn- 
dale (doeth  he  not  leave  ninety  nine  in  the  mountains,  and  go  and  seek),  Cranmer,  Genevan,  Eheims  Verss.,  Campbell, 
Conant,  etc.  The  error  in  the  Authorized  Version  seems  to  be  derived  from  the  Bishops'  Bible,  where  I  find  it. 
'ETri  with  the  accusative  suits  the  verb  d(/.si  j  and  the  idea  of  a  flock  of  sheep  scattered  over  a  mountain.  Laclnnann  reads 
a(p7)<rei  —  Kal  Tropivdeii,  tcUl  he  not  leare—and  going  8«eX:,  etc.  (instead  of  acpfis  —  iropevdeis).  Dr.  Lange, 
following  this  reading,  stops  the  question  with  vyrj.     Objectionable. —P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XVm.  ]-14. 


323 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  At  that  hour. — Referring  to  tlie  liour 
m  which  the  transaction  about  the  tribute-money 
took  place.  The  Mes.-;ianie  hopes  of  the  disciples  had 
been  greatly  raised,  both  by  that  miracle,  and  by 
the  explanation  of  Jesus  as  to  His  relation  to  the 
theocracy. 

Who  then  is  the  greatest ?  rls  &pa . — The 
inference  implied  in  &  pa  seems  to  allude  to  Peter, 
who  had  apparently  again  been  honored  by  an  extra- 
ordinary distinction. — The  greater  (major),  in  rela- 
tion to  all  others,  is  the  first.  The  Major  Donms,  or 
the  Primus.  Who  is  ?  in  the  present  tense.  From 
the  statement  of  the  Lord,  that,  as  Son  of  the  King, 
He  was  free  from  the  legal  obligations  of  the  theoc- 
racy, they  inferred  that  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah 
was  already  founded.  Besides,  the  question  was  evi- 
dently also  intended  for  the  purpose  of  eliciting  a 
distinct  statement  on  that  subject. 

Ver.  2.  A  little  child. — A  little  boy.  Accord- 
ing to  [a  late  and  imrehable]  tradition,  the  martyr 
Ignatius ;  according  to  Paulus,  an  orphan ;  accord- 
ing to  Boltcn,  one  of  the  young  ministering  disci- 
ples. Each  of  these  views  appears  to  us  strained. 
The  main  point  was,  that  He  set  before  them  a  Utile 
child. 

Ver.  3.  Except  ye  be  converted,*  etc. — The 
use  of  the  aorist  tenses  deserves  special  notice.  Je- 
sus presupposes  that  all  this  had  already  taken  place 
in  His  disciples — that  they  were  converted,  had  be- 
come like  children,  and  entered  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  Hence  He  refers  only  to  the  necessity  of 
self-examination  and  probation,  not  to  that  of  a  new 
conversion.  We  note  the  antithesis  in  the  expressions, 
"  the  greatest  in  the  Jcinrfdom  of  heaven,^''  and  '■'■enter- 
ing into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.''''  The  meaning  is  : 
The  first  question  which  you  should  put,  is  about 
your  having  entered  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  H' 
they  had  entered  it,  they  had  become  like  the  child 
before  them ;  in  which  case  their  question  could  only 
have  been  caused  by  temporary  surprise.  Hence,  if 
any  one  should  display  hierarchical  tendencies,  or  give 
vent  to  such  feehngs,  the  question  would  naturally 
arise,  whether  he  was  really  converted  at  all.  More 
than  that,  the  statement  implies  that  in  a  certain 
sense  all  hierarchism  is  opposed  to,  and  incompatible 
with,  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  In  John  iii.  3,  5,  this 
condition  of  entering  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  put 
in  the  present  tense,  and  more  strongly  expressed,  as 
being  born  again.  Conversion,  being  a  complete 
turning  in  moral  respects,  implies  a  new  birth  so  far 
as  its  divine  cause  and  the  totality  of  the  change  are 
concerned  ;  while,  so  far  as  its  moral  aspects  and  its 
claims  to  acknowledgment  are  concerned,  it  may  be 
described  a?  becoming  children. 

Ver.  4.  Whosoever  therefore  shall  humble 
himself  as  this  little  child. — ^^Vhoso  will  appear 
humble  and  small,  hke  this  child  ;  not,  humble  him- 
self like  this  child.  Valla :  i&te  parvulus;  non  se  hu- 
miliate sed  humilis  ent.  The  use  of  the  future  tense 
shows  that  something  of  this  kind  was  now  again  to 
take  place  in  the  disciples  as  the  condition  of  their 
future  greatness.  The  expressions  of  the  Saviour 
prove  that  the  point  of  the  comparison  lay  in  the 
modesty  of  the  child,  in  its  want  of  pretension,  which 
enabled  it  to  enjoy  whatever  came  before  it,  without 

*  [In  Germ. :  Wenn  ihr  niclit  umgekehrt  seuf,  unless  ye 
shall  tiave  turned.  Comp.  the  Critical  I^ote,  No.  3,  p.  322. 
—P.  8.] 


seeking  or  claiming  more  as  its  due.  The  real  great- 
ness of  the  chUd  consists  in  its  perfect  contentment 
with  its  littleness  and  dependence.  By  our  outward 
demands  and  our  claims  upon  the  future,  we  only  lose 
the  present,  and  with  it,  both  life  and  reality ;  while 
the  want  of  pretension  and  care  in  the  child  secures 
to  it,  with  each  passing  moment,  the  enjoyment  of 
life.  And  this  constitutes  also  the  condition  of  its 
future  greatness.  If  the  child  aimed  at  anything  be- 
yond the  limits  of  its  capacity,  such  a  claim  would 
of  itself  ensure  disappointment.  This  absence  of  pre- 
tension in  the  disciple  of  Christ  constitutes  true  hu- 
mility, to  which,  even  after  our  conversion,  we  must 
ever  and  again  revert.  Only  by  thus  reverting  to 
our  littleness  before  God  and  the  brethren,  can  we 
hope  to  realize  the  life  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  to 
enter  upon  the  path  of  development  and  future  great- 
ness. The  use  of  the  simple  future  [j  a-w  ^  ivwa  e  i) 
seems  to  indicate  that  this  conversion  would  take 
place  at  a  later  period  in  the  history  of  the  disciples, 
and  especially  in  that  of  Peter.  In  this  connection, 
the  reader  will  also  recall  the  last  hours  of  Jesus. — 
The  greatest. — According  to  the  measure  of  humil- 
ity, and  each  one  according  to  his  own  idiosgricrasy. 

Ver.  6.  x\nd  whoso  shaU  receive  [even  or 
07ilg'\  one  such  little  child. — The  consequence  and 
evidence  of  humility  is,  to  receive  one  such  little 
child.  The  question  has  been  raised.  Whether  we 
are  to  understand  the  terms  in  a  literal  or  in  a  spir- 
itual sense,  in  other  words,  of  a  child  in  years,  or  of 
a  child  in  spirit,  as  just  descril)ed.  The  former  view 
is  adopted  by  Bengel,  Paulus,  Neander,  and  de  Wette ; 
the  latter,  by  Erasmus,  Beza,  Calvin,  Grotius,  and 
Meyer.  But  it  could  scarcely  be  regarded  as  a  spe- 
cial evidence  of  humility,  to  receive  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  a  Christian  of  such  marked  humility.  Besides, 
the  context  and  Matt.  xxv.  are  in  favor  of  the  former 
view.  It  is  the  most  honorable  office  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  to  receive  the  King  Himself;  hence  our 
Lord  says :  This  distinguished  office  commences  even 
when  you  receive  a  child  in  My  name  (comp.  John 
xxi.  15,  and  the  end  of  Gerson's  life*).  But  this 
does  not  imply  that  the  Saviour  here  referred  to  a 
natural,  in  opposition  to  a  spiritual,  child.  Even  a 
poor  negro,  who  is  desirous  of  being  admitted  into 
the  school  of  Christ,  may  be  such  a  child.  In  gen- 
eral, the  expression  applies  to  those  who  are  appa- 
rently small,  as  contrasted  with  those  who  are  appa- 
rently great,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  hence,  to 
catechumens  and  Sunday-school  scholars,  or  to  those 
who  receive  instruction,  in  opposition  to  those  who 
impart  it — to  the  Church  under  guidance,  in  opposi- 
tion to  that  part  of  it  which  guides.  The  real  glory 
of  office,  and  the  real  primacy  of  the  Apostles,  was 
to  appear  in  their  spiritual  service  and  in  their  con- 
descension to  those  who  were  smadl,  in  the  care  of 
the  Lamb  of  Christ  in  the  school  and  the  catechetical 
class.  And  this  promise  applied  in  all  its  fulness  to 
such  service  of  love,  even  in  a  single  case. — Shall 
receive,  i.  e.,  into  spiritual  fellowship. 


*  [Dr.  Lange  refers  here  to  the  celebrated  John  Charlier 
Gcrson,  who  was  chancellor  of  the  university  of  Paris  and 
the  theolofrical  leader  of  the  rcforiiiatory  councils  of  Pisa 
(1409)  and  Constance  (1415).  After  takinj:  a  prominent  part 
in  all  the  great  questions  of  his  age,  he  retired  to  a  convent 
at  Lyons,  and  found  his  chief  delight  in  the  instruction  of 
little  children.  As  lie  felt  the  approach  of  de.ath,  he  called 
once  more  the  children  that  thi-y  might  pray  with  him: 
Lord  of  mercy,  have  mercy  upon  Thy  poor  »ervai;t !  He  ap- 
pears greater  In  this  humility,  than  wiien  he  swayed  by  his 
eloquence  the  council  of  bi>hoi)S.  He  died  A.  D.  1429,  66 
years  old.— P.  8.] 


324 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


In  My  name. — Proi)crly,  on  the  ground  of  My 
name  ;  tlie  fellowship  of  faith  coiribininf:;  and  uniting 
the  teacher  and  the  luiiglit  in  the  name  of  Clnist. 
Hence,  neither  referring  exclusively  to  the  faith  of 
him  wlio  was  to  receive  (de  Wette),  nor  to  that  of 
those  who  were  to  be  received. 

Ver.  C.  But  whoso  shall  give  offence. — Who- 
so shall  give  him  occasion  for  relapsing  into  unbe- 
lief, as  was  done  by  hierarchical  arrogance.  This 
was  the  offence  with  which  the  Church  was  at  that 
moment  threatened.  There  the  hearts  of  the  fathers 
were  turned  from  their  children,  giving  occasion  for 
the  hearts  of  the  children  turning  from  llie  fatlicrs 
(see  Mai.  iv.  6,  the  concluding  utterance  of  llie  Old 
Testament,  and  Luke  i.  17).  These  later  generations 
were  led  into  unbelief  by  the  hierarchical  pretensions 
of  the  fathers,  with  tlieir  traditions. 

One  of  these  little  ones  (a  smgle  one). — Those 
of  whom  this  child  was  a  type.  As  formerly,  the  lit- 
tle ones  being  the  beginners  in  the  faith,  or  occupy- 
ing a  lower  place  in  the  Church  ;  hence  those  who 
were  naturally  cr  spiritually  little.  But  evidently 
those  who  had  become  little,  in  the  sense  of  being 
thoroughly  luunbled,  are  not  so  easily  shaken  in  their 
faith  by  hierarchical  pretensions. 

It  were  better  for  him,  or  literally  :  it  profit, 
eth  him  for  this  (m;  u<i>e  p  e  i  avrw  'iva)  that 
a  millstone  were  hanged,  etc. — Meyer  deems  it 
imperative  to  take  tlie  V  v  a.  ,  in  the  expression 
(TviJ.(pipei  'iva,  in  the  proper  sense.  He  ex- 
plains, though  not  very  clearly,  that  the  text  im- 
plies that  his  conduct  would  subserve  that  special 
purpose.  Following  the  trace  here  indicated,  we 
infer  that  the  offence  given  arose  from  a  desire 
after  spiritual  dominaiion.  This  motive,  then,  of  his 
offence  (domination  over  the  conscience)  is  ironically 
characterized  in  the  text  as  profiting  him  (badly), 
for  the  purpose  of  having  a  millstone  hanged,  etc. 
We  may  illustrate  this  by  quoting  on  analogous  say- 
ing of  Luther,  addressed  to  the  Elector  John  :  "  A 
forced  Christian  is  a  very  pleasant  and  agreeable 
guest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  in  whom  God  takes 
special  delight,  and  whom  He  will  ceitainly  set  high- 
est up  among  the  angels — in  tlte  deipest  bottom  of 
hell.''''  Of  course,  the  statement  applies  much  more 
fully  to  hierarchical  pretensions.  Mis  arrogance  and 
his  domination  profiteth  him — yes,  for  this  purpose, 
that  a  millstone  shall  be  hanged,  etc. — We  are  now 
prepared  to  understand  the  symbolical  expressions, 
millstone  and  sea.  From  other  passages  we  learn 
that  hierarchism  is  destined  to  perish  in  the  angry 
waves  of  the  sea  of  nations,  or  in  the  midst  of  revolu- 
tions (Matt.  vii.  6  ;  Rev.  xiii.  1,  etc.).  The  expres- 
sion millstone  is,  in  the  first  instance,  intended  to  des- 
ignate a  very  large  stone  (Rev.  xviii.  21),  more 
especially  the  large  upper  millstone  which  was  driven 
round  by  asses.*  However,  the  term  is  not  merely 
intended  to  refer  to  the  weight  of  the  stone,  but  also 
to  the  object  which  it  serves  in  the  mill.  The  latter 
is  a  figure  of  life,  in  its  means  of  support  (Matt.  xxiv. 
41  ;_Rev.  xviii.  22),  while  the  millstone  refers  to  the 
motive  power.  But  the  possessions  of  the  temple 
were  the  load  by  which  a  corrupt  hierarchy  was  ulti- 
mately drawn  into  the  depths  of  the  sea  of  perdition 
(James  v.  1).  To  the  Jews  generally,  the  temple  be- 
came in  the  end  a  millstone  himg  round  their  neck, 
■which  drew  them  into  the  depth  of  the  sea  of  nations. 


*  [Hence  de  Wette  and  Meyer  translate  fxvKos  oi'ik6's 
literally  :  Eselsmuldntein,  in  distinction  from  the  smaller 
/uind-miUstones.—P.  3.] 


But  this  was  not  the  end  of  offences.  The  k  o  r  o  - 
TT  oi'r  t  (T  fj.i'i  $  "  was  a  mode  of  punishment  common 
among  the  Greeks,  Romans,  Syrians,  and  Phfenicians, 
but  not  among  the  Jews.  Hence  it  may  be  regarded 
as  a  dramatic  and  strong  cxju-ession  of  the  idea  :  he 
shall  be  deprived  of  life."  (Meyer.)  But  even  this 
heathen  form  of  punishment  deserves  notice.  The 
Jewish  hierarchy  was  to  be  swept  away  by  hea- 
thens. 

Yer.  7.  Woe  unto  the  world  because  of  of- 
fences.— The  world  as  such  does  not  ff/vc,  but  receive 
offences  from  false  disciples  ;  and  that  in  what  may 
be  designated  its  border  land,  where  it  is  represented 
by  the  little  ones.  The  oifence  of  these  little  ones 
would  accumulate  to  such  an  amount  as  to  bring  a 
woe  upon  the  whole  world  (comp.  Matt,  xxiii.  15 ; 
Rev.  xvii.  5). 

For  it  must  needs  be. — Not  referring  to  fate, 
or  to  a  metaphysical,  but  to  a  historical  avdyK-n,  or 
the  necessary  connection  between  guilt  and  judg- 
ment ;  and  in  this  sense  not  merely  allowed  by  God, 
but  "  ultimately  traceable  to  the  divine  counsel." 
(Meyer.) 

But  woe  to  the  man  by  whom  the  offence 
cometh. —  The  offeoice  {to  a-KavSaXoy)  is  the 
guilt  of  an  mdividual,  giving  rise  to  offences  (to  (tkuv- 
5  a  A  a),  which  themselves  are  sent  by  way  of  judg- 
ment. And  if  woe  descends  on  the  world  on  account 
of  these  offences,  how  much  more  does  it  hold  tnie 
of  the  man  who  is  the  cause  or  the  occasion  of  them ! 
Instances  of  individuals  who  gave  such  olfences  wiU 
readily  occur  to  the  reader  ;  as,  for  example,  Judas, 
Caiaphas,  etc.  (On  the  other  aspect  of  historical  ne- 
cessity, comp.  the  word  of  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi.  19.) 

Ver.  8.  Wherefore,  if  thy  han4  or  thy  foot 
offend  thee. — Comp.  ch.  v.  29.  De  Wette  and  oth- 
ers regard  this  as  a  mere  repetition  not  suitable  in 
this  connection,  as  referring  to  seduction  by  our  own 
senses  and  not  by  the  instrumentality  of  others.  But 
it  should  be  noted,  that  in  the  former  passage  the  ex- 
pression is  used  in  connection  with  marriage  offences ; 
and  here,  in  regard  to  ecclesiastical  offences, — the 
link  of  connection  being  the  mystical  idea  of  mar- 
riage. Hence  it  means,  If  thine  hand,  or  thy  foot,  or 
thine  eye,  threaten  to  sever  the  union  between  thy 
heart  and  Christ.  The  ministers  of  Christ  are  them- 
selves offended  by  their  hand,  their  foot,  or  their  eye, 
before  they  become  an  offence  to  others.  The  text 
aptly  adds,  the  foot,  to  the  other  emblems  mentioned 
in  ch.  V.  29,  which  in  this  connection  have  a  different 
meaning  from  the  earlier  passage.  The  hand  here 
designates  special  aptitude  and  inclination  for  ecclesi- 
astical government ;  the  foot,  for  ecclesiastical  exer- 
tion and  missionary  undertakings ;  the  eye,  for  ec- 
clesiastical perception  and  knowledge.  All  these  gifts 
should  remain  in  subjection  to  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
and  serve  for  the  advancement  and  edification  of  the 
little  ones,  instead  of  inducmg  pride  or  contempt  of 
inferiors. 

It  will  look  fairer,  Ka\6  v  a oi  i  a t  tv  {it 
is  better  for  thee). — The  Hebrews  combined  the 
two  ideas  of  goodness  and  beauty  under  the  term 
good,  while  the  Greeks  comprehended  them  under 
that  of  fair.  Both  views  may  equally  be  expressed 
in  Christian  language.  In  the  present  instance,  the 
idea  of  beauty  is  brought  prominently  forward,  with 
special  reference  to  the  maiming  caused  by  moral 
necessity.  Philologically  we  note,  that  the  positive 
degree  kolKop  is  here  combined  with  the  compara- 
tive ^,  on  account  of  the  attractive  combmation 
of  the  two  constructions.     (Comp.  Meyer.) 


cm\^.  XVIII.  1-14. 


325 


Halt. — The  loss  of  one  foot  causes  the  other  to 
halt.  The  expression  "  maimed"  refers  more  partic- 
ularly to  the  arras. 

Yer.  10.  Take  heed. — Our  Lord  again  addresses 
Himself  to  the  disciples,  who  were  not  to  give  of- 
fence, lie  mentions  the  cause  of  such  oflfence  as  con- 
sisting in  contempt,  more  especially  of  these  little  02i.es. 
Accordingly,  He  now  points  out  the  high  value  which 
God  sets  upon  tliem. 

Their  angels  in  heaven  do  always  behold. 
— De  Wette :  "  In  the  Old  Testament  we  only  read 
of  guardian  angels  of  empires  (Dan.  x.  13,  20).  But 
at  a  later  period  the  Jews  believed  also  in  the  ex- 
istence of  guardian  angels  for  individuals  (Targ.  Jon- 
athan; Gen.  xxxiii.  10  ;  xxxv.  10;  xlviii.  1(5.  Eisen- 
menger,  Neuentdeckies  Judentkum,  i.  389).  Similarly 
also  the  New  Testament  (Acts  xii.  7  ?)  The  expres- 
sion, that  the  guardian  angels  of  these  children  al- 
ways behold  the  face  of  God,  or  are  near  unto  Him 
(as  the  servants  of  a  king,  2  Kings  xxv.  19),  implies, 
that  God  specially  cares  for  them.  But  as  Jesus 
cannot  ascribe  any  partiality  to  God,  even  for  inno- 
cent children,  the  whole  statement  must  be  regarded 
as  a  figurative  expression,  indicating  the  high  value 
attaching  to  these  children,  and  the  importance  of 
their  spiritual  welfare."  Meyer,  in  opposition  to 
de  Wette,  justly  remarks  :  "The  belief  in  guardian 
angels  is  here  clearly  admitted  by  Christ.  Critics 
should  simply  acknowledge  the  fact,  without  adopt- 
ing the  idea  that  it  applies  to  patron  saints  enjoying 
peculiar  bliss  in  heaven."  Grotius  takes  the  Roman 
Catholic  view  of  this  passage,  which  of  course  most 
Protestant  divines  controvert.  Grotius  appeals  to 
Origen  [Homil.  viii.  in  Genesin),  to  Tertullian  (de 
Baptismo),  and  to  Clement,  who  speaks  of  the  pro- 
tecting demon  in  which  the  Platonists  believed.  Still, 
Clement  does  not  maintain  in  so  many  words  that 
every  one  had  his  patron  angel.  Origen,  and  after 
him  Gregory  of  Nyssa,  held  that  every  person  was 
accompanied  both  by  a  good  and  by  an  evil  angel. 
The  view  of  Grotius  is  somewhat  different.  He  be- 
lieves in  the  general  guardianship  of  angels,  rather 
than  in  the  attendance  of  individual  messengers  of 
mercy.  Olshausen  apphes  the  passage  to  the  pre- 
cxistent  ideal  of  men.  But  it  deserves  notice,  that 
while  Jesus  evidently  admits  the  doctrine  concerning 
guardian  angels,  which  had  been  fully  developed  dur- 
ing the  period  of  the  Apocrypha,  He  lays  special  em- 
phasis not  so  much  on  that  subject,  as  on  the  fact, 
that  the  angels  of  these  little  ones  always  behold  the 
face  of  God.  Not  only  are  they  highly  placed,  but 
they  do  not  seem  to  be  actively  employed — as  if  God 
were  through  them  always  Himself  looking  upon 
these  little  ones.  There  is  a  most  special  Providence 
watching  over  the  little  ones,  of  which  the  angels  are 
the  medium,  and  in  which  the  angelic  life  of  these 
children  is  combined  with  the  highest  guardianship 
in  heaven  and  on  earth.  The  fundamental  idea  is, 
that  the  highest  angels  of  God  in  heaven  represent 
the  smallest  subjects  of  His  kingdom  on  earth,  Ps. 
cxiii.  5,  6.  The  eye  of  God  rests  in  special  protec- 
tion on  the  young  seed  in  His  kingdom  (Matt.  xix.). 
But  as  Christ  is  the  Angel  of  His  presence  in  a  unique 
sense,  while  here  we  read  of  angels  of  the  presence 
in  the  plural  (the  idea  being  formed  after  the  analogy 
of  the  ministers  of  eastern  kings,  2  Kings  xxv.  19, 
comp.  with  1  Kings  x.  8),  it  follows,  that  Christ  Him- 
self, as  the  great  Advocate  and  Intercessor,  is  Him- 
self the  central-point  of  this  angelic  guardianship. 

Yer.  1 1 .  That  -which  is  lost. — A  strong  gener- 
al expression,  designating  those  who  are  lost.   Meyer : 


those  who  had  incurred  eternal  damnation.  But  the 
succeeding  pava))le  shows  tliat  our  Lord  rather  refers 
to  those  who  had  strayed  and  were  in  misery.  The 
conduct  of  Christ  forms  a  direct  contrast  to  that  of 
the  men  giving  offence.  •  He  came  to  save  that  which 
was  lost ;  while  they,  in  their  pride,  repelled  those 
who  had  lately  given  hope  of  escaping  from  their  lost 
state.  Hence  also,  as  the  Angel  of  the  presence,  and 
as  Saviour  of  the  lost,  Christ  Himself  is  surety  to  us 
that  tlicse  little  ones  are  represented  in  the  presence 
of  His  Father  by  Himself  and  His  associates. 

[Stiek  :  "  Here  is  Jacob's  ladder  planted  before 
our  eyes :  beneath  are  the  little  ones  [the  children 
of  age  and  of  grace]  ; — then  their  angels  ; — then  the 
Son  of  Man  in  heaven,  in  whom  alone  man  is  exalted 
above  the  angels,  who,  as  the  great  Angel  of  the 
Covenant,  cometh  from  the  presence  and  bosom  of 
the  Father  to  save  tliose  that  were  lost;  and  above 
Him  again  (ver.  14)  the  Father  Himself,  and  His  good 
pleasure." — P.  S.] 

Yer.  12.  What  think  ye? — In^ch.  xv.  4,  this    £  c 
parable  is  again  introduced  in  a  different  context. 
But  we  readily  trace  an  internal  connection  between 
these  two  occasions,  both  in  reference  to  the  circum- 
stances in  which  they  were  uttered,  and  to  the  state 
of  feehng  prevaOing  at  the  time.    The  difference,  that 
in  the  one  case  the  ninety-nine  sheep  are  represent- 
ed as  left  in  the  mountains,  and  in  the  other  in  the 
vjilderness,  is  unimportant.     Of  greater  moment   is 
the  fact,  that  in  the  Gospel  -of  Matthew  the  parable  ' 
is  addressed  to  the  Pharisees,  who  themselves  repre- 
sent  the  ninety-nine  sheep,  while  in  the  Gospel  of    fiyO 
Luke  it  is  spoken  to  the  New  Testament  shepherds, 
who,  after  the  example  of  the  Master,  were  to  take 
special  charge  of  the  lost. 

Ver.  14.  JElven  so  it  is  not  the  will  of  your 
Father. — He  has  no  fixed  purpose  that  one  of  these 
little  ones  perish.  We  regard  this  as  a  decisive 
statement  against  the  doctrine  of  actual  predestina- 
tion to  condemncdion.  This  negation  implies,  in  the 
first  instance,  a  denial  of  all  those  assumptions  ac- 
cording to  which  hierarchical  minds  attempt  judicial- 
ly to  fix  the  state  of  souls.  For  this  they  have  no 
authority  whatever  in  the  gospel ;  on  the  contrary, 
their  human  traditions  are  in  direct  opposition  to  the 
will  of  God.  The  statement  of  Christ,  also,  evidently 
implies  an  affirmation,  that  God  willeth  that  all  should 
be  saved  (1  Tim.  ii.  4).  He  would  secure  for  Him- 
self the  full  number  of  His  flock  ;  and  hence  caileth 
sinners,  and  more  particularly  the  lost.  On  this  very 
ground,  then,  His  great  care  is  on  behalf  of  that 
which  is  lost ;  His  is  saving  grace.  To  such  an  ex- 
tent is  His  administration  directed  by  grace,  that,  in 
view  of  it,  one  lost  sheep  may  exceed  in  importance 
ninety-nine  who  are  not  lost.  These  ninety-nine  sheep 
either  feed  themselves  (according  to  the  passage  in 
the  text),  or  else  deem  themselves  independent  of 
special  help  (according  to  the  passage  in  Luke).  At 
all  events,  the  case  is  quite  different  with  the  lost 
sheep,  whether  the  idea  of  "  lost "  be  taken  in  the 
objective,  as  in  t!ie  text,  or  in  the  subjective  sense, 
as  in  Luke.  To  all  such  the  blessed  decree  of  grace 
applies,  and  for  such  the  Son  and  the  Spirit  are 
waitmg. 


DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  It  scarcely  requires  any  argument  to  show  that 
this  statement  of  the  Lord  concerning  the  little  child 
affords  no  evidence  against  the  doctrine  of  original 


326 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


sin.  When  Jesus  called  Peter  blessed,  He  referred 
to  his  faith  as  Peter,  not  to  his  individuality  as  Si- 
mon. Similarly,  vhen  setting  the  child  in  the  midst, 
it  is  its  eliildlikenoss,  and  not  the  mere  fact  of  its 
youth,  far  less  that  of  its  innocence,  which  is  intend- 
ed as  an  emblem  and  model.  Children  are  here  a 
symbol  of  humility,  just  as  natural  birth  is  a  symbol 
of  regeneration.  Hence  we  also  infer  that  the  Lord 
here  alluded  to  the  natural  humility  of  the  child,  to 
its  dependence,  need  of  affection,  and  consequent 
want  of  pretension,  as  well  as  to  its  enjoyment  of  the 
passing  moment. 

2.  IVho  is  the  greatest  in  tJie  kitigdom  of  heaven  ? 
— Who  has  the  primacy?  It  might  almost  seem  as 
if  the  disciples  were  relapsing  into  their  old  Jewish 
views  of  a  carnal  kingdom,  with  political  offices, 
ranks,  and  dignities  attaching  to  it.  But  this  was 
not  the  case.  They  knew  that  their  ficKAriaia  was 
destined  to  form  a  contrast  to  the  ancient  theocracy, 
and  to  the  kingdoms  of  this  world.  Still,  they  had 
as  yet  no  adequate  conception  of  a  spiritual  order  of 
things,  and  accordingly  transferred  to  the  Church 
their  political  and  hierarchical  associations.  If  a 
Church  was  to  be  founded,  a  hierarchy  must,  in  their 
opinion,  be  instituted  along  with  it.  This  idea  seems 
to  have  been  further  confirmed  in  their  minds  after 
the  transaction  about  the  tribute-money,  in  which 
they  seem  to  have  noted  rather  the  distinction  con- 
ferred on  Peter,  than  the  humiliation  wliich  he  had 
experienced. 

3.  As  the  inquiry  of  the  disciples  bore  so  dis- 
tinctly upon  the  establishment  of  a  hierarchy,  the 
symbolical  action  of  the  Master,  in  placing  a  child  in 
the  midst  of  them,  formed  the  most  complete  refuta- 
tion of  their  theory.  Still,  this  ti-ansaction  does  not 
in  the  least  invalidate  the  institution  of  the  apostoli- 
cal and  ecclesiastical  office  (ch.  xvi.).  Hence  the  pas- 
sage must  be  regarded  as  only  more  clearly  defining 
the  ecclesiastical  office,  as  a  ministry  of  love  (a  min- 
isterial office  for  the  sacerdotium  of  the  whole  con- 
gregation, according  to  the  principles  of  the  gospel), 
— a  ministry  of  humility,  in  opposition  to  hierarchical 
claims  ;  of  condescension  to  little  ones,  in  opposition 
to  that  of  ascending  grades  ;  and  of  pastoral  watch- 
fulness, in  opposition  to  hierarchical  pride  and  dom- 
ination, which  is  here  characterized  and  condemned 
both  as  the  grand  offence  of  New  Testament  times, 
and  as  the  greatest  temptation  and  corruption  of  the 
Christian  world.  From  this  explanation  of  the  Lord, 
we  are  enabled  to  gather  the  great  outlines  of  New 
Testament  Church  order:  1.  Its  leading  principles 
(in  our  section) ;  again,  2.  the  rules  of  Christian  dis- 
cipline ;  3.  tliose  of  Christian  and  ecclesiastical  ab- 
solution.   The  leading  principles  are  as  follows  : 

a.  First  principle  :  Except  ye  be  converted. — 
Conversion  is  the  primary  condition,  not  only  of  be- 
ing leaders  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  even  of 
being  members  of  it.'  This  conversion  must  be  more 
particularly  characterized  by  a  childlike  want  of  pre- 
tension,— i.  e.,  by  spiritual  humility,  which  may  be 
described  as  repentance  in  a  permanent  form.  Hence 
the  imperious  hierarch  excludes  himself,  both  by  his 
spirit  and  by  his  conduct,  not  only  from  office,  but 
even  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven  itself.  He  ceases 
not  merely  to  be  a  servant  of  Christ,  but  even  a 
Christian.  All  such  desires  after  primacy  must  be 
removed  by  conversion  and  regeneration.  Luther  : 
"  Who  has  ever  seen  an  animal  living  after  its  head 
was  dead  V  " 

b.  Second  principle  :  Whosoever  therefore  shall 
humble  kimself. — Rank  or  dignity  in  the  kingdom  of 


heaven  is  to  be  proportionate  to  humility  and  to  the 
ministry  of  love.  In  other  words,  real  condescension 
(not  merely  by  such  jjhrascs  as  the  i)apal  servus  ser- 
voruin)  is  to  be  the  measure  of  our  real  exaltation. 
The  general  basis  underlying  all  is,  that  all  are  equal 
and  one  in  Christ.  The  desires  after  primacy  are  to 
give  place  to  an  opposite  desire  after  fraternal  ser- 
vice of  love. 

c.  Third  principle  :  Whoso  shall  receive  one 
such  little  child. — Christ  would  have  us  recognize  and 
receive  Himself  in  these  little  ones,  or  in  beginners 
in  the  faith.  Our  evangelical  ministry  is  to  be  char- 
acterized by  respect  and  veneration  for  the  life  that 
is  of  God,  or  for  Christ  in  His  little  ones.  Thus  the 
pastoral  office  is  to  combuae  the  qualities  of  freedom 
on  the  one,  and  of  love  on  the  other,  hand ;  while  it 
is  at  the  same  time  made  the  means  of  training  the 
young  and  the  weak  in  faith  to  the  manhood  and 
full  stature  in  Christ. 

Thus  there  are  three  degrees  of  evangelical  pri- 
macy— humble  faith,  condescension  to  the  little  ones, 
and  the  training  and  elevating  them — in  opposition 
to  the  three  stages  of  hierarchical  primacy.  The  lat- 
ter are — 1.  Progressive  symbolical  conversion  to  hie- 
rarchism ;  2.  hierarchical  gradations ;  3.  contempt 
of  the  congregation  of  the  little  ones.  Accordingly, 
the  triple  crown  of  the  true  minister  of  Christ  con- 
sists in  conversion  and  humility,  fraternal  service  of 
love,  and  veneration  for  the  priestly  character  of  the 
congregation  (Christ  in  the  little  ones). 

4.  But  ivhoso  shall  offend. — We  have  now  a  delin- 
eation of  the  opposite  conduct. 

a.  From  the  context  we  gather  that  the  passage 
applies  exclusively  to  offences  arising  from  hierarch- 
ical pride,  self-exaltation  and  contempt  of  these  little 
ones.  The  Lord  first  refers  to  the  sin,  and  then  to  the 
punishment. 

b.  Jesus  announces  that  great  danger  and  cor- 
ruption would  accrue  to  the  world  from  these  offen- 
ces.   Woe  unto  the  world  because  of  offences  ! 

e.  The  Lord  shows  how  His  servants  may  come 
to  give  offence  to  others,  having  been  first  tempted 
and  seduced  themselves  (being  offended  by  their 
hand,  their  foot,  or  their  eye).  From  the  context  we 
gather  that  in  this  connection  the  term  hand  refers 
to  ecclesiastical  despotism  (Matt,  xxiii.  13,  14), /oo< 
to  activity  in  proselytizing  (Matt,  xxiii.  15),  and  eye 
to  pride  of  knowledge  which  would  seek  to  exalt  pa- 
tristic, gnostic,  theosophic,  or  mystical  lore  and  fel- 
lowship above  the  Church,  Rom.  xii.  3.  The  Apostle 
John,  who  was  the  occasion  of  this  saying,  himself 
afforded  a  signal  instance  of  the  manner  in  which  a 
right  hand  was  to  be  cut  off  {see  the  author's  Leben 
Jesu.,  ii.  2,  p.  1021).  Stier  (iii.  26)  seems  to  overlook 
the  necessity  of  John's  special  training  for  the  high 
place  which  he  was  to  occupy  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

(/.  The  source  of  these  offences  :  contempt  of  the 
little  ones.  This  is  to  give  place  to  a  proper  acknowl- 
edgment of  their  character,  of  their  mysterious  prox- 
imity to  God,  of  their  calling  and  object  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  and  of  their  glorious  and  blessed 
representatives  and  guardians,  viz.,  the  angels  and 
Christ  Himself. 

5.  Both  the  above  antitheses  are  now  explained 
and  illustrated  by  the  fundamental  idea  and  charac- 
teristic feature  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  is 
compassion.  For  the  Son  of  Man  is  come  to  save 
that  which  was  lost.  Christ  primarily  came  to  seek 
that  which  was  lost,  and  not  merely  the  little  ones. 
In  this  economy  of  sovereign  pity,  where  the  Saviour 


CHAP.  XVni.  1-14. 


327 


descends  to  the  lowest  depth  of  misery,  there  to  dis- 
play in  all  its  fulness  His  character  as  Redeemer,  it 
is  impossible' that  His  subordinate  servants  should 
enter  upon  an  opposite  course.  The  waichfubiess  of 
the  faithful  shepherd  in  the  moimtains  serves  as  an 
emblem  of  the  faithfuhiess  of  our  he. .venly  Shepherd. 
But  the  root  and  spring  of  their  life  :  lust  ultimately 
be  traced  to  the  gracious  purpose  of  our  Father  in 
heaven,  who  willeth  not  that  one  of  these  Uttle  ones 
perish. 

6.  The  fact,  that  in  Matt,  xviii.  the  disciples  are 
introduced  as  asking  the  Lord  who  was  the  greatest 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  mcoiUcstably  proves  that 
He  could  not  have  meant  His  statement  in  Matt.  xvi. 
to  imply  that  Peter  was  to  enjoy  any  primacy  in  the 
Church. 

v.  We  may  here  remark,  that  for  educational  pur- 
poses it  is  well,  wisely  to  set  before  children  the  two 
great  dangers — of  excessive  childishness,  on  the  one 
hand,  and,  on  the  other,  of  an  unchildlike  spirit. 


aOMILETICAL  AND   PEACTICAL. 

The  Lord  Himself  must  settle  the  question  about 
primacy. — Primacy  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  belongs 
to  obscure  children. — The  solemn  declaration  of  the 
Lord  against  any  human  primacy  in  His  Church. — 
Let  us  take  the  little  ones,  and  not  the  great  of  this 
•world,  as  our  model  for  the  offices  and  dignities  in 
the  Church. — The  httle  child  a  warning  lesson  set  be- 
fore thf  Apostles. — How  the  Lord  has  made  children 
a  perpetual  and  living  condemnation  of  spiritual  and 
ecclesiastical  pretensions. — The  child  a  twofold  em- 
blem: 1.  A  model  to  those  who  deem  themselves 
great,  how  they  are  to  become  little,  and  thereby  really 
great ;  2.  a  symbol  of  those  who  are  Uttle  in  a  spirit- 
ual sense,  and  who  are  not  to  be  offended  by  sjiirit- 
ual  domination. — Personal  regeneration  the  condition 
of  ecclesiastical  greatness. — It  is  altogether  vain  to 
contend  for  a  position  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  if  there 
is  any  question  as  to  our  having  entered  into  it. — 
"  Except  ye  be  converted  ;  "  or,  aims  after  worldly 
greatness  in  the  Cl^urch,  are  in  reality  aims  after  go- 
ing beyond  its  pale. — A  perversion  of  the  office  of 
minister  into  ruler,  as  raising  the  question  of  the  gen- 
uineness of  our  first  conversion. — In  what  respect 
may  children  serve  as  models  to  the  ministers  of 
Christ  ? — To  Christians  generally? — Self-abasement 
the  only  road  to  exaltation  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
— How  the  little  ones  grow,  just  because  they  are 
little. — How  the  want  of  pretension  in  children  se- 
cures their  enjoyment  of  life  and  their  pre-eminence. 
— The  threefold  sermon  of  the  Lord  on  the  subject 
of  the  little  ones  :  1.  Become  as  little  children,  in  or- 
der to  become  Christians ;  2.  Receive  these  httle 
children  for  Christ's  sake  ;  3.  Offend  not  these  httle 
children,  who  enjoy  the  guardianship  of  the  angels 
and  of  the  Father  who  is  in  heaven. — Whoso  shall 
receive  one  such  Uttle  chUd. — Only  he  who  can  feed 
the  lambs  can  feed  the  sheep ;  see  John  xx.  15. — 
Honorable  distinction  of  the  office  of  teacher. — Sa- 
credness  of  the  catechetical  office. — Solemn  judgment 
resting  on  those  who  give  offence  to  the  little  ones. — 
To  what  offences  did  the  Lord  specially  refer  in  the 
text  ? — Ofi'enccs  are  unavoidable,  yet  their  authors 
are  chargeable  with  them. — If  we  are  to  avoid  giving 
oifence  to  the  members  of  Christ,  let  us  beware  of 
taking  offence  in  our  own  members. — How  a  Chris- 
tian may  become  an  oifence  in  the  Church :  1,  By 


the  domination  of  his  hand  ;  2.  by  the  spurious  pros- 
elytizing zeal  of  his  foot ;  3.  by  the  fanatical  and 
distorted  perceptions  of  his  eye. — How  a  Christian 
is  to  make  sure  of  his  fellowship  with  the  Church, 
even  at  the  cost  of  the  most  painful  sacrifices,  Rom. 
xii.  3 ;  in  the  same  manner  also  to  secure  his  own 
salvation. — The  abuse  of  God's  gifts  for  selfish  pur- 
poses will  ensure  our  ruin. — Christ  condescending  to 
seek  that  which  was  lost  a  model  to  His  servants. — 
How  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  and  of  those  who  would 
assume  the  mastery  in  the  Church,  are  opposed:  1. 
Christ  descended,  and  then  ascended  ;  2.  they  ascend, 
and  then  descend,  as  if  a  millstone  were  hanged 
round  their  necks,  and  they  drawn  into  the  depths 
of  the  sea. — The  ministry  of  the  gospel  not  priestly 
domination,  but  pastoral  service. — The  faithfulness 
of  earthly  shepherds  a  symbol  of  that  of  the  Great 
Shepherd. — Why  the  Shepherd  cherishes  so  much 
tlie  lost  sheep  :  1.  Because  it  is  a  lost  life,  and  not  a 
dead  possession ;  2.  because  He  is  a  faithful  Shep- 
herd, full  of  compassion,  not  one  who  reckons  close- 
ly.— One  lost  sheep  may  be  of  greater  importance  to 
the  Good  Shepherd  than  ninety  and  nine  who  have 
not  gone  astray;  or,  the  infinite  glory  of  the  king- 
dom of  grace. — "  It  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father," 
etc.  Lessons  to  be  derived  from  this  by  the  Church  : 
1.  In  resjiect  of  doctrine;  2.  in  respect  of  rule;  3. 
in  respect  of  the  mission  of  the  Church. — The  three- 
fold will :  to  save  that  which  was  lost.  The  wiU,  1. 
in  heaven  above ;  2.  on  Golgotha ;  3.  in  the  heart 
of  the  Church. 

Starke  : — Hedinc/er  :  What  a  shame  that  the 
disciples  of  Christ  should  be  engrossed  with  pride 
and  ambition,  when  their  Head  has  become  their  ser- 
vant, and  for  their  sake  humbled  Himself  even  unto 
death  ! — Zeisius  :  It  is  the  wicked  way  of  man  that 
each  one  seeks  to  become  high,  not  lowly — to  ride, 
not  to  serve. — It  is  not  said.  Become  Uttle  children, 
l3ut,  Become  as  little  children. — Langii  opus  bihl. : 
The  innocence  of  children  appears  especiaUy  in  their 
simplicity,  h\nniUty,  love,  kindliness,  and  obedience, 
viewing  these  qualities  alone,  and  irrespective  of  their 
faults. — Zeisius :  He  v.ho  is  lowest  in  his  own  eyes, 
and  in  those  of  the  world,  is  greatest  before  God. — 
Think  not  hov/  you  may  becotne  great,  but  rather 
how  ye  may  be  made  small. — What  a  blessed  work, 
and  what  glorious  reward,  to  become  the  patron  and 
friend  of  children,  of  orphans,  and  of  the  weak  ! — 
Canslcin  :  To  build  orphanages  is  a  great  work. — 
What  precious  treasure  have  parents  in  their  chil- 
dren, since  for  their  sakes  the  holy  angels  and  Christ 
Himself  lodge  with  them  !  Bibl.  Wurt. —  Quesnel : 
If  to  offend  one  soul  is  to  incur  the  wrath  of  God, 
how  awful  must  be  the  judgment  of  those  who  offend 
a  whole  town  or  country ! — Offences  are  the  source 
of  fearful  evil  to  the  world ;  but  they  are  made  to 
work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God. 

Lisco  : — The  main  point  consists  in  that  sense 
of  weakness  and  dependence  which  is  characteristic 
of  children. 

Gerlach  : — On  account  of  their  weakness,  chil- 
dren require  the  special  protection  of  angels;  but 
they  are  so  precious  in  the  sight  of  God,  that  He 
selects  for  that  purpose  His  most  exalted  messen- 
gers. 

Heulner : — The  human  heart  is  naturaUy  inclined 
to  self-exaltation,  and  both  ambition  and  pride  find 
their  way  even  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ. — How 
Christ  answered  the  inquiry,  what  constituted  true 
and  what  spurious  greatness. — Each  one  of  us  re- 
quires a  thorough  conversion  of  the  heart. — A  child- 


328 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  5IATTIIEW. 


like  spirit,  the  basis  of  true  religion. — A  childlike 
spirit :  humility,  guilelcssness,  forgetfuhiess  of  self, 
teachableness,  "faith. —  G-'o/te  (from  )Spangenberg  and 
Luther) :  The  child  the  living  symbol  of  the  destiny 
of  man. — The  more  willing  thou  art  to  become  a 
child,  the  more  fully  wilt  thou  experience  that  (>od 
is  thy  Father. — The  time  will  come  when  God  will  ac- 
knowledge quiet,  humble,  and  retiring  souls. — Those 
who  seduce  simple  and  unsuspecting  minds  incur  the 
heaviest  guilt. — The  woi-ld  the  scene  of  offences. — 
Every  other  evil  is  as  nothing  compared  with  the 
number  of  seductions  in  the  world. — Children  and 
childlike  persons  the  special  favorites  of  Heaven. — 
To  train  children  is  to  give  joy  to  the  angels. — Bren- 


tiiis,  Prof  alio  calechismi  :  In  medio  jmerorum  ver- 
sari  est  esse  in  medio  angelorum.  —  On  the  whole 
section: — The  conversion  to  childhkeness  of  spirit 
which  the  Lord  here  requires:  1.  Its  character;  2. 
its  importance. — How  Christ,  the  Friend  of  children, 
recommends  children  to  our  care. — Christ  is  that 
faithful  Shepherd  who  has  left  His  thousands  on  the 
heavenly  mountains  (the  angelic  hosts,  as  Cyril  of 
Jerusalem  has  it.  Cat.  xv.)  to  come  down  and  seek 
the  lost  sheep  of  liumanity. — Rieger  {Five  Sermons, 
Leipzig,  1766):  The  gracious  care  of  our  Father  in 
heaven  and  of  Christ  even  for  a  single  soul. 

Bachmann : — The  high  value  attaching  to  chil- 
dren in  the  kingdom  of  God. 


B.   The  Discipline  of  the  Church.     Ch.  XVIII.  15-20. 

15  Moreover  [But]  if  tliy  brother  shall  trespass  [sin,  ajxapTrjo-r}]  '  against  thee,''  go  and 
tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone :  if  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained 

1 6  thy  brother.     But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,,  that  in 

17  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  established  [crTa^yl].  And  if 
he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the  church :  ^  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the 
church  [also,  Kat],  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  [heathen]  and  a  publican. 

18  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven; 

19  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven.  Again  [verily]*  I 
say  unto  you,  That  if  [only]  two  of  you  shall  agree  ^  on  earth  as  touching  anything 
that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  [who]  is  in  heaven. 

20  For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of 
them. 

1  Ver.  15.— [Compare  ver.  21,  where  the  E.  V.  renders  ap-apravnv :  sin. — P.  S.] 

-  Ver.  15.— Lacbimmn  and  Tischendorf  [not  in  his  large  critical  edition  of  IS.^IO],  iifler  Cod.  B.,  al.,  omit  els  a 4 
(rtgainst  thee).    The  oruission  made  the  sense  clearer;  but  for  this  very  reason  the  words  should  be  retained. 

3  Ver.  IT.— [Here  4 k  k\7i  a ia  is  used  in  the  sense  of  a  particular  or  Incal  congregation,  as  often  in  the  Epistles, 
while  in  xvi.  18  it  means  the  church  universal,  since  no  individual  congregation  (or  denomination)  has  the  promise  of  in- 
destructible life.     Couip.  on   e  rf  /c  At;  o"  i  a ,  and  its  proper  translation,  the  Crii.  Note  No.  4  on  p.  293.— P.  S.] 

■1  Ver.  19. — The  reading  TtaKiv  a  fir)  if  [instead  of  tt  d\iv  without  a/.i^f]  is  very  strongly  attested  [and  adopted 
by  Tischendorf  and  Alford.  Laehuiann  reads  afiriv  without  TraAii/,  and  gives  Cod.  B.  as  his  authority.  But  this  is  an 
error ;  the  Vatican  Codex,  both  in  the  edition  of  Angelo  Mai  and  that  of  Phil.  Buttmann jun.,  reads  ir d\  tv  afirj  v, 
-P.  S.] 

^  Ver.  19. — The  future  a  v  ij.<*^  co  vt}  a  o  v  rr  iv  is  best  attested.  [Adopted  by  Tischendorf  and  Alford.  Sustained  by 
Cod.  Sin.ait.  which  reads:  iav  Svo  ffvfKpwr-fifTovmv  e|  uixajv.  Lachmann  reads  with  Cod.  Vaticanus  and  tecct.  rec.  the 
subjunctive  av/j-cbwurjcr  co  aii',  which  looks  like  a  grammatical  emendation.  Mover  (1858)  and  Tischendorf  (18.59)  quote 
Cod.  B.  in  favor  of  the  future,  but  both  the  editions  of  this  Codex  by  Angelo  Mai  (Rome.  1857,  and  sec.  ed.,  1859)  and  that 
of  Phil.  Buttmann  (Berlin,  1SC2)  read  the  subjunctive,  as  stated  previously  by  Birch  and  Lachmann.  The  o>  or  ou  scorns 
to  be  very  indistinetlv  written  in  the  original  MS.,  so  as  to  account  for  the  difference  among  the  collators  and  editors. 
Comp.  the  note  in  Biittmann's  edition  ofCod.  Vat.,  p.  501,  sub  Matt,  xviii.  19.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  15.  Again.st  thee. — Xot  merely  referring 
to  personal  offences,  but  rather  to  sins,  which,  bemg 
done  in  presence  of  others,  cannot  but  excite  atten- 
tion and  give  offence.  Viewed  in  the  context,  it 
might  be  paraphrased :  Sin  not  against  thy  brother 
by  giving  liim  offence.  Again,  on  the  other  hand, 
overcome  by  the  disciplLae  of  love  the  offence  which 
he  has  given  thee. 

Between  thee  and  him  alone. — First  measure. 
Brotherly  admonition,  or  private  entreaty.  Meyer: 
"  The  administration  of  reproof  is  here  represented 
as  intervening  between  the  two  parties."  But  this 
critic  is  mistaken  in  supposing  that  the  text  refers  to 
party  disputes.  Of  course,  the  expression  implies 
that  the  guilt  rests  with  our  brother. 

Thou  hast  gained  thy  brother. — Euthym. 
Zigab. :  In  respect  of  brotherly  fellowship.     Meyer, 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CEITICAL. 

Logical  Connection. — Meyer  denies  the  existence 
of  such  a  connection  with  the  precediug  context,  and 
objects  to  the  construction  of  Beza :  "  ITbi  de  iis  dis- 
seruit,  qui  sunt  alas  offendiculo,  nunc  quid  sit  iis  fa- 
ciendum declarai,  quibus  ohjcctum  est  offendiculum^ 
.The  connection  lies  in  the  condemnation  of  hierarchi- 
cal practices.  Hence  the  view  of  Beza  is  substan- 
tially correct.  Give  no  offence  to  your  neiglibor,  but 
rather  overcome  by  love  the  offence  which  he  gives 
to  you.  Or,  in  the  special  form  in  which  it  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  text.  Put  no  stumbhng-bloek  Ln  the 
w,iy  of  your  neighbor  by  hierarchical  offences,  but 
rather  assist  the  Church  in  removing  such  of- 
fences. 


CHAP.  XVm.  15-20. 


more  correctly:  For  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah. 
Both  ideas,  however,  seem  combined  in  the  text. 
The  person  who  has  been  gained  for  the  kingdom  of 
the  Messiah  becomes  the  brotlier  of  him  who  has 
thus  gained  hun.  He  has  been  (/ained  by  wisdom 
and  cautious  dealing,  when  serious  loss  seemed  im- 
pending. Such  private  expostulation  implies  self- 
denial  and  courage,  while  it  gives  our  brother  the 
hnpression  that  we  feel  for  him,  that  we  love  him, 
and  would  willingly  spare  him.  Such  an  assault  of 
love  upon  his  heart  may  gain  him.  The  opposite 
course,  of  hastily  divulging  his  fault,  is  an  evidence 
of  pride,  harshness,  cowardice,  want  of  love  and  of 
prudence.  In  all  probability,  it  will  only  tend  to  em- 
bitter, and  thus  further  to  alienate  our  brother.  Be- 
sides, in  our  personal  dealings  as  individuals,  we  are 
not  entitled  to  go  beyond  this  private  expostulation, 
unless  wc  know  that  we  act  in  the  spirit  of  the 
whole  Church  (Acts  v. ;  1  Cor.  v.). 

Ver.  16.  One  or  two  more. — This  is  the  sec- 
ond measure  to  be  adopted.  One  or  two  witnesses 
are  now  to  be  called  in.  The  law  of  Moses  enjoined 
the  judicial  examination  of  witnesses  (Deut.  xix.  15). 
In  this  instance,  the  final  judgment  of  God  is  sup- 
posed to  be  already  commencing,  and  witnesses  are 
called  in,  because  the  guilty  brother  is  to  become 
his  own  judge. 

The  question  has  been  asked,  whether  the  word 
ff  T  a  0  j)  here  means,  "  be  established,^^  or  else,  "  stand 
stin,  rest,  dependy  The  latter  meaning  seems  to  be 
preferable,  as  the  guilt  of  the  offending  brother  is 
apparently  admitted.  The  fault  of  our  brother  is 
not  to  be  prematurely  published.  Hence,  while  in 
the  first  clause  of  the  verse  we  read,  "  Take  with 
thee  one  or  two,"  the  last  clause  speaks  of  two  or 
three  witnesses.  If  our  brother  confesses  his  fault, 
he  becomes  himself  the  third  witness,  and  there  are 
no  longer  merely  two,  but  three  who  know  of  the 
fault. 

Ver.  11.  To  the  church  (congregation). — 
Third  measure.  From  ch.  xvi.  1 8,  the  term  iKKXr)- 
(T I  a  must  always  be  understood  as  referring  to  the 
Christian  Church,  or  to  the  meeting  of  believers, 
whether  it  be  large  or  small.  Calvin,  Beza,  and 
others  mistake  equally  the  meanuag  and  the  connec- 
tion of  the  passage  in  applying  it  to  the  Jewish  syna- 
gogue. In  opposition  to  this,  de  Wette  remarks,  1. 
That  the  term  iicKXriaia  is  never  appUed  to  the  syna- 
gogue ;  2.  that  Jesus  could  not  have  meant  to  direct 
His  disciples  to  apply  to  a  community  which  was 
estranged  from  them  in  spirit,  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
storing brotherly  relations  among  themselves;  3. 
that  vers.  18-20  evidently  refer  to  Christian  fellow- 
ship, and  to  its  power  and  quickening  by  His  pres- 
ence. But  when  de  Wette  suggests  that  both  this 
passage  and  ch.  xvi.  18  were  a  historical  prolepsis, 
he  must  have  wholly  missed  the  connection  of  the 
gospel  history  in  the  mind  of  Matthew.  Similarly, 
Roman  CathoUc  interpreters  are  entirely  in  error  in 
explaining  the  passage :  Tell  it  to  the  bishops.  Even 
de  Wette  and  Yitringa  go  beyond  the  text,  in  sup- 
posing that  it  applies  to  the  function  of  the  rulers  of 
the  Church  as  arbitrators  or  judges  on  moral  ques- 
tions. On  the  contrary,  the  iicKXriaia  is  in  this  pas- 
sage put  in  antithesis  to  the  question  touching  the 
ixei^cju  iv  TTj  $a.cri\eia  roiy  ovpavHiv.  Uence  this 
would  have  "been  the  most  unsuitable  place  for  any- 
thing like  the  sanction  of  a  hierarchy.  It  is  indeed 
truethat  the  Church  is,  in  the  first  place,  approach- 
ed and  addressed  through  its  officials.  But  then  we 
must  also  bear  in  mind,  that  there  is  an  entire  ac- 


cordance between  the  views  and  dealings  of  these 
officials  and  those  of  the  Church,  and  not  anything 
like  hierarchical  assumption  on  their  part  (comp.  1 
Cor.  V.  4).  [Alfoud  :  "  That  e/cKAijo-io  cannot  mean 
the  Church  as  represented  by  her  rulers,  appears  by 
(from)  vers.  19,  20, — where  any  collection  of  believ- 
ers is  gifted  with  the  power  of  decidmg  in  such 
cases.  Nothing  could  be  further  from  the  spirit  of 
our  Lord's  command  than  proceedings  in  what  were 
oddly  enough  called  '  ecclesiastical  courts.'  " — P.  S.] 

Let  him  be  unto  thee. — The  Jews  regarded 
heathens  and  publicans  as  excommvmicated  persons. 
As  such  we  are  to  consider  a  Christian  who  perse- 
veres in  his  offence :  he  is  no  longer  to  be  acknow- 
ledged as  belonging  to  the  fello^vship  of  saints.  The 
accord  of  the  Church  m  this  step  is  implied.  Still 
the  verse  reads.  Let  him  be  to  tliee — not,  to  the 
church ;  the  personal  impulse  being  in  this  case  a 
prophetic  manifestation  of  the  gift  of  discerning  the 
spirits.  Viewing  it  in  this  light,  we  cannot  imagine 
how  Meyer  could  infer  that  it  did  not  apply  to  ex- 
communication— all  the  more  so,  that  he  himself  re- 
fers it  to  the  cessation  of  all  fellowship  with  such  a 
person.  However,  we  question  the  correctness  of 
the  latter  statement.  In  our  opinion,  the  text  only 
implies  the  cessation  of  ecclesiastical  fellowship,  not 
of  civil  or  social  intercourse.  In  point  of  fact,  it 
was  the  mistake  of  the  Jews  to  convert  what  was  in- 
tended as  an  ecclesiastical  censure  into  a  civil  pun- 
ishment. Perhaps  this  might  be  excusable  under 
the  ancient  theocracy,  when  State  and  Church  were 
not  yet  distinct.  Nay,  when  the  theocracy  was  first 
founded,  it,  was  even  necessary  under  certain  condi- 
tions, and  for  a  season  {see  the  laws  against  the  Ca- 
naanites).  But  under  the  New  Testament  dispensa- 
tion this  confusion  of  civil  and  sacred  matters  has 
entirely  ceased.  Christ  did  not  regard  the  pubhcans 
and  heathens,  viewed  as  such,  as  belonging  to  His 
communion ;  but  He  considered  them  the  objects  of 
His  mission.  Accordingly,  we  must  take  the  idea  of 
excommunication  in  this  light.  The  Roman  Catholic 
Church  has,  on  the  question  of  discipline,  again 
lapsed  into  Judaism.  Regardmg  those  who  are  ex- 
communicated as  heretics,  if  not  as  heathens  and 
pubhcans,  it  hands  tliem  over  to  the  civil  tril^unals. 

Ver.  18.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whatsoever 
ye  shall  bind  on  earth. — It  is  very  remarkable 
that  Christ  should  have  employed  a  solemn  adjura- 
tion, when  according  the  power  of  the  keys  to  all 
His  disciples,  and  with  them  to  the  Church  generally, 
or  rather  to  the  Church  along  with  the  disciples. 
For,  evidently,  while  ver.  17  lays  down  the  rule  for 
the  conduct  of  the  Church,  ver.  18  shows  that  the 
Church  is  warranted  in  this  conduct.  This  right  is 
agam  solemnly  confirmed  by  the  amen  in  ver.  19. 
The  similarity  of  expression  with  ch.  xvi.  19  shows 
that  this  passage  also  refers  to  the  office  of  the  keys ; 
and  hence  that  both  vers.  17  and  IS  referred  to  its 
exercise.  The  privilege  therefore  of  Peter  only  con- 
sisted in  this,  that  he  was  the  first  to  make  confes- 
sion and  to  bear  witness  (.see  Acts  v.,  viii.,  xi.),  in 
accordance  with  the  Church  generally,  to  which  he 
also  was  subject.  But  whenever  he  occupied  a  sep- 
arate position,  he  also  subjected  himself  to  the  dis- 
cipline and  reproof  of  the  Church  (Gal.  ii.  11). 

Ver.  19.  Again,  verily  I  say  unto  you. — The 
reading  irakiv  ajxy]u  is  very  fully  attested.  This  amen 
was  afterward  omitted  from  the  text,  probably  from 
an  apprehension  that  it  might  be  quoted  in  support 
of  separatism. — That  if  [only]  two  of  you  shall 
agree. — The  smallest  number  which  could  foi-m  a 


330 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


fellowship.  They  shall  agree  on  earth,  i.  e.,  in  form- 
ing a  social  and  visible  fellowship.  This,  however, 
does  not  imply  that  two  believers  will  always  suffice 
to  form  a  church.  Tiie  emphasis  rests  on  the  word 
avfx^uivia.  Such  a  full  agreement  of  two  persons 
could  only  be  wrought  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Hence 
it  represents  in  principle  the  cathoUcity  of  the  whole 
Church.  The  smallest  fragment  of  a  straight  line 
may  be  closely  and  homogeneously  joined  to  all  sLm- 
Dar  fragments.  Suffice  it,  that  the  Church  may  com- 
mence, continue  and  be  reformed  with  two  individ- 
uals. The  prayer  of  these  two  humble  individuals 
on  earth  brings  down  the  gi-acious  answer  of  the  Fa- 
ther who  is  in  heaven,  thereby  attesting  and  confirm- 
ing the  character  of  the  Church. 

Ver.  20.  For  where  two  or  three  are  gath- 
ered together. — A  confirmation  and  explanation  of 
what  liiid  preceded.  The  two  individuals  must  not 
stand  aloof  in  a  sectarian  spirit,  but  seek  to  become 
three.  Similarly,  their  crv/xcpuvia  must  consist  in 
being  gathered  togctlier  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  If 
such  be  the  case,  Himself  is  in  the  midst  of  them  by 
His  Spirit.  It  is  this  presence  of  the  Shechinah,  in 
the  real  sense  of  the  term,  which  forms  and  consti- 
tutes His  iKK\7)(xia,  or  Kahal.  Hence  it  also  enjoys 
both  the  blessings  and  the  protection  of  our  Father 
who  is  in  heaven.  Lightfoot ;  "  Simile  dicunt  Jial- 
bini  de  duobus  aut  trihus  considentibus  in  judicio, 
quod  Schechina  sit  in  inedio  eorumP 

The  statement  in  ver.  19  must  evidently  be  re- 
garded as  primarily  a  continuation  of  the  second 
measure  prescribed  in  cases  of  offence,  when  two  or 
three  witnesses  were  to  be  called  in.  It  is  as  if  the 
Lord  hoped  that,  by  their  earnest  continuance  in 
prayer,  these  witnesses  would  prevent  the  necessity 
of  extreme  measures.  But  if  they  should  be  obliged 
to  assemble  in  His  name  in  order  to  lay  a  formal  ac- 
cusation before  the  Church,  the  Lord  promised  to  be 
in  the  midst  of  them.  The  fact  that  tlie  phraseology 
of  the  text  so  closely  resembles  that  of  ver.  16, 
seems  to  imply,  in  a  certain  sense,  an  antithesis. 
Probably  the  meaning  is:  The  two  or  three  who 
form  a  true  Church  shall  not  be  entirely  dependent 
upon  tlie  large  majority  of  a  larger  sKKX-qiria,  nor 
upon  the  possible  abuse  of  the  power  of  the  keys. 
Their  outward  minority  is  compensated  by  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Father,  and  by  the  presence  of  Christ,  or 
by  an  inward  and  real  excess  of  power.  Thus  the 
Lord  points  to  the  circumstance,  that  the  essential 
characteristics  and  the  power  of  the  Church  lie  not 
in  the  existence  of  an  outward  majority,  or  in  the 
presence  of  great  masses  of  people.  Christ  inter- 
venes between  the  first  and  the  thii-d  measure  of  dis- 
cipline. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  According  to  the  direction  of  the  Lord  in  the 
passage  under  consideration,  ecclesiastical  discipline 
should  above  all  things  rest  on  the  basis  of  brotherly 
faithfulness  in  the  private  intercourse  of  Christians. 
This  is  the  first  condition  for  the  proper  exercise  of 
Church  discipUne. 

2.  According  to  apostolic  direction,  excommuni- 
cation was  only  to  take  place  if  the  person  who  gave 
offence  obstinately  resisted  the  Church  itself.  In 
that  case,  both  truth  and  honor  required  that  such 
bold  and  open  opposition,  either  to  the  principles, 
doctrines,  or  practice  of  the  Church,  should  not  be 
tolerated  in  the  midst  of  it.    More  than  this ;  esteem, 


love,  and  faithfulness  toward  the  offending  brother 
himself  demanded  such  a  step.  Still,  such  an  one 
was  only  to  be  ranked  with  that  class  from  which  he 
had  at  first  been  taken,  and  from  which  the  Church 
is  ever  willing  to  receive  proselytes,  and  hence  also 
to  welcome  penitents.  All  this  implies  that  the  ex- 
communicated person  was  not  to  be  subjected  to 
civil  pains  and  penalties  by  the  Church. — "  Let  him 
be  iinio  thee  as  a  heathen  and  a  publican^  These 
words  convey  a  very  different  meaning  to  Christians 
from  what  they  did  to  the  Jews.  The  latter  despised 
and  condemned  heathens  and  pubhcans ;  Christ  re- 
ceived them.  In  other  words,  where  the  discipliiie 
of  the  Church  ceases,  its  missionary  work  com- 
mences anew.  Perhaps  we  might  rather  call  it  the 
catechetical  office — as  the  penitent  professes  a  desire 
to  have  the  bond  which  had  been  broken  restored, 
and  hence  does  not  require  to  be  again  admitted  by 
a  new  baptism,  but  only  to  be  restored  to  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  Church. 

3.  The  characteristic  of  true  cathohcity  is  not 
outward  uniformity,  but  inward  unity  in  the  Spirit  of 
Christ.  Therefore,  when  even  two  are  completely 
united,  they  are,  in  point  of  fact,  in  fellowship  with 
all  the  holy  spirits  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and 
Christ  Himseli'  is  m  the  midst  of  them. 

4.  Not  "  three  or  two,^^  but  "  two  or  threeP  The 
pure  Church  may  for  a  time  be  very  small,  but  it 
must  always  aim  after  imiversality.  Besides,  it  de- 
serves notice  that  this  saying  of  the  Lord  was  close- 
ly connected  with  His  teaching  about  primacy  in  the 
Church,  and  about  offences ;  hence  we  may  see  with 
what  tender  care  He  watched  over  the  interests  and 
how  He  defended  the  origin  of  the  evangelical 
Church. 

5.  On  the  subject  of  Jewish  excommunication, 
comp.  Winer's  Real-Wvrtcrbuch^  sub  Bann,  and  on 
Christian  excommunication,  Herzog's  Real-Encyclop., 
sub  Barm.  The  lesser  excommunication  implied  only 
the  cessation  of  full  and  purely  ecclesiastical  fellow- 
ship. The  person  excluded  became,  for  the  time,  a 
non-communicant.  A  deep  meaning  attached  to  the 
practice  of  the  ancient  Church,  by  which  such  an 
individual  was  in  cei'tain  respects  ranked  among  the 
general  hearers  of  the  word  and  the  catechumens. 
In  truth,  his  connection  with  the  Church  had  not 
wholly  ceased;  it  may  be  regarded  rather  as  sus- 
pended for  a  time,  than  as  completely  terminated. 
Hence  the  greater  excommunication  may  be  said  to 
be  no  longer  applicable  to  any  individuals,  as  it  neces- 
sarily involved  civil  consequences.  At  first  sight, 
some  of  the  statements  of  Paul  seem  to  imjily  such 
a  procedure ;  but  a  further  examination  of  the  pas- 
sages in  question  will  modify  our  ideas  on  that  point. 
Thus,  1  Cor.  V.  11  refers  probably  to  the  common 
meal  of  brotherly  fellowship  ;  while  the  formulas  in 
1  Cor.  xvi.  22,  and  Gal.  i.  8,  9,  appear  to  us  to  be 
couched  in  hypothetical  language,  as  a  thing  that 
might  and  should  take  place  in  certain  circumstances, 
not  as  one  that  had  actually  occurred.  Of  recent 
writers  on  the  subject,  we  mention  Meyer  of  Rostock, 
Otto  (Bonn,  1856),  M.  Gobel,  On  Eccl.  DiscipUne  in 
the  Reformed  Church  until  Calvin  {Kirchl.  Viertel- 
jahr''s  Schrift,  ii.  Jahrg.,  BerUn,  1S45).  Also  the 
Transactions  of  the  Gorman  Church  Diet  for  1856. 


nOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

The  necessity  of  ecclesiastical  discipline.     1.  The 
gospel  cannot  be  preserved  without  salt ;  nor,  2.  fra- 


CHAP.  XVIII.  21- 


331 


temal  love  without  frankness :  nor,  S.  a  particular 
church  without  discipliue ;  nor,  4.  the  Church  in  gen- 
eral without  the  spirit  of  discipline. — The  object  of 
all  Christian  and  ecclesiastical  reproof  is  to  gain  our 
brother. — The  frankness  of  affectionate,  brotherly 
faithfulness,  the  basis  of  ecclesiastical  discipline. — 
The  exercise  of  ecclesiastical  discipline  implying  the 
institution  and  the  establishment  of  a  Christian 
Church ;  but,  ou  the  other  hand,  churches  must  be 
trained  and  educated  to  this  duty. — The  training  of 
the  Church  for  the  exercise  of  Christian  discipline 
forms  the  commencement  of  that  discipline. — How 
the  discipliue  of  the  Church  is  to  prove  affectionate 
care  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  our  brother:  1.  Its 
object  is  to  exclude  sin  from  the  Church,  but  to  re- 
tain our  brother ;  2.  its  mode  of  exercise — frankness, 
decision,  wisdom,  prudence. — How  genume  Church 
discipliue  observes  the  principle  of  progressing  from 
private  to  open  dealings. — The  object  of  Christian 
reproof  being  to  awaken,  not  to  harden,  we  must 
display — 1.  Compassion,  to  the  extent  of  even  ap- 
pearing to  share  the  guilt ;  2.  compassion,  to  the  ex- 
tent of  even  appearing  to  cry  for  help ;  3.  compas- 
sion, to  the  extent  of  even  appearing  to  be  inexorable. 
— The  three  different  kinds  of  Church  disciphue:  1. 
Our  brother  is  excommunicated,  but  sin  is  retained 
in  the  Church ;  2.  sin  is  cast  out  along  with  our  bro- 
ther ;  3.  sin  is  eliminated,  and  our  brother  restored. 
— The  right  of  reproof:  The  individual  may  exercise 
it  privately,  if  he  has  strength  and  courage  for  it ;  a 
small  number  of  friends  may  administer  it  in  kindly 
intercourse;  the  Church  may  publicly  exercise  it, 
i.  e.,  not  in  opposition  to  the  ministry,  but  as  repre- 
sented by  it. — The  exercise  of  discipline  incumbent 
on  the  Church  and  its  representatives. — To  whom 
did  Christ  say,  "Tell  it  to  the  Church?"  1.  He 
said  it  to  Peter ;  2.  to  all  the  Apostles. — The  Church 
called  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  administration  of 
Its  most  sacred  affairs. — The  power  of  the  keys  vest- 
ed in  the  apostolic  Church. — How  fellowship  of 
prayer  leads  to  fellowship  of  faith. — Agreement  of 
the  Spirit,  a  confirmation  of  the  power  of  the  keys. 
— Evidence  of  this. — How  the  keys  have  lost  their 
power  when  the  spirits  are  not  subject  to  Christ. — 
How  the  v.'hole  Church  of  Christ  may  revive  in  the 
smallest  community. — The  great  Church  appears  in 
a  small  conmiunity:  1.  If  there  be  agreement  in  the 


spirit  of  prayer,  securing  the  answer  of  the  Father ; 
2.  if  there  be  union  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  hence 
the  presence  of  Christ. — The  characteristic  features 
of  the  true  Church:  1.  An  inward  life  of  prayer;  2. 
an  outward  Ufe  of  confession. — What  is  the  state  of 
a  church  if,  1.  the  former  of  these  two  characteristics 
is  wanting ;  or,  2.  the  latter  ;  or,  3.  both  are  gone. — 
The  great  promises  of  Christ  shall  be  fulfilled,  even 
in  the  expeilence  of  the  weakest  church. — The  watch 
word  of  the  Church  and  the  watchword  of  sectarian- 
ism. The  former :  two  or  three  ;  the  latter :  three  or 
two. — How  this  promise  of  the  Lord  was  fulfilled  in 
the  fomiation  of  the  Protestant  Churches. 

Starke: — Zeisius:  Secret  sins  should  be  secretly 
rebuked  and  expiated,  but  open  sins,  openly. —  Cra- 
tner :  It  is  very  dangerous  to  be  excluded  from  the 
communion  of  the  saints. — Hedingcr :  The  prayer  of 
a  righteous  man  availeth  much,  nay,  everything; 
James  v.  16. 

Gerlacli: — What  in  ch.  xvi.  19  had  (apparently) 
been  bestowed  upon  Peter  alone,  is  here  conferred 
on  the  whole  Christian  Church,  being  ultimately 
traceable  to  the  character  of  Christian  communion 
as  the  outward  manifestation  of  the  invisible  Church. 
— The  Church  of  Christ  on  earth  consists  of  a  num- 
ber of  circles,  dra^ai  around  the  same  centre,  and  al- 
ways widening.  Its  well-being  consists  in  this,  that 
all  have  the  proper  centre,  and  that  none  of  the  cir- 
cles interferes  with  the  other. 

Gossner : — The  principal  thing  is  the  agreement. 
— All  depends  not  on  large  numbers,  but  on  the  pre- 
sence of  Christ  as  the  third  or  fourth  in  a  spiritual 
communion. 

Heuhner : — We  can  only  call  those  persons  our 
own  whom  we  have  gained  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. — The  decline  of,  and  the  difficulties  attend- 
ing upon,  the  exercise  of  scriptural  discipline,  con- 
stitute glaring  evidence  of  the  sad  decay  of  our  State 
Churches  (or  rather,  of  the  hierarchical  disinclination 
of  office  to  train  the  congregation  to  spiritual  self- 
government).* — Wherein  may  two  be  agreed  ?  Mani- 
festly, not  in  temporal  things  (or  rather,  in  matters 
of  pure  egotism). 

*  A  Prussian  regulation  of  March  27, 174S,  prohibits  the 
minister  from  excluding  any  of  their  church  members  from 
the  holy  communion.  "Now  cases  of  the  kind  must  be  re- 
ported to  the  royal  consistories. 


C.  Absolution  in  the  Church.     Ch.  XVIH.  21-35. 
{Vers.  23-35  the  Gospel  for  the  22d  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 


23 


24 


21  Then  came  Peter  to  liim,  and  said,  Lord,  how  oft  shall  my  brother  sin  against  me, 

22  and  I  forgive  him?  till  [imtil,  ews]  seven  times?     Jesus  saith  mito  him,  I  say  not  unto 
thee.  Until  [ewg]  seven  times :  but,  Until  seventy  times  seven. 

Therefore  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  likened  unto  a  certain  king  [a  human  king, 
dvOpwTTU)  ^aa-iXel],  which  would  take  account  of  [who  desired  to  make  a  reckoning 
with]  ^  his  servants.     And  when  he  had  [only]  begun  to  reckon,  one  was  brought^  unto 

25  him,  which  [who]  owed  hiin  ten  thousand  talents.     But  forasmuch  as  he  had  not  [as  he 
was  not  able]  to  pay,  his  lord  commanded  him  to  be  sold,  and  his  wife,  and  children, 

26  and  all  that  he  had,  and  payment  to  be  made.     The  servant  therefore  fell  down,  and 

27  worshipped  him,  saying,  Lord,*  have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.     Then 
the  lord  of  that  servant  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  loosed  [released]   him,  and 

28  forgave  him  the  debt.     But  the  same  servant  went  out,  and  found  one  of  his  fellow  ser- 


332 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


vants,  which  [who]  owed  him  a  hundred  ponce  [shiUings?  ht. :   denaries,  Sr/mpta]  :  *  and 
he  hiid  hands  on  him,  and  took  him  by  the  throat,  saying.  Pay  me  ^  that  tliou  [Pay  if 

29  thou]  "  owest.     And  his  fellow  servant  fell  down  at  his  feet,'  and  besought  him,  saying, 

30  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.*     And  he  would  not:  but  went  and 

31  cast  him  into  prison,  till  he  should  pay  the  debt.  So  when  his  fellow  servants  saw  what 
was  done,  they  were  very  sorry,  and  came  and  told  (mto  their  [own,  iavrwv]  lord  all 

32  that  was  done.  Then  his  lord,  after  that  he  had  called  him,  said  unto  him,  O  thou 
wicked  servant,  I  forgave  thee  all  that  debt,  because  thou  desiredst  [betoughtesij  me: 

33  Shouldest  not  thou  also  have  had  compassion  [pity]  on  thy  fellow  servant,  even  as  I 

34  had  pity  on  thee  ?     And  his  lord  was  wroth,  and  delivered  him  to  the  tormentors,  till 

35  he  should  pay  all  that  was  due  unto  him.^  So  likewise  shall  my  heavenly  Father  do 
also  unto  you,  if  ye  from  your  hearts  forgive  not  every  one  his  brother  their  tres- 
passes.^" 


•  Ver.  23. — ["Os  i}df\rj(Tf  cvvupai  \iyov  fierd,  /c.t.A.  ;  Lange :  welcher  abrechnen  icollte,  i.  e.,  to  maJce  a  reckon- 
ing or  settlement.  Comp.  2  Kings  xxi.  7,  where  the  E.  V.  correctly  renders  :  There  was  no  reckoning  made  with  tftem 
of  the  money,  etc.    The  Authorized  Version  in  our  place  conveys  a  different  meaning  in  modern  English.— P.  8.] 

-  Ver.  24— n  poa-r^x^V  [for  the  more  usual  word  :  Trpoarivfx^V]  in  Codd.  B.,  D.,  Origen,  Lachmann.  Tiscbendorf, 
[Alford]. 

3  Ver.  26.— Kyp<e  is  omitted  in  B.,  D.,  etc.,  and  by  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Alford]. 

*  Ver.  28. — [Tlie  UngUsh. pemiy  is  less  than  one  seventh  of  a  denarius,  a  Roman  silver  coin  equivalent  to  the  Attic 
drachma,  or  about  seven  and  a  half  pence  sterling  or  fifteen  American  cents  in  value.  See  the  Dictionaries.  The  inapt- 
ness  of  the  usual  English  rendering  (in  all  the  old  English  versions)  appears  more  fully  in  ch.  xx.  2,  where  laborers  are 
hired  '■'■for  a  'penny  a  day!:'  instead  of  nearly  eight  times  that  amount.  About  two  thii-ds  of  a  denarius  a  day  was  the  pay 
of  a  Koman  soldier.  As  there  is  no  corresponding  English  coin,  it  is  nooo-sary  to  adopt  an  inaccurate  rendering  or  the 
foreign  word  dendry,  which  would  require  a  marginal  explanation.  Shilling  (in  the  New  York  sense,  i.  e.,  one  eighth  of 
an  American  doU.ar)  would  come  nearest,  but  would  lead  to  confusion,  si iirc  tin-  Kii 
(23  cents).  Ewald,  however,  in  his  German  translation,  renders:  Srl:i  i  ,  -• .  T  :; 
in  parenthesis  Denare,  Zehner  (dimes).  Campbell  and  Norton:  <h>'>  ' 
not  in  a  Bible  for  popular  use);  Conant,  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  V'r..  •  • 
Trench  in  his  interpretation  of  the  parable  of  the  Unmerciful  Servant  (,i.  i:.i  •  ::i!.l  tl 
ITO),  takes  no  notice  whatever  of  this  mistranslation  and  speaks  repeatedly  of  an  hi 
P.  S.] 

s  Ver.  2S.— Codd.  B.,  D.,  L.,  etc.,  omit  fx  o  t  ,'me. 

•^  Ver.  2S. — The  reading  eH  ri  is  best  attested  and  much  stronger  than  on.  It  is  a  demand  for  payment  in  the 
form  of  a  rebuke  :  Thou  wretch,  he  who  owes,  must  pay!  [Kwald  and  Lange  translate:  Bezahle,  wenn  duwas  schuldig 
hist.'  Pay,  if  thou  owest  anything.  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  and  Alford  unanimously  adopt  the  reading:  'AirdSos 
e  i'  T  I   6  (p  6  I A  €  I  s ,  which  Is  now  sustained  also  by  Cod.  Sinait.    Dr.  Conant  ignores  this  difference  of  reading. — P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  29.— The  addition  of  the  received  text :  eis  rovs  TvSSas  ainou  (at  his  feet)  is  omitted  in  Codd.  B.,  C,  D.,  etc. 
[Tischenilorf  and  Alford  ret.ain  and  defend  the  words  against  Lachmann,  Tregelles,  and  Meyer,  who  omit  them.— P.  ii.] 

8  Ver.  29.— The  best  authorities  [also  Cod.  Sinait.]  omit  irdvra  (all),  which  seems  to  be  inserted  to  conform  to 
\er.  2G. 

"  Ver.  84.— B.,  D.,  etc.,  omit  aura.      [Lachmann  and  Alford  omit  it,  Tischendorf  retains  it.— P.  S.] 

1"  Ver.  85.— B.,  D.,  L.,  etc.,  omit  the  words:  ra  -w  apanT  dfj-ar  a  auroiv  (their  trespasses),  which  seem  to  be 
inserted  from  ch.  vi.  14,  15 ;  Mark  xi.  25,  26.  [Cod.  Sinait.,  .and  all  the  critical  editors,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Tregelles, 
Alford,  omit  the  words.— P.  S.] 


shilling  is  nearly  double  ;n  value 
I  .;>  Luther's  Crosc/iew,  but  adds 
■i  ill  a  learned  Commentary,  but 
.  /'dries.  It  is  surprising  that 
;lii'  Laborers  in  the  Vineyard  (p. 
ed  pence  as  if  it  were  all  right. — 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  21.  Until  seven  times,  eos  lirraKij. — 
The  directions  of  Christ  in  regard  to  the  discipline 
of  the  Church  presuppose  readiness  to  forgive.  If 
our  brother  listen  to  our  admonition,  and  be  recon- 
ciled, he  is  to  be  forgiven.  But  the  Lord  had  not 
indicated  how  often  this  mercy  was  to  be  exercised. 
It  seemed  to  Peter  as  if  there  must  be  some  limit  in 
the  matter.  His  query  indicated  that  he  still  regard- 
ed forgiveness  as  something  outward  and  quantita- 
tive, rather  than  as  something  inward  and  spiritual. 
His  proposal,  "  until  seven  times  " — the  sacred  num- 
ber— is  very  characteristic  of  his  state  of  mind.  It 
was,  however,  greatly  in  excess  of  the  rabbinical  or- 
dinances, which  prescribed  forgiveness  only  three 
times :  "  Homini  in  alterum  peccanti  semel  rejniitunt, 
secundo  remittunf,  tertio  rem/ltiunt,  quarto  non  remii- 
tunt."  Babyl.  Joma. — [The  Jewish  rabbins  based 
the  duty  of  forgiving  three  times  and  no  more,  upon 
Amos  i.  3 ;  ii.  6 ;  Job  xxxiii.  29,  30.  Peter,  under 
the  influence  of  the  spirit  of  Christian  charity,  in- 
creased the  number  to  seven,  because  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament this  number  is  closely  Unked  with  the  idea 
of  the  covenant  and  of  forgiveness,  as  well  as  with 


that  of  retribution;  comp.  Lev.  xxv.  28;  xxvi.  18, 
21,  24,  28 ;  Ps.  xxviii.  25  ;  Dan.  iv.  15 ;  Rev.  xv.  1. 
—P.  S.] 

Ver.  22.  I  say  not  unto  thee; — i.  e.,  I  do  not 
prescribe  to  thee. 

Seventy  times  seven,  k^^op.-nKovTaKis 
eirrd. — Jerome,  Erasmus,  Grotius,  de  Wette, 
[Trench],  and  others,  explain  seventy  times  seven- 
fold [i.  e.,  four  hundred  and  ninety  times].  But 
Origen,  Augustine,  Bengcl,  Ewald,  and  Meyer,  ex- 
plain seventy  times  and  seven,  or  seventy-seven 
times,  as  iindtus  does  not  again  occur  at  i^Sof^rjKov 
TaKii  sTrrd.  Meycr  says :  "According  to  the  Greek 
idiom,  tliis  should  have  been  expressed  either  by 
eTTTtt  Kal  ifiooixrjKovTdKis  or  by  e&5o,u7tKovTa  eirrdKis. 
But  the  expression  is  derived  from  the  Sept.,  Gen.  iv. 
24 :  '  If  Cain  shall  be  avenged  sevenfold,  truly  La- 
mech   seventyfold   and    seven.'  "  *      The   reference 


*  [Jerome  already  observed  this  significant  contrast  of 
our  Lord's  seventy  times  seven  of  forgiveness  to  the  antedi- 
luvian Lamech's  seventy  and  sevenfold  of  revenge.  So 
Trench  asserts  (p.  145),  referring  to  Jerome's  works'^  vol.  ii. 
p.  565,  of  the  Benedictine  edition.  But  I  cannot  find  the 
psissage  in  the  Vallarsi  edition,  which  I  have  before  me.  In 
his  Commentary  on  Matt,  in  loc.  (Opera,  tom.  vii.  col.  141, 
ed.  Vail.)  Jerome  makes  no  allusion  to  Gen.  iv.  24,  and 
s.ays  sim])ly :    "  Non  iisque  septies,  sed  usque  septuagiei 


CHAP.  XVIII.  21-35. 


seems  tojbo  in  poiut ;  all  tiie  more,  that  the  saying 
of  Cliiist  was  probably  intended  to  form  a  direct  con- 
trast to  the  revenge  which  Lamech  imprecated. 
Still,  even  though  we  bear  in  mind  the  symbolical 
import  of  the  number  seven,  yet  the  bare  addition  of 
that  numeral  seems  peculiar,  and  almost  detracting 
from  tiie  force  of  the  injunction.  It  might,  indeed, 
be  urged,  that,  according  to  the  analogy  of  101,  it 
implied  nothing  more  than  as  it  were  the  measure 
seventy  shaken  and  pressed  down.  First,  seventy 
times,  and  then,  if  you  like,  in  addition  to  this,  your 
own  seven  times !  But  Grotius  translates  Gen.  iv.  24, 
n:J::ttil  CI^'DltJ,  septuagks  et  id  ipsimi  scpiies ;  nor 
does  tlie  translation  of  the  Sept.  seem  to  us  decided- 
ly in  favor  of  the  opposite  view.  Besides,  seventy 
times  sevenfold  seems  to  us  a  more  apt  symbolical 
expression  for  never-endmg  forgiveness  than  seventy 
tunes  seven.  However,  grammatically  and  philologi- 
cally,  the  point  is  not  clear.  Seventy  is  seven  times 
ten,"  or  the  symbolical  number  of  the  world  multiplied 
by  that  of  the  covenant.  Of  course,  the  expression 
is  intended  to  indicate  by  the  figure  of  a  large  num- 
ber the  quality  of  endless  forgiveness.  TMs  view 
was  already  advocated  by  Theophylact. 

Yer.  23.  Therefore  is  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven likened. — Referring  to  the  reply  which  had 
been  given  to  Peter.  The  parable  which  follows  is 
intended  to  illustrate  the  teaching  of  Christ  about 
our  readiness  to  forgive.  Meyer  maintains  that  the 
Saviour  insists  upon  unlimited  forgiveness,  and  not, 
as  de  Wette  suggests,  merely  upon  readiness  to  for- 
give. But  the  latter  miplies  the  former;  and,  in 
fiict,  the  two  are  identical  in  point  of  principle.  The 
act  of  forgiveness  presupposes  genuine  repentance 
on  the  part  of  our  brother. — Likeyied.  On  account 
of  the  guilt  of  man,  it  had  become  necessary  that 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  should  rest  on  compassion  as 
its  foundation. 

Unto  a  human  king.* — The  expression  is  in- 
tended to  mark  the  antithesis  to  the  heavenly  King. 
— His  servants. — Here  represented  as  administer- 
ing his  possessions. — He  desired  to  make  a  reck- 
oning, or  settlement. — This  refers  to  eternal  jus- 
tice ever  seeking  to  right  matters,  and  to  the  im- 
pending judgment;  hence  more  especially  to  the 
economy  of  the  law  and  its  results. 

Ver.  24.  But  "when  he  had  onlyf  begun. — 
Very  solemn  and  significant. — One  was  brought 
unto  him, — i.  e.,  one  of  the  first  and  highest. — Ten 
thousand  talents. — "  An  expression  intended  to  in- 
dicate the  infinite  debt  incurred,  which  could  nevei" 
be  dischai'ged.  As  it  were  an  immense  number  of 
the  largest  coin."  The  Attic  talent  was  equal  to  60 
minm  [6,000  draclwicB^,  or  1,375  Prussian  dollars 
{see  Boeckh's  StaatshaushaU  der  Athener,  i.  15),:]: 
and  the  mine  to  100  denarii.^     "  Hence  one  talent  = 

septies,  id  est,  quadringentis  nonaginta  vicibus,  ut  totics 
peccant!  fratri  dimitteret  in  die,  quoties  ille  peccare  non 
possit.' — P.  S.] 

*  [Meyer  likewise  emphasizes  avQpdnrcf,  which  the  Eng- 
lish Version  renders:  a  certain  king.  '■'■  Zu  P  aff  i\  et 
ist  nieht  ohne  Griind  a.  v  d  p  d)  ir  cf)  eugesetzt,  da  das 
HiMMELKEicn  mit  einem  MENScnLicnEN  Konige  verglichen 
•wird,  Vergleiche  uhrigens  das  Ilomerische  avijp  fi  a- 
o-iXeis  ."—P.  S.] 

+  [Dr.  Lange  inserts  only,  to  emphasize  ap^afityov 
at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence.— P.  S.] 

$  [Dr.  Kobinpon,  Dictionary,  sub  r  aXavT  o  v ,  esti- 
mates the  .common  Attic  talent  at  £'2rl3  15s.  sterlinij,  or 
abont$l,lTO.— P.  S.] 

§  [The  original  reads  10  for  100  denarii.— a.  palpable 
printing  error,  which  the  Edinb.  transl.  faitlifully  copies. 


6,000  denarii,  and  10,000  talents  =  60,000,000  rfe- 
nar-iV^  Gerlach  suggests  that  the  Saviour  referred 
to  tlie  Syrian  talent,  which  was  much  smaller  than 
the  Attic,  amounting  only  to  about  one-fourth  of  it. 
According  to  the  value  of  the  Attic  talent,  the  sum- 
total  would  amount  to  over  13  millions  of  Prussian 
dollars. 

Ver.  25.  His  lord  commanded  him  to  be 
sold. — In  accordance  with  tlie  law  of  Moses,  Exod. 
xxii.  3 ;  Lev.  xxv.  39 ;  2  Kings  iv.  1.  See  also 
MiciiAKLis'  Laws  of  Hoses,  §  148. — And  (thus) 
payment  to  be  niade — The  sum  obtained  would, 
of  course,  prove  wholly  inadequate.  Still  Fritzsche 
is  mistaken  in  explaining  it  as  meaning  that  the  sum 
realized  was  actually  to  be  paid.  De  Wette  renders 
it :  "  And  that  this  should  be  paid."  Better  Meyer 
in  more  general  terms,  "  and  payment  to  be  made." 
The  leading  idea  is,  that  the  king  insists  upon  pay- 
ment being  made.  The  exact  amount  is  subordi- 
nate. 

Ver.  28.  A  hundred  denaries. — Equal  to  near- 
ly 21  Prussian  [or  15  American]  dollars.  See  the 
article  in  the  Encycls. — Took  him  by  the  throat. 
— According  to  Roman  law,  a  creditor  was  allowed 
to  drag  his  debtor  by  the  throat  before  the  tribunal. 
The  harsh  form  in  which  he  demanded  payment  de- 
serves special  attention.  His  address  to  his  fellow- 
servant  implied  his  own  condemnation.  Meyer 
rightly  objects  to  the  view  of  Fritzsche  and  Olshau- 
sen,  who  explain  the  expression  ei  n  as  due  to 
Greek  urbanity.  Others  regard  it  as  equivalent  to 
on.  Paulus  and  Baumgarten-Crusius  understand  it 
as  implying  that  it  was  uncertain  whether  such  a 
debt  had  really  been  incm-red.  In  our  view,  it  was 
intended  by  way  of  expressing  reproof — the  claimant 
all  the  time  forgettmg  his  own  case  and  difficulties, 
which  were  not  only  similar,  but  even  much  worse. 
In  fitct,  it  would  seem  as  if  the  remission  of  his  debt 
had  only  called  forth  pride  and  self-confidence.  His 
fellow-servant  humbled  himself  in  a  more  becoming 
manner  than  he  had  done  before  his  master  (-Trpotre- 
ic  uve  I  avr  ai ,  Trap  e  Kd\  f  i  aiiT  6v);  although  we 
should  bear  in  mind  that  in  the  latter  case  the  credi- 
tor was  the  lord  and  king  of  the  servant. 

[Trench  :  "  Such  is  man,  so  harsh  and  hard, 
when  he  walks  otherwise  than  in  a  constant  sense  of 
forgiveness  received  from  God.  Ignorance  or  forget- 
fulncss  of  his  own  guilt  makes  him  harsh,  unforgiv- 
ing, and  cruel  to  others ;  or,  at  best,  he  is  only  hm- 
dered  from  being  such  by  those  weak  defences  of 
natural  character  which  may  at  any  moment  be 
broken  down." — P.  S.] 

Ver.  31.  Their  own  (eauroiv)  lord. — Meyer 
accounts  for  the  word  eavr Siv  by  remarking, 
"They  had  recourse  neither  to  their  hard-hearted 
companion  nor  to  any  other  person."  But  this 
would  scarcely  have  required  special  mention.  On 
the  other  hand,  their  appeal  to  his  and  their  lord  ex- 
posed them  to  danger,  if  his  anger  should  burst  forth 
against  them  also.  Still,  they  ventured  to  apply  to 
him — compassion  and  sorrow  inspii-ing  them  with 
courage.  In  this  case,  then,  we  see  severity  from 
pity,  as  formerly  harshness  in  spite  of  mercy. 

Ver.  34.  And  delivered  him  to  the  tormen- 
tors.— The  imprisonment  refers  in  both  cases  to  tem- 
porary confinement,  until  payment  should  be  made. 

'■'■Attica  p-va  {mma)  fiiit  centum  drachmariim;  liotna- 
na,  dracJimarum  nonaginta  sex ;  Aiexandrina  l&O  drach- 
niarum  Atticarum."  See  Joa.  Scapula,  Lexicon  Orceco- 
L<tt.,  Oxford  ed.,  p.  1006.  An  Attic  SpaxjJ-'tl  is  nearly  equal 
in  value  to  a  Iloman  denarius. — P.  S.] 


334 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


But,  besides  this,  the  servant  whom  his  master  now 
sent  to  prison  was  also  delivered  r o7s  ^aaavta- 
To?s,  "/o  the  iortneniors"  to  be  tormented  by 
them.  The  punishment  of  being  sold  into  slavery, 
with  which  he  had  formerly  been  threatened,  was 
much  hghter  than  that  which  he  had  now  to  endure. 
However,  the  Idng  was  generous,  and  the  wife  and 
children  of  the  offender  were  not  molested.  In  its 
first  form,  they  shared  the  guilt  of  that  wicked  ser- 
vant ;  but  the  sin  which  he  had  now  committed  rest- 
ed upon  himself  alone.  Still,  except  in  reference  to 
the  manner  in  which  payment  is  now  enforced,  the 
language  of  the  parable  continues  the  same  as  before. 
The  imprisonment  and  the  torments  are  intended  to 
enforce  payment ;  but  as,  in  the  present  instance, 
this  is  manifestly  impossible,  they  serve  in  reahty  as 
a  punishment.  Fritzsche  renders  the  term  ^aaavia- 
rai  by  "body-guard  of  the  king"{!);  Grotius,  by 
"gaolers"  [diiT/xocpvAaKes];  Meyer,  correctly,  by 
"tormentors."*  According  to  the  sentence  pro- 
nounced, the  imprisonment  would  necessarily  be  both 
never-ending  and  hopeless  (Chrysostom :  Tovrea-Ti 
Sirjveicca?,  ovre  yap  aTTobwafi  iroTf).  Still,  we  are 
scarcely  warranted  hi  referring  these  torments  to  the 
sufferings  of  Gehenna. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  symbolical  import  of  the  number  seveii  is 
spiritual  and  festive  rest  after  the  work  has  been 
finished ;  ten,  that  of  the  world.  Hence  the  number 
seventy  represents  the  power  of  the  Spirit  as  con- 
quering the  world  (the  VO  disciples).  Again,  seven- 
ty times  seven  would  convey  the  all-conquering 
power  of  the  Spirit  in  all  His  fulness,  as  reconciling 
us,  and  rendering  us  willing  to  be  reconciled.  The 
largeness  of  the  number  would  indicate  that  there 
was  to  be  no  measuring  or  limitation  in  the  exercise 
of  kindness ;  but  that  infinite  love  was,  in  its  fulness 
and  strength,  to  sweep  all  barriers,  and  that  forgive- 
ness was  to  be  bounded  by  no  other  limits  than 
those  demanded  by  truth,  i.  e.,  more  especially,  by 
the  state  of  mind  of  him  who  had  offended  against 
us. 

2.  This  parable  must  not  be  applied  merely  to 
the  private  relations  subsisting  between  Christians ; 
but  also  refers  to  the  general  administration  of  the 
servants  of  the  Lord  in  the  Church,  which,  however, 
if  improperly  exercised,  may  degenerate  into  a  mat- 
ter of  private  interest  or  favor.  Under  such  circum- 
stances, the  contrast  between  the  wondrous  pardon 
granted  by  the  Master,  and  the  cruel  exactions  made 
by  the  servants,  would  appear  in  the  most  glaring 
manner.  Strange,  that  the  most  harsh  and  heartless 
treatment  should  be  connected  with  the  dispensation 
of  highest  mercy !  Compare  the  history  of  church 
discipUne  ia  the  middle  ages,  and  the  bitter  contro- 
versies on  the  doctrine  of  the  holy  Communion. 

3.  Faustcs  Socinus  ("i)e  Ckristo  Servatore") 
argues  from  this  passage,  that  as  the  king  forgave 


*  [Among  the  ancient  Komans  there  were  certain  legal 
tortures,  as  a  heavy  chain  and  a  sy.stem  of  half  starvation, 
which  the  creditor  might  apply  to  hi.s  dehtor,  for  bring- 
ing iiim  to  terms.  A'e«  Arxold,  History  of  Rome,  i.  p.  136, 
and  Tkknch,  Notes  on  the  Parahlen,  p.  1.54:  "The  tormev- 
iors  are  those  who  shall  make  the  life  of  the  prisoner  bitter 
to  him;  wring  out  from  him  the  confession  of  any  concealed 
hoards  which  he  may  still  possess;  even  as  there  are  tor- 
mentors in  that  world  of  woe,  whereof  this  prison  is  a  figure 
—fellow-sinners  and  evil  angels— instruments  of  the  just  yet 
terrible  judgments  of  God."— P.  S.] 


without  ransom  or  surety,  so  God  similarly  pardons 
sinners.  To  this  Oleakius  repHes,  that  the  object 
of  this  parable  was  to  delineate  the  subjective  condi- 
tion of  pardon  on  our  part,  not  the  objective  ground 
of  acceptance  with  God.  Besides,  each  separate 
parable  was  not  intended  to  give  the  whole  scheme 
of  salvation.  Perhaps,  however,  it  were  more  accu- 
rate to  say,  that  the  objective  ground  of  compassion 
is  embodied  and  presented  in  the  atonement  made  by 
Christ.  But  the  latter  point  was  not  intended  to  be 
presented  in  this  parable.  [Meyer  remarks  that  the 
parable  implies  a  vaTipuv  npoTipov,  since  the  infinite 
forgiving  mercy  of  God  could  only  appear  fuUy  in 
the  atoning  death  of  Christ.— P.  S.] 

[4.  Till  he  pay  all  that  ivas  due  unto  him,  ver.  34. 
The  offender,  it  seems,  is  not  imprisoned  for  the  act 
of  unmercifulness  to  his  fellow-servant,  but  for  his 
old  debt  to  God  which  had  been  forgiven  him.  But 
it  must  be  remembered  that  every  sin  against  our 
neighbor,  or  against  ourselves,  is  at  the  same  time  a 
sin  against  God,  and  so  the  conduct  of  the  unmerci- 
ful servant  contracted  a  new  debt  due  to  God.  This 
passage  is  often  quoted  in  the  discussion  of  the  ques- 
tion :  Utrxmi  peccata  semel  remissa  redeant,  whether 
sins  once  forgiven  return  on  the  sinner  through  his 
subsequent  transgressions?  Hammond  says,  the 
king  revoked  his  designed  mercy ;  but  the  debt  was 
actually  and  absolutely  forgiven ;  yet  forgiven,  of 
course,  as  always,  on  certain  moral  conditions,  the 
violation  of  which  impUes  the  forfeiture  of  the  bene- 
fit. Forgiveness  is  ins^arable  from  union  with 
Christ.  If  we  forsake  Him  we  relapse  into  a  state 
of  nauuv,  which  is  a  state  of  wrath ;  yea,  our  case 
becomes  much  worse  than  it  was  before  conversion, 
and  our  guilt  increases  in  proportion  to  the  mercies 
received.  How  many,  alas !  forfeit  the  benefit  of 
baptism,  i.  e.,  the  remission  of  sins,  by  a  life  of  im- 
penitence and  ingratitude,  and  become  worse  than 
heathen.— P.  S.] 

[5.  The  same  verse  (and  ver.  26)  is  also  quoted 
by  some  Roman  Catholic  interpreters  for  the  doctrine 
of  purgatory,  and  by  Universalists  and  Restoration- 
ists,  for  the  doctrine  of  the  final  salvation  of  all  men. 
In  both  cases  the  e  co  s  ov  is  pressed  as  implying  a 
final  discharge  of  the  debt  and  a  consequent  deliv- 
erance from  the  prison  of  purgatory  or  a  temporary 
hell.  But  this  argument  proceeds  on  the  radically 
wrong  assumption  that  man  can  atone  for  his  sins  or 
discharge  his  moral  debt  to  God.  The  debt  is  ex- 
pressly represented,  in  ver.  24,  as  enormous,  so  as  to 
make  it  impossible  for  any  human  being  to  discharge 
it.  The  debt,  moreover,  instead  of  diminishing  is 
daily  accumulating ;  since  the  utmost  that  man  can 
do  is  to  perform  his  present  duty,  comp.  Luke  xvii. 
10.  The  phrase:  till  he  pay  all,  aic,  ecus  ov  airo- 
5  (5  irav,  like  the  proverbial  ad  7ivmvm  solvere,  ad 
extrcmum  assfni  solvere,  signifies  that  the  debtor  shall 
have  justice  without  mercy  and  taste  the  extreme 
rigor  of  the  law.  Trench  (p.  158)  goes  even  further, 
and  says :  "  Since  the  sinner  could  never  acquit  the 
slightest  portion  of  the  debt  in  which  he  is  indebted 
to  God,  the  putting  that  as  a  condition  of  his  libera- 
tion, which  it  is  unpossible  could  ever  be  fulfilled,  is 
the  strongest  possible  way  of  expressing  the  eternal 
duration  of  his  punishment."  Maldonatus,  one  of 
the  best  Roman  Catholic  expounders,  remarks : 
"  QuocsQUE  EEDDERET.  Id  est  semper,  ut  Chrysosto- 
mus,  Euthymius  et  ITieopjhylactus  inttrpjretaniur , 
non  enim  significatur,  fore,  ut,  qui  damnaii  surd, 
pmnas  aliquando  persolvant  et,  quasi  reddito  debito, 
libereniur,  qui  Origenistarum  error  fuit ;  sed  fore, 


CHAP.  XVm.  21-85 


835 


ut  numquam  liberenfur,  nisi  pcenas  persolvant,  quas 
quia  persolvere  tmmqtiam  poierunt,  numquam,  tibera- 
buniur."  Olshausen  in  he.  (vol.  i.  p.  594,  American 
edition)  admits  that  the  debt  of  the  sinner  to  God 
can  never  possibly  be  liquidated  ;  nevertheless  he  in- 
fers partly  from  the  sa-s  oS,  partly  from  the  servant's 
acknowledgment  of  his  debt  that  ho  will  be  finally 
released.  I  cannot  see  how  we  can  hold  this  opinion 
without  adopting  substantially  the  Roman  Catholic 
dogma  of  purgatory.  But  ecos  docs  not  necessarily 
fix  a  limit  beyond  which  the  preexisting  state  of 
things  must  cease  (comp.  the  Saviour's  promise  to  be 
with  His  people  to  the  end  of  the  world,  ews  rrjj 
(ruvTt\iia<!  Tov  alcivos) ;  and  if  the  mere  admission 
of  sin  and  guilt  insures  ultimate  salvation,  a  Judas 
might  have  been  saved  as  well  who  confessed  that 
he  betrayed  innocent  blood. — Comp.  also  the  N'otcs 
on  ch.  V.  26  (p.  114)  and  on  ch.  xii.  32  (pp.  225  and 
227  sqq.).— P.  S.] 

IIOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

"  Till  seven  times  ?  "  or,  the  tendency  of  the  class 
of  which  Peter  is  the  type  to  count  and  limit  spirit- 
ual acts. — Acts  of  forgiveness,  prayers,  and  sunilar 
deeds,  should  not  be  counted. — Seventy  times  seven ; 
or,  the  sacred  number, — which  implies  that  our  love 
must  not  be  limited  by  the  rules  of  arithmetic. — The 
kingdom  of  heaven  under  the  figure  of  reckoning : 
1.  The  king  reckoning ;  or,  the  remission  of  an  infi- 
nite debt.  2.  The  servant  reckoning ;  or,  the  harsh 
demand  of  a  small  claim.  3.  The  final  reckoning  of 
the  king  occasioned  by  that  of  the  servant. — The 
great  alternations  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  occa- 
sioned by  the  unfaithfulness  of  man  in  opposition  to 
the  faithfulness  of  God :  1.  From  the  judgment  of 
the  law  to  the  mercy  of  the  gospel ;  2.  from  mercy 
to  judgment. — The  grace  of  God  has  converted  the 
economy  of  the  law  into  that  of  the  gospel ;  but  the 
unmercifulness  of  Christians  seeks  to  transform  the 
dispensation  of  the  gospel  into  one  of  judgment. — 
How  could  the  servant  who  had  been  forgiven  act 
with  such  cruelty  against  his  fellow-servant?  1.  It 
was  suspicious,  that  he  who  apparently  was  among 
the  first  of  his  fellow-servants  should  have  incurred 
so  heavy  a  debt  without  accounting  for  the  money 
long  before  that ;  2.  it  was  still  worse  when  he  only 
plead  for  delay,  promising  payment  which  he  well 
knew  he  never  could  make  ;  3.  but  it  fully  indicated 
his  state  of  mind,  when  he  could  go  from  the  pres- 
ence of  his  master  cherishing  such  feelings  of  pride 
and  bitterness. — The  unconditional  and  the  condi- 
tional remission  of  debt  in  the  kingdom  of  God: 

1.  The  former  is  full  and  irrevocable ;  the  latter  is 
only  granted  to  try  us.  2.  The  former  is  real,  both 
in  respect  of  its  basis  and  its  character ;  the  latter 
only  emblematical.  3.  The  former  leads  to  humility 
and  compassion;  the  latter  may  readily  call  forth 
pride  and  harshness  in  the  unconverted. — The  un- 
merciful are  equally  destitute  of  feeling  and  memory. 
A.  1.  They  forget  "their  own  guilt  and  humiliation; 

2.  the  pardon  extended  to  them ;  3.  nor  are  they 
even  reminded  of  it  by  the  entreaty  of  a  fellow-ser- 
vant, so  similar  to  their  own  pleading ;  4.  they  only 
remember  it  in  the  hour  of  final  judgment.  B.  Such 
persons  have  only  a  heartless  memory  for  their  own 
selfishness,  for  their  own  claims,  demands,  etc. — 
How  the  remission  of  our  immeasurable  debt  should 
induce  us  to  forgive  the  small  debt  incurred  by  our 
brother:  1.  We  are  bound  to  do  so;  2.  enabled; 
and,  3.  impelled  to  it. — How  the  harshness  and  cru- 


elty of  those  who  are  proud  and  insecure  seems  to 
come  out  in  all  its  fulness  in  the  gospel  kingdom  of 
grace. — How  tlie  evil  disposition  of  the  servants  has 
transfoi-mcd :  1.  The  gospel  of  grace  into  compulsory 
conversions;  2.  the  call  to  repentance  into  forced 
penance ;  3.  the  discipline  of  the  Church  into  the 
tortures  of  the  Inquisition  ;  the  exhibition  of  the  Re- 
deemer into  a  call  for  the  Judge. — Guilt  under  the 
law  called  forth  grace;  but  harshness  under  the 
gospel  will  bring  down  the  judgment,  Matt.  xxv.  31, 
etc. — The  complaint  of  the  fellow-servants  in  its 
effects,  viewed  historically. — Heavy  judgments  im- 
pending on  those  who  show  no  mercy,  James  ii.  13. 
— How  unmercifulness  introduces  an  order  of  things 
which  ensures  its  own  ruin. — The  tormentors  and 
torments  of  the  next  world  in  their  relation  to  those 
of  this  life. — Unmercifulness  is  practical  unbelief. — 
The  practical  bearing  of  this  second  fall. — Tlie  do- 
mestic guilt  which  is  remitted,  and  the  personal  guilt 
which  is  retained. — "So  likewise,"  etc.  Or,  this 
parable  as  specially  applicable  to  the  Apostles,  and 
the  servants  of  Christ  both  in  Church  and  State. — 
"My  heavenly  Father."  1.  The  Father  of  mercy, 
and  of  the  Saviour — grace  itself.  2.  The  Father  of 
the  Judge  of  the  world — justice  itself.  3.  The  Fa- 
ther of  Christ  in  the  congregation,  or  of  the  Church. 

Starke: — Canstein:  It  is  a  great  honor  to  be  in 
the  employment  of  a  mighty  potentate ;  how  much 
more,  then,  to  be  a  servant  of  the  King  of  kings  and 
the  Lord  of  lords !  What  faithfulness  and  care  are 
requisite  in  such  a  service ! — God  will  require  an  ac- 
count of  all  that  has  been  entrusted  to  our  steward- 
ship: Job  ix.  3;  Ps.  cxxx.  3;  cxliii.  2. — Osiander: 
Sin  has  subjected  not  only  our  persons,  but  all  we 
have,  to  the  curse. — The  natural  man  is  not  wiUing 
to  rely  on  free  grace,  and  to  trust  for  atonement  and 
righteousness  to  Christ  alone ;  but  would  always  like 
to  contribute  something  of  his  own. — Forgetfulness 
of  the  freeness  of  God's  gifts  a  fruitful  cause  of  re- 
lapse into  sin. — Quesnel :  As  genuine  love  to  God 
and  compassionate  affection  townrd  our  neighbor  is  a 
fruit  of  genuine  conversion,  so  is  ingratitude  toward 
God  and  hardheartedness  toward  our  neighbor  an 
evidence  of  spurious  religion. —  Canstein:  To  insist 
on  full  restitution,  is  to  be  inexorable. — Your  fellow- 
servants  will  see  it,  and  lay  the  case  before  their 
Master. —  Quesnel:  To  be  unwilling  to  forgive  an 
offence,  is  to  provoke  the  wrath  both  of  heaven  and 
earth. — Feigned  penitence  is  like  that  wicked  ser- 
vant, promising  all,  but  performing  nothing,  Ps.  xii. 
0. — The  Lord  quotes  the  example  of  men,  in  order 
to  render  them  inexcusable. — Would  we  hke  to 
know  whether  we  have  obtained  forgiveness  from 
God  ?  Let  us  ask  ourselves  how  we  stand  affected 
toward  others. — Forgive,  and  He  will  forgive  you. 

Lisco : — God  reckons  with  us  when  setting  before 
us,  in  our  consciences  and  by  His  word.  His  law  and 
His  just  demands. — By  his  harshness  the  wicked  ser- 
vant loses  the  affection  and  esteem  of  liis  fellow-ser- 
vants, nor  can  his  conduct  remain  concealed. 

Heuhner : — This  command  to  be  ever  willing  to 
forgive,  implies  much  rich  and  blessed  comfort. — If 
man  is  to  forgive  so  frequently,  how  much  more  will 
our  Father  in  heaven  be  ready  to  extend  mercy ! — 
Unless  we  rightly  know  the  extent  of  our  guilt,  we 
cannot  properly  appreciate  the  fulness  of  grace  wluch 
the  Lord  is  wilUng  and  ready  to  vouch.-afe. — How 
our  sins  ever  involve  others  in  ruin,  and  generally 
those  nearest  and  dearest  to  us. — "We  should 
despair  of  being  ever  able  to  discharge  our  debt,  and 
rely  on  grace  and  mercy  alone." — What  contrasts 


336 


THE   GOSrEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


here !  1.  God,  tlie  King  of  kinj^s,  toward  a  servant ; 
and  again  a  servant  toward  his  fellow-sei'vant.  2. 
An  infinite  debt,  and  again  a  small  debt.  3.  Impos- 
sibility and  inability ;  and  again,  possibility  and  abili- 
ty. 4.  Compassion  and  khidness ;  and  again,  hard- 
heartedness  and  cruel  behavior. — Woe  to  him  whom 
the  tears  and  sighs  of  those  who  are  oppressed  and 
injured  accuse  before  the  tribunal  of  God. — A  harsh 
person  calls  down  the  judgments  of  God  upon  him- 
self. 


Rcrnhard: — What  obligation  God  lays  upon  us 
to  forgive  those  who  offend  against  us. — Kidnocl: — 
The  character  of  self-righteousness:  1.  Confession 
of  debt;  2.  promise  of  payment;  8.  the  manner  in 
which  this  promise  is  kept ;  4.  the  sad  issue  of  the 
whole  matter. — [^Bourdalue : — Sur  le  pardon  des  in- 
jures. Serm.  34.  Pour  le  21  Dimanche  apres  la 
Peutecote. — Massilon: — Du  pardon  des  offenses, — 
and  other  famous  CathoUc  sermons  on  the  pericope, 
vers.  23-35.— P.  S.] 


THIRD    SECTION. 

THE  PRIESTLY  FAMILY  IN  THE   CHURCH. 
Chaptee  XIX.  1-26. 

COKTENTs : — This  section  sets  before  ns,  in  their  remarkable  connection,  the  three  principal  features  of  the  Christian 
household  as  it  should  exist  in  the  Church  of  Christ :  viz.,  the  marriage-relationship  in  the  Church,  ch.  xix.  1-12;  chil- 
dren in  the  Church,  vers.  13-15;  and  property  in  the  Church,  vers.  16-26. 


Historical  Connection. — After  the  transaction  at  Capernaum,  recorded  in  Matt,  xviii.,  the  Lord  commenced 
His  festive  journey  to  Jerusalem,  in  company  with  His  disciples,  Luke  xiii.  22-30.  On  this  occasion 
the  Pharisees  attempted — probably  at  the  instigation  of  Herod — to  frighten  the  Lord  into  a  speedy  re- 
moval from  Galilee,  vers.  31-35.  They  next  invited  Him  to  a  feast,  in  the  hope  of  thus  ensnaring  Him, 
Luke  xiv.  1-24.  The  Lord  now  set  before  those  of  His  followers  who  were  not  yet  decided  for  Hun, 
the  dangers  connected  with  discipleship,  Luke  xiv.  25-35.  On  the  other  hand.  He  declared  His  readi- 
ness to  receive  penitent  pubUcans  and  sinners,  Luke  xv.  1-1*7.  The  festive  company  now  entered  the 
territory  of  Samaria,  but  were  not  allowed  to  pass  through  it  (Luke  ix.  51-62).  This  refusal  to  receive 
Him  led  to  the  sending  forth  of  the  seventy  disciples  (Luke  x.  1-16).  The  Lord  next  took  a  sorrowing 
retrospect  of  GaUlee  (Matt.  xi.  20-30) ;  and  then  passed  into  Percea  through  the  boundary  land  of  Sa- 
maria and  Galilee  (Luke  xvii.  11-19).  The  return  of  the  seventy  disciples  (Luke  x.  1*7-37).  Jesua 
an-ived  in  Peraea  previous  to  the  transactions  recorded  in  Matt.  xix.  (Matt.  xix.  1,  2).  The  Evangelists 
have  not  preserved  many  of  the  details  connected  with  Christ's  twofold  visit  to  Perasa,  before  and  after 
the  feast  of  the  Dedication  of  the  Temple,  during  the  winter  of  the  year  782.  Thus  much,  however, 
clearly  appears,  that  He  was  gladly  received  in  that  district.  We  are  told  that,  during  His  fu'st  stay 
there  (Matt.  xix.  2),  "  great  multitudes  followed  Him  there,  and  He  healed  them  (their  sick)."  Of  His 
second  visit  to  Peraea  we  read,  that  "  many  resorted  unto  Him,"  and  "  believed  on  Him  there  "  (John  x. 
40-42).  The  events  recorded  in  the  section  under  consideration,  most  probably  occurred  while  the 
Saviour  visited  Peraea  the  second  time.  According  to  the  account  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  the  rich 
young  man  came  to  the  Lord  when  He  was  gone  forth  into  the  way  ;  according  to  Matthew,  He  departed 
from  Galilee  after  having  laid  His  hands  on  children, — an  act  which  the  Evangehst  seems  to  connect 
with  His  teaching  on  the  subject  of  divorce  {see  the  Leben  Jesu^  ii.  2,  p.  1079). 

During  his  journey  to  Peraea,  where  Jesus  on  the  first  occasion  made  only  a  very  brief  stay.  He  re- 
plied to  the  intrusive  and  curious  question,  whether  few  or  many  were  to  be  saved  (Luke  xiii.  23).  It 
was  probably  in  Pertea  that  He  uttered  the  parable  concerning  the  Pharisee  and  the  publican,  and  sev- 
eral others  which  are  recorded  in  the  Gospel  by  Luke.  He  next  appeared  at  Jerusalem  at  the  feast  of 
the  Dedication  of  the  Temple  (John  x.  22-40),  which,  according  to  Wieseler,  commenced  that  year  on 
the  2oth  December.  Once  more  the  Jews  now  tempted  Him  with  the  question,  whether  He  was  the 
Messiah  (in  their  sense  of  the  designation — the  inquiry  being  urged  partly  from  motives  of  hostiUty,  and 
partly  in  the  hope  of  having  their  carnal  expectations  realized).  In  their  peculiar  state  of  mind,  the 
reply  of  Jesus  implied  both  more  and  less  than  they  had  anticipated  or  wished.  Hence  they  wished 
to  stone  Him.  But  He  passed  majestically  through  the  midst  of  them,  and — protected  by  His  followers 
— soon  appeared  a  second  time  in  Peraea,  in  the  same  locaUty,  where  afterward,  at  Pella,  His  Church 


CHAP.  XIX.  1-12. 


found  a  refuge.  But  iu  Perjea  also  lie  was  met  by  Pharisees,  who  had  been  stirred  up  and  instructed 
by  their  colleagues  at  Jerusalem.  Accordingly,  questions  similar  to  those  set  before  Him  in  the  capital 
of  Juda?a  were  now  urged.     With  these  the  section  under  consideration  opens. 

It  is  quite  in  accordance  with  the  plan  adopted  by  Matthew  in  his  Gospel,  that  only  those  portions 
are  recorded  in  which  the  Christian  family  in  the  new  Church  is  described  in  its  various  aspects  and 
bearings. 


A.  Marriage  in  the  Church.     Ch.  XIX.  1-12. 
(Mark  x.  1-12.) 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  Jesus  had  finished  these  sayings,  he  departed  from 

Gahlee,  and  came  into  the  coasts   [borders,  ra  opta]   of  Judea  beyond   [the]  Jordan ; 

2,  3  And  great  multitudes  followed  him ;  and  he  healed  them  there.     The  Pharisees  also 

came  unto  him  [And  there  came  to  him  Pharisees],^  tempting  him,  and  saying  unto 

4  him,^  Is  it  lawful  for  a  man  *  to  put  away  his  Avife  for  every  cause  ?  And  he  answered 
and  said  unto  them,*  Have  ye  not  read,  that  he  which  [who]  made  them  at  the  be- 
ginning  [from  the  beginning,  (xtt'  app^Tjs,  i.  e.,  iu  paradise]  made  them  male  and  female, 

5  And  said.  For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  father  and  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his 

6  wife :  and  they  twain  [the  two,  oi  hvo\  shall  be  one  flesh  ?  Wherefore  they  are  no 
more  twain,  but  one  flesh.     What  therefore  God  hath  joined  together,  let  not*  man  put 

7  asimder.     They  say  unto  him.  Why  [then]  did  Moses  then  command  to  give  a  writing 
S  of  divorcement,  and  to  piit  her  away?     He  saith  unto  them,  Moses  because  of  the 

harshness  of  your  hearts  suffered  you  to  put  av/ay  your  wives :  but  from  the  beginning 

9   [txTT  apx^s]  it  was  not  so.     And  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife, 

except  it  he  for  fornication,^  and  shall  marry  another,  committetli  aditltery :  and  Avhoso 

10  marrieth  her  which  [who]  is  put  away  doth  commit  [committetli]  adultery.  His  dis- 
ciples say  unto  him.  If  the  case  of  the  man  be  so  with  his  wife  \i.  e.,  if  this  is  the  legal  rela- 

1 1  tion  between  husband  and  wife],  it  is  not  good  to  marry.  But  he  said  unto  them,  All  men 
cannot   [Not  all,  ov  TrdvTes,  can]   receive  this  saying,  save  they  to  whom  it  is  given. 

12  For  there  are  some^  eunuchs,  which  [who]  were  so  born  from  their  [the]  mother's 
wombs:  and  there  are  some  eunuchs,  which  [who]  were  made  eunuchs  of  [by,  vtto] 
men :  and  there  be  [are]  eunuchs,  which  [who]  have  made  themselves  eunuchs  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven's  sake.     He  that  is  able  to  receive  it,  let  him  receive  it. 

'  Ver.  3.— [Kal  TrpoariKQov  ahrw  ^apiaaloi ;  the  article  ol  of  the  tert.  rec.  is  wanting  in  the  best  MSS.  and  thrown 
out  by  the  modern  critical  editors  (except  Tischendorf ).  also  by  Dr.  Lange  in  his  version.-^P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  3.— fAuTw,  to  him,  is  likewise  missing  ia  the  oldest  authorities,  also  Cod.  Sinait.,  and  omitted  by  Lachmann, 
Tischendorf,  Alfoid.-P.  S] 

3  Ver.  Z.—  hv  e  p  6  TT  0) ,  for  a  man,  is  omitted  by  15.,  L.,  [Cod.  Sin.iit.],  and  thrown  (i:;t  by  Lachmann  and  Tischen- 
dorf; but  seems  to  be  required  by  iiroiriaev  avTovs. 

*  Ver.  4.— [.A.  uT  oTy,  to  them,  is  omitted  in  the  critical  editions,  but  refuincd  by  Lange.— P.  S.] 

5  Ver.  9. — Lachmann,  with  B.,  D.,  reads:  rrapeKThs  Aoyov  iropveias.  Meyer  regards  it  as  a  gloss  from  ch.  v. 
82.  [The  ^ea-i.  >•«(;.  reads :  ej  /xv;  etti  Tropyeia;  Tischendorf  and  xUford :  ht}  6  7rt  tt.,  which  reading  is  sustained 
also  by  Cod.  Sinaiticus.  Ei  may  easily  be  an  explanatory  addition.  The  sense  is  not  affected  in  the  least  by  this  difference 
of  reading.— P.  8.] 

«  Ver.  12.— [Home  before  eunuchs  is  an  interpolation  of  the  E.  V.,  and  should  be  underscored  or  omitted.— P.  S.] 

'h  irepaia,  sc.  x^P°-)  extended  from  ?Troabitis,  or  from 
the  Amon,  to  Pella  on  the  north — "  certainly  to  the 
Sheriat  Mandhur,  since  Josephus  designates  Gadara 
(Omkeis),  which  lay  on  the  Mandhur,  as  the  capital 
of  Perasa.  Toward  the  east,  it  adjomed,  according 
to  that  writer,  the  territory  of  Gerasa,  Rabbath  Am- 
raon,  and  Arabia."  L.  von  Raunier.  From  the 
same  authority  we  learn  that  Persea,  in  the  wider 
sense,  embraced  that  part  of  Palestine  which  lay 
east  of  the  Jordan,  embracing  the  whole  territory  of 
Persea  from  the  sources  of  the  Jordan  to  the  Arnon. 
Lastly,  a  still  wider  meaning  attached  to  that  name, 
which  was  also  given  to  the  whole  eastern  part  of 
the  Jordan-valley,  or  the  Ghor  (Arabah),  stretching 
from  the  sources  of  Jordan  to  the  southern  cxtremi- 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CP.ITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  And  it  came  to  pass. — The  passage 
from  Gahlee  to  Peraja  formed  part  of  the  journey  of 
the  Lord  to  Jerusalem.  The  circumstance,  that 
Matthew  (as  well  as  Mark  and  Luke)  only  records 
the  last  journey  of  Jesus  to  Jerusalem,  is  readily  ex- 
plained from  the  general  plan  on  which  his  narrative 
is  constructed. 

Into  the  borders ;  or,  boundary  land. — It  de- 
serves notice,  that  Jesus  entered  not  merely  the  ter- 
ritory of  Persea,  but  penetrated  to  its  utmost  boun- 
daries. According  to  Josephus  {Bell.  Jud.  iii.  3,  3), 
Pereea  proper  (or  "  the  other  side,"  i.  e.,  of  Jordan — 
22 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW, 


ty  of  the  Dead  Sea,  and  running  beyond  it  to  the 
Elanitic  Gulf,  between  the  mountains  of  Edom  in  the 
east  and  the  high  coast  on  the  west.  When  on  for- 
mer occasions  traversing  the  lake  (Cassarea,  Gadara), 
Jesus  had  visited  Perasa  in  the  second  and  last-men- 
tioned acceptation  of  that  term.  Hence  we  conclude 
that  He  went  at  this  time  into  PerEca  proper,  which 
formed  part  of  the  tetrarchy  of  Herod  Antipas,  who 
ruled  over  that  province  as  well  as  over  Galilee. 
From  this  circumstance  we  account  for  the  fact  tliat 
the  Lord  now  betook  Himself  to  the  boundary  dis- 
tricts, or  coasts,  of  Peraa, — the  latter  term  being 
scarcely  applicable  to  the  boundary  district  of  Judaea 
itself. 

A  special  interest  and  importance  attaches  to  the 
province  of  Peraea,  where  Jesus  retired  on  tv/o  occa- 
sions previous  to  His  decease  and  found  a  refuge, 
and  whither  afterward  His  infant  Church  retired  be- 
fore the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  seeking  shelter 
among  its  mountains,  and  making  Pella  Iheu-  capitak 
On  the  difficulties  connected  with  the  topography  of 
Pella,  comp.  the  author's  Aposiol.  Zcua.ltcr,  ii.  461. 
Great  probability,  however,  attaches  to  the  sugges- 
tion of  Robinson,  who,  according  to  his  latest  re- 
searches, places  it  on  the  site  of  the  modern  Fahil, 
between  the  Jabbok  and  the  Hieromax;  in  which 
case,  the  statement  cf  Josephus  would  refer  to  Pella 
as  being  a  boundary  town  of  Pcrrea,  in  the  narrowest 
or  political  sense  of  the  term.  On  the  blessed  work 
of  Jesus  in  that  province,  comp.  the  author's  Lehen 
Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  1094.  The  general  conformation  of 
the  district  is  calcareous  and  cretaceous  in  the  south, 
till  beyond  the  Arnon,  and  basalt  in  the  eastern  por- 
tion. It  is  mountainous,  with  high  plateaus,  and 
traversed  by  many  rivers.  The  northern  part  is 
woody,  and  suited  for  grazing  (the  oaks  and  bulls  of 
Bashan) ;  the  southern,  exceedingly  fertile. 

An  attentive  consideration  of  the  narrative  in  the 
Gospels  will  easily  enable  us  to  answer  the  objection 
of  Meyer  and  others,  who  deem  the  account  of  Mat- 
thew incompatible  with  that  of  Luke  (ix.  51;  xvii. 
11),  according  to  which,  Jesus  had  passed  through 
Samaria.  The  Lord  had  evidently  intended  to  jour- 
ney by  Samaria.  But  when  the  inhabitants  of  that 
country  refused  to  receive  Him,  He  passed  into  Pe- 
reea  through  the  boundary  land  of  GaUlee  and  Sama- 
ria {see  Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  2,  1053).  Similarly,  in  answer 
to  the  alleged  contradiction  between  our  Gospel  and 
John  X.  22,  40 — which  records  that  Jesus  went  from 
Jerusalem  to  Perasa — we  remind  the  reader,  that  the 
Lord  visited  that  province  on  two  different  occa- 
sions. 

Ver.  3.  Pharisee.?. — Pertea  was  removed  from 
the  great  centres  of  Jewish  hierarchism.  Henee  the 
Saviour  found  there  a  sph.cre  of  labor  even  after  He 
had  been  banished  from  Galilee  and  Judaea.  But 
even  there  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  was  by  and  by 
roused  to  acts  of  hostility,  partly  at  the  instigation 
of  their  colleagues  at  Jerusalem,  and  partly  from 
personal  rancor.  On  this  and  other  grounds,  we 
conclude  that  the  transactions  here  recorded  had 
taken  place  during  the  second  visit  of  Jesus  to  Pe- 
ra;a.  The  question  has  been  raised,  wherein  the 
"  temptation  "  of  this  inquiry  lay.  Meyer  suggests 
that  it  consisted  in  the  attempt  of  involving  Hiiii  in 
the  discussion  between  the  schools  of  Hillcl  and 
Shammai  {see  the  Exeget.  No'.es  on  ch.  v.  31).  "It 
was  hoped  that,  by  His  reply,  Jesus  would  virtually 
support  the  view  of  one  of  these  cLiuagonistic  schools 
— more  particularly  that  of  Shammai,  and  that  thus 
the   opposite   party  might    be  more   fully   enlisted 


against  Hun."  But  in  that  case  He  would  al.'rO  mani- 
festly have  gained  the  favor  of  the  followers  of  Sham- 
mai. Ewald  thinks  that  it  was  intended  to  entangle 
Jesus,  while  in  the  dominions  of  Herod  Antipas — 
whose  conduct  in  his  married  relationship  John  had 
reproved — in  a  declaration  and  fate  similar  to  that 
of  the  Baptist.  To  this  it  has  been  objected — as  we 
think,  without  sufficient  reason — that  there  is  no  in- 
dication of  such  a  scheme  in  the  text.  Meyer  holds 
that  the  decision  cf  Jesus  was  stricter  than  that  of 
either  of  the  schools.  The  statcracnt  is  incorrect,  as 
our  Lord  did  not  go  bej'ond  the  principles  laid  down 
by  Shammai ;  whUe,  unhke  that  teacher.  He  did  not 
convert  the  absolute  principle  of  marriage  in  the 
Church  into  an  outward  and  civil  statute. 

For  every  cause. — The  question  is  manifestly 
put  from  the  point  of  view  taken  by  Hillcl. 

Ver.  4.  Made  them,  or  created  them. — The 
ideas  of  v.iQpwKo%  (which  accordingly  v/e  retain  as 
the  reading)  and  'jvvr\  are  presupposed.  The  Lord 
explains  that  they  were  not  created  arbitrarily,  or  in- 
dependently of,  but  for  each  other,  and  as  suitable 
and  adapted  to  eacli  other ;  which  is  expressed  by 
apaiv  Kal  OvXv,  referring  to  the  male  and  female 
nature.  The  two  first  individuals  of  the  male  and 
female  sex  were  not  merely  a  man  and  a  woman,  but 
tnale  and  female,  in  the  sense  of  being  destined  and 
intended  exclusively  for  each  other.  Hence  they 
constituted  the  type  of  marriage  in  its  full  meaning 
and  principle,  as  an  indissoluble  union. 

Ver.  5.  And  said. — In  Gen.  ii.  24,  these  words 
are  recorded  as  having  been  spoken  by  Adam,  while 
in  this  place  they  arc  uttered  as  quoted  by  God, — 
not  simply  because  every  statement  of  Scripture  is 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  but,  as  Augustine  [I)e  nvpt. 
ii.  4]  expresses  it,  "  Deus  utique  per  liomhiem  dixit 
quod  homo  jjrophetando  prcedixit."  Or  rather,  per- 
haps, because,  before  his  fall,  man  uttered  absolute 
spiritual  truth,  or  what  in  point  of  fact  was  the  word 
of  God. 

For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  father 
and  mother. — Added  not  merely  by  way  of  quotas 
tion,  but  to  show  that  the  relationship  between  a 
man  and  his  wife  was  higher,  stronger,  and  closer 
than  even  that  toward  his  father  and  mother. 

The  two. — The  expression  docs  not  occur  in  the 
original  Hebrew,  but  is  found  in  the  Septuagint,  as 
implied  in  the  text,  and  bringing  out  more  fully  its 
idea  and  meaning.  Tlie  two  apparently  different  in- 
dividualities are  to  become  one  flesh  by  marriage, 
i.  e.,  to  form  the  generic  unity  of  human  nature. 
This  unity,  while  implying  the  mental  and  moral  ele- 
ments, isbased  on  that  of  the  adp^,  as  indicating  and 
completing  the  union. 

Ver.  6.  No  more,  or,  neve?-  more,  ovk4ti. 
— Ver.  9  forms  no  exception  to  this  rule,  as  the  i-e- 
lationship  there  referred  to  is  incompatible  with,  and 
in  direct  antagonism  to,  the  idea  of  marriage.* 

*  [Vers.  3-0.— The  Pharisees  wished  to  cntant'le  our  Sa- 
viour in  their  scholastic  party  disputes  on  the  marriage-  and 
divorce-question  and  in  the  adultery-case  of  Herod  Antipas, 
which  caused  the  imprisonment  and  death  of  John  the  Bap- 
tist, and  mav  have  excited  as  much  feeling  and  debate  in  its 
day  as  the  divorce-case  of  Henry  VIII.  in  the  10th  century 
durins  the  Keformation  period.  The  Saviour  answered  the 
treacherous  question  of  His  enemies  by  referring  them  first 
(in  ver.  4)  to  what  God  cHd,  who  in  the  original  creation  of 
man  instituted  the  sexual  relation  and  marriage  as  an  indis- 
soluble union  between  one  man  and  one  woman ;  secondly, 
to  what  God  said  through  Adam  as  the  representative  of  the 
race  (in  ver.  5),  viz.,  that  husband  and  wile  are  inseparably 
united,  i.  e.,  within  the  limits  of  their  life  in  the  flesh,  or  their 
earthly  life;  and  then  He  states  His  own  irresistible  conclu 


CHAP.  XIX.  1-12. 


339 


Vers.  7,  8.  Why  did  Moses  then  command  ? 
Deut.  xxiv.  1. — A  misapplication  of  the  pass;i 
which  the  Lord  exposes  and  censures.  The  object 
of  Moses  in  laying  down  the  rules  about  givin; 
writing  of  divorcement,  was  not  to  countenance  or 
promote  divorces,  but  to  diminish  their  number  by 
subjecting  them  to  certain  rules  and  limitations,  with 
the  view  of  again  elevating  the  married  relationship, 
and  realizing  its  idea.  Moses  coniiuanded,  not  that 
divorces  should  take  place ;  he  only  enjoined  that  in 
such  cases  certain  forms  should  be  observed,  and 
that  the  ground  of  the  separation  should  be  em- 
bodied in  the  '■'■ivriting  of  divorcement.''^  But  the 
Jewish  Rabbins  completely  perverted  the  meaning 
and  object  of  all  this  (ch.  v.  31).  Hence  we  note 
the  t^^/ofold  antithesis:  ^'^ Moses  did  command," 
'^ Moses  suffered;"  and  again:  "Moses  did  com- 
mand "  in  general,  and,  "  Moses  suffered  you "  in 
particular.  So  far  from  having  commanded  it  in 
general,  he  only  suffered  you  individually,  because  of 
tlie  hardness  of  your  hearts. 

Yer.  8.  From,  the  beginning  it  -vsras  not  so. 
— In  the  original  state  of  things  in  Paradise.  The 
first  instance  of  polygamy  is  recorded  in  Cen.  iv.  19. 
It  deserves  special  notice,  that  it  appears  in  conjunc- 
tion with  murder,  avenging  of  blood,  and  sinful  poe- 
try ;  and  that  it  occurs  in  the  line  of  Cain,  not  in 
that  of  Seth. 

Ver.  9.  Except  for  fornication. — An  explana- 
tion of  the  ~3'i  ri'^y .  Comp.  the  Uzeg.  litotes  on 
ch.  V.  31,  32,  p.  115.  Roman  Catholic  writers  are 
naturally  anxious  to  have  this  clause  omitted  from 
the  text  (Hug,  von  Berlepsch),  but  there  is  no  criti- 
cal warrant  for  this. 

Ver.  10.  It  is  not  good  to  marry. — The  mean- 
ing of  the  disciples  is:  if  the  ideal  principle  laid 
down  by  our  Lord  about  marriage  was  to  be  imme- 
diately and  unconditionally  applied  to  existing  rela- 
tions, then,  etc.  In  Bis  reply,  Christ  admits  the 
difficulty  of  such  application. 

Ver.  11.  Not  all  can  receive  this  saying. — 
It  requires  divine  illumination. 

Ver.  12.  The  explanation  of  His  further  state- 
ment— For  there  are  eunuchs,  etc. — is  exceeding- 
ly difficult.  Neander  thinks  that  Matthew  inserted 
in  this  place  something  which  the  Lord  had  taught 
op  the  same  subject  on  another  occasion,  and  in 
quite  a  different  connection.  Certainly,  the  common 
interpretation,  that  Jesus  here  referred  to  the  various 
exceptional  cases  in  which  marriage  should  be  avoid- 
ed, is  very  unsatisfactory.  The  three  classes  of 
eunuchs  here  enumerated  (the  expression  being  used 
figuratively  for  those  who  are  not  to  enter  the  mar- 
ried relationship),  are  evidently  intended  to  embrace 
all  the  grounds  on  which  marriage  was  inadmissible. 
First  of  all,  then,  there  is  a  class  of  eunuchs  "vyho 

sion  (in  ver.  6)  in  a  sentence  which  is  since  repp.ited  in  every 
marriase  ceremony  in  Christian  lamls,  and  will  be  repeated 
to  the  end  of  time" to  inaugurate  and  protect  with  its  divine 
authority  and  power  this  holy  and  fundainontjil  relation. — 
We  add  the  remarks  of  Dr.  "Alfoed  on  vers.  4-6:  (1)  Our 
Lord  refers  to  the  Mosaic  account  of  the  Creation  as  a  /lin- 
toricid  fact,  and  grounds  His  argument  on  the  liUtul  ex- 
pressions of  that  narrative.    (2)  He  cites  both  from  the  first 
and  second  chapters  of  Genesis,  .showinsr  them  to  be  conse-  i 
cutive  parts  of  a  continuous  narrative.    (3)  He  quotas  words 
of  Adam  (Gen.  ii.  21)  as  spoken  by  the  Creator;  they  must,  \ 
therefore,  be  understood  as  said  in"  prophecy,  divino  ajffliitii, 
the,more  so  since  the  relations  alluded  to  by  those  terms  did  | 
not  yet  exist.     (4)  The  force  of  the  argument  consists  in  the 
previous  unity  of  male  and  female,  not  indeed  organically, 
bat  by  implication,  in  Adam.     He  m.ide  them,  i.  c,  man  .-is 
a  racej  male  (not  a  male),  and  female  (not  a  female). — I',  i 
S.]  1 


•were  so  born  from  the  mother's  -womb,  i.  e., 

who  arc  physically  disqualified  for  marriage,  such  as 
those  lal)oring  under  disease,  or  whose  mental  or 
bodily  organization  is  defective.  Next,  there  was 
another  class  ''who  were  made  evmuchs  by 
men."  As,  in  the  first  and  third  class  enumerated, 
the  term  eunuch  is  evidently  used  in  a  figurative 
manner,  we  take  it  in  the  same  sense  here — the  more 
so,  as  in  the  literal  sense  it  would  apply  to  a  compara- 
tively small  number  of  persons.  Hence  we  regard  it 
as  referring  in  general  to  those  who  are  prevented 
from  entering  hito  marriage,  in  the  highest  and  only 
true  unport  of  the  idea,  by  social  and  moral  consid- 
erations, and  who  are  hence  in  duty  bound  to  re- 
nounce the  married  state.  The  last  class  to  which 
the  Saviour  alludes,  consists  of  those  who  have 
made  themselves  eunuchs  for  the  sake  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  i.  e.,  those  who,  being 
married,  yet  for  the  kingdom  of  heavens  sake  are 
as  if  they  were  not  married,  i.  e.,  are  ever  ready 
to  sacrifice  their  conjugal  enjoyments  for  the  sake  of 
their  spiritual  calling;  or — as  the  Apostle  expresses 
it,  1  Cor.  vii.  29 — have  wives  as  though  they  had 
none. — Thus  this  threefold  renunciation,  which,  in 
accordance  with  the  divine  will  and  purpose,  runs 
through  the  actual  marriage-relationship, — viz.,  the 
reimnciation  of  natural  union,  or  of  ideal  union,  or 
of  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  married  estate, — was  to 
form  the  basis  on  which  this  relationship  was  hence- 
forth to  rest.  Such  a  union  was  to  combine  the  ele- 
ments of  deep  personal  attachment  and  interchange 
of  soul  with  subordination  to  the  divine  arrangements 
and  requirements  in  the  theocracy,  where  this  as  well 
as  every  other  good  gift  should  be  regarded  as  sec- 
ondary, and  subservient  to  the  grand  purposes  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  {Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  p.  1103).  The 
expression  (vvovx^C^iv  is  also  used  by  the  Cabbalists 
in  a  figurative  sense.  It  is  strange  that  Roman 
Catholic  divines  (as,  for  example,  Skpp,  Leben  Jesu, 
iii.  IIY)  should  have  quoted  in  support  of  celibacy  a 
passage  which,  in  reahty,  so  far  from  representing 
marriage  as  something  beneath  the  disciples,  elevat- 
ed that  relationship  far  above  the  views  and  circum- 
stances of  the  times,  and  placed  it  on  a  high  and 
spiritual  platform.  Similarly  absurd  is  the  notion  of 
Strauss,  that  this  passage  savors  of  Essenism,  which 
degraded  woman,  v/hile  the  Saviour  here  restored  her 
right  position.  Comp.  Ebrard,  p.  453.  It  is  well 
known  that  a  misunderstanding  of  the  import  of  this 
passage  induced  Origen  literally  to  carry  it  into  exe- 
cution,— a  historical  fact,  which  has  latterly  been 
again  established  by  Engclhart  and  Redepenning 
against  Schnitzer  and  others. 

[Xote. — I  beg  leave  to  differ  from  Dr.  Lange's 
figurative  exposition  of  the  second  and  third  class  of 
eunuchs  ;  which  last  would,  in  this  case,  embrace  all 
Christians,  since  temperance  and  chastity  is  a  funda- 
mental virtue  and  duty  for  the  married  as  well  as 
the  single  state,  and  since  all  are  required  to  sub- 
ordinate their  earthly  relations  to  their  spiritual  call- 
ing. As  I  understand  the  mysterious  passage, 
the  Saviour  distinguishes  three  kinds  of  eunuch- 
ism :  (1)  congenital,  which  implies  neither  merit  nor 
guilt;  (2)  forced,  which  implies  misfortune  on  the 
one  hand  and  guilt  on  the  other;  (3)  voluntary, 
which  has  moral  value  and  merit  if  it  proceeds  from 
faith  and  love  to  Christ,  but  no  merit  superior  to 
chastity  in  the  mairied  state.  The  first  and  third  are 
only  improperly  called  eunuchism.  To  speak  more 
fully,  the  first  class  of  eunuchs  embraces  the  com- 
paratively small  number  of  those  who  are  constitu- 


340 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


tionally  cither  iucaptiblo  of,  or  averse  to,  marriage ; 
the  second  ehiss,  the  eunuchs  jiroper,  or  mutihited 
jiersons,  wlio  at  tliat  time  were  quite  numerous,  espe- 
cially at  courts,  and  are  still  found  in  Eastern  coun- 
tries, among  heathens  and  Mohammedans  (yea,  even 
in  the  choir  of  the  papal  Sixtiue  chapel  in  Kome ;  the 
famous  Miserere  being  sung  by  the  clear  silver  voices 
of  these  unfortunate  victims  of  sacred  art) ;  the  third 
class,  those  who  deliberately  abstain  from  marriage 
either  altogether,  or  from  second  marriage  after  the 
death  of  their  first  husband  or  wife,  not,  however, 
for  the  purpose  of  thereby  (jaining  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  {nd  rec/num  calorum  fromerendum,  as  Ori- 
gen,  Iiilarius,  Euthyrnius,  Maldonatus,  and  the  Ro- 
man Commentators  generally  misinterpret  the  words 
lib.  Tjjy  /SaoiAeictv  t.  ovf).),  but  for  the  purpose  of 
vjorkivg  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  from  pure  and 
disinterested  love  to  Christ,  believing  that  they  can 
seive  Him  more  unreservedly  and  eifectually  in  the 
single  state,  or  remain  more  steadfast  in  times  of 
peculiar  trial  and  persecution  (Sia  t^v  ivfaTicaav 
ai'dy:c7iv,  1  Cor.  vii.  26).  To  this  class  belong  St. 
Paul  (1  Cor.  vii.  V,  26),  Barnabas  (1  Cor.  ix.  5,  6), 
probably  also  St.  John  (who  in  the  Greek  Church 
bears  the  standing  title,  6  Tropdevos,  with  reference  to 
his  virgin  purity),  and  thousands  of  missionaries,  di- 
vines, ministers  and  pious  laymen,  sisters  of  charity, 
virgins  and  widows  in  all  ages  and  among  Protes- 
tants as  well  as  CathoUcs.  The  great  and  serious 
error  of  the  Roman  CJmrch  consists  in  making  a  law 
for  the  whole  clergy  of  what  the  Saviour  left  to  free 
choice  on  the  basis  of  a  special  calling  and  gift  of 
God  (ver.  11),  and  in  attaehmg  a  superior  merit  to 
celibacy  at  the  expense  of  the  holy  and  normal  state 
of  marriage.  From  a  grossly  literal  misunderstand- 
ing of  ver.  12,  Origen,  in  the  youthful  ardor  of  enthu- 
siasm for  Christ,  and  misguided  by  the  ascetic  no- 
tions of  his  age,  committed  the  unnatural  deed  which 
forever  disquaUlied  him  for  marriage.  But  this  was 
justly  condemned  in  the  ancient  church,  and  was 
made  subsequently  a  reason  for  his  excommunication 
from  the  church  of  Alexandria. — On  the  v/hole  sub- 
ject of  marriage  and  ceUbacy  in  the  N.  T.,  comp. 
Schaef's  History  of  the  Aposiolic  Church,  §  112,  pp. 
448-454.— P.  S.] 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Compare  our  remarks  on  Matt,  v.,  p.  115  sq., 
and  the  foregoing  Exegetical  Notes. 

2.  The  scribes  seem  always  to  have  been  entan- 
gled in  the  antagonistic  views  of  Shammai  and  Hillel. 
But  Christ  here  calls  their  attention  to  a  very  differ- 
ent kind  of  antagonism, — viz.,  that  between  the 
fundamental,  eternal,  and  absolute  principle  of  mar- 
riage, and  the  theocratic  or  political  law  on  the  sub- 
ject. So  far  as  the  prineijjle  of  marriage  was  con- 
cerned, every  such  union  was  necessarily  indissoluble, 
being  based  on  the  fact,  that  man  and  woman  were 
destined  for  each  other.  But  in  point  of  fact  this 
principle  had  been  lost  sight  of,  equally  because 
unions  were  improperly  formed,  and  because  they 
v;ere  improperly  dissolved.  Hence,  the  object  of 
Moses  was  to  keep  this  heathen  degeneracy  within 
bounds.  By  means  of  the  "  writing  of  divorcement," 
he  wished  gradually  again  to  train  the  Jews  by  the 
law,  so  as  to  elevate  their  views,  and  to  introduce 
among  them  marriage  in  the  true  and  spiritual  sense. 
But  this  measure  was  frustrated  and  perverted  for 
the  opposite  purpose,  by  the  loose  and  lascivious  in- 


terpretations put  upon  it  by  the  Rabbins.  In  our 
opinion,  it  is  the  duty  of  legislators  and  magistrates 
not  to  (legenerate  into  literalism,  or  to  go  beyond  the 
above  principle,  as  Romanism  has  done,  but  to  see 
to  it  that,  so  far  as  possible,  practice  should  corres- 
pond with  this  ideal.  Accordingly,  our  Lord  here 
lays  down  the  following  leading  principles,  viz. :  (1) 
The  law  concerning  adultery  applies  to  man  as  well 
as  to  woman — indeed,  more  especially  to  the  former. 

(2)  Marriage  is  dissolved  only  by  actual  fornication  ; 
in  which  case  the  non-offending  party  is  again  free. 

(3)  What  constitutes  a  legal  divorcement  is  not  the 
separation  of  the  two  parties, — which,  as  in  morally 
faulty  marriages,  may  not  only  be  excusable,  but 
perhaps  even  duty, — but  re-marriage  after  separa- 
tion, and  that  whether  it  be  a  marriage  by  which  the 
divorced  woman  is  finally  abandoned,  or  else  a  wo- 
man that  had  been  divorced  is  espoused.  Thus  far 
the  legal  settlement  of  the  question.  In  practical 
legislation,  it  is  necessary  to  keep  two  points  in  view, 
viz. :  v/hal  constitutes  fornication ;  and  the  difference 
between  mere  separation  and  the  right  of  entering 
into  another  union.  With  regard  to  fornication,  we 
must — according  to  1  Cor.  vii.  15 — here  include  re- 
ligious, spiritual  apostasy.  But  in  reference  to  the 
re-marrying  of  those  who  have  been  divorced — ex- 
cept under  the  above  circumstances — we  believe  that 
no  human  tribunal  has,  as  a  matter  of  right,  the 
power  of  granting  such  a  permission,  although  (in 
the  opinion  of  the  author)  it  may  be  conceded  as  an 
act  of  grace  on  the  part  of  the  reigning  sovereign, 
especially  in  cases  where  mitigating  circumstances 
justify  such  an  act  of  dispensation.  {See  the  author's 
Leben  Jesu,  ii.  2,  1101;  iii.  1*79;  Posit.  Bogmatik, 
p.  1215.) 

The  matrimonial  law  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  and  the  common  statute  law  of  Prussia  and 
other  Protestant  countries  of  Germany,  are  instances 
of  the  two  opposite  extremes  and  aberrations  to 
which  a  misinterpretation  of  this  passage  has  given 
rise.  The  former  starts  from  the  supposition,  that 
actual  union,  or  the  solemnizing  of  matrimony,  con- 
stitutes of  itself  and  alone  an  indissoluble  marriage. 
The  history  of  the  Middle  Ages,  the  state  of  society 
in  Italy  and  in  other  Roman  Catholic  countries,  espe- 
cially in  South  America,  furnish  a  sad  illustration  of 
this  principle.  While  the  bed  in  which  the  stream 
was  to  flow  has  been  converted  into  a  hard,  stofie- 
built  channel,  the  river  has  broken  through  all 
bounds,  and  cutting  out  a  channel  for  itself,  winds 
its  Avay  irregularly  and  wildly  through  forests  and 
swamps.  The  false  assumption  in  this  case  seems  to 
be,  that  the  law  of  Moses  had  occupied  the  lowest 
stage — that  it  was  ih&  minirmim  oi  right;  not  that 
it  embodied  a  principle,  and  was  intended  to  prepare 
the  way  for  realizing  the  full  idea  of  marriage.  In 
many  Protestant  countries,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
opposite  error  has  been  committed ;  the  legality  of 
marriage  has  been  thoroughly  undermined,  and  free 
love  substituted  in  its  place  as  the  controlhng  prin- 
ciple of  true  marriage.  In  that  case,  the  writing  of 
divorcement  is  not,  like  that  of  Moses,  intended  to 
render  sepai-ation  more  difficult,  but,  like  that  of 
Hillel,  to  make  it  more  easy. 

It  deserves  special  notice,  that  the  great  reforma- 
tion here  inaugurated  by  the  Lord  is  introduced  by 
an  explanation  of  the  circumstances  under  which 
marriage  should  be  avoided.  All  such  cases  may  be 
arranged  under  three  classes:  those  who  by  their 
physical  constitution  are  disqualified  for  such  a 
union;    those  in  which  moral  and  social  relations 


CHAP.  XIX.  1-12. 


341 


prevent  the  carrying  out  of  marriage  in  its  full  im- 
port ;  and,  lastly,  those  who,  being  married,  were  to 
subordinate  their  married  relationship  to  their  chilling 
as  Christians,  and  in  this  respect  to  renounce  it. 
Thus  marriage  was  to  be  regenerated  on  the  basis  of 
ideal  renunciation.* 

[3.  David  Brown  on  ver.  12:  "When  our  Lord 
holds  forth  the  single  life  as  designed  for  and  suited 
to  certain  specific  classes,  let  Christians  understand 
that,  while  their  own  plan  and  condition  of  life 
should  be  regulated  by  higher  considerations  than 
mere  inclination  or  personal  advantage,  they  ai-e  not 
to  lay  down  rules  for  others,  but  let  each  decide  for 
himself,  as  to  his  own  Master  he  standeth  or  falleth. 
For  he  that  in  these  things  serveth  Christ  is  accepta- 
ble to  God  and  approved  of  men."  Alfokd  (after 
Neander)  on  ver.  12 :  "It  is  to  be  observed  that  our 
Lord  does  not  here  utter  a  word  from  which  any 
superiority  can  be  attributed  to  the  state  of  celibacy : 
the  imperative  in  the  last  clause  being  not  a  com- 
mand but  a  permission,  as  in  Rev.  xxii.  lY.  His 
estimate  for  us  of  the  expediency  of  celibacy,  as  a 
general  question,  is  to  be  gathered  from  the  parable 
of  the  talents,  where  He  visits  with  severe  blame  the 
burying  of  the  talent  for  its  safer  custody.  The  re- 
mark is  Neander's  {Lebeii  Jesu,  p.  584,  4th  ed.),  and 
the  more  valuable,  as  he  himself  [and  his  sister  wlio 
took  care  of  him]  lived  and  died  unmarried." — Christ 
certainly  nowhere  commands,  or  even  recommends, 
voluntary  cehbacy  to  any  one ;  the  most  which  can 
be  gathered  from  the  last  clause  of  ver.  12:6  Swd- 
l^evos  x^P^"^"  X'^?^''-'^'^'i  i^  connection  with  ver.  21,  is 
that  He  expected  such  a  sacrifice  from  some  of  His 
disciples.     Comp.  de  Wette  in  loc. — P.  S.] 

4.  The  great  object  of  the  Lord  in  this  section  is 
to  reinstate  woman  in  her  original  rights.  In  the 
imcient  world,  as  still  in  heathen  countries,  woman 
was  treated  as  a  slave.  Even  among  the  Jews  the 
right  of  divorcement  was  refused  to  woman,  although 
it  was  accorded  to  her  by  the  Roman  law.  This, 
however,  does  not  imply  that  the  legislation  of  Rome 
occupied  higher  ground  than  that  of  Israel.  In  the 
former  case,  the  rights  of  the  free  citizen  were  chiefly 
guarded ;  while  in  Jewish  law  the  idea  of  the  family 
prevailed.  Still,  the  law  of  Rome  may  be  said  to 
have  prepared  the  way  for  Christian  legislation  on 
the  subject  of  matrimony. 

5.  "  The  creation  of  one  couple  may  be  regarded. 


*  [The  next  section  of  about  tialf  a  column  is  omitted  in 
the  translation,  since  it  relates  exclusively  to  the  Intricate 
marriage  difficulties  In  the  Prussian  state-church-estublish- 
iiient,  taking  a  middle  ground  between  the  rigorous  reform 
party  and  the  conformist  majority  of  pastors.  The  Prussian 
laws  on  marriage,  dating  from  tlie  infidel  reign  of  Frederic 
II.,  are  scandalously  lax  and  demoralizing,  by  increasing  the 
causes,  and  facilitating  the  accomplishment  of  divorce. 
With  the  revival  of  true  Christianity  in  Prussia  .i  reform 
movement  commenced,  which  aims  at  a  return  to  the  law 
of  Christ.  The  subject  has  been  extensively  agitated  for  the 
last  twenty  years  by  the  religious  press,  on  Synods,  Pastoral 
Conferences,  and  also  on  the  German  Church  Diet.  Comp. 
a  number  of  articles  in  IIengsten berg's  Evang.  Kirchen- 
zeitung,  for  l;>iO-"00;  Liebetrut:  Ueber  georduete  Ent- 
xcickhing  der  Eke.  Berlin,  1S5G;  and  Goescukn,  article  Ehe 
in  Herzog's  Ileal- Eacyclopatdie,  vol.  iii.,  pp.  CC6-707.— 
P.  S.] 


(1)  As  proof  that  monogamy  alone  is  agreeable  to 
the  will  of  God;  which  al.so  appears  from  the  foct 
of  the  continuance  of  the  same  proportion  between 
the  male  and  female  sex,  even  with  a  numerical  ad- 
vantage on  tlie  part  of  the  male  sex,  which  would 
have  been  reversed  if  polygamy  had  been  intended 
by  the  Creator.  (2)  As  evidence  that  this  union 
was  to  continue  unseparated ;  otherwise,  God  would 
have  created  more  than  one  couple  or  more  wives. 
In  this  respect  also  the  order  of  nature  is  the  order 
of  God."     Heubuer. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Wherever  Christ  goes,  friends  and  foes  follow 
Him:  1.  As  His  friends,  those  who  need  help;  2.  as 
His  enemies,  the  representatives  of  slavish  legalism 
and  licentious  antinomianism. — The  doctrine  of 
Christ  concerning  marriage :  1.  Its  binding  character 
as  instituted  by  God ;  2.  its  decay  in  the  progress 
of  history ;  3.  its  prepared  restoration  under  the 
law ;  4.  its  transformation  by  the  gospel. — Marriage 
an  institution  of  God. — Marriage  as  completing  and 
consecrating  creation — as  the  basis  of  the  family — as 
the  complete  communion  of  life — a  iigure  of  the 
communion  between  the  Lord  and  His  Church,  Eph. 
V. — How  sin  has  obscured  this  best  and  most  blessed 
relationshij)  of  life,  and  frequently  perverted  it  into 
the  most  fruitful  source  of  misery. — The  writing  of 
divorcement  in  its  different  aspects. — How  Christiani- 
ty has  elevated  woman,  and  restored  her  rights. — Gen- 
uine and  Christian  love  the  great  preservative  against 
disturbing  intiuences. — Unchastity  always  a  renuncia- 
tion of  self-respect  and  of  personal  dignity, — a  disso- 
lution of  the  hoUest  of  bonds. — Solemnity  and  earn- 
estness of  the  marriage  relationship. — The  threefold 
renunciation  of  marriage  under  the  gospel,  preparing 
the  v/ay  for  Christian  marriage. — Christ  the  founder 
of  the  Christian  ftvmily:  1.  Of  the  law  regulating 
marriage ;  2.  of  the  law  regulating  children ;  3.  of 
the  law  regulating  property. 

Starke: — Quesnel :  The  union  of  man  and  wife 
more  close  even  than  that  of  parents  and  children, 
Gen.  ii.  24. — Hedinger :  Husband  and  wife  should  be 
not  only  one  flesh,  but  also  one  heart  and  mind,  Eph. 
V.  31. — The  order  of  marriage  is  instituted  by  God 
Himself;  but,  alas!  many  persons  enter  this  state 
not  only  without  God,  but  against  His  mind  and  will. 
—  Osiander:  Satan  attempts  to  interpret  Scripture 
through  his  servants ;  but  he  perverts  it,  and  misrep- 
resents its  meaning.— deisms ;  Under  the  new  dis- 
pensation, everything  is  not  sanctioned  that  Avas 
tolerated  under  the  law. — Phcator :  Cehbacy  is  not 
a  more  holy  state  than  marriage. 

Gerlacii : — In  this  relationship,  man  is  to  show 
that  he  has  con(iuered  the  flesh  and  nature  by  the 
power  of  the  Spirit. 

Heubyier : — Christ  is  not  determined  by  the  opin- 
ions of  the  scribes ;  but  points  back  to  the  original 
institution  as  founded  by  God,  which  is  the  source 
and  ground  of  all  further  enactments. 


842 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


B.   Children  in  the  Church.     Ch.  XIX.  13-15. 
(Mark  x.  13-16  ;  Luke  xviii.  15-lV.) 

13  Then  were  there  ^  brought  unto  liini  little  children,  that  he  should  [might]  put  his 

14  hands  on  them,   and  pray  :  and  the  disciples  rebuked  them.     But  Jesus  said,   Sufier 
[the,  Ta\   little   children,  and  forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto  me;  for  of  such  is ^  the 

15  kingdom  of  heaven.     And  he  laid  his  hands  on  them,  and  departed  thence." 

'  Ver.  13. — [77iereis  an  unnecessnry  interpolation  of  the  E.  V. — P.  S.] 

-  Ver.  14.— [Or:  to  such  helongeth,  Tyndale,  Conant,  etc.  The  Saviunr  docs  not  say:  ahruiv  ear  iv  rj  liaai- 
Aeia  Tiiv  oi/paviiv,  of  them,  as  in  ch.  v.  3,  10  (although  the  children  are  certainly  included),  but,  estendins  the 
bless-ins  :  t  wv  t  o  tovr  wv  e  ar  Iv ,  ofmch,  i.  «.,  of  all  tho.se  that  have  a  childlike  spirit  and  are  like  those  little  ones 
that  believe  in  Christ,  comp.  xviii.  2-6.     Calvin  is  right  in  explaining:  tain  pareuli,  quam  eorum  similes.— T.  S.] 

3  Ver.  15.— [The  difl'erent  readings  in  this  section  have  no  cflect  on  the  sense,  and  are  omitted  by  Dr.  Lange.  I  will 
merely  mention  them:  Ver.  13  :  irpos-nvix^'t — Trpos7)v4x6vo'°-'' 'y  eTrirl/jLTiaai' — i-nerifxaiv;  Ver.  14:  elwev — ela-fj' 
avToh;  TTpoi  fif — TTposifJ-e;  Ver.  1.5:   avTu?s — ir:'  avrovs. — P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AXD   CRITICAL. 

Yer.  13.  Then  were  brought  to  Him  little 
children. — Forming  a  glorious  contrast  to  the  ques- 
tions previously  propounded.  Jli^.  lilc^ug  ^f  jiiul- 
drenm  opposition  to  marriage  offences.  [Li tile  chil- 
dren, -rraiSia,  not  only  littl(_-  boy-  and  girls,  but  also 
infant:',  or  fi-'.bt.i,  m  i<  t.-vi'li-nt  iV'-u  ilii_'  term  iipiq>T\ 
of  Luke  xviii.  I-"'. — I'.  S. ) 

To  Him. — From  this  ili.■^tu^y  we  gather,  that  in 
Perasa  Christ  was  not  merely  regarded  as  a  sacred 
personage,  but  that  His  dignity  and  character  were 
also  in  some  measure  acknowledged. 

That  He  should  put  His  hands  oh  them. — 
Not  merely  as_.a  symbol,  but  also  as  an  act  of  bene- 
dictioiv — i-  e.,  as  enectually  conferring  some  moral 
l)lessing.  ^Similarly,  it  was  also  expressive  of  coyise- 
cratioil  and  of  healing.  Gen.  xlviii.  14 ;  Exod.  xxix. 
10;  2  Kings  iv.  34.  Comp.  the  article  Handaufie- 
gung  in  Ilerzog's  Eeal-Encyclopcedie.  Hebrew  mo- 
thers would  be  accustomed  to  seek  in  this  manner  a 
blessing  for  their  children.  The  presidents  of  syna- 
gogues were  also  in  the  habit  of  putting  their  hands 
on  children. 

The  disciples  rebuked  them.— rAccoxding  to 
Mark,  those  who  brought  them  ;  and  Meyer  suggests 
that  the  term  ■npoarivix^'n  indicates  that  the  word 
avrols  in  the  text  refers  to  these  persons.  But  in 
our  view  the  Evangehst  intends  to  indicate,  that 
while  the  rebuke  was  addressed  to  those  who  brought 
the  children,  it  was  in  reality  diiected  toward  the 
children  themselves.  Accordingly,  our  Lord  replies, 
Suffer  little  children,  etc. 

Ver.  14.  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
— Various  views  are  entertained  of  this  passage:  1. 
Bengel  and  de  Wette  apply  it  to  children  in  the  lit- 
eral sense.  2.  Meyer  interprets  it  of  persons  of  a 
childUke  3isposition,  ch.  xviii.  3.  Calvin  remarks: 
tarn  parvuli,  quam  corum  similes.  4.  The  Church 
commonly  applies  it  to  the  institution  of  infant  bap- 
tism, explaining  it  as  meaning,  children  which  are 
offered  to  the  Lord,  and  come  to  Him.  Hence,  such 
as  are  dedicated  unto  God  in  baptism, — the  children 
of  the  theocracy  as  the  generation  which  embodied 
the  hope  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  But  accordmg 
to  the  parallel  passages  in  Mark  and  Luke,  it  must 
alio  be  regarded  as  a  symbol  of  a  childUke  spirit, 
"just  as  baptism  itself  is  the  type  of  personal  regen- 
eration. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  This  section  may  be  regarded  as  shedding  a 
precious  light  on  that  which  preceded.  The  blessing 
of  having  children,  and  presenting  them  to  the  Lord, 
seems  to  banish  the  sorrows  and  miseries  which  the 
disciples  had  anticipated. 

2..  The  believers  in  Pera3a  appear  to  have  been 
sufBciently  advanced  in  spiritual  knowledge  to  tm- 
derstand  that  Christ  was  able  to  bless  even  little  chil- 
dren {Bpf<t>v,  according  to  Luke),  and  that  they  were 
capable  of  receiving  a  blessing.  But  in  this  instance 
the  disciples  seem  to  have  displayed  a  less  hberal 
spirit — we  should  almost  say,  that  they  were  inclined 
to  Baptistic  rigorism.  They  regarded  the  request  of 
these  parents  as  an  unseasonable  interruption  of  a 
most  important  discussion,  and  as  a  premature  step 
on  their  part.  But  while  rebuking  the  ignorant  zeal 
of  His  disciples,  tlte  Saviour  returned  a  gracious  an- 
swer to  the  humble  aspirations  of  these  mothers  in 
Israel,  and  at  the  same  time  fully  met  the  uncon- 
scious wants  of  their  children. 

3.  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The  an- 
cient Church  has  rightly  regarded  this  passage  as  a 
proof  m  favor  of  the  doctrine  of  infant  baptism. 
Our  Lora  here  distinctly  states — 1.  that  little  chil- 
dren are  capable  of  receiving  a  blessmg  from  His 
hands ;  2.  that  this  blessing  refers  to  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  and  their  entrance  into  it ;  3.  He  shows 
that  it  is  accompanied  by,  "and  may  be  conveyed 
along  with,  a  spnbolical  action.  Baptists  are  apt  to 
i  ignore  the  possibility  of  faith  as  a  seed  in  the  heart 
of  infants,  just  as  they  fail  to  perceive  the  full  idea 
!  of  the  Christian  family,  and  of  the  blessing  which 
may  descend  from  Christian  parentage.  On  the 
other  hand,  our  Lord  evidently  includes  children 
among  those  that  are  called  into  His  kingdom,  and 
who  are  intended  to  share  the  blessing  of  the  Chris- 
tian family.     See  also  our  notes  on  ch.  x.  12-14  (p. 


187). 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 


Children  God's  blessing  on  the  married  relation- 
ship.— How  the  happiness  of  children  counterbalances 
the  misery  of  marriage.* — How  marriage  should  be 

*  [Much  better  in  German  :  Wie  der  Kinder jtibel  den 
Ehejummcr  ubertont,  lit.  :  "How  the  jubilation  of  children 
outsounds  (Bilences)  the  lamentation  of  marriage."  The 
Edinb.  trsl.  omits  this  and  similar  sentences  altogether.] 


CHAP.  XIX.  lG-26, 


343 


sanctified  even  by  a  regard  to  the  children. — Children 
arc  to  be  brought  to  the  Lord. — Children  are  capable 
of  receiving  a  blessing. — The  attempt  to  debar  children 
from  Christ  rebuked  and  resisted  by  the  Lord. — The 
children  of  believers  are  admitted  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. — ^''  Suffci-  little  children^ — Childijn  and 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  their  mutual  relationship : 
1.  Every  new  generation  of  children  becoming  fairer 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  2.  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
shines  forth  more  beautifully  in  every  new  genera- 
tion of  believers. — Or,  1.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  be- 
longs to  children ;  2.  children  belong  to  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

Starke: — Qucsnel:  Let  us  entreat  the  blessing 
of  the  Lord  upon  our  children. — [Heaven  is  for  the 
humble  and  simple. — ]  Osiander :  Let  parents  see  to 
it  that  they  do  everything  which  may  contribute  to 
the  salvation  of  their  children. — Bibl.  Wiirt. :  If  the 


kingdom  of  heaven  belongs  to  children,  then  also 
faith  and  baptism. 

Gossner: — What  is  great  before  the  world,  is 
little  before  Christ,  and  what  the  world  despises,  is 
elected  by  Christ. 

Lisco : — Children  are  specially  susceptible  of  spir- 
itual influences.  In  their  case  there  is  still — 1.  con- 
fidence, instead  of  scepticism ;  2.  self-surrender,  in- 
stead of  distrust ;  3.  truth,  instead  of  hypocrisy ;  4. 
modesty  and  humility,  instead  of  pride. 

Heubncr: — Faith  in  the  power  and  in  the  efficacy 
of  the  pra3'ers  of  holy  men:  1.  On  what  it  is  based; 
2.  its  conditions. — Let  us  impress  it  on  the  minds  of 
children,  that  Christ  claims  them  as  His  own. — The 
rebuke  of  the  disciples  an  admonition  to  those  who 
object  to  the  early  religious  instruction  of  children. 
— Jesus  the  model  of  pure  and  holy  love  of  chil- 
dren.— Natural  and  Christian  affection  for  children. 


0,  Propei-ty  in  the  Church.     Cn.  XIX.  16-2G. 
(Mark  x.  1*7-27;  Luke  xviii.  18-27.) 

16  And,  behold,  one  came  and  said  unto  him,^  Good  ^  Master,  what  good  thing  [ti  aya- 

17  66v\  shall  I  do,  that  I  may  have  eternal  life?  And  he  said  mito  him,  Why  callest  thou 
me  good?  there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is,  God  [Why  doest  thou  ask  me  about  the 
good?     One  is  the  Good,  o  dya^o's]^:  but  if  thou  wilt  enter  into  hfe,  keep  the  com- 

18  ranndments.  He  saith  unto  him.  Which?  Jesus  said.  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder  [shalt 
not  kill].  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,  Thoa  shalt  not  steal,  Thou  shalt  not  bear 

19  false  witness,  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother:  and.  Thou  .shalt  love  thy  neighbour 

20  as  thyself.     The  young  man  saith  unto  him,  All  these  things  have  I  kept  from  my 

21  youth  up  * :  what  lack  I  yet  [do  I  yet  lack]  ?  Jesus  said  unto  him.  If  thou  wile  be  per- 
fect, go  and  sell  that  [what]  thou  hast,  and  give  t-o  the  poor,  and  thou  slialt  have  trea- 

22  sure  in  heaven :  and  come  and  follow  me.  But  when  the  young  man  heard  that  saying, 
he  went  away  sorrowful :  for  he  had  great  possessions. 

23  Then  said  Jesits  unto  his  disciples,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Tliat  a  rich  man  shall 

24  hardly  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  And  again  I  say  unto  you,  It  is  ea.sier  for  a 
camel  to  go  through^  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom 

25  of  God.     When   his  disciples  heard  it,  they  were  exceedingly   amazed,  saying.  Who 

26  then  can  be  saved?  But  Jesus  beheld  thevi,  and  said  unto  them,  With  men  this  is  im- 
possible ;  but  with  God  all  things  are  possible. 

I  Ver.  16. — [Or  better:  one  came  to  Mm  and  said,  efs  irpoireXdctiv  avrcS  eiTrei',  which  is  the  correct  rending  for 
elirev  axnS. — P.  S.] 

-  Ver.  16. — Codd.  B.,  D.,  L.,  al.,  [also  Cod.  Sinait.],  omit  ayaO  e  {good),  and  read  only  5i5a<TKaA6  (munfe!',  teacher). 
With  this  is  conuecttd  the  following  reading:  ti  ,u6  tpuiras  Trepi  tov  ayadov ;  eh  effrli/  6  c.ya9os  (instead  of  the  Be- 
cepta :  rl  jue  Kfyei^,  k.t.X.).  Those  re.adings  are  decidedly  better  attested  by  B.,  1).,  and  ancient  versions,  and  adopted 
by  Griesbach,  Lachraann,  Tischendorf.    The  Jieceptu  is  inserted  from  Mark  and  Luke. 

3  Ver.  17.- -[The  true  reading,  as  already  stated  by  Dr.  Lange  in  the  preceding  note,  is:  Tt  fie  eptor^s  irepl 
TOV  ayadov;  iJ  s  4  err  I  v  6  o.yo.O  6s ,  i.  e..  Why  doed  thou  (ink  me  aloat  the  good?  One  is  the  [absolutely] 
Good;  Lange:  Wa/tfragst  dumichi'iler  das  Gute?  Elner  istder  Gate.  Tliis  reading  is  sustained  by  Cud.  Sinait.,  Cod. 
Vatican..  D.,  L.,  and  other  MSS.,  by  Origen,  Euseb.,  Jerome,  Ansustine,  the  Latin  Vuh.'ati-  (-Qiiiil  me  Interrogas  de 
bono  t  unufs  e'<t  honun,  Deiis''),  and  other  ancient  versions,  and  adopted  by  Tregclles  and  Alford,  as  well  as  Lachniunn  and 
Tischendorf.  See  the  summaries  in  the  editions  of  these  critics  in  loc.  The  Uct.  rec:  ri  fie  \fyeis  dya.96i/ ; 
ovSeU  ayaOh'!,  el  (U?)  els,  o  0  6  o  r ,  is  from  Mark  and  Luke,  and  is  an  answer  to  the  addreim:  "  Good  Master,'"  while 
Matthew  gives  the  answer  to  the  f/'«cv^'o?!  of  the  young  man:  ''What  good  thing  shallldof"  Our  Lord  referred  him 
first  from  the  multiplicity  of  good  things  (ra  ayaOd)  to  the  unity  of  the  absolute  personal  Good  (i5  ci.ya06s)  or  God  (this  is 
the  sense  of  the  question  in  Matthew),  and  then  He  directed  him  (in  the  question  of  Mark  and  Luke)  from  a  merely  hu- 
manitarian view  of  Christ  to  the  true  thcanthropic  view,  as  if  to  say:  If  God  alone  is  good,  why  do  you  call  .!/<?  good, 
whom  you  re^ar.'.  a  mere  Rabbi?  lie  .inswered  to  the  thoughts  of  the  young  man  and  declined  his' relative  and  humani- 
tarian hoinaKf,  but  pointed  him  at  the  same  time  to  the  hislier  and  absolute  conception  of  good,  in  which  lie  was  good 
according  to  "His  divine  nature  and  as  one  in  essence  with  the  Father.  He  does  not  say:  "/am  not  good,"  but  "  none  is 
good;"  no  man  is  good  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term,  but  God  alone. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  20.— [The  words:  «k  i/e('irT]r6s  fj.ov,fiom  my  youth  up,  are  omitted  in  the  best  ancient  authorities,  including 
Cod.  Sinait.,  and  in  the  modern  critical  editions.  (See  the  api)aratu3  in  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Alford.)  They  are  in- 
serted from  the  par-illel  passages  of  Mark  and  Luke.     Ur.  Lange  retains  them  in  Lis  German  Version.— P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  24.— Besides  the  reading:  Z  leKQelv,  we  have  the  more  difficult  eicr  eKQe'iv^  to  go  into.  [Cod.  Sinait. 
reads :  eiaeXQiv.—'P.  S.] 


344 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Vcr.  10.  And,  behold,  one  came,  eU. — From 
the  circumstance  that  the  former  two  sections  arc 
connected  together,  we  infer  that  Christ  was  still 
surrounded  by  the  Pharisees  who  had  come  tempting 
Hira.  Hence  the  expression  of  astonishment :  "  Be- 
hold ! "  Besides,  the  special  designation  of  this 
"one"  as  an  apx^^  'i^  the  Gospel  by  Luke,  is  in 
favor  of  the  supposition  that,  having  partly  been 
gained  over  by  Jesus,  he  now  came  forward  with  the 
inquiry  of  the  text. 

Vers.  16,  1*?.  (Good)  Master. — "We  presuppose 
that  the  accounts  of  Mark  and  Luke  must  be  regard- 
ed as  supplementing  that  of  Matthew.  In  that  case, 
the  rejoinder  of  the  Saviour :  "JFAy  callest  thou  Me 
QoodJJl  must_be,ta)ven  as__an_objection,  not  to  this 
saluta^ion^itself^but  to  the  superficial  and  merely  out- 
wardjneanmg  which  attached"  to  it  iii  the  ramtrbf 
t&is  sciTEe.  None  is  good  but  God :  One  only  is 
good.  Everything  good  being  in  and  from  Him,  can 
only  be  one,  and  can  only  be  regarded  as  good  in  so 
far  as  it  is  connected  with  God. 

Thus  we  also  account  for  the  reading :  "  W7ii/  aitk- 
est  thou  Me  about  the  good  ?  One  is  the  Good."  God 
alone  being  good,  is  the  sole  source  of  all  goodness. 
Hence  the  duty  of  doing  good  is  not  one  of  many 
others  which  has  to  be  ascertained  by  means  of  in- 
quiry, or  by  theological  investigation.  Tlie  one  good 
thing  is  to  live  in  God  and  to  love  God.  Of  this  the 
commencement  is  to  keep  the  commandments,  which 
are  the  legal  form  in  v/hich  tliat  which  is  good  has 
manifested  itself.  In  other  words,  seek  to  fulfil  the 
law,  or  to  be  righteous  before  God.  When  attempt- 
ing to  do  this,  you  will  gradually  be  led  onward  to 
repentance  and  faith ;  or,  in  order  to  arrive  at  the 
one  good,  or  to  come  unto  God,  you  must  first  be  in 
earnest  about  His  commandments,  or  tlie  manifold 
forms  under  which  the  good  becomes  outwardly 
manifest.  Neander  is  mistaken  in  interpreting  the 
passage :  "  Vf  hy  askest  thou  Me  about  that  which  is 
good  y  One  is  good ;  address  thyself  to  Him.  He 
has  revealed  it  in  His  word."  Still  more  erroneous 
is  the  view  of  de  Wette,  who  explains  it  as  meaning : 
Why  propoundest  thou  to  Me  the  unanswerable  in- 
quiry about  the  real  and  highest  good  ?  etc.  It  is 
certainly  strange,  ihat  while  this  critic  characterizes 
such  an  inquiry  as  unanswerable,  Meyer  should  style 
it  superfluous.  The  latter  interpreter,  however,  apt- 
ly remarks :  "  There  is  one  who  is  good,  and  one  that 
is  good,  alterum  von  datur.  But  if  you  really  wish 
(the  5  €  here  in  the  same  sense  as  the  metabatic  au- 
tem)  to  apply  to  your  life  what  I  say,  so  as  to  become 
thoroughly  conscious  of  its  spiritual  import,  etc." 
The  emphasis  rests  on  the  words :  rifieipuras. 
That  which  is  good  is  not  to  be  treated  as  the  sub- 
ject of  Pharisaical  ipwrau.  It  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  form  of  any  particular  commandment  contained 
among  Jewish  traditions.  Hence  Fritzsche  correctly 
explains  tI  ayadhv  TTuiriaco  by  quid  quod  bonum  sit, 
what  good  thing.  The  young  man  imagined  that  he 
had  kept  all  these  things ;  yet  he  felt  that  he  still 
lacked  something,  although  he  knew  not  what.  Thus 
the  transaction  here  recorded  is  closely  connected 
with  the  interview  between  Jesus  and  the  scribe  re- 
corded in  Mark  xii.  28.  In  that  case  the  fundamen- 
tal idea  was :  One  God ;  and  hence,  only  one  com- 
mandment. In  the  present  instance :  Only  one  good 
Being ;  and  hence,  also,  only  one  good  thing.  On 
both  occasions,  the  Lord  alludes  to  the  contrast  with 


Jewish  traditionalism  and  its  manifold  ordinances, 
which  so  frequently  impeded  and  obscured  what  was 
good. 

Ver.  18.  Which? — noias,  '^quales,  which  is 
not  equivalent  to  rivas,  but  implies  that  he  would 
hke  to  know  its  characteristic  marks."  Meyer. 
Hence  the  statement  shows  that,  like  the  Pharisees 
generally,  he  made  a  distinction  between  what  were 
supposed  to  be  primary  and  secondary  command- 
ments. 

Thou  shalt  not. — This  enumeration  of  the  com- 
mandments by  the  Lord  is  of  some  importance,  with 
reference  to  the  distinction  between  what  are  com- 
monly termed  the  first  and  second  tables  of  the  law. 
In  ver.  18  four  commandments  of  the  second 
table  are  mentioned;  and  it  has  been  asked  how 
this  verse  stands  related  to  ver.  19.  But,  according 
to  Lev.  xix.  18,  the  injunction,  "Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself,"  is  evidently  intended  as  a  sum- 
mary of  the  second  table.  Hence  we  infer  tliat 
"  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother  "  is  to  be  taken 
in  a  deeper  sense,  as  summing  up  the  command- 
ments of  the  first  table.  In  other  words,  1.  Keep 
sacred  the  root  of  life ;  or,  the  first  table.  2.  Keep 
sacred  the  tree  of  which  you  are  a  branch ;  or,  the 
second  table 

Ver.  20.  All  these  things  have  I  kept,  etc. : 
■what  do  I  yet  lack?  ri  ert  vorepio; — The 
latter  query  must  not  be  regarded  as  an  expression 
of  satisfied  self-righteousness,  as  if  it  implied.  In  that 
case  I  lack  nothing.  It  is,  indeed,  true  that  the 
young  man  was  still  self-righteous.  He  had  no  con- 
ception of  the  spirituality,  the  depth,  or  the  height 
of  the  commandments  of  God.  Talcing  only  the  let- 
ter of  the  law,  he  considered  himself  blameless,  and 
perhaps  even  righteous,  before  God.  Yet  liis  heart 
misgave  him,  and  he  felt  that  he  still  lacked  some- 
thing. Under  this  sense  of  want,  he  put  the  ques- 
tion to  the  Saviour,  as  if  he  would  have  said :  What 
is  it  then  that  I  yet  lack?  All  these  things  have 
not  given  me  peace  of  mind.  That  such  is  the  cor- 
rect view  of  the  passage,  appears  both  from  the 
statement  in  Mark,  "  77ien  Jesus,  beholding  him, 
loved  him,"  and  from  the  great  struggle  through 
which  he  afterward  passed. 

Ver.  21.  If  thou  wUt  be  perfect. — In  its  con- 
nection with  the  preceding  contest,  the  expression 
can  only  mean:  If  thou  wilt  have  the  one  good 
thing,  and  thus  do  the  one  good  thing,  so  that  spirit- 
ual fear  and  want  may  give  place  to  peace  and  love, 
etc.  The  Lord  admits  the  supposition  of  the  young 
man,  that  he  was  now  beyond  the  many  command- 
ments, or  the  way  of  the  law.  Well,  then,  granting 
this  to  be  the  case,  proceed  to  the  one  thing.  .The. 
young  man  was  now  to  give  proof  that  he  was  in 
earnest  about  the  matter.  For  this  purpose  Jesua 
tries  him,  with  the  view  of  setting  before  him  the 
deeper  import  of  the  law,  and  of  awakening  within 
him  a  sense  of  sinfulness  and  of  spiritual  bondage. 
The  injunction  of  the  Lord  is  manifestly  intended  to 
bring  out  tlie  fact,  that  the  young  man  had  made  an 
idol  of  his  riches,  and  hence  that  he  utterly  contra- 
vened the  spirit  even  of  the  first  commandment. 
Substantially,  this  demand  of  Christ  imports  the 
same  thing  as  the  call  addressed  to  all  His  disciples 
— to  deny  themselves,  to  take  up  the  cross,  and  to 
follow  Him.  In  this  sense,  then,  the  injunction  ap- 
plies to  every  Christian.  All  that  belongs  to  a  be- 
liever is  in  reality  not  his,  but  the  Lord's  property ; 
above  all,  it  belongs  Christo  in  pauperibus.  The 
Lord,  however,  expresses  this  general  call  of  His 


CHAP.  XIX.  16- 


345 


gospel,  as  it  were,  in  a  legal  form,  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  away  the  self-righteousncss  of  the  young  man, 
and  of  loading  liim  to  feel  his  sinfulness  and  need  of 
salvation.  Obvious^ly  He  could  not  have  meant,  that 
by  literally  and  outwardly  obeying  this  injunction, 
the  young  man  would  obtain  a  claim  upon  tlie  king- 
dom of  heaven.  Hence  those  interpreters  have 
missed  the  import  of  the  passage,  who  imagine  that 
everything  would  have  been  right  if  the  young  man 
had  only  ibllowed  the  direction  of  the  Saviour ;  but 
that,  as  he  went  away  sorrowful,  he  was  finally  lost. 
It  is,  indeed,  true  that  his  going  away  indicated  a 
state  of  great  danger,  and  was  calculated  to  awaken 
serious  concern  about  his  future.  Still  the  fact  of 
his  being  sorrou'ful  afforded  evidence  of  an  inward 
conflict,  through  wliich  by  grace  he  might  pass  to  a 
proper  view  of  his  state  before  God.  This  was  still 
lacking  in  his  case,  and  not  any  additional  attempt 
at  external  righteousness. 

Treasure  in  heaven. — Comp.  v.  12  ;  vi.  20. 

Vcr.  23.  Hardly,  Suo-koXois. — The  expression 
implies  that  the  state  of  the  young  man  was  one  of 
extreme  danger.  Still  it  does  not  follow  that  it  was 
hopele?s.  A  rich  man  may  enter  into  tlie  kingdom 
of  heaven,  although  not  as  a  rich  man.  The  difficul- 
ty of  the  case  lies  in  the  natural  unwillingness  to 
surrender  our  trust  in  and  love  of  earthly  possessions. 
Comp.  the  tract  of  Clement  of  Alexandria:  Ti's  6 
cru(iht€vos  -n-AoiVior;   Quis  dives  salvetur? 

Ver.  24.  It  is  easier  for  a  camel. — The  hyper- 
bolical figure  here  used  has  given  rise  to  various 
false  interpretations.  Thus,  1.  it  has  been  ren- 
dered an  anchor-rope,  {a)  after  the  somewhat  arbi- 
trary interpretation  of  the  word  icdixrjXoi  {rivis  in 
Theophylact) ;  or,  {b)  after  the  reading  Ko.fj.iXov'^ 
(Castellio,  Huetius,  etc.).  2.  It  has  been  asserted 
that  the  expression,  eye  of  a  needle,  was  in  the  East 
used  to  designate  the  side-gate  for  foot-passengers, 
close  l)y  the  principal  gate,  through  which  camels 
were  wont  to  enter  cities.  3.  Most  interpreters, 
however,  have  taken  the  terms,  ^^ camel"  and  "^Ae 
eye  of  a  needle,"  in  their  literal  sense.  Thus  Grotius 
remarks :  totum  hoc  proverbium  mutata  cameli  voce 
in  elephantem  est  apud  Rabbi  Jacobum  in  Caphtor. 
Similarly  de  Wette  reminds  us  that  the  same  saying 
occurs  in  the  Talmud  about  an  elephant;  comp. 
Lightfoot,  Schottgen,  Buxtorf's  Lexic.  Talmud.\ 
Grotius  quotes  a  similar  Latin  proverb,  and  refers  to 
Jer.  xiii.  23  as  a  somewhat  analogous  passage.  It 
seems  to  us  that  the  Saviour  here  intended  to  convey 
the  fact,  that  the  difliculty  of  entering  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  to  which  ver.  23  referred,  had  now 
become  changed  into  an  impossibiUty.  Of  course, 
no  expression  could  be  too  strong  to  characterize  an 
impossibility.  Hence  the  import  of  the  passage 
seems  to  be,  that  while  ver.  23  refers  to  those  who 
actually  possessed  riches,  with  which  they  might  at 
any  moment  part,  ver.  24  applies  to  rich  men  in  the 

*  [The  word  Katx  i  Aor,  supposed  to  meau  a  rope  or 
ccbfjle,  occurs  in  a  few  minuscule  MS3.,  but  in  no  Greek 
author,  .ind  w.-is  probably  invented  to  escape  the  imairinary 
difficulty  of  this  proverbial  expression.     Corap.  the  Greek 


Lexica  and  the  app.aratus  in  Tischendorf  s  large  edition  ad 
ver.  i  1.— P.  S  ] 

t  [The  Koran,  Sur.  vii.  3S,  probably  in  imitation  of  this 
paasnge,  uses  the  same  figure:  '■-Non  ingredieiiinr paradi- 
Hwn,  doneo  transeat  camelus  foramen  acus."  Comp.  also 
Matt.  x;:iii.  24,  to  swallow  a  camel.  The  camel  was  more 
familiar  to  the  hearers  of  the  Saviour  than  the  elephant,  aud 
ou  account  of  the  hump  on  its  back,  it  was  especially  adapted 
to  symbolize  earthly  wealth  as  a  heavy  load  and  serious  im- 
pediment to  entrance  throu;;h  the  narrow  gate  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.— P.  S.] 


symbolical  sense  of  the  term,  or  to  those  who  give 
their  heart  and  life  to  these  things.  Accordingly, 
we  regard  the  expression  not  merely  as  a  proverbial 
saying,  but  as  intended  to  express  that  a  thing  was 
absohitely  impossible.  The  camel  as  a  beast  of  bur- 
den might  serve  as  a  fit  emblem  of  a  rich  person ; 
while  the  eye  of  a  needle,  which  is  the  smallest  pas- 
sage through  which  anything  visible  could  enter, 
might  be  regarded  as  a  figure  of  the  spiritual  entrance 
into  the  kingdom,  of  a  soul  which  had  renounced  the 
world.  In  one  respect,  however,  even  this  figure  is 
inadequate,  if  taken  literally,  as  it  might  imply  that 
a  soul  could  enter  that  kingdom  while  hanging  to  the 
world,  though  it  were  only  by  a  thread.  But  figures 
must  not  be  too  closely  pressed,  and  the  eye  of  a 
needle  is  certainly  the  most  fitting  emblem  that 
could  be  found. 

Ver.  25.  Who  then  can  be  saved  ? — De  Wette 
(after  Grotius) :  "  Since  evei'y  one  has  more  or  less 
of  the  same  love  of  the  world."  This  explanation  is 
certainly  more  satisfactory  than  that  of  Meyer,  who 
regards  the  clause  as  a  conclusio  a  majoribiis  ad  mi- 
nores  ;  as  if  it  meant,  If  rich  persons,  who  have  the 
means  of  doing  so  much  good,  have  such  difficulty, 
who  then,  etc.  V  In  our  view,  the  disciples  reasoned 
as  follows :  If  riches  render  a  man  unfit  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  there  is  surely  some  thread  of  pos- 
sessions by  which  even  the  poorest  individual  may 
be  kept  from  entering  the  kingdom,  more  especially 
as  by  nature  every  one  loves  riches.  Or,  perhaps, 
we  might  take  it  even  in  a  more  general  sense :  If 
riches  are  so  great  a  hindrance,  how  much  more 
actual  sin !  The  disciples  had  evidently  not  yet  fully 
perceived  that  every  sin  springs  from  worldhness  of 
mind  aud  heart ;  and  their  Jewish  prejudices  rose  in 
rebellion  against  this  teaching. 

Ver.  26.  But  Jesus  looking  on  them. — With 
kindly  sympathy.  He  felt  what  a  hard  struggle  they 
had  yet  before  them,  before  they  could  attain  the 
full  liberty  of  the  children  of  God. 

With  men. — The  use  of  the  plural  number  de- 
serves notice  :  1.  According  to  the  judgment  of  men. 
So  Fritzsche  and  Ewald.  2.  According  to  the  power 
and  ability  of  men.  De  Wette  and  Meyer.  Both 
these  views  may  be  combined.  The  common  judg- 
ment of  men  accords,  in  this  instance,  with  their  felt 
mability;  and  in  that  sense  it  is  impossible.  But 
God,  in  His  power  and  grace,  not  only  renders  this 
possible,  but  actually  declares  it  such,  in  and  through 
Christ.  The  expression  raen  refers  to  the  ancient 
and  corrupt  world,  lost  in  its  worldliness ;  while  the 
Lord  is  here  presented  to  the  view  of  the  disciples 
as  the  Creator  of  a  new  era,  in  which  the  world 
would  be  crucified  to  beUevers,  and  they  to  the 
world.     Comp.  Luke  i.  37. 


DOGTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  We  have  already  stated  that  this  section  sets 
before  us  the  third  aspect  of  the  Christian  family,  or 
of  the  family  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Having 
first  shown  what  is  the  import  of  Christian  marriage, 
and  then  assigned  to  children  their  proper  place  in 
the  Christian  household,  the  Lord  now  refers  to  the 
possessions  of  believers.  Il  is  of  great  importance 
to  notice  the  threefold  offence  of  the  disciples  in  regard 
to  the  three  fundamental  element'^  in  the  Christian 
family,  and  tlie  manner  in  which  the  Lord  removes 
these  offences.    As  the  young  man  was  still  entirely 


346 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


legalistic  in  his  views,  Christ  sets  before  him  in  a 
legalistic  form  the  great  principle  according  to  which 
a  Chrislian  man  was  to  administer  his  property.  But 
this  mode  of  teaching  was  intended  to  awaken  the 
"  ruler  "  to  a  knowledge  of  his  real  state  before  God. 
Hence  it  is  a  complete  perversion  of  the  import  of 
the  passage,  when  Roman  Catholic  divines  regard  it 
as  a  commandment  applying  to  special  individuals, 
or  as  what  they  designate  a  consilium  cvanf/elknim, 
in  reference  to  voluntary  poverty.  The  supposed 
consilium  only  becomes  evanffcUcum,  and  in  that 
case  a,  princi.pium  evangelicum,  when  we  look  beyond 
the  form  in  which  this  principle  is  expressed,  and 
learn  to  regard  it  as  teaching  that  a  Christian  is  to 
consider  all  his  possessions  as  a  trust  committed  to 
him  by  the  Lord,  which  he  is  to  employ  for  behoof 
of  the  poor,  or  for  the  removal  of  the  wants  of  hu- 
manity. 

2.  In  this  passage,  the  doctrine  concerning  the 
highest  good  is  expressed  in  most  clear  and  definite 
language.  God  is  not  merely  the  highest  good,  but 
also  the  source  of  all  moral  and  physical  good,  and 
hence  the  only  good.  Even  Christ  Himself  only 
claims  the  designation  of  Good  because  He  is  one 
with  the  Father,  not  because  He  was  the  "  leading 
Rabbi."  And  just  as  any  creature  can  only  be  called 
good  from  its  connection  with  God,  so  all  the  special 
commandments  are  only  an  expression  of  moral  good 
in  so  i-xv  as  they  are  viewed  in  their  connection  with 
the  fundamental  commandment  of  love  to  God.  Fi- 
nally, physical  good  is  such  only,  if  enjoyed  or  ad- 
ministered in  the  spirit  of  Christian  devotion ;  other- 
wise it  becomes  a  snare  to  the  soul,  and  an  evil 
instead  of  a  blessing. 

3.  The  Lord  at  once  perceived  that,  both  in  re- 
spect of  virtue  and  of  the  things  of  this  life,  the 
young  man  had  lost  sight  of  God  as  the  highest  and 
only  good ;  and  that  when  he  addressed  Him  as 
"  Good  Master,"  it  had  not  been  from  the  depth  of  a 
believing  heart,  but  only  as  a  worldly  and  superficial 
acknowledgment  of  His  character.  This  view  is 
corroborated  by  the  peculiar  manner  in  which  the 
Lord  dealt  with  him,  the  object  of  which,  evidently, 
was  to  bring  him  to  proper  knowledge — to  a  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  to  an  understanding  of  the  com- 
mandments, to  a  proper  view  of  the  import  of  earthly 
blessings,  but  above  all  to  a  sight  and  sense  of  his 
own  state  and  condition.  Many  commentators  labor 
under  a  twofold  misapprehension  in  interpreting  this 
narrative.  First,  they  confound  the  mental  self-right: 
eousness  or  intellectual  legaUsm  of  the  young  man 
with  self-righteousness  of  the  heart,  entirely  over- 
looliing  the  fact,  that  he  expresses  a  deep  feeling  of 
spiritual  want.  It  is  in  this  sense  that  we  understand 
the  statement  of  Mark,  that  Jesus,  beholding  him, 
loved  him.  True,  his  heart  was  not  yet  broken 
under  a  sense  of  spiritual  poverty ;  he  still  deceived 
hunself,  in  his  self-righteousness;  but  he  felt  that 
there  remained  some  deep  want  unsatisfied.  Again, 
the  young  man  is  generally  condemned  and  supposeil 
to  have  been  ultimately  lost,  because  he  did  not  im- 
mediately obey  the  injunction  of  Christ;  as  if  the 
Lord  had  intended  to  convert  him  into  a  legalist,  in- 
stead of  arousing  him  to  a  sense  of  his  guilt  and  sui- 
fulness.  [Similarly  Alfoed  :  "  This  young  man, 
though  self-rigliteous,  was  no  htipocrite,  no  Pharisee : 
he  spoke  earnestly,  and  really  sti'ove  to  keep,  as  he 
really  beUeved  he  had  kept,  all  God's  command-  1 
ments.  Accordingly  Mark  adds,  that  Jesus  looking  ' 
upon  him  loved  him :  in  spite  of  his  error  there  was 
a  nobleness  and   openness   about  him,   contrasted  | 


with  the  hypocritical  bearing  of  the  Pharisees  and 
scribes." — P.  S.] 

4.  "  Such  an  animal  as  a  camel,  laden  with  its 
burdens,  could  not  possibly  enter  the  gate  of  a  city 
of  dwarfs,  so  small  as  to  be  compared  to  the  eye  of  a 
needle.  The  case  of  a  rich  man  is  exactly  similar. 
Naturally  overgrown  and  laden  v,'ith  burdens,  the 
rich  man  whose  heart  cleaves  to  his  wealth  appears 
before  the  strait  gate  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  No 
wonder  that  in  these  circumstances  he  cannot  even 
sec,  far  less  enter  it.  He  still  belongs  to  the  sensual 
world ;  the  only  things  which  he  can  perceive  are 
outward  and  carnal  objects.  The  kingdom  of  heaven, 
with  ils  spiritual  realities,  is  far  too  small  and  incon- 
siderable to  attract  his  sensuous  gaze,  nor  can  he  in 
that  state  enter  into  it."  (From  the  author's  Leben 
Jesu,  ii.  2,  2110.) 

5.  Our  Lord  here  presents  one  great  truth  under 
a  twofold  aspect:  (1)  It  is  difficult  for  any  rich  man 
to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  because  it  is 
difficult  for  him  to  become  poor.  (2)  It  is  even  im- 
possible for  him,  inasmuch  as  he  is  rich,  and  will  re- 
main such,  unless  by  a  miracle  of  grace  he  becomes 
poor  in  spirit.  Hence  the  disciples  asked  in  deep 
concern,  Who  then  can  be  saved?  They  felt  that 
the  saying  of  the  Lord  applied  to  the  poor  as  well  as 
to  the  I'ich,  since  all  aimed  after  wealth ;  nay,  that  it 
applied  to  themselves,  as  they  also  still  placed  too 
much  value  on  earthly  things.  Hence  Jesus  now 
"  beheld  "  them  with  the  same  look  of  pity  and  sym- 
pathy as  formerly  the  young  man.  True,  it  is  im- 
possible with  men ;  but  all  things  are  possible  with 
God,  who  can  and  will  empty  His  own  people,  and 
make  them  poor.  Thus  are  we,  by  a  miracle  of 
grace  and  through  the  cross,  to  be  so  directed  and 
influenced,  that  we  possess  as  if  we  possessed  not,  and 
that,  as  heirs  of  God,  or  of  the  highest  good,  we  shall 
be  willing  to  lay  on  the  altar  of  love  all  which  we 
possess. 

6.  "  The  application  of  this  passage  made  by  the 
begging  monastic  orders — Francis  of  Assisi — is  not 
the  right  one."  Heubner.  [This  application  is 
much  older  than  the  mendicant  orders  of  the  middle 
ages.  St.  Antony  of  Egypt,  the  patriarch  of  Chris- 
tian monks,  when  he  heard  this  Scripture  lesson  in 
the  church,  understood  the  Saviour's  injunction,  vcr. 
21,  in  a  hteral  sense,  and  sold  his  rich  possessions, 
retaining  only  a  sufficiency  for  the  support  of  his  sis- 
tor.  When  shoi'tly  afterward  he  heard  the  Gospel : 
Take  no  thought  of  the  following  moo'ning,  he  sold 
the  remainder  and  gave  it  to  the  poor.  The  Roman 
Cathohc  commentators  and  morahsts  base  their  doc- 
trine of  voluntary  poverty  as  an  essential  element  of 
the  higher  Christian  perfection  mainly  on  this  pas- 
sage. Comp.  Maldonatus,  Cornelius  a  Lapide,  and 
Schegg  in  loc.  But  Christ  commands  all  His  dis- 
ciples to  be  perfect,  reAsioi,  ch.  v.  48,  and  so  St. 
Paul,  1  Cor.  ii.  6  ;  Phil.  iii.  15  ;  Col.  i.  20 ;  Eph.  It. 
13;  and  St.  James  i.  4;  iii.  2.  The  counsel,  there- 
fore, must  be  understood  in  a  sense  in  which  it  is 
applicable  to  all  true  beUevers. — P.  S.] 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  rRACTICAL. 

The  good  as  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  gospel. — 
Property  in  the  Christian  family. — God  the  highest 
and  sole  good,  and  the  source  of  every  other  good. — 
The  character  of  Christians :  1.  They  give  themselves 
to  that  which  is  good;    2.  they  do  that  which  is 


CHAP.  XIX.  lG-26. 


347 


good ;  8.  they  hold  their  possessions  for  that  which 
is  good.  Or,  the  principle — 1.  of  all  virtue ;  2.  of  all 
duty ;  3.  of  all  true  riches. — The  inquiry  of  the  rich 
young  man :  "  What  good  tiling  must  1  do '?  "  as  ex- 
pressing a  threefold  error:  1.  He  seems  to  think  that 
he  can  be  saved  by  his  works ;  2.  by  deeds  of  special 
beneficence ;  3.  by  some  particular  deed,  which  was 
to  crown  and  complete  all  his  previous  righteousness. 
— A  ruler  of  the  sj-nagogue,  and  yet  he  has  no  con- 
ception of  the  law  in  its  spirituaUty ;  or,  the  fearful 
ignorance  resulting  from  mere  legalism. — Self-decep- 
tion and  self-righteousness  producing  each  other. — 
The  question  of  the  young  man  should  have  been: 
How  may  I  have  eternal  life  in  order  to  do  good 
things'? — The  various  forms  of  self-righteousness :  1. 
Self-righteousness  of  the  head  and  of  the  heart  (of 
doctrine  and  of  sentiment) ;  or,  Pharisees  in  the 
strictest  sense;  2.  self-righteousness  of  the  heart 
with  orthodoxy  of  the  head,  as  in  the  case  of  some 
in  the  Church  who  seem  to  be  zealous  for  soundness 
of  doctrine ;  3.  self-righteousness  of  the  head,  com- 
bined with  a  deep  sense  of  spiritual  need,  although 
its  grounds  may  not  be  fully  understood,  as  in  the 
case  of  this  young  man  and  of  many  Christian  legal- 
istii. — Antagonism  between  the  self-delusion  of  a  man 
and  the  felt  need  of  his  heart. — "If  thou  wilt  enter 
into  Ufe,  keep  the  commandments ; "'  or,  we  can  only 
be  free  from  the  law  by  the  law :  1 .  By  understand- 
ing its  spiritual  import  (its  appUcation  to  tlie  heart) ; 
2.  by  comprehending  all  the  commandments  into  one 
commandment  (forming,  as  it  were,  the  point  of  the 
arrow  of  the  law) ;  3.  by  sincere  and  earnest  self-ex- 
amination, in  view  of  the  one  great  commandment 
of  love  to  God  (the  law  working  death). — How  the 
Lord  applies  the  law  in  order  to  train  us  for  the  gos- 
pel.— The  rich  young  man  In  the  school  of  the  Lord. 
— On  the  close  connection  between  spiritual  and 
temporal  riches  (or  rather,  the  attempt  to  be  i-ich) : 

1.  Spiritual  riches  leading  to  pride  and  pretensions; 

2.  temporal  riches  often  serving  to  conceal  spiritual 
poverty. — The  dangers  of  riches  (avai-ice,  love  of 
pleasure,  pride,  confidence  m  temporal  wealth,  false 
spirituality,  self-deception  as  to  our  spiritual  state). — 
The  object  of  riches. — Twofold  interpretation  of  this 
declaration  of  the  Lord:  1.  The  interpretation  put 
upon  it  by  the  disciples ;  2.  the  interpi-etation  of  the 
Master. — "  Who  then  can  be  saved '?  "  or,  an  admis- 
sion that  all  men  share  the  same  guilt  and  love  of 
the  world. — How  a  rich  man  may  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven:  1.  It  is  always  difficult  in  his 
peculiar  circumstances ;  2.  it  is  impossible,  if  in 
mind  and  heart  he  cleaves  to  his  wealth  (the  Phari- 
sees) ;  3.  it  becomes  possible  by  a  miracle  of  divine 
grace  (Joseph  of  Arimathea). — The  entrance  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven:  1.  Very  inaccessible  to  the  nat- 
ural man :  (a)  it  is  always,  and  in  every  case,  a  strait 
gate;  (b)  it  becomes  the  eye  of  a  needle  to  those 
who  are  rich.  2.  But  it  is  widely  ojjen  to  beUevers : 
(a)  leadhig  the  genuine  disciple  of  Christ  into  the 
banqueting-hall,  Matt.  xxv.  10 ;  (b)  it  is  a  gate  of 
honor  to  faithful  followers  of  Christ ;  (c)  a  heavenly 
gate  on  our  return  to  the  Father's  house,  John  xiv. 
2. — The  various  stages  of  evil,  as  represented  by  the 
symbols  of  a  "camel,"  "wolves,"  and  a  "generation 
of  vipers." — The  camel  with  its  heavy  burden  before 
the  eye  of  a  needle,  an  emblem  of  avarice  or  of 
worldly-mindedness  standing  at  the  gate  of  heaven. 
Comp.  Matt,  xxiii.  24. — Regeneration  and  poverty  in 


spirit  a  miracle  of  grace ;  resembUng  in  that  respect 
the  birth  of  Christ,  Luke  i.  S*?. 

Siarke: — Qucsnel :  If  we  want  to  know  how  we 
may  be  saved,  let  us  apply  to  Christ,  the  greatest 
and  truest  Teacher. — Zeisius:  It  is  a  common  but 
most  dangerous  error,  to  seek  eternal  life  by  our  own 
works. — Every  good  gift  cometh  from  above,  James 
i.  1*7.  To  arrogate  it  to  ourselves,  is  not  only  to  de- 
file the  gift  by  touching  it  with  polluted  hands,  but 
to  be  guilty  of  sacrilege,  ch.  vii.  22. — Osicmdcr :  All 
who  arc  ignorant  of  their  state  before  God,  should 
be  directed  to  the  law  in  order  to  learn  their  guilt 
and  need. — Love  to  our  neighbor  the  clearest  evi- 
dence of  love  to  God. — How  many  imagine  that 
they  have  done  evcrythmg  required  at  their  hand, 
while  in  truth  they  cannot  answer  one  ujjon  a  thou- 
sand !  Job  ix.  3. — Zeisius :  The  law  is  spiritual ; 
hence,  they  who  trust  in  their  works  grievously  de- 
ceive themselves,  Rom.  vii.  8,  14. — The  most  dan- 
gerous state,  is  to  imagine  that  we  are  righteous  in 
the  sight  of  God. — Ihssani  Bibl. :  We  are  not  to 
take  this  history  as  if  it  implied  that  by  the  outward 
work  of  almsgiving,  the  young  man  would  have  be- 
come perfect.  The  opposite  of  this  appears  from  1 
Cor.  xiii.  3.  But  Christ  here  sets  one  special  com- 
mandment before  the  young  man,  wliose  state  of 
mind  He  well  perceived,  in  order  to  convince  him 
that  he  was  infinitely  far  from  perfection,  and  unable 
to  keep  the  law. — lie  who  sowcth  bountifully  shall 
also  reap  bountifully,  2  Cor.  ix.  6,  V. — The  whole 
work  of  salvation  is  fiir  beyond  the  knowledge  or 
power  of  man. — Quesnel:  A  sense  of  spiritual  inabili- 
ty should  not  lead  us  to  despair,  but  result  in  the 
triumph  of  the  grace  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Li^co : — Marginal  note  of  Luther :  Our  Lord  here 
puts  the  question.  Why  callest  thou  Me  good  ?  in  the 
same  sense  as  He  says,  John  vii.  15,  My  doctrine  is 
not  Mine, — referring  more  particularly  to  His  huma- 
nity, by  which  He  would  always  lead  us  to  the  Fa- 
ther.— To  be  perfect,  is  to  keep  the  commandments 
of  God. — Hence  it  is  evident,  that  this  young  man 
had  not  in  reality  observed  the  conunandments,  as 
he  fondly  imagined. 

Gerlach : — Jesus  tries  the  young  man  by  setting 
before  him  the  spiritual  bearing  of  the  law. — By 
such  examples,  the  Master  gradually  trained  His 
disciples  to  understand  the  utter  inability  of  man  for 
anything  that  is  good. 

Heubner: — The  "ruler"  came  forward  in  haste, 
as  if  he  could  not  wait  or  delay;  still  it  led  to  ho' 
lasting  results.  Afterward,  however,  he  v.'cut  away 
slowly  and  sorrowfully. — "  There  is  none  good." 
These  words  are  not  spoken  hghtly,  but  have  a  deep 
and  most  solemn  meaning. — Comp.  the  excellent 
work  of  J.  Casp.  ScHAnE:  "  Tlie  most  important  in- 
quiries: What  lack  I  t/et  ?  and,  What  shall  I  do,  (hat 
I  may  have  eternal  I'lfcV^  14th  ed.,  Leipz.,  1734. — 
The  calculation  is  correct,  except  in  one  little  parti- 
cular ;  but  this  renders  the  whole  accoimt  false. — 
Every  one  of  us  has  something  which  he  must  give 
up  in  order  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  Christ. —  Chry- 
sostom :  On  the  f|uestion  of  the  disciples,  "  Who 
then  can  be  saved  V  " — because  they  felt  concern  for 
the  salvation  of  their  fellow-men,  because  they  bore 
deep  affection  to  them,  and  because  they  already  felt 
the  tenderness  characteristic  of  all  true  ministers. 
This  saying  of  Christ  made  them  tremble  for  the 
whole  world. 


348 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


FOURTH    SECTION. 

THE  FUTURE  KINGLY  MANIFESTATION  OF   THE   CHURCH. 

Chapter  XIX.  27-XX.  10. 

Contents:— (a)  The  glorious  reward  awaiting  the  Apostles,  and  all  who  renounce  the  things  that  are  seen,  for  the  sake 
of  Christ,  vers.  27-80.    (6)  The  reward  of  free  grace ;  or,  the  parable  of  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard,  ch.  xx.  1-16. 

Historical  Succession. — Immediately  after  the  transaction  with  the  rich  young  man,  Peter  put  the  que&-' 
tion  as  to  the  reward  which  awaited  the  disciples,  who  had  renounced  all  things  and  followed  Jesus, 
The  reply  of  the  Lord  is  followed,  and  further  illustrated,  by  the  parable  of  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard. 


A.   The  glorious  reward  awaiting  the  Apostles,  and,  in  general,  all  who  renounce  the  things  that  are  seen  and 
temporal.     Cn.  XIX.  2Y-30. 

(Mark  x.  28-31 ;  Luke  xviii.  28-30). 

27  Then  answered  Peter  and  said  unto  liim,  Beliold,  we  have  forsaken  all,  and  follow- 

28  ed  tliee;  wdiat  shall  we  have  therefore?  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  That  ye  which  [who]  have  followed  me,  in  the  regeneration  [renovation,  TraXiy- 
yevea-ia]  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  sit  in  [on]  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit 

29  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.  And  every  one  tliat  hath 
forsaken  liouses,  or  brethren  [brothers],  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,^  or  chil- 
dren, or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake,  shall  receive  a  hundredfold   [manifold],^  and  shall 

30  inherit  everlasting  life.  But  many  that  are  first  shall  be  last;  and  the  last  shall  he 
first.^ 


iAA( 


1  Yor.  20.— The  words  v?  yvvatKa,  or  wife,  are  omitted  in  B, 
tions  of  Lacbmann,  Tischendorf,  Alford.— P. "S.] 

-  Vi>r.  29.— B.,  L.,  [and  the  critical  editions]  read,  as  in  Luke  xviii.  30: 
kKarovraTcKaffiova,  a  hundred  times  more,  as  Mark  has  it- 

=  ViT.  SO.— [Literally:  But  many  first  shall  he  last,  and  last  first,  iroAAo!  Se 
Kal   eixxa'T'oi  Trpwroi.     Conip.  the  Meeg.  Notes.— V.  S.] 


D.,  and  many  other  authorities  [and  in  the  critical  edi- 
10  V a.,  many  times  more,  for 
VT  o.L   ir  puT  0  L   eo-XKToi, 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  27.  Then  answered  Peter. — De  Wette 
remarks :  The  question  of  Peter  was  evidently  occa- 
sioned by  the  demand  which  the  Lord  had  addressed 
to  the  young  man.  Meyer  expresses  the  same  idea, 
and  adds,  that  the  word  7ii^i.e2s  is  put  forward  by 
way  of  emphasis,  and  in  contrast  to  the  conduct  of 
the  rich  young  man.  De  Wette  suggests,  "  that  Pe- 
ter must  have  expected  some  material  equivalent; 
otherwise  he  would  not  have  put  this  question,  but 
have  been  satisfied  with  the  inward  and  spiritual 
comfort  enjoyed  by  all  disciples  "  (but  comp.  1  Cor. 
XV.  lli).  We  admit  that  there  was  a  slight  trace  of 
a  mercenary  spirit  in  this  inquiry.  This  appears 
both  from  ver.  30,  and  from  the  parable  which  im- 
mediately follows.  Still,  the  admixture  of  selfishness 
was  not  such  as  wholly  to  obscure  the  higher  import 
and  truth  of  the  question  itself.  In  fact,  although 
the  inquiry  of  Peter  was  in  reference  to  a  reward,  it 
was  couched  in  the  most  diffident  and  humble  lan- 
guage: Ti  a  pa  i(TTai  v/xlv;  What  then  shall  ive 
have  ?  as  the  Vulgate  :  Quid  ergo  erit  nobi.s  ?  But 
Paulus  is  mistaken  in  interpreting  the  meaning  of 
the  clause :  What  then  shall  we  have,  viz.,  to  do  ? 


Similarly,  we  cannot  agree  with  Olshausen  in  para- 
phrasing it:  What  shall  be  our  portion?  Wilt 
Thou  pronounce  the  same  sentence  upon  us  as  upon 
this  young  man  ?  The  expression  r/^eir  is  evidently 
intended  by  way  of  antithesis  to  the  rich  man  who 
could  not  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  while  the 
statement,  "  Behold,  we  have  forsaken  all,"  is  meant 
as  a  renewed  formal  renunciation  of  the  world,  com- 
bined in  this  case  with  the  timid  ciuestion  (which  is 
not  even  recorded  in  the  Gospels  of  Mark  and  Luke) : 
What  then  ?     What  shall  we  have  ? 

We  have  forsaken  all. — De  W'ette  and  Meyer 
regard  these  words  as  implying  that  they  no  longer 
occasionally  returned  to  their  homes  and  trades. 
But  even  if  this  idea  were  not  inconsistent  with  John 
xxi.  3,  it  would  evidently  form  only  a  very  secondary 
consideration.  The  main  point  lies  iu  the  fact,  that 
when  leaving  Galilee,  they  had,  in  mind  and  heart, 
and  to  the  best  of  their  understanding,  made  a  com- 
plete renunciation  of  the  world,  and  were  now  rea,dy 
to  follow  their  Lord,  on  His  path  of  suffering,  to  Je- 
rusalem. Jesus  had  already  predicted  His  own  fu- 
ture glory,  but  as  yet  He  had  preserved  silence  about 
the  future  of  the  disciples.  On  this  point  they  now 
asked  for  further  information. 

Ver.  28.  And  Jesus  said  to  them. — Yer.  28 


CHAP.  XIX.  27-30. 


349 


embodies  the  special  promise  to  the  Apostles ;  ver. 
20,  the  general  statement  in  reference  to  all  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ;  while  ver.  30,  and  the  parable 
ivliich  follows,  express  the  condition  of  both  these 
promises. 

Ye  who  have  followed  Me. — The  circum- 
stance tlial  twelve  thrones  are  promised,  proves  that 
this  aJdrcss  was  directed  to  the  Apostles. — In  the 
renovation,  iruKiyyevecri a, — the  complete  Chris- 
tian regeneration,  being  the  restoration  of  this  world 
of  ours,  or  the  appearance  of  the  new  a;on,  the  great 
fjvi4>dv€ia,  in  contradistinction  to  the  commencement 
of  the  regeneration — its  root,  and  principle  (the  avu- 
Oiv  yevv7)d)]yai,  John  iii.  3,  or  the  avaytwr^drivai^  1 
Pet.  i.  3) — which  formed  the  basis  of  the  complete 
restoration.  In  point  of  fact,  it  coincides  with  the 
aTTOKaTaa-Ta-Tir,  Acts  iii.  21,  although  the  two  ideas 
are  different.*  The  expression,  Komphv  iraKLyyeve- 
aias,  in  Tit.  iii.  5,  seems  to  comprehend  the  two 
ideas  of  regeneration  ui  principle  and  complete  reno- 
vation, and  also  to  point  forv/ard  from  tlie  one  to 
the  other.  Hilary  applies  the  expression  to  the  first 
regeneration,  and,  connecting  with  it  the  words, 
■  aKoKovdvaavTss  ^ot,  renders  it:  "Ye  who  have  fol- 
lowed .Me  in  the  regeneration,  or  as  regenerated  per- 
sons." Similarly,  Hammond,  Fischer,  etc.,  uuder- 
■  stand  it  as  referring  to  the  first  regeneration,  and 
appeal  in  proof  to  Tit.  iii.  5.  Augustine,  Theophy- 
lact,  and  EuthJ^nius  Zigab.  refer  it  to  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body,  Fritzsche  more  particularly  to  the 
final  judgment.  De  Wette  and  Meyer  (after  Bux- 
torf's  Lexicon.  Talmud,  db^"r\  U)nn,  Berthold's 
Christologie)  apply  it  "to  the  renovation  of  the 
world,  which  had  been  ruined  and  destroyed  by  tlie 
fall,"  or  to  "  the  restoi'ation  of  the  wliole  universe  to 
its  original.,  state  of  perfection  before  the  fVdl." 
Hetice  it  would  nearly  correspond  with  the  airo;ca- 
Taaraais  (de  Wette,  comp.  Joseph.  Antiq.  xi.  3,  8, 
a.woKaTd<TTs.(Tis ;  §  9,  ^  TraXiyyiViaia  Tijy  waTpiSos). 
But  while  tlie  latter  term  refers  more  particularly  to 
the  restoration  of  the  original  state  of  things,  accord- 
ing to  the  promise  of  God,  or  to  the  full  renewal  and 
recovery  of  our  diseased,  disordered,  and  decaying 
world,  the  expression  -KaXiyyiveffla  goes  beyond  this, 
and  points  to  the  further  development  and  advance 
of  the  life  of  man  from  its  original  State  of  terrestrial 
perfectness  to  a  higher  state  of  spiritual  existence 
{see  1  Cor.  xv.).  At  the  same  time,  it  is  also  im.por- 
tant  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  first  "  regeneration,"  in 
principle,  contams  the  second,  and  that  it  is  contin- 
uously carried  on  and  developed  until  the  final  stage 
shall  be  attained.  Hence,  although  the  Lord  here 
primarily  referred  to  the  final  completion  of  tlie 
kingdom  of  heaven,  His  statement  also  applies  to 
the  glory  awaiting  the  Apostles  after  death  in  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  and  to  their  spiritual  supremacy 
in  Hun  even  while  on  earth,  as  well  as  to  the  grad- 
ual increase  in  spiritual  fellowship  with  their  glorified 
Master.     (Comp.  Ezer/.  lioirs  on  cji.  xvi.  28.) 

When  the  Son  of  Man  shall  sit. — This  clause 
explains  more  fully  the  import  of  the  palingenesia. 
— On  the  throne  of  His  glory. — The  3o'|a  is  the 
glory  of  His  appearing  when  His  spiritual  power 
shall  liccome  fully  manifest.  Hence  the  expression 
does  not  simply  mean,  '"the  throne  on  which  the 
Master  shall  reveal  Himself  in  His  glory,"  but  also, 
"the  tin-one  which  is  the  result  as  well  as  the  mani- 
festation of  His  glory."     This  throne,  which  He  oc- 

*  [Coiiin.  also  Rev.  ssi.  5:  "Behold,  I  maka  all  things 
<uw:'-l'.  S.] 


cupies  as  conqueror,  ruler,  judge,  and  master,  con- 
stitutes, so  to  spealv,  the  centre  and  the  main  attribute 
of  His  spiritual  glory,  when  fully  unfolded.  (Comp. 
Matt.  XXV.  31.) 

Ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  Uiroaes. — 
The  number  of  the  Apostles  is  here  suuimed  up  as 
twelve,  corresponding  to  that  of  the  tribes  of  Israel. 
Accordingly,  the  promise  did  not  apply  to  them  in- 
dividually, nor  does  it  contain  any  reference  to  the 
later  apostasy  of  Judas.  On  the  contrary,  this  prom- 
ise would  only  serve  to  render  his  apostasy  all  the 
more  inexcusahle.     (Comp.  Rev.  xxi.  14.) 

Judgijig  the  tw^elve  tribes  of  Israel. — As  the 
Apostles  appear  here  in  their  ideal  rather  than  in 
their  individual  capacity,  so  the  '■'■twelve  tribes  of 
Israel "  must  be  taken  in  a  symbolical  sense,  as  ap- 
plying to  the  whole  body  of  believers  (see  Rev.  xxi. 
12),  the  term  "judging"  must  not  be  hmited  to 
strictly  judicial  acts ;  it  rather  applies  to  the  theo- 
cratic administration  of  the  judges  under  the  Old 
Testament,  all  the  more,  that  the  twelve  tribes  are 
here  represented  as  ideally  restored  in  the  final  re- 
generation. Hence  we  agree  with  Grotius  and  Kuin- 
oel  in  taking  the  expression  in  a  more  general  sense, 
as  equivalent  to  ruling.  Meyer,  however,  advocates 
its  literal  interpretation.  "Believers  generally  are 
to  share  in  the  future  glory  and  reign  of  Christ  (Rom. 
vui.  17  ;  2  Tim.  ii.  12j,  and  to  have  part  in  the  judg- 
ment (1  Cor.  vi.  2).  To  the  disciples  the  special 
prerogative  is  here  accorded,  of  having  part  in  judg- 
ing the  Jewish  people."  Still,  this  critic  contradicts 
himself  by  immediately  adding,  that  "the  outward 
and  apocalj'ptic  form  of  this  promise  is  unessential." 
At  the  same  time,  he  also  thinks  that  "the  disciples 
could  not  at  the  time  have  understood  it  in  any 
other  than  a  literal  sense ; "  or,  in  other  words,  that 
they  must  necessarily  have  misunderstood  it.  But 
at  this  period  they  must  have  been  fully  aware  of 
the  fact,  that  the  Old  Testament  theocracy  was  to  be 
spiritually  restored  in  and  by  the  Church.  H^ence, 
in  our  view,  the  expression  appUes  to  the  spiritual 
administration  and  rule  of  the  Apostles,  in  subordi- 
nation to  the  will  of  the  Master ;  which  implied,  on 
the  one  hand,  a  real  judging  of  the  Jewish  people, 
and  on  the  other,  the  idea  of  de  Wette,  that  in  pro- 
portion to  the  sacrifices  which  we  make  for  the  sake 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  shall  be  the  spiritual 
power  which  we  exercise,  our  influence  for  good,  and 
our  usefulness  and  activity.  But  as  the  spiritual  su- 
premacy of  Christ  Himself  combined  the  two  ele- 
ments of  historical  and  spiritual  efficacy,  so  the 
Apostles  were  to  represent  the  twelve  fundamental 
forms  of  His  reign  in  the  kingdom.  (Comp.  ch.  x.) 
According  to  Luke  xxii.  30,  the  Lord  repeated  the 
same  promise  at  the  institution  of  the  Eucharist. 

Ver.  29.  And  every  one  that  hath  forsalien. 
— The  promise  is  now  extended  so  as  to  apply  to 
Christians  at  all  times.  This  forsaking  of  all  things 
is  for  the  twofold  purpose  of  confessing  and  of  fol- 
lowing Christ.  Both  elements  are  combined  in  the 
expression,  "  for  My  name's  sake,"  or  for  the  mani- 
leslation  of  My  person.  The  mention  of  the  family- 
relationship  occurs  between  that  of  "houses"  and 
of  "lands."  Accordingly,  the  former  refer  not  to 
possessions,  but  to  houses,  in  tiie  sense  of  genealogi- 
cal descent,  of  nationality,  country,  or  ancesaal  faith. 
Thus  we  have  in  the  text  three  classes  of  sacrifices: 
the  first  being  the  most  difiicult,  viz.,  that  of  the 
house  in  the  widest  sense  of  tlie  term ;  then  that  of 
kindred ;  and,  lastly,  that  of  possessions. 

Many-fold. — The  reading  of  Codd.  B.  and  L., 


350 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Tro\\air\affiova,  manifold,  is  better  attested  than 
that  of  Cod.  D.,  iKaTovTair\a<Tiova.  Meyer 
maintains  that  from  the  context  this  promise  must 
refer  to  the  future  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  "The 
statement  seems  incompatible  with  Marli  x.  SO  and 
Luke  xviii.  30,  in  which  abundant  compensation  is 
promised  oven  in  this  world,  or  previous  to  the  sec- 
ond appearing  of  Christ."  But  the  supposed  mistake 
lies  in  reality  with  the  interpreter,  who  seems  to  sep- 
arate entirely  between  the  alwv  o5to?  and  the  uiuu 
ipxoixevos.  An  attentive  consideration  of  the  expres- 
sion Kaipb?  oStoj  in  the  passages  to  which  Meyer 
refers,  might  have  sufficed  to  convince  him  of  this. 
V/ith  the  resurrection  of  Christ  the  alccv  epxiuivos, 
which  had  been  prepared  by  the  life  of  the  .Saviour, 
began  even  in  the  outward  alcof  ovtos,  or  in  the  icai- 
phs  oItus.  This  regeneration  was  to  continue,  to  in- 
crease, and  to  develop  into  the  full  manifestation  of 
the  future  ccon  at  the  glorious  appearing  of  Christ, 
when  it  would  be  completed  and  made  to  extend  over 
the  whole  world.  (See  John  v.  25,  28 ;  1  Cor.  xv. 
20,  23,  24 ;  Rev.  xx,  xxi.)  Hence  we  cannot  adopt 
any  of  the  common  interpretations  of  this  promise, — 
such  as  that  it  applies  to  happy  Christian  connections 
(Jerome  and  others),  or  to  Christ  Himself  (Makloua- 
tus,  comp.  xii.  49),  or  to  the  restoration  of  all  tilings 
(1  Cor.  iii.  21,  Olshausen).  In  our  view,  the  three 
classes  of  blessings  promised  correspond  to  the  three- 
fold sacrifices  demanded  in  the  text.  Believers  are 
to  find  a  new  and  eternal  home  and  country,  new  and 
eternal  relationships,  and  new  and  eternal  posses- 
sions, of  which  the  blessings  enjoyed  by  them  on 
earth  are  to  be  the  earnest  and  foretaste.  All  these 
promises  are  summed  up  in  that  of  being  made  heirs 
of  eternal  hfe  (Rom.  viii.). 

Ver.  30.  But  many  shall  be. — Meyer  and 
Fritzsche  suggest  that,  after  the  analogy  of  ch.  xx. 
16,  the  expression  should  be  construed  as  follows: 
"Many  shall  be  first  as  the  last"  (eo-xaToi  orres), 
"  and  last  as  being  first "  {irpwroL  uvres).  But  this 
appears  incompatible  with  the  emphasis  attaching  to 
the  words  trpuroi  and  eo-x^Toi,  when  viewed  as 
special  designations ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
"  last "  which  are  to  be  "  first "  have  not  been  pre- 
viously mentioned  or  described.  Manifestly  cur 
Lord  intended,  in  the  first  place,  to  refer  to  His  dis- 
ciples and  f  llowers,  which  were  the  irpioroi.  To 
them  lie  gave  the  richest  and  fullest  promises.  But 
at  the  same  time,  also.  He  sets  before  them  the  spir- 
itual conditions  of  their  calling ;  or,  in  other  words, 
the  limitations  and  conditions  of  His  promise.  Thus 
the  "last"  are  now  prominently  brought  forward. 
This  subject  is  more  fully  explained  in  the  succeed- 
ing parable.  Hence  in  ch.  xx.  16  the  order  is  re- 
versed, and  the  last  are  first,  and  the  first  last. 
Theophylact  and  Grctius  apply  the  antithesis  be- 
tween the  first  and  the  last  to  the  Jews  and  the  Gen- 
tiles. De  Wette  refers  it  to  the  different  views  in 
reference  to  the  reward :  in  the  one  case,  in  the  sight 
of  man ;  in  the  other,  in  that  of  God.  But  tTiis  in- 
terpretation proceeds  on  the  erroneous  idea,  that  the 
Apostle  put  the  question  from  a  desire  for  reward, 
and  that  the  answer  of  the  Lord  was  virtually  a  re- 
buke. Meyer  refers  the  expression  to  the  contrast 
between  the  latter  and  the  present  ceon.  But  this  is 
evidently  a  mistake.  The  parable  of  the  vineyard 
and  the  laboi-ers  shows  that  the  Lord  here  alludes  to 
the  difference  in  the  time  of  calUnj.  Hence  it  refers 
to  the  fact,  that  earher  or  later  calling  does  not  im- 
ply, as  might  seem,  a  higher  or  a  lower  standing  and 
reward  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     It  is  not  the  ex- 


tensiveness,  but  the  intcnsiveness,  of  our  service 
which  is  to  constitute  the  difference, — all  the  more 
that  the  reward  is  of  free  grace  alone. 


DOCTKIN^L  AKD  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  section  under  consideration  is  closely  con- 
nected with  that  which  preceded  it.  The  warning 
of  Christ  as  to  the  danger  of  riches  was  intended  for 
the  disciples  as  well  as  for  the  young  man.  They 
felt  this  all  the  more,  that  He  had  just  "beheld 
them"  with  the  same  look  of  pity  and  sympathy 
which  He  had  cast  on  the  rich  young  man.  Hence, 
when  Peter  addressed  the  Saviour,  he  "began  to 
say,"  he  "  answered,"  or  made  confession  (Matt. 
T0T6  knoKpidiis ;  Mark,  fip^aro  AeYfij/).  The  state- 
ment, "We  have  forsaken  all,  and  followed  Thee," 
seemed  intended  to  meet  the  objection  on  the  score 
of  being  rich.  Still  he  ventured  to  nnply  that  they 
were  not  wholly  without  some  claim ;  nor  does  he 
appear  to  have  perceived  any  incongruity  in  tlris. 
Luke  and  Mark  omit  the  question  :  "  What  shall  we 
have  ?  "  although  their  narratives  imply  that  he  had 
proffered  some  claim.  This  diflidence,  and  the  inde- 
finite wording  of  the  inquiry,  deserve  notice.  The 
expectation  of  a  retribution  constituted  the  difference 
between  the  Christian  and  the  Sadducee,  who,  from 
the  premise,  that  we  ought  to  love  virtue  for  its  own 
sake,  drew  the  erroneous  conclusion,  that  we  should 
expect  no  further  retribution  than  the  inward  reward 
which  virtue  afforded  to  him  that  practised  it.  The 
answer  of  Christ  shows  that  He  acknowledges  the 
vaUdity  of  our  hope  of  a  future  reward.  At  the  same 
time,  it  also  indicates  that  the  disciples  had  not  yet 
learned  fully  to  understand  the  spirituality  and  the 
bearing  of  these  relations. 

2.  The  promise  of  the  Lord  implies  the  fuU  estab- 
lishment of  Mis  spiritual  kingdom,  which  consists  not 
merely  in  the  restoration  of  the  original  state  of 
things  in  Paradise,  but  also  in  the  full  development 
of  the  first  into  the  second  hfe  (1  Cor.  xv.).  In 
other  words,  the  complete  redemption  of  the  world 
will  at  the  same  time  be  its  transformation,  when  re- 
generated humanity  shall  dwell  in  a  completely  re- 
generated world.  The  centre  of  this  completion  of 
ail  things  shall  be  the  manifestation  of  Christ  in  His 
glory,  when  He  shall  appear  in  all  His  heavenly 
brightness.  Then  all  relationships  shall  partake  of, 
and  reflect,  the  splendor  of  His  manifestation.  This 
will  also  apply  to  the  administration  of  His  Apostles, 
as  the  representatives  of  His  rule  over  the  twelve 
tribes — a  symboUcal  term,  intended  to  indicate  the 
whole  variety  of  spiritual  stages  and  experiences  in 
the  Idngdom  of  heaven.  This  administration,  which 
at  the  final  manifestation  of  Christ  is  to  appear  in  its 
completeness,  commenced  with  His  resurrection. 
The  gradual  increase  of  their  power  and  influence 
here  would  correspond  with  the  progress  of  Christ's 
work,  and  the  spread  of  holiness  and  salvation; 
while  at  the  same  time  it  would  be  a  token  of  their 
future  glory  in  heaven,  and  of  their  final  acknowledg- 
ment on  earth. 

3.  Our  Lord  adds  to  the  assurance  origmaUy 
given  to  the  disci[>les,  a  more  general  promise  ad- 
dressed to  all  believei'S.  In  the  higher  sense,  and  in 
its  real  spiritual  bearing,  every  Christian  is  to  receive 
a  hundred-fold  for  the  outward  sacrifices  v.hich  he 
may  have  made  on  behalf  of  Christ.  Similarly, 
the  Apostle  Paul  reminds  us  that  all  lldugs  are 
ours  (1  Cor.  iii.  21 ;  comp.  Rom.  Tiii.  28).     In  the 


CHAP.  XX.  1- 


351 


Gospel  of  Mark  the  special  retributions  are  enume- 
rated.* 

4.  Having  met  the  hope  of  His  disciples  in  ref- 
erence to  a  future  reward,  the  Lord  Jesus,  in  ver. 
30,  removes  any  misunderstanding  by  striking  at  the 
root  of  anything  like  a  mercenary  spirit.  He  teaches 
thcin  that  the  reward  is  of  free  grace.  Not  that  it  is 
arbitrary,  but  that  it  is  not  determined  by  outward 
priority,  cither  in  reference  to  rank,  talent,  or  time ; 
and  that  it  corresponds  to  the  state  of  mind  and 
heart,  the  fundamental  characteristic  and  test  being 
complete  seU'-surrender  and  absence  of  any  claim  or 
pretension  on  our  part.  Peter  required  this  instruc- 
tion all  the  more,  that  he  was  certainly  not  entitled 
to  say :  "  We  have  forsaken  all."  If  this  had  been 
the  case,  they  would  not  soon  afterward  have  for- 
saken the  Master  and  fled.  But  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven is  within, — it  is  not  a  system  of  merit  and  re- 
ward, but  the  sway  and  rule  of  free  love. 


nOMILETIGAL  AND   TEACTICAL. 

The  free  reward  in  the  kingdom  of  love. — The  in- 
quiry of  the  disciples  as  to  their  reward :  1.  What  it 
impUes :  to  forsake  all  things,  etc.  2.  How  difficult 
it  is  rightly  to  express  this  inquiry.  3.  How  the 
Lord  admits  the  rightness  of  this  liope.  4,  How  He 
reproves  and  instructs  the  disciples  in  this  matter. — 
Certainty  of  the  great  reward:  1.  Corresponding  to 
our  renunciation;  2.  confirmed  to  us  by  a  solemn 
Amen  of  the  Lord  (ver.  28) ;  3.  illustrated  by  the 
relations  existing  in  the  natural  world ;  4.  presented 
in  its  unity  and  depth  (as  inheriting  eternal  Ufe); 
5.  necessarily  determined  by  the  free  love  of  God. — 
The  kingilom  of  heaven,  as  that  of  reward  by  grace, 
a  blessed  realm :  1.  It  is  infinitely  elevated  above  the 
pride  of  self-sufficient  virtue ;  2.  above  the  mercena- 
ry spirit  of  selfishness  and  servihty. — Virtue  which 
disclaims  all  reward  is  not  genuine.  It  wants,  1.  the 
light  of  truth  ;  2.  the  warmth  of  Ufe ;  3.  the  faithful- 
ness of  love ;  4.  the  crown  of  hope. — A  mercenary 
spirit  loosing  its  reward  even  here:  1.  Its  service  is 
merely  external  (a  kmd  of  spiritual  idleness) ;  2.  its 
worldly  merit  meets  with  a  worldly,  but  only  appa- 
rent, reward. — The  fact,  that  faith  is  accompanied  by 
peace,  is  itself  an  earnest  of  future  blessedness. — The 
great  renovation  of  aU  things  forming  the  certain 


berg) : 


Compare  the  beautiful  verse  of  Novalis  (von  Harden- 


"  ITo  ich  Ihn  nur  habe, 
Tst  mein  Vaterland; 
Und  esfMl  mirjede  Gabe 
Wit  ein  Brbtheil  in  die  Hand. 
Langat  vermiaste  Bruder 
Find'  ich  nun  in  teinen  Jingem  aieder.' 


prospect  of  Christians.  1.  Its  certamty — (a)  from 
the  fact  of  Christ's  advent  from  heaven  (the  First- 
born of  all  creatures,  the  First-born  from  the  dead) ; 
(6)  from  the  regeneration  of  believers ;  (e)  from  the 
birth-throes  of  the  ancient  world.  2.  The  prospects 
it  opens :  (a)  These  are  infinitely  new,  and  yet  famil- 
iar to  us,  being  the  transformatiDn  of  things  seen; 
(b)  they  are  infinitely  ricli  and  varied,  yet  compre- 
hended m  this  one  tluhg — eternal  life ;  (c)  they  are 
definite,  yet  mysterious,  on  account  of  the  change  of 
relations :  The  last  shall  be  first,  etc. — Solemnity  of 
the  saying,  ilaiuj  that  are  firxt,  etc. — Rev.  xxi.  5 : 
"Behold,  I  make  all  things  new." 

Starke : — If  the  Saviour  had  bestowed  on  Peter 
the  supreme  rule  of  the  Church  on  the  occasion  men- 
tioned in  ch.  xvi.,  this  question  would  have  had  no 
meaning. —  Camtein:  The  man  wlio,  although  hav- 
ing Httle,  gives  it  up  for  the  sake  of  God,  and  asks 
for  nothing  more  than  His  presence,  has  in  reality 
forsaken  much,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25,  26. — The  complete  re- 
ward of  behevers  will  certainly  take  place,  but  only 
at  the  final  regeneration  of  all  things. — The  whole 
world  shall,  as  it  were,  be  bom  anew. — The  faithful 
disciples  and  followers  of  Jesus  shall  sit  with  Him 
on  His  throne,  Rev.  iii.  21. — Zeislm:  Proud  self- 
righteousness  and  a  mercenary  spirit  ensure  their 
own  ruin ;  while  humility  and  working  out  our  salva- 
tion with  fear  and  trembling  are  the  means  of  pre- 
serving us  from  falling,  Phil.  ii.  12. — In  eternity 
many  of  our  earthly  positions  shall  be  reversed. 

Gerlach : — Although  the  apostles  belonged  to  the 
lower  ranks  of  society,  they  were  not  strictly  speak- 
ing poor.  Thus  we  i-ead  in  Mark  i.  20,  that  the  fa- 
ther of  James  and  John  had  employed  hired  ser- 
vants.*^"— When  this  promise  was  given,  Judas  was 
still  one  of  the  twelve,  yet  it  profited  him  not.  A 
sad  evidence  this,  how  little  good  may  be  derived 
from  merely  outward  fcllovrship  with  the  disciples, 
if  in  mind  and  heart  we  are  strangers  to  Jesus. 

Heuhner : — Crregory  the  Great  {Moralia):  We 
forsake  all,  if  we  retain  nothing. — Peter  referred  not 
to  the  reward,  but  to  its  desert — To  judge  means  to 
rule,  John  xvii.  13,  22. — Many  a  proud  critic,  who 
has  looked  with  contempt  upon  the  Apostles,  shall 
one  day  behold  them  with  terror. — If  you  surrender 
to  Christ  all  you  have,  He  will  bestow  upon  you  all 
He  has. — The  Christian  is  daily  called  upon  to  deny 
himself  for  the  sake  of  Christ. — Montaigne,  jEssais,  i. 
27 :  Christianity  alone  renders  perfect  friendship  pos- 
sible. 


*  [It  is  often  inferred-  from  eh  ra  IfSia  in  John  x\x.  27, 
that  St.  John  had  a  house  of  his  own  in  Jerusalem ;  although 
the  term  probably  applies  in  a  general  sense  to  his  home, 
wherever  it  was. — P.  S.] 


B.   The  Reward  in  the  Spirit  of  Free  Grace. 


The  Parahle  of  the  Laborers  in  \ 
1-16. 


Vineyard.     Ch.  "y^- 


(The  Gospel  for  Septuagesbna.) 

1  For  the  Icingdom  of  lieaven  is  like  unto  a  man  that  is  a  liouseholder  [like  to  a  hu- 
man liouseholder,  avOpw-w  oiKoSeo-Tro-n^],  wliich  [who]  went  out  early  in  the  morning  to 

2  hire  labourers  into  his  vineyard.     And  when  he  had  agreed  [having  agreed,  crv/x<iwv^- 
o-a?]  with  tlie  labourers  for  a  penny  [denary,  or  shilling]  *  r    ' 


he  sent  them  into  his 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


3  vincyaril.     And  lie  went  out  about  the  third  hour  [at  nine  o'clock,  a.  m.],  and  saw  others 

4  standing  idle  in  the  market-pkce,  And  said  unto  them,  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard; 

5  and  whatsoever  is  right  I  will  give  you.     And  they  went  their  way.     Again  he  went 

6  out  about  the  sixth  [at  noon]  and  ninth  lioiu'  [at  three  o'clock,  p.  ji.],  and  did  likeAvise.  And 
about  the  eleventh  hour  [an  hour  before  sunset]  he  Avent  out,  and  found  others  standing 

7  idle,^  and  saith  unto  them,  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?  They  say  unto  him, 
Because  no  man  liath  hired  us.     He  saith  unto  him.  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard ;  and 

S  whatsoever  is  right,  that  shall  ye  receive.^  So  when  even  [evening]  was  come,  the 
lord  of  the  vineyard  saith  unto  his  steward  [overseer],  Call  the  labourers,  and  give 

9  them  their  hire,  beginning  from  the  last  unto  the  first.  And  when  they  came  that  were 
hired  about  the   eleventh  hour,  they  received  every  man  a  penny  [denary,  shilling]. 

10  But  when  the  first  came,  they  supposed  that  they  should  have  received  [should  receive, 

11  A.?7<^oi'Tai]  more;  and  they  likewise  received  every  man  a  penny  [denary].     And  when 
they  had  received  it^  they  murmured  against  the  goodman  of  the  house  [householder, 

12  otKoSeo-TroTou],  Saying,  These  last  have  wrought   [made]   hut  one  hour,  and  thou  hast 
made  them  equal  unto  us,  Avhich   [who]  have  borne  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day. 

13  But  he  answered  one  of  them,  and  said,  Friend,^  I  do  thee  no  wrong:  didst  not  thou 

14  agree  Avith  me  for  a  penny  [denary,  or  shilling]  ?     Take   that  thine  is  [what  is  thine, 
TO  0-01',  lit. :   the  thine],  and  go  thy  way :   [but]  I  will  give  unto  this  last,  even  as  unto 

15  thee.     Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I  will  with  mine  own?     Is  thine  eye  evil,  be- 

1 6  cause  I  am  good  ?  So  the  last  shall  be  first,  and  the  first  last :  for  many  be  [are]  call- 
ed, but  few  chosen.^ 


1  Ver.  3.— ['E  it  Z-qv  apiov .  Th'e  foreign  term  ouglit  to  have  been  retained  in  English,  as  Matthew  retained  the  Latin 
d&nariusU)  Greek.  The  English  Version  is  here  peculiarly  unfortunate,  and  makes  a  false  impression  on  the  common 
reader.  A  jiemiif  wouhl  be  a  poor  reward  indeed,  but  a  denarius  is  worth  more  than  seven  English  pence  or  fifteen 
American  ccnis,  and  w;is  a  libend  d;iv".s  w  .■!  _','s  at.  tlial  time.  About  two  thirds  of  a  Roman  denary  (not  a  full  deniiry  as 
generally  stalod)  was  tlie  daily  pay  of  l.lic  Kniiian  smMI.,-.  Comp.  Tacitus,  v4 "««('.  1.  IT.  I'olybius  (ii.  15)  mentions  that 
tlie  charge  for  a  day's  eutortainuje'rit  in  t:;^■  iiii.s  i.f  «i--aliiine  Gaul  was  only  half  an  ass  or  oiie  twentieth  of  a  denarius. 
Bengel  intimates  that  the  daily  wages  iii  Ins  time  UKlore  the  middle  of  the  last  century)  were  not  higher  :  Denarius  erat 
cHvriia  merce.i,  vt  fere  est  hodierno  die.  Shilling  woulil  be  a  far  better  popular  equivalent  for  denarius  th&n  penny. 
See  note  4  on  p.  832.— P.  S.] 

-  Ver.  G.— 'Ay po  v  ?  (idle)  is  wanting  in  Codd.  B.,  0.,  D.,  L..  and  many  others  [also  in  Cod.  Sinait.].  and  is  inserted 
fiom  \ci    i  ind  the  question  luiiut  li  U  Iv  loUuwms     In  this  place  it  does  not  stiengtlun,  but  ^^t  iken  the  sense 


{qht   that  shall  ye  receive,   Kal   b   iav   ij   StKaiov  Arn/zecrSf, 
m  ut  1  the  >  ulgite,  and  othei  old  veisions     Mever,  hcncvti,  observes  that  the 
CO    VfXiv  s]icakb  t-amst  the  m-eition  ot  this  <tntence  fiom  vei   4 


,ft'l!ow),  while  "■fellniL,''''  as 

i\  ins  import     Tht  A  ulgata 

,   ill    f  II   li  h  \eiMons  hive 

I      I        tunes  in 

i       Mas- 

<  I  pell a- 

\    1    1       Lie  dignified 


•1  Aci    7 -The  i\oids  I  - 

a  pmi    m^  m  Codd   B    1)     L 
e\pression    \7ji'Er0c   iii  t      1 

*  A^ei    1    —\J  I  1     iliii     t  t<io  stioiu  i  r  tlit  Gieek   ^rripe  yconialc  itiii,  nuoi 

now  u-ed   \\(iilll      I     i  li  lnl      It  i    I    i     iis(  1     s  i  teim  <  f  canfir  umisju  1 1  with  icpi 

tiinsHtes      II  \u   II  II       1    tl   i  '  II   tl     (     i    i  n  ^    i   i    i  s  1  i  t     n        /(  i 

J, and  Ih  A  I  1  1  1  I 
Ihi  NT  hi  ''I  il  wii 
f  1  ^\lth  il  1     I     111  \i   li  I 

f'ohuii)  >i     /6iUto//;«  /  1       1   1  li   ,  I   ,  w  1       a  .y.  it     1       11      / 

erou..h      A\  e  must  thi_itloii-    let  u\  fi  n  u/ m  the  diSLi-ce  ot  a  pictioc  cquiv  dent — 1'   s] 

6\e,  jG — The  list  \\  Olds  rcoKfol  yap  e'aiv  kAtitoi,  0A1701  Se  6  (c  \  eK  t  o  i ,  are  not  fimnd  in  B  ,  L  , 
Z.,  [and  Cod.  Sinai. t],  C^ojit.  Saliid.  But  Meyer  rightly  objects  to  the  hypothesis  of  interpolation  from  Matt.  xx.  14,  since 
there  was  no  oocasiim  for  it  here,  the  words  appearing  rather  out  of  place  in  this  connection.  [Lachmann,  Tischcndorf  (ed. 
of  1859),  and  Alford  retain  the  SL-utenee,  and  Tischendorf  says :  Cur  vero  ex  a-xii.  14  Awe  transtulerint  vix  dixeris.  The 
homoeoteleuton  eVxaTOI — eVAeKTOl  easily  explains  the  omission  of  the  sentence  by  some  transcribers.  K  A  rj  t  o  i 
and  e  /c  A  e  K  T  0  1  are  a  paronomasia  in  Greek,  which  is  lost  in  the  E.  V.  In  German  it  might  be  rendered  by  erwahlt 
and  ausericCUdt. — V.  S.] 

Loeffler,  1726;  F.  A.  Ziilidi,  1741;  J.  R.  Kiesling, 
1740 ;  J.  H.  Schramm,  1775,  etc.  Of  English  expo- 
sitions, see  especially  Teench,  Notes  on  the  Parables, 
9th  Loud,  ed.,  1863,  pp.  161-184,  aud  Alford  inloc 
—P.  S.] 

A  human  householder. — In  contrast  to  God, 
who  is  the  Householder  in  the  highest  and  truest 
sense.  As  in  ch.  xiii.  24;  xviii.  23.  [It  is  plain 
that  the  householder  signifies  God;  the  vineyard, 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  (comp.  Is.  v.  1-7 ;  Cant. 
A'iii.  12) ;  the  stcvjard  (ver.  8),  Christ ;  the  twelfth  hour 
of  the  day,  or  the  rren'mr/,  the  parusia  of  Christ;  the 
other  hours,  the  different  periods  of  calling  and  its 
service.  The  difficulty  lies  in  the  symbolical  meaning 
of  the  denary  and  in  determining  the  chief  lesson  of 
the  parable.     See  beloAv. — r.  S.] 

Ver.  2.  For  a  denary  (or  shilling)  a  day. — 
Both  these  terms  are  intended  to  express  the  fact, 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like. 
— This  parable  is  evidently  intended  as  an  illustra- 
tion and  explanation  of  Christ's  former  teaching 
[especially  of  the  last  verse  of  the  preceding  chapter, 
as  is  shov/u  by  the  connecting  ydp.  Hence  the  divi- 
sion of  chapters  here,  as  Trench  justly  observes,  is 
peculiarly  unfortunate.]  For  a  number  of  ancient 
treatises  on  this  parable,  see  Lilienthal's  Bibl.  Arcld- 
varius,  p.  91 ;  for  more  recent  discussions,  the  8tu- 
dien  und  Kriiiken  (Rupprecht,  1847,  p.  396  sqq. ; 
Steffensen,  1848,  p.  686  sqq.).  On  the  difficuhies  of 
this  parable  [second  only  to  those  of  the  parable  of 
the  Unjust  Stev/ard],  see  Heubner,  p.  800.  [Latin 
dissertations  on  the  Parabola  de  Operariis  in  Vinea, 
by  J.  L.  Moshcim,  1724;  A.  H.  Faust,  1725;  F.  S. 


CHAP.  XX.  1-1 G. 


that  the  servants  were  hired  iu  the  pi'oper  sense  of 
the  term,  which  is  also  imphed  iu  e/c  S-nvapiuu. 
A  Roman  denarius  was  the  connuou  pay  for  a  day's 
labor  (Tob.  v.  14 :  a  drachma).  The  Attic  drachma 
was  equal  to  the  Roman  denarius,  and  amounted  to 
six  oboli,  or  about  seven  and  a  half  pence  sterling,  or 
fifteen  American  cents.  "  That  this  hire  was  equita- 
ble,* appears  from  the  circumstance  that  at  a  time 
of  scarcity,  the  denarius  would  be  sufficient  to  pur- 
chase what  was  requisite  for  man's  daily  support; 
Rev.  vi.  G."     Starke. 

[The  meaning  of  the  denary  is  a  c7-i(z  inlerpretum, 
\nd  reminds  us  of  what  Cbrysostora  and  Maldouatus 
•y  in  loc,  that  we  must  not  scrupulously  press  every 
I  trticular  in  a  parable,  but  keep  always  in  view  !hc 
general  scope.  Parables  are  poetic  pictures  talion 
from  real  life  for  the  illustration  of  the  higher  truths 
and  realities  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  contain 
with  the  essential  figures  some  ornamental  touches 
which  are  necessary  for  the  artistic  finish,  although 
tliey  may  not  express  definitely  a  corresponding  idea 
or  fact  in  the  spiritual  world.  The  denary  here  un- 
doubtedly conveys  the  idea  of  reward,  but  in  a  very 
general  way.  As  soon  as  we  particularize  it,  we  get 
into  almost  inextricable  difficulties.  Two  opposite 
views  must  be  mentioned.  (1)  The  denary  means 
the  temporal  reward  only,  and  those  who  we^'e  hired 
first,  wlule  they  receive  their  stipulated  denary,  lose 
eternal  life  and  are  ultimately  lost.  The  Lord  says 
to  them  at  last:  Take  thy  miserable  penny,  the 
wages  of  a  day-laborer  on  earth,  and  go  thy  way 
(vTcaye),  i.  e.,  depart  from  Me  (vcr.  14).  So  Luther 
(in  his  later  writings :  The  penny  is  the  temporal 
good,  the  favor  of  the  householder,  the  eternal  good ; 
the  murmuring  laborers  trot  away  with  their  penny, 
and  are  damned),  more  recently  Stier  (who  zealously 
and  elaborately  defends  this  interpretation),  W.  Nast 
(who  fully  agrees  with  himj,  and  Wordsworth.  At 
first  sight  this  view  offers  a  plausible  escape  from  the 
difficulties  of  the  second,  but  it  is  hardly  in  keeping 
with  the  dignity  of  the  parable,  and  is  made  impos- 
sible by  the  fact  that  the  peimy  is  paid  at  the  close 
of  the  day,  i.  e.,  at  the  end  of  man's  life  or  the  day 
of  final  account,  when  the  temporal  reward  ceases. 
Godliness  is  indeed  profitable  for  all  things  and  has 
the  promise  of  this  Ufe  as  well  as  of  that  which  is  to 
come;  but  the  temporal  blessings  accompany  the 
work  itself,  while  the  eternal  reward  follows  it  after 
it  is  finished.  (2)  The  denary  means  eternal  salva- 
tion. So  Origen,  Augustme  {Serm.  343  :  ^^  Denarius 
ille  vita  celerna  est,  quce  omnibus  par  est"),  Gregory 
L,  Bernard,  Luther  (in  his  Com.  on  Gal.  iii.  2),  Mal- 
donatus  (salus  et  vita  ceterna),  Meyer  {das  Matsiani- 
sche  Hell),  Lange  (with  some  modification :  the  bless- 
ing of  Christian  communion,  see  his  Doetrinal 
Thoughts  below),  Alford  (eternal  life,  or  God  Him- 
self), and  many  others.  To  this  view  the  following 
objections  may  be  urged :  (a)  Eternal  life  is  not  a  re- 
ward or  wages  for  work  performed,  but  a  free  gift 
of  grace.  All  right ;  yet  there  is  a  reward  of  c/race 
as  well  as  a  reward  of  merit,  and  in  the  former  sense 
eternal  life  is  constantly  represented  by  Christ  and 
the  apostles  as  a  yuicr0ds  (variously  rendered  in  the  E. 
V.  by  reward,  hire,  and  wages),  see  Matt.  v.  12 
("great  is  your  reward  in  heaven");  x.  41,  42; 
Luke  vi.  23,  35 ;  x.  7 ;  John  iv.  30 ;  1  Cor.  iii.  8, 

*  [This  must  bo  the  meaning  of  Oie  Billiokeit  dieses 
Tagelohns,  and  not  (as  the  connection  shows  in  the  p.assago 
quoted  from  Starlie)  small  or  cheap,  as  the  Edinb.  tils.  )ias 
it;  for&denarim  was  liberal  pay  for  a  day's  work  at  the 
time  of  Christ.    Comp.  Note  1,  p.  353.— P.  S.] 

23 


14 ;  etc.  The  selection  of  so  small  a  price  as  a  de- 
nary for  so  great,  a  good  as  eternal  life  is  to  be  ex- 
plained from  the  nature  of  the  parable  and  the  fact 
that  a  denary  was  the  usual  pay  for  a  day's  work. — 
(6)  The  laborers  who  were  first  called,  engaged  in 
the  service  of  God  in  a  mercenary  spirit,  which  is  in- 
dicated by  e  K  Svi/apiou,  i.  e.,  for  the  sake  of  a  dena- 
ry,* and  their  murmurmg  and'  dissatisfaction,  as  well 
as  the  rebuke  administered  to  them  on  the  day  of 
account  (vers.  11-15),  seems  inconsistent  with  the 
fact  of  their  final  salvation.  For  envy,  as  Words- 
worth remarks,  disqualifies  for  heaven  and  is  an  in- 
ward hell.  But  it  should  be  observed,  first,  that  the 
murmuring  occurs  before  they  enter  into  heaven 
proper;  secondly,  that  the  laborers  who  were  call- 
ed first,  are  placed,  not  outside  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  but  simply  last  in  tiie  kingdom,  xix.  30 ;  xx. 
16  ;  thirdly,  that  we  have  a  full  parallel  in  the  para- 
ble of  the  Prodigal  Son,  whose  elder  brother  showed 
envy  and  anger  at  the  mercy  extended  to  the  Prodi- 
gal, and  yet  the  father  expressly  said  unto  him: 
"  Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is 
thine;"  Luke  xv.  28-31.  In  both  cases  this  mani- 
festation of  dissatisfaction  must  be  explained  from  a 
primary  reference  of  the  parable  to  the  Jews  and 
their  inveterate  and  almost  insurmountable  prejudice 
against  the  Gentiles.  It  is  introduced  for  the  pur- 
pose of  rebuking  their  mercenary  and  envious  dispo- 
sition, and  commendmg  the  more  disinterested  spirit 
of  the  Gentile  converts  who  went  to  work  as  soon  as 
they  were  called,  without  a  definite  agreement  as  to 
price,  but  impUcitly  trusting  in  the  justice  and  mercy 
of  the  householder,  who  would  give  them  far  more 
than  they  could  ask  or  deserve.  But  although  the 
laborers  who  were  called  first,  were  ultimately  ad- 
mitted into  heaven  with  the  rest,  yet  many  of  them 
occupy  there  the  last  place,  and  enjoy  a  far  inferior 
degree  of  glory  than  many  others  "who  were  called 
last.  Caelum  omnibus  est  idem,  sed  gloria  dispar,  or 
as  Augustine  has  it:  s])le7idor  dispar,  cmlum  com- 
mune. Thus  the  denary,  or  final  reward,  although 
the  same  objectively  considered,  is  very  different  sub- 
jectively, according  to  the  different  degrees  of  capa- 
city for  bliss,  and  moral  perfection  on  the  part  of  the 
receivers.  Comp.  1  Cor.  xv.  41,  and  the  parable  of 
the  talents,  Matt.  xxv.  15-SO,  and  the  parable  of  the 
pounds,  Luke  xix.  12-26.  With  this  explanation  we 
regard  the  second  view  as  substantially  correct,  cer- 
tauily  preferable  to  the  first,  although  it  is  doubtful 
whether  we  are  authorized,  in  the  original  sense  and 
intent  of  the  parable,  to  go  beyond  the  general  idea 
of  reward.  Comp.  Lange's  Doctrinal  Thoughts  be- 
low.—P.  S.] 

The  expression  day  refers  to  that  period  of  time 
in  the  narrower  sense.  The  Jews  reckoned  the  day 
in  the  wider  sense  from  sunset  to  sunset  (comp. 
Lev.  xxiii.  32).  Before  the  Babylonish  captivity 
the  day  was  divided  into  morning,  noon,  evening, 
and  a  twofold  twilight.  Gradually,  however,  the  di- 
vision into  hours  was  introduced,  which  in  the  Old 
Testament  occur  under  the  Chaldee  designation  of 
nsoj .  The  Jews  seem  to  have  adopted  the  division 
of  the  day  into  hours  during  their  residence  in  Baby- 
lon. As  every  natural  day  was  divided  into  twelve 
hours,  their  duration  necessarily  varied  at  different 


*  [Meyer  in  toe:  "'E/c  signifies  not  the  price  (which 
would  be  expressed  by  the  genitive,  ver.  13),  although  the 
den.lry  is  the  price,  but  It  represents  this  price  as  the  causal 
feature  or  motive  of  the  agreement.  Comp,  Matthiaj,  p. 
1S34."-P.  S.] 


354 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


periods  of  the  year.  The  longest  day  in  Palestine 
consists  of  fourteen  hours  and  twelve  minutes ;  the 
shortest,  of  nine  hours  and  forty-eight  minutes. 
About  the  third  hour,  or  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  market-place  would  be  full  of  people.  "  Vi- 
tringa  applies  the  term  hours  to  different  periods  of 
history.  Thus  he  regards  'early  in  the  morning,' 
=  Adam ;  '  the  third  hour,'  =  Abraham ;  '  the  sixth 
hour,'  =  Moses;  'the  ninth  hour,'  =  the  latter 
times,  when  the  Edomites,  under  John  Hyrcanus, 
became  converts  to  Judaism ;  '  the  eleventh  hour,' 
=  the  time  of  Christ.  Similarly  Origen  and  Hila- 
ry." *  Heubner. — On  this  point  comp.  the  Doctrinal 
TlwiigJds  below. 

Ver.  4.  Whatever  is  right. — In  the  general 
sense ;  whatever  is  equitable.  The  idea  of  a  regular 
engagement  for  a  definite  hire  gradually  disappears. 
The  first  laborers  were  hired  for  a  day ;  their  enu- 
meration being  not  only  fixed,  but  serving  as  their 
motive  (ek).  The  next  laborers  were  merely  promis- 
ed an  equitable  acknowledgment  of  their  services ; 
while  in  the  last  instance,  according  to  the  best  ac- 
credited reading  (ver.  7),  no  promise  at  aU  was 
made  to  those  who  went  into  the  vineyard. 

Yer.  7.  Because  no  man  hath  hired  us. — 
This  trait  is  of  great  iroportancc  in  the  interpretation 
of  the  parable.     Comp.  Rom.  xi. ;  Acts  xiv.  16. 

Ver.  8.  Unto  his  steward,  e  tt  i  t  p  o  ir  o  s. — The 
term  was  equally  appUed  to  those  who  administered 
whole  provinces  and  single  households.  In  this  case, 
the  steward  of  a  household.  [Christ  is  the  overseer 
set  over  the  house  of  God  and  entrusted  with  the 
whole  economy  of  salvation  including  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  final  rewards,  Heb.  iii.  6 ;  John  v.  27 ; 
Rev.  ii.  7,  10,  17,  28,  etc.— P.  S.]— Their  hire.— 
Meyer:  The  hire  which  the  master  had  previously 
told  huu  to  give.  But  in  this  case  it  is  intended  to 
combine  the  idea  of  a  day's  hire  with  that  of  hire  in 
the  more  general  sense ;  in  short,  the  fuU  amoimt  of 
their  hire. 

Ver.  9.  [It  is  a  gratuitous  assumption  that  the 
last  hired  laborers  worked  as  much  in  one  hour  as 
the  rest  during  several  hours  or  the  whole  day,  and 
that  for  this  reason  they  received  the  same  reward. 
God  does,  indeed,  not  measure  His  reward  by  the 
length  of  man's  life,  but  by  the  intensity  of  his  labor 
and  the  fidehty  of  his  services,  and  the  parable  im- 
plies a  protest  against  the  quantitative  appreciation 
of  men's  works,  as  distinct  from  the  qualitative. 
But  this  is  not  the  main  lesson  of  the  parable,  as 
Maldonatusf  and  Kuinoel  affirm,  else  the  circum- 
stance, on -which  the  narrative  turned,  would  have 
been  mentioned  in  this  place  or  afterwards. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  12.  Have  done  {spent)  but  one  hour, 
e  TT  o  I  rj  (T  a  J/ . — Not  wrought,  but  passed  one  hour  in 
working.  Evidently  indicating  their  contempt  for 
the  others ;  which  also  appears  from  such  expressions 
as  "  these  last,"  and  from  their  laying  stress  on  their 
own  work.  This  is  likewise  impUed  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  words :  "  Thou  hast  made  them  equal 

*  [Especially  also  Gregory  {Homil.  19  in  Evang.')  who 
refers  the  morning  to  the  ;iee  from  Adam  to  Noah,  the  third 
hour  to  the  age  from  Noah  to  Abraham,  the  sixth  hour  to  that 
from  Abraham  to  Moses,  the  ninth  hour  to  that  from  Moses 
to  Christ,  and  the  eleventh  hour  to  that  from  Christ  to  the 
end  of  the  world.  But  the  same  writer  applies  the  different 
hours  also  to  the  different  ages  in  the  liie  of  individu.ils: 
childhood,  youth,  manhood,  old  age,  and  the  years  of  decre- 
pitude. The  latter  interpretation  is  also  held  by  Jerome, 
Theophylact,  Maldonatus.— P.  S.] 

il'^ Finis  ergo  parabolm  est,  mercedem  vifon  aterncc. 
non  tempori,  quo  quis  labor avit,  sed  Idbori  et  operi,  quod 
fecit,  respondere." — P.  S.] 


unto  us — unto  us  who  have  borne  the  burden  of  the 
day  (havmg  wrought  for  twelve  hours),  and  its  heat 
(at  noon)."  Kavauv,  lit. :  the  scorcher,  used  here 
in  the  general  sense  for  noon-day  heat,  but  in  the 
Sept.  frequently  for  the  hot  wind  from  the  south. 

Ver.  13.  But  he  answered  one  of  them. — 
This  trait  must  not  be  overlooked.  The  householder 
does  not  deem  it  necessary  to  excuse  his  conduct  be- 
fore all  the  laborers,  and  only  explains  it  to  one  of 
them,  by  way  of  information  for  the  rest. 

Friend. — Not  ironically,  but  as  an  expression 
of  kindness,  to  show  that  the  rebuke  which  followed 
was  not  the  result  of  partiality. 

Ver.  15.  Is  thine  eye  evil? — Not  a  doubtful 
question,  nor  a  mere  suggestion,  but  intended  to 
show  the  impropriety  of  such  evil  seeing,  when  the 
householder  manifested  so  much  kindness.  On  the 
expression  ocpdaKfxos  Troviqpos,  comp.  Matt.  vi. 
23 ;  Prov.  xxviii.  22.  In  this  instance  it  refers  to 
envy.  History  records  the  terrible  consequences  of 
such  "an  evil  eye"  ever  since  the  time  of  Cain. 
Eastern  and  Southern  nations  assign  a  pernicious 
and  baneful  effect  to  the  evil  eve. 

Ver.  16.  The  last  shall  be  first.— On  the 
ground  to  which  we  have  before  referred,  the  state- 
ment is  here  reversed. 

[Thig  verse  contains  the  lesson  of  the  parable, 
comp.  the  last  verse  of  the  preceding  chapter  and  the 
connecting  ydp  in  the  first  verse  of  this.  It  illus- 
trates the  truth  that  many  (not  all,  see  xix.  80)  first 
shall  be  last,  and  (many)  last  shall  be  first,  or  that 
the  order  in  the  caUing  of  individuals  and  nations 
will  in  many  cases  be  reversed  in  their  final  position 
in  heaven.  This  truth  is  an  encouragement  to  those 
who  are  called  at  a  late  period  of  their  lives,  but  still 
more  a  solemn  warning  to  those  who  are  called  early, 
urging  them  to  be  humble  and  ever  mindful  of  their 
unworthiness  before  God,  lest  they  be  overtaken  by 
others  or  forfeit  the  reward  altogether.  Bengel  ob- 
serves on  tffouraL :  respectu  apostolorum  non  est  prce- 
dictio  sed  admomtio.  The  admonition  contained  in 
the  words  :  the  first  shall  he  last,  was  intended  first 
for  ajjostles,  especially  for  Peter,  whose  self-exalting 
and  somewhat  mercenary  question  in  ch.  xix.  27 
called  forth  this  parable,  and  whose  subsequent  his- 
tory sadly  revealed  the  danger  of  self-confidence ; 
then  for  Jewish  Christians  generally,  who  were  so 
prone  to  look  down  with  envy  upon  the  Gentile  con- 
verts, and  to  set  up  peculiar  claims,  as  if  salvation 
was  of  merit  and  not  of  free  grace ;  and  lastly,  ibr 
all  Christians,  who  enjoy  special  spiritual  i)rivileges 
and  the  great  blessing  of  an  early  acquamtance  with 
the  Saviour. — This  is  the  main  lesson  of  the  parable 
as  plainly  set  forth  in  the  opening  and  concluding 
sentences.  What  other  conmientators  have  set  forth 
as  the  main  lesson,  is  either  not  taught  at  all,  or 
taught  only  incidentally  or  by  implication,  as:  the 
equality  of  rewards  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (Au- 
gustine, etc. ;  but  this  must  be  modified  by  the  doc- 
trine of  different  degrees  of  glory) ;  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  of  grace,  not  of  debt,  but  God  will  strictly 
fulfil  all  his  covenant  promise  in  its  integrity  (Rupp- 
recht,  Alford);  God  rewards  not  according  to  the 
time,  but  according  to  the  kind  and  fideUty  of  service 
(Maldonatus),  etc.— P.  S.] 

For  many  are  called. — Our  Lord  here  showg 
that  this  reversal  of  the  outward  order  was  not  arbi- 
trary, but  depended  upon  a  higher  and  internal  order. 
Those  who  are  chosen  do  not  exclude  them  that  are 
merely  called ;  but,  from  their  earnestness  and  the 
absence  of  aU  mercenary  spirit,  they  occupy  a  higher 


CHAP,  XX.  1-16. 


355 


place  than  the  latter.  This  characteristic  is  indicat- 
ed in  the  parable  by  the  circumstance,  that  these 
laborers  went  to  the  vineyard  without  the  promise 
of  any  definite  hire,  and  even  without  the  assurance 
of  any  reward  at  all.  On  the  other  hand,  in  llatt. 
sxii.  14  the  expression  chosen  applies  to  a  real  selec- 
tion from  among  those  that  were  called  or  invited,  to 
whom  alone  the  blessings  of  justification  and  final 
glory  were  awarded.  In  other  words,  the  awful  dif- 
ference between  those  who  are  called  and  those  who 
are  chosen  is  only  indicated  in  otir  passage,  while  it 
is  fully  carried  out  in  ch.  xxii.  [Trench  explains : 
"Many  are  called  to  work  in  God's  vineyard,  but 
few  retain  that  temper  of  spirit,  humility,  and  sub- 
mission to  God,  Avhich  will  allow  them  at  last  to  be 
partakers  of  His  reward."  Similarly  Alford,  who 
disconnects  these  words  from  the  parable.  But  the 
connection  is  more  readily  aceotnited  for  if  we  ex- 
plain the  sentence  somewhat  differently  here,  from 
what  is  its  obvious  meaning  in  the  parable  of  the 
Marriage  of  the  King's  Son  (Matt.  xxii.  14),  where  it 
contains  the  moral  of  the  parable.  Bengel  in  loc. 
observes:  "'E/cAe.-cToi  exquinii  prce  aim.  Vide- 
tur,  hoc  loco,  ubiprimum  oceurrU,  7ion  omnes  salvan- 
dos  deiwtare,  sed  horum  ezccUeniiss-imos."  So  01s- 
hausen,  who  makes  the  called  and  the  cko.ien  aUke 
partakers  of  final  salvation,  but  with  different  de- 
grees of  standing. — P.  S.] 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Meaning  of  this  parable. — It  is  unnecessary  to 
prove  that  the  vineyard  is  intended  to  designate  the 
kmgdom  of  heaven  {see  Isa.  v.  1  ;  Matt.  xxi.  28,  33). 
The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  compared  to  a  vmeyard 
because  it  produces  the  noblest  fruits,  even  love, 
peace,  and  blessedness,  of  which  the  precious  fruit 
of  the  vine  is  a  faint  emblem.  Besides,  the  need  of 
careful  cultivation  and  of  seasonable  weather,  as  also 
of  good  soil  ami  sunny  exposure,  and  of  a  favorable 
climate,  are  features  which  make  tlie  vmeyard  a  fit 
symbol  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

But  the  first  point  to  be  ascertained  is,  whether 
the  vmeyard  is  intended  as  an  emblem  of  the  kmg- 
dom of  God  generally,  in  its  various  economies,  or 
only  of  the  New  Testament  economy  of  the  Church. 
According  to  Gray,  Seller,  and  others,  the  first  hired 
were  the  Jews,  and  those  who  were  last  engaged,  the 
Gentiles.  Heubner  denies  the  correctness  of  this 
view.  It  is  certainly 'of  great  importance  to  remem- 
ber that  this  parable  was  primarily,  and  almost  ex- 
clusively, intended  for  the  disciples.  Hence  it  must 
evidently  refer,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment economy,  although  it  is  at  the  same  time  ap- 
pUcable  to  the  various  economies  of  the  kmgdom  of 
God ;  while  Matt.  xxi.  33  pruuarily  refers  to  the  Old 
Testament  economy  and  its  termination.  By  thus 
restricting  the  import  of  the  parable,  its  leading 
features  become  more  distinct  and  definite.  Above 
all,  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  keep  in  mind 
that  it  is  intended  to  illustrate  the  statement,  "  Jfany 
that  are  first  shall  be  last,"  but  not  meant  to  teach 
that  all  that  are  first  shall  be  last,  etc.  Perhaps  we 
might  arrive  at  such  a  conclusion  from  the  circum- 
stance, that  in  the  parable  all  that  are  first  are  de- 
j  scribed  as  sharing  the  same  mercenary  spirit ;  but 
this  is  only  mtended  to  convey  the  idea  that,  as  a 
body,  and  in  reference  to  their  general  spirit,  such 
was  the  case.  We  shall  by  and  by  see  in  what  sense 
this  was  true. 


To  return  :  The  vineyard  is  the  Idngdom  of  hea- 
ven under  the  New  Testament,  from  its  first  com- 
mencement ;  the  householder  is  God  (see  the  pas- 
sages above  quoted) ;  the  steward  is  Christ,  in  His 
capacity  as  the  Judge  of  the  world  (Matt,  xxv.) ;  the 
laborers  are,  in  the  first  place,  the  regular  ministers 
in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  secondarily,  believers 
in  general.  To  this  interpretation  Heubiier  objects, 
that  the  people  must  be  represented  by  the  vineyard 
itself.  In  answer  to  this,  we  again  remind  the  read- 
er, that  symbolical  expressions  must  not  be  confound- 
ed with  dogmatical  statements.  Thus,  on  one  occasion, 
our  Lord  Himself  is  compared  to  a  vine  (John  xv. 
1);  while  on  another,  even  the  weakest  Christians 
maybe  designated  as  laborers  in  the  vineyard,  just  as 
in  Matt.  xxi.  31  converted  pubhcans  and  harlots  are 
compared  to  the  son  who,  returning  to  his  obedience, 
goes  to  work  in  the  vineyard.  Every  Christian  must 
seek  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  be  a  laborer 
in  His  vineyard — by  his  confession,  by  his  Christian 
conduct,  and,  above  all,  by  the  spiritual  character 
which  attaches  to  his  ordinary  labor  and  avocation, 
however  humble  it  may  appear  in  the  sight  of  mem 
The  different  laborers  evidently  indicate  not  only 
different  stages  of  faith  and  worth,  but  also  difference 
of  individuality.  Their  reward  is  given  them  indi- 
vidually, while  the  explanation  of  the  householder 
is  also  addressed  to  one  of  them  individually.  Sim- 
ilarly, the  different  hours  refer  not  only  to  "different 
periods  in  the  history  of  the  Church,  but  also  to  dif- 
ferent stages  in  our  own  life  and  experience,  although 
the  former  idea  is  perhaps  more  prominently  brought 
out.  Hence  we  may  remark,  that  those  who  were 
hired  "  early  in  the  morning  "  were  not  merely  the 
Apostles,  but  also  Jewish  Christiaiis  generally.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  whole  of  that  class  are  represented  in 
the  parable  as  displaying  a  mercenary  spirit — a  char- 
acteristic which,  so  far  as  the  Apostles  were  concern- 
ed, was  only  intended  as  a  warning.  This  will  also 
assist  us  in  explaining  the  statement  about  the  de- 
nary. Those  who  were  hired  in  the  third  hour  were 
found  standing  in  the  market-place.  This  may  j)rob- 
ably  be  referred  to  the  Jewish  proselytes,  who  cougre- 
gated  along  with  the  Jews  in  the  most  pubhc  place 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as  then  existing,  or  in  the 
synagogue.  Those  who  were  hired  at  the  sixth  and 
the  ninth  hour,  were  the  Gentile  races  who  inhabited 
the  ancient  Greek  and  Roman  empires,  and  those 
barbarous  tribes  who,  after  the  migration  of  nations, 
were  brought  into  the  Church.  Lastly,  they  who 
were  converted  at  the  eleventh  hour  may  be  the  last 
fruits  from  among  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  gathered 
through  the  missionary  labors  of  the  latter  days. 
The  evening  is  the  hour  of  final  reward  for  those  who 
labored  in  the  vineyard.  That  festive  evening  of  the 
Church  will  take  place  at  the  second  appearing  of 
Christ — which  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  final 
judgment ; — while,  so  f\ir  as  each  individual  is  con- 
cerned, the  festive  evening  commences  with  our  en- 
trance into  the  Church  triumphant,  although  in  a 
certain  sense  it  may  be  said  to  begin  whenever  we 
taste  of  the  blessings  connected  with  the  invisible 
Church.  From  the  general  character  of  this  para- 
ble, it  is  evident  that  its  main  point  lies  in  the  idea 
of  an  hour  of  reward.  It  is  not  easy  to  ascertain 
the  exact  meaning  attaching  to  the  liire  of  a  de- 
nary or  shilling  {see  Heubner,  p.  300).  Gerhard  re- 
marks, in  his  Harmonia,  that  the  denary  refers  to 
Christ  Himself;  while,  according  to  Augustine  and 
Luther  (Gall.  iii.  2),  it  means  eternal  life.  In  an- 
other place,  however,  Luther  remarks  that  the  dena- 


J56 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


ry  referred  to  temporal  possessions,*  while  the  favor 
of  the  liouseholdor  constituted  the  eternal  reward  of 
the  laborer^;.  Heul)iier  suggests  that  the  denary  re- 
fers to  the  revi'ard  generally ;  H.  Miiller,  that  it  ap- 
plies to  all  lewards  of  grace,  both  in  this  and  in  a 
future  life.  But  if  the  labor  in  the  vineyard  is  per- 
formed in  the  serviee  of  the  Church,  the  hire  must 
equally  refer  to  Christian  fellowship.  This  bles.-ing 
may  be  characterized  as  forming  part  of  the  outward 
manifestation  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of  its 
benefits.  By  the  word  and  sacraments — by  which 
Christ  is  brought  to  us — we  have  even  now  "  part 
and  lot  in  this  matter."  But  the  history  of  the  Jew- 
ish Christian  Church  shows  that  we  may  lose  our  en- 
joyment of  this  portion  even  while  possessing  it. 
They  had  agreed  with  the  Householder  e  k  5  tj  j/  a  - 
piov:  for  the  sake  of  the  kingdom  of  Messiah,  and 
of  their  part  in  it,  they  had  gone  into  the  vineyard, 
or  entered  the  Churcli.  It  deserves  notice,  that  the 
prospect  of  this  kingdom  was  not  so  clearly  set  be- 
fore those  who — so  to  speak — were  engaged  at  a 
later  hour.  In  their  case,  only  a  general  promise 
was  given,  and  tliey  were  to  receive  whatsoever  vras 
right.  On  this  assurance  they  went  into  the  vine- 
yard. Lastly,  as  we  have  seen,  according  to  the 
best  reading  (ver.  1),  no  mentfon  of  any  reward  vt'as 
made  to  those  wlio  came  at  the  eleventh  hour.  Ap- 
parently, they  were  satisfied  to  be  delivered  from 
total  inactivity,  and  happy  at  the  prospect  of  secur- 
ing by  tlieir  labors  the  favor  of  Him  who  had  call- 
ed them.  This  will  serve  to  explain  how,  while  the 
same  reward  was  given  to  all,  it  led  to  such  a  differ- 
ence of  feeling  among  the  laborers.  Manifestly,  any 
idea  of  dissatisfaction  or  murmui-ing  would  be  en- 
tirely inadmissible,  if  the  reward  accorded  to  the 
laborers  had  referred  either  to  Christ  Himself,  or  else 
to  eternal  life.  On  the  other  hand,  temporal  posses- 
sions would  scarcely  be  characterized  as  a  reward 
for  labor  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  But  a  share 
in  the  blessings  of  the  Church,  or  in  the  manifesta- 
tion of  Christ,  is  a  spiritual  possession,  which  at  the 
same  time  may  produce  in  diiferent  persons  different, 
and  even  contrary,  results.  This  may  also  serve  to 
throw  some  light  on  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins. 
It  accounts  for  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  first  labor- 
ers on  receiving  the  same  reward  as  the  last.  The 
Jcvish  Christians  were  dissatisfied  because  the  Gen- 
tiles were  to  obtain  the  same  share  in  the  blessings 
of  the  Church,  or  in  the  kingdom  of  Messiah.  They 
expected  that  some  distinctive  privileges  would  ac- 
crue to  them,  and  thus  lapsed  into  Ebiouism,  and  in 
the  end  became  the  last  (even  as  is  the  case  with  the 
Jewish  nation  generally).  Similarly,  at  the  moment 
when  Judas  obtained  his  share  m  the  Church,  at  the 
first  cfelebration  of  the  Eucharist,  his  murmuring  and 
dissatisfaction  became  open  apostasy. 

This  leads  us  to  the  next  inquiry,  whether  those 
who  were  last  rewarded  were  in  reality  lost,  as  their 
murmuring  and  envy  would  seem  to  indicate,  or 
whether  they  were  only  reproved  for  their  preten- 
sions and  claims.  The  fact  that  they  received  a  de- 
nary seems  in  favor  of  the  latter  view ;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  they  appear  to  have  raised  some  objec- 
tions to  taking  their  hire,  as  appears  from  the  ex- 
pression, "  Take  what  is  thine."  When  combining 
this  with  the  circumstance  that  they  were  last  re- 
warded, we  infer  that  our  Lord  intends  to  indicate 
that  an  unmense  difference  of  internal  capabihty  for 
spiritual  blessmgs  existed  between  them — pointing 

*  [So  also  Stier,  Nast,  and  Wordsworth.— P.  S.l 


forward  to  the  contrast  of  eternal  blessedness  and 
everlasting  misery.  This  is  also  implied  in  the  par- 
able of  the  prodigal  son,  while  it  is  fully  brought  out 
in  that  of  the  wise  and  foohsh  virgins.  We  need 
scarcely  add  that  such  was  really  the  case  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Church.  While  the  one  party  regarded 
the  denary  as  a  scanty  and  even  poor  reward,  the 
other  took  it  as  a  sign  and  seal  of  the  infinite  favor 
of  the  Master,  and  of  the  free  love  of  God  and  of 
Clirist.  Thus  legaUsra  regards,  for  example,  the 
Lord's  Supper  as  a  merely  outward  ordinance,  imply- 
ing legal  absolution  and  reconciliation  with  the 
Church  ;  while  to  the  liumble  behever  it  is  a  seal  of 
pardon  and  of  final  salvation.  This  dilTerence  of 
view  depends  on  whether  we  regard  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  an  outward  and  legalistic  manner  as  con- 
ferring certain  privileges  and  lewards,  or  in  an  in- 
ward and  spiritual  manner  as  the  kingdom  of  free 
love.  But  there  are  certain  characters  who,  though 
intensely  conscientious  and  earnest,  are  destitute  of 
love.  In  their  ease,  the  difference  between  those  that 
are  chosen  depends  exclusively  on  a  smaller  capacity 
for  receiving  the  blessing.  But  those  who  are  self- 
ish and  mere  professors  are  not  only  less  capable  of 
receiving  the  blessing  ;  they  also  convert  the  bless- 
ing into  a  curse.  Thus  the  shilling  of  reward  be- 
comes to  them  ultimately  a  punishment  and  a  judg- 
ment. But  in  this  parable  this  point  is  only  alluded 
to ;  the  main  object  being  to  show  that  many  of  the 
last  shall  be  first,  to  the  glory  and  praise  of  free 
grace,  and  as  displaymg  the  righteousness  and  glory 
of  God. 

2.  On  a  previous  occasion,  the  Lord  had  taught 
the  disciples  that  the  grace  of  God  and  the  faith  or 
imbelief  of  man  were  capable  of  amiulling  and  bridg- 
ing over  every  distance  of  space  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  (Matt.  viii.  11).  In  the  present  instance,  He 
shows  that  the  same  holds  true  with  reference  to 
time.  Grace  can  not  only  equahze,  but — so  to  speak 
— reverse,  the  times  of  outward  service ;  and  it  does 
so  in  many  cases.  It  seems  as  if  it  restored  to  gen- 
uine behevers  the  time  which  they  had  lost.  Nay, 
it  may  convert  one  day  into  a  thousand  years,  and  a 
thousand  years  into  one  day. 

3.  We  would  call  special  attention  to  the  spirit- 
ual progress  marked  in  the  parable  by  the  fact,  that 
the  idea  of  a  hire  gradually  recedes  from  view. 

4.  The  fundamental  idea  of  this  parable  is  the 
free  reward  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  not  as  dictat- 
ed by  arbitrary  motives,  but  as  depending  on  the  in- 
ternal state  of  mind  and  heart,  in  opposition  to  the 
legal  and  common  reward  in  the  service  of  works, 
which  is  determined  by  only  outward  considerations. 
The  kingdom  of  heaven  does  not  consist  in  merely  out- 
ward perfonnauces,  to  which  a  certain  value  attaches. 
This  idea,  which  was  so  much  fostered  by  the  legal- 
istic spirit  of  the  Pharisees,  was  all  the  more  efiec- 
tually  refuted  in  this  parable,  that  it  seemed  at  first, 
to  a  certain  extent,  to  admit  its  accuracy.  But  after 
having  presented  the  kingdom  of  heaven  under  the 
figure  of  hired  servants,  the  parable  gradually  changes, 
and  exhibits  in  all  its  fulness  the  economy  of  sove- 
reign mercy,  compassion,  and  love.  All  these  exhi- 
bitions are  indeed  based  on  the  idea  of  justice — 
every  laborer  receives  a  shilling,  none  receives  too  lit- 
tle. But  in  its  combination  with  love,  justice  assumes 
a  higher  form,  and  those  who  have  only  labored  part 
of  the  day  receive  the  hire  of  full  work.  Hence,  ac- 
cording to  the  notions  of  legahsm,  they  received  too 
much.  But  grace  manifests  itself  not  only  in  giving 
the  shiUiug  to  those  who  were  last  engaged,  but  also 


CHAP.  XX.  1-16. 


357 


in  giving  it  first  to  them,  wliilc  the  earliest  laborers 
are  last  paid.  Nor  is  this  dispensation  arbitrary,  but 
based  on  truth.  Thus  it  appears  that  a  mercenary 
spirit  brings  its  own  judgment.  It  leads  to  dissatis- 
foction  with  the  promised  reward,  and  to  contempt 
and  envy  of  those  who  may  have  been  made  the  sub- 
jects of  grace.  On  the  other  hand,  the  latter  in  re- 
ality possess  superior  inward  qualification,  as  appears 
from  the  fact  that  they  agreed  to  comnience  labor 
late  in  the  day,  and  in  simple  trustfulness,  without 
any  promise  of  definite  reward.  Similarly,  it  is  now 
seen  that  the  shilling,  which  the  one  class  receives 
with  dissatisfaction  and  murmuring,  is  hailed  by  the 
other  as  a  reward  of  free  grace.  Thus  the  paiablft 
points  forward  to  that  of  the  prodigal,  in  which  the 
elder  sou  is  represented  as  having  been  all  along  in 
his  father's  house,  and  shared  all  his  possessions  with- 
out ever  rejoicing  in  his  inheritance.  Lastly,  the 
righteousness  of  the  reward  appears  from  this,  that 
while  the  selfishness  of  the  earlier  laborers  converts 
their  hire  into  a  judgment,  it  is  received  by  the 
others  as  a  gift  of  grace,  by  which  they  become  the 
free  servants  and  ffeUow-laborers  of  their  Lord  and 
Master. 

5.  It  is  important  to  remember  that  this  reward 
is  of  grace,  although  not  in  the  sense  of  any  arbitrari- 
ness, nor  to  the  exclusion  of  the  requirements  of 
strict  justice.  Everything  that  we  possess  is  indeed 
a  gift  of  God,  in  the  twofold  sense  of  our  having  re- 
ceived it  either  naturally  or  by  grace.  Accordingly, 
every  idea  of  merit  in  the  literal  or  worldly  sense  is 
entirely  excluded ;  yet  there  is  a  reward  and  return, 
in  the  relationship  subsisting  between  God  and  man 
in  the  covenant,  and  in  the  interchange  between 
promise  and  duty.  To  banish  every  trace  of  a  mer- 
cenary spirit,  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that  be- 
lievers are  not  to  receive  any  i-eward,  but  to  recog- 
nize that,  along  with  the  peimy  which  Supreme 
Justice  has  accorded  on  the  ground  of  free  love,  we 
have  by  grace  received  the  whole  kingdom  of  heaven, 
with  aU  that  it  implies — even  as  we  are  able  to  re- 
ceive it,  in  humility  and  self-surrender,  and  far  above 
all  that  we  could  ask  or  desire. 


HOMILETICAL  AIJD  PEACTICAL. 

The  word  of  the  Lord :  "  The  last  shall  be  first, 
and  the  first  last."  1.  Illustrated  by  the  parable  of 
the  laborers  in  the  vineyard  ;  2.  explained  by  the 
declaration,  "  Many  are  called,  but  few  chosen." — 
The  laborers  in  the  vineyard :  1.  The  vineyard  of  the 
Lord,  and  labor  in  it.  2.  The  calling  and  the  char- 
acter of  the  lal^orcrs.  8.  The  work  and  the  hire.  4. 
The  equality  and  the  difference  of  the  reward. — The 
equality  and  the  difference  in  the  outward  form  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  :  1.  The  equality  and  the  differ- 
ence of  the  laborers.  All  are  called  to  be  servants 
in  the  kingdom  ;  but  one  class  consists  of  those  v.ho 
are  merely  called,  or  who  are  external  and  legal  la- 
borers, while  the  others  arc  also  chosen,  their  labor 
being  internal  and  free.  2.  Tiie  equality  and  the 
difference  of  their  work.  Their  service  is  one  of 
simple  obedience  ;  but  in  the  one  case  there  was  the 
advantage  of  priority,  while  at  the  same  time  some 
(not  all  of  them)  seem  to  have  felt  the  service  a  bur- 
den. The  others  were  engaged  for  a  shorter  period, 
but  labored  in  confidence  and  joy.  3.  The  equality 
and  the  difference  of  the  reward  :  all  received  the 
shilling.  The  external  blessing  attaching  to  service 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  remains  the  same.    All 


have  part  in  the  Church,  in  its  fellowship  and  its 
privileges.     But  to  some  this  appears  a  scanty  hire, 
if  not  a  kind  of  punishment ;  while  to  those  who  re- 
ceive it  in  faith,  it  is  a  sign  of  infinite  grace. — Late 
repentance. — Tlio  festive  evening-time. — The  reward 
which  the  Lord  v.ill  ultimately  grant  to  His  servants: 
1.  It  is  not  arbitrary,  but  in  accordance  with  the 
strictest  justice  (He  rewards  ow^y  His  laborers ;  He 
rewards  all  His  laborers ;  He  gives  the  same  reward 
to  all  His  laborers  as  such).     The  equality  of  the 
denary  a  figure  of  the  equality  of  God's  justice.     2.  It 
is  not  limited,  but  free  and  rich,  according  to  the  ful- 
ness of  His  love  (even  those  who  were  last  called  re- 
ceived a  denary,  and  may  perhaps  have  received  it 
before  the  others).     3.  It  is  not  a  mysterious  and  si- 
lent fate,  but  the  ways    of  wisdom,  which  justify 
themselves. — How  the  kingdom  of  free  love  iS  rear- 
ed on  the  basis  of  God's  justice. — The  kingdom  of 
justice  is  also  that  of  love :  (a)  This  love  is  ever  just ; 
(b)  this  justice  is  ever  love. — How  a  mercenary  spirit 
destroys  the  position  of  a  laborer  in  the  kingdom  of 
God  :  He  makes  merchandize  of  the  calling  of  God 
(instead  of  being  a  fellow-worker,  he  becomes  an  un- 
faithful,  hired  servant) ;  he  converts  the  word  of 
God  into  mere  traditions,  the  work  of  faith  into  a 
burden,  the  hope  of  a  reward  into  a  claim,  and  the 
blessmgs  granted  into  a  judgment. — The  one  shilUng, 
or  the  blessing  of  legal  return,  may  lead   some  to 
heaven,  while  others  convert  it  into  a  curse. — Com- 
parison between  the  first  and  the  last  laborers  :  At 
first  merely  a  difference,  but  at  last  a  contrast,  be- 
tween them. — The  solemn  word  of  the  Judge  :   Take 
what  is  thine.— Row  self-righteousness  brmgs  its  own 
judgment. — How  it  refutes  itself:  1.  It  demands  the 
promised  reward,  and  j-et  always  expects  more.     2. 
It  only  seeks  its  own,  and  yet  looks  with  envy  upon 
others.     3.  It  does  not  care  for  the  friendship  of  the 
Lord  nor  the  prosperity  of  His  vineyard,  but  attempts 
to  use  Him  and  the  vineyard  as  a  means  toward  an 
end  ;  while  at  the  same  tune  he  grudges  to  others 
the  favor  of  the  Lord  which  they  enjoy. — The  evil 
eye  of  those  who  are  merely  outward  workers,  as  il- 
lustrated by  the  history  of  the  Clun-ch  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  kingdom  (Cain)  until  now. — The 
dire  effects  of  this  evil  eye. — How  the  grace  of  God 
makes  up  for  everytliing  to  the  laborers  who  have 
entered  even  at  a  late  hour, — 1.  for  lost  time;   2. 
for  loss  of  service  ;  3.  for  a  lost  life ;  4.  for  the  loss 
of  the  fruits  of  fife. — Import  of  the  shilling  to  various 
classes  of  laborers:    1.  It  is  viewed  as  the  just  re- 
ward :  the  value  of  the  labor  (Church-fellowship  in 
return  for  confession  and   profession).      2.  Viewed 
from  a  legal  pomt,  as  if  the  labor  had  been  forcibly 
taken ;  in  which   case  it  becomes  a  spiritual  judg- 
ment.    3.  Viewed  as  the   reward   of  love :    as  the 
blessing  attaching  to  genume  labor  and  the  pledge 
of  eternal  salvation. — What  has  the  legal  church  to 
do  with  that  of  love  ? — What  have  those  who .  are 
merely  outward  laborers  to  do  with  the  blessedness 
enjoyed  by  true  believers  ? — Import  of  the  fact  that 
legalism  would  fiiin  limit  and  restrain  the  exercise 
of  iTee  grace  (the  Lord,  His  love.  His  grace,  heaven, 
the  Church,  inward  life).— The  signs  of  a  sad  even- 
ing-time: 1.  Murmuring  on  looking  back  on  tl>e  la- 
bor and  its  results.     2.  An  evil  eye  with  reference  to 
our  neighbor  and  his  success.     3.  Self-contradiction, 
and  the  merited  rebuke.     4.  The  loss  of  the  capa- 
city of  enjoying  the  blessing  in  peace  and  gratitude. 
— How  the  return  made  us  in  the  kingdom  of  God 
becomes  a  real  reward:  1.  If  it  has  been  preceded 
by  joy  in  the  work.     2.  If  it  is  a  pledge  of  further 


358 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDIXG   TO   MATTHEW. 


activitj'.  3.  If  it  is  a  sign  and  seal  of  the  favor  of 
the  Lord. — The  characteristic  marlis  of  those  who 
are  chosen:  1.  They  wait  for  the  call  of  love  with- 
out knowing  it.  2.  They  gladly  enter  the  kingdom 
of  lovo  without  hesitating.  3.  They  do  service  in  the 
trustfulness  of  love,  without  bargaining.  4.  They 
regard  the  outward  and  finite  reward  as  an  emhlem 
and  a  pledge  of  the  infinite  love  of  their  Master, 
without  seeking  merely  the  outward  hire. 

Starke  : — Zeidus  :  Eternal  salvation  is  indeed  a 
gift  of  free  grace,  but  God  wOl  have  no  idle  people  : 
He  wants  laborers  in  His  vineyard. — To  stand  idle 
in  the  market-place  of  the  world. — We  must  follow 
the  call  of  God. — We  should  ever  keep  in  view  the 
reward.  Gen.  xii.  1. — God  stretcheth  forth  his  hands 
all  day  long,  Rom.  x.  21. — While  bearing  the  bur- 
den of  the  day,  let  us  comfort  ourselves  with  thoughts 
of  the  evening  of  rest. — What  God  has  promised  He 
will  certainly  perform. — True  repentance  is  never  too 
late. — The  penitent  thief  on  the  cross. — But  it  is  a 
most  dangerous  thing  to  defer  the  work  of  salvation 
to  the  last  hour. — All  legaUsts  are  actuated  by  a  mer- 
cenary spirit. — Nova  Bill.  Tub. :  "  What  advantage 
then  have  we  ?  Is  God  unjust  ?  Has  God  cast  away 
His  people?  Rom.  xi.  1,  2.  Such  is  the  murmuring 
language  of  a  mercenary  spirit." — Presumption  of 
the  hired  servants  :  1.  They  boast  in  their  own  mer- 
its (ch.  vii.  22 ;  xix.  20) ;  2.  they  despise  and  envy 
others  (Luke  xv.  2),  nay,  they  presume  to  question 
God  Hunself  (Job  xxxi.  2). — Presume  not  to  question 
God's  mode  of  administration. — God  rewards  us  as 
we  serve  Him. — God  is  justified  when  He  speaketh, 
Ps.  li.  4. — God  has  power  to  do  with  His  own  as  He 
pleases. 

Lkco  : — The  laborers  :  not  merely  the  ministers 
of  the  word,  but  all  Christians. — Luther  :  These 
words,  "  The  first  shall  be  last,"  are  intended  to  re- 
move all  presumption,  and  to  prevent  our  exalting 
ourselves  above  any  sinner ;  while  the  clause,  "  The 
last  shall  be  first,"  is  directed  against  despair. 

Heubner  : — It  is  grace  which  calls,  grace  which 
renders  us  fit  for  service,  and  grace  which  promises 
and  bestows  the  reward. — This  call  is  heard  in  all 
ages  of  the  Church,  and  at  different  periods  of  our 
lives. — Our  whole  life  is  only  one  day. — There  is  a 
difference  between  standing  idle  and  going  idle. — 
How  many  idlers  there  are  in  this  world  !  Such  are 
all  who  only  live  for  themselves. — In  proportion  as 
you  have  formerly  lost  time,  be  earnest,  diligent,  and 
active  in  employing  the  rest  of  your  hfe. — There  is 
an  eternal  festive  evening  for  the  laborers  in  Christ's 
vineyard. — Conceit  and  a  mercenary  spirit  lead  to 
dissatisfaction  with  the  ways  of  God. — There  is  a 
great  deal  of  murmuring  against  the  providence  of 
God :  1.  In  point  of  fact — murmuring  on  account  of 
want  of  outward  prosperity,  etc. ;  2.  exjiressed  in 
various  ways — being  open  or  concealed,  etc. — The 
servile  spirit,  which  leads  us  to  regard  labor  in  the 
vmeyard  as  a  burden,  renders  it  really  heavy. — The 
strict  justice  of  God  dispensing  what  is  right  to  every 
one,  even  to  mercenary  laborere. — We  shall  certainly 
receive  what  our  labor  deserves. — Even  merely  ex- 
ternal virtues,  however  worthless  in  a  spiritual  sense, 
receive  a  certain  reward ;  as,  for  example,  chastity, 
temperance,  etc. — The  coarse  envy  of  carnal  men  is 
directed   against   the   earthly  happmess   of  others, 


while  the  more  subtle  form  of  that  sin  is  excited  by 
the  gifts  and  distinctions  which  grace  confers  upon 
others. — Many  of  those  who  were  first,  etc.  In  what 
respect?  1.  With  reference  to  the  various  periods 
of  tlie  Cliristian  Church ;  2.  with  reference  to  age ; 
3.  with  reference  to  gifts,  office,  etc. ;  4.  with  refe- 
rence to  their  own  opinion. — All  who  regard  them- 
selves as  the  first,  etc. — A  Christian  should  regard 
everything  as  of  free  grace :  the  labor,  the  blessing, 
and  the  reward. — This  passage  may  well  hn  quoted 
in  opposition  to  the  Popish  doctrine  of  works,  but 
also  against  Protestant  Antinomianism. 

K.  Zhnmermann: — On  what  principle  does  our 
heavenly  Father  reward  His  people?  1.  Not  arbi- 
trarily; 2.  according  to  the  law  of  justice;  3.  accord- 
ing to  the  law  of  grace ;  4.  how  justice  and  grace 
are  here  combined — Arndt  ( Gleichnisse) : — Humility 
in  reference  to  the  future  reward. — Hof acker : — On 
the  invitation  of  God  to  labor  in  His  vineyard. — 
Goldmann  {Erweckunrjen,  1835): — The  characteris- 
tic marks  of  those  who  are  chosen. — ReinKardt : — A 
mercenary  spirit  in  the  practice  of  what  is  right. — 
Haupt: — Haste  into  the  vineyard:  the  Lord  calls, 
tune  flies,  the  reward  l:)cckons. — Kuinoel: — The  eco- 
nomy of  the  kingdom  of  grace. — Niemann: — How 
does  our  labor  become  a  service  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. — Lisco  : — He  is  the  humblest  Christian  who 
has  received  most  grace. — Ahlfeld: — Evening  and  its 
reward. — Florey : — The  grace  of  the  Lord  is  manifest 
in  the  case  of  all  the  laborers  in  His  vineyard :  1. 
The  call  a  call  of  grace;  2.  the  hour  an  hour  of 
grace  ;  3.  the  labor  a  labor  of  grace ;  4.  the  reward 
a  reward  of  grace. —  Uhle : — The  season  of  grace  in 
our  lives. — Rautenberg : — God  will  give  to  every  one 
according  to  his  works. — Bomhard : — Meditation  on 
the  eleventh  hour:  1.  It  is  an  hour  of  grace;  2.  a 
solemn  hour ;  3.  an  uncertain  hour ;  4.  a  well-marked 
hour ;  5.  a  difficult  hour ;  6.  a  blessed  hour. 

[Trench: — The  great  question  on  the  last  day 
will  be,  not  "How  much  hast  thou  done?"  but 
"What  art  thou  now?"  (Yet  that  which  men 
have  clone  will  greatly  affect  what  they  are,  since 
actions  form  habits  and  habits  establish  a  character.) 
— D.  Brown: — 1.  True  Christianity  is  a  life  of  active 
service  rendered  to  Christ.  2.  God  rewards  us  for 
this  service,  though  not  of  merit,  but  of  pure  grace. 
3.  There  is  a  reward  common  to  all  laborers,  and 
special  rewards  for  pecuUar  services.  4.  Unreasona- 
ble and  ungrateful  conduct  of  the  murmuring  labor- 
ers, and  the  rebuke  administered  to  them  on  the  day 
of  account.  5.  Encouragement  for  those  called  at  a 
late  hour.  6.  Strange  revelations  of  the  judgment 
day :  some  of  the  first  will  be  last,  some  of  the  last 
first,  and  some  of  the  greatest  note  in  the  church  be- 
low, will  be  excluded  altogether. — Comp.  also  Barnes, 
Notes  in  loc,  who  derives  nine  lessons  from  this  para- 
ble too  long  to  be  quoted. — Stier: — The  greatest 
man  of  business  on  the  market-place  of  the  world  is 
a  mere  idle  gazer  (ver.  3  :  standing  idle). —  W.  Nasi : 
— Whoever  has  not  yet  commenced  to  labor  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  is  an  idler,  no  matter  what  else  he 
may  do. — The  labor  in  the  kingdom  of  God  and  its 
reward:  1.  All  are  called  to  labor,  though  at  differ- 
ent hours  (in  childhood,  manhood,  or  old  age).  2. 
God  is  just  toward  all  laborers.  3.  The  reward  is  of 
free  grace. — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XX.  17-19.  359 


PART    FOURTH. 

Cheist  surrendering  Himself  to  and  for  the  Messianic  Faith  and  Hope  of  His 

People. 

Chapter  XX.  17-XXIV.  1. 

Historical  Succession. — A  second  time  Christ  is  now  induced  to  leave  Persea  by  a  message  from  Bethany, 
to  the  effect  that  Lazarus  was  sick.  We  account  for  the  delay  in  His  departure,  in  consequence  of 
which  He  found  His  friend  dead  and  buried,  by  the  abundant  work  which  lay  to  His  hands  in  Persea. 
Then  followed  the  raising  of  Lazarus  (John  xi.  1-44).  The  definite  resolution  of  the  Sanliedrin  to  kill 
Jesus,  expressed  in  the  formal  sentence  of  excommunication  which  they  now  pronounced,  induced  Him 
to  retire  into  the  city  of  Ephraim,  which  lay  a  few  hours  north  of  Jerusalem,  near  Bethel,  and  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  wilderness  of  Judaea.  Once  more  that  wilderness  was  to  afford  Him  shelter 
until  the  next  paschal  feast.  Similarly,  He  had  retired  into  the  desert  for  a  while  after  His  baptism, 
because  He  was  met  by  the  spurious  Messianic  expectations  of  His  people,  as  by  a  temptation.  But 
now  He  withdrew,  before  fully  surrendering  Himself  to  those  hopes  of  His  people  and  followers  which 
had  been  evoked  by  His  own  word  and  teaching.  From  Ephraim  Jesus  went  to  Jericho,  where  He 
joined  the  festive  caravan  of  His  friends,  coming  from  Galilee  and  Pera?a. 

The  history  of  Chi-ist's  sufferings,  which  now  follows,  may  be  regarded  as  that  of  His  self-surrender 
to  the  Messianic  faith  of  His  people,  which  He  had  purified  and  sanctified  in  those  who  were  IsraeUtes 
indeed.  The  long-expected  hour  had  arrived.  In  the  most  general  sense,  or  viewing  it  in  comiectioa 
with  the  whole  evangelical  history,  this  period  may  be  said  to  continue  until  His  death.  But,  for  the 
sake  of  greater  distinctness,  it  may  be  arranged  into  the  days  of  the  Hosanna,  and  those  of  the  cry : 
"  Crucify  Him ; "  or,  the  period  of  enthusiastic  reception,  and  that  of  determined  rejection.  In  tho 
Gospel  of  Matthew,  the  period  of  suffering  and  the  report  of  the  last  discourses  of  our  Lord  are  very 
distinctly  marked ;  while  at  the  close  of  that  section  we  have  Christ's  farewell  to  the  temple,  and  His 
final  judgment  upon  the  Pharisees  and  scribes.  Accordingly,  the  part  under  consideration  constitutes  a 
well-marked,  although  very  brief,  period  of  the  highest  importance.  It  may  be  designated  as  the  period 
of  triumphant  progress,  or  of  the  Hosanna.    Its  contents  are  arranged  under  the  followmg  sections. 


FIRST    SECTION. 
THE   FULL  PROPHETIC  ANTICIPATION  OF  THE  END. 

Chapter  XX.  17-19. 

17  And  Jesus  going  up  to  Jerusalem  took  the  twelve  disciples*  apart  in  the  way,  and 

18  said  [and  in  the  way  said]  ^  unto  them.  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem;  and  the  Son 
of  man  shall  [will]  be  betrayed  [delivered]  unto  tho  chief  priests  and  unto  the  scribes, 

19  and  they  shall  [will]  condemn  him  to  death,^  And  shall  [will]  dehver  him  to  the  Gen- 
tiles to  mock,  and  to  scourge,  and  to  crucify  him:*  and  the  third  day  he  shall  rise  [will 
be  raised]  again.^ 

'  Ver.  17. — Tischendorf  omits  ;U  a  0  tj  t  a  s  after  D.,  L.,  Z.,  al.  Lacbmann  retains  it,  and  Meyer  accounts  for  the  omis- 
eion  from  tlie  parallel  passages.  [Tischendorf  likewise  retains  it  in  his  edit,  soptima  critica  major  of  1859.  Dr.  Lange 
seems  to  have  used  the  smaller  critical  edition  of  1S49,  which  omits  fia07)Tas.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  17.— [The  Vatican  and  Sinait.  Codd.,  and  tho  Codd.  L.,  Z.  (which  generally  agrco  with  the  former),  and  the 
critical  editions  of  Lacbmann,  Tischendorf,  Trogclles,  and  Alford  read:    Kal  iv   ry   o  5  f,  instead  of  eV  tJ}  iSaJ,  koi, 


360 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


as  the  Eeceived  Text  has  It.    Dr.  Lange  for  internal  reasons  prefers  here  the  latter,  which  is  supported  by  Codd.  A.,  C,  D.i 
and  other  uncial  MSS.— P.  S.] 

3  VtT.  18.— Cod.  B.  omits  davdrcfj,  but  it  is  required  by  the  connection.  [Cod.  Sinait.  reads  :  eh  ddvarov.—F.  8.] 
>•••  Ver.  19.— [Conant:  "  io  mock,  and  scovrge,  and  crucify  (omitting  '  to '  t-n-ice) ;  the  proper  expression  of  the  Greek 
€(5  T($  with  the  three  following  ivjiniii'ves.  The  interpolated  *Jiim'  is  superfluous  and  enfeebles  the  expression."— P.  8.] 
'  Ver.  19.— The  liecepla  [and  Lachmann,  following  B.,  C,  D.] :  av aarr](T erai.  Tischcndorf  [and  Alford] : 
iy€pBy](T er ai,  after  C*.,  L.,  Z.  The  former  reading  seems  to  hare  arisen  from  the  parallel  passages,  according  to 
Meyer.  It  may  bo  urged  in  favor  of  iyepd-naeTat,  that  it  sets  forth  the  restitution  of  the  Messiah  by  the  Almighty  power 
of  God  in  contrast  with  His  rejection  by  the  people.  [Cod.  Sinait.  reads  here  eyepflrjcrsTe,  for  -toj,— one  of  the  many 
writing  errors  of  this  ancient  MS.— P.  8.] 

general  terms,  as  a  betrayal  into  the  hands  of  men. 
But  on  this  occasion  the  disciples  were  infonned  of 
the  twofold  betrayal  which  was  impending — on  the 
part  of  His  own  friends  into  the  hands  of  His  ene- 
mies, and  again  on  the  part  of  the  chosen  i-ace  to  the 
Gentiles.  Similarly,  the  prediction  of  His  death  is 
now  more  definitely  presented,  with  all  the  particu- 
lars connected  with  it.  He  who  was  mocked  or  treat- 
ed with  scorn  (or  designated  as  an  impotent  enthusi- 
ast), should  not  have  been  scourged  ;  or,  again,  hav- 
ing been  scourged  (or  designated  as  a  common  and 
ordinary  transgressor),  He  should  not  have  been  crw- 
cified  (or  treated  as  a  capital  offender).  But  all  these 
apparently  conflicting  modes  of  punishment  were  to 
be  inflicted  upon  the  Messiah,  whom  His  people  had 
betrayed  and  rejected. 

Ver.  19.  And  the  third  day.  —  As  the  sun 
breaks  through  dark  clouds,  so  does  this  promise 
here  again  shed  its  blessed  light,  comp.  xvi.  21 ;  xviL 
23.  Still,  it  is  not  more  fully  explained,  but  left  in 
general  outline  until  after  the  paschal  feast,  when  the 
Lord  explained  it  more  fully.  The  Evangelist  does 
not  directly  record  the  effects  of  this  prediction  of 
Jesus.  But  the  histoiy  of  Salome,  which  immediate- 
ly follows,  clearly  shows  that,  so  far  from  having 
tended  to  cast  down  the  disciples,  it  had  only  increas- 
ed their  courage.  From  Mark  x.  32  we  infer  that 
even  before  that  time  they  had  been  most  deeply 
moved;  while  from  Luke  xviii.  34  we  learn  that, 
even  after  this  express  statement,  they  were  not  in- 
clined to  take  the  words  of  the  Lord  in  their  Uteral 
sense,  as  implying  the  terrible  truth  which  they 
seemed  to  convey  {Lchen  Jesu,  ii.  2,  1148). 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  11.  Took  the  twelve  disciples  apart. — 

The  expression  napiXa^fp  is  intended  as  an  anti- 
thesis to  ical  npo(7\aP6ixevos  avrhv  6  TlfTpos  in  ch. 
xvi.  22,  although  the  terms  are  not  quite  the  same. 
On  the  latter  occasion  Peter  rebuked  tlie  Lord,  and 
in  his  earnestness  actually  took  hold  of  Him,  to  ar- 
rest His  progress  ;  while  Jesus  took  the  Twelve  apart 
into  retirement.  There  He  entered  into  full  explana- 
tions about  the  decease  which  He  was  to  accom- 
plish ;  thus  giving  the  disciples  another  opportunity 
of  deciding  whether,  by  an  act  of  free  and  full  self- 
surrender,  they  would  follow  Him,  or  not. 

Apart,  K  a  t'  is  iav . — This  expression  has  a 
profound  meaning  in  the  life  of  Jesus.  In  all  prob- 
abihty,  it  does  not  merely  refer  here  to  a  turning 
aside  from  the  multitude  which  had  gathered  around 
(Euthym.  Zigab.  :  ouk  eSei  ravra  jxaQilv  Tovs  iroWovs, 
Iva  ixy]  aKui'SaAtadiaiv),  but  means,  that  Jesus  re- 
tired mto  the  wilderness  of  Ephraim.  Conii).  John 
xi.  54.  Thence  He  afterward  joined,  at  Jericho,  the 
festive  caravan  wliich  travelled  from  Galilee  to  Jeru- 
salem. In  the  text,  the  Evangehst  refers  to  the  mo- 
ment when  He  came  out  of  the  wilderness,  and  was 
about  ("wt  ike  way,"  iv  r  y  6S  (f)  to  join  the  fes- 
tive train. 

Vers.  18,  19.  Behold,  we  go  up. — The  former 
predictions  of  His  impending  sulferings,  in  ch.  xvi. 
21  and  xvii.  22,  are  now  followed  by  a  more  detailed 
description  of  these  events.  Spiritually  viewed.  His 
sufferings  consisted  of  a  twofold  betrayal,  and  that 
in  the  form  both  of  rejection  and  of  surrender  :  1. 
TrapaBodrtaerai  ro7  9  a  p  x  >■  e  p  e  v  <t  iv  ,  k.t.A.  ; 
2.  Kal  -rrapaSw  ffova  I.  With  reference  to  the 
first  betrayal,  our  Lord  evidently  indicates  that  He 
would  Himself  go  forth  from  the  midst  of  His  fol- 
lowers, and  that  they  would  not  prevent  the  impend- 
ing events.  But  the  betrayer  himself  is  not  yet 
named ;  the  particulars  being  still  withheld  under  the 
use  of  the  passive  mood.  But  the  second  act  of  be- 
trayal is  distinctly  mentioned  as  the  voluntary  deed 
of  the  chief  priests  and  scribes,  or  of  the  Sanhedrin, 
— in  other  words,  of  the  professing  people  of  God,  in 
so  far  as  they  were  represented  by  their  supreme 
tribunal.  His  own  followers  were  to  betray  and  sur- 
render Him  into  the  hands  of  the  Sanhedrin,  while 
the  Sanhedrin  and  the  chosen  people  were  to  oetray 
and  to  deliver  Hun  to  the  Gentiles.  SimOarly,  these 
two  parties  were  to  share  in  His  dgath.  For  while 
the  highest  Jewish  tribunal  was  to  judge  and  to  con- 
idemn  Him  to  death,  the  Gentiles  were  to  determine 
the  accessories  and  the  mode  of  His  sufierings. — He 
was  to  be  mocked,  scourged,  and  crucified.  When 
the  apostasy  and  betrayal  of  the  high  priests  had  first 
been  announced  to  the  disciples,  mention  had  not 
been  made  of  most  of  these  particulars.  On  the  sec- 
ond occasion  on  which  the  Saviour  intimated-  His 
Bufferings,  He  spoke  of  being  delivered,  but  only  in 


DOCTPJNAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

We  note,  first  of  all,  the  contrast  between  the  first 
occasion  on  which  Jesus  had  left  the  wilderness,  at 
the  commencement  of  His  public  ministry,  and  this 
time,  when  He  again  came  forth  at  the  close  of  His 
course.  Then,  the  spurious  and  worldly  expectations 
of  His  people  concerning  the  kingdom  drove  HLm 
into  the  wilderness,  where  He  resolved  to  avoid  and 
eschew  that  temptation,  wherever  and  however  it 
met  Him.  But  now  He  is  again  drawn  forth  by  the 
youthful  and  healthy,  but  weak  faith  of  His  follow- 
ers, who  go  up  to  the  feast.  He  comes  forth  from 
the  wilderness,  as  if  at  the  caU  of  the  Father,  as  the 
Messiah,  to  join  them,  and  to  realize  their  hopes. 
Again,  the  state  of  mind  of  the  disciples,  as  compar- 
ed with  that  of  the  Master,  forms  another  striking 
contrast.  They  seem  full  of  indefinite  hopes  and  ex- 
pectations ;  and  the  announcement  that  He  should 
be  crucified,  only  adds  fresh  fuel  to  the  flame.  The 
mention  of  the  twofold  betrayal  that  awaited  Him 
has  its  deep  and  solemn  meaning.  Our  Lord  referred 
not  merely  to  the  fact,  that  His  people  and  their 
rulers  should  deliver  Him,  their  long  expected  Messi- 
ah, into  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles,  but  also  to  the  be- 


CHAP.  XX.  I'Z-IO. 


361 


trayal  which  awaited  Him  from  among  His  own  fol- 
lowers, in  consequence  of  which  He  should  be  surren^ 
dered  to  the  Sanhedrin.  Thus  Christ  was  betrayed 
not  merely  by  the  Old  Testament  community,  but  also 
by  those  who  formed  the  circle  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment disciples  before  they  were  enlightened  by  the 
Pentecostal  effusion  of  the  Spirit.  If  the  latter  had 
not  first  delivered  Him,  the  Jews  could  not  so  read- 
ily have  seized  and  betrayed  Him  into  the  hands  of 
the  Gentiles. 

[Wordsworth  :  Our  Lord  reveals  the  future  by 
degrees,  as  His  Apostles  were  able  to  bear  it,  and  in 
proportion  as  He  drew  nearer  to  His  passion.  He 
had  first  told  them  that  the  Son  of  Man  should  be 
put  to  death,  xvi.  21  (and  more  fully,  xvii.  22,  23), 
and  He  had  said  that  His  disciples  must  take  up  the 
cross  and  folloio  Hun,  x.  38 ;  xvi.  24 ;  and  thus  He 
had  prepared  them  gradually  for  the  revelation  which 
He  now  makes  toward  the  close  of  His  ministry,  that 
He  Himself  should  be  delivered  to  the  Romans  to  be 
mocked,  and  scourged,  and  crucified.  How  natural 
is  all  this  !  Here  is  one  of  the  many  silent  proofs  of 
the  truth  of  the  gospel  histoi-y,  as  well  as  of  the 
long-suffering,  wisdom,  and  tenderness  of  Christ. — 
P.  S.] 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PEAOTICAL. 

The  last  and  fullest  prediction  of  the  sufferings 
of  the  Lord,  a  great  evidence, — 1.  of  the  prophetic 
character  of  the  Lord ;  2.  of  His  willingness,  as  a 
Priest,  to  offer  Hunself  a  sacrifice  unto  the  Father  ; 
3.  of  His  confident  expectation  of  victory  as  a  King. 
— How  the  faithfulness  of  the  Lord  toward  His  dis- 
ciples appears  in  the  announcement  of  His  impending 
sufferings:  L  It  is  seen  in  the  gradual  manner  in 
which  He  makes  the  fact  known  (from  the  first  He 
had  intimated  that  His  path  was  one  of  suffering ; 
but,  while  putting  an  end  to  their  spurious  hopes. 
He  had  never  said  anything  to  cast  them  down).  2. 
But  now  He  set  it  before  them  in  all  its  terrors  (He 
dealt  cancUdly  with  them.  Return  was  still  possible 
for  them,  although,  from  their  former  decision.  He 
no  longer  asked  them  whether  they  would  forsake 
Him).  3.  He  placed  before  then*  view  the  promise 
awaiting  them  at  the  end  ;  thus  estabUshing  and  en- 
couraging them  by  this  blessed  prospect. — How  fre- 
quently the  Lord  takes  His  own  people  apart  in  His 
Church  (to  reveal  great  things  to  them,  which  others 
cannot  yet  bear  or  receive). — Deep  and  solemn  uu- 
portance  at  all  times  of  the  saying,  "  Behold,  we  go  up 
to  Jerusalem.'''' — The  journey  of  the  Messiah  to  Jeru- 
salem :  the  saddest  and  yet  the  happiest  event  m  his- 
tory.— The  fact  of  His  impending  sufierings  so  clear- 
ly present  to  His  mind,  and  yet  conveying  so  little 
terror:  1.  The  sufferings  themselves, — («)  in  their 
spiritual  aspect :  a  twofold  betrayal  and  a  twofold 
rejection ;  {b)  in  their  outward  aspect :  a  twofold 
sentence — condemning  Him  as  a  heretic  and  as  a 
cruninal.  2.  The  effect  on  His  own  mind  :  (a)  it  did 
not  affright  Him  (if  it  did,   He   would  not  have 


seen  it ;  but  because  He  saw  it,  it  did  not  fill  Him 
with  fear) ;  {b)  it  led  Him  to  arrange  His  jjrogress  (to 
prepare  both  Himself  and  His  people). — Deep  mys- 
tery of  the  fact,  that  Israel  delivered  their  long-ex- 
pected Messiah  into  the  hands  of  the  hated  Gentiles : 
1.  A  mystery  connected  with  their  former  suis  ;  2, 
with  their  impending  judgments;  3.  with  the  infinite 
compassion  of  the  Lord. — The  guilt  of  the  world,  the 
death  of  Christ. — How  the  sin  of  the  world  appears 
in  the  death  of  Jesus  :  {a)  in  the  sin  of  the  disciples 
toward  their  Lord  and  Master  ;  (6)  in  the  sin  of  the 
people  toward  their  Messiah ;  (c)  in  tlie  sin  of  the 
Gentiles  toward  the  Son  of  Man.  —  How  the  Lord 
looked  Ijeyond  and  through  His  sufferings  to  the  goal 
of  His  resurrection. — When  the  guilt  of  the  world  ap- 
pears most  fully,  its  reconciliation  by  the  Messiah  is 
also  at  hand. — In  opposition  to  men,  who  crucified 
Christ,  we  have  God,  who  raised  Him  up. — The  Son 
of  Man  will  he  delivered.  Import  of  this  sad  secret : 
1.  As  yet,  it  is  not  more  fully  disclosed,  because  it 
is  the  saddest  part  of  all.  2.  It  may  not  yet  be  dis- 
closed, because  it  is  to  be  the  free  act  of  the  betray- 
er. 3.  It  need  not  be  more  fully  disclosed,  because 
the  slightest  hint  should  have  proved  a  solemn 
warning  to  all. — How,  in  meditating  on  the  sufferings 
of  Christ,  we  are  j^rone  to  think  too  little  of  the  first 
and  saddest  betrayal,  viz.,  that  of  His  disciples. — The 
ecclesiastical  and  the  historical  aspect  of  this  betray- 
al.— The  threefold  manifestation  of  the  sin  of  the  dis- 
ciples as  springing  from  offence  at  Him :  [a)  It  was 
a  betrayal ;  (6)  a  denial ;  (c)  a  forsaking. — "  He  that 
dehvereth  Me  unto  thee  hath  the  greater  sin."  Im- 
port of  this,  as  referring  not  merely  to  the  second  be- 
trayal of  Jesus  on  the  part  of  His  enemies,  but  also 
to  the  first  by  Judas  Iscariot. — Contradictory  charac- 
ter of  the  treatment  which  the  Saviour  experienced ; 

1.  He  was  betrayed,  and  yet  judicially  condemned; 

2.  temporal  and  spiritual  sentence  was  pronounced 
upon  Him ;  3.  He  experienced  various  and  contra- 
dictory modes  of  punishment  :  scorn,  scourging,  cru- 
cifixion.— Why  Christ  saw  His  cross  afar  off:  1.  It 
was  predetermined  from  the  begmning,  and  He  saw 
it  everywhere  throughout  His  course ;  2.  from  the 
first  He  prepared  for  it,  and  experienced  its  bitter- 
ness in  many  preluninary  trials  ;  3.  it  was  the  har- 
binger of  His  exaltation,  and  ever  and  again  He 
anticipated  His  coming  glory. — The  cross  the  perfect 
manifestation — 1.  of  the  guilt  of  the  world  ;  2.  of  the 
love  of  Christ ;  8.  of  His  obedience ;  4.  of  the  grace 
of  God. 

Starke:  —  Hedinger :  The  sufferings  of  Christ 
our  sufferings :  (a)  in  respect  of  their  imputation ; 
(6)  in  respect  of  their  consequences  ;  {c)  in  respect 
of  the  example  set  to  us. — Let  us  learn  to  be  ever 
mindfid  of  our  death  and  resurrection. 

Heuhncr : — The  anticipation  of  the  glory  await- 
ing Him,  cherished  by  the  human  soul  of  Jesus,  was 
the  result  of  His  full  and  deep  faith.  This  expecta- 
tion, however,  did  not  detract  either  from  the  merit 
or  from  the  intensity  of  His  sufferings,  just  as  a  sim- 
ilar hope  in  the  people  of  God  does  not  make  their 
contest  more  easy  or  less  glorious. 


302 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


SECOND    SECTION. 

THE  PLACES  AT  THE  RIGHT  AND  AT  THE  LEFT  HAND  OF  HIS  THRONE— AND  OF 

HIS  CROSS. 


Chapter  XX.  20-28. 
(Mark  x.  35-45.) 

20  Then  came  to  him  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  children  [of  the  sons  of  Z.,  tSv  vmv  Z.] 
with  her  sons,  worshipping  Mm,  and  desiring  [asking,  atroScra,  comp.  ver.  22]  a  certain 

2 1  thing  [something]  ^  of  him.  And  he  said  unto  her,  What  wilt  thou  ?  She  saith  unto 
him,  Grant  [Command]  ^  that  these  my  t\yo  sons  may  [shall]  sit,  the  one  on  thy  right 

22  hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left,  in  thy  kingdom.  But  Jesus  answered  and  said,  Ye 
know  not  what  ye  ask  [akeiaOe].  Are  ye  able  to  drink  of  the  cup  that  I  shall  drink  of, 
and  to  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with  ?  ^     They  say  uuto  him, 

23  We  are  able.  And  he  saith  mito  them,  Ye  shall  drink  indeed  of  my  cup,  and  be  bap- 
tized with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with :  ^  but  to  sit  on  my  right  hand,  and  on 
my  left,  is  not  mine  to  give,  but  it  shall  be  given  to  them  [but  it  is  for  those]  for  whom 

24  it  is  prepared  of  [by]  my  Father.     And  when  the  ten  heard  it,  they  were  moved  with 

25  indignation*  against  the  two  brethren  [brothers].  But  Jesus  called  them  unto  him,  and 
said.  Ye  know  that  the  princes  [rulers,  apxovre';]  of  the  Gentiles  [nations]  exercise  do- 
minion [lordship,  KaTaKvpuvovacvj  over  them,  and  they  that  are  great  exercise  authority 

26  upon  tliem.  But  it  shall  not  be  so  [But  not  so  is  it,  oix  ovtw^  8e  ecrrtV]  ^  among  you: 
but  whosoever  will  be  [would  become,  OeXrj  ycvea-dai]  great  among  you,  let  him  be  your 

27  minister  [StaKovog]  ;    And  whosoever  will  be  chief  [would  be  first,  OiXr}  etrnt  Trpuros] 

28  among  you,  let  him  be  your  servant  [SoSXos]  :  Even  as  the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be 
ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his  hfe  a  ransom  for  [dvrt]  many.* 

^  Ver.  20.— [Dr.  Laiige  adds  in  small  type  and  in  parenthesis :  a  royal  fwvor,  following  Maldonatus  and  Fritzscbe  who 
find  in  tl  aliquid  magni,  by  way  of  anticipation.    See  his  Exeg.  Notes.'] 

2  Ver.  2. — [So  Conant,  who  correctly  observes  that  ejire  has  here  tho  sense  of  authoritative  direction,  .as  in  eh.  iv. 
S:  ''Commcmd  that  these  stones  he  made  iireat?,"  and  in  Luke  x.  40  :  '^  Bid  her  there  fore  that  she  help  me:''  Lange  : 
SpricKs  aus.—V.  S.] 

^  Vers.  22,  23. — The  words:  Kol  rh  fidirr tafia,  t  tyw  /SaTrTi^o^ai,  ^aTTTiadrivai  in  ver.  22,  and  the  corresponding 
addition  :  ko.]  .  .  .  .  fiaivri  a-  d-fiffeaOi  in  ver.  23,  are  wanting  in  Codd.  B.,  D.,  L.,  Z.  [and  in  Cod.  Sinait.,  which  belongs  to 
tho  same  class  of  MSS.],  and  in  many  ancient  versions  [and  in  all  critical  editions].  They  were  in  .all  probability  inserted 
from  the  par.allel  passages  in  Miirk  x.  88,  39. 

*  Ver.  24. — [Or:  were  much  displeased,  ■i]yavaKTqaav,  as  the  verb  is  rendered  Mark  s.  14,  41,  and  by  Conant  in 
this  place.— P.  S.] 

5  Ver.  26.— Lachmann,  with  B.,  D.,  L.,  Z.,  and  other  authorities,  reads:  iariv.  So  also  Meyer:  "TheiJecepto 
tarm  is  a  ch.ange  with  the  view  to  conform  it  to  vers.  26  and  27,  where  iarai  occurs  twice  (instead  of  eo-ro.',  Fritzsche), 
according  to  Lachmann  and  the  preponderance  of  authorities."  [Tischendorf  reads  eorai  in  ver.  20,  and  afterward  twice: 
eo-TO).      Cod.  Sinait.  twice  :  €(rT€.— P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  28— [Codd.  D.,  Z.,  <al.,  have  a  lengthy  apocryphal  addition  to  this  verse,  which  resembles  Luke  xiv.  8  sqq.  See 
the  critical  apparatus  in  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Tregelles,  Alford;  also  the  Com.  of  Meyer,  p.  375.— P.  S.] 

His  aunt.  The  relationship  subsisting  between  them 
might  seem  to  lend  additional  support  to  the  claims 
of  Salome,  based  as  they  were  npon  the  friendship 
subsisting  between  the  Lord  and  John,  and  on  the 
general  position  occupied  by  the  sons  of  Zebedee, 
A  twofold  meaning  attaches  to  the  word  tote,  then. 
It  refers,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  moment  when,  in 
company  with  His  disciples,  Jesus  came  forth  from 
the  wilderness  of  Ephraun,  and  joined  the  first  cara- 
van of  festive  pilgrims.  Probably  this  band  con- 
sisted of  the  more  intimate  friends  and  followers  of 
Jesus,  who  had  journeyed  directly  from  Galilee  to 
Ephraim  through  Samaria,  and  from  thence  passed 
with  the  Lord  to  Jericho,  where  they  met  the  larger 
caravan  coming  from  Galilee,  which  had  travelled 
through  Peraea.  In  that  company  was  the  ardent 
and  daring  mother  of  the  sons  of  Zebedee.     Evident- 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CPJTICAL. 

Ver.  20.  Then  came  to  Him  the  mother  of 
the  sons  of  Zebedee. — Salome  (comp.  Mark  xv. 
40;  xvi.  1;  Matt,  xxvii.  56),  who  must  accordingly 
be  regarded  as  the  wife  of  Zebedee.  Most  of  the 
ancient  traditions  assume  that  she  was  the  daughter 
of  Joseph  by  a  previous  marriage;  while  others  sug- 
gest that  she  had  been  the  wife  of  Joseph,  by  whom 
he  was  the  father  of  two  daughters ;  lastly,  some  re- 
garded her  as  a  niece  of  Zachariah  the  priest,  the 
father  of  John  the  Baptist.  But  a  correct  interpre- 
tation of  John  xix.  25  {see  Wieseler,  Studien  und 
KritiJcen,  1840,  iii.)  shows  that  she  was  the  sister  of 
Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus.  Accordingly,  James  the 
Elder  and  John  were  cousms  of  Jesus,  and  Salome 


CHAP.  XX.  20-2S 


363 


ly  she  had  not  been  with  them  in  the  wilderness  of 
Ephraim.  Her  sons  had  probably  communicated 
what  had  passed,  and  she  now  advanced  the  request 
mentioned  in  the  text.  Meyer  suggests  that  she  may 
have  heard  from  her  sons  what  Jesus  had  promised 
to  the  Apostles  in  ch.  xix.  28.  No  doubt  she  had 
been  informed  of  the  announcement  of  His  impend- 
ing sufierings;  and  this  circumstance  enables  us  to 
appreciate  the  deeper  import  of  the  word  tuts.  It 
was  immediately  after  that  fearful  declaration  on  the 
part  of  Jesus,  concerning  His  impending  crucifixion, 
that  she  came  forward  with  the  reviuest,  that  her 
sons  should  occupy  the  most  prominent  positions  in 
His  kingdom.  The  circumstances  under  which  this 
prayer  was  ui'ged,  go  to  a  certain  extent  to  excuse  its 
boldness,  and  to  deprive  it  of  the  unf\ivorable  impres- 
sion which  it  would  otherwise  produce,  as  if  Salome 
had  wished  to  advance  her  sous  at  the  expense  of 
Peter.  Viewed  in  this  light,  there  is  even  something 
sublime  and  heroic  in  what  she  says.  In  the  midst 
of  such  gloomy  prospects  she  seems  to  raise  the  stan- 
dard of  highest  hope,  while  she  expresses  her  confi- 
dent anticipation  that  in  the  approaching  contest  her 
children  would  be  found  by  the  side  of  Jesus,  and 
sharing  in  the  greatest  dangers.  But  while  admit- 
ting all  that  is  noble,  there  is  a  sad  want  of  humble 
surrender  to  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

Worshipping  Him,  and  asking  a  certain 
thing  of  Him. — While  Matthew  represents  Salome 
as  interceding  for  her  sons,  Mark  puts  the  request 
into  the  mouth  of  the  sons  themselves.  The  two 
accounts  supplement  each  other.  Mark  lays  stress 
on  the  fact,  that  the  request  of  the  mother -was 
prompted  by  her  children, — a  circumstance  which  is 
implied  in  the  indignation  of  the  other  Apostles 
against  the  two  brothers,  mentioned  by  Matthew  in 
ver.  24.  On  the  other  hand,  our  Gospel  alludes 
more  particularly  to  the  form  in  which  the  request 
was  actually  made,  the  noble  aspirations  of  the  mo- 
ther leading  her  to  sympathize  with  the  desire  of  her 
sons.  The  manner  in  which  this  prayer  is  urged  is 
very  significant.  Salome  seems  the  first  to  acknow- 
ledge the  Lord  as  Messiah  the  King.  Falling  down 
before  Him,  she  worships  Him.  At  the  same  time 
she  requests  a  certain  thing  of  Him ;  i.  e.,  according 
to  a  frequent  custom  in  Eastern  courts,  she  entreats 
His  unconditional  consent  to  what  she  is  aljout  to 
ask  {wc  1  Kings  ii.  20).  The  comment  of  Meyer, 
that  aiTui'iad  ri  means,  as  one  that  made  a  request,  is 
flat.  But  while  it  may  be  somewhat  anticipating, 
with  Scultetus,  Maldonatus,  and  Fritzsche  to  regard 
Ti  as  implying  aliquid  nia[/m,  it  cei'tainly  conveys 
that  she  was  about  to  urge  a  petition  which  she 
would  fain  have  accorded  before  actually  uttering  it. 
But  the  reply  of  the  Lord  obliged  her  to  express  her 
wish  in  distinct  language. 

Yer.  21.  Command  that,  or.  Say  that:  (l-n-e 
Iva. — This  form  of  her  address  tends  to  present  it  in 
a  more  favorat)le  light.  She  seems  to  imply  that  in 
point  of  fact  tlie  matter  was  already  decided,  and 
that  it  now  only  required  a  formal  declaration  on  the 
part  of  Jesus  to  have  it  legally  established.  What 
she  requested  was,  that  her  sons  might  occupy  the 
two  highest  places  in  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah. 
In  the  East,  the  highest  place  of  honor  was  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  king;  and  next  to  it,  that  on  the 
left  (Joseph.  Antiq.  vi.  11,  9.  Thus  Jonathan  and 
Abner  are  seated '  beside  Saul,  and  the  Talmud  rep- 
resents the  Messiah  and  Abraham  as  placed  beside 
God).  According  to  human  views  of  the  matter,  it 
needs  no  special  apology,  that  even  "  the  gentle  and 


meek  John  should  have  cherished  such  a  desire" 
(Meyer).  If  an  arrangement  like  this  had  been 
made,  John  would,  personally,  not  have  gained 
much ;  for,  considering  that  James  was  the  elder 
brother,  his  could  only  have  been  the  place  at  the 
left  hand, — a  distinction  which  would  not  have  been 
withheld,  even  if  the  first  place  had  been  accorded  to 
Peter.  In  fact,  as  matters  actually  were,  John  al- 
ready occupied  a  higher  place  than  this.  But  it  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  say  .that  the  views  and  hopes 
of  John  had  still  to  be  purified  and  cleared  by  the 
cross,  and  spiritually  elevated  at  Pentecost. 

[Luther  :  "  The  flesh  ever  seeks  to  be  glorified 
before  it  is  crucified ;  exalted  before  it  is  abased." — 
P.S.] 

Ver.  22.  Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask. — DiflTer- 
ent  views  are  entertained  of  this  reply.  De  Wette 
explains  it :  Your  request  arises  from  an  mcorrect 
view  of  the  character  of  My  kingdom,  which  is  spir- 
itual. Meyer  paraphrases:  Ye  know  not  that  the 
highest  posts  in  My  kingdom  cannot  be  obtained 
without  sufierings  such  as  I  have  to  endure.  We  ex- 
plain it  (comp.  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  3,  1150):  They  had 
no  idea  what  fearful  honors  they  would  have  obtained 
if  their  desire  had  been  granted.  They  would  have 
occupied  the  place  of  the  two  malefactors  who  were 
crucified  with  Jesus.  Truly,  ye  know  not  what  ye 
ask !  The  Lord  thus  repHed,  in  mercy  and  compas- 
sion toward  that  ignorance,  in  consequence  of  which 
His  beloved  disciples  too  frequently  seek  for  them- 
selves what  would  be  dangerous,  and  even  destruc- 
tive— and,  perhaps  still  more  frequently,  what  is  un- 
becoming. The  rebuke  of  Christ  was  not  merely 
directed  against  the  ignor.mce  which  led  them  to 
covet  the  place  of  the  two  malefactors,  but  also 
against  the  presumptuous  selfishness  which  made 
them  forget  the  other  disciples.  Still,  the  answer  of 
the  Lord  shows  that  He  also  had  regard  to  that 
noble  feeling  which  prompted  them  to  desire  a  share 
in  His  impending  suffermgs. 

Are  ye  able  to  drink  of  the  cup  ?  013 . — 
"  A  metaphorical  designation  for  fate  in  general,  and 
more  especially  for  sufferings ;  Gesenius  on  Isa.  Ii.  lY ; 
Knobel  on  Isa.  p.  353."  Meyer.  But  the  term  is 
here  purposely  chosen,  with  an  allusion,  on  the  one 
hand,  to  the  cup  on  the  royal  table,  and,  on  the 
other,  to  the  cup  of  sufferings  (Matt.  xxvi.  39).  The 
same  twofold  import  attaches  to  the  expression 
/SaTTTio-^a  in  the  parallel  passage  in  the  Gospel  of 
Mark.  It  may  signify  a  festive  bath,  but  also  the 
baptism  of  blood  which  awaited  the  Lord.  Hence 
the  term  at  the  same  time  expressed  the  views  of  the 
Apostles,  and  those  of  the  Lord  Himself. 

We  are  able,  Swd/u-eda. — The  sons  of  Zebe- 
dee  now  come  forward  in  their  own  names.  As 
from  the  first  they  had  intended  to  express  their 
readiness  to  undergo  the  deepest  sufferings  for  the 
sake  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  in  which  they  covet- 
ed the  first  places,  they  now  declare  their  assent  to 
the  view  set  before  them  by  the  Lord,  that  the  royal 
cup  must,  in  the  first  place,  be  a  cup  of  suffering — 
His  kingly  bath  a  baptism  of  blood.  Accordmgly, 
they  express  their  willingness  to  sutter  with  Christ. 
But  this  statement  implied  an  over-estimate  of  their 
own  strength,  or  rather  a  want  of  knowledge  of  their 
weakness  and  hnpotence  which  afterward  beca.me 
manifest  during  the  night  of  Christ's  betrayal.  StiU 
it  cannot  be  questioned  that  they  were  the  most 
courageous  among  the  disciples,  as  appears  _  from 
John's  going  into  the  high  priest's  palace  without 


364 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


denying  His  master,  and  from  the  fact  that  James 
was  the  first  martyr  of  Christ. 

Ver.  23.  Ye  shall  drink  indeed  of  My  cup. 

— Our  Lord  does  not  discuss  the  (juestion,  how  far 
they  were  capable  of  bearing  suffering.  The  great 
question  connected  with  the  sufferings  of  the  cross 
was  not  one  of  liuman  heroism,  or  of  the  capabihty 
of  endurance,  but  of  inwart],  divine,  and  lioly  prepa- 
ration. As  yet  the  two  disciples  were  incapable  of 
making  this  distinction.  Hence  the  Lord  declined 
their  sharing  His  sufferings  in  the  foi-mer  sense; 
while  at  the  same  time  He  pointed  forward  to  the 
period  when  they  should  have  part  in  them,  in  the 
higher  and  only  true  sense  (the  future  tense  is  here 
used  by  way  of  antithesis  to  the  present  moment). 
The  reply  of  Christ  must  therefore  be  regarded  in 
the  light  of  a  correction  implying  an  admission  of 
their  calling  to  suffer  with  Him ;  the  fact  of  their 
being  at  present  unable,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  to 
share  in  His  sufferings,  being  graciously  presented  in 
the  form  of  an  affirmation  that  the  time  for  this 
should  arrive.  The  admission  to  which  we  refer  is 
all  the  more  fully  made,  that  the  Lord  has  to  add, 
"  But  to  sit  on  My  right  hand,  and  on  My  left,''''  etc. 
This  fellowship  of  suffering  with  Christ  appeared 
more  distinctly  in  the  case  of  James  than  in  that  of 
any  other  of  the  Apostles.  And  although  John  died 
a  natural  death,  at  a  very  advanced  age  {see  the  ar- 
ticle in  the  different  Encyclops. ;  the  Histories  of  the 
ApostoUc  Age,  and  the  Fathers,  Irenaeus,  ii.  22,  5 ; 
Eusebius,  iii.  2.3,  etc.),  yet  in  a  spiritual  sense  his 
was  the  longest  and  deepest  martyrdom  among  the 
Apostles, — not  to  speak  of  the  fact,  that  for  the  sake 
of  Christ  he  underwent  many  and  severe  outward 
sufferings.  Meyer  correctly  observes,  that  the  apoc- 
ryphal legend,  to  the  effect  that  John  had  emptied 
a  cup  of  poison  without  sustaming  any  harm,  may 
probably  have  been  derived  from  a  mismterpretation 
of  this  passage. 

[Wordsworth:  "Our  Lord  here  describes  the 
two  kinds  of  Christian  martyrdom ;  and  all  Christians 
must  be  prepared  for  one  or  the  other  of  them. 
Every  one  must  be  a  James  or  a  John."  Similarly 
Pope  Gregory,  who  distinguishes  the  martyrium  in 
mentc,  and  the  martyrium  in  mente  et  actione,  so  that 
we  may  become  martyrs,  and  yet,  like  St.  John,  die 
a  natural  death. — P.  S.] 

But  to  sit  on  My  right  hand,  etc. — Different 
views  have  been  taken  of  this  difficult  passage:  1. 
Chrysostom,  Castellio,  Grotius,  and  others,  regard 
the  word  dAAd  as  used  instead  of  ft  fi-n,  except, — 
i.  e.,  it  does  not  become  Me  to  bestow  it  upon  others 
than  those  to  whom  it  is  granted.*  To  this  de 
Wette  objects — (a)  that  this  is  incompatilDle  with  the 
real  meaning  of  ouk  eartv  ifiSv;  (t)  that  the  word 
aAAa  implies  an  antithesis.  At  any  rate  the  mean- 
ing would  ])e  unsuitable.  2.  Augustine  interprets : 
It  is  not  Mine,  in  My  capacity  as  man.  3.  Bengel 
paraphrases :  Before  My  exaltation  by  suffering.  4. 
Fritzsche  remarks:  The  Father  has  prepared  the 
kingdom  (ch.  xxv.  3-1) ;  to  which  de  Wette  replies, 
that  Christ  was  certainly  the  Founder  and  Ruler  of . 
the  kingdom.  5.  De  Wette  attempts  to  combine  the 
views  of  Augustme  and  Bengel,  and  holds  that  Jesus 
here  speaks  of  Himself  as  the  human  individual  who 

*  [So  also  Alfoi'd,  who  translates  dA\'  oTs :  except  to 
those  for  whom.-Vv  ord&worth  explains  :  It  is  not  for  Me  to 
give,  but  it  is  for  Mo  to  adjudge;  it  is  not  a  boon  to  be 
gained  by  solicit.ation,  but  it  will  bo  assigned  to  those  for 
whom  it  is  prepared,  according  to  certain  laws  prescribod 
by  God.-P.  S.] 


was  destined  to  be  the  Messiah,  but  had  not  yet  been 
perfected  as  such.  But  in  that  case  Christ  would 
have  expressed  it :  It  is  not  yet  Mine,  but  will  be  so 
at  a  future  period.  6.  Meyer  holds  that  the  Messia- 
nic administration  of  Christ  was  not  strictly  absolute, 
but  limited  by  His  relationship  toward  the  Father. 
7.  My  own  view  is  thus  expressed  in  the  Lclen  Jesu, 
iii.  2,  1151:  "The  statement  refers  not  merely  to 
the  dispensation  of  an  earthly  fai  >,  whic'.:  cometh 
from  the  Father,  and  according  to  which  i  ,o  male- 
factors were  to  bo  crucified  v/ith  Christ,  but  also 
especially  to  the  eternal  i)redestination  of  eternal 
positions  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  In  other  words, 
Christ  here  distinguishes  between  the  economy  of  the 
Fatlier — creation,  and  its  ideal  basis,  election  to  dif- 
ferent degrees  of  glory — and  the  economy  of  the 
Son,  or  redemption,  and  an  official  call  to  labor  in 
the  vineyard.  The  prominent  positions  in  the  king- 
dom of  God  depend  on  certain  relationships  coimect- 
ed  with  original  creation,  and  are  not  bestowed  in 
consequence  of  ofiBce.  This  explanation  is  not  in- 
consistent with  the  fact  of  a  correspondence  between 
chosen  spirits  and  their  official  position  in  the  king- 
dom, far  less  does  it  imply  that  the  Sons  of  Thunder 
did  not  occupy  a  high  place  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
But  it  conveyed  the  truth,  that  this  position  v.as  not 
a  part  of  the  work  of  redemption  (which  was  design- 
ed only  to  reaUze  and  to  manifest  the  mystery  of 
ele!''l';ri) — far  less  that  it  depended  on  official  posi- 
tion i'l  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  The  statement  of  the 
Lord  thus  serves  as  an  introduction  to  what  imme- 
diately follows.  Spiritual  aristocracy  must  prove  its 
clauHS  by  humility,  greatness  by  littleness,  and  the 
highest  exaltation  by  the  deepest  self-abasement. 
The  place  which  each  of  us  is  to  hold  in  the  eternal 
kingdom,  is  the  result  of  our  eternal  destination,  and 
intimately  connected  with  the  state  of  our  minds  and 
hearts. — For  whom  it  is  prepared,  oTs  -hroi- 
fxaaraL. — That  (piestion  has  been  decided  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world. 

Ver.  2t.  And  TO-hen  the  ten  heard  it,  yjya- 
vaKT-ri  ■!  av,  they  became  indignant,  or,  were 
much  displeased. — Not  in  the  sense  of  holy  indig- 
nation, but  as  partaking  of  the  same  spirit  of  ambi- 
tion which  had  prompted  the  request.  It  deserves 
notice  that  on  this  occasion  Peter  does  not  seem  to 
have  prominently  come  forward.  Of  course,  we  do 
not  mean  that  he  formed  an  exception  to  the  others. 
They  all  shared  the  same  jealousy  and  indignation, 
as  appears  from  tl^.e  general  tenor  of  the  rebuke  of 
the  Lord.  [77ie  ten,  including  St.  Matthew,*  who 
here  records  his  own  weakness  together  with  that  of 
his  colleagues,  as  St.  Peter  recommends  the  epistles 
of  his  brother  Paul  (2  Pet.  iii.  15,  16),  in  one  of 
which  his  own  inconsistency  is  severely  censured 
(Gal.  ii.  11).  A  proof  of  humiUty  and  truthfulness. 
-P.  S.J 

Yer.  25.  The  rulers  of  the  nations. — The  ex- 
pression rwv  iQvSiv  in  this  passage  does  not  refer 
exclusively  to  the  Gentiles.  Luther :  Secular  princes. 
KaraKvpiivovaiv,  icare^ovaid^ovaiv.  In 
this  mstance  the  two  verbs  have  the  additional 
meaning  of  pride  and  violence,  which  KaraKvp.  has 
in  1  Pet.  V.  3  ;  Ps.  v.  5,  10;  although  the  word  may 
also  simply  mean,  to  bear  rule.  But  from  the  addi- 
tion of  the  a7ra|  AiyojuLevov,  Kar  e  ^ova.,  we  infer 
that  it  bears  the  meaning  above  indicated  (similarly 
m  Diod.  Sicul.  14,  (56). — De  Wette  suggests  that  o  I 


S.] 


[Bengal:   Deckm.    In  his  ingenuus  evangelista.—V. 


CHAP.  XX.  20-28. 


365 


dpXoi'Tes  refers  to  the  kings,  their  substitutes 
and  offi(?ers  (in  the  Gospel  of  Mark  the  expression 
01  SoKovvres  apx^tv  is  used  with  special  allusion  to 
the  symbolical  import  and  the  legal  validity  of  the 
secular  power),  and  that  oi  /xc/dhoi  applies  mere- 
ly to  tlie  oificers  of  state.  Bengel  explains  the  em- 
ploymeut  of  the  stronger  verb  in  connection  with  ol 
fieyd\oi,  because  the  latter  are :  ipsh  sccpe  dominis 
imperioslores.  As  the  term  fieydKoi  primarily  refers 
to  persons  great  or  powerful  in  themselves,  perhaps 
the  expression  princes  may  allude  to  the  legitimate 
rulers,  and  the  term  great  to  illegitimate  usurpers 
and  conquerors.  Hence  also  the  use  of  the  stronger 
verb  in  the  second  clause. 

Ver.  26.  Eut  not  so  is  it  among  you. — The 
readmg  ea-riv  is  very  significant.  Christ  had  already 
prepared  them  for  this  order  of  things,  which  was  so 
different  from  that  prevailmg  in  the  world.  The  or- 
der and  succession  in  His  kingdom  was  not  to  be 
settled  according  to  any  legal  determination.  Jesus 
had  introduced  a  new  and  spiritual  Ufe,  in  direct  op- 
position to  secular  monarchies  and  hierarchies. 
Hence  also  the  reading  of  the  future  tense  (eo-rai),  in- 
stead of  the  imperative  {tarw),  is  more  suitable  in 
the  sentence  next  following. 

Yers.  26,  27.  Whoever  would  become  great. 
— De  Wette  obseiwes  that  /ue'yos  =  uiyiaros,  and 
irpwTo's  m  the  next  clause.  Meyer  questions  the  cor- 
rectness of  tliis  view,  on  the  ground  of  the  corre- 
sponding antithesis.  Evidently,  Siawoj/os  corresponds 
to  ^67as,  and  SovXos  to  TrpcoTos.  Comp.  Matt,  xviii. 
1.  In  this  instance,  then,  the  "minister"  and  the 
"servant,"  or  "slave,"  are  intended  as  emblems  of 
the  greatness  which  the  disciples  should  covet,  even 
as  formerly  the  Uttle  child  set  in  the  midst  of  them. 
In  other  words,  deep  humility  appearing  in  service 
of  love  was  to  be  the  measure  of  their  greatness. 

Ver.  23.  Even  as  the  Son  of  Man  came  not 
to  be  ministered  to. — In  Matt,  xviii.  greatness  was 
spoken  of  in  the  sense  of  dignity.  Accordingly, 
Christ  placed  a  little  chikl  in  the  midst  of  them,  and 
ultimately  appealed  to  His  own  example :  "  The  Son 
of  Man  has  come  to  seek  that  which  was  lost."  Eut 
the  greatness  referred  to  in  this  passage  refers  to  rule 
or  dominion.  Hence  the  Lord  points  His  disciples 
to  ministers  or  slaves ;  while  He  once  more  referred 
to  His  o\vn  work  and  mission,  who  "  had  come,  not 
to  be  ministered  to,  but  to  minister"  The  expres- 
sion, "  not  to  be  ministered  to,"  refers  to  all  merely 
outward  rule,  whether  in  the  shape  of  monarchy  or 
hierarchy  ;  m  other  words,  to  exercise  authority  over 
others  for  His  own  interest,  for  Ilis  own  glory,  or 
even  by  external  means.  Accordingly,  the  expres- 
sion, to  minister,  appUes  to  His  submission  or  obe- 
dience. Viewing  it  in  connection  with  its  blessed 
motive,  the  passage  impUes :  In  His  infinite  love  to- 
ward men,  the  Saviour  has  come  to  serve  them  ;  and 
He  does  so  in  obedience  to  the  demands  of  the  law 
and  to  the  will  of  God,  in  order  thus  to  redeem 
them.  Hence  the  addition,  and  to  give  His  life ; 
which  must  be  regarded  as  a  further  explanation,  and 
Indicates  the  climax  of  the  service  in  which  He  was 
engaged.  Comp.  Pliil.  ii.  6  :  obedient — obedient  unto 
death  on  the  cross.  The  term  ministerinci  expresses 
the  spirit  of  the  life  of  Christ.  His  sufferings  and 
death  illustrated  and  displayed  the  submission  of 
His  whole  course ;  they  shed  the  fullest  light  on 
the  object  of  His  hfe.  The  Holy  Servant  of  God  sur- 
rendered His  hfe  ;  and  that  unto  death  (the  ■^vxv)- 
He  gave  His  life  a  ransom  of  life,  Kvt  pov  —  nss  ; 


Exod.  XXX.  12  ;  Num.  xxxv.  31 ;  Prov.  xiii.  8.  This 
price  of  redemption  He  gave  a  y  t  i ,  and  not 
merely  inrtp,  in  the  wider  sense,  i.  e.,  instead  of^ 
in  exchange  of,  or  as  a  substitute ;  Matt.  xvii.  27 ; 
Heb.  xii.  10.  This  redemption  at  the  price  of  His 
life  was  made  avrl  n  o  Wuv  .  The  expression 
many  is  not  intended  to  indicate  an  exclusive  minor- 
ity, or  a  smaller  number  as  compared  with  all, — for 
the  latter  expression  occurs  in  Rom.  v.  IS  ;  1  Tim, 
ii.  4.  The  term  is  intended  rather  by  way  of  anti- 
thesis to  the  07ie  whose  life  was  the  ransom  of  the 
772a?u/.  At  the  same  time,  it  undoubtedly  indicates 
not  only  the  objective  bearing,  but  also  the  subjec- 
tive efficacy  of  this  ransom,  by  which  many  (a  great 
multitude)  are  in  reaUty  redeemed.  Comp.  Rom.  v. 
15  ;  Matt.  xxvi.  28. — The  state  from  which  these 
many  are  redeemed  may  readily  be  inferred  from  the 
figure  employed.  De  Wette  supphes — from  death 
or  from  the  misery  of  sin;  Meyer  —  from  eternal 
airdo\€ia.  Both  commentators  are  light ;  but  we 
would  express  their  meaning  more  definitely.  The 
death  or  the  a-n-dXeia  is  here  refeiTed  to  as  spiritual 
bondage  or  slavery.  Comp.  John  viii.  34-36  ;  Heb. 
ii.  14. 

[Similarly  Alford  :  "Xvrpov  avrl  tt  o  K  • 
\w  I'  is  a  plain  declaration  of  the  sacrificial  and  vi- 
carious nature  of  the  death  of  our  Lord.  .  .  It  is  here 
=  o.vTi\vTpov  inrfp  irdurwy,  1  Tim.  ii.  6.  Xo  Stress 
should  be  laid  on  this  word  ttoWwv  as  not  being 
iravTui'  here ;  it  is  placed  in  opposition  to  the  one 
life  which  is  given — the  one  for  mam/ — and  not  with 
any  distinction  from  TrdvToov.  UdvTwv  is  the  ob- 
jective, -KoWwu  the  subjective  designation  of  those  for 
whom  Christ  died.  He  died  for  all,  objectively ; 
subjectively,  the  great  multitude  whom  no  man  could 
number,  ttoWo'i,  wiU  be  saved  by  Him  in  the  end." — 
P.S.] 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  Evangelists  record  three  distinct  instances 
in  which  the  disciples  seem  to  have  contended  for 
rank  and  position.  (1)  In  Matt,  xviii.  1,  their  dispute 
referred  to  the  highest  dicfnity.  Then  our  Lord  placed 
among  them  a  little  child,  and  taught  them  that  He 
Himself  watched  over  the  little  ones,  and  was  the 
Shepherd  of  the  lost.  (2)  In  the  passage  under  con- 
sideration, the  reference  seems  more  particularly  to 
supreme  ride.  TJie  Lord  now  directs  them  to  the  of- 
fice of  minister,  and  to  the  position  of  a  slave  ;  He 
Himself  being  that  Holy  Servant  of  God  who  had 
given  Himself  for  the  service  of  man,  and  redeemed 
them  from  the  bondage  of  destruction,  at  the  price 
of  His  own  Ufe.  (3)  Accordmg  to  Luke  xxii.  24,  an- 
other sunilar  discussion  took  place  during  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Eucharist.  The  Evangehst  records, 
indeed,  but  few  traits  connected  whh  this  event. 
Still,  even  the  circumstance  that  our  Lord  washed  the 
feet  of  the  disciples  (John  xiii.),  shows  that  some  oc- 
currence of  this  kind  must  have  taken  place.  Proper- 
ly speaking,  this  service  of  love  should  have  been 
performed  by  the  master  of  the  house.  In  this  case 
he  was  not  present ;  nor  does  any  of  the  disciples 
seem  to  have  been  disposed  to  do  it  for  the  others. 
Contrary  to  the  common  custom,  they  were  already 
seated  at  the  table  with  unwashed  feet,  when  the 
Lord  Himself  girt  the  linen  towel  about  Him.  Prom 
the  words  of  Jesus,  as  recorded  in  Luke  xxii.  27,  we 
infer  that  this  formed  the  commencement  of  another 
dispute.     Cut,  if  the  first  discussion  referred  to  pre- 


SCiG 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


eminence  of  dignity,  the  second  to  ]ire-eminence  of 
office  and  rule, — the  third  and  last  dispute  probably 
referred  to  jyersonal  pre-eminence,  or  a  higher  place 
among  those  who  were  officially  placed  on  the  same 
lerel.  But  even  this  pre-eminence  of  personal  (in  op- 
position to  official)  position  should  give  place  to 
voluntary  and  mutual  subordination,  prompted  by 
love. 

2.  "  So  long  as  this  world  shall,  for  its  training, 
require  secular  authority  and  power,  the  Lord  will, 
in  His  providence,  raise  up  princes  and  great  ones 
to  administer  rule  and  government.  But  the  Apostles 
of  the  Lord  were  neither  to  imitate  this  rule,  which 
was  only  intended  for  a  preparatory  state  of  things, 
nor  to  substitute  their  own  domination  in  its  stead, 
nor  to  attempt  supplementing  it."  Comp.  the  remarks 
of  James  at  the  council  in  Acts  xv.  21 :  "  Moses  has  of 
old  time  in  every  city  them  that  preach  him ; "  in 
other  words,  the  servants  of  Christ  in  the  Church  are 
not  called  upon  to  attend  to  the  Icgnl  administration 
of  the  law :  this  is  the  business  of  the  servants  of 
Moses  in  the  synagogue.  Let  us  beware  of  confound- 
ing Moses  and  Christ,  or  the  secular  government  and 
the  ministry  of  the  Chyrch. 

3.  The  statement  of  Christ,  "Whoever  among 
you  would  be  great,"  etc.,  conveys,  that  the  only  su- 
periority  of  authority  in  His  kingdom  is  that  which 
springs  from  the  service  of  love,  and  the  only  superi- 
ority of  power  is  that  which  appears  in  ministering 
to  the  Church.  This,  however,  does  not  imply  that 
there  is  to  be  no  ordet-  of  office  in  His  Church.  But 
it  does  convey  that  anything  like  difference  of  rank 
or  tyranny  over  the  Church  is  incompatible  with  the 
will  of  Christ,  and  that  all  ecclesiastical  offices  are  to 
lead  to  spiritual  services  of  love.  They  are  intended 
to  subserve  and  advance  the  liberty,  not  the  bondage, 
of  the  Church.  Li  other  words,  their  tendency  is  to 
be  toward  freedom.  It  is  otherwise  with  the  rule  of 
this  world,  whether  it  appear  in  the  form  of  monar- 
chy or  of  hierarchy.  Every  hierarchy  requires,  more 
or  less,  the  aid  of  despotism,  and  in  fact  contains  the 
germ  of  it ;  while  despotism  always  relies  on  the  sup- 
port of  a  hierarchy,  or  else  itself  attempts  to  exercise 
hierarchical  domination  over  the  conscience.  Hence 
also  these  jjowers  will  at  last  become  the  instruments 
of  the  kingdom  of  darkness  {see  the  corresponding 
passages  in  Dan.  and  Rev. ;  also  1  Pet.  i.  18,  19). 
From  all  such  powers  of  the  world,  Christ  has  re- 
deemed the  souls  of  His  people.  Hence  it  were  the 
grossest  self-contradiction  to  attempt  introducing  the 
forms  of  this  bondage  into  the  administration  of  the 
kingdom  of  grace. 

[Origen  :  As  all  carnal  things  are  done  by  com- 
pulsion, but  spiritual  things  by  free-will,  so  those 
rulers  who  are  spiritual  ought  to  rest  their  power  in 
the  love  of  their  subjects,  not  in  their  fears. — Chry- 
sosTOM  :  High  place  courts  him  who  flies  from  it,  and 
shuns  him  who  courts  it.  .  .  .  Men  liecomc  masters  in 
this  world  that  they  may  exercise  domination  over 
their  inferiors,  and  reduce  them  to  slavery,  and  rob 
them,  and  employ  them  even  to  death  for  their  own 
profit  and  glory.  .  .  .  But  men  become  governors  in  the 
Church  that  they  may  serve  those  who  are  under 
them,  and  minister  to  them  whatever  they  have  re- 
ceived of  Christ,  that  they  may  postpone  their  own 
convenience,  and  mind  that  of  others,  and  not  refuse 
even  to  die  for  those  beneath  them.  To  seek  there- 
fore a  command  in  the  Cimrch  is  neither  righteous 
nor  profitable.... How  much  soever  you  humble  your- 
self, you  cannot  descend  so  far  as  did  your  Lord. 
(Translation  taken  from  the  Oxford  edition  of  Thomas 


Aquinas'  Catena  Aurea,  1841,  vol.  i.  part.  ii.  pp. 
6'JC,  697).— P.  S.] 

4.  It  admits  of  no  question  that  the  word  avri  in  the 
text  implies  a  vicarious  atonement  or  redemption  by 
a  substitute.  Still,  viewed  in  its  connection,  the  pas- 
sage primarily  refers  to  redemption  in  the  narrower 
sense,  and  not  to  the  atonement  itself  The  follow- 
ing three  elements  may  be  distinguished  in  tlie  work 
of  redemption:  ].  The  KaraWayri,  which  may  be 
called  the  ■prophetic  element  in  redemption ;  or,  the 
announcement  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  its  sealing  by 
the  death  of  Christ,  2  Cor.  v.  18,  19.  Klaiber,  Stier, 
and  others,  even  in  our  own  day,  do  not  go  beyond 
this.  2.  The  lAatr^o's,  1  John  ii.  2;  iv.  10:  the 
atonement  or  projiitiation ;  or,  the  high-priestly  act 
of  redemption,  wrought  out  when  Christ  gave  Him- 
self a  sacrifice  to  the  judgment  of  God  pronounced 
upon  the  ancient  world,  thereby  converting  that  judg- 
ment into  salvation.  Anselm  has  developed  this  idea, 
although  not  with  sufficient  clearness  in  the  distinc- 
tion of  terms.  3.  The  aTraKlnpuiais,  Kom.  iii.  24 ;  1 
Cor.  i.  30 ;  Eph.  i.  14  :  the  redemption  of  man  from 
the  bondage  of  destruction  by  the  \vrpov  of  the  blood 
of  Christ ;  or,  the  royal  act  of  redemption,  which 
Christ  accompHshed  when  He  surrendered  His  life  to 
the  powers  of  the  world  and  to  the  power  of  dark- 
ness, thereby  redeeming  Himself  and  His  people  from 
the  rulers  of  darkness,  1  Pet.  i.  18,  19;  Acts  x.  38; 
xxvi.  18.  The  older  Fathers  chiefly  dwelt  on  the  last- 
mentioned  element,  as  constituting  redemption.  Dur- 
ing the  Middle  Ages  exclusive  stress  was  laid  on  the 
priestly  element  (to  which  Athanasius  and  Gregory 
of  Naz.  were  the  first  prominently  to  call  attention) ; 
while  of  late,  theologians  have  chiefly  insisted  on  the 
prophetical  element  ui  redemption.  The  defect  of  all 
these  systems  consists  in  their  not  distinguishing,  and 
at  the  same  time  combining,  all  the  three  elements 
in  the  work  of  redemption.  In  Scripture  they  are 
generally  presented  more  or  less  combined  under 
one  aspect  (seethe  author's  '■'■  Positive Dogniaiik,^''  pp. 
858  and  893).  Still,  one  or  other  of  these  elements 
is  generally  referred  to  in  a  more  peculiar  manner. 
Thus,  in  the  passage  under  consideration,  there  is 
special  reference  to  the  royal  office  ot_Christ  in  re- 
demption which  He  accomplished  in  the  form  of  a 
servant.  He  gave  His  life  as  a  ransom  to  redeem 
mankind  from  the  power  of  darkness  and  to  make  us 
His  own  property.  Hence  the  off.ce  of  publishing 
this  work  of  redemption  was  not  to  be  transformed 
into  a  rule  over  His  free  Church,  1  Cor.  vii.  23. 
("  Least  of  all  by  cruel  despotism  and  the  shedding 
of  the  blood  of  His  members.") 

6.  If  there  were  any  truth  in  the  Romish  doc- 
trine of  the  primacy  of  Peter,  our  Lord  would  have 
given  a  very  difierent  reply  to  the  sons  of  Zeb- 
edee.  He  would  have  said  in  effect :  You  know  that 
in  Ccesarea  Philippi  I  have  already  accorded  the  first 
jtlace  xmto  Peter.  But  how  different  was  the  answer 
of  Jesus ! 


IIOMILETICAL   AND   TKACTICAL. 

Salome  and  her  sons ;  or,  the  difference  between 
the  noblest  aspirations  of  mere  natural  enthusiasm 
and  the  spiritual  courage  of  holy  humility. — The  pro- 
jects of  parents  with  reference  to  their  children  must 
Idc  tried  and  purified  in  the  light  of  the  Lord. — Sa- 
lome and  her  sons  as  compared  with  Mary  and  her 
sons.  Matt.  xii.  46.  —  Christ  proving  Himself  the 
heavenly  King  at  His  first  public  recognition  in  that 


CHAP.  XX.  20-28. 


367 


character:  1.  By  His  grace;  2.  by  His  impartiality; 
3.  by  the  exercise  of  His  prerogative  (botli  in  grant- 
ing and  in  withholding) ;  4.  by  His  holiness  and  jus- 
tice (guarding  and  preserving  the  rights  of  the  Fa- 
ther).— How  the  thoughts  of  the  Lord  are  infinitely 
high  above  the  thoughts  even  of  His  people. — Christ 
both  correcting  and  offei'ing  up  our  petitions. — Ye 
know  not  what  ye  ask ;  or,  the  ignorance  and  the 
dangers  connected  with  many  of  our  dearest  earthly 
wishes,  as  illustrated  by  the  request  of  the  sons  of 
Zebedee :  1.  They  sought  the  place  of  the  two  malefac- 
tors ;  2.  they  requested,  so  to  speak,  sometliing  which 
had  only  existence  in  their  imagination  (worldly  hon- 
ors in  the  kingdom  of  Christ) ;  3.  they  sought  some- 
thmg  which,  in  its  higher  import,  had  already  been 
given  away — perhaps  to  themselves,  perhaps  to  others 
— viz.,  special  degrees  of  election. — The  threefold  ad- 
ministration in  the  economy  of  God. — How  Christ  in 
His  administration  always  shed  a  glorious  light  on 
that  of  the  Father. — The  work  of  redemption  com- 
pleting that  of  creation. — "  When  the  ten  heard  it ; " 
or,  how  ambition*  and  jealousy  frequently  evoke  each 
other  even  in  the  Church  of  Christ. — The  second  dis- 
pute about  pre-eminence  among  the  disciples. — Its 
relation  to  the  first  and  the  third  disputes. — "  Jesus 
called  them  unto  Himself; "  or,  the  teaching  of  Christ 
concerning  the  character  of  hierarchy,  as  addressed 
to  the  first  council  of  His  disciples. — Secular  govern- 
ment in  its  relation  to  ecclesiastical  order :  1.  It  is 
recognized  without  being  approved  in  every  partic- 
ular ;  2.  it  cannot  serve  as  a  model  for  the  Church 
of  Christ,  or  be  adopted  in  the  form  of  a  hierarchy  ; 
3.  far  less  may  it  exercise  rule  over  the  Church  itself 
(CcBsaropapacy). — How  the  government  of  the  Church 
of  Christ  must  be  a  ministry  in  the  strictest  sense : 
1.  He  that  is  not  willing  to  be  a  minister  has  no  place 
in  it ;  2.  every  genume  minister  wUl  be  gi-eat  in  pro- 
portion as  he  serves  ;  3.  if  we  are  willing  to  be  ser- 
vants or  slaves  in  this  house,  i.  e.,  to  devote  ourselves, 
body  and  soul,  to  its  interests,  we  shall  be  first. — 
Only  that  arrangement  has  the  approbation  of  the 
Lord  which  combines  order  with  hberty  in  the  Church. 
— The  Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto, 
etc. ;  or,  the  Church  is  to  be  formed  according  to  the 
model  which  Christ  set  before  us  in  His  life  and 
deatl^— How  Christ's  humiliation  condemns  the  am- 
bition of  those  who  call  themselves  His  servants. — 
No  tyranny  over  the  conscience  may  interpose  be- 
tween Christ,  the  kingly  Redeemer,  and  His  royal 
bride,  the  Church. — Christ  has  redeemed  His  people 
with  His  precious  blood  /Vom,  not  to,  the  bondage 
of  this  world. — ■"  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price ;  be  ye 
not  the  servants  of  men." — As  every  other  associa- 
tion or  body,  so  the  Church  has  its  appropriate  or- 
ganization, corresponding  to    its  nature.     Thus  the 
plant  would  die  if  it  were  subject  to  the  conditions 
of  the  crystal ;  the  animal,  if  it  were  subject  to  those 
of  the  plant ;  man,  if  he  were  subject  to  those  of  the 
animal;    and  the  kingdom    of    heaven,   if    subject 
to  those  of  the  world.      Or  rather,  the  plant   has 
burst  through  the  conditions  of  tlie  crystal,  and  pass- 
ed beyond    it,  etc. ;  and    the  kingdom   of  heaven 
through  the  conditions  and  forms  of  this  world. — 
They  would  fain  have  established  an  order  in  the 
Church,  by  which  the  forms  of  an  um-edeemed  world 

*  [Not:  reverence,  as  the  Edinb.  translator  has  it,  who 
thoughtlessly  read:  Ehrfurcht  for  Ehrsucht  (und  Ei/er- 
sucht).  and  thus  made  Lange  responsible  for  the  nonsense 
that  a  fundamental  virtue  begets  an  evil  passion  and  vice 
cer«&-P.  S.] 


would  have  been  forced  upon  the  redeemed  :  1.  They 
would  have  attempted  to  present  spiritual  life  under 
shadows  and  in  emblems ;  2.  knowledge  and  spiritual 
power  under  law  and  tradition;  3.  redemption  or 
hberty  under  constraint ;  4.  spiritual  blessedness  un- 
der force  and  restraint. — How  the  suiferings  of  Christ 
on  the  cross  have  given  a  right  form  and  order  to  His 
kingdom  :  1.  They  have  converted  the  lowest  depth 
mto  the  most  glorious  height  (reproach  into  honor, 
sorrow  into  well-being,  service  into  dignity,  apparent 
weakness  into  power).  2.  They  have  subjected  to 
His  sway  all  tlie  powers  of  the  woi-ld  (banished  secu- 
lar authority  from  the  Church,  and  exalted  Him  to  be 
the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  Rev.  i.  5). 

On  tlw  two  preceding  sect'wns  combined. — The  dif- 
ference between  the  Lord's  prospect  and  that  of  His 
disciples  :  He  sees  the  cross  where  they  see  thrones 
of  honor ;  He  sees  the  resurrection  and  eternal  life, 
where  they  see  only  night  and  darkness. — The  human 
nobiUty  in  the  aspkation  of  the  sons  of  Zebedee  :  the 
good  in  it  (they  express  an  unHmited  hope  m  the 
Lord's  cause,  and  would  forever  unite  their  destiny 
with  His) ;  the  evil  in  it  (they  over-estimate  their 
enthusiasm,  and  approach  too  nearly  a  violation  of 
the  obedience  due  to  the  Lord,  and  the  love  due  to 
their  fellow-disciples). — The  glance  at  the  Lord's  cross 
sanctifies  the  wish  of  the  disciples. 

Starke: — Cramer:  Christian  parents!  seek  not 
too  lofty  things  for  your  children. — Zeisivs :  It  is  not 
only  vam,  but  also  most  foolish,  to  seek  from  Christ 
temporal  honor  and  glory. — It  seems  as  if  Christ  here 
(by  the  cup  and  the  baptism)  had  referred  to  the  two 
great  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament,  wliich  bind 
us  to  the  unitation  of  Christ. — Quesnel :  The  weak- 
ness of  man  betrays  itself  even  in  his  prayers,  Rom. 
viii.  28. — First  the  suffering,  then  the  crown,  1  Pet. 
iv.  13. — Osiander :  Every  Christian  has  his  portion 
of  tribulation  assigned  :  let  him  take  it  as  a  salutary 
cup  and  healthy  medicine. — The  best  men  may  make 
great  mistakes  as  to  the  extent  of  their  ability. — 
Lord  Jesus !  make  me  worthy  to  drink  of  Thy  cup, 
and  then  place  me  where  Thou  wilt. —  Cartstehi :  One 
offence  soon  draws  others  after  it  (then  were  the  ten 
displeased). — In  the  kingdom  of  Christ  there  are  only 
ministers,  servants,  and  Ijrethren. — 0  how  far  is  the 
external  Church  fallen  from  this  purity !  —  Langii 
Opus :  This  declaration  throws  the  whole  papistical 
hierarchy  to  the  ground. — Quesnel :  Preachers  must 
serve  after  the  example  of  Christ. 

Gerlach  : — A  warning  to  all  in  the  Church  who 
are  higher  than  others,  that  they  should  remember 
the  foundation  of  their  power ;  lest  it  should  be 
mere  empty  form,  ruinous  to  themselves  and  the 
Church. 

Heubner  : — The  sons  of  Adam  gladly  bow  down 
when  worldly  honor  is  to  be  attained. — Vain  maternal 
love  often  leads  greatly  astray. — To  sit  on  Thy  right 
hand:  how  much  disposed  the  heart  is  to  make  reli- 
gion the  means  of  furthering  worldly  interests. — The 
Jiigher  a  man  looks,  the  greater  the  danger. — To  par- 
take of  tlie  highest  honor  with  Jesus  is  to  suffer  with 
Him. — lie  who  knows  nothing  of  the  cup  of  Christ's 
passion  will  have  no  part  in  the  cup  of  joy. — Hence 
we  see  how  ambition  exasperates  others  against  us. — 
Wouldcst  tliou  rule,  learn  first  to  serve. 

[With  this  chapter  closes  Mr.  Edersheim's  translation  in 
the  Edinb.  edition.  The  remaining  chapters  of  the  Com- 
mentary on  St.  Matthew  were  translated  by  the  Rev.  W.  B. 
PoPB  (or  some  inferior  assistants),  as  we  learn  from  a  note 
on  the  back  of  the  title-page  to  vol.  ii.— P  S.] 


8G8 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


THIRD    SECTION. 
THE  WRETCHED  KEPT  BACK  FROM  THE  LORD,  THE  KING  OF  MERCY. 


Chai'Ter  XX.  29-34. 
(Mark  x.  46-52  ;  Luke  xviii.  35-43  ;  xix.  1-10.) 

29  And  as  tliej  departed  from  [were  going  out  of]  ^  Jericlio,  a  great  multitude  followed 

30  him.  And,  behold,  two  blind  men  sitting  by  the  way  side,  when  they  heard  that  Jesu3 
passed  by  [was  passiiig  by,  Trapayet],  cried  out,  saying.  Have  mercy  on  us,  0  Lord,  thou 

31  Son  of  David  [Lord,  have  mercy  on  us,  Son  of  David]. ^  And  the  multitude  rebuked 
them,  because  [that,  iVa]  they  should  hold  their  peace :  but  they  cried  the  more,  saying, 
Have  mercy  on  us,  0  Lord,  thoio  Son  of  David   [Lord,  have  mercy  on  us,  Son  of  Da- 

32  vid].*     And  Jesus  stood  still,  and  called  them,  and  said.  What  will  ye  that  I  shall  do 
33,  34  unto  [for]  you?     They  say  unto  him,  Lord,  that  our  eyes  may  be  opened.     So  Je- 
sus had  compassion  on  them,  and  touched  [Then  Jesus,  moved  with  compassion,  touched, 
o-7rXayxyia-6els  8e  o  'Icr.  -^i/zaro]  their  eyes:  and  immediately  their  eyes  [they]  ^  received 
sight,  and  they  folloAved  him. 

>  Ver.  29.— [The  strict  rendering  of  i  ktto  pevo  uevwu  avrwv.  In  Mark  x.  46  the  E.  V.  has :  As  he  went  cnit 
of  Jericho.  Lulie  says  (xviii.  35) :  As  he  was  come  nigh  unto  Jericho.  On  this  chronological  discrepancy  between  Mat- 
thew and  Luke,  see  the  Exeg.  Notes  on  ver.  30. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  30.— [TVcc*.  ;yc.;  'EAe-naov  ^M«s,  icvpte,  vlos  AajilS.  But  the  best  authorities  read:  Kvpie, 
i\e-q(7ov  v/J-tis,  vibs  Aav  elS ,  lord,  Jiave  mercy  on  us^  Son  of  David.  Cod.  Sinait.  reads  in  ver.  80:  eAfrjcrov 
?j,uas  (Tjcrou  vie  A.,  and  in  ver.  31:  icvpie  eAer/croj'  rjuas  vte  A. — ^P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  84— Thp  words:  avrSjv  ol  o  (p  0  a  \  jul  o  i  {their  eyes)  after  a.i'e^\e\pav  are  wanting  in  Codd.  B.,  D.,  L., 
Z.,  [and  Cod.  Sinait.  which  generally  asiees  with  the  Codd.  just  named],  and  in  the  Latin  Vulgate.  They  are  omitted  by 
Lachmann  and  Tischendorf  [not  in  the  large  ed.  of  1859,  where  the  words  are  retained.  Alford  omits  them,  but  in  his 
apparatus  he  neglects  to  notice  the  difference  of  reading. — P.  S.] 

it  will  appear  only  an  inexactness,  and  by  no  means 
a  discrepancy,  in  the  first  three  Evangelists  to  con- 
duct the  procession  without  any  break  from  Jericho 
to  Jerusalem,  and  to  insert  the  anomting  afierward  : 
Matt.  xxvi.  6;  Mark  xiv.  3.  They  had  a  definite 
motive  for  the  transposition  of  this  supplementary 
narrative  of  the  anointing.  It  was  their  purpose  to 
shov/  how  the  idea  of  the  betrayal  ripened  in  the  soul 
of  Judas  through  the  eflPect  produced  by  the  anoints 
ing  ;  and  also  to  connect  the  history  of  the  anointing 
with  the  indication  of  the  traitor  at  the  Paschal  feast 
At  the  same  time,  they  would  bring  the  anointing  as 
near  as  possible  to  the  Supper,  on  account  of  its 
internal  prophetical  relation  to  that  holy  oi-dinance. 

Ver.  29.  And  as  they  were  going  out  of 
Jericho. — Luke  records  the  delay  in  Jeiicho,  and 
the  Lord's  stay  in  the  house  of  Zacehajus,  ch.  xix. 
1 ;  a.s  also,  the  parable  of  the  ten  servants  and  the 
ten  pounds,  which  was  connected  therewith.  Jericho, 
'in*'"!'^  .  in~i';i ,  nni'i';i  ;  variously  written  in  the 
Greek  also.  According  to  the  first  form,  it  signified 
"  the  fragrant  city  ; "  according  to  the  second,  "  the 
city  of  the  moon."  The  former,  however,  is  the  more 
probable  derivation.  It  lay  not  far  from  the  Jordan, 
(60  stadia,  or  two  hours),  and  was  separated  from 
Jerusalem  by  a  waste  and  wretched   wilderness.* 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CEITICAL. 

Chronology. — According  to  John  xii,  1,  Jesus 
came  to  Bethany  six  days  before  the  Passover.  As 
the  feast  fell  upon  the  15th  of  Xisan,  or  began  on  the 
evening  of  the  14th,  this  note  of  time  takes  us  back 
to  the  9  th  of  Xisan.  The  day  of  the  crucifixion  was 
the  loth ;  *  and  therefore  the  9th  was  the  Sabbath 
previous.  The  Jewish  customs  at  the  feast  throw 
much  Ught  upon  all 'these  events.  On  Friday,  the 
8  th  of  Nisan,  in  the  year  783  from  the  foundation  of 
Rome,  or  in  the  year  30  of  our  common  reckoning 
(Wieseler,  in  his  Chronol.  Synopse,  p.  176,  shows 
that  the  first  day  of  the  Passover  fell  on  a  Friday 
in  that  year),  Jesus  went,  with  His  disciples  and  some 
friends,  from  Ephraim  to  Jericho.  Here  He  remain- 
ed in  the  house  of  Zacchseus.  Thus  the  procession 
set  out  too  late  to  reach  Jerusalem  before  sunset,  that 
is,  before  the  Sabbath.  He  therefore  tarried,  for  the 
quiet  observance  of  the  festive  day,  in  the  customary 
tents  near  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Whether  He  spent 
the  night  in  these  tents,  or  in  Bethany,  cannot  be 
decided, — at  any  rate,  John  dates  from  the  next  day  ; 
for  on  the  evemug  of  the  next  day,  probably  when 
the  Sabbath  was  ended,  that  feast  was  prepared  for 
Him  in  tlio  house  of  Simon  the  leper,  at  which  Mar- 
tha served  and  Mary  anointed  Him,  and  to  which 
many  friends  from  Jerusalem  had  come  to  salute 
Him.  On  the  following  Sunday,  early  in  ttie  morn- 
ing, the  festal  company  set  out  from  Bethany  and 
from  the  tents,  and  assumed  the  form  of  a  trium- 
phant procession.     After  considering  all  these  points, 

-  [Accordins  to  others,  the  14th  of  Nisan.    See  Intro- 
duction to  ch.  xxvi.  below.— P.  S.] 


*  [We  have  here  corrected  the  original,  trhich  makes  evi- 
dently a  mistake  (faithfully  copied,  as  usual,  in  the  Edinb. 
tr.sl.),  by  stating  the  distance  of  Jericho  from  Jerusalem  (in- 
stead oifrom  Jordat))  to  be  two  hours.  According  to  Wi- 
NEK,  Bibl.  Bealworlerbuch,  i.  p.  543  (3d  ed.),  and  Kobinson, 
Palestine,  vol.  i.  p.  565,  Jericho  was  60  stadia  west  from  the 
river  Jordan,  and  150  stadia  east  from  Jerusalem:  according 
to  other  statements,  5  English  miK-s  from  the  Jordan,  and 
18  or  20  miles  east-north-e.ist  of  Jerusalem.  The  difference 
arises  in  part  from  the  uncertainty  of  the  site  of  ancient  Jeri- 


CHAP.  XX.  29-34. 


It  was  in  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  on  the  borders  of 
Ephraim.  The  district  was  a  blooming  oasis  in  the 
midst  of  an  extended  sandy  plain,  watered  and  fruit- 
ful, rich  in  palms,  roses,  and  balsam :  hence  probably 
the  name  (from  nin  ,  scent^  odor).  It  is  true  that 
the  poisonous  serpent  was  not  wanting  in  this  para- 
dise also.  The  city  was  built  by  the  Canaanites,  and 
taken  and  destroyed  by  Joshua  (Josh.  ri.  26).  At 
a  later  date  it  was  built  again  and  fortified,  and  be- 
came the  seat  of  a  school  of  the  prophets.  Ilcrod 
the  Great  beautified  it,  and  at  this  time  it  was  one  of 
the  most  pleasant  places  in  the  land.  The  balsam 
trade  required  that  a  chief  publican  should  be  there ; 
and  it  was  also  inhabited  by  priests  and  Levites.  In 
the  twelfth  century  scarcely  a  vestige  of  the  place  re- 
mained ;  there  is  now  a  wretched  village,  Richa  or 
Ericlia,  with  about  200  inhabitants.  Robinson,  how- 
ever, locates  the  old  Jericho  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  fountain  of  Elisha  [two  miles  north-west  of  Richa]. 
The  palms  have  all  vanished,  and  the  climate  is  hot 
and  unhealthy.  [Robinson:  "Only  a  single  palm- 
tree  now  remains  of  the  '  City  of  Palms.' "' — P.  8.] 

Ver.  30.  Two  blind  men  sitting  by  the  way- 
side.— Here  occurs  one  of  the  most  marked  of  the 
apparent  discrepancies  of  the  Gospels.  According 
to  Matthew,  Jesus  healed  two  blind  men  on  depart- 
ing ;  according  to  Mark,  one  blind  man  on  depart- 
ing ;  according  to  Luke,  one  blind  man  on  entering 
the  city.  The  older  Harmonists  assumed  that  there 
were  two  miracles :  that  one  bhud  man  was  healed 
at  the  entrance,  and  two  at  the  departure,  of  Christ ; 
and  that  Mark  gave  prominence  to  Bartimajus  as  the 
better  known  of  the  two  persons.  Ebrard  thinks  that 
Matthew  combined  the  two  accounts  of  Mark  and 
Luke,  and  placed  them  in  the  departure  from  the 
city.  (So  also  Wieseler.)  It  may  simpUfy  the  mat- 
ter, if  we  consider  that  Jesus  did  not  enter  Jericho 
by  the  Jordan  gate  from  Perasa,  but  came  froqi 
Ephraim ;  and  therefore,  probably,  made  His  exit 
by  the  same  gate  through  which  He  entered.  The 
blind  man  cried  out  upon  Jesus,  was  threatened  and 
restrained  ;  he  cried  louder,  and  Jesus  then  regarded 
and  healed  him.  But  the  Lord  might  have  kept  the 
blind  man  waiting  till  His  return,  to  test  him ;  and 
thus  the  Evangelists  record  the  same  event, — the 
one,  however,  connecting  it  with  the  entrance,  the 
other  with  the  exit.*  Further,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
suppose  that  in  the  interval  another  blind  man  joined 
company  with  the  first,  Bartimfeus ;  and  that  both 
encouraged  each  other  in  the  louder  cry. 

Ver.  31.  That  [not:  because]  they  should  hold 
their  peace. — This  is  a  feature  of  the  narrative  that 
could  not  have  l)een  invented.  It  marks  the  feeling 
of  the  great  festal  procession,  which  was  disposed  to 
regard  the  cry  of  these  wretched  blind  men,  at  such 
an  hour,  as  an  impertinent  interruption.  It  was  as 
if  a  multitude  of  courtiers  should  strive  to  keep 
the  interruption  of  misery  from  throwing  a  discord- 
ant element  into  a  royal  feast.  Hence  the  tone  is 
characteristically  changed,  when  Jesus   stood   still, 

chn.  The  road  from  Jericho  to  Jerusalem  is  exceedingly- 
difficult  and  danjTorons,  ascending  through  niirrow  and  rocky 
passes  amid  ravines  and  precipices,  and'infested  by  robbers, 
.IS  in  the  time  of  the  good  Samaritan  (Luke  x.  .30-:^4).— P.  S.] 
♦  [Similarly  Wordsworth,  who  assumes  that  the  blin<l 
man  was  not  healed  till  the  next  dny,  and  that  Luke  in  his 
account  anticipated  the  result  by  a  prolepsis  not  uncommon 
in  Scripture,  lie  adds  the  remark  that  the  frequent  prac- 
tice of  anticipation  and  recapitulation  agrees  with  the  di- 
vine author  of  the  Bible,  to  whom  all  time  is  present  at 
once.  Babbi  Jaechi,  in  Gen.  vi.,  applies  to  the  IJible  what 
Is  said  of  God:  "2^an  est  pHus,  aut  poaterius,  in  Serip- 
iura.-'—P.  S.] 

24 


and  commanded  the  blind  to  be  brought  to  Him ;  it 
is  now : — Be  of  good  courage,  rise ;  He  calleth  thee : 
Mark  x.  49. 

Ver.  32.  And  Jesus  stood  still. — At  the  cry, 
Lord,  Son  of  David  ;  which  was,  according  to  Luke, 
on  His/fsCff^  departure  from  Jericho  at  the  head  of 
the  people.  This  also  shows  evidently  that  that  great 
crisis  of  the  Lord's  life  was  come  to  which  we 
have  already  made  allusion.  He  suffers  Himself 
now  to  be  pubhcly  appealed  to  as  the  Messiah,  in 
the  presence  of  all  the  people,  which  He  had  never 
done  before :  compare  ch.  ix.  27.  The  time  for  His 
acceptance  of,  and  sympathy  with,  .  the  Messianic 
hope  of  His  people  had  now  arrived. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Joshua  proceeded  from  Jericho  to  the  con- 
quest of  the  promised  land — without,  however,  en- 
tirely elfecting  it.  From  Jericho,  the  city  of  palms, 
the  Messianic  procession  set  out ;  and  it  ended  with 
His  being  dehvered  over  to  the  Gentiles.  But  in 
a  higher  sense,  the  conquest  of  the  promised  in- 
heritance with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  was  now- 
decided. 

2.  The  history  of  the  blind  man  at  Jericho  sym- 
bolical of  the  endeavors  of  the  great  in  God's  king- 
dom to  interpose  between  Christ's  throne  and  the 
wretched. 

[3.  John  J.  Owen  :  "  This  miracle  of  healing  the 
blind  men  has  often  been  employed  to  illustrate  the 
spiritual  blindness  of  men,  the  earnestness  with  which 
they  must  apply  to  Christ  (who,  by  His  Spirit,  is  al- 
ways passing  by)  for  His  healing  mercies,  and  the 
readiness  of  the  Saviour,  on  any  such  application 
made  in  penitence  and  faith,  to  put  forth  His  heaUng 
power.  Thousands  have  read  this  simple  and  touch- 
ing story  as  a  truthful  history  of  their  own  spiritual 
blindness,  and  its  removal  through  the  aboundmg 
grace  of  Jesus  Christ." — P.  S.] 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  procession  of  the  Lord  from  Jericho  to  Jeru- 
salem the  great  turning-point  in  His  life.  1.  What 
it  signified — the  Lord's  acceptance  of  His  people's 
Messianic  hopes  ;  He  suffered  Himself  to  be  pubhcly 
heralded  as  the  Messiah.  2.  How  the  Lord's  friends 
regai'ded  it — as  a  coronation  procession,  which  no 
cry  of  misery  should  disturb.  3.  How  Christ  Him- 
self treated  it — as  a  journey  of  redemption  for  be- 
hevers. — The  difference  between  a  legal  procession, 
and  the  journey  of  Christ  led  by  the  Spirit :  the  one 
would  fanatically  prevent  disturbance  by  anything 
iu  the  way ;  the  other  makes  every  seeming  interrup- 
tion augment  its  festal  character,  Acts  ii.  13. — The 
difference  between  a  worship  which  repels  the  wretch- 
ed, and  that  which  attracts  them. — The  coronation 
journey  of  Christ  is  glorified  by  every  seeming  inter- 
ruption.— The  Holy  King  and  His  unholy  courtiers. 
— Christ,  even  through  the  multitude  of  noises,  de- 
tects the  individual  cry  of  the  petitioner. — What  will 
ye  that  I  should  do  unto  you  V  Christ's  kingly  word 
to  tlie  mendicant  blind. — He  whose  eyes  are  opened 
by  Christ,  lifts  them  first  upon  His  regal  procession. 
— They  who  receive  their  eight  from  Christ  follow 
Him  in  the  way. — The  fellowship  of  misery:  two 
bUnd  men,  ten  lepers ;  and  so  throughout  the  evan- 
geUcal  narrative. — The  Church  is  a  fellowship  both 


370  THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 

of  the  needy  and  the  saved. — The  gift  of  the  eye:  '  foresaw;  they  erred  concerning  the  nearest  issue; 
1.  It  is  the  revelation  of  the  soul  to  the  world  ;  2.  but  in  a  higher  sense  they  were  right,  inasmuch  as  the 
the  revelation  of  the  world  to  the  soul ;  .".  the  syra-  final  issue  could  be  no  other  than  Ilis  glorious  reign. 
bol  of  the  inner  light  of  knowledge ;  4.  of  the  illu-  Starke  : — They  who  are  one   in   misery  should 

mmation  from  above. — The  true  procession  of  Christ  |  unite  their  prayer. — The  loss  of  physical  sight  is  to 
a  swelling  stream  of  the  grateful  saved. — The  wilder- 
ness of  Jericho  changed  into  a  figure  of  Christ's  work 
in  the  world :  1.  Once  a  corner  of  robbers  and  mur- 
derers, now  enlivened  by  the  cry  of  salvation;  2. 
once  the  scene  of  Christ's  temptation,  now  the  scene 
of  His  glorification. — How  and  wherefore  the  Lord 
permitted  the  joyful  acclamation  of  His  people  before 
His  sufferings. — The  self-renunciation  in  which  the 
Lord,  with  the  presentiment  of  His  cross  upon  Him, 
surrenders  Himself  to  the  joy  of  His  disciples  :  they 
did  not  understand  the  whole  issue,  which  He  clearly 


man  a  great  distress  ;  but  he  is  not  so  much  troubled 
about  his  soul's  blindness. — Zeisius :  We  must  not  be 
hindered  in  our  prayers  by  the  devil  or  the  world,  by 
flesh  and  blood. —  Cramer  :  Turn  not  away  your 
eyes  and  ears  from  the  cry  of  the  wretched. — Christ 
is  much  more  willing  to  help  than  we  to  ask  Him. — 
The  following  of  Christ  is  the  best  gratitude. 

liieger : — He  who  easily  yields  his  pomt  to  threats, 
is  for  the  most  part  without  the  strong  urgency  of  a 
true  heart. — Happy  he  whom  nothing  restrains  in  hia 
faith  and  believing  cry. 


FOURTH    SECTION. 

THE  PROPHETIC  HOSANNA   OF  THE  PEOPLE  AND   THE   SURPRISE  OF  THE   CAPITAL. 

Chapter  XXI.  1-11. 

.(Mark  xi.  1-10;  Luke  xix.  29-44;  John  xii.  12-19.     Matt.  xxi.  1-9  the  Gospel  for  first  Advent-,  and  for 

Palm-Sundaij.) 

1  And  when  they  drew  nigh  unto  Jerusalem,  and  were  come  to  Bethphage,  unto  the 

2  mount  of  Olives,  then  sent  Jesus  two  disciples,  Saying  unto  them,  Go  into  the  village 
over  against  you,  and  straightway  ye  shall  [will]  find  an  ass  tied,  and  a  colt  with  her : 

3  loose  tJiem,  and  bring  them  unto  me.     And  if  any  vian  say  aught  unto  you,  ye  shall 
say,  The  Lord  hath  need  of  them ;  and  straightway  he  will  send  them  [he  sends  them].' 

4  AlP  this  was  done,  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet,  saying, 

5  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Sion,  Behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee,  meek,  and  sitting 
[mounted,  eTrt^e/Jr/Kws]  upon  an  ass,  and  [yea  upon]  ^  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass  [of  a  beast 

6,  7  of  burden].^     And   the  disciples   went,   and  did  as  Jesus   commanded    them.   And 
brought  the  ass,  and  the  colt,  and  put  on  them  their  clothes  [garments],  and  they  set 

8  him  [and  he  sat]  ^  thereon.     And  a  very  great  multitude   [most  of  the  multitude]  ° 
spread  their  garments  in  the  way ;   [and]  others  cut  down  branches  from  the  trees,  and 

9  strewed  them  in  the  way.     And  the  multitudes  that  went  before  [him],'  and  that  follow- 
ed, cried,  saying,  Hosanna  ^  to  the  Son  of  David :   Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name 

10  of  the  Lord;  Hosanna  in  the  highest.     And  when  he  was  come  [had  entered]  into  Je 

11  rusalem,  all  the  city  [the  whole  city]  was  moved,  saying.  Who  is  this?  And  the  mul- 
titude [the  multitudes]  ®  said,  This  is  Jesus  tlie  prophet  [the  prophet  Jesiis]  ^^  of  [from] 
Nazareth  of  Galilee. 

»  Ver.  3.— The  Iteeepta  reads  the  future :  airoo-TcAe?,  which  is  sustained  by  B.,  D.,  the  Vulgate,  Itala,  Lachmann, 
Tischendorf.  But  Griesbach  and  Scholz  preffer  the  present :  airoffreWei,  with  Codd.  C,  E.,  G.,  K.,  al.,  which  is 
more  expressive,  though  apparently  less  suitable  (Meyer). 

2  Ver.  4. — Lachmann  and  Tischendorf  [in  former  editions,  but  not  in  that  of  1S59]  omit  o\o  v,  nJI,  according  to  Codd. 
C,  D.,  L.,  7j.,  versions,  and  fathers.     [Cod.  Sinait.  liltewise  omits  it. — P.  S.] 

5  Ver.  5.— Kal  is  epexegetical,  and  hence  iiri  before  ttwXov  is  superfluous.  [But  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Tre- 
gelles,  Alford  retain  it  according  to  B.,  L.,  Z.,  and  Cod.  Sinait.  At  all  events  Kai  does  not  express  addition  here,  but 
eayplanation  or  epexegesis  (und  ewar,  and  that,  or  yea),  and  thus  the  apparent  difference  in  the  accounts  of  the  Evan- 
gelists is  easily  solved.    See  Exeg.  Note  on  ver.  2. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  5.— T  Ihv  inroCvyiov.  "  The  ass  {ovo',)  is  the  animal  meant  by  the  word,  but  is  also  characterized  by  it." 
(Conant.)    Langc  :  Lastthier.    Comp.  Isa.  l.Kii.  11;  Z:ich.  ix.  9.— P.  S.] 

o  Ver.  7.— The  reading  :  i-rr  €  k  aO  la  €  v,  he  sat,  instead  of  the  lect.  rea. :  i-n-e  KaO  larap,  they  set,  is  sustained  by 
■  Codd.  B.,  C,  Origen,  etc.,  and  adopted  in  the  critical  edition.s. 

«  Ver.  8.— ['O  Se  vAe'ia-Tos  oy\o;.  Lango  and  Ewald:  das  meiste  Volk;  Kendrick  and  Conant:  {the)  most 
of  the  mnltiiude.    Comp-  &A\oi  Se,  ur>d  others,  in  the  next  clause.— P.  8.] 

'  Ver.  Q.—npodyovTes  avr  oP  [instead  of  rrpudyovTss  simply].  So  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Alford],  following 
B.,  C,  D.,  al.,  [and  Cod.  Sinait.]. 


CHAP.  XXI.  1-11. 


371 


8  Ver.9. — ['n  a  av  v  a  (originally  n  formula  of  supplication,  but  conventionally  ono  of  triumphant  pratulation  and  joy- 
ful greeting  to  a  doliverer,  hence  followed  by  the  dative)  was  properly  retained  iu  the  English,  (iernian,  and  other  modern 
Versions,  as  Matthew  retained  it  from  the  Hebrew  (XiTliy^'^iri ,  aCoaov  Srj,  I^XX.,  Save  vow  /),  comp.  Mark  xi.  9,  10; 
John  xii.  13.    So  we  have  likewise  from  the  Hebrew  the  words:  Jehovah,  mthhath,  manna,  Zebaoth,  amen,  etc. — P.  S.J 
'  Vcr.  11.— ["O  X^o  ^  IS  i"  ^'".  i),  where  the  K.  V.  correctly  renders  multitu(/,s.—V.  S.] 

'0  Ver.  11.— [The  oldest  reading,  sustained  by  Cod.  Siuait,  and  adopted  by  Lachraann,  Tregelles,  Alford,  and  Conant,  is 
6  Trpotp-firris  'Itj  (T  ov  i ,  the  projjhet  Jefiiis,  in.stead  of  'IrjiroH?  A  xpo^fiTTis.  But  Dr.  Lango  in  his  version  retains 
the  received  reading  with  Tischendorf,  and  takes  no  notice  of  the  difference.— T.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CP.ITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  Unto  Jerusalem. — Jerusalem  is  men- 
tioned as  the  goal,  to  assign  the  motive  for  the  mis- 
sion of  the  two  disciples.  Jerusalem,  C^Vil'llli , 
'Upov(Ta\i'iu.  'leporrSKvfia: — according  to  Ewald, 
possession  or  inheritance  of  peace  ;  according  to  Ge- 
senius,  the  people  or  house  of  peace.  At  all  events, 
a  scat  of  peace,  the  citij  of  peace  ;*  poetically,  obd  ^ 
Ps.  Ixxvi.  3  ;  ^Xi"iN,  Isa.  xxix.  1,  S  ;  and,  earlier, 
D^li"!  Judges  xix.  10  ;  now  called  by  the  Mohamme- 
dans, el-Khuds  ["  the  hohj^''  or  Beit  el-Makdis,  "  the 
holy  house,^^  '■'■the  sanctuary'''''].  In  every  respect 
this  city  is  the  mysterious  and  wonderful  flower  of 
history :  f — m  its  situation,  in  its  history,  in  its  reli- 
gious position,  and  especially  in  its  symbolical  char- 
acter. The  city  lay  high  ;  and  the  hills  around  came 
first  into  vievr,  over  which  it  spread  gradually  into 
the  higher  and  lower  city :  the  hill  of  Zion  being  the 
centre,  —  Zion,  Moriah,  Bezetha,  Akra.  Then  the 
valleys,  which  made  it  a  natural  fortress  :  toward  the 
west  the  valley  of  Gihon  ;  toward  the  south-west  and 
south,  Go-hinnom ;  toward  the  east,  the  valley  of 
Kidron,  bounded  by  the  low  hill  of  Gihon,  the  Mount 
of  Evil  Counsel,  and  the  Mount  of  Olives  with  its 
three  peaks.  The  city  belonged  to  the  inheritance 
of  Benjamin,  but  was  for  the  most  part  inliabited  by 
the  tribe  of  Judah.  As  it  respects  the  history  of 
Jerusalem,  we  may  distinguish  the  period  before, 
and  the  period  after,  the  exile.  The  former  is  sub- 
divided into  the  tune  of  the  Canaanite  origin  of  the 
place  ( Josephus  calls  its  builder  Melchizcdcc) ;  the 
time  of  its  gradual  elevation  and  glory  ;  the  time  of 
its  humiUation  down  to  the  destruction  of  the  first 
temple.  The  time  after  the  exile  may  be  divided 
into  the  Jewish,  the  Christian,  and  the  Mohammedan 
periods.  Wonderful  have  been  the  conquests  and 
epoUations  which  Jerusalem  has  undergone,  without 
being  demolished. 

[See  the  article  Jerusalem  in  Winer's  Realwor- 
tcrhuch,  and  in  W.  Smith's  D'tctionary  of  the  B'Me 
(vol.  i.  pp.  981-1035,  by  James  Fergusson,  very  full 
and  elaborate  with  maps) ;  Krafft's  Topographie 
Jerusalems  (Bonn,  1846);  Barclay's  City  of  the 
Great  King  ;  and  the  well-knovi^n  works  on  Palestine, 
by  Robinson,  von  Raumer,  von  Schubert,  Tischen- 
dorf, ScHULz,  Strauss,  Tobler,  Wolff,  Bau.sman, 
etc.] 

To  Bethphage. — It  lay,  according  to  ver.  2, 
straight  before  them,  and  was  soon  reached,  rr^a 
X5D ,  house  of  figs.  The  name  indicates  a  favorable 
situation  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Mount  of  Olives. 
"Descending  about  100  steps  from  the  top  of  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  the  place  is  seen  where  Bethphage 


^  {Die  mysteriose  Wiinderhliime  dfr  Weltyewlt'ichU, — 
one  of  the  many  untranslatable  poetic  compounds  of  Dr. 
Lange.    The  Edinb.  transl.  has  mysterious  glory. — I'.  S] 


stood,  though  no  ruin  remains  at  this  day  to  mark 
the  spot :  15  stadia  farther  down,  or  a  short  half  hour 
from  Jerusalem  (John  xi.  18),  we  reach  Bethany. 
The  village  (el  Aziriyeh  [from  el  Azir,  i.  e.,  Lazarus]) 
is  small  and  poor,  occupied  by  Arabs  (and  Chris- 
tians) ;  the  way  to  Jericho  runs  through  it.  The  sup- 
posed houses  of  Martha,  Mary  Magdalene,  Lazarus, 
Simon  the  leper,  are  shown  to  this  day  ;  but  especial- 
ly the  sepulchre  of  Lazarus,  hewn  out  of  stone." 
Von  Raumer.  Winer  suggests  that  Bethphage  lay 
somewhat  east  of  Bethany ;  and  hence  that  it  is  named 
before  Bethany  in  Mark  xi.  1 ;  Luke  xix.  29.  But 
in  Mark  xi.  1  the  description  runs  backward  from 
the  starting-point :  Jerusalem,  Bethphage,  Bethany  ; 
according  to  which,  Bethphage  lay  between  Jerusa- 
lem and  Bethany.  Robinson  follows  Winer  in  draw- 
ing the  same  wrong  conclusion  from  the  text.*  Po- 
cocke  thought  that  he  found  the  ruins  of  Bethphage 
two  English  miles  from  the  city ;  but  Robinson  as- 
sures us  that  there  are  no  traces  of  it  visible.  The 
road,  which  passed  from  the  valley  of  Bethany  over 
the  hill  of  Bethphage  to  the  middle  hiU  of  the  Mount 
of  OUves,  then  passing  downward  to  the  valley  of 
Kidron,  was  then -dost  in  rich  palm  plantations  and 
fruit  and  olive  gardens.  At  the  time  of  the  Passover, 
the  many  trains  of  pilgrhns,  and  the  tents  on  the 
sides  of  the  Mount  of  Olives  (in  which  many  pilgrims 
lodged),  made  the  road  look  Uke  a  festal  and  excited 
encampment. 

Then  sent  Jesus  two  disciple.s. — They  are  not 
furtlier  indicated.  The  sending  was  occasioned  by 
the  Messianic  significance  of  the  journey.  The  fes- 
tive procession,  which  had  come  from  Jericho  to  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  halted 
there  on  account  of  the  Sabbath,  was  increased  on 
Monday  morning  by  the  adherents  of  Jesus  who  came 
out  from  Jerusalem  to  meet  Him.  On  the  evening 
before,  many  Jews  had  gone  to  Bethany,  to  see  Je- 
sus, and  Lazarus,  whom  He  had  raised  from  the  dead 
(John  xii.  9).  Others  were  now  added  to  these. 
They  received  Him  with  palm  branches,  and  went  on 
smging  the  Messianic  greeting  of  Ps.  cxviii.  26  :  Ho- 
sanna,  blessed  is  He  that  coraeth  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord— the  King  of  Israel.  He  would  enter  into  the 
holy  city  with  the  emblems  of  the  King  of  peace,  ac- 
cording to  Zech.  ix.  9  :  hence  the  mission  of  the  dis- 
ciples. 

Ver.  2.  Into  the  village. — Bethphage. 

An  ass,  and  a  colt  with  her. — "  The  seeming 
variation  of  the  two  animals  from  Mark  xi.  2 ;  Luke 
xix.  30 ;  John  xii.  14,  is  not  to  be  derived  (with  de 
Wette  and  Strauss)  from  a  misunderstanding  of  the 
prophetic  passage,  in  which  ~yj  b>1  is  the  epexeget- 
ic  parallel  of  l^n"'p^  •  In  the  same  way  we  must 
understand  Ka\  eV!  vwXov,  ver.  5.  Matthew  also  say.s 
that  Jesus  rode  upon  the  colt ;  but  the  mother  ani- 


*  [Grresswell  and  Nast  remove  the  difficulty  by  supposing 
that  Bethphage  lay  upon  the  direct  line  of  this  route,  but 
that  Bethany  did  not;  so  that  one  travelling  from  Jericho 
would  come  to  Bethphace  first,  and  would  have  to  turn  oil" 
from  the  road  to  go  to  Bethany. — P.  8.] 


372 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


mal  was  there,  which  circumstance  tlie  other  Evan- 
gelists pass  over."  Meyer.  The  words  of  the  propii- 
et  Zechariah  run :  "  Rejoice  greatly,  0  daughter  of 
Zion ;  shout,  0  daughter  of  Jerusalem  :  behold,  thy 
King  Cometh  unto  thee :  He  is  just,  and  having  sal- 
vation ;  lowly,  and  riding  upon  an  ass,  yea,  upon  a 
colt  the  foal  of  an  ass."  Here  there  is  a  paralMis- 
mim  laemhrorum :  the  ass  in  the  former  clause  is 
more  fully  described  in  the  second  as  the  foal  of  the 
ass.  Strauss  thinks  that  the  EvangeUst  misunder- 
stood this  parallelism,  and  accordingly  made  two 
animals  out  of  one.  But,  doubtless,  the  Evangelist, 
who  understood  Hebrew  poetry,  thought  of  another 
explanation  of  the  parallel:  that,  namely,  between 
the  mother  ass  and  her  foal,  as  it  was  realized  in 
the  actual  event.  The  Evangehsts,  all  of  them,  lay 
stress  on  the  fact,  already  predicted  by  the  prophet, 
that  Jesus  entered  the  city  on  a  foal  not  yet 
ridden.  This  characteristic  of  the  animal  was  sym- 
bolical, as  the  whole  procession  was  symbohcal.  A 
new  time ;  a  new  Prince ;  a  new  animal  to  ride  upon. 
But  if  this  foal  had  never  borne  a  rider,  it  was  neces- 
sary that  the  mother  should  be  led  by  its  side,  in  or- 
der to  quiet  it  lor  such  a  service. — According  to 
Justm  Martyr  {Dial.  c.  Tryph.  63),  the  foal  was  a 
figure  of  untamed  heathenism ;  while  the  ass,  accus- 
tomed to  burdens,  was  a  figure  of  Judaism  under  the 
law.*  But  the  contrast  of  the  old  theocracy  and  the 
young  iKK\7\(Tia  seems  more  obvious.  In  the  sym- 
bohsm  of  the  prophets  the  ass  signifies  the  peaceable 
animal  of  the  Prince  of  peace,  in  opposition  to  the 
proud  war-horse  of  the  conqueror.  (Against  the 
frivolous  witticisms  of  Strauss  on  the  two  animals, 
compare  Ebrard,  p.  480.) 

Loose  them. — "Strauss  has  no  ground  what- 
ever for  making  this  prediction  a  myth,  with  allusion 
to  Gen.  xhx.  11."  Meyer.  The  disciples  were  to 
loose  the  asses,  which  stood  bound  by  the  way,  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  standers-by ;  thus,  believing  in 
the  word  of  Jesus,  they  were  to  perform  an  act 
which  seemed  violent,  but  was  not  so,  inasmuch  as 
the  Lord  knew  beforehand  the  consent  of  these  men, 
and  communicated  that  assurance  to  the  disciples. — 
But  why  did  the  Lord  adopt  such  a  method  of  en- 
tering Jerusalem  ?  In  this  style  of  approach  we  see 
the  character  of  His  progress  throughout  the  world. 
He  is  a  King,  at  whose  disposal  all  things  stand 
when  He  wants  them,  but  who  has  not  anywhere, 
either  for  Himself  or  for  His  servants,  great  provision 
laid  up  beforehand.  Thus  He  goes  on  His  way 
through  the  world,  as  having  nothing,  and  yet  pos- 
sessing all  things.  Doubtless,  the  fact  of  this  provi- 
sion may  be  traced  to  His  friends  at  Bethany,  as  the 
provision  of  the  guest-chamber  at  Jerusalem  for  the 
Passover  was  traceable  to  friends  in  the  city ;  but  in 
both  cases  the  exact  specification  does  not  point  to 
any  external  concert,  but  to  the  superhuman  know- 
ledge of  Christ. 

Ver.  4.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled.— The 
words  combine  two  passages:  Isa.  Ixii.  11  ("Tell  ye 
the  daughter  of  Zion."  Here  the  city  of  the  present 
seems  to  be  addressed  as  the  daughter  of  the  ideal, 
historical,  Jerusalem),  and  Zech.  ix.  9  (see  above). 


*  [Cbrysostom,  Jerome,  and  other  fathers,  likewise  re- 
gard the  MS  as  a  figure  of  the  synagogue  burdened  with  the 
yoke  of  the  law,  and  the  colt  as  a  symbol  of  the  Gentiles 
who  were  untamed  and  unclean  before  Christ  sat  upon 
them  aud  Banctified  them.  See  more  of  this  patristic  allot'o- 
rizing  in  the  Cateyia  Aurea  of  Thomas  Aquinas,  Oxford  ed. 
I.  ii.  p.  708  sqq.  Of  modern  commentators  Wordsworth 
adopts  it  in  this  as  in  many  other  cases.— P.  S.] 


This  latter  passage  refers  back  indeed  to  the  blessing 
of  Judah,  Gen.  xlix.  11.  Judah  is  there  exhibited  as 
combining  the  conqueror  and  the  prince  of  peace 
(Hhiloh) :  first,  he  is  a  conquering  prince,  and  then 
the  prince  of  peace;  and  in  the  latter  capachy  he 
makes  use  of  the  ass.  Both  these  characteristics  of 
Judah  are  typically  separated  in  the  contrast  between 
David  and  Solomon;  and  in  the  Messiah  they  are 
united  and  fulfilled.  Zechariah  introduces  the  Mes- 
siah first  as  a  warrior,  ch.  ix.,  and  then  makes  Him 
enter  Jerusalem  as  a  Prince  of  peace.  But  the  ex- 
pression, "that  it  might  be  fulfilled,"  does  not  here, 
any  more  than  in  ch.  ii.  23  ;  John  xix.  28,  and  else- 
where, signify  a  merely  conventional  and  fortuitous 
reaUzation  of  the  prophecy.  The  occasion  and  need 
of  the  moment  was  the  oljvious  motive.  But  to  the 
Spirit  of  God  these  historical  occasions  were  arranged 
coincidences  with  the  prophetical  word.  Christ  was 
in  need  of  the  foal  of  the  ass,  inasmuch  as  He  co\ild 
not  make  His  entrance  on  foot  iu  the  midst  of  a  festal 
procession.  He  must  not  be  lost  in  the  crowd;  it 
was  necessary  that  He  should  take  a  prominent  posi- 
tion, and  appear  pre-emment.  But  Lf  He  became 
conspicuous,  it  must  be  in  the  most  humble  and 
peaceable  fashion :  hence  the  choice  of  the  ass.  The 
dignity  of  the  procession  required  the  ass's  colt,  and 
this  made  the  history  all  the  more  symbolical.  But 
it  could  not  be  concealed  from  the  spirit  of  Christ 
that  here  again  the  plain  historical  necessity  coin- 
cided with  the  symbolically  significant  fulfilment  of  a 
prophetical  word.  The  disciples  did  not  perceive 
this  significance  till  afterward. 

Ver.  5.  And  (Yea)  a  colt. — The  k  o  i  is  epexe- 
getieal,  for  closer  description : — and  that  the  foal  of 
an  ass. 

Ver.  */.  He  sat  upon  them,  iKddifffv  iiravu 
avTwv. — This  is  referred  to  ihe  garments  by  Theo- 
lAylact,  Euth.  Zygab.,  Castal.,  Beza,  Meyer,  and 
others  [Wordsworth].  As  referred  to  the  animals, 
it  is  variously  explained.  De  Wette :  a  want  of  ac- 
curacy in  Matthew.  Strauss  says  that  the  Evangelist 
makes  Jesus  slavishly  and  unreasonably  carry  out 
the  prophetic  description,  by  riding  at  once  upon 
both  animals.*  Fritzsche,  Fleck,  and  older  com- 
mentators, suppose  that  He  rode  on  both  alternately. 
Other  expositors,  as  Winer,  Olshausen,  Ebrard, 
Lange,  comp.  Calvin  and  Grotius,  [also  Alford  and 
Nast],  explain  it  as  merely  an  inexact  expression,  as 
we  might  say :  "  He  sprang  from  the  horses."  We 
do  not,  however,  lay  stress  upon  this  comprehensive 
expression,  but  upon  the  idea  that  He  controlled  the 
pair  by  riding  the  foal.  (Olshausen  is  mistaken  in  sup- 
posing that  He  rode  the  ass.)  If  we  ascribe  to  the 
EvangeHst  a  symbolical  consciousness,  this  circum- 
stance assumes  a  Uving  significance.  The  old  theoc- 
racy runs  idly  and  instinctively  by  the  side  of  the 
young  Church,  which  has  become  the  true  bearer  of 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  With  all  the  enmity  that 
existed,  she  could  not  separate  from  it.  The  rider 
of  a  team  does  I'eally  ride  both  the  united  animals, 
though  in  a  mechanical  sense  only  one;  and  this 
view"  is  not  opposed,  as  Meyer  thinks,  by  the  fact 
that  in  ver.  5,  where  riding  in  a  narrower  sense  ia 
spoken  of,  such  latitude  of  expression  cannot  be  as- 
sumed. Glassius's  explanation  of  an  enallac/e  numeri 
must  then  fall  to  the  ground. 

*  [In  his  new  Life  of  Jems,  1864,  p.  524,  Strauss  is  not 
ashamed  to  repeat  this  specimen  of  frivolous  criticism,  to 
which  it  is  sufficient  to  reply  that  Matthew  knew  as  much 
Hebrew  and  had  as  much  common  sense  as  any 
critic  of  his  Gospel.- P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXI.  1-11. 


373 


Ver.  8.  Spread  their  garments  [loose  over- 
coats, comp.  ch.  V.  40]. — Oriental  mark  of  honor  at 
the  reception  of  kings,  on  their  entrance  into  cities : 
2  Khigs  ix.  13.  The  disciples  had  made  their  upper 
garments  into  covermgs  for  the  animals ;  the  people 
follow  the  example,  and  spread  theirs  as  a  carpet  on 
the  way. 

Ter.  9.  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David. — 
N;-n5-''d"in  (nin"i).  Help  {Lord);  give  Thii  salva- 
tion! Ps.  cxviii.  25.  The  expression  seems  gradu- 
ally to  have  become  a  Messianic  prediction  of  good 
wish  {Hail,  io  trmmphe,  Irj  Traidv).  Hence  its  mean- 
ing varied  according  to  circumstances  ;  but  here  its 
highest  significance  was  disclosed.  "  The  dative  is 
not  governed  by  the  verb  in  waawa,  but  is  a  dative 
of  relation,  and  Hosanna  is  a  festal  cry  of  good  will." 
Meyer. — Hosanna  in  the  highest. — In  the  highest 
regions  (y  if/ 1  o-  t  o  i  s),  that  is,  in  heaven.  De  Wette : 
,  May  Hosanna  be  confirmed  by  God  in  heaven.  Beza : 
May  it  be  given  by  God  in  heaven.  Fritzsche :  May 
it  be  cried  by  angels  in  heaven.  Meyer:  May  it 
come  down  from  heaven  upon  the  Messiah.  Salva- 
tion in  the  heavens,  viewed  generally,  means  as  well 
the  heavenly  salvation  which  God  gives  and  ensures, 
as  the  salvation  uttered  and  announced  from  the 
heavens.  Hence  we  might  more  precisely  explain  it 
— May  our  Hosanna  be  in  the  heavens  !  that  is,  as  a 
prayer,  and  as  a  prayer  granted  (comp.  Luke  ii.  14), 
as  an  exclamation  sent  to  heaven,  and  as  an  echo 
from  heaven.  In  short :  May  our  Hosanna  resound 
in  heaven  ! — These  Messianic  acclamations  seem,  ac- 
cording to  ver.  9,  to  have  taken  the  form  of  an  anti- 
phonal  song  between  the  multitudes  which  went  be- 
fore the  Lord  (the  disciples  from  Jerusalem  and  the 
Mount  of  Olives),  and  those  which  foUowed  Ilim  (the 
GalUoan  pilgrim-train). 

Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord. — The  pilgrims'  greeting  on  their  entrance 
into  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  the  feasts  (greeting  and 
response,  Ps.  cxviii.  26). 

[Jesus,  instead  of  giving  way  to  this  joyous  en- 
thu.siasm  of  the  shouting  multitude,  weeps  tears  of 
sympathy  and  compassion  over  imbelieving  Jerusa- 
lem. See  Luke  six.  41.  Could  such  a  trait  have 
been  invented  ? — P.  S.] 

Ver.  10.  And  -when  He  was  come  into  Jeru- 
salem.— The  journey  over  the  Mount  of  Ohves,  and 
the  Lord's  emotions  at  sight  of  the  city,  are  passed 
over.     See  Luke. 

The  whole  city  was  moved,  ia  eiae-n  . — 
The  verb  denotes  a  violent  excitement — the  being 
mightily  moved,  in  the  external  and  figurative  sense. 
Meyer:  "  The  excitement  was  contagious."  But  what 
follows  shows  that  the  excitement  must  not  be  re- 
garded as  merely  sympathetic.  The  question  uttered 
shows  this  of  itself.  Jerusalem  knew  the  person  of 
Jesus  sufficiently  to  have  spared  the  question,  had  it 
wished. 

Ver.  11.  The  prophet  from  Nazareth  of  Gal- 
ilee.— Meyer  :  "  The  well-known  prophet.  The  ac- 
company,') n.g  crowds  had  most  distinctly  termed  Him 
the  Messiah  ;  but  the  less  enthusiastic  multitude  in 
the  city  required  first  of  all  to  know  His  name,  condi- 
tion, and  so  forth.  Hence  the  full  answer,  in  which 
the  6  iirJ)  Na^oip.  T.  VaXiK.  is  certainly  not  without 
Galilean  pride."  This  may  be  so.  Yet  it  must  not 
be  overlooked,  that  the  question  of  surprise  with 
which  the  proud  city  met  the  Galilean  pilgrim-train 
seems  to  have  lowered  in  some  decree  the  spirit  of 


their  testimony.  It  is  not  "the  Messiah,"  but, 
somewhat  ambiguously,  "  the  prophet,"  that  they 
reply. 


DOCTRINAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  See  the  preceding  explanations. 

2.  On  the  jubilant  acclamation  which  the  disci- 
ples, on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  in  prospect  of  the 
city,  poured  out  in  honor  of  Jesus,  compare  Luke 
xix.  37;  John  xii.  17.  Doubtless  we  have  here — 
where  they  celebrated  the  miracles  of  Christ,  and  es- 
pecially His  raising  of  Lazarus — the  first  preludes  of 
the  speaking  with  new  tongues  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost. The  common  object  of  both,  in  the  first  as 
well  as  in  the  last,  is  to.  ueyaAela  rov  @iov. 

'6.  According  to  the  Vv'olfenbiittel  Fragmentist, 
the  entrance  of  the  Lord  was  the  last  attempt  at  a 
Messianic  political  foundation  of  a  kingdom.  But 
this  is  quite  contrary  to  the  whole  of  our  Lord's  pre- 
vious conduct,  as  He  always  avoided,  not  only  all 
political  suggestions  and  temptations,  but  even  the 
very  idea  of  a  political  Messiah  itself.*  The  readi- 
ness with  which  He  could  yield  to  the  true  Messiah- 
idea,  implanted  in  the  minds  of  His  disciples,  proves 
that  among  them  also  the  proper  hope  of  a  political 
Messiah  had  been  already  overcome.  That  the  Lord 
never  made  a  single  attempt  to  set  in  motion  a  poUt- 
ical  project,  docs  not  say  enough :  we  find  that  His 
disciples  never  did  so.  But  that  the  Lord  should 
suffer  Himself  to  be  introduced  festally  as  their  Mes- 
siah by  His  people,  was  only  consistent  with  the 
truth  of  His  Messiahship  and  the  theocratically-justi- 
fied  expectations  of  His  people.  The  entry  was  the 
purified  historical  fulfilment  of  the  Messianic  expec- 
tations of  Israel,  in  conformity  with  the  promise ;  but, 
in  the  form  it  assumed,  it  was  a  testing  accommoda- 
tion to  the  Messianic  expectation  of  the  age.  In  the 
wilderness,  the  popular  spirit  had  tested  Him ;  now 
His  appearance  tested  the  popular  spirit.  This  test 
was  a  judgment  upon  the  unbelief  of  the  people ;  but 
it  was  also  an  important  purifier  of  the  rising  faith 
of  those  who  truly  believed  in  Him.  To  Himself, 
finally,  the  kingly  procession  was  a  prelude  of  His 
sufferings ;  but  it  was  also  a  symbol  to  Him  of  His 
glorification,  of  His  kingly  procession  through  the 
world,  and  of  His  future  great  epiphany.  Hence  the 
history  of  Palm  Sunday  is  read  as  an  Advent  lesson. 
Palm  Sunday  stands  at  the  beginning  of  Passion- 
week,  as  an  anticipation  of  Easter ;  just  as,  converse- 
ly, the  day  of  Crucifixion  is  gently  reflected  in  the  As- 
cension day, — this  also  being  the  Lord's  departure, 

*  [Comp.  the  remarks  of  Dr.  "W.  Nast  in  loc. :  "The  ab- 
surd assertion  of  the  antichristian  critique,  '  that  Jesus' en- 
tr3'  was  His  last  attempt  to  found  a  worldly  Messianic  king- 
dom,' is  sufficiently  refuted  not  only  by  the  uniform  tenor 
of  Ilis  previous  conduct,  rejecting  .sternly  all  insinuations 
and  offers  of  that  kind  as  coming  from  the  Evil  One,  but 
also  by  the  form  of  the  entry,  which  was  well  adapted  to 
remove  every  idea  of  earthly  power  and  worldly  frlory,  even 
amid  the  hosannas  of  His  followers  and  the  attending  crowds, 
and  to  set  forth  the  spiritual  nature  of  His  kingdom.  His 
followers  did  not  carry  swords  or  spears,  but  branches  of 
palm-trees,  and  He  Himself  did  not  ride  the  war-steed  of  a 
king,  but  the  colt  of  an  a.ss,  the  symbol  of  peace.  That  the 
entry  had  no  political  character  appears  also  from  the  fact 
that  the  Iloman  Government  took  no  notice  of  it" — Even 
Strauss,  in  his  new  Life  of  JemH,  p.  27S,  refutes  the  hvpo- 
tliesis  of  Eeim,arus  (the  author  of  the  WolfenbiMel  Frag- 
mentu),  and  well  remarks  that  he  who  makes  his  entry  un- 
armed with  unarmed  followers  on  a  peaceful  animal  must 
either  be  already  acknowledged  as  ruler,  or  he  must  aim  at 
dominion  in  such  a  manner  as  excludes  all  force  and  political 
power.— r.  S.] 


374 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


And  the  consecration  of  His  church  as  a  church  of 
the  croH!?. 

[4.  Heubneu  :  Chiist's  entry  into  Jerusalem  forms 
in  every  particular  a  memorable  contrast  to  the  sub- 
sequent passion.  In  the  one  case  He  stands  on  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  the  spot  of  His  glory,  looking  over 
Jerusalem,  which  did  homage  to  Him ;  in  the  other 
He  was  led  to  Golgotha,  the  place  of  the  skull,  sur- 
rounded by  the  graves  and  skulls  of  malefactors. 
Here  He  held  His  solemn  entry,  attended  by  friends 
and  followers  and  the  shouting  multitude  ;  there  He 
is  thrust  out  of  the  city,  surrounded  by  enemies,  tied 
as  a  criminal,  and  led  by  officers  and  executioners. 
Here  His  disciples  serve  Him  willingly,  and  feel  them- 
selves honored  thereby ;  there  they  forsake  Him  in 
dismay  and  despair.  Here  all  vie  with  each  other  in 
honoring  and  beautifying  His  entry  ;  there  they  spit 
in  His  face,  and  heap  all  kinds  of  ignominy  on  Him. 
Here  they  spread  garments  in  the  way  ;  there  He  is 
stripped  of  His  garments,  which  are  parted  by  cast- 
ing lots,  while  He  hangs  naked  on  the  cross.  Here 
branches  are  strewed  in  the  way,  and  He  walks  on 
beds  of  flowers ;  there  He  is  scourged  and  crowned 
with  thorns.  Here  He  rides  into  the  city  as  King ; 
there  He  is  compelled  to  bear  His  own  cross.  Here 
the  prophecy  of  Zechariah  concerning  the  coming 
King  is  fulfilled  ;  there  the  awful  prophecy  of  Isaiah 
concerning  Him  that  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men. 
Here  He  is  saluted  King,  amid  shouts  of  hosannas ; 
there  He  is  rejected,  condemned,  and  crucified  as  a 
false  prophet  and  blasphemer.  In  whose  life  is  there 
such  a  contrast — sucli  a  sudden  transition  from  joy 
and  glory  to  humiliation  and  ignominy  ?  And  amid 
the  high  excitement  of  these  rapidly-changing  scenes, 
Christ  maintains  a  perfect  equanimity,  neither  giving 
way  for  a  moment  to  the  importunities  of  His  excited 
friends,  nor  overwhelmed  by  the  apparent  hopeless- 
ness of  His  cause. — P.  S.] 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Jesus  comes  as  the  Christ  publicly  to  His  city ;  or, 
the  day  of  decision.  It  was,  1.  prepared  for  with 
sacred  foresight ;  2.  longed  for  with  the  most  fervent 
desire ;  3.  adorned  with  the  richest  miracles  of  salva- 
tion ;  4.  like  a  festal  revelation  from  heaven  ;  5.  and 
yet  it  was  a  day  of  severest  test  and  of  decisive 
judgment  for  Israel ;  but,  finally,  6.  also  a  day  of 
the  approach  of  redemption  for  the  people  of  God. — 
Jesus  and  Jerusalem  ;  or,  the  King  of  peace  and  the 
city  of  peace:  1.  Designed  ever  for  each  other;  2. 
bringing  each  other  the  doom  of  death ;  3.  for  each 
other  the  means  of  glorification. — The  Mount  of 
Olives  :  1 .  He  came  over  the  Mount  of  Olives, — the 
Christ  of  the  Spirit;  2.  He  went  to  heaven  from  the 
Moimt  of  Olives, — the  Mediator  of  the  Spirit. — The 
festal  entrance  of  Christ  into  the  holy  city,  in  its  sig- 
nificance for  all  times  :  1 .  The  present — as  the  glory 
of  the  life  of  Jesus  ;  2.  the  past — as  the  glory  of  the 
ancient  covenant ;  3.  the  future — as  the  type  of  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  glory. — The  concealed  friends  of 
Christ  in  the  history  of  His  kingdom. — The  obedi- 
ence of  the  two  disciples,  a  severe  test  of  faith. — The 
palm-entry  of  Christ  a  heavenly  type  of  the  coming 
kingdom  of  heaven  itself. — The  festal  procession  of 
the  Prince  of  peace:  1.  Scriptural  representations: 
the  blessing  of  Jacob,  Solomon's  rule,  the  word  of 
Zechariah.  2.  Under  what  signs  He  appears;  the 
annual  of  peace,  the  palm  of  peace,  the  people  of 
peace  (the  last  intensely  excited,  yet  without  any 


I  trace  of  insurrection).  3.  What  peace  He  brings  : 
peace  of  the  heart  with  God,  peace  of  fellowship 
with  brethren,  peace  of  reconciliation  with  the  exist- 
ing order  of  things.  In  all  His  peace. — The  lesson 
taught  by  the  great  palm-entry  without  any  trace  of 
insurrection :  1.  Regard  not  (hierarchically)  Christ  as 
separated  from  His  people  (freedom  of  faith) ;  2.  re- 
gard not  (despotically)  the  people  as  separated  from 
their  Christ  (freedom  of  conscience). — How  we  should 
receive  the  Lord  at  His  entrance  :  1.  With  devotion 
of  heart,  in  trust  and  obedience ;  2.  with  the  praise  of 
lips ;  3.  with  festive  offerings  of  our  substance. — Lift 
up  your  heads,  0  ye  gates !  Ps.  xxiv. — The  Hosanna 
of  the  festal  multitudes ;  or,  Israel  in  the  beauty  of 
spring:  1.  The  blossom  full  of  promise;  2.  the  fading 
flowers  ;  3.  the  fruit  that  remained. — The  Hosanna, 
as  echo  of  the  angels'  song,  Luke  ii.,  in  the  hearts  of 
men. — The  Hosanna  in  its  twofold  issue :  Crucify 
Him,  and  the  tongues  at  Pentecost. — Jerusalem  once 
more  excited  by  the  announcement  of  the  Messiah 
(compare  Matt.  ii.). — All  the  world  must  ask  who  He 
is. — Loud  praise  and  timid  confession. — The  day  of 
salvation  :  To-day,  to-day,  if  ye  will  hear  His  voice, 
Heb.  iii.  1. — Palm  Sunday,  a  preparatory  festival,  1. 
of  Good  Friday  ;  2.  of  Easter ;  3.  of  the  Ascension ; 
4.  of  Pentecost. 

Starke : — With  what  alacrity  does  the  Lord  make 
arrangements  for  His  end  !  —  A  King  whose  best 
throne  is  in  the  heart. — As  all  thmgs  spoken  concern- 
ing Christ  in  the  Scripture  were  fuliilled,  so  also  must 
be  fulfilled  all  things  spoken  in  the  Scripture  concern- 
ing His  church. — Christ's  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world,  but  spiritual. — The  works  of  God  are  not  with 
observation. 

Gerlach : — After  Jesus  had  so  often  avoided  the 
snares  of  His  enemies.  He  now  goes  directly  to  meet 
the  dcatli  long  predicted  for  Him  ;  while  His  friends 
expected  the  manifestation  of  His  kingly  dignity,  and 
His  enemies  expected  His  total  destruction. — The 
hopes  of  friends  and  foes  were  alike  fulfilled,  yet  not 
in  the  way  they  respectively  thought :  He  suffered 
death,  that  He  might  gloriously  conquer  in  it ;  He 
received  His  kingdom  on  the  cross. 

Ifeubner  : — Jesus  orders  all  things  with  supreme 
wisdom  and  prudence  for  His  final  work. — The  last 
journey  of  Jesus  to  Jerusalem. — Jesus  is  always 
seeking  access  into  our  hearts. — The  kingdom  of  God 
a  kingdom  of  gentleness  and  love. — The  entry  of 
Christ:  I.  Blameless  and  harmless;  2.  wise  and  dig- 
nified ;  3.  in  accordance  with  duty  and  necessity. — 
The  contrast  between  this  entrance  and  the  Passion 
history. — The  glorification  of  Jesus  at  His  last  en- 
trance into  Jerusalem  :  L  By  what  He  Himself  did  ; 
and  2.  by  what  took  place  on  Him  through  the  in- 
strumentality of  others. — What  excitement  in  aU  the 
world  and  in  all  times  concerning  Jesus ! — On  the 
first  Sunday  in  Advent  this  Gospel  nmst  be  viewed 
in  itself,  on  Palm  Sunday  in  its  connection  with  the 
history  of  the  Passion. 

171^  Text  as  the  Gospel  for  Advent. — Hossbach  : 
— Christ  holding  His  entry  anew  among  us. — Hey : — 
Pious  enthusiasm,  hi  its  value  and  in  its  insufficiency. 
— Sclmltz : — When  can  the  Christian  say  of  himself 
that  salvation  is  come  nigh  to  him  ? — Lisco : — The 
preparation  for  the  coming  of  Christ. 

TJie  Text  as  the  Gospel  for  Palm  Sunday. — iJeiw- 
hard: — Jesus'  deportment  before  and  during  the 
swift  process  of  His  last  sorrows. — Harms  : — In  all 
our  sad  journeys,  let  us  take  Jesus  for  our  guide. — 
Sachmann : — Introduction  to  the  proper  celebration 
of  the  holy  week. — Ahlfeld : — A  glance  into  the  na- 


CHAP.  XXI.  12-14. 


375 


ture  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. — Dittmar  : — Behold,  I  utter  our  Hosannas  to  the  Son  of  David,  who  is  go- 
thy  King  cometh  unto  thee. — Ravienberg : — Dare  we  |  ing  to  Calvary  ? 


FIFTH    SECTION. 

THE   CLEANSING  OF  THE  TEMPLE,   Al^D   CHRIST'S  ABODE  IN  IT  AS  ITS  KING. 
Ohaptee  XXI.  12-22. 


A.  TJw  House  of  Prayer  and  Mercy,  in  contrast  with  the  Den  of  Tldeves.     Ch.  XXI.  12-14. 
(Mark  xi.  Il-IT;  Luke  xix.  45,  46.) 

12  And  Jesus  went  into  the  temple  of  God,  and  cast  out  all  them  that  sold  and  bought 
in  the  temple,  and  overthrew  [overturned,  Kareo-rpet/^e]  the  tables  of  the  money  chang- 

13  ers,  and  the  seats  of  them  that  sold  [of  sellers  of]  doves,^  And  [he]  ^  said  unto  them,  It 
is  written,  My  house  shall  be  called  the  [a]  house  of  prayer  (Is.  Ivi.  7);  but  ye  have 

14  made  [make]  ^  it  a  den  of  thieves  [robbers,  Xrjo-rwv,  Jer.  vii.  11].*     And  the  bhnd  and 
the  lame  °  came  to  him  in  the  temple ;  and  he  healed  them. 

>  Tor.  12.— [T  w ;/  iraKovvTcov  ras  Trepia-repd^,  Lange  and  other  German  Versions:  Taubenhdndler ; 
Luther:  Tauhenkrdmer ;  Hellers  of  doves.  Doves  were  ottered  to  the  Lord  by  the  poor  as  a  substitute  for  a  lamb.  Ley. 
T.  7;  xii.  S;  Luke  ii.  24.-P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  13.— [A  new  sentence  ought  to  commence  with  ver.  13,  and  hence  the  lie  inserted.    So  also  Lange. — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  13.— Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Tregelles,  Alford],  read:  tt  o  i  e  ?t  e,  y«  make,  with  Codd.  B.,  L.,  [Cod.  Sinait.], 
and  other  ancient  authorities,  instead  of  e  tt  o  1 7;  o-  a  t  e   of  the  Recepta  (from  Luke). 

♦  Ver.  13.— [Comp.  the  Authorized  Version  in  Jer.  vii.  11,  from  which  this  passage  is  quoted.  At)  a r  r)  s ,  robber, 
plunderer,  is  stronger  than  /c  A  e  tt  t  tj  s,  thief.  The  Authorized  Version,  however,  generally  renders  it  thief  (in  11  pas- 
sages of  the  N.  T.),  except  in  John  x.  1,8;  xviii.  40;  2  Cor.  xi.  26.  The  difference  appears  plainly  in  Jolin  s.  8: 
KKimaL  elalv  icai  \r](rrai,  thieves  and  robbers.  But  Luther's  Mordergrube,  which  Lange  retains,  is  too  strong;  al- 
thoush  the  verse  quoted  from  Jeremiah  stands  in  connection  with  the  charge  of  murder  and  the  sheddii.'g  of  innocent 
blood.     Better:  Rdaberhbhle,  speluncu  latronum. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  14.— Cod.  C.  reverses  the  order:  x'^^"'  f«^  TvcpXoi.  [In  the  English  Version  the  definite  article  is  required, 
or  else  the  addition  of  the  word  persons.— P.  S.] 

the  antitype.  The  temple-visiou  of  Ezekiel  has  only 
an  ideal,  symbolical  meaning.  The  attempt  of  Juhan 
to  rebuild  the  temple  only  served  to  demonstrate  the 
continuance  of  its  doom  ;  and  the  temple  of  the 
Egyptian  Jews  at  LeontopoUs  was  only  a  transitory 
imitation.  As  the  temple,  in  *he  narrower  sense, 
had  three  historical  periods,  so  the  sanctuary  of  the 
temple  had  three  divisions — the  Forecourt,  the  Sanc- 
tuary, and  the  Hohcst  or  Holy  of  Holies.  See  Wi- 
ner, art.  Tempel  [also  the  valuable  article  Temple, 
illustrated  with  plates,  in  W.  Smith's  Dictionary  of 
the  Bible,  vol.  iii.,  pp.  1450-1464].  As  to  the  signifi- 
cation of  the  temple,  compare  the  various  treatises 
of  B^KiiR,  Kurtz,  Sartorius,  Hengstenberg,  and 
others,  upon  the  Mosaic  Cultas,  but  especiady  Frie- 
DERicu :  SyiaboUk  dcr  Mosaischen  StiftsJmtte,  Leipz., 
1841,  and  Bjehu  :  Der  Salomonische  Tempel,  Karls- 
ruhe, 1848.  The  following  are  some  of  the  views 
taken :  1.  The  temple  was  a  figure  of  the  universe 
(Fhilo,  Joi'ephus) ;  2.  a  symbol  of  the  dwelling-place 
of  God  after  the  analogy  of  human  dwellings  (Hoflf- 
mann) ;  3.  a  figure  of  the  human  form  and  nature 
(intimated  by  Fhilo,  Luther,  Fricdericb) ;  4.  a  sym- 
bol of  heaven  (Biihr) ;  5.  tlie  symbol  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  under  the  Old  Covenant  (Uengstenberg,  Tho- 
luck,  Lisco,  etc.). — So  far  as  the  temple  of  God  was 
a  symbol,  it  was  a  figure  of  the  theocracy — of  the 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  12.  And  He  went  into  the  temple  of 
God,  and  cast  out. — Mark's  account  is  here  the 
more  exact.  On  the  evening  of  Palm  Sunday  Jesus 
went  into  the  temple,  and  looked  round, — v,-ithout, 
however,  doing  anything  then.  He  thereupon  re- 
turned with  the  disciples  to  Bethany,  which  may  be 
regarded  as  the  Lord's  resting-place  during  the  festi- 
val. Rcturnmg  next  day  to  the  temple,  the  fig-tree 
was  cursed.  Then  followed  the  cleansing  of  the 
temple. 

The  temple.  — nin-^  ^^^'^,  tip  ^^T'l 
cribx  rr^a .  Here  comes  into  view  the  history  of 
the  temple — its  construction,  and  form,  and  mean- 
ing. The  Jewish  temple  was  the  mysterious  centre 
of  Israel :  hence  its  history  is  the  history  of  the  peo- 
ple do\vn  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  We  may 
distinguish,  1.  The  period  of  the  patriarchal  altar ; 
2.  that  of  the  tabernacle  (travelling,  moveable,  and 
at  last  resting  on  Zion) ;  3.  the  temple  of  Solomon  ; 
4.  the  temple  of  Zerubbabel ;  5.  the  temple  of  Ilerod. 
At  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  the  tcmj)le  disap- 
peared, its  meaning  being  absorbed  in  the  Church  of 
Christ ;  that  is,  the  type  gave  place,  or  was  lost  in 


376 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


kingdom  of  heaven  which  comes  down  to  earth  ;  but 
80  far  as  it  was  a  type — that  is,  a  figure  of  some- 
thing to  come  * — it  was  a  figure  of  the  body  of  Christ 
(according  to  Jolm  ii.),  and  of  His  Church  as  the 
real  house  of  God.  And  thus,  as  the  Holiest  of  all 
was  the  most  essential  thing  in  the  type,  it  will  find 
its  final  and  consummate  realization  in  the  kingdom 
of  glory  (comp.  Ucb.  ix.  24 ;  Rev.  xxi.  22). 

And  cast  out. — The  locaUty  of  this  scene  was 
the  Court  of  the  Gentiles.  The  history  of  this  court 
is  obscure,  but  it  is  a  very  important  element  in  the 
history  of  the  temple ;  it  is  connected  with  the  devel- 
opment of  the  hierarchy  on  the  one  hand,  and  with 
the  advancement  of  prosclytism  on  the  other. 
The  changes  which  this  court  underwent,  reflected 
precisely  the  course  of  these  relations.  The  taber- 
nacle had  only  one  forecourt,  the  court  of  the  altar 
of  burnt-offering  (Exod.  xxvii.  1-8).  The  only  hint 
of  a  distmction  between  the  place  of  the  people  and 
the  place  of  the  priests,  is  the  circumstance  that  the 
laver  of  brass  for  the  priests'  washing  (Exod.  xxxviii. 
8)  stood  nearer  the  sanctuary  than  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offering.  In  the  temple  of  Solomon  the  court  of  the 
priests  (the  inner  court)  was  distinguished  from  the 
great  court  (2  Chron.  iv.  9).  Probably,  also,  it  was 
a  few  steps  higher ;  and  the  altar  of  burnt-offering 
belonged  to  the  court  of  the  priests.  In  the  temple 
of  Zerubbabel,  Alexander  Jannaeus  (b.  c.  106)  sep- 
arated the  court  of  the  priests  by  a  wooden  trellis 
from  the  external  court  of  the  temple  (Joseph.  An- 
iiq.  xiii.  8,  5).  This  wooden  treUis  gave  way  in  the 
temple  of  Herod  to  one  of  stone,  of  the  height  of  an 
ell  (Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  vi.  6,  5) ;  and  in  this  temple 
also  the  court  of  the  Gentiles  assumed  a  definite 
character.  The  temple  itself  was  surrounded  by  ter- 
races, which  formed  the  several  courts  in  gradation. 
"  The  outermost  space  (in  the  Talmud  :  mountain  of 
the  house  ;  1  Slac.  xiii.  53  :  mountain  of  the  sanctzi- 
ary)  went  round  the  whole  temple,  and  had  several 
gates.  It  was  laid  with  colored  stones,  and  begirt 
with  beautiful  halls.  A  few  steps  higher  a  stone  lat- 
tice, three  ells  high,  ran  all  the  way  round,  with  here 
and  there  Greek  and  Latin  inscriptions,  that  forbade 
all  who  were  not  Jews  to  proceed  any  farther  toward 
the  sanctuary  (on  pain  of  death.  Bell.  Jud.  vi.  2,  4). 
Hence  the  space  of  the  temple  mountain  as  far  as 
this  limit  has  been  called  by  Christian  archcsologists 
the  Court  of  the  Gentiles."  {See  Winer,  sub  Ternpel, 
ii.  p.  581.)  Through  this  court  was  reached  the  court 
proper,  which  in  its  breadth  was  divided  into  the 
courts  of  the  men  and  the  women  (the  former  lower 
than  the  latter),  but  in  its  dejAh  was  divided  into  the 
court  of  the  people  and  that  of  the  priests.  The 
"  Court  of  the  Gentiles  "  grew  in  importance  in  pro- 
portion as  the  distinction  between  proselytes  of  the 
gate  and  of  righteousness  came  to  prevail,!  and  it 
became  customary  for  even  devout  Gentiles  to  bring 
gifts  to  the  temple. 

*  [A  circumloculion  of  the  German:  Werdelild,  for 
which  I  know  of  no  precise  equivalent  in  English. — P.  S.] 

t  [The  Edinb.  transl.  here,  :is  often,  reverses  the  sense 
of  the  original,  and  reads:  «•>■  the  distinction  ....  icns 
done  away  (iu  German :  tiervortrat).  The  rabbinical  dis- 
tinction between  "iS^i'fl  ^la  and  p'lSH  i")-;  or  i~ly 
n'^'ISri  far  from  being  done  away  wth,  appeared  just  in  the 
later  history  of  Judaism,  and  was  in  fall  force  at  the  time  of 
the  apostles.  In  the  N.  T.  the  proselytes  of  the  gate  are 
called  oi  aifiofxeuoi  (or  <f>ojtiov^ffoi  rbr  Oedc),  Acts 
X.  2;  xiii.  50;  xvi.  14;  xvii.  4,  17;  xviii.  7  (comp.  Joseph. 
Antiq.  xiv.  7,  2;;  they  were  more  susceptible  for  the  gospel 
than  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  generally  formed  the  nu- 
cleus of  the  Gentile-Christian  congregations.— P.  S.] 


Those  that  sold  and  bought.—"  In  the  court 
of  the  Gentiles  was  the  so-called  temple-market, 
iabernce,  where  sacrificial  animals,  incense,  oil,  wine, 
and  other  things  necessary  for  the  service  and  sacri- 
fice, were  to  be  obtained."  Lightfoot. — ^The  tables 
of  the  money-changers. — They  changed,  at  a  cer- 
tain premium,  the  common  money,  which  was  ac- 
counted profane,  for  the  double  drachmas  which 
served  for  the  temple-tribute.  Thus  the  agents  who 
had  to  collect  the  temple-tribute  from  the  various 
districts  resorted  generally  to  these  money-changers. 
According  to  Luudius,  these  collectors  themselves 
took  charge  of  the  exchange  in  the  temple.  It  is 
highly  probable  that  many  of  those  who  came  up 
from  the  country  paid  at  this  time  the  tribute  which 
fell  due  in  the  month  of  Adar.  "  And  possibly  other 
business  connected  with  money-changing  by  degrees 
had  crept  in."     Meyer. 

TJie  Cleansing  of  the  Temple. — According  to 
Pearce,  Wetstein,  Liicke,  and  others,  this  act  was 
identical  with  the  cleansing  mentioned  in  John  ii.  13, 
which  belonged  to  the  first  visit  of  Jesus  to  the  Pass- 
over after  His  entrance  on  His  ministry ;  according 
to  Chrysostom  and  most  modern  commentators,  the 
account  of  the  Synoptists  is  a  repetition  of  that  ear- 
lier one.  It  is  obvious  that  they  omitted  the  earlier 
action  of  the  same  kind,  because  they  record,  gen- 
erally, only  the  last  of  Christ's  visits  to  the  feast.* 
But  for  John's  point  of  view,  the  former  cleansing 
was  a  decisive  crisis,  and  was  recorded  by  him  as 
such.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  assuming,  as  the  dis- 
tinct narratives  require,  that  the  act  was  performed 
twice.  And  although  it  might  be  possible  that  the 
two  records  mutually  influenced  each  other  (as  Nean- 
der,  Leben  Jesu,  388,  assumes),  it  is  plain  that  the 
later  has  its  own  advance  in  meaning.  According  to 
Mark,  Jesus  did  not  suffer  that  any  man  should  carry 
vessels  through  the  temple  (ch.  xi.  16);  and,  while 
in  John  we  read,  "  Make  not  My  Father's  house  a 
house  of  merchandize^''^  iu  the  last  accounts  we  read 
of  the  house  of  prayer  for  all  nations  being  turned 
into  a  den  of  robbers.  As  to  the  Lord's  warrant  for 
attacking  the  existing  irregularities,  which  had  be- 
come regular  by  practice,  various  explanations  have 
been  given.  Selden  {de  Jure  nat.  et  gent.  iv.  6)  and 
others  found  upon  the  act  of  Phinehas  (Num.  xxv. 
11)  the  supposition  of  an  Israelite  zealot-right ;  that 
is,  the  right  of  at  once  and  violently  assaulting  and 
abolishing  any  crying  offence  in  the  theocracy. 
Liicke  {Com.  on  John,  ii.  15,  16)  thinks  that  zealot- 
ism  as  a  right  can  not  be  proven,  yet  he  gathers  from 
the  history  of  the  people  and  the  writings  of  the 
Rabbins  that  the  reforming  vocation  in  the  Jewish 
church,  if  it  really  existed,  stood  higher  than  the 
external  right.  Of  course,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
assume  that  this  right  was  invested  whh  legal 
sanctions.  The  real  question  is,  whether  there 
ever  was  an  acknowledgment  of  a  right  to  inter- 
fere, under  divine  impulse  or  as  a  prophet,  with 
existing  abuses.  And  of  that  there  can  be  no 
doubt ;  indeed,  the  sad  prelude  of  this  zealotism 
was  the  violence  of  the  brothers  Skneon  and 
Levi  (Gen.  xxxiv.  25),  and  the  last  perversion  of 
it  was  the  conduct  of  the  Zealots  during  the  siege 


*  [So  also  Alford.  The  omission  of  the  first  cleansing  in 
the  Synoptists  is  in  remarkable  consistency  with  the  fact 
that  their  narrative  is  exclusively  Galilean  until  this  last 
journey  to  Jerusalem.  It  is  impossible  that  either  the  Sy- 
noptiots  or  John  should  have  made  such  a  gross  error  in 
chronology,  as  the  hypothesis  of  the  identity  of  the  two  nar- 
ratives assumes.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXI.  12-14. 


377 


of  the  city.  Between  these  extremes,  however, 
there  are  many  illustrious  instances  of  zealotism  ; 
and,  in  its  pure  fundamental  idea,  it  continues  per- 
manently in  the  discipHne  of  the  Christian  church.* 
That,  at  His  first  cleansing  of  the  temple,  Jesus 
acted  from  the  impulse  of  prophetic  zeal,  and  ac- 
cordmg  to  zealot-right,  is  plain  from  the  considera- 
tion that  He  had  not  yet  pubhcly  aimounced  Him- 
self under  the  name  of  the  Messiah  ;  and  the  Evan- 
gehst  significantly  refers  to  the  saying,  "  The  zeal 
of  Thine  house  hath  eaten  me  up"  (John  ii.  17). 
We  may,  therefore,  thus  distinguish :  On  the  first 
occasion  Christ  attacked  the  abuses  of  the  temple 
in  the  authority  of  prophetic  zealotism ;  on  the 
second  occasion,  in  the  authority  of  the  Messiah. 
But  we  must  not  overlook  the  fact,  that  the 
former  authority  forms  the  true  Old  Testament 
basis  for  the  latter ;  and  that  the  Messiah,  as  a 
reformer,  was  the  consummation  and  glorification 
of  the  prophetic  zealotism.  Much  has  been  said 
about  the  assent  of  the  people.  Origen  and  Jerome 
regarded  this  as  a  specific  miracle.  Doubtless,  the 
fact  is  explained  by  the  miraculous  influence  of 
the  prophetic  majesty  of  Christ  on  the  one  hand, 
and  of  the  evil  conscience  of  the  Jews  on  the 
other. 

[The  silent  submission  of  these  buyers  and  vend- 
ers, who  by  their  physical  force  might  easily  have 
overpowered  Jesus,  conclusively  proves  the  sublime 
moral  majesty  and  power  with  which  our  Saviour 
performed  this  act,  and  silences  the  objection  of 
some  modern  skeptics,  who  see  in  it  an  outbreak  of 
violent  passion,  which  is  always  a  sign  of  weakness. 
It  was  a  judicial  act  of  a  religious  reformer,  vindi- 
cating in  just  and  holy  zeal  the  honor  of  the  Lord 
of  the  temple,  and  revealed  the  presence  of  a  super- 
human authority  and  dignity,  which  filled  even  these 
profane  traffickers  with  awe,  and  made  them  yield 
without  a  murmur.  Jerome  regards  tins  expulsion 
of  a  multitude  by  one  humble  individual  as  the  most 
wonderful  of  the  miracles,  and  supposes  that  a  flame 
and  starry  ray  darted  from  the  eyes  of  the  Saviour, 
and  that  the  majesty  of  the  Godhead  was  radiant  in 
His  countenance. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  13.  And  He  said  unto  them. — Isa.  Ivi.  V : 
"  For  My  house  shall  be  called  the  house  of  prayer 
for  all  nations."  Jer.  vii.  11  :  "Is  then  this  house, 
which  is  called  by  My  name,  become  a  den  of  rob- 
bers m  your  eyes  ?  "  The  two  passages  are  quoted 
freely,  and  joined  together  according  to  their  Old 
Testament  meaning. — In  what  sense  a  den  of  rob- 
bers ?  1.  Theophylact :  to  yap  (pt\oKep5es  KricTTpi- 
Kov  irdBos  e'o-TiV.  2.  Fritzsche  :  Ye  gather  together 
here  money  and  animals,  as  robbers  collect  their 
booty  in  their  den.  3.  Rauschenbusch  {Leben  Jesu, 
809):  By  these  abominations  the  Gentiles,  for  w  ose 
prayer  this  house  was  designed,  are  kept  back  from 
God's  service.  Assuredly,  the  fact  that  the  place  of 
prayer  for  the  Gentiles  was  made  a  market  for 
beasts,  was  a  robbery  inflicted  on  the  rights  of 
the  Gentiles.  Humanity  was  outraged  by  the  false 
churchliness  or  bigotry  of  the  Jewish  odium  generis 
humani. 

Ver.  14.  And  blind  and  l2ime  persons  came 
to  Him. — And  then  He  turned  the  desecrated  tem- 
ple again  from  a  den  of  robbers  into  a  house  of 
mercy. 

*  [I  took  the  liberty  of  substituting  this  idea  for  the 
'^Folizei  des  chrisUicli^n  Staates"  in  the  onu;inal,  which 
Implies  the  union  of  church  and  state,  and  is  hardly  applica- 
ble to  our  country. — P.  S.] 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  prophet  Malachi  predicted  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah  with  these  words :  "  The  Lord, 
whom  ye  seek,  will  suddenly  come  to  His  temple, 
even  the  messenger  of  the  covenant  whom  ye  desire, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  "  (Mai.  iii.  1 ).  These  words 
had  their  manifold  fulfilment  in  the  whole  course 
of  Christ's  first  advent ;  and  will  again  be  fulfilled 
at  His  second  glorious  coming.  Once,  however, 
they  were  fulfilled  in  their  most  literal  sense  :  then, 
namely,  when  Jesus,  amidst  the  greetings  of  His 
people,  made  Ilis  festal  entry  into  the  temple.  But 
in  the  cleansing  of  the  temple  Christ  exhibited  Him- 
self as  the  eternal  Purifier  and  Reformer  of  the 
theocracy,  of  the  human  heart,  and  of  the  whole 
Church. 

2.  Only  one  full  day  did  Jesus  dwell  and  rule 
personally  in  the  temple — the  Monday  of  the  Pas- 
sion-week. This  theocratical  residence  of  one  day 
had,  however,  an  eternal  significance.  It  re-estab- 
lished for  ever  the  spiritual  destination  of  the  tem- 
ple, and  spiritually  confounded  and  silenced  in  the 
temple  itself  all  the  false  ministers  and  watchmen 
of  the  temple.  Thus  was  the  word  of  Hiiggai  ful- 
filled, not  only  in  its  spirit,  but  also  in  its  letter : 
"  The  last  glory  of  this  house  shall  be  greater  than 
the  first "  (ch.  ii.  9).  But,  if  we  include  the  entrance 
on  the  Sunday  evening  (the  looking  round,  the  vis- 
itation), and  the  solemn  departure  from  the  temple 
on  Tuesday  (its  abandonment  to  judgment),  then  the 
one  day  must  be  extended  to  three. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PBACTICAL. 

Jesus  and  the  temple  in  Jerusalem.  1.  How  re- 
lated in  the  Spirit  of  God  :  The  temple  the  type  of 
His  body  and  of  His  Church  ;  Christ  the  reahzation 
and  the  glory  of  the  temple.  2.  Separated  through 
the  guilt  of  the  world :  Christ  crucified  through  false 
templ6-service ;  the  temple  desolated  through  the 
death  of  Christ,  and  abandoned  to  the  fire.  3.  StiU 
inseparable  in  the  spiritual  sense  :  all  pious  worship 
is  in  a  Zion  which  the  Lord  will  glorify.  Christ 
visits  His  temple  in  all  the  world. — The  predictions 
of  the  prophets  have  all  been  fulfilled  on  the  temple 
(Haggai,  Malachi). — The  sanctification  of  the  temple 
perfected  by  Christ:  1.  Its  purifying  (negative  sanc- 
tification) ;  2.  its  consecration  (positive — by  the  heal- 
ing of  the  blind  and  lame). — The  Lord  cleanses  His 
temple :  1.  the  Church ;  2.  the  hearts  of  His  peo- 
ple.— The  twofold  change  passed  upon  the  temple  : 
Its  change  from  a  house  of  prayer  for  all  nations 
into  a  den  of  robbers — imder  the  semblance  of 
higher  holiness ;  the  change  of  the  desecrated  den 
of  robbers  into  a  house  of  prayer  and  of  mercy. — 
That  kind  of  worship  which  outrages  charity  to  man, 
may  transform  the  house  of  prayer  into  a  den  of 
robbers. — Christian    consecration   of    the   church: 

1.  It  separates  the  church  from  the  market-place ; 

2.  it  unites  prayer  and  mercy  (the  hospital  and  the 
prayer-hall,  hdtel-dieu). — The  great  day  of  Christ's 
abode  in  the  temple:  1.  Its  being  a  strange  occur- 
rence was  a  sign  how  soon  the  temple  might  be  a 
spiritual  desert ;  2.  but  it  was  also  a  proof  that  the 
Lord  will  manifest  Himself  to  His  people  in  His  tem- 
ple.— The  three  temples  on  Mount  Zion,  and  the 
three  consecrations  (1  Kings  viii. ;  Ezra  vi. ;  and 
this  section). — The  zeal  of  the  holy  Son  for  the 


378 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


honor  of  His  Father's  house. — The  ternple  itself 
became  at  last  the  witness  of  the  miracles  of  Jesus. 

Starke: — Hedingcr :  Foul  blasphemers  require 
severe  dealing :  the  fear  of  man,  flattery,  and  gentle- 
ness, will  not  drive  them  out. —  Cramer :  As  every- 
thing has  its  time,  so  everything  has  also  its  place. 
— All  reform  must  proceed  according  to  the  rules 
of  Holy  Writ :  thus  Christ  is  the  Founder  of  all 
scriptural  reformation. —  Canstein :  Churches  are 
exclusively  for  divine  worship. — He  who  would  spir- 
itually walk  and  see,  must  come  to  Christ  in  the 
temple. 

Lisco  : — The  cleansing  of  the  temple  had  a  sym- 
bolical reference  to  the  cleansing  of  the  Church  of 
God. 

Heuhner : — The  Lord's  sacred  anger  at  the  dese- 
cration of  God's  house. — This  cleansing  reminds  us, 
1.  of  the  holiness  which  the  temple  had  in  Christ's 
eyes  ;  2.  of  the  guilt  of  all  who  desecrate  God's 
house  and  day  ;  and  3.  of  our  duty  to  do  all  we  can 
to  maintain  their  sanctity. — Lavater  says,  that  His 
being  able  to  do  this  was  the  proof  that  He  ought  to 
do  it. 

[Jfaiiheie  Henry : — Abuses  must  first  be  purged 
out  and  plucked  up  before  that  which  is  riglit  can 
be  established. — Buyers  and  sellers  driven  out  be- 
fore (John  ii.  14,  15),  will  return  to  the  temple  and 


nestle  there  again,  if  there  be  no  continual  care  and 
oversight,  and  if  the  blow  be  not  often  repeated. — 
That  which  is  lawful  and  laudable  (as  buying  and 
selling  and  changing  money)  in  another  place  and 
on  another  day,  defiles  the  sanctuary  and  profanes 
the  sabbath. — This  cleansing  of  the  temple  was  the 
only  act  of  regal  authority  and  coercive  power  of 
Christ  in  the  days  of  His  humihation ;  He  began 
with  it  (John  ii.),  and  He  ended  with  it. — In  the 
reformation  of  the  Church  we  must  go  back  to  the 
authority  of  the  Scripture  as  the  supreme  rule  and 
pattern,  and  not  go  further  than  we  can  justify  by  a 
final:  It  is  written  (ver.  13). — The  blind  and  the 
lame  were  debarred  from  David's  palace  (2  Sam.  v. 
8),  but  were  admitted  into  God's  houi-e,  from  which 
only  the  wicked  and  profane  are  excluded. — The 
temple  was  profaned  and  abused  when  it  was  turned 
into  a  market-place,  but  it  was  graced  and  honored 
when  it  was  made  a  hospital. — Christ's  healing  was 
the  real  answer  to  the  question  :  Who  is  this  ?  and 
His  healing  in  the  temple  was  the  fulfilling  of  the 
promise,  that  the  glory  of  the  latter  house  should  he 
greater  than  the  glory  of  the  former. —  W.  Nasi : — By 
cleansing  the  temple  Jesus  symbolically  sets  forth 
the  purity  of  heart  which  He  requires  of  His  church 
in  general  and  of  each  individual  believer.  1  Cor. 
iii.  16,  17  ;  2  Cor.  vi.  16.— P.  S.] 


B.   The  Children  in  the  Temple :  the  High  Priests  and  Scribes.     Ch.  XXL  15-1*7. 

15  And  [But,  8e]  when  the  chief  priests  and  scribes  saw  the  wonderful  things'  that  he 
did,  and  tlie  children  crjdng  in  the  temple,  and  saying,  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David; 

16  they  were  sore  displeased,  And  said  unto  him,  Hearest  thou  what  these  say?     And 
Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Yea ;  have  ye  never  read.  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and  suck- 

17  lings  thou  hast  perfected  [prepared,   KarqpTL<T(a\^  praise  (Ps.  viii.  2)?     And  he  left 
them,  and  went  out  of  the  city  into  Bethany;  and  he  lodged  there. 


'  Ver.  lo.—[M'onderful  things  Khett^r  iov  ra  davi.id(ria,  miraiilia  {Yv]g.),  ihanwonders,  v/hich  Conant  substitutes 
here  for  the  Authorized  Version.    See  the  Sxeg.  Notes  on  ver.  15.— P.  S.] 

-  Ver.  IG— [KaTapTi'Ceiv  is  variously  translated  in  the  English  Version  ;  to  mend  (Matt.  iv.  21),  to  restore  (Gal.  vi.  1), 
to  perfect  (1  Cor.  ii.  10;  2  Cor.  xiii.  13;  Heb.  xiii.  21),  to  fit  (Koin.  is.  22),  to  frame  (Heb.  xi.  3),  to  prepare  (Ueb.  x.  5). 
In  Ps.'viii.  2,  o'hence  the  above  passage  is  quoted,  the  English  Version  reads:  "  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings 
hast  thou  ordained  (or  founded,  established,  Sept.:  KaT-nprhca  for  the  Hebrew  'MS'^)  strength  (T:.')  because  of  thine  ene- 
mies." The  proper  translation  here  is :  Jiast prepared,  as  in  Heb.  x.  5:  (TWfia  Se  (caTijpTic-a'  not,  a  lody  hai4  thou  pre- 
pared/or me,  as  a  sacrifice  to  thee.  The  translation :  perfected,  is  from  the  Latin  Vulgate :  perfecnti.  but  /yndine  ana 
Cranmerhave:  ordained  (as  in  Ps.  viii.  2);  Fritzsche:  parasti  tihi  laudem;  Luther:  ^m  hast  zugeriehtet;  de  Wett^ 
van  Ess,  Lange  :  du  hast  Lob  bereiiet;  Ewald:  ioh  will  Freis  aufrichten.  As  to  the  difi'erence  between  strength  in  the 
Hebrew  (ti')  anUi  praise  in  the  Sept.  and  here  (ahos),  the  latter  is  to  be  regarded  as  an  explanation  of  the  former.  Tl' 
means  both  (Ex.  xv.  2;  Ps.  xxix.  1;  Is.  xii.  2,  etc.),  and  as  it  is  here  ordained  out  of  the  mouth,  it  must  mean  strength  of 
speech  or  praise.  The  strength  of  the  weak  is  praise,  and  the  praise  of  God  and  Christ  gives  strength  and  power.— 
P.  S.] 

such  youths  dedicated  to  the  temple ;  but,  as  they 
were  under  the  immediate  authority  of  the  priests, 
their  jubilant  cries  would  at  once  have  been  sup- 
pressed by  these  priests  themselves. 

Ver.  16.  Hearest  thou  what  these  say?— By 
this  question  they  indirectly  declared  that  they  did 
not  attribute  to  Him  the  Messianic  dignity  which 
this  Messianic  Hosanna  involved.  At  the  same  time, 
they  pronounced  their  judgment  that  children  were 
not  authorized  to  express  any  religious  sentiment  or 
opinion.  It  was  contempt  of  the  little  ones.  They 
laid  the  stress  on  the  doctrincd  idtemnce  of  the  little 
ones ;  Christ,  on  the  other  hand,  on  their  religious 
singing. 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  15.  The  wonderful  tilings,  to.  Bavud- 
<r  I  a. — More  comprehensive  than  wonders  or  miracles. 
The  expression  occurs  in  the  New  Testament  only 
here,  but  in  the  Sept.  and  the  Classics  it  is  common. 
The  moral  miracle,  in  a  wider  sense,  which  exhibited 
the  Lord  as  King  in  His  temple,  is  combined  with 
the  miracles  proper. 

And  the  children. — According  to  Sepp  (Leben 
Jesu,  iii.  192),  by  these  cliildren  we  must  understand 
the  virgins  and  youths  consecrated  to  the  temple- 
service.     There  can  be  no  doubt  that  there  were 


CHAP,  XXI.  15-17. 


379 


Have  ye  never  read  ? — Ps.  viii.  2  [ver.  3  in 
the  Hebrew  and  German  text].  The  passage  of  the 
Psalm  finds  the  praise  of  God  (in  the  original:  a 
might;  Sept.:  prahe)m  the  mouth  of  theocratical 
children,  and  even  in  the  lispings  of  sucklings.  Not 
that  the  IsracUte  sucklings  might  be  three  or  four 
years  old,  and  certainly  not  because  of  "  the  tender 
sounds  of  lisping  sucklings."  The  thought  is,  that 
the  Great  God  of  heaven  is  glorilied  by  the  seeming- 
ly insignificant  men  of  this  lower  earth,  including 
the  very  lowest  of  them,  down  to  the  very  root  of 
life.  In  the  children  and  sucklings  of  the  theocratic 
Church  His  praise  begins  to  grow:  it  begins  with 
the  very  life  of  human  nature  accepted  by  grace. 
The  antitheses  to  be  noted  here,  are  the  mouth  of 
the  infants,  as  also  the  suekllnr/s  a^udi  praising.  But 
Christ  gives  this  passage  prominence,  because  in  ic 
the  Old  Testament  expressly  approved  and  praised 
just  that  which  here  took  place.  In  the  application 
of  this  Scripture,  we  find  without  doubt  the  follow- 
ing points: — 1.  The  praise  of  the  Messiah  is  the 
praise  of  God.  2.  The  praise  of  children  is  a  praise 
which  God  Himself  has  prepared  for  Himself,  the 
miraculous  energy  of  His  Spirit.  3.  The  scribes 
might  fill  up  the  rest :  Thou  hast  prepared  praise — 
"on  account  of  Thine  adversaries,  to  brlmj  to  silence 
the  enonij  and  the  accuser."  Not  only  are  the  pas- 
sages themselves,  which  Christ  quotes  from  the  Old 
Testament,  of  the  highest  importance,  but  also  the 
connection  of  those  passages.  The  eighth  Psalm  is 
to  be  reckoned  among  the  typical  Messianic  Psalms ; 
it  describes  man  in  his  higher  Christological  rela- 
tions. 

Ver.  17.  And  He  left  them. — How  often  does 
this  indicate  the  moment  of  His  moral  discomfiture 
of  His  enemies,  and  of  His  free  withdrawal  from  the 
contest !  He  passed  the  night  in  Bethany,  which 
was  His  stronghold.  On  Bethant/,  see  above,  eh. 
xxi.  1. 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Christ  rules  in  the  midst  of  His  enemies,  Ps. 
ex. 

2.  God  oft  prepares  for  Himself  a  praise  from  the 
lips  of  infants  and  new-bom  babes,  in  opposition  to 
the  adult  and  aged  who  dishonor  His  name;  and 
from  the  lips  of  a  younger  generation,  who  have  not 
yet  reached  office  and  dignity,  in  opposition  to  a  de- 
caying generation  of  fathers  who  deny  their  official 
calling  to  give  the  Lord  His  praise. 

3.  The  same  children,  whom  they  would  de- 
nounce as  wicked  disturbers,  Christ  regards  as  a 
chorus  of  unconscious  prophets  of  His  own  advent. 

4.  Not  only  the  blind  and  the  lame,  the  afflicted 
and  the  children,  but  the  Greeks  also  who  desired  to 
see  Jesus,  illustrated  this  great  day.  John  xii.  20-3o 
belongs  to  the  same  history,  but  probably  to  the  day 
following. 

[5.  Heubner:  May  God  in  mercy  protect  us 
from  such  theologians  and  priests  as  are  offended  by 
children  and  their  harmless  songs !     Children,  too. 


are  to  sing  the  praises  of  God  and  of  Christ.  Would 
that  our  children  were  trained  from  early  infancy  for 
such  praise. — P.  S.] 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  obduracy  of  the  priests  and  scribes  in  the 
presence  of  the  Lord's  miracles  in  tlie  temple. — The 
question  of  the  Pharisees ;  or,  the  evening  clouds. — 
Not  for  one  day  did  the  hypocrites  permit  the  Lord 
to  rule  undisturbed  in  His  temple. — The  jubilant 
children  and  the  murmuring  scribes :  Earnest  pastime 
and  trifling  earnestness  in  the  temple ;  the  free  play 
of  children  a  divine  prophecy,  and  the  constrained 
temple-service  a  godless  play.* — The  echo  of  the 
palm-entry  in  the  hearts  and  lips  of  the  children. — 
Tlie  Son  of  David,  the  beautiful  dream  of  the  youth 
ia  Israel. — The  children's  Hosanna:  1.  A  significant 
act  of  childlike  piety ;  2.  a  noble  blossom  of  the  hope 
of  Israel;  3.  a  divine  testunouy  to  the  glory  of 
Christ ;  4.  a  sad  echo  of  the  elders'  dying  Hosanna. 
— The  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings,  in  its  vocation 
to  condemn  presumptuous  tutorship  in  the  Church. 
— Heargst  Thou  what  these  say  ?  To  unbelief,  ia  the 
garb  of  bigotry,  the  most  touching  testimonies  of 
faith  are  but  blasphemies. — Those  who  are  always 
reading,  but  do  no  more  than  read,  must  always 
hear  the  Lord's  question:  Have  ye  never  read? — 
They  who  read  wrongly,  objected  to  the  Lord  that 
He  heard  wrongly. — Christ  and  the  Scriptures  for 
ever  bear  witness  to  each  other,  against  false  scribes 
and  false  Christians. — Jesus  leaves  the  contemners 
of  His  name  to  themselves,  and  goes  His  v/ay.  1. 
He  leaves  them  i-efuted  and  confounded ;  2.  He  goes 
to  His  friends,  to  His  rest  and  His  work,  with  His 
own. — One  day  of  the  Lord  is  as  a  thousand  years 
(Ps.  xc.  4 ;  2  Pet.  iii.  8). — Christ  in  the  temple  the 
Restorer  of  all  original  rights  in  one  right:  1.  Of  all 
rights  (those  of  the  Gentiles,  of  the  poor,  of  the  chil- 
dren) ;  2.  in  one  right  (that  of  God  and  His  Anoint- 
ed). 

Starke: — Quesnel:  The  envy,  covetousness,  and 
ambition  of  corrupt  clergy  do  more  harm  in  the 
Church  than  its  open  enemies  can  do. — The  world 
cannot  bear  that  God  and  Christ  should  be  honored. 
— Zeisius :  The  world  mocks  all  pious  simplicity. — 
Hardened  and  envious  persecutors  we  must  leave, 
and  escape  from  danger. 

Heubner: — Quench  not  the  Spirit,  especially 
among  children. — Only  childlike  hearts  can  praise 
Him  aright. — Melanchthon  (at  the  conference  at 
Torgau):  AVe  need  not  be  anxious;  I  have  seen 
those  who  fight  for  us  (praying  mothers  and  chil- 
dren). 

[JVast : — The  children  in  the  temple,  proclaiming 
the  honors  of  Christ,  as  emblems  of  the  apostles  and 
disciples,  whom  Clirist  calls  "  babes  "  in  contrast  to 
the  wise  and  prudent  of  the  world.  "  I  thank  thee, 
Father,"  etc.,  Matt.  xi.  25.— P.  S."] 

•  [In  German :  Das  freie  Einderspiel  eine  gottlichi 
Prophetie,  der  unfreie  Tempeldiensi  ein  ungbUliohea 
Schauspiel  geworden. — P.  8.] 


380 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


The  Symbolical  Curs- 


C.   Tlie  Deceptive  Fig-tree,  rich  in  Leaves,  hut  without  Fruit  on  the  Temple-mount. 

ing.     Ch.  XXI.  18-22. 

(Mark  xi.  12-14,  20-26.) 

18,  19  Now  in  the  morning,  as  he  returned  into  the  city,  he  hungered.  And  when  he 
saw  a  fig  tree  in  the  way  [seeing  one  (sohtary)  fig  tree  by  the  road  side],^  he  came  to 
it,  and  found  nothing  thereon,  but  leaves  only,  and  [.  And  he]  said  unto  il,  Let  no 
fruit  ^  grow  on  thee  henceforward  for  ever.     And  presently   [forthwith]  the  fig  tree 

20  withered  away.     And  when  the  disciples  saw  it,  they  marvelled,  saying.  How  soon  is 

21  the  fio-  tree  withered  away  !^  [And]  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  If  ye  have  faith,  and  doubt  not  [do  not  doubt],  ye  shall  not  only  do  this  which 
is  clone  to  the  fig  tree  [not  only  shall  ye  do  this  with  the  fig  tree],*  but  also  if  ye  shall 
say  unto  this  mountain  [of  the  temple].  Be  thou  removed  [taken  up,  "Ap6r;Tt],  and  be  thou 

22  cast  [and  cast,  koX  (SX-^Otjtl]  into  the  sea;  it  shall  be  done.  And  all  things,  whatsoever 
ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believing,  ye  shall  receive. 

1  Ver.  18.— ['iSw;/  ffvKrjV  jxlav  iirl  rrjs  oSov,  Large,  emphasizing  ^uiai/ :  Sr  sahe -EiNT.ii  {einzehien,  smv- 
gle)  Feig'enhaum  uher  dem  Wege.  Bengel :  One  in  that  place  {uinim  illo  loco).  So  also  Meyer  and  Winer  (ein  verein- 
zelt  (h(ntehendc)'  Feifjeiibaxm).  Possibly  it  may  have  a  symbolical  reference  to  the  singular  position  of  the  Jews  as  the 
one  tree  of  God's  planting,  standing  conspicuous  and  alone  both  in  favor  and  in  guilt.  Others,  however,  explain  the  fx'iav 
in  this  case  from  the  later  usage  of  the  Hebrew  "IPX  and  the  Aram,  in  .—P.  S.] 

2  Vcr.  19. — B.,  ti.  read:    ol)  fx-qKinri.     The  A'ec?p<a  omits  oii  as  superfluous. 

3  Ver.  20.— [Lange  likewise  takes  the  sentence  as  an  exclamation,  ttws  —  quam.  But  th^  Lat.  Vulgate  (Quomodo 
contimio  aruitf),  Luther,  van  Ess,  Meyer,  Ewald,  Winer,  Conant  take  it  as  a  question,  and  render  ttojj  irapaxpvfia 
i^7]pdvdr)  fi  (Tvicri:  How  did  th<^  fig-tree  forthwith  icitJier  away  f  So  also  the  editions  of  Stier  and  Theile,  Laohmann, 
Tischendorf,  and  Alford  in  their  punctuation.  The  former  view  agrees  better  with  the  parallel  passage  in  Mark  xi.  21,  and 
is  not  inc'Uisi.stcnt  with  the  use  of  airoKfidils  which  follows  in  both  accounts.  But  wc  may  regard  it  perhaps  best  as  an  in- 
terrogative- exolarnation.  In  any  case  the  is  of  the  E.  V.  ought  to  be  stricken  out  and  ioithered  away  substituted  for  is 
withered  away  ;  for  i^ripdvdr),  as  here  used,  expresses  the  act  past  and  gone,  while  ei,i}pavTai  in  Mark  xi.  21  signifies  the 
result.— P.  8.] 

4  Ver.  21.— [O  h  fi6vov  rh  rijs  ctvktis  tt  o  i-fjcr  er  e ,  lit. :  this  of  the  fig-tree,  or :  this  with  the  fig-tree,  as  Lu- 
ther, Ewald,  and  Lange  have  it  {das  mit  dem  Feigenhaum  thun).—V.  S.] 

j  von  Schubert  on  the  Holy  Land.  The  Rabbins  stud- 
ied under  the  shadow  of  the  fig-tree,  as  in  an  arbor. 
It  was  often  planted  by  the  waysides,  because  the 
dust  of  the  road  was  an  absorbing  counteraction  to 
the  strong  flow  of  the  sap, — so  hindering  a  too  great 
development  of  leaves,  and  promoting  its  fruitfulness. 
The  fig  itself  was  a  common  and  much  esteemed  ar- 
ticle of  food.  Three  kinds  were  distinguished ;  1. 
The  early  fig,  Bicura,  Boccore,  which  ripened  after  a 
mild  winter  at  the  end  of  June,  and  in  Jerusalem 
still  earlier.  2.  The  siimmer  fig,  Kermus,  which 
ripened  in  August.  3.  The  winter  fig,  or  later  Ker- 
■mus,  which  came  to  maturity  only  after  tlie  leaves 
were  gone,  and  would  hang  through  a  mild  winter 
into  the  spring :  it  was  larger  than  the  summer  fig, 
and  of  a  dark  violet  color.  This  last  kind  cannot 
here  be  meant,  since  a  winter  fig-tree  might  weU 
have  been  long  ago  robbed  of  its  fruit ;  and  for  the 
spring  fig  this  might  seem  a  too  early  period  of  the 
year.  But  its  extraordinary  show  of  leaves  so  early, 
gave  a  promise  of  early  figs;  since  in  the  fig-tree 
the  blossom  and  the  fruit  appear  before  the  forma- 
tion of  the  loaves.*  Thus  it  was  this  profusion  of 
leaves  which  warranted  the  Lord  in  expecting  to 
find  figs  on  the  tree.  But  the  fruit  was  wanting. 
Mark  explains :  ov  yap -fiv  icaipos  avKuv.]     This  does 

*  [Pliny,  Hist.  Nat.  -wi.  49 :  Ei  demum  serins  folium 
nascitnr  quam  pomum.] 

t  [On  this  passage  of  Mark  there  are  different  interpreta- 
tions See  Com.  in  loc.  and  a  long  note  in  Trencu  (p.  441 
sq  )  Trench  considers  it  very  doubtful  whether  at  that 
season  of  the  year,  March  or  April,  either  fruits  or  leaves 
ordinarily  appear  on  the  fig-tree;  but  this  tree,  by  putting 
forth  leaves,  mnde  pretension  to  be  something  more  than 
others,  to  have  fruit  on  it,  which  in  the  fig-tree  appears  be- 


exegetical  and  critical. 

Ver.  18.  He  hungered. — Mark  gives  us  here 
the  stricter  note  of  time.  On  the  day  of  the  proces- 
sion Jesus  only  looked  round  the  temple  observing- 
ly ;  He  then  went  out  to  Bethany,  for  it  was  evening. 
On  Monday  morning,  as  He  went  back  to  the  temple. 
He  was  hungry ;  and  this  gave  occasion  for  the  curs- 
ing of  the  fig-tree.  A  day  later,  on  Tuesday  morn- 
ing (not  the  evening  before),  the  disciples,  again  ac- 
companying the  Lord  to  the  city,  found  the  fig-tree 
dried  up  from  the  roots.  Matthew  combines  the  two 
separate  points  of  this  transaction  in  one,  m  order  to 
make  more  prominent  the  meaning  of  the  whole. 
He  would  bring  before  the  reader's  mind  the  antitype 
of  the  barren  fig-tree,  the  high  priests  and  scribes  m 
their  unbeUeving  conduct.*  The  Lord's  hunger  on 
this  morning  shows  us  with  what  ardor  He  went  to 
take  up  His  abode  in  the  temple :  He  had  not  taken 
time  to  eat  His  breakfast  at  Bethany.f 

Ver.  19.  One  fig-tree(Atia^).— Bengel:  Unam 
illo  loco.  The  fig-tree,  f^Ji<^l ,  ficxis  carica,  was,  like 
the  vine,  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  best  carcd- 
for  productions  of  Palestine:  this  appears  in  the 
saying,  "  Under  his  own  vine  and  fig-tree," — a  figure 
of  peace  (1  Kings  iv.  25).  Compare  on  it  the  Bibl. 
Encyclops.,  especially  Winer's,  and  also  Robinson  and 

*  [Similarly  Trench,  On  the  Iliracles,  p.  485,  who  calls 
those  who  exaggerate  such  small  chronological  differences, 
"  the  true  Pharisees  of  history,  straining  at  [out]  gnats  and 
swallowing  camels.'" — P.  S.] 

t  [Bengel  observes  on  iireivacrf,  esurivit :  "  rex  ille 
glorioB,  v.  5.  Miranda  exinamtio."—F.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXI.  18-22. 


381 


not  mean,  however,  that  at  such  a  time  of  year  figs 
were  not  to  be  expected ;  but  that  the  tree  had  not 
yet  been  stripped,  if  it  had  ever  borne  fruit.  The 
symbolical  element,  however,  is  the  main  thing  here. 
A  fig-tree  laden  with  leaves  promised  fruit:  if  all 
fruit'was  wanting,  it  >\as  a  deceiver ;  and  therefore 
an  apt  image  of  tlie  hypocritical  Jewish  priesthood. 

By  the  road-side :  e  t  1  t  f;  ?  65  ov . — "  The 
tree  stood  over  the  wai/,  either  on  an  elevation  in  the 
way,  or  the  way  was  a  declining  one."  Meyer. 
But  a  third  sui)posilion  may  be  made,  that  the  tree 
extended  its  branches  over  the  level  jiath. 

Let  no  fruit  grow  on  thee  henceforth  for 
ever. — The  same  criticism  which  objected  against 
the  treatment  of  the  Gergesenes,  that  it  was  an  in- 
vasion of  private  property,  objects  against  the  curs- 
ing of  the  fig-tree,  that  it  was  an  outrage  upon  the 
forest  laws.  But  as  the  driving  out  of  the  demons 
was  no  wild  hunt,  so  the  word  of  cursing  was  no 
felling  axe.  It  cannot  be  said  that  a  miracle  of  pun- 
ishment was  alien  to  Christ's  spirit.  But  this  was 
not  properly  a  miracle  of  punishment :  it  was  a  sym- 
boUcal  sign  of  the  punishment  which  the  people  had 
to  expect  from  God,  but  which  our  Lord  exhibited 
as  a  sign  of  His  own  retribution,  as  being  already 
the  glorified  King.  And  in  this  warnhig  act — 
which  was  to  seal  to  the  disciples  the  subsequent 
judicial  prophecies,  and  especially  to  release  their 
hearts  from  all  faith  in  the  seeming  sanctity  of  the 
temple-worship — lay  the  great  design  of  the  whole 
transaction.  Jesus  made  a  symbolical  use  of  the 
attractive  appearance  of  the  leaves,  and  executed  a 
symbolical  judgment  of  the  deceptive  tree,  which 
deluded  and  mocked  the  hungry  traveller,  m  order 
to  teach  His  disciples  that  they  also  must  at  last 
cease  to  seek  spiritual  nourishment  from  the  leaf- 
covered,  but  fruitless  priesthood,  and  look  forward 
to  the  Divine  judgments  which  would  cause  the  with- 
ering away  of  the  thedlratic  people.* 

And  forthwith  (tt apaxpv m-o.)  the  fig-tree 
withered  away. — The  tree  was  diseased  through 
the  ovei'flow  of  its  false  life,  which  exhausted  itself 
in  luxuriant  fohage.  But  the  word  of  curse  was 
miraculous,  and  the  first  prelude  of  that  great 
miraculous  work  of  Christ  which  at  His  advent  will 
blast  all  the  evil  of  this  present  world.  But  pri- 
marily it  was  an  earnest  of  the  speedy  withering  of 
the  land,  when  the  palms  should  vanish,  the  fig- 
trees  wither,  the  fountains  be  sealed  up,  and  Canaan 
become  a  waste.  Paulus  explained  it  as  an  an- 
nouncement of  the  speedy  natural  death  of  the  tree 
in  popular  language;  Strauss,  as  a  mythical  con- 
struction of  the  parable  in  Luke  xiii.  6  ;  Origen, 
Chrysostom,  and  the  modems  generally,  as  a  pro- 
phetic sjmibolical  representation  of  the  doom  upon 
the  spiritual  unfruitfulness  of  Israel.     [The  absence 

fore  the  leaves.  This  tree  vaunted  itself  to  be  in  advance 
of  all  the  other  trees,  and  challenged  the  passer-by  that  he 
should  come  and  refresh  himself  with  its  fruit.  Yet  when 
the  Lord  drew  near,  lie  found  it  like  others,  without  fruit, 
for,  as  Mark  says,  the  time  of  figs  had  not  yet  arrived.  The 
fault  lay  in  the  hypocritical  pretension,  the  chief  sin  of 
Israel.— P.  S.] 

*  [Trench  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  only  times 
that  the  fi^-tree  appears  prominently  in  the  New  Testament 
it  appears  as  a  symbol  of  evil ;  here  and  at  Luke  xiii.  6.  Ac- 
cording to  an  old  tradition,  it  was  the  tree  of  temptation  in 
Paradise.  It  is  noticeable,  also,  that  Adam  attempted  to 
cover  his  nakedness  and  shame  with  fig-leaves  and  to  as- 
sume a  fal?e  appearance  before  the  Lord.  But  the  S.iviour, 
of  course,  in  destroying  the  fig-tree  because  of  its  unfruitful- 
ness, did  not  attribute  to  it  any  moral  responsibility  and 
guilt,  but  simply  a  fitness  as  a  sv-mbol  of  moral  unfruitful- 
ness worthy  of  punishment.— P.  S.] 


of  any  instruction  on  this  symbolical  meaning  of  the 
destruction  of  the  fig-tree,  is  no  valid  objection 
against  it ;  for  this  meaning  readily  suggested  itself 
in  view  of  the  time  and  place  of  the  act,  and  the 
whole  series  of  denunciatory  discourses  which  follow, 
are  an  eloquent  commentary,  as  Meyer  correctly  re- 
marks, on  the  silent  symbohcal  eloquence  of  the 
withered  fig-tree. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  21.  If  ye  say  to  this  mountain. — The 
mountain  to  which  the  Lord  pointed,  was  doubtless 
the  hill  of  the  temple  itself.  It  was,  like  the  fig- 
tree,  a  figure  of  the  hypocritical  character  of  the 
Jewish  worship,  as  it  lay  in  the  way  of  the  spread 
of  the  gospel,  a  future  hindrance  to  His  disciples  in 
their  work.  This  mountain,  the  theocratic  Juda- 
ism, must  be  cast  into  the  sea  of  the  nations  (de- 
struction of  Jerusalem),  before  the  Church  of  Christ 
could  reach  its  consummation  and  free  development. 
Certainly  this  was  not  to  be  effected  by  judicial  pun- 
ishments on  the  part  of  the  disciples  themselves ; 
but  it  was  for  them  to  exhibit  symbohcally  the  judg- 
ment of  God,  which  would  issue  in  such  a  transla- 
tion of  the  temple  mountain,  by  turning  away  from 
the  Jews,  and  carrying  the  gospel,  the  true  Zion,  to 
the  sea  of  the  Gentile  world.  The  disi^lacement  of 
the  temple  mountain  had  therefore  two  points,  which, 
however,  here  coalesce. 

Ver.  22.  [And  all  things,  w^hatsoever  ye 
shall  ask  in  prayer,  etc. — This  promise  is  con- 
fined, of  course,  to  prayers  of  faith  (vers.  21  and  22), 
which  implies  agreement  with  the  will  of  God,  and 
excludes  the  abuse  of  this  promise. — In  John,  Christ 
defines  beUeving  and  effective  prayer  to  be  prayer  in 
His  name,  John  xiv.  13  ;  xv.  16  ;  xvi.  24.— P.  S.] 


DOCTPJNAL  AND  ETHia^L. 

[1.  The  cursing  of  the  fig-tree  is  both  a  Parable 
and  a  Prophecy  in  action,  performed  on  the  public 
road  near  the  city  and  the  temple,  on  Monday  of  the 
Passion-week,  exhibiting  Christ  as  the  final  Judge 
of  that  people  which  soon  afterward  crucified  Him. 
-P.  S.] 

2.  Jesus  did  not  so  much  curse  the  fig-tree,  as 
make  manifest  the  curse  of  its  internal  blight.  It 
was,  as  it  respects  a  fig-tree,  only  dead  wood,  fit 
only  for  the  fire.  To  this  destination  He  now  gave 
it  up.  That  Jesus  had  in  view  the  spiritual  condi- 
tion of  His  people  as  figured  by  this  tree',  is  plain 
from  the  parable,  Luke  xiii.  6.  Yet  Israel  was,  in 
God's  purpose,  the  early  fig-tree  among  the  nations, 
Hos.  ix.  10. 

3.  The  withered  fig-tree  was  a  sign  of  many 
judgments  ;  (1)  A  sign  of  the  withering  congregation 
of  the  temple  or  the  expiring  of  the  theocracy ;  (2) 
of  withering  Canaan ;  (3)  of  withering  external  church 
organizations  and  sects ;  (4)  of  the  withering  old 
earth.  The  sudden  blight  was  a  token  of  the  instan- 
taneousness  of  the  judgment — of  the  catastrophes 
which  had  been  in  secret  long  prepared  for. 

[4.  The  Saviour  performed  innumerable  miracles 
of  mercy  on  living  and  fecUng  men,  but  only  one 
miracle  of  judgment,  and  that  not  on  a  human  being, 
which  He  came  to  save,  but  on  an  unfruitful,  unfeel- 
ing tree,  and  with  a  view  to  benefit  all  impenitent 
sinners  by  timely  warning  them  of  their  danger. 
Thus  we  have  even  here  a  proof  of  Christ's  good- 
ness in  His  severity.  Thus  even  the  barren  fig-tree 
bears  constant  fruit  in  the  garden  of  Holy  Scripture 
as  a  symbol  of  the  fearful  doom  of  hypocritical 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


ostentation  and  unfruitfulness.  (Comp.  similar 
remarks  of  Hilary,  Grolius,  Heubner,  Trench,  and 
Wordsworth.)— P.  S.] 

[5.  The  tree  was  not  cursed  so  much  for  being 
barren,  as  for  being  false.  No  fruit  could  be  ex- 
pected of  any  nation  before  Christ ;  for  the  time  of 
figs  was  not  yet.  The  true  fruit  of  any  people  before 
the  Incarnation  would  have  been  to  own  that  they 
had  no  fruit,  that  without  Christ  they  could  do 
nothing.  The  Gentiles  owned  this ;  but  the  Jews 
boasted  of  their  law,  temple,  worship,  cercmouies, 
prerogatives,  and  good  works,  thus  resembling  the 
fig-tree  with  pretentious,  deceitful  leaves  without 
fruit.  Their  condemnation  was,  not  that  they  were 
sick,  but  that,  being  sick,  they  counted  themselves 
whole.  (Condensed  from  Trench  and  Witsius.) — 
P.S.] 

[6.  Striking  simultaneous  exhibition  of  Christ's 
humanity  in  hungering,  and  of  His  divinity  in  the 
destruction  of  the  fig-tree  by  a  word  of  Almighty 
power  which  can  create  and  can  destroy.  Bengel  : 
Maxima  humanitatis  et  deitatis  indicia  uno  tempore 
edere  solitus  est.  John  xi.  35,  40.  Wordsworth  : 
"  He  hungers  as  a  Man,  and  withers  the  tree  as  God. 
Whenever  He  gives  signs  of  human  infirm.ity,  some 
proof  of  His  divine  power  is  always  near."  Comp. 
the  poverty  of  His  birth,  and  the  song  of  angels  and 
the  adoration  of  the  shepherds  and  magi ;  the  cir- 
cumcision, and  the  name  of  Christ ;  the  purification 
in  the  temple,  and  the  hymn  of  Simeon  and  Haima ; 
His  oljedience  to  His  parents,  and  astonishing  wis- 
dom in  the  temple  ;  the  baptism  on  Jordan,  and  the 
voice  from  heaven  and  the  Holy  Spirit  descending  on 
Him ;  the  announcement  of  His  passion,  and  the 
transfiguration  on  the  mount ;  the  payment  of  tribute- 
money  to  the  temple,  and  the  miracle  of  the  fish 
with  the  stater;  the  cross,  and  the  royal  inscrip- 
tion, etc. — P.  S.] 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PEAUTICAL. 

How  Jesus,  with  holy  self-forgetfulness,  early 
hastened  to  the  scene  of  His  great  day's  work. — He 
spiritualized  everything  natural :  even  His  o\vn  hun- 
ger and  thirst  were  made  awakening  sermons. — 
Christ  everywhere,  in  the  best  sense  of  the  phrase, 
made  a  virtue  out  of  necessity. — The  barren  fig-tree 
on  the  mountain  of  the  temple  a  perpetual  exhor-  | 


tation  to  the  Church :  1 .  A  faithful  image  of  the 
priestly  community  in  Israel  as  it  then  appeared 
(full  of  leaves,  empty  of  fruit) ;  2.  a  warning  exam- 
ple in  its  sudden  blight  under  the  curse  (revealed  as 
a  dead  tree,  and  as  such  given  up  to  the  fire). — The 
withering  fig-tree  as  a  warning  to  self-examination 
also  for  individual  believers. — A  sound  fig-tree  must 
put  forth  blossom  earher  than  leaves. — The  interpre- 
tation of  His  act  by  His  word  :  1.  The  fig-tree  has  a 
close  reference  to  tlie  temple  mountain ;  2.  as  the 
fig-tree  stopped  Jesus  in  His  way,  so  the  temple 
mountain  stopped  the  disciples  ;  3.  as  the  Lord  re- 
moved the  hindrance  by  His  miraculous  word,  so  the 
disciples  must  overcome  it  by  a  miraculous  faith, 
which  should  remove  the  hill  of  Zion  into  the  midst 
of  the  nations  (although,  in  doing  so,  the  Jews  were 
dispersed  among  the  peoples). — All  that  the  Chris- 
tian asks  in  faith  is  given  to  him  :  1.  In  faith  it  is 
given  to  him  what  he  should  ask  ;  2.  in  faith  he  asks 
what  shall  be  given  to  hnn. 

Starke : — The  world  often  lets  Christ's  servants 
suffer  hunger  and  need. — When  we  are  in  want,  we 
suffer  what  Jesus  suffered. — Faith  lays  low  all  ima- 
ginations that  exalt  themselves  against  the  knowl- 
edge of  God,  2  Cor.  x.  4,  5. — Teachers  remove 
mountains  when  they  overcome  in  faith,  and  remove 
out  of  the  way,  the  hindrances  which  are  thrown 
in  the  way  of  their  vocation. — Faith  and  prayer: 
Faith  is  the  source  of  prayer ;  prayer  the  voice  of 
faith. 

Liseo : — Jesus  in  His  human  necessity,  ver.  18 ; 
and  in  His  divine  power  and  dignity,  ver.  19. 

Ileuhner: — Warnings  in  nature:  Life  killed  by 
frost ;  blossom  cankered  by  worms ;  fruit  poisoned 
from  within. — There  was  one  even  among  the  twelve 
disciples  to  whom  this  curse  appUed ;  and  every  one 
who  is  unfaithful  to  Christ  has  such  a  judgment  of 
hardening,  abandonment  of  God,  to  expect. — Jesus, 
after  miracles  of  love,  perfcfrms  yet  one  miracle, 
which  should  demonstrate  His  power  to  punish  and 
to  ruin,  as  it  belongs  to  the  Judge  of  all  flesh  ;  He 
did  not,  however,  perform  this  on  man,  whom  He 
was  not  come  to  destroy,  but  on  an  inanimate  object. 
— Faith  is  here,  and  everpvhere,  the  firm  assurance 
of  the  heart  concerning  that  which  God  wills. 

llier/cr  : — We  are  reminded  of  the  weeping  over 
Jerusalem,  Luke  xix. ;  of  the  parable  of  the  two 
sons.  Matt.  xxi.  28-31  ;  of  Rom.  xi.  20:  "Be  not 
high-minded,  but  fear." 


SIXTH    SECTION. 

THE  ASSAULTS   OF  THE  EXTERNAL   THEOCRACY   UPON   THE   ROYAL  LORD  IN  HIS 

TEMPLE. 


Chapter  XXI. 


-XXII.  46. 


The  symbohcal  transaction  of  the  fig-tree  begins  to  unfold  itself  in  spiritual  judgments  upon  the  Jews  in  all 
their  authorities.  The  second  day  of  the  stay  of  the  Messiah  in  the  temple  is  come,  the  Tuesday  of 
Passion-week ;  or  the  third,  if  we  include  the  day  of  the  entry.  It  was  the  great  day  of  contest  after 
the  day  of  peace  :  a  day  on  which  Jesus  endured  victoriously  the  hostile  attacks  of  the  authorities  in 
the  temple,  m  which  He  silences  and  puts  to  confusion  their  several  bands,  one  after  another ;  and 


CHAP.  XXI.  23-XXII.  14. 


then,  after  His  great  judicial  discoui-se  (ch.  xxiii.),  in  view  of  their  obduracy  and  in  prospect  of  their 
violence,  voluntarily  leaves  the  temple.  The  first  assault  was  made  by  the  high  priests  and  elders :  it 
is  disguised  under  the  forms  of  official  authority.  Jesus  confronts  them,  and  discloses  their  true  posi- 
tion by  three  parables,  ch.  xxi.  23-xxii.  14.— The  second  attack  was  an  attack  of  cunning,  led  on  by 
Pharisees  and  Herodians :  they  ironically  assume  that  He  has  Messianic  authority,  in  order  that  they 
may  pohtically  entangle  Hun  (vers.  15-22).  Then  follow  the  Sadducees  with  their  attack.  They  seek, 
by  their  alternative,  to  involve  Him  in  Sadducean  or  antinomian  assertions  (vers.  2o-S3).  Hereupon, 
the  Pharisees  make  their  last  desperate  assault,  with  a  tempting  and  fundamentally  threatening  question 
of  the  law ;  and  are  reduced  to  pronounce  their  own  discomfiture  by  His  counter-question  touching  the 
divine  dignity  of  the  Messiah,  according  to  Ps.  ex.— (Then  follows  the  judicial  discourse  of  ch.  xxiu. ; 
and  finally  the  departure  from  the  temple.) 


A.   The  Attach  of  the  High  Priests  and  Elders,  and  the  Victory  of  the  Lord.     Ch.  XXI.  23-27. 
(Mark  xi.  27-xii.  12;  Luke  xx.  1-19 ;  xxii.  l-U.—The  Oospel  for  the  20th  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 

23  And  when  he  was  come  into  the  temple,  the  chief  [high]  priests  and  the  elders  of 
the  people  came  unto  him  as  he  was  teaching,  and  said,  By  what  authority  doest  thou 

24  these  things  ?  and  who  gave  thee  this  authority  ?  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  I  also  will  ask  you  one  thing  [one  word,  Xo'yov  eVa],  which  if  ye  tell  me,  I  in  like 

25  wise  will  tell  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these  things.  The  baptism  of  John,  whence 
was  it?  from  heaven,  or  of  men?  And  they  reasoned  with  [among]  ^  themselves,  say- 
ing, If  we  shall  say,  From  heaven ;  he  will  say  unto  us,  Why  [then,  ovv\  did  ye  not 

26  then  beheve  him?  "But  if  Ave  shall  say.  Of  men;  we  fear  the  people  [multitude,  oxAov]; 

27  for  all  hold  John  as  a  prophet.  And  they  answered  Jesus,  and  said,  We  cannot  tell 
[We  do  not  know,  ou/c  otSajnev].  And  he  said  unto  them,  Neither  tell  I  you  by  what 
authority  I  do  these  things. 

Transition  to  the  Offensive.— Yiv&t  Parable :  The  Parable  of  the  Two  Sons  (the  hypocritical  unbelief). 

Vers.  28-32. 

28  But  what  think  ye  ?     A  certain  man  had  two  sons ;  and  he  came  to  the  first,  and 

29  said.  Son,  go  work  to  day  in  my  [the]  ^  vineyard.     He  answered  and  said,  I  will  not; 

30  but 'afterward  he  repented,  and  went.     And  he  came  to  the  second  [other], ^  and  said 

31  likewise.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I  go  [I  will,  eycu],*  sir;  and  went  not.  Whether 
of  them  twain  [Which  of  the  two,  Ti's  Ik  twi/  Stj'o]  did  the  will  of  his  father  [the  father's 
will,  TO  Bi\r]ixa  tov  Trarpos]  ?  They  say  unto  him,  The  first.^  Jesus  saith  unto  them, 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  That  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God 

32  before  you.  For  John  came  unto  you  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  and  ye  beheved 
him  not ;  but  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  believed  him :  and  ye,  when  ye  had  seen  it, 
repented  not*  afterward,  that  ye  might  believe  him. 

Second  Parable  :  The  Parable  of  the  Wicked  Husbandmen  (the  murder  of  Christ,  and  the  judgment). 

Vers.  33-46. 

33  Hear  another  parable :  There  was  a  certain''  householder,  which  [who]  planted  a 
vineyard,  and  hedged  it  round  about  [put  a  hedge  around  it,  cj)payfxov  avrQ  -n-epudrjKe], 
and  digged  [dug]  a  winepress  in  it,  and  built  a  [watch-]  tower,  and  let  it  out  to  hus- 

34  bandnven,  and  went  into  a  far  [another]  country :  ^  And  when  the  time  of  the  fruit  [the 
fruit-season]^  drew  near,  he  sent  his  servants  to  the  husbandmen,  that  they  might  re- 

35  ceive  the  fruits  of  it  [to  receive  his  fruits].'"  And  the  husbandmen  took  his  servants, 
and  beat  one,  and  killed  another,  and  stoned  another  [and  one  they  beat,  and  another 

36  they  killed,  and  another  they  stoned]."     Again,  he  sent  other  servants  more  than  the 

37  first:  and  they  did  unto  them  likewise.     But  last  of  all  he  sent  unto  them  his  son,  say- 

38  ing,  They  will  reverence  my  son.  But  when  the  husbandmen  saw  the  son,  they  said 
among  themselves,  This  is  the  heir ;  come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  let  us  seize  on  [have]  " 


384  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 

39  his  inheritance.  And  they  caught  [took,  Xa/Sovres]  him,  and  cast  Mm  out  of  the  vine- 
yard, and  slew  hini}^ 

40  When  the  lord  therefore  [When  therefore  the  lord,  orav  oSi']  of  the  vineyard  com- 

41  eth,  what  will  he  do  unto  those  husbandmen?  They  say  unto  him,  He  will  miserably 
destroy  those  wicked,  [miserable]  men  [or :  he  will  wretchedly  destroy  those  wretches],^* 
and  will  let  out  his  [the]  vineyard  unto  other  husbandmen,  which  shall  [who  will]  ren- 

42  der  him  the  fruits  in  their  seasons.  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  Did  ye  never  read  in  the 
Scriptures,  The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected,  the  same  is  become  the  head  of  the 
corner :  this  is  the  Lord's  doing  [from  the  Lord,  Trapo.  Kvpiov],  and  it  is  marvellous  [won- 

43  derful]  in  our  eyes  (Ps.  cxviii.  22)?     Therefore  say  I  unto  you.  The  kingdom  of  God 

44  shall  be  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bringing  fortlr  the  fruits  thereof.  And 
whosoever  shall  fall  on  this  stone  shall  [will]  be  broken :  but  on  Avhomsoever  it  shall 
fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder.'^ 

45  And  when  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  had  heard  his  parables,  they  perceived 

46  that  he  spake  of  them.  But  when  they  sought  to  lay  hands  on  him,  they  feared  ^^  the 
multitude  [multitudes,  rov?  oxAovs],  because  they  took  him  for  a  prophet  [held  him  as  a 
prophet,  u)S  Trpo^T^riyv  avTov  et^ov]." 

Third  Parable :  The  Marriage  of  the  King's  Son  (the  judgment  of  the  rejection  of  Israel  and  the  new  theo- 
cracy of  the  kingdom  of  heaven).     Ch.  XXII.  1-14. 

1  And  Jesus  answered  and  spake  unto  them  again  by  [in,  eV]  parables,  and  said, 

2  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  certain  king,  which  [who]  made  a  marriage  for 

3  his  son,  And  [he]  sent  forth  his  servants  to  call  them  that  were  bidden  to  the  wedding : 

4  and  they  would  not  come.  Again,  he  sent  forth  other  servants,  saying.  Tell  them 
which  [that]  are  bidden.  Behold,  I  have  prepared  my  dinner  [to  apiarov,  early  meal, 
midday-meal]  :  my  oxen  and  mij  [the]  fatlings  are  killed,  an  all  things  are  ready  :   come 

5  unto  the  marriage.    But  they  made  light  of  it,  and  went  their  ways  [went  away,  dir^XBov], 

6  one  to  his  farm,  another  to  his  merchandise :  And  the  remnant  [But  the  rest,  ot  8e  AotTrot  ] 
took  [laid  hold  of,  Kparijo-ai/res]  his  servants,  and  entreated  them  spitefully  [ill-treated, 

7  v/3pLaav],  and  slew  them.     But  when  the  king  heard  thereof,  he  was  wroth  :  and  he  sent 

8  forth  his  armies,  and  destroyed  those  murderers,  and  burned  up  their  city.  Then  saith 
he  to  his  servants.  The  wedding  is  ready,  but  they  which  [tliat]  were  bidden  were  not 

9  worthy.     Go  ye  therefore  into  the  highways  [thoroughfares,  8tefo'8oi;s  twv  oSwv],'^  and 

10  as  many  as  ye  shall  find,  bid  to  the  marriage.  So  those  servants  went  out  into  the 
highways  [oSoiJs],  and  gathered  together  all  as  many  as  they  found,  both  bad  and  good: 

1 1  and  the  wedding  was  furnished  with  guests.     And  when  the  king  came  in  to  see  the 

12  guests,  he  saw  there  a  man  which  [who]  had  not  on  a  wedding  garment:  And  he  saith 
unto  him,  Friend,  how  earnest  thou  in  hither  not  having  a  wedding  garment  ?     And  he 

13  was  speechless  [put  to  silence,  ec^t/Aw^?;].  Then  said  the  king  to  the  servants,  Bind 
him  hand  and  foot,  and  take  him  away,  and "  cast  him  into  outer  darkness ;  there  shall 

14  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.     For  many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen. 

1  Ver.  25.— n  a  p'  eaurots.  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf  [not  in  the  ed.  of  1S59]  read:  iv  eauroiy,  alter  B.,  L., 
Z.,  etc.  The  latter  reading  is  preferable,  since  the  sanhedrists  had  to  consult  among  themselves  before  giving  a  general 
answer. 

2  Ver.  28.— M  o  u  is  omitted  in  many  MSS.  [So  also  in  Cod.  Sinait.  and  in  the  critical  editions  of  Lachmann,  Tischen- 
dorf,  Tregelles,  and  Alford.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  30.— [T w  erepcfi  is  the  correct  reading,  sustained  by  the  best  authorities,  including  Cod.  Sinait.,  instead  of 
the  Recepia :  S  evr  4pw,  which  after  Trpwrtt)  appears  as  a  gloss.  Dr.  Lange,  however,  retains  SfvTepcjj  with  Lachmann 
(who  follows  the  Vatican  Cod.),  and  makes  no  mention  of  the  other  reading.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  .30.— ['£70),  Kvpie,  is,  of  course,  elliptical,  to  which  vivdyco,  or  iropevoy.at,  or  awepxafiai  mnst  be  supplied.  Tho 
various  readings:  vol,  Kvpie,  virdyu,  Kvpie,  and  others,  are  to  be  traced  to  the  desire  of  amending  an  apparently  incom- 
plete phrase.— P.  S.] 

5  Ver.  31.— Led.  rec. :  6  -rrpcoTos.  [So  also  Tischendorf  and  Alford.]  Lachmann  [and  Tregelles]  after  B.,  D. : 
6  varepus;  still  others:  ea  x°'''' "  ^1  fovissimus.  This  reading  is  connected  with  the  reversion  of  the  answers  in 
vers.  29  and  30,  but  the  sense  remains  the  same.  Comp.  for  different  views  Meyer.  [Comp.  also  the  note  of  Conant  in  fa- 
vor of  ii(7Tepos,  i.  e.,  the  later.,  the  tardie/r  one,  he  who  was  behind  the  other  in  his  compliance ;  which  is  descriptive,  whilo 
TTpioTos  merely  identifies.  The  reversion  of  the  order  in  some  authorities  may  be  easily  accounted  for  by  the  error  of  a 
transcriber  who  thought  that  the  parable  must  refer  to  the  successive  calling  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  (as  Origen,  Chrysostom, 
and  Jerome  do),  while  it  applies  to  two  classes  in  the  same  nation. — P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  32.— Cod.  B.,  al.,  Lachmann,  [and  Alford] :  ohSf  [for  o  u  which  is  retained  by  Tischendorf  in  the  edition  of 
1S59.-P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXI.  23-XXII.  14. 


385 


'  Yer.  S3. — [Lit.:  ^'- 77te/-6  teas  a  man,  a  householder  "  &p6pa>iros  ^v  olKoSe(7Tr6rrjs,  Lange;  Es  war  ein 
JJensch,  ein  Gutsherr.    All  the  criticil  editions  omit  t  i  s  (certain)  after  ivOpaiiros. — P.  S.] 

8  Ver.  83.— ['A  ir  sSt}  im-nff  ev  means  :  he  went  abroad  (Lange :  er  zog  uber  Land),  without  reference  to  distance,  as 
ifi  implied  in  the/c<;-  of  the  E.  V.— P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  34.— ['O  Kaipos  twv  Kapiraiv,  as  distinct  from  xp''''os.— P.  S.] 

1"  Ver.  34 — [Aa^eiv  robs  KopTrov^  aiirov:  auTotJ,  like  the  previous  one  after  SouAous,  referring  to  the 
householder  as  the  subject  of  the  sentence,  and  not  to  the  vineyard,  as  iu  the  K.  V.    See  Meyer  and  Conant  m  /of.— P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  87. — [So  Luther,  Lange,  and  Conant,  according  to  the  emphatic  form  of  the  original:  ou  uiv  eSeipav,  k.t.A. 
—P.  S.] 

'^  Ver.  88.— [The  critical  authoritie.s,  including  Cod.  Sinait.,  and  editions  read:  ffx^f^f  for  KardcrxoiJ'fv,  which 
seems  to  be  a  gloss.- P.  S.] 

'3  Vor.  09.— Cod.  D.,  al.,  in  reverse  order:  thej/  sJeic  him  and  cast  him  out  of  the  rinn/ard.  A  correction  in  keeping 
with  a  p.issionate  proceeding.  The  order  of  the  liecepta  is  better.  The  expulsion  from  the  vineyard  before  the  murder 
siguifies  the  priestly  excommunication  and  rejection  which  preceded  the  crucifixion. 

'  ■•  Ver.  41 .— [  Ka»coi/s  KaKwi  (=  2}essimos  pesshnf)  airoKeaei,  a  classic  phrase  of  the  pui-est  Greek  (petita  ex 
purisshno  ftermone  Grceco,  as  Grotius  observes).  The  paronomasia  brings  out  the  agreement  of  the  deed  and  the  punish- 
ment In  German  :  erirird  die  Elenden  elendiglich  vmhringen  (Meyer);  schlimm  wird  erdie  Schlimmen  imihringen 
fLange);  iiliel  wird  er  die  Ueblen  (better  :  Uebelthdter)  rer7iichien  (V.v/aM).  In  Engli.sh  we  have  no  equivalent  phrase. 
The  rendering  of  the  Authorized  Version  is  as  good  as  any  I  have  seen.  Dr.  Conant  retains  it.  Dr.  Geo.  Campbell  {The 
Ji'ottr  Gospels,  etc.)  renders  :  lie  will  put  tho-ie  wretches  to  a  wretched  death,  w'hSeb.  I  have  slishtly  altered  in  the  text. 
The  Kheims  Version  has:  the  naughty  men  he  will  bring  to  naught,  after  the  Vulgate:  Malos  maleperdet.—P.  S.] 

'5  Ver.  44.— Omitted  by  Tischendorf  without  sufficient  authority.  [Meyer  defends  the  words,  and  accounts  for  the 
omission  by  an  ovcr.-ight  of  a  transcriber  who  passed  from  avrris  Kai,  at  the  close  of  ver.  43,  at  once  to  abrhv  Kai,  at  the 
close  of  ver.  44.     Lachmann  retains  t!ie  verse,  but  in  brackets. — P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  4G.— [Better  :  And  theij  sottght  ....  but  they  feared,  koX  ^r)Tovi/Tes  ....  e(po$rid7](Tai>,  as  in  ch.  xiv.  5, 
where  the  E.  V.  renders:  And  when  he  would  have  put  him  to  death,  he  feared  the  muliiiude.] 

"  Ver.  46.— [As  in  ver.  2G,  or:  they  counted  liim  as  a  prophet,  as  the  E.  V.  renders  the  same  phrase  in  ch.  xiv.  5.— 

"  Ch.  xxii.  ver.  9.— [Aie'|o5oy,  transitus  and  exitu^  (Durchgang  and  Ausgang,  Passow),  a  way  through  and  out,  a 
crossing,  fork  of  the  roads,  where  many  resort  or  pass;  here  a  common  outlet  of  the  ways  (tu>v  oSiv)  that  lead  into  it,  a 
thoroughfare.    Lange  translates  it :  Siheideicege,  and  oSouy,  Strassen. — P.  S.] 

>' Ver.  13.— [The  words;  Spore  avrhv  Kai,  take  him  away  and,  are  omitted  by  Lachmann,  Tregelles,  Alford, 
and  LanM  iu  his  Version  (who,  however,  translates  nai),  but  retained  by  Tischendorf  in  the  edition  of  1859.  See  Tischen- 
dorf and  Alford,  Crit.  ap2)aratus.—P.  S.] 

son  of  Annas ;  a  year  later,  one  Simon ;  and  after 
another  year,  Joseph  Caiaphas,  a  son-in-law  of  An- 
nas. Thus  Caiaphas  was  now  the  official  high  priest ; 
but,  in  consistency  with  Jewish  feelings,  we  may  as- 
sume that  Annas  was  honored  in  connection  with 
him  as  the  properly  legitimate  high  priest.  This  es- 
tunation  might  be  further  disguised  by  the  fact  of 
his  being  at  the  same  time  the  "jJD  ,  or  vicar  of  the 
high  priest  (Lightfoot) ;  or,  if  he  was  the  N"^b: » 
president  of  the  Sanhedrin  (Wieseler).  Compare, 
however,  Winer,  sub  Synedriiun.  That,  in  fact,  high 
respect  was  paid  to  him,  is  proved  by  the  cir- 
cumstance that  Jesus  was  taken  to  hun  first  for 
a  private  examination  (John  xviii.  13).  And 
thus  he  here  appears  to  have  come  forward  with 
the  rest,  in  his  relation  of  colleague  to  the  official 
high  priest.  Moreover,  the  heads  of  the  twenty-four 
classes  of  the  priests  might  be  included  under  this 
name.  Probably  the  whole  was  the  result  of  a  very 
formal  and  solemn  ordinance  of  the  Council,  at  whose 
head  stood  the  high  priests. 

By  what  authority  ? — (Comp.  Acts  iv.  7.)  The 
two  questions  are  not  strictly  the  same.  The  first 
demanded  His  own  authority,  or  what  was  the  pro- 
phetic title  which  lie  assumed ;  the  second  demand- 
ed the  authority  from  which  lie  derived  His  own, 
and  which  authenticated  Him.  It  therefore  seems 
to  have  intimated  that  their  authorization  was  denied 
to  Him.  Doubtless  their  aim  v,as  to  extort  from  Him 
thus  early  that  same  declaration  which  they  after- 
ward (ch.  xxvi.)  constnicJ  into  a  criminal  charge. 

Doest  Thou  these  things  1  t  adr  a . — Grotius, 
Bengel,  and  others  refer  the  ravra  to  Ifis  teaching  ; 
Meyer,  on  the  contrary,  to  the  cleansing  the  temple 
and  the  healing,  ver.  14.  Better,  de  Wette :  The 
whole  of  the  work  of  Jesus  in  the  temple  up  to  thi.s 
time.  As  they  would  not  acknowledge  the  acts  of 
Jesus,  the  definite  word  Tav-ra  is  chosen  with  de- 
sign. 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CKITICAL. 

Ch.  XXI.  23.  As  He  was  teaching.— At  first 
the  members  of  the  Sanhedrin,  with  the  high  priest 
himself  at  their  head,  confronted  the  Lord  with  an 
official  and  formal  inquiry.  Their  action  was  pas- 
sionately prepared ;  for,  no  sooner  had  Jesus  repair- 
ed again  to  the  temple,  than  they  were  on  the  spot. 
Their  inquiry  was  hostile  in  its  design ;  His  opponents 
would  oppress  Him  at  once  by  their  authority ;  and 
therefore  they  interrupted  Him  even  in  the  inidst  of 
His  teaching.  But  the  form  of  their  inquiry  was  of- 
ficial, and  according  to  theocratical  rule  :  the  Jewish 
rulers  had  the  right  to  demand  of  a  man  who  exer- 
cised prophetic  functions  the  warranty  of  His  pro- 
phetical character.  But,  as  Jesus  had  already  abun- 
dantly authenticated  Himself  by  various  miracles, 
their  seemingly  justifiable  act  was  only  a  shameless 
avowal  of  unbelief  It  was  no  other  than  the  high- 
est rebellion  in  the  disguise  of  strict  legality. 

The  high  priests  and  the  elders.-^That  is, 
the  Sanhedrin  in  its  official  authority.  Hence  Luke 
and  Mark  add  the  scribes  also  ;  for  these  belonged 
in  a  wider  sense  to  the  presbytery.  The  high 
priests  :  the  plural  is  explained  by  the  then  existing 
relations  of  the  high-priesthood.  The  high  priest 
was  supposed  legally  to  enjoy  his  functicn  during 
life  {see  Winer,  art.  Hohepricstcr) ;  and  before  the 
exile  we  read  of  only  one  deposition  (1  Kings  ii.  27). 
But  since  the  time  of  the  Syrian  domination  the  of- 
fice had  often  changed  hands  under  foreign  influence ; 
it  was  often  a  football  of  rehgious  and  political  par- 
ties, and  sometimes  even  of  the  mob.  This  change 
was  especially  frequent  under  the  Roman  government. 
Thus  Annas  (Ananus)  became  high  priest  seven  years 
after  the  birth  of  Christ  (Jira  Dion.) ;  seven  years 
later  Ishmael,  at  the  command  of  the  Koman  procu- 
rator (Joseph.  Antiq.  xviii.  2,  2) ;  afterward  Eleazar, 
25 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


Vers.  24,  25.  I  also  will  ask  you. — The  coun- 
ter-question is  once  more  a  testimony  to  the  heaven- 
ly supremacy  of  Clu'ist's  wisdom  as  a  teacher.  They 
had  presented  this  inquiry  under  the  jiretext  of  theo- 
cratical  rule  ;  and,  in  the  true  spirit  of  tliis  theocrat- 
ical  rule.  Ho  put  to  them  His  counter-question :  The 
baptism  of  John,  was  it  from  heaven  ?  that  is, 
Did  John  act  as  a  true  prophet  under  divine  author- 
ity ?  The  antithesis,  or  of  men,  signifies  his  having 
come  by  his  own  arbitrary  boldness,  undertaking  an 
enthusiastic  work,  supported  by  the  party  spirit  of 
like-minded  confederates.  As  the  opposite  of  divine 
authority  of  the  true  jirophet,  the  words  still  more 
definitely  describe  the  character  of  the  false  prophet. 
Now  if  the  Sanhedrin  declared  for  the  latter  part  of 
the  alternative,  they  would  not  only  come  into  colli- 
sion with  the  faith  of  the  people,  but  they  would  con- 
demn themselves  as  having  proved  false  to  the  theoc- 
racy, as  the  administrators  of  its  laws.  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  they  acknowledged  the  divine  mission  of 
John,  they  must  also  acknowledge  Jesus  as  the  Mes- 
siah ;  for  John  had  declared  himself  to  be  the  fore- 
runner of  the  Messiah,  and  he  had  moreover  directed 
the  people  to  Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  Indeed,  the  si- 
lent secret  is  here  hinted  at,  that  he  had  directed 
themselves — the  Sanhedrin — to  Jesus  as  the  Messiah 
{see  ch.  iv.). 

Ver.  25.  They  deliberated  among  them- 
selves.— Their  pondering  must  issue  in  a  formal  an- 
swer ;  and,  as  they  must  give  a  common  answer,  a 
common  consultation  and  deliberate  calculation  was 
previously  necessary :  hence  iv  t  avr  o7  s ,  among 
themselves  ;  which  also  appears  in  the  S  i  a  A  o  7  i  - 
CeaOai.  {See  ch.  xvi.  V.) — Why  then  did  ye 
not  believe  him  ? — that  is,  his  testimony  concern- 
ing the  Messiah. 

Ver.  26.  We  fear  the  multitude. — We  have  the 
crowds  {rh  V  6  x^op)io  dread.  Meyer  assumes  here 
an  aposiopesis,  which  (Luke  xx.  6)  interprets  ;  All  the 
people  vjill  sione  us.  But  the  expression  cp  0  13  o  v- 
fiiOa  intimates  the  same  in  a  more  indefinite  way. 
The  o'x^os-  is  scornful:  the  mob,  as  in  John  vii.  49. 

[The  intelligence  of  this  official  consultation,  which 
is  related  almost  verbatim  by  the  Synoptists,  may 
have  been  originally  derived  from  Nicodemus,  who 
belonged  to  the  Sanhedrin. — P.  S.j 

Ver.  27.  We  do  not  know. — This  reminds  us 
of  the  hierarchical  decision,  "  mandaium  de  supcrse- 
detido^''  which  is  so  frequent  in  papal  history ;  e.  ^., 
in  the  conflict  between  Reuehlin  and  the  Dominicans 
{see  Ranke  :  Deuisclie  Geschichte  im  Zeitaltcr  der  Re- 
formation, vol.  i.  p.  281).  They  were  caught  in  a 
rough  alternative,  and  could  extricate  themselves  only 
by  a  step  of  desperation.  The  Sanhedrin  were  im- 
der  the  necessity,  in  the  temple  and  in  the  hearing 
of  all  the  people,  to  utter  a  confession  of  ignorance, 
and  that  of  hypocritical  ignorance.  If  they  were  not 
already  enemies  of  Jesus  to  the  death,  this  would 
make  them  so.  This  declaration  made  them,  in  the 
eyes  of  Jesus,  cease  to  be  a  truly  legitimate  and  di- 
vinely authorized  Sanhedvla  ;  after  this,  they  were  to 
Him  only  as  usurpers.  Hence  His  reply.  Neither 
tell  I  you.  [The  ouSc  iyw  Xeyw  is  an  answer  not 
to  their  words:  ouk  o'iSafj.eu,  but  to  their  inward 
thoughts  :   oil  e^Ko;j.(v  Ktynv.'] 

Ver.  28.  But  what  think  ye  ? — Now  there  is 
a  transition  to  the  offensive.  First  Parable. — Jesus 
had  already  by  Ilis  counter-question  obliged  His  en- 
emies to  lay  bare  their  ignorance,  or  their  unbelief.  He 
now  constrains  them,  iu  the  first  parable,  tu  declare 
their  own  guilt;  and,  in  the  second,  to  declare  their 


own  punishment  ;  and,  as  they  had  now  decided  to 
put  Dim  fo  death.  He  describes  to  them,  in  the  third 
parable,  the  consequences  of  their  great  violation  of 
the  covenant  and  ingratitude  —  the  destruction  of 
their  ancient  priesthood,  and  the  triumphant  estab 
lislunent  of  His  new  kingdom  of  heaven  among  (he 
Gentiles.  The  first  parable  is  found  only  in  "Mat 
thew.* 

Ver.  30.  I  will,  sir,  '£70^.. — Not  merely,  yes,  but 
an  elliptical  expression  of  devoted  willingness,  like 
the  Hebrew  "lirt  (Grotius).  De  Wette:  It  always 
refers  to  the  previous  verb  :  thus,  vv6.y<a  or  ipydao- 
/.lui  must  be  supplied.  But  the  emphasis  of  the  an- 
swer Vv-ith  /  is  to  be  regarded  as  intimating  a  con 
trast  to  the  refusing  son. 

Ver.  31.  The  publicans  and  the  harlots. — 
Thus,  those  who  were  excommunicated  from  the 
Jewish  Church :  the  last  word  specializes  the  usual 
expression,  sinners.  They  are  represented  by  the 
first  son.  Their  earlier  relation  to  the  requirements 
of  the  law  and  the  prophets  was  a  virtual  no,  which 
often  in  the  expression  of  unbelief  had  become  an 
actual  and  literal  no.  But,  since  the  coming  of  the 
Baptist,  they  had  repented.  The  contrast  to  them  is 
the  Sanhedrin  in  the  second  son.  By  their  doctrine 
and  hypocritical  piety  they  had  exhibited  themselves 
as  the  obedient  ones,  yet  with  a  boastful  I  will,  sir, 
and  with  a  contemptuous  look  upon  the  disobedient 
son.  But  they  were  the  disobedient  in  relation  to 
the  Baptist  and  the  Christ ;  they  would  not  be  influ- 
enced even  by  the  example  of  the  publicans'  repent- 
ance. 

Go  before  you,  Trpoa-dyovaLi' . — Here  in- 
transitive :  not  of  a  "  future,"  but  of  a  present  enter- 
ing into  the  kingdom  of  God.  But  the  following  of 
the  others  is  not  intimated ;  rather  the  reverse.  [Ac- 
cording to  Trench,  on  the  contrary,  the  words  imply 
that  the  door  of  hope  w.as  not  yet  shut  upon  the 
Pharisees  by  an  irreversible  doom,  and  that  they 
might  still  follow,  if  they  would.  So  also  Alford  and 
Nast.  Comp.  John  xii.  35  ;  and  Christ's  prayer  on 
the  cross,  Luke  xxiii.  34. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  32.  In  the  way  of  lighteousness,  iv  6 5<w 
S  t  icatoavvTi  s  ■ — Meyer  :  "  As  a  thoroughly  right- 
eous and  upright  man.  It  is  not  the  preaching  of 
righteousness  which  is  meant."  De  Wette :  "  For 
he  preached  righteousness."  That  oSos  often  means 
doctrine,  as  a  standard  of  jnactical  righteousness,  is 
a  settled  point  (comp.  ch.  xxii.  16  ;  Acts  xiii.  10, 
etc.).  But  here  we  must  understand  the  way  of 
righteousness  in  reference  to  the  words  of  Christ  in 
John  xiv.  6  :  /  a.m.  the  waif.  John  came  (e'pxf cf^"'  of 
teachers  arising,  ch.  xi.  18)  as  the  forertmner  of  the 
Messiah,  pointing  to  Him,  the  way  of  rigliteousness. 
The  Sucaioavvr)  here  is  analogous  to  the  aoepla,  eh. 
xi.  19. 

Repented  not. — M^Ta/neXeoi^at  here  expresses 
the  coming  to  a  change  of  mind  and  1  urpose,  and  not 
merely  "to  meditate  something  I  Mvr;"  jet  repent 
is  rather  too  strong  a  translation,  and  corresponds  to 
fiercn'Of'ti'.     Comp.  ch.  xxvii.  3  ;  2  Cor.  vii.  8. 

Ver.  83.  Hear  another   parable. — [As  if  to 


*  [Trench  (1.  c.  p.  1S5)  reni.wks  on  these  three  parables 
that  notwithstanding  their  severe  and  threatening  aspect, 
they  are  not  words  of  defiance,  but  of  earnest,  tenderest 
love,  spoken  with  the  intention  of  turning  theui,  if  possible, 
from  their  purpose,  of  saving  them  from  the  fearful  outrago 
against  His  person  which  they  were  about  to  commit,  and 
of  winning  them  also  for  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  parable 
of  the  Two  Sons  is  rather  retrospective,  while  the  two  that 
follow,  are  prophetic  also.— F.  S.] 


CITAP.  XXI.  SS-XXII.   11. 


say  :  "  [  liave  not  done  with  you  yet ;  I  have  still  an- 
other word  of  warning  and  rebuke."  Trench.]  This 
second  parable  does  not  merely  predict  "  the  future 
punishment "  of  the  enemies  of  tlie  Messiah  ;  it  more 
deliuitely  si>ecitics  the  nature  of  their  guilt,  in  its  last 
and  near  approaching  consummation,  the  murder  of 
Christ. 

Planted  a  vineyard. — The  theocracy  under  the 
similitude  of  a  vineyard :  see  Isa.  v.  1-7  ;  iii.  14  ; 
Cant.  ii.  15.  Israel  the  vine:  Jer.  ii.  21.  Christ  the 
vine:  John  xv.  1.  [A -vineyard  was  regarded  as  the 
most  valuable  plantation,  which  yielded  the  largest 
harvest,  but  required  also  the  most  constant  labor 
and  care.  Cato  says  :  Nulla  possessio  preliosior,  nul- 
la inojorem  operam  requirlt. — P.  S.] 

A  Tvine-press,  \^^v6s . — Properly  the  trough 
which  was  buried  in  the  ground ;  the  wine-press 
proper  stood  above,  and  the  juice  flowed  through  a 
grated  opening  into  it.  But  the  press  and  the  trough 
were  also  together  called  Aijuos. 

[Tlie  dlijiibHi,  of  course,  can  only  refer  properly 
to  the  receptacle  for  the  juice  in  the  rock  or  ground 
to  keep  it  cool  (Mark  has  for  it  inroKi]viou  -—  lacus 
i'iiiarias) ;  but  X-rjt'os  =  torcular,  sometimes  means  the 
whole  structure  for  treading  the  grapes  and  receiving 
the  expressed  juice.  Dr.  Hackett  {Ulustraiions  of 
Scriphire,  p.  157,  8th  ed.),  as  quoted  by  Dr.  Conant 
in  loc,  gives  the  following  description  of  it :  "A  hol- 
low place,  usually  a  rock,  is  scooped  out,  considera- 
bly deeper  at  one  end  than  the  other.  The  grapes 
are  put  into  this  trough,  and  two  or  more  persons, 
with  naked  feet  and  legs,  get  into  it,  where  they  jump 
up  and  down,  crushing  the  fruit.  .  .  .  The  juice  flows 
into  the  lower  part  of  the  excavation.  .  .  .  The  place 
for  treading  out  the  grapes  is  sometimes  dug  in  the 
ground,  Uned  probably  with  a  coating  of  stone  or 
brick.  The  expression  in  Matt.  xxi.  33  may  allude 
to  such  an  excavation. "^P.  S.] 

Tower. — Watch-tower  ;  generally  built  in  vine- 
yards [not  so  much  for  recreation  as  for  the  watch- 
men who  guarded  the  fruits  against  thieves]. 

Let  it  out  to  husbandjtnen,  e  |  e  S  o  t  o  . — De 
Wette :  For  a  part  of  the  fruits.  Meyer :  For  money, 
as  the  lord  himself  received  the  fruits,  vers.  34,  41. 
But  in  Luke  xx.  10  we  have  airli  rod  Kapwov  tou  au- 
irexii'o?,  and  hence  de  Wette  must  be  right.  If  the 
eic<)i5orai  had  been  used  of  money  (it  must  be  distin- 
guished, even  then,  from  the  /uLiadovu  of  the  laborers, 
c!i.  XX.  1,  7),  the  lord  would  have  required  of  those 
husbandmen,  not  the  fruits,  but  the  rent.  Meyer 
himself  favors  this  explanation,  when  he  makes  roh? 
/ca^iTTouv  a-jTuv  refer,  not  to  the  fruits  of  the  vineyard, 
but  to  the  fruits  belonging  to  the  lord. 

Ver.  35.  Stoned  another. — Meyer:  According 
to  ch.  xxiii.  37;  John  viii.  5;  Acts  vii.  58,  etc., 
"  this  is  related  to  killing  as  its  climax,  as  species 
atrox  (Bengel)  of  kiUing."  But  in  the  parallel  of 
Mark,  where  Ai0oi3o\T)«TacT6y  is  sufficiently  authenti- 
cated, we  must  understand  it,  that  the  servant  was 
saluted  from  afar  with  stones.  The  climax  is  there, 
but  of  another  kind :  they  did  not  let  the  third  mes- 
senger come  near  them,  but  drove  him  away  with 
stones.  It  must  be  remembered,  that  stoning  is  used 
here  as  part  of  the  parable,  not  in  the  sense  of  the 
Jewish  law. 

[Ver.  37.  But  last  of  all  he  sent  unto  them 
his  son,  etc. — It  has  been  frequently  observed  by 
ancient  and  modern  commentators,  that  the  only  and 
well-beloved  Son  of  God  is  here  distinctly  marked  out 
as  far  above  the  prophets  in  dignity  and  rank,  the 
sending  of  whom  is  the  last  and  crowning  effort  of 


divine  mercy,  and  the  rejection  of  whom  fills  up  the 
measure  of  human  sin  and  guilt.  Compare  here  the 
more  expressive  language  of  Mark  xii.  6  :  "  Raving 
yet  therefore  one  son,  Im  well-helovcd,  he  sent  him  also 
last  unto  them,  saijing,  they  will  reverence  my  son." 
The  expression  of  the  hope,  that  the  husbandmen  will 
reverence  the  son,  implies,  of  course,  no  ignorance, 
but  the  sincere  will  of  God,  that  all  should  be  saved ; 
and  the  fact  of  man's  freedom  and  responsibility, 
which  is  perfectly  consistent  with  Divine  foreknowl- 
edge and  foreordination,  although  we  may  not  be 
able  in  this  world  to  see  the  comrection  and  to  explain 
the  mystery. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  38.  Let  us  have  his  inheritance,  k  a  I 
ax^  fj-  e  f  T  Tjv  kKt]  p  o  vo  jj-'ioLv .  —  The  reading 
fc OT  a axfoixev  {seize),  and  the  parallel  in  Mark  xii.  7, 
contain  the  true  explanation.  That  of  Meyer,  "  And 
let  us  hold  fast,  not  be  driven  out "  (as  if  they  did 
not  mention  the  result,  but  their  further  design,  what 
they  would  do  after  the  killing  of  the  son),  gives  no 
good  sense.  Till  then,  they  regarded  themselves 
as  hired  laborers  ;  after  kilhng  the  heir,  they  usurp 
the  possession. 

Ver.  39.  They  cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard, 
and  slew  hini. — Mark's  inversion  of  the  order  ex- 
hibits the  act  in  a  more  passionate  and  dramatic 
manner  ;  but  it  loses  a  typical  feature.  For,  the  se- 
quence in  Matthew  (and  Luke)  bears  with  it  an  un- 
doubted allusion  to  the  excommunication  which  pre- 
ceded death.  Chrysostom,  Olshausen,  and  others  re- 
fer the  casting  out  to  the  crucifixion  outside  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  and  they  arc  so  far  right,  as  this  was  the  con- 
sequence of  the  sentence  and  curse  which  rested  on 
Jesus,  Heb.  xiii.  12. 

Vers.  33-39.  The  Meaning  of  the  Parable  of  the 
Wicked  HusBANDMEN.-The  vineyard  xs,  the  theocratical 
Idngdom  of  God,  especially*  in  its  Old  Testament  form. 
The  hedge  is  the  divine  order  of  restriction  and  mark 
of  membership :  in  the  Old  Testament,  circumcision  ; 
in  the  New  Testament,  the  power  of  the  keys,  and 
baptism  with  confession  (Chrysostom  and  others :  the 
lawf ).  The  wine-press  is  the  altar  in  the  widest  sense 
(Chrysostom  and  others  :  the  altar  ;  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament also,  the  Lord's  Supper  \).  The  tower  is  the 
theocratical  protection ;  or  also  the  New  Testament 
office  of  watchman  ideally  viewed  (Chrysostom  :  the 
temple).  We  must  hold  fast  the  fundamental  traits 
of  the  Mosaic  law;  yet  so  as  to  include  the  New 
Testament  fulfilment,  for  the  vineyard  passes  over  in 
the  New  Covenant  to  other  laborers.  The  departure 
of  the  proprietor.  Bengel :  tempus  divines  tacUurni- 
tatis,  ubi  homines  agunt  pro  arhitrio.  But  against 
this  speaks  the  fact,  that  the  time  of  the  prophets  is 
described,  and  their  mission  is  combined  in  one  with 
the  mission  of  Christ.  It  is  rather  the  period  of 
the  natural  human  development  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  from  the  date  of  its  divine  institution.  Tlie 
laborers,    or  Imsbandmcn,   are    the    official   leaders 


*  [Not:  that  i.i,  as  tlio  Kdinh.  translator  (Rev.  Mr.  ro[)C) 
has  it,  eviduntly  luistakiii!;  the  German  numcnUicli  lor 
ndinlich,  and  thereby  confining  the  vineyard  to  the  Jewish 
church,  when  Lanste  expressly  means  to  apply  it  to  the 
Christian  church  also,  as  the  connection  clearly  shows. 
Such  errors  are  very  frequent  in  this  translation,  especially  in 
the  lew  jjrecedinfr  nnd  all  the  subsequent  chapters. — P.  8.] 

t  [So  also  Trench  who  refers  the  hedsre  to  the  law  which 
Paul  calls  "  the  middle  wall  of  partition  "  between  the  Jew 
and  the  Gentile  (Eph.  ii.  14),  and  which  was  a  hedge  both 
of  separation  from,  and  di-lVnco  against.  Gentile  abomina- 
tions and  hostile  foreign  inlliioncc  lie  refers  it  at  the  same 
lime  to  the  geographical  isolatioa  of  Palt-sline.  — P.  S.] 

t  [Irenajus,  Hilary,  Aiiibnise,  and  others,  take  the  wine- 
press to  be  a  symbol  of  the  prophetic  institution.— P.  S.] 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


of  the  theocracy,  especially  the  priests,  elders,  and 
scribes.  The  servants  are  the  prophets  sent  by  God. 
For  their  maltreatment,  see  the  tiight  of  Elijah,  the  his- 
tories of  Jeremiah  and  Zechariah  (2  Chron.  xxiv.  20), 
the  tradition  concerning  Isaiah.  The  son  is  the  Mes- 
siah. The  attempt  of  tlie  laborers  to  gain  tlie  inher- 
itance for  themselves,  is  the  ambition  of  the  Jewish 
rulers.  The  cominr/  of  the  lord  is  the  judgment  of 
retribution. 

Ver.  40.  When  therefore  the  lord  of  the 
vineyard  cometh. — His  enemies  are  constrained  to 
explain  the  parable  for  themselves.  But,  inasmuch 
as  their  solution  was  a  necessary  consecjuence  of  their 
whole  position,  Mark  and  Luke  represent  Jesus  as 
Himself  drawing  the  conclusion.  But  they  also  put 
first  the  question,  "  What  will  the  lord  of  the  vine- 
yard do  ?  "  Each  representation  is  in  harmony  with 
the  connection  of  each  Gospel ;  but  that  of  Matthew 
seems  the  original  one.  Meyer  supposes  that  the 
Sanhedrin  daringly  gave  their  decision,  although  they 
felt  that  the  parable  referred  to  them ;  and  in  favor 
of  this  is  the  tx':]  ytvoiTo,  Luke  xx.  16.  On  this  as- 
sumption, their  apparent  sincerity  was  only  hypoc- 
risy ;  and  they  thereby  declared  that  the  parable  did 
not  apply  to  them. 

Ver.  41.  He  will  miserably  destroy  those 
miserable  men. — Meyer,  well:  As  miserable  ones 
will  He  miserably  destroy  them.  See  his  examples 
of  the  same  phraseology.  It  signifies  the  tbeocrati- 
cal  judgments  upon  Israel,  appearing  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem ;  which  Meyer,  with  his  wonted 
misunderstanding  of  the  advent,  denies.  The  Far- 
ousia  of  Christ  is  consummated  in  His  last  coming, 
but  is  not  one  with  it.  It  begins  in  principle  with 
the  resurrection  (John  xvi.  16);  continues  as  a.  power 
through  the  New  Testament  period  (John  xiv.  3, 19) ; 
and  is  consummated  in  the  stricter  sense  in  the  final 
advent  (1  Cor.  xv.  23  ;  Matt.  xxv.  31 ;  2  Thess.  ii. 
etc.). 

To  other  husbandmen. — The  passing  over  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  to  the  Gentiles.  The  signifi- 
cance of  this  feature  of  the  parable  was  not,  proba- 
bly, clearly  seen  by  the  Council.  Remarkable  is  the 
praise  which  they  finally  lavisli  upon  the  new  labor- 
ers. The  meaning  is,  that  the  Lord  will  always  know 
how  to  seek  and  to  find  faithful  laborers  in  His 
work. 

Ver.  42.  And  Jesus  said  unto  them. — A  para- 
bolical word  follows  from  the  Old  Testament,  which 
gives  its  edge  to  the  preceding  parable ;  showing  the 
Sanhedrin  from  the  ancient  Scriptures  that  most  as- 
suredly the  parable  suited  them.  The  passage  which 
the  Lord  brings  to  their  remembrance  is  that  of  Ps. 
cxviii.  22  [the  same  Psalm  of  triumph  from  which 
the  people  had  taken  their  Hosannas],  quoted  from 
the  Septuagint.  According  to  Ewald,  this  Psalm  was 
sung  at  the  first  Feast  of  Tabernacles  after  the  return 
from  captivity.  This  much  is  certain,  that  it  prima- 
rily pointed,  in  its  historical  sense,  to  the  pious,  mys- 
tical kernel  of  the  people,  as  exalted  above  all  the 
attempts  of  the  heathen  to  destroy  them.  Accord- 
ing to  Zech.  iii.  8,  9,  and  iv.  V,  Zerubbabel  was  prob- 
ably the  person ;  but  Zerubbabel  was  a  type  of  the 
Messiah  ;  therefore  the  passage  was  a  typical  pro- 
phecy of  Christ,  as  the  Rabbins  always  acknowledged. 
But  as  the  stone  is  described  as  one  rejected  by  the 
builders,  this  could  hardly  be  said  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  must  refer  to  the  Jewish  builders  themselves,  the 
priests  and  rulers,  who  first  despised  the  stone  and 
then  rejected  it.  We  have  then  here  something 
that  passes  beyond  historical  type,  and  which  makes 


the  parable  a  striking  prophecy  of  the  conduct  of  the 
Sanhedrin  toward  Christ.  And  if  the  corner-stone, 
the  stone  which  bears  up  the  theocratical  edifice,  is 
distinguished  from  that  building,  it  cannot  signify  all 
Israel,  but  the  theocratical  offspring  of  David,  who  is 
the  definite  type  of  the  Messiah.  Since  the  corner- 
slonc,  or  head  of  the  corner  {K^cpaArj  yufias)  binds 
together  the  two  walls,  Ammonius  and  Cyril  found  im 
this  image  the  union  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  in  Christ.* 
But  the  idea  here  prominent  is  this,  that  the  despised 
and  rejected  stone  becomes  the  corner-stone  of  the 
theocracy.  [Compare  for  a  similar  apphcation  of 
this  Psalm  in  Acts  iv.  11  ;  1  Pet.  ii.  1.] 

Ver.  43.    Therefore  I  say  unto    you De 

Wette:  "Therefore,  because  ye  have  rejected  the 
corner-stone."  Better  :  Because  the  word  concerning 
the  corner-stone  shows  that  the  parable  spoken  ex- 
pressly suits  you,  the  word  also  concerning  the  vine- 
yard being  given  to  others  suits  you  also ;  the  king- 
dom will  be  taken  from  you,  etc.  For  this  also  speaks 
the  expression:  '■'■given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the 
fruits  thereof." 

To  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof. 
— The  Nev/  Testament  people  of  God,  with  emphasis 
upon  the  new  and  heterogeneous  element,  the  Gen- 
tiles.     Meyer:   Ihe'lrrpaiiX  kuto.  Trvediaa. 

Ver.  44.  Whosoever  shall  fall  upon  this 
stone,  etc. — The  jjrivative  and  negative  punishment 
of  the  wicked  laborers  is  followed  by  their  positive 
punishment.  Thus  we  have  here  an  explanation  of 
the  words :  "  He  ivill  miserahly  destroy  these  miserable 
men"  connected  with  the  figure  of  the  stone,  which 
now  approves  its  rocky  nature,  that  fitted  it  to  be 
the  corner-stone.  Thus  Christ  also  demonstrates  that 
He  is  the  Judge.  The  positive  and  punitive  judg- 
ment has  again  its  two  sides.  The  stone  falls  on  none 
who  have  not  first  fallen  on  it :  that  is,  only  the  un- 
believers, who  have  rejected  Christ,  will  be  by  Him 
condemned  and  rejected.  But  it  is  a  double  form  of 
punishment  which  is  expressed  by  this  antithesis. 
He  who  falls  upon  Christ,  the  corner-stone,  or  who 
runs  against  and  falls  over  it,  making  Him  a  spiritual 
offence  and  stumbling-block,  (TKav^aXov  (Isa.  viii.  14 ; 
eomp.  1  Pet.  ii.  8),  will  be  bruised.  This  is  death 
through  dismemberment  of  the  body  :  spiritual  death, 
reprobation,  and  demolition  of  Israel,  or  of  the  indi- 
vidual unbeliever.  This  is  the  judgment  which  falls 
upon  the  active  enemy  of  the  passive  Christ,  as  sub- 
ject. But  he  will  also  be  the  passive  object  of  the 
punishment  of  the  glorified  and  governing  Christ. 
But  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall. — He  against 
whom  Christ  comes  in  judgment — according  to  the 
figure  of  the  stone,  Dan.  ii.  34,  33 — will  He  grind  to 
powder,  a  < « ^u  rj  tr  e  i ;  Vulgate  f  :  conterat ;  Lutlier : 
zermalmen,  to  crush,  to  pulverize.  Meyer  maintains 
that  the  Greek  verb  can  only  mean,  shcdl  ivinnovj 
him,  throw  him  off  as  chaff.  But  this  does  not  suit 
the  effect  of  a  falling  stone.  The  expression  is  chosen 
with  reference  to  the  mysterious  stone  in  Daniel, 
which  grinds  to  pow^der  the  image  of  the  monarchies  ; 
that  is,  to  Christ,  who  unfolds  His  life  in  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  grinds  tbe  kingdoms  of  the  world  to  pow- 


*  [So  also  Origen,  Jerome,  Augustine,  Cbrysostom,  Theo- 
phvlact,  and  among  modern  commentators,  Alford,  Trencli, 
and  Wordsworth.  ^See  Eph.  ii.  20-22.— P.  S.] 

t  [The  original  substitutes  the  Greek  Septuagint  (which 
ought  to  be  connected  with  the  preceding  \LKfj.5.v)  for  the 
Latin  Vulgate, — an  obvious  oversight  (doubtless  of  the  prin- 
ter, who  may  have  omitted  Vtilgate).  which  the  Edinb. 
trans-Uiter,  as  usual,  faithfully  aud  thoughtlessly  copies.— 
P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXI.  23-XXir.  U. 


389 


dor.     This  is  the  actual  and  most  proper  result  of  | 
His  historical  judgment:  perfect  dissolution    of  or- 
ganization, dissipation  of  its  elements  even  to  appar- 
ent annihilation.     The   threatening   here  refers  pri-  ' 
marily  to  the  Jewish  hierarchy  and  the  destruction  | 
of  Jerusalem  ;    but  the  unbelieving  individual  will  | 
also  be  ground  to  powder  at  last,  the  glory  of  his  life 
will  be  dissipated,  he  will  be  reduced  to  Ids  elements, 
and  driven  to  the  verg.;  of  annihilation.  i 

Yer.  46.  They  sought  to  lay  hands  on  Him.  ; 
— They  had  already  lixed  the  decree  to  kill  Him.  But  | 
their  exasperation  at  the  condemning  import  of  the  j 
parables  might  have  urged  them  at  once  to  carry  out 
their  resolution,  had  not  their  dread  of  the  people 
prevented  them. 

Ch.  XXII.  1.  And  Jesus  answered. —  The  third 
parable :  the  Marriage  of  the  lunr/^s  Son.*  The  judg- 
ment upon  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews,  and  the  new 
theocracy  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The  Lord's 
further  words  are  introduced  as  an  answer,  because 
thev  refer  to  the  schemes  of  His  enemies  to  seize 
Him. 

In  parables. — Plural  of  the  category. 
Ter.  2.  Made  a  marriage  for  his  son. — This 
parable  is  related,  in  its  fundamental  idea  that  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  a  festive  meal,  to  that  of  Luke 
xiv.  16-24.  But  there  is  an  essential  difference  be- 
tween them.  The  festive  supper  of  a  host  is  here  ex- 
panded into  a  w^edding  supper  which  a  king  made 
for  his  son.  In  Luke  the  whole  parable  is  so  ordered 
as  to  depict  the  infinite  goodness  and  grace  of  the 
Lord  :  hence  the  scornful  guests  are  at  once  passed 
by,  and  the  parable  turns  to  those  newly  invited  out 
of  the  streets  and  lanes.  But  in  Matthew  the  judg- 
ment is  the  standpoint  from  which  the  whole  is  view- 
ed. Hence  not  only  is  the  judgment  upon  the  first 
neglecters  of  the  invitation  depicted,  but  further  judg- 
ment is  extended  to  the  guests  who  actually  came. 
The  practical  scope  of  these  parables  has  been  alto- 
gether overlooked  by  those  who  have  maintained  that 
the  former  was  t'le  original  parable,  and  that  evan- 
gelical tradition  pieced  together  in  this  one  many 
separate  fragments.  (De  Wette,  Strauss,  Schnecken- 
burger,  and  others.)  f  Evangelical  parables  are  not 
works  of  art  in  this  sense.  Their  fundamental  ideas 
may  be  \dewed  from  different  points  of  vie\v,  and  dif- 
ferently developed  accordingly.  So  here,  when  the 
Lord  shows  what  judgments  will  fall  upon  the  various 
kinds  of  contempt  poured  on  the  marriage  supper  of 
the  kingdom  of  (rod.  The  Jews  had  long  been  wont 
to  think  of  the  festival  of  the  consummated  kmgdom 
of  heaven  under  the  figure  of  a  feast.  The  paschal 
meal,  doubtless,  gave  them  the  type  of  it ;  while  all 
the  heathen  festivals  and  sacrificial  feasts  rested  upon 
the  same  oommon  foundation.  Comp.  Exod.  xxiv. 
11 ;  Ps.  xxiii.  5  ;  Isa.  xxv.  6.  This  feast  of  the  king- 
dom of  lieaven  is  an  image  of  the  blessedness  and 
fellowship  of  the  life  of  faith,  and  assumes  a  three- 
fold form :  1.  It  is  a  feast  in  the  future  world,  Luke 
xvi.  22  ;  2.  it  is  the  future  feast  at  tlie  visible  advent 
of  the  Messiah,  Luke  xiv.  15  ;  Matt.  xxv.  1  ;  3.  it  is 
the  present,  spiritual  feast  which  begins  at  once  with 


*  [So  it  is  called  in  the  headings  of  the  English  Bible,  to 
distinguish  it  from  ths  p.aral)le  of  the  Great  Supper-  in  Luke 
xiv.  16-24.  Sometimes  it  is  called  less  appropriately  the 
parable  of  the  Weflding  Garment,  which  after  all  is  only  an 
episode  in  it. — P.  S.] 

t  [Even  Theophylact,  Calvin,  and  M.ildonatiis  maintain 
the  iilentity  of  the  two  parables;  while  Olhhausen,  Stier, 
Nast.  Alloril,  Trench,  and  Owen  a^ree  with  Lange  in  keep- 
i'  p  them  distinct.  Comp.  the  apt  remarks  of  Trench  on  the 
difference  and  against  Strauss,  p.  203  sqq.— P.  S.] 


the  life  of  faith,  Ps.  xxiii. ;  the  parables,  Luke  xiv. 
lY,  and  in  this  section.  The  Jewish  rabbinical  my- 
thology exhibited  the  feast  at  the  end  of  tlie  world, 
at  the  advent  of  the  Messiah,  with  all  sensuous  char- 
acteristics, and  in  colossal  figures?.  The  change  of 
the  simple  feast  into  a  marriage  supper  rested  upon 
the  Old  Testament  representation  of  the  covenant  be- 
tween Jehovah  and  Israel  hj  the  figure  of  the  mar- 
riage state :  Isa.  liv.  5  ;  Ezek.  xvi.  4  ;  ch.  xxiii. ; 
Hos.  ii.  19,  20;  compare  the  Canticles.  In  the  New 
Testament  development  of  this  figure,  we  must,  of 
course,  regard  the  Messiah  as  the  Bridegroom,  for 
whom  tlie  Father  prepared  the  marriage  with  the 
Church  :  Eph.  v.  25  ;  Kev.  xxi.  Calovius  and  many 
others  have  interpreted  the  wedding  as  the  union  of 
the  divine  and  human  natures  in  Christ.*  And  in- 
deed, this  imion  forms  the  ideal  foundation  and  real 
root  of  the  actual  union  and  communion  between 
Christ  and  His  Church,  which  was  typically  foresha- 
dowed by  the  union  of  Jehovah  with  Israel.  Believ- 
ers are  here  represented  as  guests ;  but  this  does  not 
militate  against  the  reference  to  Christ's  relations 
with  His  Church,  because  the  ideal  Church  in  its  to- 
tality must  be  regarded  as  the  bride,  an(>  the  individ- 
ual Christians  as  guests.  But  certainly  the  bond  of 
connection  between  Christ  and  His  Church  has  its 
root  in  His  assumption  of  His  humanity  by  the  as- 
sumption of  His  human  nature.  The  expression 
yaixoi  then  is  not  to  be  generahzed,  and  translated 
feast.  "  Michaelis,  Fischer,  Kuinoel,  Paulus,  and 
others  have  thought  that  only  a  feast  in  celebration 
of  the  receiving  of  the  kingdom  is  meant.  But  the 
Messiah  is  tlie  Bridegroom  (ch.  xxv.  1),  whose  be- 
trothal is  the  estabUshment  of  His  kingdom  (comp. 
on  Eph.  V.  27)."     Meyer.f 

\  er.  3.  To  call  them  that  Were  bidden. — An 
Oriental  custom.  The  first  invitation  was  an  invita- 
tion to  the  feast  generally  ;  the  second,  to  the  begin- 
ning of  the  feast  itself. 

Ver.  4.  Behold my  dinner,  tJ.  aptarov 

fiov . — The  introductory  meal,  which  opened  the 
series  of  wedding  feasts  ;  an  early  meal  toward  mid- 
day, not  the  same  as  the  Zi'nvvov.\ 

*  [Tlie  Edinb.  trsl.  here  ajrain  reverses  the  sense  of  the 
orii<in;d  by  adding:  '■•hut  we  have  no  Scripture  wai'ranty 
for  this,  and  then  omitting  the  following  sentence  alto- 
gether. A  tr.anslator  has  no  right  to  change  the  views  of 
his  author,  unless  it  be  honestly  stated.— P.  8.] 

t  [Falsely  credited  to  Lisco  in  the  Edinb.  trsl.  with  the 
omi.ssion  of  all  Iflie  names  representing  this  view.— P.  S.J 

X  [The  Edinb.  trsl.,  which  usually  retains  the  language 
of  tlie  Authorized  Version,  even  where  Dr.  Lange's  version 
and  comments  require  an  alteration,  falsely  jrives  the  text 
in  this  case  :  My  swi'PEk  is  keady,  and  theVeby  contradicts 
both  the  English  Version  fnd  Dr.  Lange" s  comment.  The 
term  :  apiarov,  from  vpt,  early,  means  properly  an  early 
meal,  but  generally  a  late  breakfast,  luuch,  praiidiwin, 
taken  about  midday,  comp.  Joseph.  Antdq.  v.  4,  2  (while 
the  early  breakfast,  taken  at  sunrise,  was  called  aicpaTia/xa), 
and  is  uniformly  rendered  dinner  in  the  E.  V.  (.Matt.  xxii. 
4;  Luke  xi.  SS;  xiv.  12):  Se^irvov  was  the  principal  meal 
taken  early  in  the  evening,  after  the  work  and  heat  of  the 
day,  as  now  iu  large  cities,  and  is  .alwavs  rendered  supper 
(jMark  vi.  21;  Luke  xiv.  12.  16,  17.  24;  John  xii.  2;  xiii.  2, 
4;  xxi  20;  2  Cor.  xi.  20,  "the  Lord's  supper;"  Rev.  xi.v.  9, 
"the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb'"),  except  in  three  pas- 
sages, where"  it  is  rendered  /rasi  (Matt,  xxiii.  G;  M.ark  xii. 
39;  Luke  xx.  46).  The  corresponding  verbs  are  translated: 
to  dine  and  to  tup.  Some  have  proposed  to  translate  apt- 
ffTov,  }>reakf<ist,  and  ^(iirvov^  dinner.  But  it  would  sound 
very  strange  to  th''  English  ear  accustomed  to  the  admirable 
idiom  of  his  good  Anglo-Saxon  Bible  to  hear  of  "the  Lord's 
dinner."  and  "  the  marriage  dinner  of  the  Lnmb."  In  such 
eases  the  common  i-ense  and  traditional  rovcience  of  English 
Christendom  would  tolerate  no  alteration.  In  our  i);issage 
the  SipnTTOi/  is  the  beginning  of  the  marriage  feasts,  which 


.•5U0 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Vers.  5,  6.  But  they  made  light  of  it . . .  but 
the  rest. — How  is  this  difficult  clause  to  be  con- 
strued ?  As  the  words  stand,  a  division  into  two 
parts  is  suggested,  the  first  part  being  again  sub- 
divided into  two  : — 1.  But  they  made  light  of  it,  and 
went  away  :  a.  some  to  their  fields  ;  b.  some  to  their 
merchandize.  2.  But  tlie  rest,  etc. — So  Meyer,  after 
de  Wettc:  aixeX-hcravTes  refers  only  to  those  who 
went  away ;  for  the  remainder,  ver.  6,  acted  in  direct 
hostility  ((cparVjcra^Tss).  But  the  contempt  which  is 
expressed  by  an^Avaafre-i  is  the  general  term  for  the 
enmity  which  embraced  them  all  in  one  guilt ;  and, 
accordingly,  they  are  all  together  condemned  after- 
ward as  (jwvels.  Fritzsche  therefore  is  right  in 
assuming  an  inexactne.'^s  in  the  phrase,  which  should 
have  been :  ul  Se  a/xeA.  and  ol  fj.iy  airyiXdoi' ;  as  the 
Vulgate  has  it :  UK  autem  nec/lexerunt,  tt  abierunt, 
etc.  Yet  the  ol  found  wanting  before  a.iTri\6oi'  is 
contained  in  the  following  6  /j.ii',  o  5f.  Thus,  ol  Se 
due/\T|TafTes  :  1.  airriXdov  6  /xev,  6  Se  ;  2.  ol  5e  Aoi- 
TTol  Kparr}aavTes.  The  a/xiXeia  is  the  hostile  unbe- 
lief which  is  common  to  all.  This  expresses  itself 
in  two  Avaj-s  :  a.  In  the  indifierent  worklliness  :  they 
think  nothij^g  of  their  king,  and  devote  themselves 
to  their  own  private  affairs,  b.  In  fanatical  spiritu- 
ality, which  makes  the  positive  persecution  of  the 
servants  (prophets)  an  official  business.  This  is  a 
striking  picture  of  the  miserable  contrast  of  false 
worldliness  and  spirituality  in  the  hierarchical  com- 
munion.* Fuudanientally,  however,  the  contrast  is 
only  a  reciprocal  influence  ;  and  both  dwell  together 
in  only  one  city  of  murderers,  which  was  doomed  to 
burning. 

Ver.  9.  Out  into  the  highways. — Not  the 
places  where  the  streets  of  the  city  meet  (Kypke, 
Kuinoel,  and  others^ ;  for  the  city  is  assumed  to  be 
burned,  ver.  7  ;  but  the  outlets  of  country  roads 
(Fritzsche,  Meyer). f  At  this  point  our  parable  goes 
beyond  that  of  Luke  xiv.  1 6.  Tiicre,  the  streets  and 
lanes  of  the  city  are  mentioned,  where  the  maimed 
and  the  poor  gathered  together  (the  halt,  the  lame, 
the  blind :  publicans  and  sinners  within  the  theoc- 
racy). Here,  the  commission  is  to  go  far  beyond  the 
doomed  city,  out  into  the  high  roads  of  the  world : 
all,  both  bad  and  good,  the  heathen  simply,  are  in- 
Aited ;  both  those  who  were  looking  for  light,  and  the 
common  people  of  heathenism  generally. 

Ver.  10.  Both  bad  and  good. — Bengel:  locutio 
quasi  adverbialia.  Meyer:  They  acted  as  if ,  they 
would  make  no  difference,  whether  the  persons  were 
morally  g<h(i  or  bad,  provided  only  they  accepted 
the  invitation;  the  dislinction  between  them  must 
be  made  by  the  king  at  a  later  period,  and  not  by 
them.  But  in  this  interpretation,  first,  the  distinc- 
tion between  the  wicked  and  the  good  in  the  heathen 
world  (Acts  X. ;  Rom.  ii.)  is  improperly  done  away 
with  ;  and,  secondly,  it  is  not  proper  to  confound 
the  difference  between  the  good  and  the  bad  among 
the  invited,  with  the  difference  between  the  guests 

culminate  in  the  marriaL'e  svpncr  cf  the  lamb,  Rev.  six.  9. 
-P.  S.] 

*  [In  Gerrnan :  .  in,  dera  hierarchischpn  Gemeinwesen^ 
which  the  Edinb.  edition  has  rendered:  ecclesiastical  na- 
ture !] 

t  [Alford  and  Trench  refer  li(lo^rn  tn  tho  fity,  i.  e.,  not 
the  city  of  the  murderers  (.Terusalii.  '  '  >\-  in  which 
the  marriage  was  suppo^^eil  to   l.>-   ■     <     :  .  •  l  r.ENCii,  p. 

2'20:  "We  must  not  permit  our  ];iil:!i  !i  /'  ;'  ''.//«  to  sui;- 
gest  place.sintho  country  as  distin-uishecl  ii-din  the  town; 
the  image  throughout  is  of  a  city,  in  which  the  rich  and 
great  and  noble,  those  naturally  pointed  out  as  a  king's 
guests,  refuse  his  banquet,  where'upon  the  poor  of  the  same 
city  are  brought  in  to  share  it." — 1'.  S.] 


who  had,  and  those  who  had  not,  tlie  wedding-gar- 
ment. The  plan  of  salvation  shines  clearly  through 
the  whole  ;  and  that  does  not  look  at  the  previous 
life,  but  at  faith  or  unbelief  toward  the  gospel.  The 
words  :  they  gathered  together,  imply  that  they 
accepted  tlie  invitati(jn  with  joy. 

The  v/edding  was  furnished  with  guests. — 
With  the  filling  of  the  wedding-chamber  the  wedding 
feast  was  consummated.  The  contemners  of  the 
feast  could  not  do  away  with  or  invalidate  it:  it 
came  to  its  full  cou.sumruation\ 

Ver.  11.  To  see  the  guests. — At  the  thought 
of  a  calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  Messianic  salva- 
tion the  Pharisaic  legality  revolted  with  horror,  as 
opening  the  gate  to  antinomianism  and  anarchy. 
Christ  meets  this  aversion  of  the  hierarchy  with  the 
doctrine  that  righteousness  and  judgment  would 
pervade,  though  in  higher  and  nobler  forms,  even 
the  new  economy  of  grace.  And  the  idea  of  judg- 
ment is  predominant  throughout  the  whole  parable. 
The  higher  forms  oi  the  spiritual  law :  1.  The  guests 
are  examined  by  the  kmg ;  2.  the  sign  of  worthiness 
is  the  wedding-garment ;  3.  the  punishment  is  a  per- 
sonal and  rigorous  exclusion. 

Not  having  a  w^edding-garment,  fvSvfia 
yd/xov . — Here,  not  merely  "  a  garment  suitable  for 
a  wedding  feast "  (de  Wette),  but  specifically  a  wed- 
ding-garment. 1.  Michaelis,  Olshausen,  and  others 
interpret :  The  guests  of  kings  were  in  the  East  pre- 
sented with  festal  garments,  or  caftans,  according  to 
Harmar  {Observations  on  the  East,  ii.  17)  and  others. 
This  custom  is  assumed  in  the  parable ;  and  the 
figure  is  appropriate,  the  more  so  as  saving  righteous- 
ness, faith,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  likewise  the  gifts 
of  God.  But  Fritzsche,  Meyer,  and  de  Wette  object 
to  this  view.  De  Wette  remarks  "  that  such  a  cus- 
tom cannot  be  sufficiently  proved  (Meyer  :  Not  even 
by  Gen.  xlv.  22 ;  Judg.  xiv.  12  ;  2  Kings  v.  22  ; 
X.  22  ;  Esth.  vi.  8  ;  viii.  15);  and  that  there  could 
be  no  reason  why  an  invited  g-uest  should  despise 
the  festive  garment."  2.  They  therefore  suggest 
another  explanation :  "  That  the  guests  were  bound 
to  come  with  festal  clothing,  was  an  obvious  and 
customary  propriety  that  needed  no  enforcement. 
Moral  SiKaiodiii-r]  was  thereby  symbolized,  which 
men,  after  the  call  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah, 
should  obtain  for  themselves  through  the  ^uTai/oia." 
So  Meyer ;  without,  however,  giving  any  more  pre- 
cise explanation  of  this  moral  SiKaioawT^.*  De  Wet- 
te :  "  The  view  here  obtains,  that  tho  spirit  which  is 
appropriate  to  the  kingdom  of  God  depends  upon 
man  himself."  But  where  could  guests  get  these 
garments  in  the  urgency  of  the  feast,  especially  as 
they  were  men  of  all  kinds  (according  to  Luke's  par- 
able, probably  many  of  them  beggars)  ?•  The  pas- 
sages quoted  by  Meyer  show  at  least  that  the  custom 
of  furnishing  "the  guests  with  festive  garments  on 
such  occasions  was  very  ancient  in  the  East.f     And 


*  [In  the  fourth  edition  of  hi.s  Commentary,  Meyek  adds: 
'•This  SiKUioTvvr)  was  to  be  obtained  gratuitously  by  fiiith 
for  the  sake  of  the  death  of  Christ;  but  the  knowledi;e  of 
this  doctrine  was  n-servod  to  the  later  itevelojjmcnt  of  the 
Christian  faith."  Similaily  Alfokd:  -The  garment  is  the 
imputed  and  inherevt  |?]  r>!//iieonK>it>!--!<  of  the  Lord  Jesva, 
put  on  symbolically  in  BoptisTii  (OmI.  iii  -JT),  iin<l  really  by 
a  true  and  living  faith  (Gal,  i:i. '.'i;i  ~  uitlii.ut  which  none 
can  appe.ar  bifore  God  in  Hi-  kin-.P m  nf  -l.ii-y  ;— Hcl..  xii. 
14;  Phil.  iii.  7,  S;  Kph.  iv.  •J4  ;(.>!.  in.  li/;  Kom.  .Niii.  14  :— 
which  truth  could  not  be  put  forward  lu-i-e,  but  at  its  subse- 
quent manifestation  threw  its  great  light  over  tl  is  and  other 
such  similitudes  and  expressions." — P.  ti.] 

t  [Compare  also  what  Trench  .'idduces  from  modern  trav- 
ellers and  modern  customs  in  the  East,  which  are  likely  to 


CHAP.  XXI.  23-XXII.  14. 


391 


the  man  might  have  excused  himself  by  his  poverty, 
if  it  woi'C  not  assumed  that  every  one  might  have 
received  his  wedding-garment.  However,  we  must 
not  lay  any  more  stress  upon  the  idea  that  the  gar- 
ment was  presented,  than  upon  the  notion  that  every 
one  must  provide  it  for  himself  Tliore  is  no  feature 
in  the  parable  which  specially  points  t.;  the  one  or  the 
o'her  of  these  assumptions.  The  suess  lies  upon 
this,  that  every  one  must  be  found  at  the  wedding  in 
a  wedding-garment,  and  that  he  must  therefore  have 
previously  taken  pains  in  the  matter.  The  question, 
how  that  trouble  was  to  be  taken,  and  how  the  gar- 
ment was  to  be  obtained,  is  designedly  avoided, 
because  another  point  of  view  is  here  the  more  im- 
portant. If  the  guest  had  not  taken  any  pains  about 
the  wedding-garment,  he  showed  positive  disrespect 
to  the  inviting  lord,  and  a  contempt  for  his  feast,  or 
Antinomianisra.  The  free  gift  of  righteousness  as 
such  cannot  here  be  meant ;  as  that  consists  in  the 
invitation  to  the  supper  and  the  participation  of  the 
feast.  Nor  is  faith  as  such  intended  ;  for  that  takes 
place  at  the  acceptance  of  the  invitation  itself 
Therefore,  the  wedding-garment  is  the  exhibition  of 
character,  or  appearance,  corresponding  to  the  invi- 
tation and  the  feast :  that  is,  discipline  of  sjjirit,  an 
earnest  Christian  life.*  The  first  historical  figure  in 
which  this  guest  comes  before  us  in  the  apostolical 
history,  is  that  of  the  Antinomians,  who  are  depicted 
in  the  Second  Epistle  of  Peter  and  the  Episile  of 
Jude,  and  the  Isicolaitanes  of  the  Apocalypse.  If  it 
is  still  thought  necessary  to  supply  the  deficient 
point  (which,  however,  tends  to  weaken  the  main 
impression),  we  may  say  that  the  wedding-garment 
was  at  once  freely  given  and  obtained  by  personal 

ilrttc  from  very  ancient  times,  p.  225.  Horace  tells  of  Lu- 
cullus  {Ji'pist.  i.  6, 40)  that  he  had  not  less  than  five  thousaud 
mantles  in  his  wardrobe.  Chardin  says  of  the  king  of  Persia 
that  he  gave  away  an  infinite  number  of  dresses  (  Voyage  en 
J\r.ie,  vol.  iii.  p.  280).  Owen,  like  Lange,  urges  the  obvious 
impossibility  tliat  the  guests,  especially  tlie  poor  one.«,  could 
provide  themselves  with  costly  garments  in  so  short  a  time, 
unless  they  were  ready  in  the  kings  palace.  "It  must  be 
remembered,"  he  says,  "that  these  guests  were  Invited  and 
brouirlit  in  from  the  very  highways,' along  which  they  were 
passing  for  pleasure  or  business,  and  it  is  very  unreasonable 
to  supjjose  that  they  were,  or  could  be,  provided,  at  so  short 
a  time,  with  appropriate  dresses.  Many  of  them  were 
doubtless  too  poor  to  meet  the  expense  of  such  a  garment, 
hud  time  been  given  them  to  procure  one.  On  the  other  hand, 
we  have  abundant  evidence,  thut  kings  were  provided  with 
e\ti'nsive  wardrobes,  from  which  eacli  invited  guest  was  fur- 
iiislied  with  a  suitable  garment."'— P.  8.] 

*  [The  Fathers,  the  Roman  Catholic  and  some  Protestant 
commentators,  understand  the  wedding-garment  to  mean 
charity  or  holiness;  most  of  the  older  Protestant  commen- 
tate rs,/in7A;  John  Gerhard,  Olshausen,  Trench,  Brown,  and 
others,  combine  the  two  in  the  conception  of  Chritit,  or 
righteousnesn,  both  in  its  root  of  faith  and  its  flower  of  chari- 
ty, or  "faith  as  the  investing  power,  charity  as  the  invested 
robe,"  in  putting  on  Christ  (Gal.  iii.  27).  Comp.  Isa.  l.xi.lO: 
■'  I  will  greatly  rejoice  iu  the  Lord,  my  soul  shall  be  joyful 
in  my  C,  .il ;  for  //e  h/tth  clothed  me  icith  the  garments 
of  K'rr  ■::■.:.  //  ■ '''  ■  •nriti  me  with  the  rohe  of  Hghl- 
eon-^:'  i-cketh  himself  with  ornaments, 

and   :i  I    •      i  '  r.-;e!f  with  jewels."    Trench  ex- 

piaiii>  I.  ■;  •■  I  L  ;!•■'.-.';•  >.■-  in  its  largest  sense,  the  whole 
adoniinoiit  of  tlie  new  and  Sjiirituul  man,  including  the  faith 
without  which  it  is  impossible  to  please  God  (Ileb.  xi.  6), 
and  the  holiness  without  which  no  man  shall  see  Iliiii  (llrij. 
xii.  1-i),  or  like  this  guest,  only  see  Ilim  to  perish  at  His 
presence:  it  is  at  once  the  faith  which  is  the  root  of  all 
{Traces,  the  mother  of  all  virtues,  and  likewise  those  graces 
and  those  virtues  themsolves."  A  singular  curiosity  In  mod- 
ern exegesis  is  the  inter|)retation  of  Wordsworth,  who  sober- 
ly refers  iho  wedding-garment  tohaptimfm  the  germ  of 
all  the  means  of  spiritual  grace,"  and  applies  the  rebuking 
krr.'.of,  friend,  especially  to  the  Quakers,  or  Friendn,he- 
cause  they  rej.ct  the  vibible  signs  and  means  of  spiritual 
grace,  provided  for  and  prescribed  to  all  by  tho  Great  King ! 
The  white  bapti-smal  garment  in  the  ancient  cliurch  must 
Berve  as  an  illustration  in  the  absence  of  proo£— P.  S.] 


effort.  It  was  given  as  free  grace  ;  yet  it  was  to  be 
obtained  in  the  ante-chamber  by  earnest  effort  and 
prayer.  The  chief  point  is,  that  it  was  obtained  by 
diligent  anxiety,  springing  from  a  right  appreciation 
of  the  dignity  of  the  feast. 

Ver.  13.  Bind  him  hand  and  foot. — An  appro- 
priate punishment  of  lawlessness.  It  had  not  for  its 
object  merely  to  keep  him  fast  in  his  place  of  pimish- 
meut,  but  also  to  carry  him  there  securely ;  for,  as 
he  was  a  desperately  bold  intruder,  he  could  not 
otherwise  be  driven  out  and  carried  away.  The 
binding  is  the  hard  political  restraint  which  follows 
on  lawlessness.  It  is  the  business,  not  of  the  guest3 
of  the  church,  but  of  the  servants  of  the  King. — 
Outer  darknes.5. — Comp.  ch.  viii.  12.  It  may  be 
worthy  of  notice,  that  the  Antinomians  are  cast  out 
into  the  same  place  of  punishment  with  the  tradi- 
tionalists and  legalists.  This  points  to  an  internal 
connection  between  tho  two  extremes. 

There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of 
teeth. — See  above.  There  is  no  sufficient  reason  for 
sepaTating  these  words  from  the  parable,  as  Meyer 
does,  and  making  them  explanatory  words  of  Christ. 
Ver.  14.  For  many  are  called. — If  we  take 
these  words  as  simply  the  Lord's  explanation,  they  re- 
fer not  only  to  the  punishment  of  the  one  guest,  who 
had  not  oii  the  vvfeduing-garraent,  but  to  those  also 
who  had  been  eaiUer  invited ;  and  thus  the  anti- 
thesis of  the  man;/  and  feiu  is  better  established  and 
illustrated.  Comp.  ch.  xx.  16.  Called  and  chosen 
signify  here  not  merely  a  difference,  but  an  anti- 
thesis. Both  in  the  old  and  in  the  new  economy  there 
is  a  rigorous  SGi:)aration  made  between  the  worthy 
and  unworthy,  and  on  that  this  antithesis  is  found- 
ed. We  must  not,  therefore,  understand  the  word 
here  iu  its  common  doctrinal  meaning  ;  it  is  no  more 
than  th3  historical  call  or  invitation,  and  the  called 
are  simply  the  individual  members  of  the  theocracy, 
and  of  the  Christian  Church.  And  so,  further,  the 
idea  of  election  here  is  r;ot  the  usual  dogmatic  con- 
ception of  an  eternal  decree,  but  that  final  election 
in  the  judgment  which,  however,  points  back  to  the 
first  election.  De  Wet  to  goes  no  further,  in  his  ex- 
position, than  tlii;  definite  sentence  of  the  Judge  upon 
the  worthiness  and  unworthiness  of  men.  Meyer 
interprets  it  of  the  eternal  decree  by  which  God  ap- 
pointed those  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
siah who  would  appropriate  His  righteousness,  ch. 
xxv.  34  (essentially  the  Arminian  view).  Perhaps  it  is 
better  to  go  no  further  here  also  than  the  historical 
illustration.  Many  are  called  ;  iew,  as  actual  guests, 
have  escaped  as  elect  ones  the  two  crises  of  judg- 
ment. Probably  the  expression  rests  upon  some 
proverbial  saying,  such  as.  Many  guests,  few  elect 
ones.  The  Scripture  doctrine  of  election  is  the  basis 
of  the  sajing ;  but  it  is  an  election  which  is  here 
viewed  in  all  its  developments  and  processes  down  to 
the  judgment-day. 

Vers.  1-14.  The  Meaning  of  the  Parable  op 
THE  Makuiage  of  THE  King's  Son.  It  spcaks  every- 
where for  itpclf.  God  is  the  King,  and  the  wedding 
of  Ilis  Son  is  the  feast  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom. 
The  invited,  who  have  a  second  invitation,  are  the 
Jews.  The  second  invitirtion  came  through  John 
the  Baptist  and  Jesus  Christ.  The  city  burnt  is 
Jerusalem.  The  second  sending  of  the  servants  is 
the  mission  of  the  Apostles.  The  highways  are  the 
heathen  world.  Good  and  bad  are  the  whole  body 
of  heathen,  receiving  a  common  and  unlimited  pro- 
clamation of  the  gospel.  The  other  traits — the  gen- 
eral acceptance,  etc. — have  been  already  sufiicicntly 


392 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


explained.  Lampe  understood  by  the  wedding-gar- 
ment Clii'Ist  Himself:  we  regard  it  as  the  moral 
excellence  of  the  Christian  character.  Judas  has 
been  discerned  in  the  man  without  the  garment 
(eraTpe,  eh.  xxvi.  50) ;  but  the  connection  shows  that 
this  man  is  the  collective  Antinomianism  of  the  New 
Testament  economy. 


DOCTRINAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  See  the  foregoing  Exegetical  Notes. 

2.  His  enemies  would  oppress  and  destroy  the 
Lord  through  the  might  of  their  theocratic  hierarchi- 
cal autliority.  But  He  constrained  them,  by  the 
might  of  His  wisdom,  to  pronounce  before  the  people 
in  the  temple  the  sentence  of  their  own  deposition 
and  degradation.  By  the  question  concerning  the 
origin  of  John's  baptism  He  accomplished  three 
things :  1.  He  constrained  them  to  make  manifest 
how  much  they  differed  from  the  belief  of  the  people 
in  the  prophetic  mission  of  the  Baptist.  2.  He 
brought  home  to  their  minds  their  own  guilt,  in 
having  rejected  the  Baptist's  express  authentication 
of  His  claims  as  the  Messiah.  3.  He  rendered  it 
necessary  that  they  should  pronounce  their  own 
sentence  upon  themselves  as  utterly  incompetent  to 
discharge  the  duties  of  their  office.  Thus  the  defen- 
sive was  turned  already  into  the  offensive.  But  the 
special  attack  upon  tliem,  to  which  He  now  passes 
on,  unfolds  tlieir  guilt  and  its  punishment  in  perfect 
gradation ;  and  here  again  they  are  obliged  to  pro- 
nounce sentence  upon  themselves.  Despisei'S  of 
John,  the  prophet  of  repentance,  worse  than  the 
publicans  and  harlots  !  this  is  the  first  sentence. 
That  of  the  second  is— Unfaithful  stewards  of  the 
Lord's  vineyard,  murderers  of  the  Messiah,  con- 
demned, deprived  of  their  office,  degraded,  and  forced 
to  make  way  for  strangers  better  than  themselves  ! — 
this  is  the  second  sentence.  Being  with  the  whole 
people  insane  despisers  of  God  and  His  salvation, 
and  in  all  their  acts  rebels  against  Him,  their  city  is 
to  be  burned,  while  they  themselves  are  to  be  de- 
stroyed and  to  give  place  to  the  Gentiles !— this  is 
the  third  sentence,  which  the  Lord  Himself  utters 
in  an  allegorical  prophecy.  In  all  these  mark  the 
gradation  of  their  guilt.  In  the  first  parable  they 
are,  by  their  "  I  will,  sir,"  condemned,  as  well  as  by 
the  repentance  of  the  publicans  and  harlots.  In  the 
second  parable  they  are  condemned  by  the  favorable 
terms  on  which  the  vineyard  is  let  to  them,  by  the 
long  forbearance  of  the  Proprietor,  by  the  bold  gen- 
erosity with  which  He  at  last  committed  to  them  His 
Son.  In  the  third  parable,  by  the  dignified  mvita- 
tion  of  their  King  to  the  wedding  of  His  Son,  as  if 
they  were  friends,  while  at  the  same  time  they  are 
subjects,  and  might  be  commanded ;  by  the  repeti- 
tion of  the  call,  and  the  anxious,  almost  supplicating, 
manner  in  which  the  preparations  are  spoken  of,  and 
the  probable  embarrassment  caused  by  their  ab- 
sence ;  but,  most  of  all,  by  the  emptiness  of  their 
excuses,  and  the  stupid  malignity  of  their  vengeance 
upon  the  messengers  who  invited  them. 

3.  The  appendix  in  the'  second  parable  perfects 
its  application  to  the  Council ;  but  at  the  same  time 
unfolds  the  two  sides  of  the  judgment  which  falls 
upon  the  builders  who  rejected  the  corner-stone. 
The  corner-stone  of  Ps.  cxviii.,  which  the  builders 
rejected,  thus  securing  their  own  rejection,  is  made 
here,  on  the  one  hand,  a  figure  of  Isaiah's  suffering 
Messiah   (the  stone  of  stumbhng  in  Israel's  wa£ 


Is.  viii.  14,  15),  by  the  contemptuous  rejection  of 
whom  the  enemies  of  the  Messiah  pronounced  their 
own  spiritual  condemnation  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  is  made  a  figure  of  Daniel's  glorified  Messiah  (the 
rock  which  descended  from  the  highest  mountain  of 
the  earth  into  the  valley),  who  m  the  judgments  of 
history  annihilated  His  enemies.  But  the  second 
part  of  the  third  parable  is  a  justification  of  the  hint, 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  passes  over  to  the  Gentiles. 
Hence  it  is  shown  that  law,  justice,  and  judgment 
are  to  rule  in  the  new  economy,  although  in  another 
and  a  higher  form. 

4.  The  marriage  of  the  Son. — The  call  to  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  a  call  to  the  highest  honor,  the 
highest  joy,  and  the  highest  festivity.  The  inviting 
king  is  God  ;  the  bridegroom  is  Christ ;  the  bride 
(not  here  appearing)  the  Church.  The  fact  that  the 
invited  who  accept  the  invitation  belong  to  the 
body,  which  is  the  bride,  comes  not  into  view  in  the 
parable.  Believers  individually  are  the  guests  ;  be- 
lievers collectively  are  the  bride.  The  guests  are 
the  subjects  of  the  king  :  He  might  constrain  them 
as  servants  to  do  the  work  of  servants,  but  He  in- 
vites them  as  guests  and  friends  to  partake  of  His 
honors  and  joys,  and  invites  them  even  with  ur- 
gency. The  motives  of  honor,  love,  duty,  here  all 
co-operate  in  their  influence.  And  this  makes  the 
conduct  of  the  first  invited  all  the  more  unnatural 
and  damnable. 

5.  "It  does  seem  strange  that  the  invited  guests 
ill-treat  and  kill  the  messengers,  who  invite  them  to 
make  their  appearance ;  but  what  if  this  senseless 
conduct  in  the  parable  were  designed  to  point  to  the 
equal  folly  of  those  who  are  now  acting  in  the  same 
senseless  way  with  regard  to  God's  messages  ! " — 
Weisse  (ii.  p.  113). 

6.  At  the  end  of  this  section,  the  theocratical 
authority  of  Christ  has  taken  the  place  of  the  old 
and  forfeited  authority.  The  Sanhedrin  had  now 
only  the  form  of  authority  remaining  with  it.  Es- 
sentially it  was  displaced  by  Christ. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

I.  The  WnoLE  Section. — The  spiritual  and  real 
reckoning  between  Christ  and  the  Sanhedrin  points 
to  the  future  open  and  historical  reckoning. — The 
full  development  of  the  fall  of  Israel.  1.  Their 
sin :  (a)  Disobedience  under  the  guise  of  piety ; 
ib)  persecution  of  the  prophets ;  (c)  the  murder  of 
Christ ;  {d)  contempt  of  God,  and  self-exclusion  from 
the  gospel  feast.  2.  Their  judgment :  (a)  Put  to 
shame  by  publicans  and  harlots  and  Gentiles ; 
{b)  degradation  from  their  dignity  and  historical 
vocation  ;  (c)  loss  of  their  land  ;  (d)  burning  of  their 
city  ;  {e)  and  total  downfall  of  all  their  glory. — Mark 
the  fate  of  every  hierarchical  dominion  which,  hke 
that  of  the  Jews,  withstands  the  Lord. 

II.  The  Question  of  the  Sanhedrin  ;  ChrisCs 
cowiler-qtccsdoti,  ch.  xxi.  23-32. — Christ  is  the  spir- 
itual avenger  of  the  Baptist's  blood  in  the  temple. — 
The  Lord  in  his  House  obhged  to  defend  His  rights  ; 
outraged  by  servants,  and  treated  by  them  as  a  usurp- 
er.— Christ  the  conqueror  of  all  hierarchical  spirits  in 
the  temple  of  God.  The  supi-cme  authority  of  the 
Lord  robs  all  other  autliority  here  of  its  power. — 
The  silencing  of  the  Council :  their  silence  was  a 
sign  of  their  desperation  and  of  their  hardening. — 
Connection  of  false  prudence  and  fear :  1.  False 
prudence  begets  fear ;   2.  fear  begets  false  prudence. 


CHAP.  XXI.  23-XXII.  14. 


393 


— Before  the  Lord  in  His  holy  temple  must  all  the 
world  keep  silence. 

III.  The  Parable  of  the  Two  Unequal  Sons. — 
The  open,  and  the  false  character. — The  penitent  sin- 
ner held  up  by  the  Lord  to  put  to  shame  the  hypo- 
crite.— The  Lord's  sermon  of  repentance  in  the 
temple. 

IV.  The  Parable  of  the  Wicked  Husbandmen, 
ch.  xxi.  33-41. — The  fearful  wickedness  of  God's 
laborers,  who  would  turn  His  vineyard  into  a  private 
possession.  1.  The  sources  of  this  conduct :  Mis- 
understanding of  the  Lord's  external  absence,  of  His 
longsuffering  and  tenderness ;  selfishness,  worldli- 
ness,  ambition,  evil  company.  2.  The  form  of  its 
manifestation :  Denial  of  the  fruits  ;  contempt  of  the 
messengers  ;  renunciation  of  the  Lord  ;  conspiracy 
against  the  Heir.  3.  The  issue  of  this  conduct: 
Displacement  from  their  vocation  ;  loss  of  the  vine- 
yard ;  and  terrible  ruin. — The  ruinous  delusion  of 
the  servants  of  Christ  who  turn  an  oflice  of  service 
into  an  office  of  rule. — The  ordinary  offices  in  the 
Church  are  lost,  when  they  fail  to  recognize  the 
Lord's  extraordinary  messengers. — The  murder  of 
Christ  in  the  vineyard  of  His  Father ;  John  iii.  16  : 
So  God  loved  the  world,  etc. — The  history  of  the 
hardening  of  Israel  an  eternal  warning  to  the 
Church. — They  knew  the  Son  and  they  knew  Him 
not  (Luke  xsiii.  34 ;  Acts  iii.  1*7) ;  their  blindness 
was  a  self-inflicted  obscuration  of  their  minds. — In 
Christ's  end  the  guilt  of  the  whole  world  is  summed 
up. — How  He  made  His  enemies  pronounce  their 
own  doom. 

Y.  Christ  the  Stone  Rejected  by  the  Builders, 

WHICH  BECAME  THE  HeAD  OF  THE  CORNER,  ch.  Xxi. 

42-46. — As  the  Old  Testament  foretold  the  degen- 
eracy of  His  officers,  so  did  also  the  New. — Christ 
the  rock  :  1.  The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected, 
and  who  was  made  the  corner-stone  (Ps.  cxviii.) ; 
2.  the  stone  in  the  way,  a  stumbling-block  and  a 
stone  to  rest  upon  (Isa.  viii.) ;  3.  the  rock  which, 
hewn  out,  rolled  down  from  the  everlasting  hills 
(Dan.  ii). — How  unbelief  turns  the  warning  of  ruin 
into  a  new  and  ruinous  snare. — How  the  fear  of  the 
people's  faith  restrained  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  in 
their  assaults. — The  embarrassment  and  impotence 
of  the  Jewish  Council :  1.  Pressed  within  by  the 
spiritual  words  of  the  Lord  ;  2.  pressed  without  by 
the  people's  temper. — The  malignity  of  unbehef 
reaches  its  climax  in  the  feeling  of  its  own  impo- 
tence. 

VI.  The  Marriage  or  the  King's  Son.  The 
old  Scripture  lesson  for  the  twentieth  Sunday  after 
Trinity.  Ch.  xxii.  1-14. — The  kingdom  of  heaven 
a  wedding  feast,  which  God  has  prepared  for  His 
Son  — All  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  an  invitation  to 
this  wedding. — Two  kinds  of  guilt  in  dealing  with 
the  invitation :  1.  Contempt  of  the  invitation :  dis- 
honoring (a)  the  King,  (b)  the  Kmg's  Son,  (c)  the 
inviting  messengers.  2.  Contempt  of  the  feast  it- 
self :  (a)  dishonoring  the  blessedness  of  the  feast  in 
gross  carnality  and  service  of  the  world  ;  (6)  dishon- 
oring the  holiness  and  consecration  of  the  feast,  in 
preferring  the  beggarly  fellowships  of  the  world. — 
The  guilt  of  remaining  away,  and  the  guilt  of  appear- 
ing ill  (without  the  wedding-garment). — The  dif- 
ference and  the  common  glory  of  the  Old  and  New 
Covenants.  1.  The  difference :  the  Old  Testament 
is  the  invitation  to  the  feast ;  the  New  Testament  is 
the  feast  itself.  2.  The  common  glory  :  grace  runs 
through  the  whole  of  the  Old  Covenant  as  well  as 
the  New  ;  and  the  spirit  of  judgment  and  justice  runs 


through  the  New  Covenant  as  well  as  the  Old  (the 
guests  are  examined). — The  best  thing  in  our  earthly 
Ufe  is,  that  in  it  we  are  invited  to  the  feast  of  the 
salvation  of  God. — The  true  and  proper  loss  of  life 
in  life  is  the  despising  the  invitation  to  God's  great 
feast. — How  God  in  His  mercy  condescends  to  repre- 
sent Himself  as  an  embarrassed  host,  who  fears  for 
the  dishonoring  of  His  feast,  and  prays  us  to  come. — 
All  God's  martyrs  are  persecuted  messengers  of  invi- 
tation.— How  it  can  come  to  pass  that  unbelief  should 
rise  in  rebelUon  against  the  invitation  to  the  free 
gift  of  blessedness. — Indifference  which  undervalues 
salvation  in  the  midst  of  earthly  cares,  and  fanat- 
icism which  persecutes  the  heralds  of  the  gospel,  are 
fundamentally  one  and  the  same  self-seeking  worldli- 
ness,  though  assuming  different  forms. — All  God's 
judgments  are  the  cotmterparts  or  antitheses  of 
slighted  feasts  and  invitations. — The  Lord's  armies, 
which  He  sends  out  for  retribution  (Romans,  etc.) ; 
or,  heaven  and  earth  must  contend  for  the  honor  of 
the  Lord  and  His  Son. — All  the  endless  confusion  of 
the  course  of  this  world  must  subserve  the  one  clear 
end  of  God. — The  passing  over  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  from  the  first  invited  to  the  new  guests. — 
The  ingratitude  of  those  who  would  not  come  cannot 
invalidate  the  feast :  the  wedding  is  fully  furnished 
and  crowded  nevertheless. — In  the  Church  of  the- 
gospel  the  law  is  born  again. — Friend,  how  camest 
thou  in  hither  ?  or,  lawlessness  (Antinomianism)  in 
the  Church,  and  its  judgment. — Holy  discipline  of 
the  Church  of  Christ,  the  rule  of  Christ  in  the  midst 
of  it. — The  eternal  consecration  of  the  eternal  feast 
of  Christ. —  Outei-  darkness  ;  or,  the  punishment  of 
the  servants  of  men's  precepls,  and  the  scorners  of 
the  law,  the  same. — 3Iany  are  called,  etc.,  or  the 
difference  between  the  external  and  the  internal 
Church :  (a)  called,  elect ;  (6)  many,  few  ;  (c)  re- 
maining without,  new  and  different  guests. 

Selections  from  other  Homiletical  Commentaries. 

1.  The  Question  and  the  Counter-Question. 
— Starke  : — From  Zeisius :  The  anti-christian  spirit 
arrogates  to  itself  all  power  in  the  Church,  and  will 
lord  it  over  all  things  (2  Thess.  ii.  4). — Spiritual 
councils,  synods,  and  consistories,  not  only  may  err, 
but  have  erred,  and  err  to  this  day ;  so  that  we  must 
not  obey  them  further  than  they  conform  to  the  word 
of  God. — Most  necessary  it  is  to  use  prudence  in 
dealing  with  the  enemies  of  the  truth. — Sometimes 
the  cunning  of  the  enemy  can  be  met  and  unmasked 
by  a  little  counter-question. 

Gerlach : — The  mysterious  answer  which  Jesus 
had  given  them  the  first  time  (John  ii.)  had  remahied 
dark  to  their  minds. — Christ's  counter-question  was 
by  no  means  a  mere  evidence  of  His  prudence,  or  an 
evasive  reply  ;  but  He  opens  up  to  His  enemies  the 
way  to  acknowledge  His  Messiahship,  for  if.  they 
beheved  in  John,  they  must  receive  his  testimony 
concerning  Jesus  as  the  Messiah. 

2.  The  Two  Sons. — Starke : — Two  sorts  of  men : 
manifest  sinners,  and  hypocrites. — Quesnel:  What 
would  have  been  to  man,  in  a  state  of  innocence, 
pleasure,  is  now  hard  work  on  account  of  sin. — 
Cramer :  To  sin  is  human,  but  to  continue  in  sin  is 
deviUsh. — We  must  never  give  up  all  hope  of  the 
vilest  sinner. — Behold,  Jesus  receiveth  the  vilest  sin- 
ners, pubUcans  and  harlots ! — Hedinger :  Hypocrites 
promise  much  and  keep  httle. — Obstmate  persons 
are  hard  to  convert. — Good  examples  of  penitents 
should  draw  sinners  to  follow  them. 


394 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW 


Hcuhner : — The  first  application  is  to  tlie  persons 
named  in  ver.  31  ;  the  second,  to  the  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles. But  the  parable  is  for  all  men  generally. — 
Those  that  are  converted  late  often  become  more  ' 
acceptable  to  God  than  those  who  are  relapsing  from  I 
early  zeal. — The  summoning  "  Go  work "  is  for 
every  man. — True  improvement  comes  from  action, 
not  i'rora  wishing  and  promising. 

3.  The  Wickkd  Husbandmen. — Starke: — From 
Qitesnel :  Ministers  of  the  divine  word  must  regard  j 
their  flocks  as  a  vineyard  of  the  Lord. — The  rulers 
of  the  Church  are  often  its  greatest  persecutors,  and 
most  responsible  for  its  corruptions. — The  Son  of 
God  is  heir  of  all  things :  whosoever  rejects  Him 
here  has  no  part  in  the  heavenly  inheritance. — Those 
who  cast  Jesus  out  of  their  hearts,  cast  Him  also 
out  of  the  vineyard  which  Ke  purchased  with  His 
blood. — Zeislus:  The  wicked  are  very  often  made 
unconsciously  to  bear  witness  against  themselves. — 
The  time  of  retribution  will  come. 

Gerlach : — The  number  of  the  prophets  increased 
in  the  later  ages  of  tlie  Israelitish  people ;  so  also, 
the  longer  the  Church  lives,  th^  further  the  indi- 
vidual advances,  the  more  abundant  are  the  tokens 
of  God's  grace. — He  sent  Ms  son  (xxi.  37,  comp. 
Heb.  i.  2).  Important  passage,  showing  how  Christ 
essentially  distinguished  Himself  from  all  the  former 
messengers  of  God,  by  His  own  peculiar  relation  to 
His  heavenly  Father. — The  husbandmen  know  the 
son :  thus  Christ  declares  that  His  enemies  knew 
who  He  was,  or  at  least  that  they  were  guilty  of 
their  own  ignorance.  He  tells  them  also  why  they 
watched  for  His  life :  because  they  feared  He  would 
take  from  them  their  usurped  authority. — Human 
nature,  in  rebellion  against  Chiist,  has  a  right  in- 
stinct, that  if  it  could  overcome  Him,  it  would  over- 
come all  opposition. 

Heubner  : — The  high  priests  acted  as  the  agents 
or  representatives  of  the  evil  spirit,  the  prince  of 
this  world.  If  Jesus  could  be  destroyed,  all  would 
be  won  for  Satan. — The  Church  of  Christ  often  the 
stage  of  most  frightful  cruelty. — God's  judgments 
become  more  and  more  severe. — The  Jewish  people 
a  monument  of  divine  mercy  and  justice. 

4.  The  Corner-Stone.  —  Starke:  —  From  Can- 
stcin :  The  corner-stone  of  the  Church  is  Christ : 
1  Cor.  iii.  11;  Eph.  ii.  20;  1  Pet.  ii.  6-8.— The 
Saviour  falls  on  no  one  as  a  judgment,  who  has  not 
already  by  unbehef  stumbled  at  Him. — So  blind  are 
the  ungodly,  that  they  fear  men,  while  they  have  no 
fear  of  God. 

Heubner  .-—The  Old  Testament  had  foretold  the 
rejection  of  the  Son  of  God ;  the  New  Testament 
foretells  to  us  the  apostasy  from  Christianity,*  for 
the  warning  and  confirmation  of  believers. — Jesus 

*  [In  German  :  den  Abfall  vom  Christenthum,  ^rom 
OhrUtianittj,  not  of  ChriatenOom,  as  the  Edinb.  trsl.  has  it, 
which  would  require  in  German  :  den  Abfall  dee  Ohui- 

STENHEIT. — P.  8.1 


honored  the  Scripture,  and  everywhere  saw  in  it  the 
counsel  of  God  indicated.  ■  Ought  not  this  to  inspire 
the  Christian  with  reverence  for  the  Old  Testament  ? 
— What  wise  one  of  this  world,  what  human  reason, 
would  have  conceived,  under  the  cross,  that  this 
man,  hanging  suspended  between  two  malefactors, 
and  despised  by  all,  would  one  day  receive  the  wor- 
ship of  the  whole  world  ? — This  is  the  Lord's  doing, 
and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes. — Vain  are  all 
attempts  and  devices  to  suppress  the  truth,  or 
thwart  the  counsel  of  God. — It  is  madness  to  rush 
against  the  rock :  it  is  for  us  only  to  rest  and 
build  on. — The  doom  of  the  despisers  of  God's 
grace. 

5.  The  Wedding  Feast,  ch.  xxii.  1-14. — Starke: 
— The  bUnd  world  often  regards  the  good  messen- 
gers, who  invite  them  to  a  heavenly  feast,  as  their 
enemies. — God  is  great,  not  only  in  His  love,  but 
also  in  His  anger. — Cramer :  Joyful  word  :  All 
thmgs  are  ready !  Alarming  word  :  Thou  art  not 
ready  ! — Osiander :  Let  all  take  care  that  they  do 
not  slight  the  gospel,  that  God  may  not  take  away 
His  word  ("and  give  it  to  others "). —  QucKnel:  In 
the  work  of  salvation  there  is  no  respect  of  persons. 
— Cramer :  In  heaven  there  are  only  good,  in  hell 
only  wicked ;  but  in  the  militant  Church  there  are 
tares  and  wheat  together  (Gregor.  M.  Homil.  38). — 
He  was  speechless :  Job  ix.  3  ;  Ps.  cxxx.  3. — Zeisius : 
The  small  number  of  the  elect  should  make  no  Chris- 
tian despond,  or  weaken  his  hope  of  salvation  ;  but 
only  cause  him  to  rub  all  sleep  out  of  his  eyes. — Not 
external  communion  with  the  Church,  but  divine 
election  througli  faith,  saves  us. 

Gerlach  :  The  wedding  feast  of  the  Son  of  God 
with  mankind,  when  He  assumed  our  flesh. — The 
highways,  the  places  where  men  most  congregate. 

Heubner : — My  dinner.  God  has  made  all  pro- 
vision for  our  salvation,  and  that  in  the  most  abun-- 
daut  manner. — The  climax  :  1.  Seize,  hold  fast  and 
imprison,  those  to  whom  all  houses  and  hearts  should 
be  opened  ;  2.  Scorn,  despise  in  word  and  act,  those 
to  whom  men  are  bound  to  show  the  greatest  respect 
and  love ;  3.  Kill,  those  for  whom  the  longest  life 
should  be  desired. — Christianity  is  offered  to  us 
without  merit. — The  wisdom  of  God  knows  even  how 
to  derive  good  from  evil. — The  Jews'  contempt  for 
the  gospel  sent  it  over  to  the  Gentiles. — All  without 
distinction  are  invited. — Different  receptions  of  the 
invitation  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven. — The  goodness 
and  earnestness  of  the  call  of  mercy. 

Hofacker : — The  righteous  judgment  of  God 
upon  those  who  obey  not  the  gospel. — Reinhard : — 
The  predominant  spirit  of  every  age  furnishes  its 
own  pretexts  for  repelhng  the  appeals  of  the  gospel. 
— J.  J.  Rambach : — The  vain  hope  of  false  Chris- 
tians. 

[Comp.  also  Matthew  Henry,  on  the  parable  of 
the  Marriage  Feast,  on  which  he  is  quite  full  and 
rich  for  practical  purposes. — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXII.  15-22. 


395 


B.  Tlie  Attack  of  tlie  Herodians  or  the  Politicians,  and  the  Victory  of  tlie  Lord.     Ch.  XXII,  15-22. 
(Mark  xii.  \Z-Vl ;  Luke  xx.  20-26.     The  Goapelfor  the  23i  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 

15  Then  Avent  the  Pharisees,  and  took  counsel  how  tliej  might  entangle  [ensnare,  cn- 

16  trap]  him  in  his  talk  [with  a  word,  eV  Adyco].^  And  they  sent  out  unto  him  their  dis- 
ciples with  the  Herodians, '^  saying.  Master,  we  know  that  thou  art  true,  and  teachest 
the  way  of  God  in  truth,  neither  carest  thou  for  any  man  [one,  ov — oiSevds] :  for  thou 

17  regardest  not  the  person  of  men.     Tell  us  therefore,  What  tliinkest  thou?     Is  it  lawful 

18  to  give  tribute  unto  Cesar,  or  not?     But  Jesus  perceived  [knowing,  yvovs]  their  wick- 

19  edness,  and  said,  Why  tempt  ye  me,  ye  hypocrites?     Shew  me  the  tribute  money  [to 

20  vofjiLcrfxa  tou  Ki]vcrov].  And  they  brought  unto  him  a  penny  [denary].^  And  he  saith 
unto  them,   Whose  is  this  image  and   superscription    [the   inscription,   r}  eVtypac^ry]  ? 

21  They  say  unto  him,  Cesar's.  Then  saith  he  unto  them,  Render*  therefore  unto  Cesar 
the  things  which  are  Cesar's  [the  tilings  of  Ca3sar  to  Cassar,  to.  Katcrapos  Kato-apt] ;  and 
unto  God  the  tilings  that  are  God's  [the  things  of  God  to  God,  to.  tov  @eov  tc3  ©ew]. 

22  When  they  had  heard  these  words,  they  marvelled,  and  left  him,  and  went  their  way. 

1  Ver.  15.— ["O  ttois  ai'Tb;'  ir  ay  tS  (vct  wa  iv  (from  ■Kayls,  a  snare,  a  trap)  ev  Koy  w ,  Lange :  uni  ihn  {mit 
List)zufangenineine,m  Ausspruch;  Ewald:  ilurch  eiii  Wort.  The  word  here  refers  to  the  aVtfal  question  in  ver.  17, 
to  which,  they  thought,  He  must  either  ans\ver  yes  or  no,  and  in  either  case  fatally  compromise  Himself.  Meyer:  "ev 
\6ycji,  in  einer  Rede,  d.  h.,  in  eiiietn  Ausspruche,  welchen  er  thun  wurde.  Dieser  ist  als  Falle  oder  SchUnge 
{n  ayi^)  gedacht."    In  Cod.  Sinait.  the  words  :   eV  Ao'/a',  are  omitted. — P.  8.] 

2  Ver.  IG.— [Dr.  Lange  inserts  after  Herodians  in  small  type  :  "Politicians,  adherents  of  the  Roman  party  of  the  Hero- 
dian  house.'" — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  19.— [  A  7j  vipiov.     See  the  Critical  Notes  on  xviii.  28  and  xx.  2.— P.  S.] 

**  Ver.  21.— ['A  7r  d  5  o  t  e  ,  reddite,  render  as  a  due,  not :  Sore,  date,  as  a  gift.    Comp.  Eom.  xiii.  7 :  arrdSoTe  ovu 
■Kani  r'as  u<pii\ds.  Render  unto  all  their  dues.    Tertullian  {De  idol.  15):  '-Reddite  imaginem  Ccesari  quce 
est,  et  imaginem  Dei  Deo  qum  in  homine  est.''' — P.  S  ] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Yer.   15.   Then  ■went  the    Pharisees.  —  The 

Pharisees  fox-med  the  main  element  in  the  deputation 
of  the  Sanhedriu,  which  aimed  to  annihilate  the  Lord 
by  a  stroke  of  authority.  But  their  blow  He  had 
made  to  recoil  upon  themselves.  They  stood  as  per- 
sons who  were  stripped  of  their  spiritual  authority  ; 
while  He,  by  the  same  words  which  stripped  them, 
demonstrated  His  own  Messianic  power,  and  remained 
in  the  temple  as  its  actual  Lord.  His  authority  with 
the  people,  which  it  was  sought  to  impair,  was  thus 
strengthened  anew.  His  enemies  enter  mto  the  fact  of 
their  position ;  yet  not  with  repentance  and  obedience, 
but  with  a  hypocritical  acknowledgment,  that  they 
might  again  ensnare  Him  by  cunning.  This  they 
could  compass  only  by  bringing  Him  into  suspicion 
of  the  crime,  of  which  they  were  themselves  con- 
scious, of  exciting  machinations  against  the  Roman 
government.  They  wanted  a  political  Messiah  :  that 
He  would  not  become.  They  now  sought  to  involve 
Him  in  the  appearance  of  being  a  political  Messiah, 
in  order  that  they  might  hand  Him  over  to  the  Ro- 
man authorities  as  an  insurrectionary.  They  would 
suggest  to  Him,  or  impo.se  upon  Him,  the  sedition  of 
their  own  hearts,  that  thus  they  might  ruin  Him. 
Thus  they  v/ent  further  and  further  into  tlic  most 
abandoned  course  of  lying,  urged  by  the  exasperation 
which  His  last  great  warning  parables  had  provoked 
to  the  uttermost.  How  great  this  cxaspeiation  was, 
appears  from  the  fact  that  it  was  the  Pharisees  of 
tlie  Sanhedrin,  the  bitterest  enemies  of  Rome,  who 
made  this  attack,  and  connected  themselves,  for  the 
accomplishment  of  their  purpose,  with  the  Herodiau 
political  party.     And  the  greatness  of  their  obduracy 


and  blindness  appears  in  this,  that  after  all  they  ac- 
tually brought  Him  to  the  cross  under  the  charge  of 
being  a  poUtical  Messiah,  although  He  rebuked  and 
repelled  every  solicitation  to  utter  a  seditious  word. 
They  hoped  to  succeed  in  their  temptation,  because 
they  were  blinded  by  the  spirit  of  absolutism  which 
regards  every  departure  from  its  laws  and  demands 
as  rebellion  and  revolution. 

And  took  counsel. — It  is  a  counsel  of  cunning. 
Their  purpose  is  now  to  confront  Him  as  private  per- 
sons, who  have  much  respect  for  His  person  ;  and  for 
this  purpose  they  have  a  perilous  question  ready. 
Hence  the  new  assault  upon  our  Lord  assumes  the 
form  of  a  series  of  distinct  party  attacks.  The  Phar- 
isees take  the  lead  with  theirs ;  and  theirs  was,  in- 
deed, the  most  cunningly  devised.  The  Sadducees 
then  follow,  in  an  attack  more  direct  and  outspoken, 
though  equally  disguised  as  to  its  ultimate  purpose. 
And  then  come,  lastly,  the  scribes  of  the  Pharisees' 
party,  and  try  their  strength  on  His. 

Ver.  16.  Their  disciples  v/ith  the  Herodians. 
— It  was  part  of  the  cunning  of  this  new  attack,  that 
the  Pharisees — the  most  dignified  members  of  the 
Sanhedrin — who  had  just  olHeially  encountered  Jesus, 
did  not  now  appear  before  Him  in  the  new  character 
of  hypocritical  submission.  He  should  by  no  means 
know  their  design.  Hence  they  sent  tlieir  disciples, 
young  and  unknown  persons,  who  were  students  of 
the  science  of  expounding  Scripture.  Cut  for  these 
they  had  been  able  to  provide  an  accompaniment  of 
political  partisans,  Herodians,  probably  also  of  the 
younger  sort.  They  were  the  liigh-born  academical 
youth  of  Jerusalem  :  an  appropriate  organ  to  use  in 
a  temptation  to  theocratical  revolution  around  the 
temple  of  Zion.  Meyer  :  "  The  Herodians  were  that 
party  of  the  Jews  who  were  devoted  to  the  royal 
house  of  Herod — a  party  political,  not  hierarchical, 


396 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


yet  not  purely  Roman ;  popular  royalists,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  pure  principle  of  the  theocracy,  but  also 
to  the  unpopular  Romau  dominion  (against  Caesar), 
siding  with  the  powerful  Fliarisees  from  policy  and 
according  to  circumstances.  For  other  and  in  part 
very  singular  interpretations,  see  Wolf  and  Kcicher 
in  loc*  The  passage  in  Joseph.  Ardiq.  xiv.  15,  10, 
refers  to  other  circum'^tances,  comp.  Ewald,  p.  19G. 
To  regard  them  as  adherents  of  the  Roman  govern- 
ment generally  (and  not  specifically  a  faction  devoted 
to  the  Herodian  family),  is  forbidden  by  the  special 
name  which  they  bore.-  It  was  deep  cunning  in  the 
hierarchy  to  unite  themselves  with  this  royalist  fac- 
tion ;  for  thus  they  hoped  to  embolden  Jesus  to  utter 
a  word  which  might  be  interpreted  against  the  cen- 
sus-tribute. Their  flattei'ing  introduction  had  this 
design ;  and  their  further  plan  was  to  urge  a  political 
complaint  against  Him  before  tlie  Roman  authorities. 
Comp.  Luke  xx.  20.  But,  should  an  affirmative  an- 
swer upset  this  scheme,  they  would  at  least  succeed 
in  placing  the  Herodians  in  antagonism  to  Him." 
Rather,  they  would  in  this  case  make  Him  hateful  to 
the  people,  in  consequence  of  His  unconditional  testi- 
mony in  favor  of  subjection  to  the  Romau  dominion. 
The  Herodians  were,  after  all,  anti-theocratic  in  their 
sentiments,  and  could  only  wear  the  mask  of  a  patri- 
otic royaUsm,  which  might  serve  as  a  temptation  to 
the  Lord.  A  third  contingency,  that  Jesus  might 
decline  giving  any  answer.  His  opponents  seem 
scarcely  to  have  at  all  contemplated.  It  may  have 
occurred  to  their  minds,  however,  that  they  might 
possibly  use  Hun  yet  as  a  tool  in  a  gigantic  rebel- 
lion. 

Master,  -we  know. — A  cunning  hint,f  that  they 
were  ready  to  pay  Him  honor  as  the  Messiah.  In 
a  sincere  spirit  Nicodemus  said  the  same  tiling,  John 
iii.  2. 

That  Thou  art  true  :  truthful.— With  all  their 
deceit,  they  actually  thought  this.  ■  The  most  aban- 
doned falsehood  is  constrained  to  acknowledge  His 
pure  sincerity. 

Thou  teaohest  the  way  of  God  ia  truth.^ — 
Hypocritical  recognition,  (1)  of  His  doctrine,  and  (2) 
of  His  manner  of  teaching  or  His  orthodoxy.  The 
way  of  God,  in  the  Jewish  scholastic  sense  ;  emphat- 
ically, the  practical  instruction  which  came  from  God 
Himself  and  represents  His  will ;  the  revelation  of 
God  as  the  standard  for  human  conduct.  See  Bret- 
schneider,  suh  o5o'j. 

Neither  carest  Thou  for  any  one. — A  cun- 
ning temptation  to  lift  Himself,  in  His  proud  con- 
sciousness, above  all  respect  or  care  for  the  Roman 
authorities.  They  had  indeed  found  that  their  power 
had  no  effect  to  intimidate  Him  in  the  way  of  truth. 
But  they  might  have  known  that  His  independence 
was  always  connected  with  the  purest  submission  to 
the  powers  that  are.  Their  involuntary  acknowledg- 
ment shines  through  their  false  speech. 

Regardest  not  the  person  of  men. — n  p  6  <t  u:- 
ir  0  1/  is  the  outward  appearance :  the  representative 
of  an  authority.     Oh  PKewets  irpSa-uirov  is  essentially 


*  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  reads  here:  "For  some  remarkable 
hints,  see  Wolf," — mistaking  probably  the  nehr  sonderhare 
Deutungen  of  the  original  tor  wiincierbare  Andeiitwngen. 
Mistakes  of  this  kind,  whether  of  carelessness  or  ignorance 
of  the  German  language,  and  all  sorts  of  arbitrary  om  ssions 
and  changes,  occur  on  every  page,  yea  almost  in  every  sen- 
tence of  this  and  several  preceding  chapters,  and  make  the 
revision  a  more  tedious  and  disagreeable  task  than  a  new 
translation.— P.  S.] 

t  [A  cunning  and  malignant  captatio  lenezolentlce,  as 
Meyer  calls  lt.-P.  S.] 


the  same  as  Luke's  oh  \afj.^du€is  -rrpoa-coTrov,  ver.  21, 
but  stronger. 

Ver.  17.  Is  it  lawful  ?— To  the  Jew.  De  Wette: 
"  According  to  theocratical  principles,  which  regard- 
ed Jehovah  as  the  only  King  in  Israel."  The  theo- 
cratical prerogative,  however,  had  not  interfered  with 
the  representation  of  Jehovah  by  human  kings  in  Is- 
rael ;  and  the  Israelites  had  paid  tribute  always  to 
them.  In  fact,  they  had  in  past  times  paid  tribute 
even  to  foreign  potentates — the  1  abyloniaiis,  Per- 
sians, etc.  How  tlien,  in  the  face  of  such  precedents, 
could  the  question  be  urged  as  it  was  urged  on  the 
present  occasion  ?  The  explanation  is  to  be  found  in 
the  fact,  that  the  Jewish  fanaticism  had  increased 
fi'om  generation  to  generation,  and  that  it  was  now 
rapidly  approaching  the  point  of  culmination  which 
it  reached  at  last  in  the  Jewish  war.  And  the  hope 
of  the  Messiah  was  also  increasing  in  strength.  Thus, 
while  the  payment  of  tribute  to  a  human  king  might 
generally  be  lawful,  it  was  otherwise  with  a  heathen 
king,  especially  Csesar,  who  threatened  to  take  the 
place  of  tlie  Messiah  as  His  dark  rival  in  the  rule  of 
the  world :  this  might  appear  apostasy  from  the  theoc- 
racy and  the  hope  of  Messiah's  kmgdom.  In  this 
spirit  Judas  the  Gaulonite  (Joseph.  Antiq.  xviii.  1 ; 
Acts  V.  37)  had  refused  the  census  of  the  Romans ; 
regarding  it  as  the  decisive  sign  of  servitude.  And 
certainly  the  Jews  might  have  been  justified  in  re- 
fusing all  political  homage  to  the  C33sar,  if  the  history 
of  the  theocracy  had  not  established  a  distinction  be- 
tween the  religious  and  the  political  element,  ami  in- 
troduced and  accustomed  them  to  such  a  differ- 
ence between  the  Church  and  the  State.  But  fanati- 
cism ignored  this  distinction  as  a  temporary  abuse, 
and  supposed  that  with  the  advent  of  the  Messiah  it 
would  disappear ;  meanwhile  it  w^as  a  disorder  that 
must  be  cunningly  submitted  to  as  a  necessity.  Christ 
opposes  to  their  temptation  the  perfect  and  clear  dis- 
tinction as  it  was  appointed  by  God.  The  question : 
"Is  it  lawful?"  of  itself  obscures  the  supposition  of 
duty  ;  and  the  question :  "  Must  we,  as  servants  of  the 
theocracy,  refuse  the  tribute  ?  "  meant,  in  other  words : 
Must  we  resist  the  dommion  of  the  Romans,  and  rise 
up  in  rebelUon  ? 

Or  not  ? — The  not  lawful  they  would  fain  have 
put  in  His  mouth. 

Ver.  18.  Hypocrites. — Bengel:  '■'■Jems  verum 
se  eis  ostendit  ut  dixeraut,  ver.  16." 

Ver.  19.  The  tribute-money.— The  coin  in 
which  the  tribute  is  paid.  Ubicunque  numisma 
regis  alicujus  obtinet,  illic  incoUe  regtm  istuni  pro 
domino  agnoscunt.     Maimon.  iri  Gezelah,  v.  18. 

Vers.  20,  21.  Whose  is  this  image?  — The 
Lord's  answer  gains  infinitely  in  emphasis  wlien  we 
connect  it  with  the  action  in  which  He  clothes  it. 
Bearing  this  coin  in  their  hands,  they  were  obliged 
to  appear  before  Him  as  the  subjects  of  Caesar,  and 
themselves  read  the  decision  of  their  own  question  in 
the  word  "  Ctesar."  But  the  truth  of  the  answer  con- 
sists in  this,  that  every  one  has  subjected  himself  to 
the  actual  obligations  of  a  State  who  has  entered  into 
its  rights,  as  symboUzed  by  its  currency.  Or,  he  who 
acknowledges  the  ruler's  right  of  coining,  acknowl- 
edges also  his  right  to  tribute ;  he  who  takes  the 
coin  from  Caesar,  must  give  it  back  to  him  again. 
Thus  Jesus  makes  the  payment  of  tribute  a  duty  of 
virtual  obligation.  The  com  is  already  Caesar's.  But 
the  word  is  to.  Kaicr apos ,  the  things  of  Ccesar ; 
and  it  includes  therefore  all  the  obligations  to  the 
State.  But  this  obedience  must  ever  be  conditioned 
by  obedience  to  God,  to  whom  all  must  pay  the  trib- 


CHAP.  XXII.  15-22. 


397 


ute  of  T  a  Tov  @€  ov,  the  things  of  God.  And  here 
we  must  not  think  merely  of  any  particular  tribute — 
the  temple-tribute  (the  usual  interpretation),  or  re- 
pentance (Ebrard) — but  of  all  religious  obligations. 
Erasmus:  Give  to  God  that  which  has  the  image  and 
inscription  of  God,  the  soul  {quod  Dei  habet  iiiscrip- 
tionem  ef  imnc/inem,  i.  e.,  ani/iium). 

Yer.  21.  And  unto  God  the  things  that  are 
God's. — The  word  was  not  only  a  precept,  but  also  a 
correction ;  since  they  denied  to  the  Father  Himself,  in 
the  person  of  Jesus,  the  honor  due  to  Him.  And  so 
also  the  word :  "  Render  unto  Caesar  the  things  which 
are  Cesar's,"  might  have  spared  them  the  Jewish 
war,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  downfall 
of  their  nation. 

[The  answer  of  our  Saviour  in  ver.  21  is  perhaps 
the  wisest  answer  ever  given  to  sCnj  question,  cer- 
tainly the  wisest  which  could  possibly  be  made 
in  this  case,  and  we  need  not  wonder  that  the  ene- 
mies who  elicited  it,  "  marvelled  and  left  Him."  It 
establishes  the  rights,  regulates  the  duties,  and  dis- 
tinguishes the  jurisdiction  of  the  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral powers  and  their  subjects.  It  contains  the 
fundamental  priiiciple  and  guide  for  the  settlement 
of  the  vexed  question  of  Church  and  State,  which  has 
created  so  much  trouble  and  persecution  in  the  his- 
tory of  Christianity.  If  men  would  always  strictly 
adhere  to  this  rule,  there  never  would  be  a  hostile 
collision  between  the  two  powers,  which  are  both  of 
divine  origin  and  authority,  the  one  for  the  temporal, 
the  other  for  the  eternal  welfare  of  man,  and  which 
ought  to  be  kept  distinct  and  independent  in  their  re- 
spective spheres  without  mixture  and  confusion,  and 
yet  without  antagonism,  but  in  friendly  relation  in 
view  of  their  common  origin  in  God,  and  their  com- 
mon end  and  completion  in  the  ^a(n\iia  rrjs  5o|r)s, 
where  God  shall  be  all  in  all. — P.  S.] 


DOCTPvINAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  The  temptation  of  Christ  to  revolution,  through 
the  students  and  aristocracy  of  Jerusalem,  as  the  in- 
struments of  His  enemies. 

2.  The  Messiah  Himself  divides  here  the  theoc- 
racy, which  was  both  Church  and  State,  into  Church 
and  State  as  two  distinct  parts :  He  consigns  the 
kingdom  of  this  world  to  CaBsar,  while  He  limits  and 
conditions  it  by  the  kingdom  of  God. 

3.  Render  unto  Cesar  that  which  is  Ccesar''s. — 
Here  the  duty  of  obedience  is  deduced  from  the  fact 
of  the  existing  dominion.  Caesar  had  the  coin,  there- 
fore it  should  be  given  to  him  ;  Cassar  had  the  pow- 
er, therefore  he  should  be  obeyed.  De  Wette  dis- 
tinguishes in  a  futile  way  between  the  principles  of 
conscience,  of  right,  and  of  power  and  prudence. 
Prudence  is  also  matter  of  conscience.  To  revolt 
against  authority,  is  contrary  to  conscience.  Politi- 
cal obligations  have  entered  in,  as  matter  of  fact, 
wherever  people  have  settled  themselves  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  political  right.s.  Hence  the  passages,  Rom. 
xiii.  1 ;  1  Tim.  ii.  1  ;  1  Pet.  ii.  13,  17,  belong  here. 
On  the  distinction  between  legitimate  and  unright- 
eous dominion,  this  text  says  nothing.  But  it  does 
say  that  he  who  has  accepted  the  protection  of  an 
actual  government,  has  entered  into  its  political  con- 
stitution, and  acknowledged  thereby  its  rights.  The 
legitimist  feeling  of  devotion  to  an  oppressed  power 
must  maintain  its  propriety  by  banisliment  and  suffer- 
ing with  it.  It  can  co-exist  with  the  new  bond  of 
subjection  only  as  a  wish,  a  sentiment,  a  longing  for 


deUverance.  Enjoying  the  protection  of  the  existing 
power,  it  must  submit  to  the  obligations  which  thence 
arise.  But  the  antithesis,  "  Unto  God  that  which  is 
God'.s,"  is  self-characterized  as  the  higher  or  absolute 
principle,  which  is  the  condition  of  the  former.  Comp. 
Acts  iv.  19  [which  contains  the  right  of  disobedience 
to  the  temporal  power,  where  it  clearly  contradicts 
the  laws  of  God.— P.  S.]. 

4.  Money  represents  the  palpable  earthly  side  of 
government  and  civil  relations.  He  who,  in  the  im- 
press of  the  coin,  is  acknowledged  as  the  ruler  over 
the  money  of  the  land,  is  thereby  marked  out  as  the 
ruler  of  the  land.  In  a  certain  sense,  therefore,  the 
money  circulation  is  a  pei-manent  symbol  of  political 
subjection  and  mark  of  allegiance.*  But,  over  against 
the  external  and  visible  dominion  of  Cajsar  over  the 
civil  life,  there  is  the  immediate  dominion  of  God 
over  the  internal  and  unseen  life.  These  two  domin- 
ions are  not  indeed  co-ordinate ;  the  latter  is  supreme 
over  the  former ;  but  it  has  a  pre-eminence  which  ad- 
mits of  a  certain  appearance  of  division  between  the 
power  of  Caesar  and  the  power  of  God.  But  the  im- 
press of  God  is  upon  the  spirit ;  therefore  the  life  of 
the  soul  must  be  given  to  God.  By  the  requirement : 
"  Give  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's,"  Christ 
certainly,  as  Gerlach  remarks,  pointed  out  to  them 
the  way  in  which  they  might  become  really  free  again ; 
yet  not  in  any  such  sense  as  would  encourage  them 
to  hope  for  a  return  of  the  old  theocracy.  Obedience 
to  God  will  make  Christendom  free  from  the  violence 
of  secular  power,  and  ready  for  admission  into  the 
perfect  kingdom  of  God. 

5.  The  right  distinction  between  that  which  is 
God's  and  that  which  is  Cassar's,  must  lead  to  the 
true  unity  of  life ;  while  the  confusion  of  these  two 
must  lead  to  division,  lie,  and  hypocrisy.  The  Jewish 
hierarchy,  in  their  superstition,  made  some  scruple 
whether  they  should  pay  Ca3sar  his  tribute ;  and  then 
they  threw  their  own  Messiah  to  him,  whose  golden 
fidelity  displayed  most  gloriously  the  image  of  God. 

6.  Langii  opus  Bihl. :  We  may  easily  imagine 
how  ashamed  these  conceited  young  men  must  have 
felt  when  they  departed :  wicked  as  they  were  they 
could  not  but  feel  that  they  and  their  teachers 
must  have  nothing  but  confusion  to  expect  from  their 
encounters  with  Christ. 

v.  The  peculiar  case  where  the  magistrate  con- 
founds political  and  spiritual  subjugation,  and  exerts 
tyranny  over  conscience,  as  Antiochus  Epiphanes  did 
and  many  others,  is  here  not  taken  into  account,  in- 
asmuch as  the  Roman  government  at  the  time  of 
Christ  tolerated  and  respected  the  rights  of  con- 
science, and  for  some  time  even  protected  the  Chris- 
tians (though  not  Christ  Himself)  against  the  fanat- 
icism of  the  Jews. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

The  temptation  of  our  Lord  to  pronounce  a  watch- 
word of  rcbelUon  :  1.  The  cunning  attenijit  of  the  ene- 
mies ;  2.  the  instruments ;  3.  the  issue. — The  political 
temptations  of  Christians  :  1.  To  refuse  tribute  (insur- 
rection and  rebellion) ;  2.  to  sacrifice  the  conscience 

*  [CoDip.  QuESNEL  m  loc. :  "Tlie  itTia°:e  of  princes  stamp- 
pfl  on  their  coin  denotes  that  temporal  things  belong  all  to 
their  governance;  and  the  image  of  God  imprinted  on  the 
soul  of  man  teaches  that  whatever  use  he  makes  either  of 
himself  or  of  the  creatures,  ought  to  be  referred  to  God.  .  .  . 
Princes  [Rulers]  being  more  the  images  of  God  than  other 
men,  ought  also  to  render  to  God  whatever  they  receive 
from  men,  by  directing  it  all  to  His  glory." — P.  S.] 


508 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


(servility).*— ^Christ  supreme  victor  over  all  the  cun- 
uiug  and  all  the  violence  of  His  oiieniies. — The  counsel 
of  the  ungodly,  Vs.  ii. ;  their  snares,  Prov.  xxix.  5. — 
("umiiiip;,  the  ancient  fellow  of  violence,  especially  in 
the  g(jvernment  of  the  hierarchy.— Christ's  victory  over 
cunning  is  the  victory  of  God's  kingdom  over  cunning. 
— The  contest  of  the  Lord  with  the  cunning  of  His 
foes  tended  to  the  glorification  of  His  wisdom.  1. 
They  take  counsel :  He  is  thoroughly  prepared.  2. 
They  would  entangle  Him  :  He  seeks  to  deliver  them 
out  of  their  own  snare.  3.  They  praise  Him  in  order 
to  His  destruction :  He  rebukes  them,  in  order  to 
arouse  and  save  them.  4.  They  would  fain  involve 
llim  in  their  own  wicked  designs  :  He  punishes  them 
in  His  righteousness.  5.  They  wish  to  judge  Him  as 
guilty  :  lie  dismisses  them  as  Judge. — The  covenant 
of  thehierarchs  and  Herodians  in  order  to  overvrhelm 
Christ. — The  various  decisions  of  Christ  touching 
money. — The  salutary  distinction  of  Christ  between 
Church  and  State. — The  decision  of  Christ  upon  the 
rights  of  Cajsar:  1.  They  are  rights  which  are  deriv- 
ed from  God  ;  2.  they  are  co-ordinate  to  the  spiritual 
rights  of  the  church  ;  o.  they  arc  subordinate  to  the 
rights  of  God. — The  weight  of  the  clause,  "  And  to 
God  that  which  is  God's." — Only  he  who  rightly  dis- 
tinguishes between  religious  and  civil  duties  will  know 
how  to  connect  them  aright. — The  hypocritical  blend- 
ing of  religion  and  policy:  1.  By  withholding  the 
dues  to  the  civil  government,,  under  pretext  of  sav- 
ing the  rights  of  (Jod  ;  2.  by  sacrificing  the  most  sa- 
cred rights  of  God  and  His  church  to  the  secular 
power. — The  enemies  of  the  Lord  gather  strength 
from  every  new  humiliation  to  harden  themselves 
afresh. — The  three  kinds  of  assault  which  His  ene- 


*  [Tho  precediiijr  s^cntences  in  the  Homiletical  and  the 
concliidinj,'  paragraphs  of  the  Doctrinal  sections,  nearly  half 
a  cnluinn,  are  omitted  entire  in  the  Edinb.  trsl.,  and  the 
lloiriiietical  Hints  which  follow  are  either  omitted  or  arbi- 
trarily abridged. — 1'.  8.] 


mics  make  upon  the  cause  of  Christ:  1.  With  vio- 
lence ;  2.  with  cunning  ;  3.  with  cunning  and  violence 
combined. 

Slarle  :  —  Canskin :  Wicked  hearts  are  only 
more  wicked  and  malicious  by  faithful  warnings. — 
The  two  kinds  of  serpents,  the  crooked  and  the 
straight  (  Isa.  xxvii.  1 ;  first  cunning,  then  might). — 
Zeisius :  When  Christ  is  to  be  opposed,  Herod  and 
Pilate  soon  become  one. — Hypocrites  and  liars  have 
honey  on  their  lips,  and  gall  in  their  hearts,  Ps.  Iv. 
21. —  Qucsnel:  The  praise  of  ungodly  men  is  full  of 
snares. — Zeisms :  No  attack  and  no  cunning  of  any 
avail  against  the  Lord. — He  who  has  God's  word  and 
truth  on  his  side  is  sure  to  carry  off  the  victory. — 
Osiander  :  He  who  would  put  to  shame  God's  ser- 
vants will  himself  be  put  to  shame. — The  cunning 
which  would  entrap  wisdom  is  itself  caught. 

Liitco : — Christ  shows  here  that  it  is  not  His  pur- 
pose to  efreet  any  change  in  earthly  political  relations 
(that  is,  in  a  political  and  earthly  way). 

Heubner : — The  Truth,  Christ,  stands  here  in  the 
presence  of  falsehood. — It  is  the  vocation  of  the  pious 
to  have  to  move  among  those  who  continually  per- 
vert their  words. — The  Christian's  bearing  toward 
the  various  political  parties  in  the  world. — What  they 
did  in  cunning  and  mahce,  we  should  do  in  earnest 
sincerity :  ask  Christ's  advice  in  all  cases  of  doubt 
and  conflict  of  duties. — The  Christian  living  under  a 
wicked  government  must  submit  in  all  things  that  do 
not  molest  his  conscience. — The  voice  of  the  gospel 
on  the  duties  of  subjects. — The  Christian  should  re- 
commend his  religion  by  his  civil  and  political  hon- 
esty.— Christ's  dignity  in  the  answer  to  these  ques- 
tions concerning  the  duiies  of  subjects  and  rulers. 

Reinhard : — The  right  of  subjects  to  judge  the  rule 
and  commands  of  their  governors. —  T.  W.  Wolf : — 
How  little  the  Lord  is  served  by  false  praise. — Ham- 
bach  : — The  most  pious  Christian  is  the  best  cit- 
izen. 


C.   TTie  Attack  of  the  Sadducees,  and  the  Victor >/  of  the  Lord.     Ch.  XXII.  23-33. 
(Mark  xii.  18-27  ;  Luke  xx.  27-40.) 

23  The  same  day  came  to  him  the^  Sadducees,  which  [who]  say  that  there  is  no  resur- 

24  rection,  and  asked  him,  Saying,  Master,  Moses  said,  lif  a  man  die,  having  no  children, 

25  his  brother  shall  marry  his  wife,  and  raise  up  seed  mito  his  brother.     Now  there  were 
with  us  seven  brethren  [brothers]  :  and  the  first,  when  he  had  married  a  wife,  deceased, 

26  and,  having  no  issue,^  left  his  wife  rmto  his  brother:  Likewise  the  second  also,  and  the 

27  third,  unto  the  seventh  [unto  the  seven,  eco?  twv  cTrra].     And  last  of  all  the  woman  died 

28  also.     Therefore  in  the  resurrection,  whose  wife  shall  she  be  of  the  seven?  for  they  all 

29  had  her.     Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  tliem,  Ye  do  err  [Ye  err,  go  astray,  TrAavScr^e], 

30  not  knowing  the  Scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God.     For  in  the  resurrection  they  neither 

31  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are  as  the  angels  of  God^  in  heaven.     But  as 
touching  [concerning]   the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  have  ye  not  read  that  which  was 

32  spoken  unto  you  by  God,  saying,  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and 
the  God  of  Jacob  (Ex,  iii.  6)?     God  is  not  the  God*  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living. 

33  And  when  the  multitude  heard  this,  they  were  astonished  at  this  doctrine. 

1  Ver.  23.— [The  article  is  wantin?  in  Greek  and  should  be  omitted  in  the  trsl.— P.  S.]  ■,  ,  ^    t . 

■■^  Ver.  25.— [Liter.ally  :  and  the  first,  Ti^nving  married,  died  {or:  married  and  died),  and  haviriff  no  seed,  left  his 
rcife  to  his  brother,  7ct/.ojcro'-5  eVeXeiiTrjo-e  "  Kod  fji^  '4x<^v  (nrepij.a,  6.(priK€,  k.t.A.—V.  S.] 

3  Ver.  IT.— ToD  @eov  is  omitted  in  B.,  D.,  etc.,  acoordinfr  to  Meyer  on  account  of  Mark  xii.  26  [ws  S77eAoi  er  toTs 

ovpavols]. 


CHAP.  XXn.  23-33. 


399 


*  Vcr.  3-2.— The  second  QecU  [before  veicpacv]  is  stricken  out  by  Lnchmann  on  the  nuthority  of  B.,  L.,  and  other  ancient 
MSS.  But  here,  too,  Meyer  defends  it,  and  explains  tlie  omission  from  the  desire  of  copyists  to  conform  to  Marie  and 
Luke.    [Omitted  in  Cod.  Sinait.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  23.  Sadducees. — Sre  E.teg.  Notes  on  ch. 
iii.  7,  p.  71,  and  WinerV  article  upon  them. 

Who  say  (teach). — The  ol  beibre  \iyovTts  must 
not  be  given  up,  though  wanting  in  B.,  D.,  and  other 
codices.     See  de  Wette. 

There  is  no  resurrection. — It  may  be  asked, 
how  far  and  in  what  sense  we  are  to  regard  the  ques- 
tion of  the  Sadducees  as  a  temptation  ;  for,  doubtless, 
their  questicTn  also,  Uke  that  of  tlie  Pharisees,  was 
framed  with  a  view  to  entangle  our  Lord  in  some 
matter  of  accusation  ;  and  therefore  we  may  assume 
that  their  malice  was  the  counterpart  of  the  malice 
of  the  Phaiiseos.  It  was  the  last  consequence  of 
Pharisaism — which  no  Pharisee,  however,  would 
openly  express — that  no  tribute  was  to  be  given  to 
yCassar,  but  that  his  government  was  to  be  overturned. 
Now,  this  was  the  position  to  which  they  wished 
Jesus  to  commit  Himself.  And  so  also  the  Saddu- 
cees— though  they  did  not  come  forward  with  an 
outspoken  denial  of  tlie  resurrection — hoped  that 
they  would  make  the  Lord  appear  nothing  but  a 
Sadducee,  and  thereby  eftectually  rob  Him  of  all  His 
influence  and  authority  with  the  people.  Should 
they  not  thus  get  the  better  of  Him  before  the  mul- 
titude, it  was  prob;ible  that  Jesus  would  give  some 
interpretation  of  the  passage  and  of  the  doctrine 
which  would  bring  Hun  into  colhsion  with  Moses 
and  the  law.  But  they  scarcely  expected  such  a 
solution  as  Jesus  gave ;  it  never  entered  their 
thoughts  that  He  would  make  so  clear  and  definite 
a  distinction  between  this  Ufo  and  the  next.  They 
hoped  that  they  should  constrain  Him  publicly  to 
avow  their  secret  doctrine,  even  as  the  Pharisees 
had  hoped  that  they  might  make  Him  declare  Him- 
self a  consummate  Pharisee. 

Ver.  24.  Master,  Moses  said. — Deut.  xxv.  5. 
They  freely  quoted  the  Mosaic  law  concerning  the 
Levirate  marriage.  It  was  ordained,  for  the  preser- 
vation of  families,  that  if  a  man  died  without  male  j 
issue,  his  brother  should  marry  the  widow,  and  that  | 
the  first-born  son  should  be  held  in  the  registers  to  \ 
be  the  son  of  the  dead  brother.  (Michaelis  :  Mosa- 
ischcs  Recht,  ii.  p.  98.)  On  this  passage  they  con- 
struct a  startling  example,  which  in  all  probability 
was  purely  fictitious  and  boldly  and  unscrupulously 
carried  out :  their  argument  takmg  it  for  granted 
that,  if  there  were  ever  a  resurrection,  the  marriage 
must  needs  be  renewed  in  another  world.  Thus, 
their  design  was  to  show,  out  of  the  law  itself,  that 
the  doctrine  of  a  resurrection  was  something  unten- 
able, and  a  gross  absurdity. 

Ver.  26.  Unto  the  seven. — That  is,  unto  the 
seventh. 

Ver.  2!?.  Not  knowing  the  Scriptures,  etc. — 
There  is  here  a  twofold  source  of  knowledge  :  Holy 
Scripture,  and  spiritual  experience  ;  or,  as  the  theo- 
logian would  say,  a  formal  and  a  material  principle. 
Out  of  the  ignorance  of  the  one  source*  or  the 
other  spring  the  Sadducee  and  the  Rationalist  tend- 
encies to  error.     It  is  very  observable  that  our  Lord 

*  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  omits  the  igorance  of  {aus  dem 
NiclUwisKcn  der  einen  Quelle,  etc.),  and  thus  makes  the 
errors  of  Siddiicism  and  Rationalism  actually  spring  from 
the  Holy  bcriptures  and  spiritual  experience! — P.  S.] 


i  does  not  confront  them  with  the  rebuke,  that  they 
did  not  hold  tradition  sacred.  Pharisaism  which 
stuck  to  the  traditions  was  no  cr.re  for  Sadducism. 
The  latter  could  never  be  set  free  I'rom  its  negations, 
without  learning  more  profoundly  to  study  and  apply 
its  own  positive  principles.  Scripture  and  the  spiritual 
life.  In  what  sense,  then,  was  it  that  they  did  not 
understand  Scripture  ?  In  so  far  as  they  failed  to 
discern  in  it  its  own  living  substance,  its  peculiar 
meaning  in  reference  to  the  dcctrino  of  imm(U'tality. 
But  they  understood  not  the  power  of  God,  inas- 
much as  they  put  no  trust  in  the  power  of  God  over 
death,  in  His  power  to  raise  the  dead  ;  and  therefore 
had  no  ability  to  conceive  of  or  anticipate  the  glori- 
fication of  the  present  body  into  a  higher  state,  into 
a  life  in  which  present  sexual  relations  should  no 
longer  subsist. 

Ver.  80.  In  the  resurrection. — Fritzsche :  In 
the  resurrection  life.  Meyer,  on  the  other  hand  :  In 
the  rising.  It  does  not,  however,  point  merely  to 
the  moment  of  the  commencement  of  the  new  life  ; 
but  to  the  state  in  which  that  issues,  as  eV  t?7  7raAi7- 

-yei/etria-,  ch.  xix.  28. — Nor  given  in  marriage 

This  has  reference  to  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  that 
the  female  members  of  the  flimily  were  given  in 
marriage  by  their  father.  The  resurrection  is  a 
higher  state  of  things,  in  which  death  is  extinguished 
in  the  glorification  of  life,  and  all  thmgs  pertaining 
to  marriage  and  the  sexes  done  away  (Luke  xx.  36  ; 
1  Cor.  XV.  44). 

As  the  angels  in  heaven. — That  is,  the  angels 
who  are  in  heaven.  Meyer :  The  risen  are  not  yet 
in  heaven.  But  compare  2  Cor.  v.  1  ;  1  Thess.  iv. 
17.  Yv''ith  the  first  resurrection  begins  the  transition 
of  earthly  nature  into  the  heavenly ;  and  with  the 
general  resurrection  earth  and  heaven  will  have  be- 
come one  in  a  glorified  heavenly  domain.  "  We  find 
among  the  Rabbins  similar  notions  of  the  future 
relations  of  the  body  and  of  the  sexes  {see  Wetstein) ; 
but  also  such  a  low  sensual  view  as  this :  mulier  ilia, 
qua  duohus  nupsit  in  hoc  mundo,  priori  reatiti^tur 
in  nnmdo  faturo.     Sohar."     Meyer. 

Ver.  31.  But  concerning  the  resurrection  of 
thfe  dead. — Jesus  demonstrates  the  resurrection  by 
the  passage,  Exod.  iii.  G.  They  drew  their  argument 
frora  the  Thorah,  from  the  books  of  Moses  ;  and  He 
finds  His  proof  in  the  same.*  De  Wette  :  "  From 
this  the  erroneous  conclusion  was  deduced,  even  by 
the  Fathers.  (Tertull.  de  Prcesc.  cap.  4.5  ;  Hieron. 
ad  loc.),  and  by  later  divines,  that  the  Sadducees 
accepted  only  the  five  books  of  Moses  as  canonical 
(an  error  which  Olshausen  seems  to  retain).  Comp. 
Winer,  art.  SadducderP  So  also  Meyer ;  but  both 
of  them  have  rather  too  confidently  adopted  Winer's 


*  [The  passaffo  occurs  in  connection  with  tlie  appearance 
of  .Ji-hovah  to  Moses  in  the  burning  bush,  which  was  itself  a 
striking'  symbol  of  the  power  of  God  to  preserve  what  in  the 
course  of  nature  must  perish.  Alford:  -'Our  Lord  does 
not  cite  the  strong  testimonies  of  the  Prophets,  as  Is.a.  xxvi. 
19;  Ezek.  xxxvii.  1-14;  Dan.  xii.  2,  but  says,  as  in  Luke 
(x.\-.  37),  ' fpe/i  MoHtH  hns  shewn,' etc.,  leaving  those  other 
witnesses  to  be  supplied.  The  books  of  Moses  were  tlio 
great  and  ultimate  appeal  for  all  doctrine  :  and  thus  the  as- 
sertion of  the  Resurrection  comes  from  tlie  very  source 
whence  their  difficulty  had  been  constructed."  Thus  the  bur- 
den of  the  law,  '/am  the  Lord  thy  God.'  contains  the  seed 
of  immortality  and  the  promise  of  the  resurrection.  The 
law  is  the  hani  shell  whicli  contains  and  protects  the  pre- 
cious kernel  of  the  gospel.— P.  S.] 


400 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEAV. 


views.*  The  remark  of  Josephus  {Cotitra  Apion. 
i.  8),  that  the  wliole  of  the  twenty-two  books  were 
esteemed  divine  by  tlie  Jews  without  exception,  has 
no  particular  weight ;  for  he  is  speaking  only  of  the 
Jews  generally,  and  in  mass ;  and  it  is  well  known 
that  the  !>adducees  did  not  dare  to  make  a  public 
dogma  of  their  rejection  of  the  post-Mosaic  Scrip- 
tures, and  of  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  It  is 
plain  that  the  assertion  of  Josephus  cannot  be 
strictly  appUed  to  all  parties,  in  view  of  the  relation 
of  the  Essenes  to  the  law  of  sacrifices,  and  other 
matters  in  the  Old  Testament.  {See  the  Pseudo- 
Clementines.)  The  passage,  quoted  by  Winer,  from 
Josephus  {Antiq.  xiii.  10,  6j,  declares  that  the  Sad- 
ducees  taught :  hilv  ■/■jye'trrdat  vofxijjLa  ra  ■yeypa.fj.iJ.iva, 
that  the  holy  writings  must  be  honored.  But  these 
Scriptures  were  previously  defined  to  be  the  laws  of 
Jfoses  (so  Josephus  himself  says,  xviii.  1,  4).  At  the 
same  time  they  rejected  the  tradition  of  the  fathers. 
Thus  tliey  definitely  acknowledged  only  the  Mosaic 
Scriptures,  and  definitely  rejected  only  tradition. 
Their  position,  meanv.'hile,  toward  the  remainder  of 
the  Scripture,  was  olficially  an  ambiguous  one.  That 
bad  antithesis  between  Mosaic  and  non-Mosaic  Scrip- 
tures, which  Josephus  adduces,  was  attributed  to 
them  also  by  the  Talmud  :  Negarunt  legem  ore  tra- 
ditam,  nee  fidem  habuerunt  nisi  ei,  quod  in  lege  (the 
Thorah)  Scripdum  erat.  They  certainly  did  not  ex- 
press any  positive  rejection  of  the  non-Mosaic  Scrip- 
tures, because  they  durst  not ;  but  their  bad  anti- 
thesis plainly  enough  disclosed  that  they  did  not 
acknowledge  them,  but  would  be  disposed  to  class 
tliem  with  the  traditions,  which  they  did  reject. 
The  ancient  testimonies,  among  which  that  of  Origen 
is  prominent,  will  maintain  their  force,  therefore,  in 
spite  of  Winer's  view.f 

Ver.  82.  I  am  [not :  I  urns']  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham.— This  argumentation  has  been  treated  by 
Hase,  Strauss,  and  others,  as  a  specimen  of  rab- 
binical dialectics  or  exegesis.  (Comp.  contra  Ebrard, 
Kritik,  etc.,  p.  606.)  But  a  kmd  of  dialectics  which 
dealt  in  a  merely  deceptive  demonstration  we  cannot 
ascribe  to  the  Lord.  The  nerve  of  the  argumenta- 
tion lies  in  this,  that  God  appears  in  the  passage 
<luoted  as  a  pei-sonal  God,  who  bears  a  personal 
covenant-relation  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob. 
The  thought  here  expressed  is  this :  God  is  the 
Living^  the  God  of  the  living  (major  premiss) ;  He 
then  calls  Himself  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob  (minor) ;  consequently,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob  are  not  simply  dead,  but  they  must  continue  to 
live  as  those  to  whom  God  is  a  God.  The  idea  of 
personality  is  the  root  of  all  arguments  for  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul  and  the  resurrection  of  the 
body.  "  The  similar  argument  in  Menasseh,  /'.  Isr. 
de  liesurr.  i.  10,  6,  appears  to  have  been  derived 
from  this  passage.  Comp.  Schottgen,  p.  180." 
Meyer. 

[It  is  certain  that  this  argument  of  our  Saviour 
could  not  have  been  discovered  by  any  amount  of 
Rabbinical  learning  and  acumen ;  and  yet  being 
once  presented  to  our  mind,  it  strikes  us,  not  as  an 
arbitrary  imposition  (Uke  most  of  the  Rabbinical,  and 

*  [So  has  Alfop.d  in  loc. :  "The  Sadducees  acknowledged 
the  prophets  a/so,  and  rejected  tradition  only  {see  this  abun- 
dantly proved  by  Winer,  Iteahcorterljuch,  Sadducder).'"— 
P.  S.]  ' 

+  [In  German:  Aiiffassung,  which  the  Edinb.  trsl.  falsely 
renders  incorrect  statements;  thus  doing  injustice  to  the 
late  Dr.  Winer,  who  is  one  of  the  most  conscientious,  accu- 
rate, and  reliable  writers  in  all  quotations  and  statements  of 
fflCts.-P.  S.] 


many  of  the  patristic  allegorical  interpretations),  but 
as  a  real  exposition  of  the  true  meaning  of  the  pass- 
age <iuoted ;  throwing  a  flood  of  light  over  it,  and 
filling  us  with  wonder  at  the  hidden  depths  and  com- 
forts of  the  Scriptures.  But  strictly  taken,  the  argu- 
ment of  Christ  avails  only  for  those  who  stand  in 
jursonal  covenant  relations  with  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham, and  are  thus  partakers  of  the  Divine  life  which 
can  never  be  destroyed,  and  imphes  an  admonition 
to  the  Sadducees  to  enter  into  this  relation.  The 
immortality  and  resurrection  of  the  wicked,  which  is 
as  terrible  a  doctrine  as  the  resurrection  of  the  just 
is  comfortable,  is  not  denied  here,  but  must  be  based 
on  other  passages  of  the  Scripture. — P.  S.] 


DOCTPJNAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  Temptation. — See  above.  The  Sadducees 
hoped  that  either  the  Lord  would  pubhcly  sanction 
their  petty  and  frivolous  denial  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection,  or  contradict  the  law  of  Moses.  To  this 
we  may  add  the  following  consideration : — If  the 
Sadducees  already  knew  of  the  prophecy  of  Jesus, 
that  He  would  rise  from  the  dead  (and  probably 
Judas  had  revealed  this  to  them,  see  chap,  xxvii.  C3), 
then  their  temptation  would  have  a  special  signifi- 
cance :  it  would  be  a  hint  that  His  hope  of  the 
resurrection  was  delusive  enthusiasm,  that  He  might 
well  pause,  and,  before  the  determination  of  the 
highest  authorities  should  take  effect  in  His  death, 
retreat  from  His  pretensions  and  His  whole  work. 
Caiaphas  and  many  of  the  Sanhedrin  were  Saddu- 
cees. Probably,  therefore,  there  was  here  a  con- 
cealed threatening  of  death,  and  a  temptation  to 
renounce  and  retract. 

2.  "  They  professed  to  be  those  who  knew, — the 
illuminated  in  Israel.  But  their  knowledge  was 
delusion  ;  and  a  delusion  which  rested  on  a  twofold 
ignorance." 

3.  The  Lord  speaks,  according  to  Luke,  of  an 
attaining  unto  the  resurrection.  This  is  the  more 
precise  representation  of  the  resurrection  of  the  glo- 
i-ified,  which,  however,  presupposes  the  basis  of  the 
general  resurrection,  of  which  Matthev/  speaks. 

4.  He  incidentally  showed  the  Sadducees,  who 
opposed  the  doctrine  of  angels  (Acts  xxiii.  8),  how 
little  He  thought  of  their  rejection  of  it ;  for  He  de- 
signedly referred  to  the  angels  in  heaven  as  persons, 
whose  personal  existence  in  heaven  we  may  con- 
fidently assume. 

5.  The  Sadducees  had  changed  the  positive  law 
of  God  into  an  abstract  law  of  ethics  ;  thus  being  in 
a  double  sense  hke  the  Stoics  ;  in  their  one-sided 
morahty,  and  in  their  denial  of  the  personal  fun- 
damental elements  and  relations  of  life.*  The 
consequence  of  their  system  was  heathen  panthe- 
ism. Thus,  the  question  here  was  not  merely  the 
evidence  for  the  resurrection,  and  that  as  taken 
from  the  law  of  Moses ;  a  demonstration  was  to 
be  given  which  should  exhibit  the  very  roots  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  that  is,  the  doc- 
trine of  a  personal  God,  and  of  His  personal  bond 
with  human  persons,  as  the  foundation  of  their  eter- 

*  [It  seems  to  me  that  the  Pharisees  rather  correspond 
to  the  Stoics,  the  Sadducees  to  the  Sceptics  and  Epicureans, 
the  Essenes  to  the  Platonists;  the  first  representing  the  er- 
ror of  orthodoxism  and  legalism,  the  second  that  of  rational- 
ism and  worldly  indifferentisin,  the  third  that  of  myslicisui. 
Ko  doubt  many  of  the  Greek  and  Eoman  Sceptics  and  Epi- 
cureans, as  well  as  the  Sadducees,  maintained  a  respectable 
show  of  outward  morality  and  decency. —P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXII.  23-33. 


401 


nal  personal  life.  And  in  this  case  also  Christ 
proved  Himself  the  supreme  Teacher,  by  the  quo- 
tation which  He  adduced  in  proof.  The  astonished 
people  felt  the  power  of  His  argument. 

6.  The  doctrine  of  Paul,  1  Cor.  xv.  (comp.  ch. 
vi.  13),  is  in  obvious  harmony  with  this  resurrection- 
doctrine  of  the  Lord,  which  exhibits  the  second  Ufe 
as  a  state  of  imperishableness,  sublimely  elevated 
above  death,  and  birth,  and  procreation,  and  thus 
above  all  the  state  of  becommg. 

7.  We  must  be  on  our  guard  against  the  com- 
mon unhistorical  parallel  drawn  between  the  Saddu- 
cees  and  systems  of  Epicurean,  selfish,  sensual,  and 
immoral  tendency.  Tney  are  to  be  regarded,  how- 
ever, as  worldly-minded  secularists  in  a  more  refined 
sense,  who  had  fallen  into  a  heathen  view  and  esti- 
mation of  this  world. 

[8.  The  Bible,  viewing  man  in  his  completeness 
and  integrity  as  a  being  consisting  of  body,  soul  and 
spirit,  teaches  the  doctrine  of  immortality  of  the 
soul  in  inseparable  connection  with  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body,  and  not  in  the  abstract,  unreal  and 
shadowy  form  of  naturalistic  and  ratiouahstic  theol- 
ogy which  would  maintain  the  first  and  deny  the 
second.  Xast :  "  That  the  Scriptures  attach  more 
importance  to  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  than  to 
the  mere  self-conscious  existence  of  the  soul  in  its 
disembodied  state,  arises  from  the  fact  that  the  dis- 
embodied state  of  the  soul  is  considered  in  the  Scrip- 
tm-es  as  something  imperfect,  abnormal,  so  much  so 
that  even  the  souls  of  the  just  look  forward  with 
intense  desire  to  their  reunion  with  their  bodies 
(Rom.  viii.  11,  23).  Without  the  body  man  has  not 
his  whole  fuU  Ufe."— P.  S.] 

[9.  Lavater,  Stier  and  Alford  justly  regard  the 
Lord's  answer,  ver.  32  (comp.  iravre^  yap  aiirw  (ci«nv 
in  Luke  xx.  38),  as  implying  a  conclusive  argument 
against  the  doctrine  of  psychopanychia,  or  of  the 
sleep  of  the  soul  in  the  intermediate  state  between 
death  and  the  resurrection.  The  first  theological 
treatise  of  Calvin  was  directed  against  tlus  error, 
then  entertained  by  the  Anabaptists. — P.  S.j 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PE ACTIO AL. 

The  Sadducees  and  Pharisees — the  unbelievers 
and  the  legalists — leagued  against  Christ  in  the  tem- 
ple.— The  Sadducees'  attack,  a  perfect  type  of  the 
style  of  infideUty :  1.  Supposing  themselves  free, 
they  further  tradition ;  2.  seemingly  unprejudiced, 
they  are  inwardly  bitter  ;  3.  prating  about  the  spirit, 
they  are  entangled  in  sensual  notions ;  4.  pretend- 
ing to  be  inquirers,  they  are  only  fabling  misleaders, 
doubly  ignorant ;  5.  proud  and  confident,  with  noth- 
ing but  stupidity  in  art  and  weapons. — Ignorance  the 
main  source  of  imbeUef:  1.  Want  of  scriptural 
knowledge,  or  of  honest  perseverance  in  seeking  it ; 


2.  want  of  spiritual  experience,  or  at  least  of  sincer- 
ity in  purpose. — Ignorance  in  spn-itual  things  the 
guilt  of  life. — Christ  the  gi-eat  witness  of  the  resur- 
rection.— The  roots  of  that  doctrine  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament.— The  bond  of  believers  with  the  hving  God 
a  pledge  of  their  resurrection. — The  beautiful  idea 
of  the  future  life  :  1.  Elevated  above  temporal  tran- 
sitoriness  ;  2.  Uke  the  angels  of  God ;  3.  a  life  in 
heaven. — God  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the 
living. — The  life  of  believers  as  secure  as  the  life  of 
God,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Christ. — God  the 
eternal  pledge  of  the  resurrection. — Our  bond  with 
God  abolishes  death  as  well  as  sin. — The  absolute 
and  indissoluble  connection  between  the  doctrine  of 
hnmortahty  and  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection: 

1.  The  former  requires  the  latter  ;  2.  the  latter  pre- 
supposes the  former. — Have  ye  not  read  what  is 
written  ?  Or :  There  is  a  reproving  and  correcting 
word  for  every  form  of  unbelief  in  the  Scripture. — 
Christ  the  conqueror  of  unbeUef. — Christ  the  glorifier 
of  this  world  and  the  next:  1.  He  illustrates  to  us 
this  world  by  the  next,  and  the  next  world  by  this  ; 

2.  He  brings  to  perfection  this  world  and  the  next. — 
In  the  controversy  between  faith  and  unbelief,  the 
people  usually  side  with  faith. 

Starke : — When  Christ  is  to  be  persecuted  in  His 
people,  those  combme  together  who  are  not  agreed 
in  anything  else. —  Canstein:  Satan  never  ceases  to 
lay  snares  for  Christ  and  His  Church. — Hedinger: 
The  mockers  are  many  who  deny  the  resurrection. — 
Zeis'ms:  The  ground  of  all  errors  and  contentions 
among  converted  people  is  their  ignorance  of  Holy 
Scripture  :  not  so  much  of  its  letter,  as  of  the  hving 
and  blessed  apprehension  of  the  mind  of  the  Spirit. 
—  Canstein  :  God's  word  is  not  merely  what  is  writ- 
ten there  in  express  letters,  but  also  all  that  may  be 
deduced  therefrom  by  sound  reasornng. —  Quesnel : 
God  knows  how  to  bring  good  out  of  evil,  hght  out 
of  darkness,  and  the  glory  of  truth  out  of  false  doc- 
trine and  mahciousness. 

Heubncr: — Quoting  from  Lavater:  "The  Sad- 
ducees and  Pharisees  are  the  two  great  parties  in 
misleading  the  human  race  ;  they  change  their  posi- 
tion in  succeeding  ages,  one  of  them  ordinarily  being 
pre-eminent.  These  spirits  are  always  to  be  eon- 
tended  against,  even  now :  sometimes  superstition 
united  with  hypocrisy ;  now  unbelief  united  with 
the  semblance  of  wisdom  and  illumination.  Against 
both  Christ  protests  continually;  and  against  both 
the  Church  teacher  must  protest.  The  former  appeal 
to  authority,  antiquity,  tradition,  the  sanctity  of  the 
letter ;  the  latter,  to  reason,  doubt,  freedom." — The 
same  {Lavater  as  quoted  by  Ileubner) :  "  The  angel 
who  appeared  in  the  burning  bush  in  the  name  of 
God,  is  a  'pledge  of  that  which  ye  deny :  he  was  a 
symbol  that  God  can  preserve  what  nature  seems  to 
destroy." — Christ  shows  how  we  must  read  the  Scrip- 
ture, and  use  the  key  for  the  true  knowledge  of 
God. 


26 


402  THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 

D.   The  Attack  of  the  Pharisees,  and,  (he  Victory  of  the  Lord.     Ch.  XXII.  34-46. 
(Mark  xii.  28-37 ;  Luke  xs.  41-44.— 77te  Oospclfor  the  I8th  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 

34  But  when  the  Pharisees  had  heard  that  he  had  put  the  Sadducees  to  silence,  they 

35  were  gathered  together  [collected  in  the  same  place,  (rvvrixOriaav  lirX  to  avrd].  Then  one 
of  them,  ivhich  \who\  was  a  lawyer,  asked  him  a  question,  tempting  him,  and  saying,' 

36  Master,  whicli  is  the  great  commandment  [what  kind  of  commandment  is  great]  in  the 

37  law?^     Jesus^  said  unto  him,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  lieart,  and 

38  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind  (Deut.  vi.  5).     This  is  the  first  and  great  [the 

39  great  and  first]*  commandment.     And  tlie  second  [But  a  second,  Sevrepa  8e]  is  like  unto 

40  it,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself  (Lev.  xix.  18).  On  these  two  command- 
ments hang  all  the  law  [hangs  the  whole  law,  oAos  6  vo/aos  Kpe/xarat]  and  [also]  the 
prophets.' 

41,  42  While  the  Pharisees  were  gathered  [collected]  together,  Jesus  asked  them.  Saying, 
What  think  ye  of  [concerning  the,  Trepl  tow]  Christ  ?  whose  son  is  he  [of  whom  is  he 

43  the  son?  tlvo?  vl6<;  ia-Ti ;]?     They  say  unto  him.  The  son^  of  David.     He  saith  unto 

44  them,  How  then  doth  David  in  spirit  [by  the  Spirit]''  call  him  Lord,  saying.  The  Lord 
[in  Hebrew:  Jehovah]  said  unto  my  Lord  [Adonai],  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  till  I 
make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool  [till  I  put  thine  enemies  under  thy  feet]  ?^  (Ps.  ex.  L) 

45,  46  If  David  then  call*  him  Lord,  how  is  he  his  son?  And  no  man  [no  one]  was  able 
to  answer  him  a  word,  neither  [nor]  durst  any  man  from  that  day  forth  ask  him  any 
more  questions. 

^  Ver.  35.— The  words  :  Ka\  \iyiiv  (and  saying),  are  omitted  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf  [.ilso  by  Treselles, 
but  not  by  Alford]  on  the  authority  of  B.,  L.,  etc.  Meyer:  An  insertion  from  Mark  xii.  28,  and  contrary  to  the  unifonn 
style  of  Matthew  (ch.  .xii.  10;  xvii.  10,  etc.). 

-  Ver.  36. — [Uola  ivTo\rj  /xeyaAT]  iv  v6ixu>;  literally:  What  kind  of  commandment,  or:  What  command- 
merit  is  great  in  the  late  t  Meyer  :  Was  fur  ein  Gebot  ist  gross  im  Gesetze  ?  (  Wie  7nuss  ein  Gebot  heschaffen  sein,  urn, 
ein  GROSSES  Gebot  zu  seinf).  Xlola  is  qualitative,  jMn^X  w''"^*  kind  (comp.  .-six.  12),  and  the  article  before  ii^roA-h 
is  omitted.  But  the  Authorized  Version  asrrees  better  with  the  answer,  and  Dr.  Lance  likewise  tr.nnsl.ates:  Welches  ist 
das  grosse  Gebot  im  Gesetz  ?    The  Lat.  Vulg. :  Quid  est  mandatum  magnwm  in  lege  t    See  Eaeg.  Motes.— V.  S.] 

"  Ver.  37.— B.,  L.,  .il.,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf:   o  Se  IiJjtj. 

*  Ver.  38.— L.,  Z. :  t]  p-iydXri  kul  irpwrrj  [for  Trpcor-^  ical  fjieyaXri].  Cod.  D.  likewise,  yet  without  v.  So  Cod.  Z. 
with  a  second  rj  before  irpdoTrj.  The  sense  of  the  text  is  in  favor  of  this  reading.  The  transposition  arose  from  the  idea 
that  TrpcoTTj  was  the  principal  predicate.  [Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Tregelles,  and  Alford  unanimously  adopt  i]  fieydXri 
Kal  TTpdiTT},  which  is  now  sustained  also  by  Cod.  Sinait. — P.  S.] 

s  Ver.  40.— [The  true  reading  of  the  best  ancient  authorities,  including  Cod.  Sinait.,  recommended  by  Griesbach,  and 
adopted  by  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  and  Alford,  is  :  eV  Tatvrais  reus  Zuatv  ivroKah  oAos  6  yu/j.os  Kpe/j.arai  Kai 
oi  IT po<priT at,  instead  of  the  te^rt.  rec:  ....  oAos  6  i/<5aos  Kal  ol  TTpo<p7)Tai  Kp^txavTai.  Dr.  Lange  follows  tho 
former  in  his  German  Version:  In  diesen  zxoeien  Oeboten  hangt  das  ganze  Gesetz  mid  anch  die  Fropheten.  It  is  also 
preferable  on  internal  reasons.  The  lawyer  had  asked  what  commandment  was  great  in  the  kiw ;  the  Saviour  answers  to 
this  question  lay  naming  the  great  law  of  love  on  wliich  hangs  the  whole  law,  and  the  prophets  besides. — P.  S.] 

6  Ver.  42.— [The  interpolation  :  The  son,  must  be  omitted,  if  the  question  is  translated  :  Of  whom  is  he  the  son .?— P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  43.— ['Ej/  irvevfiaTi  is  here  not  opposed  to  tV  vo'i,  but  refers  to  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  inspirer  of  the  Scrip- 
tures.   See  Exeg.  Notes— V.  S.] 

8  Ver.  41.— The  Becepta  reads  :  vito-ko^iov  (footstool),  from  the  Septuagint.  But  most  MSS.  and  the  critical  editions  : 
inroKaTw  {rail/  ttoSmv  aov),  under.  [So  .also  Cod.  Sinait.  As  to  the  sense,  Bengel  remarks :  The  warlike  kingdom  will 
come  to  an  end ;  but  the  peaceful  kingdom  will  have  no  end,  comp.  1  Cor.  xv.  25.— P.  S.] 

8  Ver.  45.— [Codd.  D.,  K.,  M.,  al.,  insert  iu  TrvevfiaTi,  by  the  Spirit,  before  KaXi'i,  and  Lange  puts  it  in  tho  text, 
but  in  small  type.    But  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Alford  reject  it  as  insufficiently  supported,  and  superfluous.— P.  b.] 

the  question :  here,  the  scribe.  The  account  of  Mark 
refers  to  the  same  fact,  but  under  a  different  point 
of  view.  Matthew  has  in  his  eye  the  tempting  assault 
which  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  made  upon  Christ  by 
one  of  their  agents,  without  regard  to  the  person  of 
this  agent.  Mark,  on  the  contrary,  has  taken  paius  to 
describe  this  latter  in  full,  showing  that  his  spirit  was 
better  than  that  of  his  party.  There  is  nothing  im- 
probable in  this ;  and  in  Matthew's  account  also,  the 
rich  young  man  separates  himself  from  the  mass  of 
Christ's  enemies,  as  having  a  nobler  disposition  than 
they.  Those  overpowering  influences  which  Christ 
exerted  upon  some  individuals  in  the  ranks  of  the  en- 
emy, detaching  them  from  the  midst  of  their  party, 
arc  among  His  greatest  triumphs,  and  are  anticipa- 
tions of  the  power  which  converted  Saul  on  the  way 
to  Damascus. 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  34-40.  Tlie  Question  of  the  Great  Commaml- 
ment,  General  Remarks. — Mark  gives  it  in  an  en- 
larged form ;  the  narrative  of  Luke  x.  25-87  has  a 
kindred  element.  DeWette:  "Probably  the  three 
accounts  are  different  forms  of  the  evangelical  tradi- 
tion, derived  from  the  same  historical  materials ;  al- 
though thei-e  are  traces  in  Luke  of  some  dependence 
on  Matthew."  Strauss:  "Three  free  variations  of 
the  same  primitive  Christian  tradition."  Meyer : 
"  The  difference  of  time  and  place  in  Luke's  account 
shows  that  the  accounts  of  Matthew  and  Mark  only 
may  be  considered  as  variations  of  the  same  tradi- 
tion." We  may  add,  that  the  occasion  and  the  whole 
transaction  are  different  in  Luke.     There,  Jesus  puts 


CHAP.  XXII.  34-46. 


Ver.  34.  But  when  the  Pharisees  had  heard. 

— Wh.at  was  the  motive  of  the  new  assault  ?  Strauss  : 
"In  order  to  avenge  the  Sadducees" — aj^ainst  all 
probability.  The  Pharisees  were  rather  rejoiced  that 
Jesus  had  reduced  their  enemies  to  silence  ;  and  this 
Matthew  intimates  in  his  4fiawrr(v.  (Luther:  That 
He  had  stopped  the  mouths  of  the  Sadducees.)  Eb- 
rar.1 :  "  In  order  to  make  evident  their  superiority  to 
the  Sadducees ; "  which,  although  Meyer  objects, 
seems  very  obvious.  But  they  must  have  had,  be- 
sides that,  another  and  independent  design.  Meyer  : 
"  They  would  extort  from  Jesus  an  answer  to  a  ques- 
tion of  their  own  which  would  compromise  Him." 
But  what  answer  ?  De  Wette  :  "  We  cannot  see  the 
embarrassing  nature  of  their  question.  The  Rabbins 
distinguished  between  great  and  small,  weighty  and 
light,  commandments  (Wetstein  on  ch.  v.  19 ;  xxiii. 
23)  ;  such  a  distinction  is  the  basis  of  all  casuistry  in 
morals.  Probably,  it  was  very  customary  at  that  time ; 
and  even  if  Jesus  had  declared  Himself  very  freely 
on  the  question,  it  would  not  have  involved  Him  in 
any  danger."  Meyer  :  "  The  temptation  of  the  ques- 
tion lay  in  the  Rabbins'  distinctions  of  weighty  and 
light  commandments.  If  Jesus  had  mentioned  any 
particular  TroioxTj?  of  a  great  commandment,  His  an- 
swer would  have  been  me.isured  by  the  standard  of 
particular  distinctions  in  schools  of  casuistry;  and 
somehow  He  would  have  been  compromised."  01s- 
hausen  understands  the  -rr^ipdCcav  of  an  honest  desire 
to  search  out  the  views  of  Jesus.* — Thus  exegesis 
leaves  us  in  the  dark  here. 

But  the  tempting  element  of  the  question  is  ex- 
plained by  the  answer  and  the  counter-question  of 
Jesus.  The  Pharisees  doubtless  took  it  for  granted 
that  Jesus  would  answer  them :  "  Thou  shalt  love 
God  above  all,"  or  :  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods 
before  Me ; "  certainly  He  would  mention  the  sancti- 
ty of  monotheism.  But  their  monotheism  was  alto- 
gether deistical  in  its  bias,  and  had  in  it  no  christo- 
logical  principle.  They  argued  from  the  unity  of  God, 
like  Mohammed  afterward  (compare  also  the  history 
of  Ebionitism  and  Socinianism),  that  God  could  have 
no  son.  But  they  knew  that  Christ  made  Himself 
the  Son  of  God  ;  for  this  they  had  charged  Him  some- 
what before  (-John  x.)  with  blasphemy,  asserting  that 
He  thereby  made  Himself  equal  with  God.  They  in- 
tended, therefore,  to  found  upon  His  expected  an- 
swer, "  to  love  God  above  all,"  a  charge  of  blasphemy, 
in  making  Himself  equal  to  that  supreme  God  by  pre- 
tending to  be  His  Son.  But  Jesus  disturbed  this 
tempting  design  by  adding  to  the  statement  of  the 
great  and  first  commandment,  "  to  love  God  supreme- 
ly," the  declaration  that  the  second  was  equal  to  it, 
"to  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves."  This  elevated 
the  human  nature  into  a  higher  relation  to  the  Divin- 
ity ;  and  He  said  in  efifect :  "  As  the  second  com- 
mandment is  subordinate  to  the  first,  and  j'et  like 
imto  it,  so  the  Son  of  Man  is  subordinate  to  the  Fa- 
ther, and  yet  like  unto  Him."  The  Pharisees  felt  at 
once  tha  t  His  addition  of  the  love  to  man  had  tra- 
versed their  whole  design.  But  that  the  argument 
referred  to  was  really  prepared  by  them,  is  plain  from 
the  question  which  the  Redeemer  based  upon  theirs ; 
that  is,  the  question  how  David  could  call  the  Messi- 
ah,, his  Son  (therefore  man),  his  Lord  (therefore  God, 
or  God's  Son).  The  correctness  of  our  exposition  is 
shown  also  by  the  following  consideration.     The  two 

*  [So  also  Alford  ?n  ^oc,  referring  to  the  more  detailed 
account  in  M.ark  xii.  2S-34.  But  Nast  rosrards  Lanpe's  inter- 
pretation as  the  only  intelligible  one.  It  is  certainly  very 
ingenious.— P.  S.] 


charges  under  which  the  council  placed  Jesus  before 
Pilate's  judgment-seat  were  these:  1.  That  He  had 
made  Himself  the  Son  of  God  ;  2.  that  He  had  made 
Himself  king  of  the  Jews  in  a  political  sense.  This 
accusation  was  derived  by  them,  in  their  embarrass- 
ment and  affected  daring,  from  tliat  preliminary  sin- 
gle but  ambiguous  charge,  that  He  had  made  Him- 
self the  king  of  the  Jews,  that  is,  the  Messiah  (see  the 
process  in  John  xviii.  19).  The  sa>ne  ambiguous 
word  :  "  king  of  the  Jews,"  they  first  construed  into 
a  religious  crime,  and  then,  since  that  availed  noth- 
ing, they  construed  it  into  a  political  crime.  On  this 
day  of  temptations,  they  strove  to  extract  from  Him 
a  confession  of  both  these  charges.  The  temptation 
of  making  Him  a  political  Messiah  had  come  to 
nought.  They  then  thought  that  at  least  they  would 
involve  Him  in  another,  and  more  perilous  condem- 
nation, that  of  blasphemously  impugning  monothe- 
ism, or  undermining  the  fundamental  idea  of  the 
Jewish  religion  :  this  charge,  though  not  quite  so 
serviceable  before  Pilate,  would  serve  them  better  be- 
fore the  people.  We  are  warranted  in  this  supposi- 
tion by  the  questioning  before  Caiaphas,  ch.  xxvi.  63, 
and  the  condemnation  to  death  which  ensued  upon 
the  answer  of  Jesus. 

They  -were  collected  on  the  same  spot. — 
We  may  ascribe  to  a  wide  diversity  of  motives  the 
excitement  which  caused  the  Pharisees  to  flock  to  the 
spot  in  masses :  delight  at  the  humiliation  of  the 
Sadducees ;  the  desire  to  do  better  than  they  had 
done;  despair  that  all  means  had  failed  to  extort 
from  Jesus  any  ground  of  accusation ;  among  some 
of  them,  a  nobler  complacency  in  the  victory  won  for 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  ;  probably,  also,  the 
wish  to  induce  Him  to  give  up  13is  extravagant  pre- 
tensions to  be  the  Messiah  and  the  Son  of  God,  and, 
as  an  orthodox  teacher  of  the  people  (in  an  Ebionite 
sense),  would  make  Himself  useful  to  them  against 
the  Sadducees.  'Eirl  to  ai/rd,  as  in  Acts  i.  15, 
referring  to  place,  not  sentiment. 

Ver.  35.  A  lawyer,  vofxiicos. — A  word  often 
used  by  Luke ;  by  Matthew  only  here.  Paulus  un- 
derstands it,  one  who  acknowledged  only  the  Penta- 
teuch and  Scripture,  rejecting  tradition;  that  is,  a 
Sadducee  (or  Scripturist,  Karaite ; — though  tliese  last 
did  not  yet  exist,  they  were  germinally  present  in  the 
Sadducees).  But  this,  as  de  Wette  objects,  is  con- 
tradicted by  the  6|  ahrwv,  which  necessarily  must  be 
referred  to  the  Pharisees.  Meyer :  "  He  was  a  Mo- 
saic jurist :  vo.uoSiSao-KaAoy  designates  the  same  as 
teacher ;  ypafip.aTevs  is  only  an  enlargement  of  the 
idea  of  vouikos — one  versed  in  Scripture,  a  Biblical 
scholar,  whose  calling  was  the  study  and  exposition 
of  Holy  Writ.  Comp.  Gfrorer  in  the  Tiibinger  Zeit- 
schrift  for  1838,  i.  140." 

Ver.  36.  Which  is  the  great  commandment  ? 
— Meyer  lays  stress*  upon  the  tt  o  i  o ,  and  explains  : 
How  must  a  commandment  be,  or  what  character 
must  it  have,  in  order  to  be  called  great  ?  But  the 
answer  of  Jesus  does  not  suit  this.  Yet  certainly  the 
TToi'a  indicates  the  quality  of  the  commandment.  The 
great,  /xiyaKri,  says  more  than  the  greatest.  The 
greatest  might  be  brought  into  comparison  with  the 
less  great ;  but  the  great  must,  strictly  viewed  as  a 
principle,  include  them  all. 

Ver.  37.  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God.  —  The  passage,  Deut.  vi.  5,  freely  after  the 


*  [Not :  LESS  stress,  as  the  Edinb.  trsl.  has  it,  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  original :  Meyer  hetont  iroia  und  cr- 
kldrt,  etc.    Comp.  my  critical  note  above.— P.  S.] 


404 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDLXG  TO  MATTHEW. 


Sci)tuagLnt,.  Fiitzscbe  :  "  God  as  thy  Lord."  But 
it  would  be  better  to  invert  it— the  Lord  as  thy  God  : 
in  the  original,  Jehovah  thj  God.  And  this  intro- 
duces a  new  significance  in  relation  to  Christ.  Jeho- 
vah, God  of  the  Revelation,  the  God  of  the  incarna- 
tion', was  to  be  Israel's  God,  and  not  the  God  of  a 
deistical  perversion. 

With  aU  thy  heart.— The  iv  S\??  t^  follows 
the  original  Hebrew  ^32,  and  not  the  Septuagint 
i^.  The  heart  is  the  entire  inner  nature  of  man ;  the 
soul  is  then  rather  the  vitality  of  the  heart  aniraat- 
hig  the  body ;  the  mind,  its  spiritual  and  intellectual 
part  {intelledus,  mens).  Meyer,  following  Beck  {Bih- 
lische  Seelenlehre,  p.  109),  makes  KapSia  the  whole 
energy  of  the  reason  and  the  intellect ;  \i/vxv,  the 
whole  energy  of  sentiment  and  passion;  and  Si  a - 
voia,  the  whole  energy  of  thought  and  will  in  its 
manifestation.*  _  ^ 

Ver.  39.  But  a  second  is  like  unto  it,  oi-io  la. 
— This  refers  to  the  preceding  declaration  of  Jesus, 
"  The  great  and  the  first  "  (according  to  the  true 
reading).  Hence  the  article  may  be  omitted.  The 
commandment  of  the  love  of  God  is  regarded  in  twp 
lights  :  1.  As  the  great,  which  embraces  in  their  uni- 
ty all  commandments,  including  that  of  love  to  our 
neighbor;  2.  as  i\\G first,  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  special 
commandment,  which  precedes  the  commandment 
of  love  to  man.— Is  like  unto  it.— Compare  1  John 
iv.  20,  21  ;  Rom.  xiii.  9.  Even  the  love  of  God  itself 
is  to  manifest  and  actualize  itself  by  love  to  man, — 
more  generallv  by  Jove  to  all  men,  more  particularly 
by  brotherly  love.f  The  commandment  is  according 
to  the  Septuagint  of  Lev.  xix.  18.  Meyer:  "  kya-n-h- 
cT€L^  signifies  a  tender  regard,  and  conduct  in  har- 
mony with  it ;  this,  therefore,  may  be  commanded, 
but  not  (iiAfTf,  which  is  the  love  of  affection  or  senti- 
ment. Compare  Tittmann's  Synonyms:''  _  By  this 
answer,  Jesus  not  only  penetrated  and  convicted  the 
wicked  design  of  the  Pharisees,  but  also  reproved  the 
error  which  lurked  in  their  question.  He  acknowl- 
edged a  distinction  between  the  great  commandment 
and  the  rest,  so  far  as  the  former  is  the  principle,  and 
all  others  derived  from  it.  But  in  another  sense,  He 
acknowledged  no  distmction :  the  derived  command- 
ment of  love  to  man  is  equal  to  the  first  in  its  abso- 
lute value,  and  as  representing  the  first. 

[As  thyself.—"  W.  Buukitt  :  Every  man  may, 
yea,  ought  to  love  himself,  not  his  smful  self,  but  his 
nat,ural  self,  and  especially  his  spiritual  self,  the  new 
nature  in  him.  This  it  ought  to  be  his  particular  care 
to  increase  and  strengthen.  Indeed  there  is  no  ex- 
press command  in  Scripture  for  a  man  to  love  him- 
self, because  the  light  of  nature  directs,  and  the  law 
of  nature  binds  and  moves  every  man  so  to  do.  God 
has  put  a  principle  of  self-love  and  of  self-preserva- 
tion into  all  His  creatures,  but  especially  in  man. 
Man  ought  to  love  his  neighbor,  1.  not  as  he  docs 

*  [Oi-snAUSEN :  "The  Lord  by  calling  the  commandment 
to  love  God  supremely  the  first  and  fireat  commaiidmeut, 
does  evidently  not  desisn  to  represent  it  as  one  out  of  many, 
though  irreater  in  degre'e  than  others.  On  the  contrary,  the 
love  of  God  is  the  commandment,  and  the  whole  law,  with 
all  its  injunctions  and  prohibitions,  is  only  a  development  of 
this  one  commandment:  'Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God.'  By  this  love  we  have  to  understand  the  unqualitied 
surrender  of  our  wliole  being  to  God.  Of  such  a  love  man 
is  capable,  though  not  by  his  own  strength,  but  by  Divine 
grace,  because  be  finds  in  God  alone  all  his  wants  fully  and 
everlastingly  satisfied."— P.  S.]  „,.,,,      , 

t  [The  original  reads:  Christushehe  (Edinb.  trsl.:  lot-e 
of  Christ;  or,  better:  to  Christ);  but  this  is  probably  a 
prii.ting  error  for  Ohrutenliebe ;  for  we  love  Christ  not  as 
our  neighbor,  but  as  the  God-il'm.—^.  S.] 


love  himself,  but  as  he  ought  to  love  himself ;  2.  not 
in  (he  same  degree,  but  after  the  same  manner,  i.  e., 
freely  and  readily,  sincerely  and  unfeignedly,  tender- 
ly and  compassionately,  constantly  and  persevering- 
ly." — There  are  cases,  however,  where  man  ought  to 
love  his  neighbor  more  than  himself,  and  sacrifice  his 
life  for  his  fellows,  his  country,  and  the  church,  in 
imitation  of  the  example  of  Christ  and  the  martyrs. 
—P.  S.] 

Ver.  40.  Hangs,  ic  p  e  fxar  ai  (according  to  the 
true  reading). — The  figure  is  taken  from  the  door  on 
its  hinges,  or  from  the  nail  on  the  wall ;  and  aptly 
indicates  dependence  upon  one  common  principle, 
and  development  from  it ;  and  hence  it  follows  that 
the  two  great  commandments  have  a  higher  unity  in 
the  one  great  commandment,  that  we  love  Jehovah, 
the  incarnate  God  of  revelation,  as  our  God. — And 
also  the  prophets.  —  By  the  position  of  o  i 
■irpo(p-?)Tat  after  Kpe/j-arai  the  prophets  are  made 
especially  prominent.  And  the  sense  is  this  :  Even 
the  pi-op'hets  who  predicted  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of 
God,  do  not  contradict  the  great  commandment  of 
monotheism ;  they  rather  proceed  from  that  law, — 
that  is,  from  the  word  of  the  God  of  revelation  flow 
the  prophetical  words  concerning  His  revelation. 

Vers.  41-46.  The  counter-question  of  Jesus.  Its 
object. — Paulus ;  "  Jesus  aimed  to  lead  His  opponents 
to  the  point,  that  the  Psalm  was  not  of  David,  and 
not  Messianic."  (!)  De  Wette  :  "  He  thereby  intimat- 
ed that  He  was  not  a  political  Messiah."  Y/eisse  : 
"  He  wished  to  give  a  hint  that  He  did  not  spring 
from  David."  (?)  Meyer  :  "  He  thus  convicted  them 
of  their  own  ignorance  and  helplessness  concerning  |Q 
the  nature  of  the  Messiah."  But,  connectmg  the 
Lord's  question  with  the  tempting  question  that  pre- 
ceded it,  it  appears  plain  that  Jesus  would  prove  by 
a  Messianic  utterance  of  the  Psalm,  that  the  Messiah 
might  be  at  once  the  Son  of  David,  i.  e.,  a.  Son  of 
Man,  and  at  the  same  time  the  Lord  of  David,  i.  e., 
the  Son  of  God.* 

Ver.  41.  While  the  Pharisees. — A  significant 
circumstance.  The  whole  body  of  Pharisaism  is  con- 
victed and  confuted  by  an  Old  Testament  word,  show- 
ing the  consistency  of  the  doctrine  concerning  the 
Son  of  God  v«-ith  Scripture. 

Ver.  43.  How  then  doth  David  by  the  Spirit 
call  Him  Lord  ?— Here  irws  is  not :  "  With  what 
propriety,  how  is  it  possible  ? "  but :  "  In  what 
sense  ?  "'  or :  "  What  can  he  mean  by  it  ?  "—Doth 
call: — in  the  sense  of  formal  designation,  solemn 
title. 

Ver.  44.  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord. — Quo- 
tation from  Ps.  ex.  There  are  different  views  on  its 
authorship  and  Messianic  bearing.  De  Wette  :  "  The 
poet  (who  is  not  David)  calls  the  king,  of  whom  the 
Psalm  speaks,  his  Lord.  The  difficulty  is  thus  taken  ; 
away  by  the  historical  exposition.  Jesus  assumes  the  I 
authorship  of  David,  and  its  Messianic  interpretation,  ] 
simply  as  being  prevalent  in  His  time.  But  it  is  not  j 
necessary  to  suppose  that  Jesus  agreed  with  the  com- 
mon notion.  If  stress  is  laid  upon  the  words  Aa/3iS 
tV  -wvsvfxari,  it  must  be  remembered  that  we  cannot 
rely  upon  the  genuineness  of  these  words  sufficiently 

*  rOuE^NEL:  "Jesus  here  asks  a  question  in  Ilis  turn,: 
not  to  tempt,  but  to  instruct  His  disciples;  to  confound  the 
obstinate-  to  point  out  the  source  of  all  their  captious  ques- 
tions namel.v,  their  ignorance  of  the  prophecies  whicn  lore- 
told 'the  Messiah;  to  furnish  His  church  with  weapons 
a-ainst  the  Jews  in  all  ages;  and,  by  His  last  public  instruc- 
tion to  establish  the  truth  of  His  divinity,  incarnation, 
power  and  kingdom,  as  the  foundation  of  all  religion.  — 
1'.  S.] ' 


CHAP.  XXII.  34-46. 


40.' 


to  build  anything  upon  them.  See  Luke  xx.  42." 
But  here  it  is  not  Luke,  but  Matthew  who  speaks. 
Ifcyer  agrees  with  de  Wette,  but  while  the  latter  as- 
sumes an  accommodation  of  Jesus  to  the  poj)ular  opin- 
ion, the  former  supposes  that  Jesus  shared  in  the 
prevailing  view  as  to  the  historical  origin  of  the 
Psalm.  But  in  our  opinion,  the  correctness  of  the 
application  of  the  word  in  the  Psalm  does  not  depend 
upon  the  (juestion,  whether  David  himself  composed 
it  or  not.  That  Psalm  is  manifestly  a  poetical  repro- 
duction of  the  historical  promise  of  Jehovah,  which 
David  received  from  the  lips  of  the  prophet  Nathan, 
according  to  2  S.am.  vii.  12,  and  of  the  last  words  of 
David  referring  to  it,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  3  sqq.  David  is 
introduced  as  speaking  on  that  basis  of  what  Jehovah 
had  promised  the  Messiah  his  oflfspring.*  That  the 
Psalm  is  Messianic,  and  in  the  stricter  sense  pro- 
phetically Messianic,  is  evident  from  the  tenor  of  its 
whole  connection.  Similarly,  in  the  prophet  Daniel 
we  must  first  distinguish  the  historical  basis  and  the 
composition,  and  then  again  identify  them;  since 
both  are  combined  in  the  eV  irvev^an  of  Scrijiture. 
Compare  ch.  xxiv.  15. 

By  the  Spirit.— Luke  ii.  27 ;  1  Cor.  xii.  3; 
Rom.  viii.  15.  Not  indeed  impulsu  Spiritus  ;  but  in 
the  element  of  the  Spirit,  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which 
is  the  principle  of  unity  in  the  Scripture. 

Him.— The  Son  of  David  as  the  Messiah.  The 
Rabbins  saw  in  this  Psalm  one  of  the  most  clear  and 
decisive  Messianic  prophecies.  It  was  not  till  a  later 
period  that  they  retracted  this  interpretation.  See 
Hengstenberg,  Christologie,  on  this  Psalm  [vol.  i.  p. 
140  sqq.]. 

Ver.  45.  How  is  He  then  his  Son  ?— The  an- 
swer is  Rom.  i.  3,  4  ;  Acts  ii.  25.  It  was  not  the  ig- 
norance, but  the  unbelief,  of  the  Pharisees  which  de- 
clined the  answer. 

Yer.  46.  And  no  one  could  answer  Him  a 
word. — Decisive  mandatum  de  supersedendo. — Nor 
durst  any  one  from  that  day  question  Him 
any  more. — Tlie  great  point  of  severance  between 
the  rabbinical,  deistic  Judaism,  and  Christian  and  be- 
lieving Judaism.  Bengel :  Nova  dehinc  quasi  Scena 
se  pandit. 

DOCTRINAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

See  the  preceding  remarks.  They  will,  we  think, 
have  shown  that  the  question  about  the  great  com- 
mandment, and  the  Lord's  counter-question  concern- 
ing David's  Son,  the  Greater  than  David,  have  a  much 
higher  significance  than  exegesis  has  hitherto  dis- 
cerned in  them.  It  is  the  spiritual  process  of  sever- 
ance between  the  deistical  apostasy  of  Judaism,  and 
the  true  Messianic  faith  of  Judaism — that  is,  Chris- 
tianity itself.  The  silence  of  the  Pharisees,  after 
Christ's  question,  marks  the  crisis  of  their  hardening. 
Hence  the  decisive  and  final  rebuke  of  Jesus,  and  the 
departure  from  the  temple :  symbol  of  their  desola- 
tion and  judgment. 

nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 
The  last  assault  of  His  enemies  upon  the  Lord  in 


*  [This  sentence,  so  necessary  to  sive  Lanfre's  view,  is  en- 
tirely omitted  in  the  Edinb.  trsl.  For  other  expositions  on 
the  Messiiinic  ch.aracter  of  the  Psalm,  see  ospecLiUy  Ileng- 
Btenberft  {CliHstology  of  the  O.  7".,  and  his  Com.  on  the 
Pmlm.ii\  also  Stier  and  Nast  in  toe.  Alford  and  Words- 
worth do  not  touch  the  difliculty  at  all— P.  8,1 


the  temple. — The  last  question  of  the  Pharisees,  and 
the  last  counter-question  of  the  Lord. — The  inquiry 
about  the  great  conmiandment  meant  as  a  temptation 
of  Christ :  1.  He  will  either  lay  aside  His  own  majes- 
ty in  presence  of  the  mnjesty  of  God ;  or,  2.  asserting 
His  own  majesty,  He  will  dishonor  the  majesty  of 
God. — How  the  Pharisees  misunderstood  the  great 
commandment,  to  love  (icod  with  all  the  heart :  1.  In 
opposition  to  the  love  of  man:  2.  in  opposition  to  the 
dignity  of  Christ. — The  one  great  commandment  in 
its  all-compreliensive  significance:  1.  It  unfolds  it- 
self into  the  gospel,  as  a  prophecy  of  salvation  in  the 
doctrine  that  the  Lord,  the  incarnate  Jehovah,  was 
to  be  loved  as  God  (the  supreme  Personality  must 
reveal  Himself) ;  2.  it  unfolds  itself  into  the  law  of 
the  Spirit,  in  the  two  commandments,  the  ten,  and  all 
other  subordinate  ones. — To  love  God  with  all  our 
life:  1.  With  all  our  heart ;  2.  with  all  our  soul ;  3. 
with  all  our  mind. — The  commandment  of  the  love  to 
God  a  strong  testimony  for  His  sacred  and  myste- 
rious personality, — a  witness  also  of  His  own  glorious 
love. — Since  God  is  love,  love  to  Him  must  at  once 
be  kindled  by  the  contemplation  of  Him. — How  can 
the  first  commandment  be  the  g'-eatest,  and  yet  the 
second  be  like  unto  it  ?  1.  The  first  is  the  greatest, 
because  it  is  the  ground  of  the  second,  and  embraces 
it ;  2.  the  second  is  equal  to  it,  because  it  is  the  copy 
of  the  first,  and  love  to  God  is  to  be  demonstrated 
by  love  to  man. — The  measure  of  the  love  of  God  : 
nothing  is  sufficient,  neither  our  life  nor  all  things.* 
The  measure  of  love  to  man :  our  love  to  ourselv..,. 
— In  love  to  our  neighbor  we  are  to  prove  our  love 
to  God. — The  two  commandments  are  inseparable :  1. 
We  cannot  love  God  without  loving  our  neighbor 
(against  superstition) ;  we  cannot  love  our  neighbor 
v/ithout  the  love  of  God  (against  unbelief). — Self-love 
has  two  conditions  and  guarantees  :  tlie  love  of  God, 
and  the  love  of  man. — How  far  is  self-love  not  com- 
manded, and  how  far  commanded?  1.  It  is  not  di- 
rectly commanded,  because  it  is  a  natural  unpulse 
of  life ;  2.  it  is  indirectly  commanded  in  the  whole 
law  and  gospel ;  since  this  natural  impulse  is  diseas- 
ed, and  has  become  selfishness.f — But  a  second  is 
like  unto  it ;  or,  how  one  word  of  our  Lord  cuts 
through  the  wicked  motive  and  the  wicked  error  of 
the  Pharisees. — How  far  are  the  commandments  dif- 
ferent, and  how  far  alike  ? — The  empire  of  love  is  an 
empire  of  personal  life. — Love  is  the  fulfiUing  of  the 
law,  Rom.  xiii.  10.  —  The  counter-question  of  the 
Loixl ;  or,  the  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Christ  from  the 
Old  Testament. — As  the  commandment  of  love  to 
man  is  related  to  the  commandment  of  love  to  God, 
so  Christ  is  related  to  the  Father :  subordinate,  yet 
equal. — The  severance  between  Christianity  and  apos- 
tate Judaism  in  the  temple. —  Tiie}j  asked  no  more 
questions :  no  Jew  dares  ask  a  Christian  any  ques- 
tion, or  commence  an  attack  upon  him ;  the  mission- 
ary unpulse,  to  work  among  the  Gentiles,  also  gradu- 
ally died  away  among  the  Jews  since  the  time  of 
Christ. 

Starke : — Zeisius :  However  the  wicked  hate  one 
another,  they  unite  against  Christ,  His  kingdom  and 
members.  —  If  you  would  ask,  cultivate  a  sincere 
heart. — Hypocrites  inquire  about  the  greatest  com- 
mandment, but  they  do  not  keep  the  least. —  Osian- 
der  :  As  no  man  is  able  thus  perfectly  to  love  God, 
no  man  can  be  justified  by  the  law. — The  question 

*  [BtTRKiTT  in  loe. :  "The  measure  of  loving  God,  is  to 
love  Him  without  measure."— P.  S.] 

t  [Comp.  the  practical  remarks  of  Burkitt  inserted  in  the 
Sxcff.  Notes  on  ver.  09,  p.  404.— P.  S.] 


406 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTBEW. 


concerning  Christ  the  most  important  and  the  most 
necessary. — A  correct  knowledge  of  Christ  necessary 
to  salvation. — It  is  not  enough  to  acknowledge  Christ 
as  the  Son  of  Man. — Christ  is  God  and  Man  in  one 
undivided  person. 

Ileubner : — The  Rabbins  were  fond  of  discussmg 
the  relative  greatness  of  commandments.  The  Jews 
counted  613  precepts:  ;36o  prohibitions,  and  248 
commands. — It  is  diingorous  to  make  a  distinction 
betwee-n  great  and  little  commandments. — The  nature 
of  the  love  to  God  which  Christianity  requires.  — 
Aristotle :  There  is  no  love  to  God  (connection  be- 
tween this  word  and  the  heathen  denial  of  the  su- 
preme Personality). — Consult  the  representations  of 
Fenelon  and  the  earlier  mystics  concerning  the  stages 
of  the  love  to  God. — Piety  toward  God  should  be 
kind  to  man ;  and  the  love  of  men  should  be  reli- 
gious.—  All  commandments  centre  in  love. — The 
whole  ethical  doctrine  of  Christianity  very  simple. — 
What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  always  the  question  which 
finds  out  the  genuine  Christian. — Christ  the  Lord. — 
The  dominion  of  Christ  a  dominion  of  love. — Faith 
and  love  closely  connected  in  Christianity. 


Bachmann : — What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  1.  Man- 
ifold answers ;  2.  how  important  the  right  one  !— 
Lisco :  The  supreme  command,  and  the  supreme  ar- 
ticle of  faith. 

[  Quesnel : — On  the  great  and  first  commandment, 
ver.  38 :  Love  is  the  great  and  first  commandment : 
1.  In  antiquity,  being  as  old  as  the  world  and  engra- 
ven in  our  nature  ;  2.  in  dignity,  as  directly  respect- 
ing God  ;  3.  in  excellence,  being  the  commandment 
of  the  new  covenant ;  4.  in  justice,  as  preferring  God 
above  all  things,  and  rendering  to  Him  His  due  ;  5. 
in  sufficiency,  in  making  of  itself  man  holy  in  this 
life,  and  blessed  in  that  which  is  to  come  ;  6.  in  fruit- 
fuhiess,  in  bemg  tiie  root  of  all  other  commandments ; 
7.  in  virtue  and  efiicacy ;  8.  in  extent ;  9.  in  necessity ; 
10.  in  duration,  as  continuing  for  ever  in  heaven. — 
27ie  came,  on  ver.  46  : — Truth  at  length  triumphs,  but 
the  defender  of  it  will  notwithstanding  be  oppressed 
by  men.  Hence  we  should  not  judge  the  truth  by 
the  sufferings  of  its  defenders.  The  more  triumphant 
it  is,  the  more  they  must  expect  to  suffer,  that  they 
may  be  made  more  conformable  to  Christ  and  capa- 
ble of  greater  reward. — P.  S.] 


SEVENTH    SECTION. 

FINAL  JUDGMENT   OF   CHRIST   UPON  THE    PHARISEES  AND   SCRIBES.       CHRIST  OF  HIS 
OWN  ACCORD   LEAVES  THE   TEMPLE. 


Chapter  XXIII.-XXIV.  1. 
(Vers.  34-39,  Scripture  Lesson  for  St.  Stephen's  Day.) 

1  Then  spake  Jesus  to  the  multitude  [multitudes,  tois  o;!(Aots],  and  to  his  disciples, 

i..  The  Reproof  generally.  Ters.  1-1.  (The  law,  ver.  3  ;  the  inconsistency  and  falsehood,  ver.  3 :  "  but 
do  not;''''  the  traditional  statutes,  ver.  4;  the  hypocritical  sanctimoniousness  and  imholy  ambition, 
vers.  5-7.) 

2  Saying,  The  scribes  and  the  Pharisees  sit  [sat  down] '  in  Moses'  seat   [K-a^eSpa]  : 

3  All  therefore  whatsoever  thej  bid  you  observe,^  that  observe  and  do  [do  and  observe] ;  ^ 

4  but  do  not  ye  after  their  Avorks:  for  they  say,  and  do  not.  For  [But]^  they  bind  heavy 
burdens  and  grievous  to  be  borne,^  and  lay  thevi  on  men's  shoulders ;  but  they  thevi- 
selves  will  not  move  them  with  one  of  their  fingers  [with  their  finger,  tw  So-ktuXo)  aurwv]. 

5  But  all  their  works  they  do  for  to  be  seen  of  [by]  men :  they  make  broad  their  phylac- 
teries [protectives],  and  enlarge  the  borders   [fringes,  to.  KpaaTreSa]   of  their  garments,' 

6  And  love  the  uppermost  rooms  [first  place,  Trpwro/cXto-tav]  at  feasts,  and  the  chief  seats 

7  [TrpcoTOKa^eSpttts]  in  the  synagogues,  And  [the,  rov%\  greetings  in  the  markets,  and  to  be 
called  of  men,  Rabbi,  Rabbi.' 


Its  Application.     Vers.  8-12. 

8  But  be  not  ye  called  Rabbi :  for  one  is  your  Master  [Leader,  KaOrjyrjr-i^'i ;  better  : 

9  Teacher,  SiSao-KaXo^],^  even  Christ;'  and  all  ye  are  brethren.     And  call  no  man  your 
[spiritual]  father  upon  the  earth :  for  one  is  your  Father,  which  [who]  is  in  heaven  [the 

10  one  in  heaven,  or,  the  heavenly,  o  iv  tois  ovpavoli\.     Neither  [Nor]  be  ye  called  mas- 
ters [leaders,  KaOrjyijrai] :  for  one  is  your  Master  [Leader],  even  Christ  [the  Christ,  6 


CHAP.  xxm.-xxiv.  ].  407 


11  XptoTos].     But  he  that  is  greatest  among  you  [the  greater  of  yon,  6  jxdtfav  v/awv]  shall 

12  be  your  servant.  And  whosoever  shall  exalt  himself  shall  be  abased ;  and  he  that  shall 
humble  himself  shall  be  exalted. 

B.  The  Particular  lieproof:  the  Seven  Woes.  Vers.  13-XXIV.  1.  (Avarice  and  hypocrisy,  ver.  13  ;  unbe- 
lief and  fanaticism,  ver.  14;  fanatical  proselyting,  ver.  15;  casuistry,  vers.  16-22;  hypocritical  legal- 
ism, vers.  23-20  ;  spiritual  deadness,  vers.  29-32  ;  the  judgment,  vers.  33-36  ;  Jerusalem's  guilt  and 
doom,  vers.  37-39 ;  Christ's  exodus  from  the  temple,  ch.  xxiv.  1.) 

13  But  woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites!  for  [because,  on,  as  in  ver.  29] 
ye  sluit  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  men:   for  ye  neither  go  in  yourselves,  neither 

14  [nor]  suffer  ye  them  that  are  entering  to  go  in.  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
hypocrites !  for  [because]  ye  devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make  long 

15  prayer:  therefore  ye  shall  receive  the  greater  damnation.'"  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  [because]  ye  compass  [go  about]  sea  and  land  to  make  one 
proselyte ;  and  when  he  is  made  [becomes  so,  yeVfyrat],  ye  make  him  twofold  more  the 

16  child  of  hell  than  yourselves.  Woe  unto  you,  ye  blind  guides,  which  [who]  say,  Who- 
soever shall  swear  by  the  temple,  it  is  nothing ;  but  whosoever  shall  swear  by  the  gold ' 

17  of  the  temple,  he  is  a  debtor  [6</>et/\et]  !      Ye  fools  and  blind!  for  whether  [which]  is 

18  greater,  the  gold,  or  the  temple  that  sanctifieth  the  gold?  And,  Whosoever  shall  swear 
by  the  altar,  it  is  nothing ;  but  whosoever  sweareth   [shall  swear]   by  the  gift  that  is 

19  upon  it,  he  is  guilty  [a  debtor,  oc^et'Aet].      Ye  fools  and"  blind:  for  whether  [which]  is 

20  greater,  the  gift,  or  the  aUar  that  sanctifieth  the  gift?  Whoso  therefore  shall  swear 
[He  therefore   that  sweareth,  6  ovv  o/y,oo-as]   by  the  altar,   sweareth  by  it,  and  by  all 

21  tuings  thereon.     And  whoso  shall  swear  [he  that  SAveareth,  o  o/^o'cras]  by  the  temple, 

22  sweareth  by  it,  and  by  him  that  dwelleth  [did  dwell]  '^  therein.  And  he  that  shall 
swear  [sweareth,  6  o/;.o(jas]  by  heaven,  sweareth  by  the  throne  of  God,  and  by  him  that 

23  sitteth  thereon.  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  ye  pay  tithe  of 
[the]  mint  and  anise  [the  dill]  and  [the]  cummin,'^  and  have  omitted  the  weightier 
matters  [things,  to.  fSapvTepa]   of  the  law,  judgment,    [and,   fcat]  mercy,   and  faith:''* 

24  [but] '^  these  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone.      Ye  blind 

25  guides,  which  [who]  strain  at  [out]'^a  [the]  gnat,  and  swallow  a  [the]  camel.  Woe 
unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  [because]  ye  make  clean  the  outside  of 
the  cup  and  of  the  platter,  but  within  they  are  full  of  extortion  [rapacity,  a/>7rayyu.i}s]  and 

26  excess.'^     Thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first  that  luhich  is  within  [the  inside  of,  to  iv 

27  Tos  Tov]  the  cup  and  [the]  platter,  that  the  outside  of  them  may  be  clean  also.  Woe 
unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  [because]  ye  are  like  unto  whited 
sepulchres,  which  indeed  appear  beautiful  outward,  but  are  within  [which  outwardly  in- 
deed appear  beautiful,  but  within  are]   full  of  dead  men^s  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness. 

28  Even  so  ye  also  outwardly  appear  righteous  unto  men,  but  within  ye  are  full  of  hypo- 

29  crisy  and  iniquity.     Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  because  ye  build 

30  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  garnish  the  sepulchres  of  the  righteous,  And  say,  If  we 
had  been  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  we  would  not  have  been  partakers  with  them  in 

31  the  blood  of  the  prophets.     Wherefore  ye  be  [are]  witnesses  unto  yourselves,  that  ye 

32  are  the  children  of  them  which  [tliat]  killed  the  prophets.     Fill  ye  up'®  then  the  mea- 

33  sure  of  your  fathers.      Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  [brood]  of  vipers,  how  can  ye  escape 

34  the  damnation  [judgment,  Kptcreajs]  of  hell?  Wherefore,  behold,  I  send  unto  you  pro- 
phets, and  wise  men,  and  scribes :  and  so77ie  of  them  ye  shall  [will]  kill  and  crucify ; 
and  some  of  them  shall  ye   [ye  will]  scourge  in  your  synagogues,  and  persecute  them 

35  from  city  to  city:  That  upon  you  may  come  all  the  rigliteous  blood  shed  upon  the  earth, 
from  the  blood  of  righteous  Abel  unto  the  blood  of  Zacharias  [Zachariah]  son  of  Bara- 

36  chias  [Barachiah],  whom  ye  slew  between  the  temple  and  the  altar.     Verily  I  say  tmto 

37  you.  All  these  things  shall  come  upon  this  generation.  0  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou 
that  killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest  them  which  [that]  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  tliy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens 

38  under  7ie?- wings,  and  ye  would  not!     Behold,  your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate.'* 

39  For  I  say  unto  you.  Ye  shall  not  see  me  henceforth,  till  ye  shall  say,.  Blessed  is  he  that 
Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 


408  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


Ch.  XXIV.  1  And  Jesus  went  out,  and  departed  from  the  temple :  and  his  disciples  came 
to  Mm  for  to  shew  him  the  buildings  of  the  temple. 

1  Ver.  i.—["E.Ka.dKTav  (aorist),  seated  tliemsel/ves ;  Coverdale:  are  mt  down;  Conant :  have  sat  down  (with  the 
iinplicatioti  of  continuance) ;  Ewald :  liessen  etch  nieder;  Luther,  de  Wette,  Lange  :  sitzen.  The  phrase  does  not  neces- 
sarily convey  blame  for  iisuri)ation,  but  states  a  matter  of  fact,  the  act  and  its  result :  having  seated  themselves  they  sit,  and 
are  iuvcsted  with  olticiul  authority  as  teachers  and  judges. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  ■i.—T-npi'lv  is  omitted  by  B.,  D.,  L.,  Z.,  al.,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  etc. 

3^  Ver.  S.—Codd.  D.,  L.,  D.:  Trojr'jtrcTe  Ka\  rripflre,  do  and  observe.  The  reverse  order  [r^jpeiTe  koI 
iroierre]  in  the  text.  rec.  is  explanatory. 

■•  Ver.  4. — Ae  is  better  supported  than  yap  [which  seems  to  be  substituted  as  more  suitable]. 
6  Ver.  4.— Tischendorf  omits  SvafidcrTaKra  without  sufficient  cause.    [Lachmann  retains  it,  Alford  omits  it  so  also 
Cod.  Sinait.] 

*  Ver.  5.-0/  their  ffarments,  ruiv  i/^aTicoj/  avrcov,  seems  an  explanatory  addition  to  the  text,  but  necessary  in  the 
translation.     [They  are  wanting  in  the  best  authorities,  including  Cod.  Sinait.] 

'  Ver.  7.— [Some  cf  the  be.-t  authorities,  including  God.  Sinait.,  and  the  critical  editions  of  Lachmann  and  Tregelles 
read:  pa/3;8t  (or  paBPei)  ojily  once  ;  but  Tischendorf  and  Alford  retain  the  text  rec.—V.  S.] 

8  Ver.  8.— [Dr.  Lange,  in  his  Version  (3Ieider\  retains  with  Meyer  the  text.  rec. :    Ka67]yT}Tr)  i .      But  Lachmann, 
Tischendorf,  Tregelles,  Alford,  and  even  Wordsworth,  who  generally  adheres  to  the  received  text,  read  with  the  best  an- 
cient authorities :    5  id  da  Ka\o  s ,  teacher,  and  this  is  preferable  also  on  account  of  ver.  11,  to  avoid  repetition. — P.  S.] 
'  Ver.  8. — 'O  KpiaTus  is  an  addition  from  ver.  10,  and  omitted  in  the  critical  editions. 

'"  Ver.  14. — [Ver.  14,  from  ova'i  to  Kpifj.a,  is  omitted  in  the  oldest  MSS.,  including  Cod.  Sinait.,  versions,  and  cita" 
tions,  and  seems  to  be  inserted  from  Mark  xii.  40  and  Luke  xx.  47.  See  the  critical  summaries  in  Lachmann,  Tischendorf' 
Tregelles,  and  Alford.  But  Griesbach,  Scholz,  and  Fritzsche,  according  to  Codd.  E.,  F,,  G.,  H.,  etc.,  assume  a  transposi- 
tion of  vers.  13  and  14.  So  also  Dr.  Lange  in  his  German  Version,  who  regards  it  as  very  impiobable  that  Matthew  should 
have  omitted  such  an  important  feature. — P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  19.— Mwpoi  icai  is  wanting  in  D.,  L.,  Z.,  [and  in  Cod.  Sinait.  which  reads  simply  tlk^Aoi],  omitted  by  Tisch- 
endorf [and  Alford],  and  enclosed  in  brackets  by  Lachmann.  [The  words  may  have  been  inserted  from  ver.  17,  where 
they  are  genuine. — P.  8.] 

"  Ver.  22.— Text.  rec.  (retained  by  Lachmann  on  the  authority  of  Cod.  B.) :  k  ar  o  i  Kovyr  i  .^  but  Tischendorf,  -with 
pearly  all  the  uncial  MSS.,  reads  '■  Kar  oi  K-i}ffavT  i .  [So  also  Tregelles  and  Alford.  The  latter  suggests  that  the  aorist 
implies  that  God  did  not  then,  dwell  in  the  temple,  nor  had  He  done  so  since  the  Captivity.  But  in  the  cleansing  of  the 
temple  Christ  evidently  treated  it  as  the  house  of  God,  xxi.  13.— P.  S.] 

la  ■Y^,y_  23.— The  definite  article  before  these  petty  items,  as  in  the  Greek  (rb  i]5voirfj.oy  Kal  rh  avrjOov  Ka\  to 
Kvixtvov)  and  in  the  German  Versions  of  Lange  and  others,  sliould  be  retained,  as  it  adds  emphasis.— P.  S.] 

1*  Ver.  23. — [Lange  translates  tt;j'  icpiaiv  Ka\  rh  eAeof  icai  ryu  TrlaTif.  die  (mosaiscke)  Eechtspflege  und  das 
(prophettsche)  Erbarmen  und  die  {messianischc)  Glaubenstreue.    See  his  Exeg.  Note-i.—T.  S.] 

'*  Ver.  33.— After  raCra  is  to  be  inserted  5e  according  to  Codd.  B.,  C,  etc.,  and  the  critical  editions. 
^'  Ver.  24.— [The  word  at  before  strain  was  originally  a  printing  error  I'or  out,,  which  iirst  appeared  in  King  James's 
revision  in  1611,  and  was  faithfully  copied  ever  after.  All  the  older  Englisli  Versions,  from  Tyndale  to  the  Bishops'  Bible 
(except  the  N.  T.  of  Rheims,  of  1563,  which  renders:  strain  a  gnat,  emitting  out),  correctly  translate  ol  5Lv\i(oi'Tes  rou 
KUKoirra  :  strain  out,  etc.  Alford,  however,  thinks  that  the  phrase  in  the  Autliorized  Version  was  no  typographical  blun- 
der, as  is  generally  -upposed,  but  a  deliberate  alteration,  meaning  "strain  (out  the  wine)  at  (the  occurrence  of)  a  gnat." 
But  this  is  riitlioi-  iln-fi  ulicd,  and  Bishop  Lowth  is  certainly  right  M'hen  he  remarks:  "'The  impropriety  of  the  preposition 
(at)  has  wholh  ilis'ii-(.\ »  d  tlie  meaninff  of  the  phrase."  The  phrase  refers  to  the  use  of  a  strainer,  and  is  plain  enough  with 
out.  The  Jews  <•  Dcfii'nv  htrained  their  wine  and  other  beverages,  from  fear  of  violating  Lev.  xi.  20,  23,  41,  43,  as  do  now 
the  Buddhists  in  Ce.ylon  and  ilindostan.— P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  25.— For  di^paaias  Griesbach  and  Scholz  read  a  5  j  /c  i  a  y ,  unrighteousness.  But  B.,  D.,  L.  speak  for  the 
former  reading. 

!•*  Ver.  .32.— n  A  rj  p  w  (7  c. T  6 ,  implete,  is  the  correct  reading.  'ETrATjpcitraTe  (D.,  H.,  al.)  and  ir\7jpel>craTe  (B.,  al.) 
originated  in  the  desire  to  soften  the  sense. 

"  Ver.  88.- Codd.  B.,  L.,  al.,  and  Lachmann  omit  epTj.aos,  but  it  must  be  retained  as  essentiah 

acter  of  such  living  force  and  unity,  that  it  is  hardly 
possible  to  deny  its  originality  and  genuineness."  * 
Heubner:  "It  is  not  an  invective,  or  utterance  of 
scom,  as  many  have  called  it :  for  instance,  Ammon 
(Life  of  Jesus,  iii.  229),  who  thinks  that  on  that 
very  account  it  never  could  have  been  thus  deliv- 
ered by  Jesus."  The  condemnation  naturally  in- 
cluded the  Sadducees,  so  far  as  they  were  found 
among  the  scribes,  and  belonged  to  the  dominant 
hierarchy.  In  themselves,  and  as  a  party,  they  were 
of  no  importance ;  nor  were  they  ever  recognised  as 
leaders  of  the  people. 

[Dr.  Nast  :  "  Although  the  Sadducees  wei'e  also 
included  among  the  scribes,  yet  our  Lord  in  His  ter- 
rible condemnation  singles  out  the  Pharisees,  who 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CEITICAL. 

The  Great  Denunciatory  Discourse  against 
THE  Pharisees  and  Scribes,  addressed  to  the 
People. — This  crisis  is  analogous  to  that  of  ch. 
XV.  10,  when  Jesus  turned  away  from  the  Galilean 
Pharisees,  after  an  annihilating  rebuke,  and  turned 
toward  the  people.  The  provincial  example  must 
have  its  wider  consummation  in  the  temple.  But 
the  permanent  significance  of  the  present  crisis  is 
this  :  Christ  turns  from  the  self  hardening  hierarchy, 
and  spealcs  immediately  to  the  people.  The  unity  of 
this  discourse  has  been  denied  by  Schleiermacher, 
Schulz,  Schneckenburger,  and  others,  on  the  ground 


of  Luke  having  given  some  parts  of  it  on  a  previous  |  jO'-'  the  last  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  had  enjoyed 


occasion  in  ch.  xi.  Ewald  thinlcs  that  the  discourse 
was  compounded  out  of  a  large  variety  of  original 
elements.  But  de  Wette  and  Meyer  for  good  rea- 
sons are  strenuous  supporters  of  the  original  unity 
of  the  whole  discourse.  De  Wette :  "  It  is  very 
appropriate  that  Jesus  should  now  first  utter  Him- 
self so  fully  and  comprehensively  against  His  ene- 
mies."    Meyer :  "  The  whole  composition  has  a  char- 


e  highest  respect  of  the  people  for  their  zeal 

.  d  observance  of  the  law.     During  His  whole  min- 


*  [Comp.  Alfoed:  "There  can,  I  think,  be  no  doubt  that 
this  discourse  was  delivered,  as  our  Evangelist  here  relates 
it.  all  at  one  time,  and  in  these  the  last  days  of  our  Lord's 
ministry.  ...  It  bears  many  resemblances  to  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount,  and  may  bo  regarded  as  the  solemn  close,  as 
that  was  the  opening,  of  the  Lord's  public  teaching."— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIII.-XXIV.  1. 


409 


istry  lie  had  been  making  pharisaic  formalism  the 
constant  object  of  reproof,  while  almost  ignoring  the 
unbelief  of  the  Sadducees." — It  is  certainly  remark- 
able that  the  severest  language  which  Christ  ever 
used,  was  directed,  not  against  the  people,  of  whom 
He  rather  spoke  with  pity  and  compassion,  nor 
against  the  Sadducees,  with  whom  He  came  less  in 
contact,  but  against  the  orthodox,  priestly,  sancti- 
monious, hypocritical  Pharisees,  the  leaders  of  the 
hierarchy,  and  rulers  of  the  people.  Let  ministers 
and  dignitaries  in  the  Church  never  forget  this  ! 
Nevertheless  the  Pharisees  with  all  their  wickedness 
had  more  moral  and  religious  earnestness  and  sub- 
stance, than  the  Sadducees,  and  when  once  thoi'- 
oughly  converted,  they  made  most  serious  and 
devoted  Christians,  as  the  example  of  St.  Paul 
abundantly  shows.  Jso  such  convert  ever  proceed- 
ed from  the  indifferent,  worldly,  and  rationalistic 
Sadducees. — M.  Baumgarten  in  his  History  of  Jesus 
(as  quoted  by  Dr.  Nast  in  loc.)  makes  the  following 
striking  remark  on  this  denunciatory  discourse :  "As 
Christ  once  commenced  His  Sermon  on  the  Mount  in 
Galilee  with  pronouncing  eight  beatitudes,  so  He 
closes  His  last  public  address  with  pronouncing  eight 
woes  on  Mount  Moriah,  declaring  thereby  most  dis- 
tinctly that  all  manifestation  of  His  divine  love  and 
meekness  had  been  in  vain,  and  must  now  give  way 
to  stern  justice.  Of  that  awful  delusion  which  has 
done  at  all  times  so  much  harm  in  the  Church — 
namely,  that  the  office  sanctifies  the  officer,  at  least 
before  the  people — there  is  here  not  the  most  distant 
trace  [not  even  vers.  2  and  3],  but  the  very  opposite. 
The  office  held  by  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  Jesus 
fully  recognizes ;  but  the  sacrcdness  of  the  office, 
instead  of  furnishing  any  apology  for  their  corrupt 
morals,  increases  only  their  guilt,  and  He,  therefore, 
exposes  with  the  utmost  severity  the  wickedness  of 
their  lives.  Never  did  any  prophet  deliver  such  a 
discourse  as  this.  We  see  here  turned  into  wrath 
the  holy  love  of  Jesus,  which  is  unwilling  to  break 
the  bruised  reed  or  to  quench  the  smoking  flax  (ch. 
xii.  19),  which  seeks  and  fosters  what  is  lost,  which 
casts  out  none,  but  attracts  all  that  show  themselves 
in  the  least  degree  susceptible." — This  fearful  denun- 
ciation of  the  dignitaries  and  representatives  of  the 
Jewish  theocracy,  which  must  shake  every  sensitive 
reader  to  the  very  foundation  of  his  moral  nature, 
could  only  proceed  from  one  who  knew  Himself  free 
from  sin  and  clothed  with  divine  authority  and 
power.  Having  exhausted,  in  the  intensity  of  His 
love  for  sinners,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  every 
effort  to  bi'ing  them  to  repentance  and  a  better  mind, 
Jesus  now  speaks,  at  the  close  of  His  earthly  minis- 
try and  in  full  view  of  the  approaching  crucifixion, 
with  all  the  dignity  and  stern  severity  of  a  judge, 
yet  without  any  passion  or  personal  bitterness.  This 
awful  severity  is  as  much  a  proof  of  His  divine  mis- 
sion and  character  as  the  sweet  tenderness  of  His 
invitation  to  the  sinner  to  come  to  Him  for  rest  and 
peace. — P.  S.] 

Yer.  2.  Sit  in  Moses'  seat. — The  question 
arises,  whether  Moses'  seal  means  his  whole  vocation 
and  office,  or  only  a  part  of  it.  De  Wette  :  His  seat 
as  judge  and  lawgiver.  But  Moses  as  lawgiver,  or 
organ  of  revelation,  did  not  speak  from  his  seat,  but 
from  Mount  Sinai ;  and  in  this  capacity  he  could  be 
succeeded*  only  by  prophets,  or  conclusively  by 
Christ  Himself.     The  seat  of  Moses  is   described 


*  [The  Edinb.  tr.«l.  has  here:  relaxed,  perhaps  a  printing 
error,  for  released,  a!/geidbt.] 


Esod.  xviii.  13.  Moses  sat  in  the  function  of  judge 
and  administrator ;  and  in  this  ho  might  and  did 
allow  others  to  represent  himself,  who  were  to  judge 
and  rule  according  to  tlie  law  of  revelation.  We 
have  the  more  formal  estabhshment  of  the  office  of 
ciders  in  Num.  xi.  IG.  The  rule  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  was  the  rule  of  the  Sanhedrin.  But  be- 
tween the  jyrophctic  rule  of  Christ,  and  the  political 
rule  of  the  Romans,  there  only  remained  to  them  the 
Old  Testainent  ecclesiastical  function  of  explaining 
the  law  and  administering  discipline.  'EicdO nr  av, 
they  sat  down  and  sit.  "  Among  the  Rabbins,  the 
successor  of  a  Rabbi  was  called  the  representative 
of  his  school,  ixpS-b?  SOii  ;  Vitringa,  St/n." 
Meyer. 

Ver.  3.  All  therefore. — The  therefore,  o  5  r ,  is 
emphatic,  as  Meyer  correctly  urges.  It  alludes  to 
the  established  order  and  office.  All  whatso- 
ever.— Chrysostom  and  others  say  that  the  cere- 
monial system,  and  everything  false  and  immoral, 
were  to  be  excepted ;  since  all  this  could  not  have 
been  taught  dTro  ttjs  Uwixrew^  KaOiSpa^.  De  Wette 
and  Meyer :  Jesus  had  in  view  only  the  contrast 
between  their  teaching  and  their  hfe ;  and  left  the 
perversion  of  the  office  itself,  as  it  existed  in  praxi, 
out  of  the  question.  But  their  doctrine  was  corrupt, 
not  only  in  accidental  practice,  but  in  essential  prin- 
ciple. We  must  limit  the  il-mlv ,  which  is  used 
by  Matthew  throughout  in  its  full  significance,  to  the 
official  utterance.  Thus  it  means  :  Act  according  to 
their  words  in  relation  to  the  theocratic  order  of  the 
Jewish  church,  but  not  in  relation  to  the  way  of  sal- 
vation. It  was  in  harmony  with  the  heavenly  pru- 
dence of  Jesus,  and  with  the  spirit  of  all  His  teach- 
ing, that  He  should  express  the  fullest  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  official  authority  of  the  Pharisees  and 
scribes,  even  while  He  was  preparing  to  unmask  and 
spiritually  to  annihilate  them.  He  did  not  on  this 
account  impose  upon  His  hearers  a  permanent  sub- 
jection to  the  rule  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees. 
They  could,  however,  be  free  only  in  Him  and 
through  Him :  they  must  through  the  law  die  to 
the  law.  He  whom  the  law  has  slain  and  excommu- 
nicated, is  alone  free  from  its  claims.* 

Ver.  4.  But  they  bind.— ^S'ec  Luke  xi.  46.  The 
binding  together  of  individual  things  into  a  mass, 
has  reference  here  rather  to  burdens  of  wood  than  to 
burdens  of  grain.  Thus  they  compact  their  tradi- 
tionary statutes  into  intolerable  burdens.  A  fourfold 
rebuke:  1.  they  make  religion  a  burden;  2.  an  intol- 
erable burden  ;  3.  they  lay  it  upon  the  shoulder  of 
others  ;  4.  they  leave  it  untouched  themselves,  i.  e., 
they  have  no  idea  of  fulfilling  these  precepts  in 
spirit  and  in  trutli.  [Alford  refers  the  heavy  bur- 
dens, (popT ia  pap  e a,  not  to  human  traditions,  as 
most  interpreters  do,  but  to  the  severity  of  the  law, 
which  they  do  not  oltserve  (Rom.  ii.  21-23) ;  an- 
swering to  the  ^apvTfpa  Tov  vofxov  of  ver.  23.-  The 
irksomeness  and  unbearableness  of  these  rites  did 
not  belong  to  the  Law  in  itself  as  rightly  explained, 
but  were  created  by  the  rigor  and  ritualism  of  these 
men  who  followed  the  letter  and  lost  the  spirit. 
Similarly  Stier  and  Nast  who  refer  for  analogy  to 


♦[Alford:  "The  ovf  here  is  very  sigtiiflcant, — be- 
cause thoy  sit  in'Md.sfts'  seat,— an<l  this  clears  the  meaning, 
and  shows'it  to  bo, 'all  tliinp:3  which  they,  as  successors  of 
Mosi!S,  out  of  his  law,  coimnand  you  to  observe,  do;'  thero 
being  a  distinction  between  their  lawful  teaching  as  ex- 
pounders of  tiie  law,  and  tlieir  frivolous  traditions  superad- 
ded thereto,  and  blamed  below." — 1'.  5.] 


410 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


our  modem  moralists  who  preach  duty,  duty !  aud 
nothmg  elso, — P.  S.] 

Ver.  5.  But  all  their  -works. — Luke  xi.  43. — 
Their  phylacteries,  fv  \aKn)pia,  remembran- 
cers and  preservatives. — Literal  application  of  the 
figurative  expressions  of  Exod.  xiii.  9,  16  ;  Deut.  vi. 
8,  9;  ch.  xi.  18.  Thence  arose  the  T'^Sn,  contain- 
ing passages  of  the  law  npon  leaves  of  parcliment — 
Exod.  xiii.  1-16  ;  Deut.  vi.  4-9  ;  xi.  13-22— which 
the  Jews  at  the  time  of  prayer  bound,  one  on  the 
left  arm,' one  on  the  forehead,  to  show  that  the  law 
should  be  in  the  heart  and  in  the  head.  Buxtorf, 
Syn.  ch.  ix.  p.  170 ;  and  RosenmiiUer,  Morycnland, 
V.  82.  The  tenn  phylactery  was  doubtless  formed 
from  the  (|)uAa(a(70e  -rhv  vonou^  Exod.  xiii.  10.  It  is 
not  right,  therefore,  with  de  Wette  and  Meyer,  at 
once  to  explain  them  as  presen'atives  or  amulets, 
having  magical  power.  At  first,  they  were  simply 
remembrancers  of  the  law  ;  the  heathen  notion,  that 
they  were  personal  means  of  defence  against  evil 
spirits,  did  not  arise  till  afterward.  It  is  probable 
that  the  perversion  was  not  perfect  at  the  time  of 
our  Lord  ;  otherwise  lie  would  have  done  more  than 
condemn  their  enlargement  of  these  phylacteries,  i.  e., 
hy])ocrisy  and  boastfulness  in  matters  of  religion. 
It  is  proljably  a  result  of  this  rebuke,  that  at  the 
present  day  the  size  of  these  phylacteries  is  Hmited. 
— The  borders  or  fringes,  Kp  da  ire  5  a. — Ch.  ix. 
20  ;  comp.  Num.  xv.  38.  These  ziziihwere  fastened 
with  blue  ribands  to  the  garments  {see  BjEhr  :  Sym- 
bolik  des  Mos.  Cultw:^  vol.  i.  p.  329.)  Blue  was  the 
symbolical  color  of  heaven,  the  color  of  God,  of  His 
covenant,  and  of  faithfulness  to  that  covenant.  The 
tassels  themselves  signified  flowers,  or  birds ;  prob- 
ably pomegranates,  and  therefore  crimson,  and  not 
blue,  as  the  ribands  were.  Thus  they  v\'ere  remem- 
brancers that  fidehty  to  the  covenant  should  flour- 
ish ;  or  they  were  tokens  that  the  flower  of  hfe  was 
love,  and  tliat  love  must  spring  from  faithfulness  to 
the  covenant. 

Ver.  6.  The  chief  seat,  rrji/  ■KpwroKXiaiu.v. 
— "  The  first  place  at  table ;  that  is,  according  to 
Luke  xiv.  8  (comp.  also  Joseph.  Aniiq.  xv.  2,  4),  the 
highest  place  on  the  divan,  as  among  the  Greeks. 
The  Persians  and  Romans  held  the  middle  place  to 
be  the  seat  of  honor.  The  word  is  not  preserved, 
except  among  the  Synoptists  and  the  Fathers. 
Suid. :  TrpojTOKALaia  ri  irpcoTT]  KuGeSpa.''^     Meyer. 

Ver.  7.  Rabbi,  Rabbi. — The  teacher  was  called 
by  his  title,  not  by  his  name.  "  My  master,  my  mas- 
ter,"'— the  customary  repetition  of  greeting  on  the 
part  of  the  scholar  among  the  Jews.  "'S'l  was  more 
honorable  than  2T  ,  i.  e.,  much,  great,  amplissimus.* 
Buxt.  Lexic.  Talm.  "  blaster  (k  a  0  tj  7  tj  t  ij  s)  is 
more  than  liabbi.  The  Rabbi  was  the  teacher  in 
a  synagogue.  Master  was  the  head  of  a  whole  sec- 
tion, a  leader  who  might  be  followed  by  many  Rab- 
bis (X"ip3 ,  T^^J ,  redoi-y  princeps).  The  proud 
spirit  of  the  Rabbis  has  crept  into  the  Christian 
Church.  The  Refonners  protested  against  it." 
Heubner. 

Ver.  8.  But  ye. — Vers.  8-12  contam  a  warning 
appUcation  to  the  disciples  of  what  had  been  said. 
The  emphasis  is  on  u^ely  and  vfxwy,  placed  first. 
Properly  :  ove}-  you  o7ie  is  Master. 

Ver.  9.  Father.— Father,  :s  ,  the  supreme  title 
of  a  teacher. — On  earth. — With  allusion  to   the 

*  [The  title  was  used  in  three  forms:  Bah,  master,  doc- 
tor; liabbi,  uiy  master;  Habboni,  my  great  master.— P.  S.] 


antithesis  of  the  Father  in  heaven.  The  ea7-th  has, 
however,  in  the  New  Testament  a  symbolical  mean- 
ing also  in  oi)position  to  the  sea,  the  fluctuating 
world  of  the  nations  {see  Rev.  xiii.  11,  comp.  ver.  1 ; 
John  iii.  12,  31  ;  Matt.  xvi.  19),  as  being  the  cul- 
tured world,  the  civil  and  ecclesia.stical  order. 

Ver.  10.  Master,  belter :  Leader,  in  the  spir- 
itual sense, — «•  aCrjY'/jTTJs,  not  to  be  confounded 
with  Ko.TTixvTi)'!.  The  third  denomination  has  a 
special  importance  among  the  three :  the  first  points 
mainly  to  tlie  Jewish,  the  second  to  the  Romish, 
hierarchy.  No  one  should  seek  the  distinction  of 
being  the  founder  of  a  church  or  sect. 

[Albert  Barnes,  in  his  Notes,  understands  the 
prohibition  of  titles  by  our  Saviour  literally,  and 
hence  opposes  (and  personally  always  rejected)  the 
title  "  Doctor  of  Divinity,^''  the  Christian  equivalent 
of  the  Jewish  Rabbi,  as  contrary  to  the  command  of 
Christ,  to  the  simplicity  of  tlie  gospel,  and  the  equal- 
ity of  ministers,  and  as  tending  to  engender  pride  and 
a  sense  of  superiority.  But  to  be  consistent,  the  ti- 
tle Reverend,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  etc.,  should  likewise  be 
abolished,  and  the  universal  tJiou  of  the  Quakers  and 
Tunkers  be  introduced.  And  yet  Paul  called  him- 
self the  (spiritual)  father  of  the  Corinthians,  1  Cor. 
iv.  1 5,  and  Tunothy  his  son  in  the  faith,  1  Tun.  i.  2, 
and  Titus  likewise.  Tit.  i.  4 ;  Peter  uses  the  same 
term  of  Mark  (probably  the  evangelist),  1  Pet.  v.  13. 
It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  the  Saviour  prohibits  not 
so  much  the  titles  thcmseh'es,  as  the  spirit  of  pride 
and  ambition  which  covets  and  abuses  them,  the 
haughty  spirit  which  would  domineer  over  infe- 
riors, and  also  the  servile  spirit  which  would  basely 
cringe  to  superiors.  In  the  same  way  Christ  does 
not  forbid  in  ver.  6  to  occupy  the  first  seats,  for 
some  one  must  be  uppermost  (as  Matthew  Henry  re- 
marks)— but  to  seek  and  love  them.  Alford  :  "  To 
understand  and  follow  such  commands  in  the  slavery 
of  the  letter,  is  to  fall  mto  the  Pharisaism  agahist 
which  our  Lord  is  uttering  the  caution." — P.  S.] 

Vers.  9-12. — Comp.  ch.  xviii.  1  ;  xx.  20;  Luke 
xiv.  11  ;  xviii.  14.  Meyer:  "These  prohibitions  of 
Jesus  refer  to  the  hierarchical  spirit  which  practi- 
cally attached  to  the  titles  named  at  that  period. 
Titles  of  teachers  cannot  be  dispensed  with,  any  more 
than  the  class  of  teachers  ;  but  the  hierarchy,  as  it 
was  re-introduced  in  the  Romish  Church,  is  quite  con- 
trary to  the  spirit  and  wiU  of  Christ.  Well  observes 
Calvin  on  ver.  11  :  "  Hoc  clausula  osictidit,  se  non 
sophistice  litigasse  de  tocibds,  sed  rem  poiiics  spec- 
iasse.''^  *  We  must  mark  the  distinction :  Ye  shall 
call  no  man  father,  and  shall  not  be  called  by  any, 
master,  nor  leader  {Trarrjp,  pa^^l,  or  OLodanaXos,  and 
KadriyrjT-ns).  The  worst  corruption  is  the  calling  any 
man  father  ;  that  is,  to  honor  in  any  man  an  abso- 
lute spiritual  authority.  This  religious  homage  is  a 
contradiction  to  the  absolute  authority  of  the  Father 
in  heaven.  Grotius ;  "  Deus  dogmaium  auctor. 
Jcr.  xxxi.  34;  Isa.  liv.  13  ;  John  vi.  45,  taovrai 
iravTis  SiSaKToJ  Qioi)  ;  1  Tliess.  iv.  9,  6foS  i- 
SaiiToi.  Sed  alio  se?i.m  patres  rede  vocantur,  qui 
nos  in  Christo  per  Evangelium  ge^iueritnt,  1  Cor.  iv. 
15." — The  title  of  Rabbi  referred  to  a  constrained 
honor,  which  took  away  the  brotherly  equaUty  of  the 
faithful ;  or,  in  other  words,  the  stamping  of  human 


*  [Comp.  the  remark  of  Alfokd  on  ver.  11:  "It  may 
serve  t"  show  us  how  little  the  letter  of  a  precept  has  to  do 
with  its  true  observance,  if  we  reflect  that  he  who  of  all  the 
Heads  of  sects  has  most  notably  violated  this  whole  com- 
mand, and  caused  others  to  do  so,  calls  himself  'servus  ser- 
varum  Dei.'' " — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIII.-XXIV.  1. 


411 


scholastic  teaching  with  the  dignity  of  law.  That 
both  these  errors  touched  too  closely  the  authority 
of  Christ,  is  asserted  in  the  third  exhortation  :  They 
should  not  be  called  spiritual  guides,  founders,  etc., 
because  One  only  had  that  dignity,  Christ.  See 
1  Cor.  i.  12.  It  can  scarcely  be  denied  that  the 
designation  of  an  ecclesiastical  community  by  the 
name  of  a  man,  is  inconsistent  with  this  express  pro- 
hibition, although  much  depends  upon  the  origin  of 
the  name  and  the  spirit  with  which  it  is  used. 
Names  of  reproach  have  frequently  become  nam(^ 
of  honor  in  the  history  of  the  church.  The  expres- 
sion, 0 57)70 y,  ver.  16  and  eh.  xv.  14,  Rom.  ii.  19, 
20,  is  not  quite  so  strong  as  k  n  0  77  7  t?  t  ?')  s . 

[Alford,  following  a  hint  of  Olshausen  {Ghristus 
der  einiffc  Meisfcr),  refers  the  three  titles  to  the  three 
persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  viz.,  -rrarvp,  ver.  9  to 
God  the  Father,  oiSdcTKaXos,  ver.  8  (according  to 
the  true  readmg,  instead  of  the  Kae-qyriTris  of  the 
text,  rec,  see  my  Crit.  Note  8,  p.  408)  to  the  Holy 
Spirit  (comp.  John  xiv.  26 ;  Jer.  xxxi.  33,  84 ; 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  27),  not  named  here,  because  his 
promise  was  only  given  in  private  to  the  disciples, 
and  Kae-nyriTrii  to  Christ.  " If  this  be  so,  we 
have  God,  in  His  Trinity,  here  declared  to  us  as  the 
only  One,  in  aU  these  relations,  on  whom  they  can 
rest  or  depend.  They  are  all  brethren,  all  substan- 
tially equal — none  by  office  or  precedence  nearer  to 
God  than  another;  none  standing  between  his 
brother  and  God."  Nast  adopts  this  interpreta- 
tion, which  he  thinks  throws  a  flood  of  light  upon 
the  passage.  But  it  is  rather  far-fetched,  and  the 
position  of  the  Teacher  (the  Holy  Spirit)  between 
the  Father  and  the  Leader,  instead  of  being  men- 
tioned last,  is  decidedly  against  it. — P.  S.] 

Yer.  13.  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees.— There  are  seven  woes  according  to  general 
reckoning :  the  first,  therefore,  might  seem  super- 
fluous ;  and  this  recommends,  again,  the  omission 
ofj;^n\13,  which  is  also  critically  contested.  But, 
if  we  compare  this  discourse  with  the  seven  beati- 
tudes of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  we  observe  that 
the  eighth  woe  is  a  summary  of  the  seven  in  a  con- 
ci'ete  form,  just  as  is  the  case  with  the  eighth  and 
ninth  beatitudes.  There,  the  concrete  unity  of  all 
the  benedictions  is  the  being  persecuted  for  righteous- 
ness' sake,  for  Christ's  sake,  as  the  prophets  were 
persecuted  in  old  time.  But  here,  the  eighth  woe 
has  the  same  force  with  respect  to  the  Pharisees, 
who  adorned  the  graves  of  the  prophets,  and  yet 
showed  that  they  themselves  were  no  better  than 
murderers  of  the  prophets.  This,  therefore,  leads  to 
the  supposition  of  a  sustained  antithesis  between  the 
benedictions  and  the  woes  : — 

1.  Poverty  iu  spirit.  — Devouring  widows"  houses, 

and  for  a  pretence  makins 
long  prayers  (being  spirit- 
ually rich). 

2.  The  mourners.  — The    kingdom    of   heaven 

slmt  against  others,  while 
they  go  not  in  themselves. 
Fanaticism  as  opposed  to 
repentance. 

3.  The  meek.  — Zeal  of  prosely tism. 

4.  Hungering    and    thirsting    —Casuistical  morality,  which 
after  righteousness.  corrupts  the  doctrine  of  sin, 

and  raises  the  human  above 
the  divine.  Swearing  by 
the  gold  of  the  temple,  by 
the  offering. 

5.  The  merniful.  — Tithing    mint    and    anise; 

and  leaving  out  righteous- 
ness, merei/,  and  faith. 

6.  The  pure  in  heart.  —Cleansing  the  outside  of  the 

platter,  the  inside  being  full 


of  uncleanness  and  covet- 
ousness. 
T.  The  children  of  peace  (mos-    —Sepulchres,  full  of  hypoc- 
of  life).  risy  and  lawlessness. 


Summary  of  the  Seven. 

rersecuted  for  righteousness'    —Murderers  of  the  prophets, 
sake,  as  the  prophets  were 
persecuted. 
Persecuted  for  Christ's  sake.     — The  ninth  woe  is  wanting, 
and  this  is  very  significant. 
Instead  of  it,  we  hear  the 
lamentation  of  Christ  over 
Jerusalem.    {See  the  Doc- 
trinal Tliotights  below.) 

Ver.  14.  Ye  devour. — We  put  ver.  14  before 
ver.  13  {sec  the  different  readings).  It  is  to  be  re- 
marked that  our  Lord  here  estabhshes  precisely  the 
same  connection  between  the  worldly  care  and 
covetousncss  of  the  Pharisees,  and  their  hypocritical 
formality,  as  in  ch.  vi.  1,  19  ;  but  in  that  passage  the 
order  is  inverted,  as  the  Lord  there  proceeds  from 
the  hypocrisy  to  its  root — worldliness  of  mind  and 
covetousncss.  The  0  t  1  gives  the  reason ;  because. — 
Devour  widows'  houses,  i.  e.,  to  obtain  them  un- 
righteously. This  was  damnable  in  itself,  but  much 
more  when  it  was  done  under  the  cloak  of  piety,  or 
Ka.\  Trpo(pd(Tei.  The  ic  a  I'is  not  "  mechanically  brought 
from  Mark."  It  marks  an  advancement  in  the  guilt. 
The  irep lafforepov  Kpi/xa  we  refer,  as  a  pro- 
longed sentence,  to  the  lengthened  hypocritical 
prayers  which  went  before.  "  At  a  very  early  date 
this  avarice  in  securing  legacies  crept  into  the  Chris- 
tian Church ;  and  therefore  Justinian  passed  ordi- 
nances forbidding  the  clergy  to  inherit  possessions." 
Heubner. 

Ver.  13.  Ye  shut  up. — The  kingdom  of  heaven, 
appearing  with  Christ,  is  represented  as  a  palace,  or, 
more  precisely,  a  wedding-hall,  with  open  doors. 
The  hypocrites  shut  the  kiugdom  of  heaven  before 
the  people,  efiTrpoaeef. — For  ye  neither  go 
in  yourselves. — The  shutting  up  is  therefore  two- 
fold :  1.  by  their  own  guilt  and  wicked  example ; 
2.  by  the  actual  keeping  back  of  those  who  are 
entering,  who  not  only  would  go  in,  but  have  their 
feet  already  on  the  threshold.  So  was  it  with  Israel. 
The  people  were  on  the  point  of  believing,  when 
their  hierarchical  authorities  drew  them  back  into 
unbelief. 

Ver.  15.  Ye  compass  sea  and  land. — ^Fanat- 
ical proselytism.  Danz  :  De  cura  Ilebrceoram  in 
conquircndis  proselytis  in  Meuschenii  iV.  T.  ex  Talm. 
illust.  p.  649.  That  the  Pharisees  undertook  actual 
missionary  journeys,  cannot  be  inferred  with  cer- 
tainty from  Joseph.  Aniiq.  xx.  2,  4  (not  3  and  not 
1) ;  for  this  passage  speaks  of  a  Jewish  merchant 
who  made  proselytes,  and  the  remnant  of  the  Ten 
Tribes  were  very  abundant  in  Adiabene.  But  we 
may  suppose  that  there  were  such  missions,  and, 
indeed,  that  a  proselyting  impulse  generally  drove 
the  Jews  through  the  workL  The  real  Pharisee  did 
not  make  proselytes  from  heathenism  to  Judaism 
merely,  but  also  from  Judaism  to  Pharisaism. — The 
child  of  hell. — One  who  is  doomed  to  perish  or  at 
least  in  great  danger. — Twofold  more  than  your- 
selves.— AiirKur epov,  according  to  Valla,  must 
be  taken  as  an  adjective,  and  not,  as  is  customary, 
adverbially.  But  how  was  the  proselyte  worse  than 
the  Pharisee  ?  Olshausen  :  Because  the  proselytes 
were  without  the  spiritual  substratum  of  the  Mosaic 
economy,  which  was  an  advantage  the  Pharisees  still 
possessed.  That  is,  the  latter  were  Jews  and  Phari- 
sees, while  the  proselytes  were  only  a  caricature  of 


412 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Pharisaism.  De  Wette  :  Error  and  superstition  are 
doubled  by  communication.  Meyer :  Experience 
proves  that  proselytes  become  worse  and  more  ex- 
treme than  their  teachers.  Thus  the  proselyte  is  a 
Pharisee  of  a  higher  degree.  We  might  point  to 
the  Idumcans  as  examples,  who  converted  John  llyr- 
canus  (not  till  afterward  a  Sadducee)  by  force  in 
their  |r)pa— '' ttjc  QaXaaaav  koX  rrjv  ^rjpdi/" — Or 
Petra.  The  house  of  Herod  afforded  a  striking 
illustration  of  the  character  of  such  proselytes,  in 
whom  the  dark  elements  of  heathenism  were  blended 
with  the  dark  elements  of  Judaism.  The  proselyte 
Poppoea  prolaably  urged  Nero  to  the  persecution  of 
the  Christians.  But  that  the  misleader  is  generally 
worse  than  the  misled,  is  a  fact  which  docs  not  here 
come  into  view  ;  it  is  a  wicked  conversion  or  perver- 
sion that  is  spoken  of,  and  the  intensification  of  Pha- 
risaism with  the  course  of  time.  De  Wette  rightly 
observes,  that  Jesus  does  not  here  mean  the  endea- 
vor to  convert  the  Gentiles  to  Judaism  generally. 
Meanwhile  Judaism  as  Judaism  was  not  called  to 
the  work  of  heathen  missions  except  in  the  way  of 
mere  preparation.  The  law  can  only  make  prose- 
lytes ;  the  gospel  alone  can  convert.  See  Heubner 
on  Proselytes  and  Proselytizing,  p.  346.  Cardinal 
Dubois,  under  the  regency  in  France,  convertisseur  en 
chef.     Several  Jewish  proselytes  of  modern  times.* 

Ver.  16.  Woe  unto  you,  ye  blind  guides! — 
Camistry  as  the  lax  perversion  of  the  fundamental 
laws  of  religion  and  morality.  The  mark  common 
to  both  the  examples  given  is  this,  that  the  divine  in- 
stitution, imposing  holy  obligation,  is  counted  for  noth- 
ing ;  and  that,  on  the  other  hand,  the  human  work 
which  requires  sanctification  through  the  divine  is 
placed  in  its  stead.  "  The  Pharisees  distinguished 
oaths,  in  respect  to  their  vaUdity,  according  to  exter- 
nal, superficial  [or  rather  fundamentally  wrong] 
notes,  only  in  the  interest  of  uascrupulousness." 
De  Wette. — By  the  temple. — The  oath  is  very 
frequent,  hj  this  dwelling,  ntn  ","i"T2n .  (Wetstein 
and  Lightfoot). — By  the  gold  of  the  temple. — By 
its  golden  adornments  and  vessels  of  gold  ;  or  by  the 
temple-treasure.  Jerome  and  Maldonatus  are  in  favor 
of  the  latter.  When  we  distinguish  between  the  es- 
sential house  of  God,  and  the  house  of  God  as  cere- 
monially adorned  with  gold,  then  Pharisaism  swears 
only  and  always  by  the  gold  of  the  temple :  it  can- 
not swear  by  the  temple  itself.  The  outer  manifes- 
tation is  to  it  the  reahty  itself:  that  is,  for  example, 
a  church  "  with  naked  walls  "  is  no  church.  "  Mean- 
while it  is  probable  that  the  pharisaic  and  hierarchi- 
cal covetousness  preferred  the  oath  by  the  treasure  of 
the  temple,  as  that  by  the  sacrifice."  De  Wette. — 
It  is  nothing. — It  has  no  significance,  and  imposes 
no  obligation  (the  lisXnm  peccadiglio) :  the  rcscrvatlo 
mentalis  of  Jesuitical  morality. — He  is  a  debtor. — 
Bound  to  observe  the  oath. 

Ver.  IV.  For  which  is  greater  ? — Superiority 
of  the  originally  holy,  the  divine,  to  that  which  is  de- 
rivatively holy,  the  human,  which  is  made  holy  only 
by  the  divine.  The  same  relation  which  the  gold 
bears  to  the  divine  house,  the  human  offering  bears 
to  the  divine  fire  which  makes  the  altar  an  altar. 

Ver.  18.  Whoso  shall  swear  by  the  altar. — 
To  any  living  view  of  the  altar,  the  oftering  is  one 
with  the  altar.     Casuisti-y  cuts  asunder  the  living 

"■  [Comp.  here  some  excellpnt  remarks  quoted  from  an 
EngUf.li  periodical,  the  HomUist,  in  Nast's  Commentary,  p. 
520,  on  the  great  difference  between  the  genuine  missionary 
and  the  proselyting  spirit,  the  godly  zeal,  and  the  sectarian 
zeaL— P.  8.] 


relations  of  religion,  kills  its  life,  denies  its  spirit, 
and  idolizes  its  bod)'. 

Ver.  2\.  And  whoso  shall  sw^ear  by  the 
temple. — We  exi)ect  to  hear,  "  he  sv/eareth  also  by 
the  gold  of  the  temple."  But  this  is  self-under- 
stood ;  and  therefore  Christ  returns  back  to  the 
Lord  of  the  temple,  who  makes  the  temple  what  it 
is,  and  makes  heaven,  the  great  temple,  what  it  is. 
The  oath  has  its  significance  genera'ly  in  th;  ,  and  in 
this  only,  that  it  is  a  confirmation  by  God,  u  J.eclara- 
tioi^uttered  as  before  God. 

Ver.  2'2.  And  he  that  shall  swear  by  hea- 
ven.— Meyer  :  "  The  contrary  of  ver.  22  is  found  in 
iScheruoth,  f.  35,  2  :  Quia  prceter  Deurii,cceli  et  terra 
creatorem,  datnr  etiam  ipsum  ccelum  et  terra,  irvdu- 
bium  esse  debet,  quod  is,  qui  per  coelvm  et  terrain 
jurat,  lion  per  eum  juret,  qui  ilia  crcavit,  sed  per 
illas  ipsas  creafuras." 

Ver.  23.  For  ye  pay  tithe. — The  ordinances 
concerning  tithes  (Lev.  xxvii.  30 ;  Num.  xviii.  21 ; 
Deut.  xii.  6  ;  xiv.  22-28)  placed  the  fruits  of  the 
field  and  of  the  trees  under  the  obligation ;  but  tra- 
dition applied  the  law  to  the  smallest  produce  of  the 
garden,  to  the  mint,  the  dill,  and  the  cummin  (Babyl. 
Joma,  f.  83,  2.  Lightfoot,  Hottinger  :  JJe  decimis 
Judceor.) — The  weightier  things  :  ^ap\n  epa. — 
De  Wette :  Those  things  which  were  harder,  diffici- 
liora.  Meyer :  The  more  important,  graviora.  "  It 
is  very  probable  that  Jesus  referred  to  the  analogy  < 
of  the  pjracepta  gravia  (CITCn)  et  levia  (C'^bp) 
among  the  Jewish  teachers.  {See  Sehottgen,  p. 
183.) "  But  there  is  no  need  to  distinguish  things 
so  closely  connected  :  the  important  supposes 
the  difficult.  Pharisaism  is  led  into  legahsm  and 
ceremonialism  by  its  aversion  to  the  difficult 
requirements  of  internal  spiritual  reUgion.— Judg- 
ment, KpitTis,  ^2'ra . — See  Isa.  i.  IV.  Thus, 
not  righteousness  itself,  but  fidelity  in  the  discharge 
of  duties  according  to  the  principles  of  righteous- 
ness. The  mark  of  this  care  for  right  is,  that  it  is 
one  with  mercy ;  and  this  mercy  cannot  be  replaced 
by  a  hypocritical  appearance,  the  almsgiving  of  the 
Pharisees  (Matt.  vi.  1).— Faith,  ti)v  iriaTLv.— 
Luther,  "  faith ; "  de  Wette  and  Meyer,  "  fidelity,"  as 
in  Rom.  iii.  3  ;  Gal.  v.  22.  The  opposite  is  airiaTLa. 
Scriptural  language  does  not  distinguish  between  the 
two  ideas,  as  ours  does.  Eaith  and  fideUty  are  one 
in  the  principle  of  trust.  But  here  ethical,  subjec- 
tive filith,  or  fidelity,  is  meant.  Christ  marks  the 
moral  development  of  the  law  in  three  stages:  1. 
The  faithfulness  of  the  Mosaic  position :  rigid  care 
of  law  and  right  (Elijah).  2.  The  prophetic  posi- 
tion :  mercy  to  sinners,  and  even  to  the  heathen,  as 
the  internal  principle  of  legality.  3.  Messianic 
fidelity  as  the  fulfilment  of  the  whole  law.  True 
fidelity  is  identical  with  this  fideUty.  Heubner: 
"  Kpiais,  conscientiousness  :  Tricrrt^,  sincerity.  "  It 
presupposes  a  blunted  moral  feeling  to  show  much 
concern  about  little  faults,  but  to  care  nothing  for 
great  ones.  (Luther,  Works,  x.  1986,  applies  the 
same  passage  to  the  papal  laws.)" 

These  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to 
leave  the  other  undone.— Reverse  order.  True 
and  internal  adherence  to  law  places  the  great  mat- 
ter first,  without  being  lax  in  the  less. 

Ver.  24.  Blind  guides,  comp.  ver.  16.— The 
term  implies  that  they  not  only  acted  as  hypocrites, 
but  also  taught  as  hypocrites.  Ver.  16  pronounces 
a  separate  woe  against  all  casuistry.  But  here  the 
words  and  what  Ibllows  ihem,  explain  the  woe  ot 


CHAP.  XXIII.-XXIV.  1. 


413 


Tor.  -3  ratlier  in  its  dogmatic  side.  The  appella- 
tions, "  Ye  fooh  and  bliiid"  vers.  17  and  19,  repre- 
sent theia  iis  self-blinded  and  in  voluntary  delusion. 

Strain  out  *  a  gnat. — Ye  strain  (the  wine)  in 
order  to  separate  off  the  gnats.  The  Uquarc  vhmni 
liad  among  the  Greeks  and  Romans  only  a  social 
significance  ;  but  to  the  Pharisees  it  was  a  religious 
act.  It  was  supposed  that  the  swallowmg  of  the 
gnat  would  dehle  them ;  and  therefore  the  Jews 
strained  the  wine,  in  order  to  avoid  drinking  an  un- 
clean animal.  (Buxtorf,  Lex.  Tahn.  Wetstein,  from 
ChoUin,  fol.  67,  cuUccs  ^;i<si7/os,  quos  percolant.) 
The  actual  custom  is  here  a  symbol  of  the  highest 
Levitical  scrupulosity ;  and  the  opposite,  the  swal- 
lowiny  of  camels,  which  of  course  could  only  signify 
the  most  enonnous  impurities  in  the  enjoyment  of 
life  and  its  earthly  pleasures,  was  the  symbol  of  un- 
bounded and  unreflectingly  stupid  eagerness  in  sin. 
The  expression  is  of  a  proverbial  type.  The  camel 
was  in  the  law  unclean,  because  it  had  no  divided 
hoof,  Lev.  xi.  4 ;  and,  moreover,  this  hypothetical 
swallowing  of  the  camel  would  involve  a  thorough 
violation  of  the  Xoachic  prohibition  of  eating  blood 
and  things  strangled. 

/er.  25.  The  outside  of  the  platter. — Figu- 
rative description  of  the  legal  appearance  of  gratifica- 
tion. Cup  and  lilatter :  meat  and  drink,  or  the 
enjoyment  of  hfe  in  ail  its  forms. — But  within. — 
Here  we  have  the  internal  ami  moral  side  of  grati- 
fication.— They  are  full  of  extortion  and  ex- 
cess.— "  That  of  which  they  are  full,  wine  and  food, 
■was  the  produce  of  robbery  and  incoutiuence  (h.Kpo.- 
(ria,  a  later  form  of  aKpareia)."  Meyer.  See  Isa. 
xsviii.  7  sqq. 

Ver.  26.  Thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse  first. 
— The  rebuking  adjective  bU>id  points  here  also  to 
the  absurdity  of  their  practice. —  Cleanse  the  inside. 
Sanctify  thy  enjoyment  by  righteousness  and  tem- 
perance.— That  the  outside  may  be  clean. — 
Fritzsehe :  May  be  able  to  be  cleansed.  Meyer, 
better :  That  the  purity  of  the  externals  may  fol- 
low. "  External  purity  is  not  here  declared  useless 
(de  Wette) ;  but  it  is  "declared  not  to  be  true  holi- 
ness, which  unpUes  the  preceding  purification  of  the 
inner  man."  It  is  here  presupposed  that  all  their 
adorning  of  the  outside  must  fail  to  make  even  that 
clean,  so  long  as  the  inside  is  full  of  defilement : 
that  is,  Levitical  purity  without  moral  purity  is  itself 
defilement.  (Bengel,  in  a  gentler  expression,  non 
est  mxindities.) 

Yer.  27.  Whited  sepulchres.  —  "The  graves 
were  every  year,  on  the  15th  Adar,  whitened  with  a 
kind  of  chalk  {«oi'ia) — a  practice  derived  by  the  Eab- 
bins  from  Ezek.  xxxix.  15  ;  not  merely  for  the  sake 
of  appearance,  but  also  that  these  places,  the  touch 
of  which  was  defilement  fXum.  xix.  16),  might  be 
more  easily  seen  and  avoided.  {See  the  rabbinical 
passages  in  Lightfoot,  SchiJttgen,  and  Wetstein.) 
Thus  they  always  had  a  pleasant  outward  appear- 
ance." Meyer.  But  thus  also  they  were  adorned. 
Luke  xi.  44  is  a  similar  thought,  not,  however,  the 
same. 

Full  of  dead  men's  bones. — Dead  bodies  were 
unclean  accordhig  to  tlie  law,  and  the  touch  of  them 
defiled  (Num.  v.  2  ;  vi.  6) :  this  was  specially  the  case 


*  [Not:  a^,  which  is  in  all  probability  origln.illy  a  typo- 
p-aphical  error  for  out.  See  the  critical  note  above,  No.  IG, 
p.  408.  Another  striking  example  of  the  ten.icity  of  a  typo- 
graphical blunder  which  found  its  way  into  many  editions 
of  the  English  Bible,  is  vinegar  for  vine'jard  in  Matt  x.\.  1. 
Hence  the  term :  The  Vine{/ar-Bible.—P.  B.] 


with  the  bones  of  the  dead  and  the  odor  of  decay 
from  the  grave.  Impurity  has  a  deadly  etl'ect.  Spir- 
itual death  exerts  a  deadly  infiucnce  (1  John  iii.  14, 
15) ;  and  tlius  what  follows,  the  murder  of  the  proph- 
ets, is  inl  roiluced. 

Ver.  28.  Hypocrisy  is  here  the  wicked  disguise ; 
and  iniquity,  avofiia,  is  not  simply  immorality, 
but  consummate  theocratical  lawlessness. 

Ver.  29.  Ye  build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets. 
— Construction  of  sepuloliral  graves,  stones,  and  mon- 
uments, with  various  designs  and  inscriptions  on  con- 
secrated lim-ial  ground.  The  antitliesis  is  delicate  : 
And  garnish  the  sepulchres  of  the  righteous 
(canonized  saints).  The  latter  are  acknowledged  at 
once,  and  receive  their  monuments;  the  prophets, 
on  the  other  hand,  often  lay  long  in  unknown  and 
even  dishonored  graves.  Later  generations  then  be- 
gan to  become  enthusiastic  about  them,  and  make 
their  common  graves  elaborate  monuments.  "  The 
custom  of  building  monuments  to  ancient  and  cele- 
brated persons,  has  existed  among  aU  peoples  and  in 
all  ages.  Comp.  Wetstein,  Lightfoot,  Jahn,  Arch.  i. 
2."  De  Wette.  Consult  Piobinson's  Researches  on 
the  remarkable  sepulchres  around  Jerusalem,  and  the 
so-called  sepulchres  of  the  prophets. 

Ver.  30.  And  say.— First  of  all,  by  the  fact 
of  adorning  their  sepulchres. — If  we  had  been  in 
the  days  of  our  fathers.  Not :  ifive  were  (Meyer), 
which  here  gives  no  sense. — Of  our  fathers. — Pri- 
marily, by  natural  lineage,  but  also  in  the  sense  of 
fellowship :  Sons  of  the  murderers,  in  a  spiritual 
sense  ;  which  de  Wette,  without  any  reason,  op- 
poses. 

Ver.  31.  Ye  be  witnesses  unto  yourselves. 
— How  this  ?  De  Wette  :  By  virtue  of  the  guilt 
transmitted  to  you.  Meyer  :  "  When  ye  thus  speak 
of  your  fathers,  ye  give  testimony  against  yourselves, 
that  ye  belong  to  the  kin  of  the  murderers  of  the 
prophets."  But  the  meaning  is  rather,  the  opposite 
of  this :  Since  ye  repute  the  fathers,  in  spite  of  their 
murderous  spirit  against  the  prophets,  as  being  in 
the  fullest  sense  of  the  word,  in  your  traditions,  your 
fathers;  and  explain  the  ancient  blood-guiltmess, 
which  has  been  transmitted  to  you,  only  as  accidental 
evils  into  which  they  fell,  or  as  the  product  of  a 
barbarous  age.  Just  as  in  these  days  the  horrors  of 
the  inquisition  are  excused  on  account  of  the  barbar- 
ism of  the  Jliddle  Ages,  although  they  had  their  es- 
sential root  in  the  fanaticism  of  the  prmciple  of  tradi- 
tion. The  continued  acknowledgment  of  those  old 
false  principles,  from  which  those  murders  sprang, 
establishes  the  community  of  guilt,  and  the  propaga- 
tion of  the  old  guilt  to  consummate  judgment.  Heub- 
ner  quotes  :  "  Sit  licet  diviis,  dummodo  non  viv7is."^ 

Ver.  32.  Fill  ye  up  then  the  measure. — Chry- 
sostom  says  that  this  wATjpwauTe  was  spoken  pro- 


*  [Dr.  Crosby,  Eaeplanat&ry  Notes  or  Scho.lui  in  loc, 
in  view  of  the  parallel  passage  in  Lnke  si.  47,  where  the 
word  for  makes  a  connection  between  building  the  tombs 
and  approving  their  fathers'  crimes,  suggests  the  conjecture 
that  there  wa,s  a  proverb  among  the  Jews  asserting  compli- 
city in  crime,  like  "One  kills  him,  and  another  digs  his 
grave."  Stiep.  and  Alford:  The  burden  of  this  hypocrisy 
i-j,  that  they,  being  one  with  their  fathers,  trc.iding  in  their 
steps,  but  vainly  disavowing  their  deeds,  were,  by  the  very 
act  of  building  the  sepulchres  of  the  prophets,  joined  with 
their  fathers'  wickedness.  See  Luke  xi.  47,  4&.  Instead  of 
the  penitent  confesf^ion  :  "We  have  sinned,  we  and  onr  fa- 
thers," this  last  .and  worst  generation  in  vain  protests  against 
their  participation  in  their  fathers'  guilt,  which  they  are 
meanwhile  developing  to  the  utmost  and  filling  up  its  mea- 
sure.— The  Pharisees  called  the  murderers  of  the  prophets 
rightly  their  fathers:  they  are  even  worse  than  their  fathers, 
because  they  add  hypocrisy  to  impiety. — P.  S.] 


414 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


phetically ;  Grotius,  perrnissively.  De  Wette  and 
Meyer  make  it  an  ironical  imperative.  De  Wette: 
"  The  irArjpcorTaTf  presupposes  the  abiUty  and  willing- 
ness in  the  mind  of  the  Pharisees  which  merely  needs 
encouragement."  (!)  The  difficult  analogon  of  this 
difficult  passage  is  the  word  of  Jesus  to  Judas,  John 
xiii.  2*7 :  "  What  thou  intcndest  to  do,  do  quickly." 
The  last  means  to  scare  the  wicked  from  their 
gradually  ripening  iniquity  is  the  challenge:  Do 
what  ye  purpose  at  once !  If  this  is  irony,  it  is  divine 
irony,  as  in  Ps.  xxi.  4.* — Fill  ye  up. — The  ancient 
crime  of  the  prophet-murdering  spirit  ran  on  contin- 
uously through  the  ages.  {Sec  Isa.  vi. ;  Matt.  xiii. 
14 ;  Acts  xxviii.  26.)  Its  consummation  was  the 
murder  of  Christ. — Fill  up  then,  even  ye,  —  Ka\ 
6  /n  €  7s.  The  emphasis,  however,  falls  upon  the  ttAt)- 
pcliaaTf.  Ye,  who  condemn  the  murderers  of  the 
prophets,  will  even  fulfil  the  measure  of  their  guilt. 
— The  measure  oi  guilt.  The  expression  was,  accord- 
ing to  Wetstein,  current  among  the  Rabbins.  With 
the  full  measure  of  guilt,  judgment  begins.  The 
passage,  Exod.  xx.  5,  which  de  Wette  quotes,  de- 
Bcribes  the  generic  nature  of  guilt  in  the  reduced 
sphere  of  a  single  house ;  and  the  guilt  of  a  commu- 
nity, of  a  church,  of  an  order,  is  to  be  distinguished 
as  an  enlarged  measure  of  the  more  limited  family 
guilt. 

Ver.  33.  Serpents. — Comp.  Luke  iii.  7.  Uwi 
<J)  u  7  7j  T  6 .  The  Conj.  delib.  supposes  the  matter  to 
be  inwardly  decided.  The  judgment  of  hell,  airh 
rfjj  Kpitrectfs  t  7)  s  y^ivvris).  The  sentence 
which  condemns  to  hell.  The  expression,  judicium 
Gcheiinm  was  used  liy  the  Rabbins  (Wetstein). 

Ver.  34.  Wherefore  I  send,  etc. — Fearful  tele- 
ology of  judgment.  The  messengers  of  salvation 
must  hasten  the  process  of  doom  for  the  hardened. 
Sin,  wliich  will  not  be  remedied,  must  be  drawn  out 
into  its  full  manifestation,  that  it  may  find  its  doom 
and  destruction  in  the  judgment. — Behold,  I  send 
tinto  you. — This  is  difficult,  inasmuch  as  Jesus 
seems  to  bring  down  into  the  present,  as  His  own 
sending,  the  sending  of  the  prophets  who  had  ap- 
peai-ed  in  earlier  times.  (1)  Van  Hengel:  The  quota- 
tion of  an  old  prediction.  (2)  Olshausen  refers  to 
Luke  xi.  49,  Jesus  speaking  here  as  the  essential 
Wisdom.  (3)  De  Wette :  Jesus  utters  this  with  the 
feeling  of  His  Messianic  dignity ;  these  prophets 
and  wise  men  are  His  own  messengers,  the  Apos- 
tles, etc.  But  here  it  is  not  merely  the  New  Testa- 
ment martyrdoms  that  are  meant ;  the  whole  history 
of  the  persecutions  of  the  prophets  appears  teleologi- 
cally,  i.  c.,  as  judgment.  Hence  Jesus  speaks  out  of 
tlic  central  consciousness  of  the  theocratical  wisdom, 
and  in  unison  with  the  consciousness  of  the  Father : 
comp.  Matt.  xi.  19.  As  the  last  who  was  sent  of 
God,  He  was  the  moving,  actuating  principle  of  aU 
the  divine  missions  :  comp.  John  i.  26.  But  as  the 
Old  Testament  tunes  were  not  excluded,  so  the  New 
Testament  times  are  included,  f  The  futures  are  pro- 
phetic, as  is  the  whole  passage.  Hence  in  the  (nav- 
pfiaere  Jesus  thotight  assuredly  of  Himself.  Meyer 
refers  to  the  crucifixion  of  Suneon,  bishop  of  Jerusa- 
lem and  Bella :  Euseb.  Bht.  Bed.  iii.  22. — The  ex- 
pression Kal  e|  axiTwv  is  very  strong.  They  will  be 
no  better  than  brands  for  the  fire  of  your  fanaticism. 

Ver.  35.   That  upon   you  may  come. — The 

*  [Ps.  xxi.  contains  no  trace  of  irony,  and  there  must  be 
some  error  here  in  the  reference  of  Dr.  Lange. — P.  S.] 

t  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  has  here  again  just  the  reverse :  "  the 
New  Ttst.amenl  times  were  not  included."  Lange  says  : 
'•So  iccnig  die  alttestamentliche  Zeit  ausgescTUossen  iet,  so 
WEN'iG  die  neute^tamenUiche."—P.  S.] 


common  expression  for  judgment,  Eph.  v.  6,  as  in- 
timating its  inevitableness,  suddenness,  power,  and 
grandeur.  —  The    righteous    (innocent)    blood, 

^p3  C~  ;  that  is,  the  punishment  for  it,  comp.  ch, 
xxvii.  25,  b>it  such  as  the  righteous  blood  has  awaken- 
ed. Innocent  blood  appears  as  the  leader  of  avenging 
powers :  comp.  Gen.  iv.  10 ;  Heb.  xii.  24 ;  Rev.  vi. 
10.  Certainly  the  blood  of  Christ  speaketh  better 
things  than  the  blood  of  Abel ;  but  that  blood  has 
also  its  condemning  character,  and  indeed  in  the 
shedding  of  that  blood  the  judgment  of  the  world  was 
completed.  The  righteous  blood  is  here  emphatic  : 
the  consecrated,  sanctified  blood  of  the  prophets. 
Bengel :  "  a  r,u  a ,  fer  hoc  diciiur  u7io  hoc  versu  map- 
navi."  'E K-xi'i'i^M 6 f  0  J/,  in  the  present  tense.  The 
blood  is  a  continuous  stream,  which  still  flows  and 
will  flow,  being  present  especially  in  its  spiritual  in- 
fluence.    Rev.  vi.  10. 

Zachariah,  son  of  Barachiah. — See  2  Chron. 
xxiv.  20.  Zachariah,  the  son  of  the  high-priest  Je- 
hoiada,  stoned  in  the  court  of  the  temple  by  com- 
mand of  the  king.  There  are  difficulties  here :  1. 
He  was  not  the  last  of  the  martyrs  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment :  the  murder  of  Urijah,  Jer.  xx\a.  23,  v/as  of  a 
later  date.  But  besides  the  order  of  the  Hebrew 
canon,  there  was  something  pre-eminently  wicked  in 
the  destruction  of  the  former.  Zachariah  was  the 
son  of  a  high-priest  of  the  greatest  merit ;  he  was 
murdered  between  the  temple  and  the  altar,  and  died 
crying.  The  Lord  seeth,  and  will  avenge  it.  And, 
moreover,  his  destruction  was  always  vividly  in  the 
remembrance  of  the  Jews.  See  Lightfoot  on  this 
passage,  and  Targum  Thren.  ii.  20.  2.  The  father 
of  Zachariah  was  Jehoiada,  here  called  Barachiah. 
Different  explanations :  (a)  Beza,  Grotius,  al. :  his 
father  had  two  names  ;  (b)  van  Hengel,  Ebrard :  Bar- 
achias  was  the  father,  Jehoiada  the  grandfather ;  (c) 
Kuinoel  supposes  that  the  words,  "  son  of  Barachiah," 
are  a  gloss ;  (d)  de  Wette,  Bleeck,  Meyer  [and  Al- 
ford]  decide  that  an  error  in  the  name  has  crept  in. 
"  Probably  Jesus  Hhnself  did  not  mention  the  name 
of  the  father  (Luke  xi.  51),  and  it  was  added  from 
an  original  tradition  :  the  error  being  the  result  of 
confoimding  the  person  of  Zachariah  with  the  better 
kno-RTi  Zechariah  tliC prophet,  v/hose  father  was  named 
Barachiah  (Zech.  i.  1).  This  tradition  was  followed 
by  Matthew ;  but  in  the  Gospel  of  the  Hebrews  the 
error  was  not  foimd  (according  to  Jerome,  the  name 
there  was  Jehoiada)."  Meyer,  (c)  According  to 
Hammond  and  Hug,  the  Zachariah  meant  was  the 
son  of  Baruch,  who  was  killed  in  the  temple  after 
the  death  of  Christ  (Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  iv.  6,  4).  Hug 
thinks  that  Jesus  spoke  in  the  future,  but  that  the 
Evangelist,  after  the  event  had  taken  place,  put  it  in 
the  preterite.  But  this  is  an  untenable  notion,  even 
apart  from  the  diffisrence  between  Baruch  and  Bar- 
achiah. Ammon,  who  also  refers  the  words  to 
the  Zachariah  of  Josephus,  explained  them  as  inter- 
polation. (/)  Chrysostom.  quoted  an  ancient  opinion, 
according  to  which  it  was  the  last  but  one  of  the 
lesser  prophets,  Zechariah.  {g)  Origeu,  Basil,  and 
others,  thought  it  was  Zucharias,  the  father  of  John 
the  Baptist — following  a  mere  legend  ;  to  which  the 
objection  holds  good,  that  if  Jesus  had  come  down 
to  such  recent  times,  he  wotdd  doubtless  have  men- 
tioned John  the  Baptist  Himself.  The  Lord  moreover 
speaks  not  of  the  blood-guiltiness  of  the  present  gep- 
eration,  but  of  the  guilt  of  former  tuTies,  which  came 
upon  the  present  generation  because  they  filled  up 
the  iniquities  of  their  fathers.  (Comp.  art.  in  ''Stxi- 
dicnund  Kritiken"  for  1841,  p.  20,  and  Fharmaci- 


CHAP.  XXUI.-XXIV.  1. 


415 


des,  irept  Zaxapiov  vlov  Bapax'iov.  Athens,  1838.) 
We  prefer  the  soUition  sub  (b).  But  if  there  was  an 
error  of  name  (see  (d) ),  we  might  ascribe  it,  with 
Ammon  and  Eiclihorn,  to  tlie  translator  of  St.  Mat- 
thew rather  than  the  primitive  evangelical  tradition, 
as  de  Wcttc  and  Meyer  do.  It  is  very  difficult  to 
determine  whether  Matthew,  in  his  famihaiity  with 
tlie  genealogies,  had  a  more  correct  account  than  that 
of  the  Book  of  Chronicles,  or  whether  his  translator 
made  t!ie  change.  It  is  in  favor  of  the  second  sup- 
position of  Jehoiada  being  tlie  grandt\xther,  that  he 
died  at  the  age  of  130,  and  that  Zechariah,  who  is 
called  his  son,  was  laid  hold  on  by  the  Spirit  at  a 
later  time,  and  appeared  as  a  prophet.* 

Ver.  o7.  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  (Luke  siii.  34, 
where  it  is  placed  earlier  for  pragmatic  reasons). — 
Language  of  the  more  mighty  emotion  of  compassion 
after  the  stern  language  of  judgment.  But  with  the 
change  of  feehng  there  is  also  a  change  of  subject, 
and  of  the  exhibition  of  the  guilt.  In  the  place  of 
the  Pharisees  and  scribes,  it  is  Jerusalem ;  that  is, 
the  centre  of  the  hierarchy,  but  also  of  the  people, 
and  this  name  combines  the  poor  misled  and  the 
blind  misleaders, — the  present,  also,  and  the  past. 
In  the  place  of  the  punishment  of  ancient  blood- 
guiltiness  spoken  of  before,  Jerusalem's  own  per- 
sonal guilt  is  denounced  now  as  justifj-ing  this 
condemnation.  —  Thou  that  killest.  —  The  ex- 
pressions airoKTiifovcra  and  \l6o  0  0  \ova  a 
are  emphatic  in  two  ways  :  first,  through  the  parti- 
cipial form,  and,  secondly,  through  the  present  tense, 
— the  habitual  murderess  of  the  prophets,  the  stoner 
of  the  messengers  of  God. — Ho-w  often  -would  I 
have  gathered ! — The  Lord  still  speaks  out  of  the 
theocratic  and  prophetical  consciousness  which  em- 
braces in  one  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  ;  yet  the 
"  how  often  "  presupposes  a  frequent  operation  of 
the  Lord's  grace  in  Jerusalem,  and  ^-isits  which  the 
Evangelist  was  acquainted  with,  but  which  did  not 
fall  within  his  plan.  Comp.  here  the  Gospel  of  John. 
— ^Thy  children.— That  is,  thy  inhabitants.  But, 
in  a  wider  sense,  all  Israelites  were  children  of  Jeru- 
salem.— As  a  hen. — Allusion  to  the  destruction 
which  impended  over  Jerusalem,  in  a  figure  which 
signifies  that  He  would  have  taken  Jerusalem  under 
the  protection  of  His  Messianic  glory,  if  it  had  turned 
to  Him  m  tune.  The  figure  of  the  hen  was  often 
used  by  the  Rabbins  concernmg  the  Shechinah,  as 
gathering  the  proselytes  under  the  shadow  of  its 
wings.-^But  ye  would  not. — The  one  guilt  of  Je- 
rusalem was  unfolded  in  the  guilt  of  her  individual 
children.  Jesus  knew  that  with  the  obduracy  of  the 
authorities  the  obduracy  of  the  city  and  its  inhabi- 
tants was  decided.  Hence  He  used  the  preterite,  not 
the  present  tense.  Jerusalem's  children  had  made 
their  choice.  The  crucifixion  of  Jesus  and  the  fall 
of  the  city  were  decided.  It  is  quite  an  independent 
question,  how  many  of  the  individual  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem  were  saved  by  apostohcal  preaching.    His- 


"•  [Wordsworth  in  an  elaborate  note  assigns  a  mystic  rea- 
son for  the  use  of  the  patronymic,  viz.,  it  refers 'to  Christ 
Himself  as  the  true  Zachariah  =;  Remembrancer  of  God 
(from  ~2T  ,  recordatus  ftiit,  and  n^  ,  Jehova'i),  and  the 
true  Son  of  Barachiah,  /.  e.,  the  Son  of  the  Blessed  (from 
^"l3,  beneflixii,  and  H"^ ),  who  had  been  typified  by  all  the 
martyrs  of  the  Old  Testament  from  Abel  to  Zachariah,  the 
sou  of  Jehoiada.  And  he  sees  in  euKoyrjutiros — icvpiov, 
ver.  39,  an  allusion  to  the  name  Bapax'aJ  in  ver.  35.  But 
be  omits  the  circumstance  that  Z(  chariah  the  prophet  was 
the  son  of  Barachiah,  Zech.  i.  1. — I'.  S.] 


torical  notices  on  the  later  deplorable  condition  of 
Jerusalem,  see  in  Heubner's  Com.  p.  349.* 

Ver.  38.  Behold,  your  house.  — No  longer, 
"  My  Father's  house."  According  to  Grotius,  Meyer, 
etc.,  the  cUtj  ;  accordmg  to  de  Wette  and  others,  tem- 
ple and  city.  But  the  only  true  interpretation  is  that 
of  Theophylact,  Calvin,  Ewald,  the  temple.  For  the 
word  marks  the  moment  at  which  Jesus  leaves  th". 
temple,  and  leaves  it  for  a  sign  that  it  was  abandoned 
by  the  Spirit  of  the  theocracy.  Indeed,  the  leaving 
of  the  temple  mtimatcd  that  not  merely  the  city,  but 
also  the  land,  was  forsaken  of  the  Spirit ;  for  the 
temple  is  referred  to  in  its  symboheal  meanmg.  We 
retain  the  addition  "  desolate,"  i.  c.,  a  spiritual  ruin. 
It  was  omitted  in  some  copies,  probably  because  it 
was  thought  that  the  word  would  open  up  some  pros- 
pect of  a  restoration  of  the  temple.  But  the  pros- 
pect of  the  restoration  of  Israel  involves  only  the 
spiritual  rebuilding  of  Israel's  temple  in  the  Sphit  of 
Christ. 

Ver.  39.  For  I  say  unto  you.— Most  solemn 
declaration. — Ye  shaU  not  see  Me  henceforth : — 
In  My  Messianic  work  and  operation.  From  that, 
as  among  the  Jews,  He  now  entirely  withdrew.  See 
John  xii.  37  sq.  After  the  resurrection.  He  showed 
Himself  only  to  His  own  people. — Till  ye  shall 
say. — Neither  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  (Wet- 
stein),  nor  at  the  advent  of  Christ  (Meyer),  but  in  the 
future  general  conversion  of  Israel  (Rom.  xi. ;  Zcch. 
xii.  10 ;  Isa.  Ixvi.  20,  etc.).— Blessed  be  He  that 
cometh,  Ps.  cxviii. — See  the  notes  on  the  entry  into 
Jerusalem,  Matt.  xxi.  9,  10.  Jerusalem  itself  had 
not  met  the  Redeemer  with  these  words  of  greeting, 
but  had  asked.  Who  is  this  (xxi.  10)?  Thus  it  is  an 
intimation  of  a  future  conversion.  Not  tragic  and 
judicial,  as  Meyer  explains  it. 

XXIV.  Ver.  1.  And  Jesus  went  out. — It  is  not 
merely  a  local  and  temporary  departure  from  the 
temple  that  is  meant.  It  is  true  that  He  had  over- 
come all  the  assaults  of  His  enemies  in  the  temple ; 
but  still  they  had  declined  to  give  Him  their  faith, 
and  at  length  had  declined  it  by  tUeir  absolute  silence. 
And  as  the  Lord  of  the  temple,  the  temple  had  re- 
jected Him,  in  the  person  of  those  who  had  legal 
authority  in  it.  That  was  the  fall  of  the  temple; 
and  it  was  then  decided  that  it  was  no  more  now 
than  a  den  of  robbers,  in  which  all — the  Messiah,  and 
the  Spirit,  and  the  hope  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
blessing  of  Israel — v/as  as  it  were  murdered.  He 
takes  farewell  of  the  temple ;  and  from  that  time 
forward  it  became  no  better  than  a  hall  of  desolation, 
a  dreary  and  forsaken  ruin.  According  to  a  Jewish 
legend  in  Joseph.  Bdl.  Jud.  vi.  5,  3,  the  guardian 
angels  of  the  temple  deserted  it  at  a  much  later  pe- 
riod. "At  the  Pentecost,  when  the  priests  for  the 
night  went  into  the  temple  to  perform  the  divine  sei> 
vice,  they  heard  a  great  and  rushing  sound,  and  then 
the  cry,  ij.eTa0alvwiJ.ev  evrevdev. — Tacitus,  Hist.  v. 
13:  Exprcssoi  rcpcnie  dcliibri  fores  el  audita  major 
humana  vox.  Excedere  dcos ;  simul  ingeiis  motus 
excedentium.  In  the  fortieth  year  before  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  the  lamp  in  the  temple  was  extin- 
guished of  itself,  according  to  Jewish  accounts  {see 


*  [The  words :  ovic  rjO eXrjrr ar  e,  ye  would  vot,  are 
important  for  the  doctrine  of  the  freedom  and  responsibility 
of  man  which  must  not  be  sacrificed  to,  but  combined  with, 
the  opposite,  though  by  no  moans  contradictory  doctrino  of 
the  absolute  sovereignty  and  eternal  decrees  of  God.  Al- 
FOBD  in  toe:  '-The  tears  of  our  Lord  over  tho  perversenesa 
of  Jerusalem  arc  witnesses  of  the  freedom  of  man's  wUl  to 
resist  the  grace  of  God."— P.  S.] 


410 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Liglitfoot,  Hor.  Ileb.  ad  Matt.  xxvi.  3).  The  syna- 
gogue is  still  a  place  void  of  God,  because  it  knows 
not  Christ."  Ueubner.  Indeed,  this  departure  of 
Christ  was  not  absolutely  the  last ;  for,  after  the  res- 
urrection, lie  solicited  His  enemies  there,  in  the  per- 
son of  His  Apostles.  For  the  last  time  He  left  it 
when  Paul  was  condemned  in  it  (Acts  xxi.  33  ;  xxii. 
22),  and  James  the  son  of  Alphaeus  was  slain  (Joseph. 
Antiq.  XX.  9,  1). 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  See  the  preceding  Exegetical  Notes. 

2.  The  seven  benedictions  of  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount  were  summed  up  in  an  eighth :  Blessed  are 
all  who  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake.  And 
this  benediction  has  here  its  counterpart  in  a  com- 
prehensive woe,  the  eighth,  upon  the  murderers  of 
the  prophets.  But  the  ninth  benediction,  "  Blessed 
are  ye,  if  ye  be  scorned  and  persecuted  for  My  sake," 
has  no  countei-part  among  the  woes,  but  the  cry  of 
distress  over  Jerusalem.  True,  that  the  Jews  them- 
selves afterward  cried :  "  His  blood  be  on  us  and  on 
our  children "  (ch.  xxvii.  25) ;  but  Jesus  Himself 
knew  that  His  "blood  would  speak  better  things 
than  the  blood  of  Abel."  Hence  the  change  of  the 
ninth  woe  into  the  lament  over  Jerusalem. 

3.  The  guilt  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  became 
now,  to  the  Lord's  view,  the  guilt  of  Jerusalem,  and 
then  the  guilt  of  the  nation  itself.  For  Jerusalem 
was  the  representative  of  the  spirit  of  the  Pharisees 
and  of  the  national  genius.  But  Jerusalem  represents 
also  *  the  life  and  the  honor,  the  fathers  and  the 
glory,  the  youth  and  the  hope  of  the  nation.  Jeru- 
salem represents  the  children  of  the  nation,  so  often 
threatened  by  tempests  of  ruin,  and  now  threatened 
by  the  saddest  of  all.  Therefore  the  Lord  mourns 
and  laments  over  His  own  ruined  Jerusalem.  All 
the  missions  and  messages  of  God  which  had  been 
sent  to  Jerusalem,  and  which  formed  the  ground  of 
Israel's  judgment,  to  Him  appeared  now  rather  as  so 
many  efforts  and  impulses  of  God  to  save  them.  His 
own  compassionate  desire  to  save  them  had  been  ac- 
tive throughout  all  those  ages  of  divine  mission ; 
but  especially  had  it  been  active  during  the  time  of 
His  own  labors  and  miuistry.  His  whole  pilgrimage 
on  earth  was  troubled  by  distress  for  Jerusalem,  like 
the  hen  who  sees  the  eagle  threatening  in  the  sky, 
and  anxiously  seeks  to  gather  her  chickens  together 
under  her  wings.  With  such  distress,  Jesus  saw  the 
Roman  eagles  approach  for  judgment  upon  the  chil- 
dren of  Jerusalem,  and  sought  with  the  strongest  so- 
hcitations  of  love  to  save  them.  But  in  vain  !  They 
were  like  dead  children  to  the  voice  of  maternal 
love! 

4.  Stier,  ii.  527  :  "Jehovah  represented  Eis  deal- 
ing with  His  people,  first,  as  that  of  an  eagle,  hover- 
ing over  her  young  and  bearing  them  on  her  v/ings 
(Deut.  xxxii.  11)  ;  but  at  last,  as  that  of  a  hen  which 
strives  to  extend  her  wings  over  her  imperilled  chick- 
ens." Antithesis  between  the  fidelity  of  ruling  power, 
and  the  fidelity  of  suffering  mercy. 

5.  Behold,  your  house. — Words  which  were  sealed 
even  by  the  vain  attempt  of  Julian  to  build  the  tem- 
ple again,  as  well  as  by  its  whole  subsequent  fate. 
Comp.  Rauschenbusch  (sen.) :  Leben  Jcsu,  p.  327. 


*  [The  Edinb.  Version  ro.ads:  "Jerusalem  was  the  sole 
representative;"  mistalcing  the  German  allein  {=  uber, 
hut)  before  (not  after)  Jerusalem  (Allein  Jerusalem  reprii- 


I  G.  Till  ye  shall  say,  Blessed. — Sepp,  Life  of  Christ, 
iii.  31 :  The  Jewish  rulers  failed  in  this  greeting  in  the 
I  day  of  the  Palm-entry,  and  the  people  owe  it  to  Christ 
I  to  this  day.  This  word  contains,  however,  a  definite 
promise  of  the  national  restoration  of  Israel,  as  it  13 
set  forth  in  Rom.  xi.,  and  in  many  passages  of  the 
prophets.  See  Alfred  Meyer  :  der  Jude,  Frankfort, 
1856;  where,  however,  there  is  too  much  intermin- 
gling of  Jewish  Christian  expectations. 

7.  Jesus,  aftep  departing  from  the  temple,  still 
remained  quietly  in  the  court  of  the  women,  and 
blessed  the  widow's  gift :  thereby  blessing  true  and 
simple  piety,  in  the  midst  of  debased  and  degraded 
ceremonialism.  Comp.  Mark  xii.  41  ;  Luke  xxi.  1  ; 
and  the  author's  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  3,  p.  1249. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

1.  TJie  Preface  (vers.  1-3)  and  the  Discourse  as  a 
whole. — The  preaching  of  the  truth  must,  according 
to  the  repeated  example  of  the  Lord,  turn  from  priests 
and  teachers  who  persistently  scorn  it,  to  the  com- 
mon people. — The  great  condemnation  pronounced 
by  Jesus  in  the  temple  upon  the  Pharisees  and  the 
scribes. — The  Lord  vindicates  and  protects  appointed 
ordmances,  even  while  vehemently  condemning  those 
who  administered  them. — High  esteem  for  the  office 
never  excludes  free  condemnation  of  the  abuses  of 
those  who  hold  it. — Hypocrites  condemn  their  own 
works  by  their  ov^n  words. 

2.  The  General  Rebuke  (vers.  4-7). — Dead  tradi- 
tionalism: 1.  Its  hardness;  2.  its  falsehood ;  3.  its 
selfishness. — Despotism  in  holy  apparel  and  in  the 
domain  of  the  conscience :  1.  Doubly  fearful ;  2. 
doubly  ruinous ;  3.  doubly  impotent. — The  Lord  holds 
up  to  His  disciples  the  image  of  spiritual  ambition 
and  pride  for  an  ever/asting  warning. — The  power  of 
faith  disposes  of  the  pretensions  of  spiritual  ambition : 
faith  in  the  only  Teacher  :  faith  in  God  as  the  only 
Father  ;  faith  in  Christ  as  the  only  Lord  and  Guide. 
(Thus  the  Apostle's  Creed,  rightly  understood,  is 
threefold  Protestant.) — Out  of  the  humiUty  of  fidelity 
springs  the  courage  of  freedom. 

3.  Specific  Rebuke  :  the  seven  woes  (vers.  13-37). 
— The  seven  benedictions  and  the  seven  woes. — The 
eighth  woe  as  the  summary  of  the  seven :  hke  the 
eighth  benediction. — The  ninth  v.-oe  is  changed  into 
a  lamentation  over  Jerusalem. — First  woe :  Spiritual 
avarice  and  greediness  for  securing  legacies  ;  petition- 
ers changed  into  beggars. — The  long  prayers  of  the 
hypocrites,  and  the  long  sentence  of  judgment. — Sec- 
ond woe :  Those  who  shut  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to 
others,  and  exclude  themselves.  Third  woe :  Prose- 
lytism  ;  soul-wiimers  and  soul-ruiners.* — Fourth  woe: 
The  work  of  man  up,  the  work  of  God  down :  the  in- 
ward nothing,  the  outward  everything. — The  true 
oath  always  by  the  living  and  true  God. — The  blind- 
est ignorance  connected  with  a  conceit  of  keenest 
insight  into  the  laws  of  the  kingdom  of  God. — Fifth 
woe :  LegaUty  in  little  things  ;  lawlessness  in  great. 
Straining  out  gnats ;  swallowing  camels. — Sixth  woe: 
The  outside  and  the  inside  of  the  cup  and  the  plat- 
ter ;  or,  the  feast  of  the  rehgious  and  moral  hypo- 
crite: 1.  In  the  outward  form,  consecrated  or  adorn- 
ed;   2.    in    the    inner    character,  abominable   and 


sentirt  aucJi),  and  thus  destroying  the  necessary  antithesis 
to  the  preceding  sentence. — I'.  S.] 

*  [In  German:   Sulenwerber  und   Seelenverdai'ier,— 
P.  S.I 


CHAP,  xxiii.-xxrv.  1. 


417 


reprobate. — Seventh  woe :  The  whited  sepulclires :  1. 
Like  pleasant  abodes  outwardly ;  2.  caves  of  bones, 
diffusing  death,  within. — Spiritual  death,  in  the  guise 
of  spiritual  bloom:  1.  Captivating;  2.  desti-uctive. — 
The  eighth  looe  :  The  murderers  of  the  prophets. — 
How  the  garnishing  the  sepulchres  of  the  prophets 
may  be  suspicious :  1.  When  it  bears  witness  to  a  dis- 
eased hanging  on  to  antiquity  [folse  and  morbid 
mediaevalism. — P.  S.]  ;  2.  when  it  robs  the  prophets 
of  the  present  of  their  i-ights. — To  persecute  Christ 
in  His  saints  is  to  persecute  Christ  Himself — He  who 
would  free  himself  from  the  blood-guiltiuoss  of  olden 
times,  must  free  himself  from  tlie  principles  wldch 
created  it  then. — Ancient  guilt  finds  its  sure  consum- 
mation in  terrible  judgment,  however  long  delayed. 
— The  sinner's  inherited  guilt  becomes  his  own  only 
through  his  omi  personal  guilt. — Jerusalem,  Jerusa- 
lem ! — How  often. 

4.  The  Departure  from  the  Temple. — The  temple 
desecrated  by  obduracy  :  1.  A  house  of  men,  forsaken 
of  God ;  2.  a  house  of  desolation,  forsaken  of  the 
Spirit ;  3.  a  house  of  misery  and  death,  forsaken  of 
Christ. — The  golden  sunset  after  the  evening  storm  ; 
or,  the  prospect  of  the  restoration  of  Israel. — The 
departure  of  Christ  from  the  temple  of  the  Jews  :  1 . 
The  close  of  a  mournful  past ;  2.  the  sign  of  a  miser- 
able present ;  3.  the  token  of  a  sad  futurity. — The 
last  word  of  the  Lord  to  His  people,  the  announce- 
ment of  His  first  royal  advent  to  punish  His  people 
(in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem). 

Starke  : — All  hypocrites  are  severe  toward  others, 
but  very  indulgent  toward  themselves. —  Canstein  : 
A  lailhful  teacher  uses  severity  toward  himself,  but 
he  rules  those  who  are  under  him  with  gentleness. — 
By  thy  words  wilt  thou  be  condemned. — They  would 
fain  have  men  beUeve  that  there  was  a  special  sancti- 
ty in  the  habit  of  their  order. — Canstein :  Pharisaic 
folly  ;  elegant  Bibles  and  books  of  prayer,  and  no  de- 
votion in  the  heart. — One  is  our  Master,  Christ. — 
Quesnel :  God's  word  and  truth  is  an  inheritance 
common  to  all  the  brethren.  He  who  would  glory 
in  being  its  lord,  and  keep  his  brethren  from  the  use 
of  it,  is  a  robber  of  the  Chui'ch's  inheritance. — The 
Church  of  Christ  is  a  family,  of  which  God  alone  is 
the  Father. — [Quesnel  on  ver.  1 :  Let  us  always  look 
with  respect  on  Christ  and  His  autliority,  even  in  t'ne 
most  imperfect  of  His  ministers.  The  truth  loses 
nothing  of  its  value  by  the  bad  lives  of  its  muiisters. 
The  faith  is  not  built  upon  the  lives  of  pastors,  but 
upon  the  visible  authority  of  the  Church  (?  rather 
upon  Christ  and  His  word). — P.  S.] — Iledinger  :  Let 
no  man  vaunt  himself  of  his  position  and  office. — The 
•gifts  by  whicli  we  are  useful  to  others  are  from  Christ, 
and  they  are  the  gifts  of  grace. — Humility  is  the  true 
way  to  abidmg  dignity. — Hypocrites  would  convert 
others,  while  they  are  themselves  unconverted  ;  hence 
their  converts  generally  go  from  worse  to  worse. — 
It  is  not  God,  but  gold,  not  the  altar,  but  what  is  on 
it,  that  they  are  concerned  witli. — Swearing  by  the 
name  of  the  great  God,  is,  indeed,  a  matter  of  tre- 
mendous importance. — Sins  reproduce  one  another  ; 
when  one  has  wasted  what  he  has  robbed,  he  robs 
again  that  he  may  waste. — The  unconverted  man  is 
like  a  sepulchre,  in  which  man  lies  in  his  corruption. 
—  Quesnel:  Many  are  Christians  in  name  and  appear- 


ance ;  few  iu  spirit  and  in  truth. —  Cansicin  :  At  last 
the  whited  mask  drops  off,  and  the  hypocrite  is  naked 
and  discovered. — Garnishing  the  graves  of  the  old 
martyrs,  and  making  new  martyrs. — When  men  in 
their  wickedness  receive  no  more  exhortation,  but 
make  a  mock  of  God  and  His  servants,  the  measure 
of  wrath  is  very  near  being  filled  up. —  \Vhcrefo7-e  J 
send  unto  you.  Rom.  ii.  4  :  The  goodness  and  long 
forbearance  of  God. — God  remembers  all  the  blood- 
guiltiness  of  the  history  of  mankind :  woe  to  them 
who  become  partakers  of  the  guilt ! —  Verily  I  say 
unto  you.  God's  threatenings  are  not  in  sport. — Je- 
rusalem, Jerusalem :  the  fatherly  heart  of  (Jod  is 
earnest  in  calling  men  to  salvation. — The  cause  of 
ruin  is  the  evil  will  of  man. —  Osiander :  Contempt 
of  God's  word  is  followed  by  the  downfall  of  all 
rule,  authority,  and  good  institutions,  Dan.  ix.  6,  11, 
12. —  Canstein:  There  is  a  time  of  grace;  there  is 
also  a  day  of  judgment. 

Gerlach: — Ver.  6.  Notwithstanding  these  sol- 
emn prohibitions,  how  much  of  these  sins  have  been 
found  in  all  churches  and  sects,  from  the  highest  to 
the  least ! — Ver.  16  sq.  These  rules  of  the  Pharisees 
about  swearing  were  doubtless  designed,  first,  to  re- 
lax the  strict  obligation  of  certain  oaths  of  common 
life ;  and  then  to  enrich  the  temple-treasure,  by  at- 
tributing a  greater  sanctity  and  more  rigid  obligation 
to  the  gold  which  was  ordained  for  the  temple,  and 
the  sacrifices  which  were  ordained  for  the  altar,  and 
which  were  partly  the  perquisite  of  the  priests. 
Comp.  ch.  XV.  5  ;  Mark  vii.  11. — Ver.  36.  Every  sin- 
ner who,  in  spite  of  the  divine  warnings,  walks  in 
the  footsteps  of  his  fathers,  draws  down  upon  his 
own  head  the  punishment  which  was  in  their  times 
mercifully  deferred  and  suspended. 

Lisco  : — The  condemnation  of  Jesus  affects  all 
who  are  contented  with  appearing  that  which  they 
should  be. — The  woe  is  upon  their  deceiving  of  souls  ; 
their  hypocritical  covetousness ;  their  hypocritical 
proselyting ;  their  hypocritical  trafficking  with  oaths  ; 
their  hypocritical  pedantry ;  their  hypocritical  right- 
eousness ;  their  hypocritical  respect  for  the  saints 
of  God. 

Heuhner  : — The  dignity  of  the  ministry  is  to  be 
honored  for  its  own  sake. — The  ordinances  of  men 
always  a  burden;  the  commandments  of  God  and 
of  Christ  are  always  a  gentle  yoke. — Spiritual  pride 
and  ambition  always  one  of  the  chief  temptations  and 
dangers  of  ministers. — Christ  does  not  forbid  the 
title,  but  the  ambition  for  it.  Application  to  the 
Romish  Church,  and  the  name  Papa  universalis. 
fater. — Not  ruhng,  but  serving,  makes  greatness. — 
Great  difference  between  zeal  for  conversion  and  am- 
bition for  conversion  [or  missionary  spirit  and  selfish 
proselyting. — P.  S.]. — Hypocrisy  in  vows,  reservatio 
menta'Us. — Ask  wbtther  anything  impure  clings  to 
your  enjoyment :  the  tears  and  sighs  of  the  poor. — 
It  is  a  base  reverence  for  the  great  of  olden  time, 
which  will  not  seek  to  imitate  them. — Every  genera- 
tion should  be  unproved  by  the  preceding ;  if  not,  it 
is  made  worse. — T;ie  great  design  of  Jesus  is  to  gath- 
er in  poor,  wandering,  and  scattered  children  of  men 
into  one  family  of  God. — Desolate.  Every  Christian 
temple,  in  which  Christ  is  not  preached,  is  empty ; 
so  is  every  heart  in  which  He  does  not  live. 


27 


418  THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


PART    FIFTH. 

Final  and  Fullest  Manifestation  of  Christ  as  the  Prophet ;   or,  Discourses  of  the 
Lord  concerning  the  "Last  Things"  (Eschatological  Discourses). 

(Matt.  xxiv.  2-xxv.  31 ;  Mark  xiii. ;  Luke  xxi.  5-38.     Comp.  the  Apocalypse  of  John.) 

According  to  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  eh.  xiii.  1  sq.,  it  is  to  be  assumed  that  Jesus,  after  His  departure  from 
the  temple  on  the  evening  of  His  contest  with  the  Pharisees,  that  is,  on  the  evening  of  Tuesday  in  the 
Passion-week,  went  out  to  Bethany.  Further,  that  He  paused  on  the  brow  of  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
looked  back  upon  the  city  and  the  temple,  and  explained  to  the  three  confidential  disciples,  Peter, 
James,  and  John — Andrew  being  on  this  occasion  added  to  them — the  full  significance  of  His  solemn 
departure  from  the  temple  ;  revealing  to  them  the  signs  of  the  approaching  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
and  of  the  end  of  the  world,  as  also  the  signs  of  His  own  glorious  coming.  In  harmony  with  apocalyp- 
tical style.  He  exhibited  the  judgments  of  His  coming  in  a  series  of  cycles,  each  of  which  depicts  the 
whole  futurity,  but  in  such  a  manner  that  with  every  new  cycle  the  scene  seems  to  approximate  to,  and 
more  closely  resemble,  the  final  catastrophe.  Thus,  the  first  cycle  delineates  the  whole  course  of  the 
world  down  to  the  end,  in  its  general  characteristics  (vers.  4-14).  The  second  gives  the  signs  of 
the  approaching  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  paints  this  destruction  itself  as  a  sign  and  a  commence- 
ment of  the  judgment  of  the  world,  which  from  that  day  onward  proceeds  in  silent  and  suppressed  days 
of  judgment  down  to  the  last  (vers.  15-28).  The  third  describes  the  sudden  end  of  the  world,  and  the 
judgment  which  ensues  (vers.  29-44).  Then  follows  a  series  of  parables  and  shnilitudes,  in  which  the 
Lord  paints  the  judgment  itself,  which  unfolds  itself  in  an  organic  succession  of  several  acts.  In  the 
last  act  Christ  reveals  his  universal  judicial  majesty.  Ch.  xxiv.  45-51  exhibits  the  judgment  upon  the 
servants  of  Christ,  or  the  clergy.  Ch.  xxv.  1-13  (the  wise  and  foolish  virgins)  exhibits  the  judgment 
upon  the  Church,  or  the  people.  Then  follows  the  judgment  upon  individual  members  of  the  Church 
(vers.  14-30).  Finally,  vers.  31-46  introduce  the  universal  judgment  of  the  world.  The  relation  of  all 
these  sections  to  each  other  will  be  shown  m  the  Exegetical  Notes.  All  these  eschatological  discourses 
must  have  been  delivered  at  all  events  as  early  as  Tuesday  evening,  and  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives. 
Ch.  xxvi.  2,  "  Ye  know  that  after  two  days  will  be  the  Passover,"  might  seem  to  imply  that  this  word 
also  was  spoken  on  the  Tuesday,  and  consequently  all  the  parables  and  discourses  of  ch.  xxiv.  and 
xxv. ;  although  "  after  two  days  "  might  have  been  said  on  Wednesday,  since  the  part  of  the  current 
day  was  commonly  included ;  and,  on  the  whole,  it  is  more  probable  that  on  the  day  after  His  with- 
drawal from  the  temple  and  the  people,  on  Wednesday  {see  Luke  xxi.  37,  38 ;  John  xii.  3*7-50),  He 
completed  these  parables  on  the  last  things. 


FIRST    SECTION. 

THE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT;  OR,  THE  END  OF  JERUSALEM  AND  THE  END  OF  THE 

WORLD. 


Chapter  XXIV.  2-44. 

(Pericopes:    1.  Ch.  xxiv.  15-28,  on  the  \Uh  Sunday  after  Trinity;   2.  Ch.  xxiv.  37-51,  on  the  'i.lth  Sunday 
after  7Vm%.— Parallels :  Mark  xiii.  1-37 ;  Luke  xxi.  5-36.) 


Occasion  of  the  Discourses.     Vers.  1-3. 

1  And  Jesus  went  out,  and  departed  from  the  temple :  and  his  disciples  came  to  him 

2  for  to  shew  him  the  buildings  of  the  temple.     And  Jesus  [he  answering]  ^  said  unto 


CHAP.  XXIV.  2-44.  419 


them,  See  ye  not  "^  all  these  things  ?  verily  I  say  unto  you,  There  shall  not  be  left  here 

3  one  stone  upon  another,  that  shall  not  be  thrown  down.  And  as  he  sat  upon  [on] 
the  mount  of  Olives,  tlie  disciples  came  unto  him  privately  [/car  lUav\  saying,  Tell  us, 
when  shall  these  things  be  ?  and  what  shall  he  the  sign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  end 
of  the  world  [the  present  order  of  things,  aiwvos,  not :  koV/xov]  ? 

Signs,  and  the  Manifestation  of  the  End  of  the  World  in  general.     Vers.  4-14. 

4  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Take  heed  that  no  man  [lest  any  one, 

5  /x7;tis]  deceive  you.     For  many  shall  come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am  [the,  6]  Christ ; 

6  and  shall  deceive  many.  And  ye  shall  hear  of  wars  and  rumours  of  wars :  see  that  ye 
be  not  troubled  [beware,  be  not  troubled]  :^  for  all*  these  things  must  come  to  pass,  but 

7  the  end  is  not  yet.     For  nation  shall  rise  against  nation,  and  kingdom  against  kingdom : 

8  and  there  shall  be  famines,   and  pestilences,^  and  earthquakes,   in  divers  places.     All 

9  these  [But  all  these,  Travra  hi  raSra]  are  the  beginning  of  sorrows.  Then  shall  they 
deliver  you  up  to  be  afflicted,  and  shall  kill  you :  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  [by,  viro]  all 

10  nations  for  my  name's  sake.     And  then  shall  many  be  offended,  and  shall  betray  one 

1 1  another,  and  shall  hate  one  another.     And  many  false  prophets  shall  rise,  and  shall  de- 

12  ceive  many.     And  because  iniquity  [wickedness,  lawlessness,  dvo/xta]  shall  abound,  the 

13  love  of  many  [the  many,  the  great  mass,  TaJv  ttoAAwv]  shall  wax  [become]   cold.     But 
he  that  shall  endure   [ondureth,  6  Se  v7ro|a€a'as]  unto  the  end,  the  same  shall  be  saved. 

14  And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  [inhabited]  Avorld  \oIkov- 
/AeVr;]  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations ;   and  then  shall  the  end  come. 

Signs  of  the  End  of  the  World  in  particular. — (a)  The  Destruction  of  Jerusalem.     Vers.  15-22. 

15  When  ye  therefore  shall  see  the  abomination  of  desolation  [to  /SSiXvyjjia  ttJs  iprjfjLU)- 
o-ews],®  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet  (ix.  27),  stand   [standing,  eo-ro's] '  in  the  holy 

16  place,  (whoso  readeth,  let  him  understand,)   [let  the  reader  think  of  it!]®     Then  let 

17  them  which  be  [that  ai'e]  in  Judea  flee  into  [to]  the  mountains  [Peraea]  :  Let  him  which 

1 8  [that]  is  on  the  housetop  not  come  down  to  take  any  thing  out  of  his  house : '  Neither 

19  let  him  which  [that]  is  in  the  field  return  back  to  take  his  clothes  [garment].^"  And 
[But,  Se]  woe  unto  them  that  are  wath  child,  and  to  them  that  give  suck  in  those  days ! 

20  But  pray  ye  that  your  flight  be  not  in  the  Avinter  [in  winter,  xety^wvos],  neither  [nor]  on 

2 1  the  sabbath  day  [on  a  sabbath,  iv  o-a/^^aro)]  :  For  then  shall  be  great  tribulation,  such 
as  was  not  [has  not  been]  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time,  no,  nor  ever" 

22  shall  be.  And  except  [unless]  those  days  should  be  [were]  shortened,  there  should  no 
flesh  be  [no  flesh  would  be]  saved:  but  for  the  elect's  sake^'^  those  days  shall  be  short- 
ened. 

[b)  Interval  of  Partial  and  Suppressed  Judgment.     Vers.  23-28. 

23  Then  [*.  «.,  in  the  time  intervening  between  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  end  of  the  world] 
if  any  man  shall  say  unto  you,  Lo,  here  is  [the,  6]  Christ,  or  there ;  believe  it  not. 

24  For  there  shall  arise  false  Christs,  and  false  prophets,  and  shall  shew  great  signs  and 
wonders ;  insomuch  that,  if  it  were  possible,  they  shall  [so  as,  if  possible,  to]  '^  deceive 

25  the  very  elect  [even  the  elect,  koI  tows  eVAeKTows].     Behold,  I  have  told  you  before. 

26  "Wherefore  if  they  shall  say  unto  you.  Behold,  he  is  in  the  desert;  go  not  forth:  be- 

27  hold,  he  is  in  the  secret  chambers;  believe  it  not.  For  as  the  lightning  cometh  out  of 
the  east  [forth  from  the  east,  iiepxeraL  airo  avaroXwv],  and  shinetli  even  unto  the  west ; 

28  so  shall  also  [so  shall  be]'*  the  coming  of  the  Sou  of  man  be.  For^^  wheresoever 
[w'herever]  the  carcass  is,  there  will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together. 

77ie  Actual  End  of  the  World.    Vers.  29-31. 

29  [But,  Se]  Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days  [the  judgments  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament period  of  salvation]  shall  the  sun  [the  sun  shall]  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall 
not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the  heavens 

30  shall  be  shaken :  And  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven :  and 


420  THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 

then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn  [celebrate  the  great  funeral  of  the  world],  and  they 
shall   [and  shall]   see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in   [on,  ctti]   tlie  clouds  of  heaven  with 

31  power  and  great  glory.  And  he  shall  [will]  send  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  ^*  of  a 
trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of 
heaven  to  the  other. 

Suddenness  of  the  Catastrophe.     Vers.  32-44. 

32  Now  learn  a  parable  [the  parable,  tt/v  TvapafSoXrjv,  i.  e.,  of  the  sudden  appearance  of  the  end 
of  the  world]  of  [from]  the  fig  tree;  When  his  [its]  branch  is  yet  [is  already  become, 
r]8-i] — yeVryrai]  tender,  and  putteth  forth  leaves,"  ye  know  that  summer  is  nigh  [near,  eyyv's, 

33  as  in  ver.  33]  :  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  shall  see  all  these  things,  know  that  it  is  near, 

34  even  at  the  doors.     Verily  I  say  unto  you,  This  generation  shall  not  pass  [away],  till  all 

35  these  things  be  fulfilled  [are  done,  yeVy^rat].     Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my 

36  words  shall  not  pass  away.     But  of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man  [one],  no,  not 

37  the  angels  of  heaven  [nor  the  Son],^^  but  my  [the]'^  Father  only.     But  as  the  days  of 

38  Noe  [Noah]  luere,  so  shall  also  [so  shall  be]  ^^  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be.  For 
as  in  the  days  that  were  before  the  flood  [as  in  the  days  before  the  flood]  they  were 
eating  and  drinking,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noe  [Noah] 

39  entered  into  the  ark.  And  knew  not  until  the  flood  came,  and  took  them  all  away ;  so 

40  shall  also  [shall  be]  ^^  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be.     Then  shall  two  [men]  be  in 

41  the  field;  the  one  [one,  els]  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  left.     Two  women  shall  be 

42  grinding  at  the  mill ;  the  one  [one,  fxia]   shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  left.     "Watch 

43  therefore;  for  ye  know  not  what  hour  [day]  ^^  your  Lord  doth  come.  But  know  this, 
that  if  the  goodman  [master]  of  the  house  [6  otKoSeo-TroTr/s]  had  known  in  what  watch 
the  thief  would  come,  he  would  have  watched,  and  would  not  have  suffered  his  house 

44  to  be  broken  up  [through]."^  Therefore  be  ye  also  ready:  for  in  such  an  hour  as  ye 
think  not  tiie  Sou  of  man  cometh. 

'  Ver.  2.— [The  best  ancient  authorities,  including  Cod.  Sinait.,  omit 'Irjo-oCj,  and  read  :    6  5e    air  ok  pid  els    el- 

KiV.—V.  S.] 

*  Ver.  2. — The  omission  of  o  ii  in  Co<ld.  D.,  E.,  is  an  emendation. 

=  Ver.  6.— ['Opar  e,  ix7j  6po  elcrde,  Meyer:  Setiet  euch  cor,  erschrecket  nicitt;  L.inge:  Schauet  auf,  dock  er- 
(ichrecket  nicht,  i.  e.,  Look  up,  but  bo  not  frightened;  Conant:  Take  heed,  be  not  troiMed.  Mr]  is  not  to  be  connected 
with  opure,  since  in  this  case  it  would  require  6f,oria6e  instead  of  Bpoe'iodf.  Hence  there  must  be  a  comma  after  opure, 
a-s  in  tlie  best  editions.     See  Conant  in  loc.  and  Winer,  §56,  1st  footnote.— P.  S.] 

<  Ver.  6.— Lachmann,  after  Codd  B.,  D.,  L.,  etc.,  omits  vrayra. 

5  Ver.  7.— Kai  \0L/xoi  is  omitted  in  Codd.  B.,  D.,  E.,  by  Lachmann,  Tiscliendorf  [al.so  by  Tregelles  and  Alford].  The 
omission  may  be  explained  from  the  similitude  of  the  preceding  \t/j.oi,  but  the  connection  requires  Aot/xoi.  [Cod.  Sinait. 
reads:  aeia/xoi  ko.l  Ai/xoi,  reversing  the  order  and  omitting  Aoi,uoi.  Famines  and  pestilences  are  usual  companions, 
henoe  the  proverb:  /xeTO,  \l|.^hv  \oi/j.6s.  The  etymological  signification  of  these  cognate  terms  is  a  pining  or  wasting 
away.— P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  15.— [Lutlier  and  Lange  :  Grduel  der  Verwustmtg ;  Ewald:  Grduel  des  Erdurrens;  Meyer:  das  Schevsnl 
der  VerwuMiirni ;  Vulg. :  ahomvaatio  desolationits,  whence  our  English  Version,  of  which  Conant  says  :  "No  substitute 
can  be  given  for  this  pregnant  form  of  expression.  The  Hebraism  is  as  natural  and  intelligible  in  English  as  in  the  Greek; 
and  any  solution  of  it  is  comparatively  weak  and  tame  in  expression."    See  Lange's  Exegetical  Notes  in  loc. — P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  15.— [Fritz.sche,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  and  Tregelles  read  :  tar  6s,  with  a  number  of  the  best  uncial  MSS., 
but  Meyer  and  Alford  defend  the  text.rec:  karais,  and  reg.ud  kifvos  as  a  grammatical  correction  in  ignorance  that 
icrrivs  is  neuter.    See  Matthiie,  p.  446,  and  Meyer  in  loc. — P.  S.] 

8  Ver.  15.— ['O  avayivwoKoiv  yofiroi,  a  parenthetic  remark  of  the  Evangelist  (hence  avayivdiarKUV  instead  of 
diiovuv),  and  by  Lange  printed  in  small  type:  DerLesermeikeuuf;  Conant:  let  him  that  readeth  mark;  Campbell  • 
reader,  attend.— V.  S.] 

'■'  Ver.  17.— [The  criUcal  editions,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Tregelles,  Alford,  read:  r  a  tK  ttjs  olidas,  the  things  out 
of  the  home,  instead  o^  t  i  {anything).  But  Lange,  in  his  Version,  prefers  the  tevt.  rec.  (etwas),  which  is  supported  by- 
Cod.  D.,  Ircnseus,  and  many  authorities,  and  preferable  as  to  sense.     Cod.  Sinait.  reads  rd.— P.  S.] 

1"  Ver.  18.— The  singular:  rb  l/xdriuy,  is  supported  by  Lachmann,  [Tregelles,  and  Alford,  but  not  by  Tischen- 
dorf], according  to  many  ancient  authorities,  [also  Cod.  Sinait.],  and  is  more  appropriate  than  the  plural,  to.  If-LaTia. 
He  who  is  already  dressed  for  the  field  needs  only  his  cloak  for  the  journey.  .      ,      .      ,     .     j 

'■  Ver.  21.— [A't'cr  is  an  empha-sizing  insertion  of  King  James's  revisers,  and  should  be  omitted  as  in  the  Authorized 
Ver.sion  of  the  parallel  passage,  Mark  xiii.  19,  where  the  Greek  Te..-jtament  reads  as  here:   oh  ^7)  7t^7JTa^— P.  S.] 

12  Ver.  22.— [Or  :  yor  tte  .vff/fce  ((/ tte  c7to.s«?i  (5io  Toiis  eKhfKTovs).  All  the  earlier  English  Versions,  from  Wrfdif's 
to  that  of  the  Bishops,  have  chosen  for  elect,  and  Conant  defends  it  as  preferable.  The  revisers  of  King  James  .are  incon- 
sistent, rendering  the  word  iK\eKroi:  chosen  in  Matt.  xx.  16;  xxii.  14;  Luko  xxiii.  i35;  Kom.  xvi.  18;  1  Pet.  ii.  4,  9; 
licv.  xvii.  14,  but  in  all  otlier  passages:  elect.  If  elect  be  retained,  it  should  be  changed:  /or  the  sake  of  the  elect,  which 
is  smoother  i'aa.nfor  the  elect's  sake,  before  those. — P.  S.] 

1'  Ver.  24.— ["ilo-Tf  TrAai/fjcroi,  ei  dvvaTov.  See  Con.ant  in  loc,  who  also  changes  the  authorized  rendering  of 
vKayTjffat,  to  deceive,  into  ;  to  lead  astray,  in  this  whole  chapter.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIV.  2-14. 


421 


<*  Ver.  27.— Kai,   after  fmai,  is  omitted  in  [Cod.  Sinait.],  B.,  1).,  al.,  Laclimann,  Ti.scheiulorf,  [Trcgollos,  Alfoid]. 

'6  Ver.  28.— Codd.  B.,  D.,  L.,  [Sinait.],  Lachmann,  Tiscliendorf,  [Alford],  omit  yap, /or. 

'*  Ver.  81. — ^ttJi/^s  is  wantina:  in  L.,  A.,  nl.  Other  authorities  have  it  before  craAm^yur,  or  after  it  with  Kai. 
[Lan^e :  mil  einer  I'osaune  von  lautem  SohaU ;  Ewald :  mit  taiUem  Posainienachal/.] 

''  Ver.  32.— 'E /£  (p  i>  r; .  ['O  icKaSos  is  the  subject,  as  in  the  E.  V.]  Fritzsche,  Lriolimann,  al.,  write  iK^vT/  (et  folia 
edilafuerint). 

18  Ver.  36.— Codd.  B.,  !>.,  al.,  add:  ouSe  <i  uios.  Probably  an  insertion  from  Mark  xiii.  32.  Contra  Oiigen, 
Athana.sius,  Jerome.  [Cod.  Sinait.  has  likewise  the  addition  oi/5e  6  v  I  (5  ?  after  oi''paya)i',  and  Lachmann  adopts  it  in 
the  text.  Its  omis-Mon  may  be  more  easily  explained  from  doctrinal  prejudice  than  its  insertion  from  the  parallel  passage 
In  Mark.  Jerome,  however,  says  that  some  Latin  MSS.  read  neqvefiliii^,  but  "in  Grrecis,  ct  maxime  AdanumUi  et  Pierii 
exempUirib'iis  hoc  non  habetu'r  adscripium"  and  according  to  Athanasius  it  was  alleged  at  the  Council  of  Niwea,  A.  D. 
3-25,  that  these  words  were  in  .Mark  only.— P.  S.j 

•9  Ver.  36. — [The  critical  sources  of  Lachmann  and  Tregellcs  omit  i^ou  after  o  irarrip.  It  is  missing  in  Cod.  Sinait. 
tA  well  as  in  Cod.  Valicanus.     But  Tischendorf  and  Alford  retain  it.  — P.  S  ] 

2"  Ver.  37.  — [OuTCUs  tarai,  without  Kai,  which  is  thrown  out  in  all  critical  editions,  and  probably  inserted  from 
the  parallel  passage  in  Luke  xvii.  2C. — P.  S.] 

"1  Ver.  39. — [O  D'  t  ce  s  «  tr  t  a  < ,  as  in  ver.  37,  without  the  icai  of  the  tenet,  rec.  See  the  critical  editions.  Dr.  Lange, 
however,  retains  it  in  both  cases.— P.  S.] 

22  Ver.  42.— Codd.  B.,  D.,  [Sinait.],  etc.,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  lUnk,  Meyer,  [Tregelles,  Alford],  read:  ly^if'pa. 
The  received  reading:    wp  a,  is  probably  taken  from  ver.  44  as  a  more  exact  term. 

■^3  Ver.  43.— [A  1  o  p  K  7  rj  V  a  I ,  lit.  :  dug  through  ;  but  ^Lopvaaav  "was  applied  to  any  mode  of  forcing  an  entrance 
into  a  dwelling  or  ^torehuuse  for  plundi!r."    (Conant.) — P.  8.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CKITICAL. 

Literature  on  the  General  Subject. — Dorner  :  Dc 
Oratione  C'hrisH  Ewhatolof/ica,  Stuttgart,  1844.  R. 
Hoffmann  :  The  Second  Coming,  and  the  Sign  of  the 
Son  of  Man  in.  the  Heavens,  Leipz.  1850.  W.  Hoff- 
mann :  The  Last  Things  of  Man,  2d  ed.,  Berlin, 
1850.  C.J.Meyer*:  The Eschaiolofiical Discourses 
in  Matt.  xziv.  and  xxv.,  Frankf.  a.  d.  0.  1857.  Cra- 
mer :  The  Eschatol.  Disc,  of  Christ,  Matt.  xxiv.  and 
xj;i'.,  Stuttg.  IStJO. 

Luke  has  introduced  many  of  these  subjects  at  an 
earlier  point,  ch.  xii.  and  xvii.  Following  in  Luther's 
track,  Schleiermacher,  Hase,  and  Neandcr  made 
Luke's  the  original  account ;  but  de  Wetto  and  Mey- 
er, and  especially  also  C.  J.  Meyer  in  the  monograph 
quoted,  have  successfully  contended  against  this 
view.  Matthew  is  undoubtedly  the  leading  authority 
in  all  the  discourses  which  have  direct  reference  to 
theocratic  relations  ;  and  any  one  must  perceive  the 
exceeding  care  which  he  has  spent  on  all  the  Lord's 
words  upon  this  subject.  Tiie  order  which  we  have 
given  above  in  the  division  of  the  text,  is  substantial- 
ly the  same  as  is  given  in  the  Latin  dissertation  of 
Ebrard  on  the  eschatological  passages  of  the  N.  T. 
{Disscrtatio advcrsus  erroneam  nonnullorum  opinio- 
nem,  qua  Christus  Christique  apostoli  existimastie 
perhibentur,  fore  ut  universuin  judicium  ipsormn 
atate  s^ipicrvenirct.  Erlangen,  1842),  and  in  his 
Kritik  der  Evangel.  Geschichte,  p.  497.  On  the  law 
of  cyclical  representation,  consult  my  Leben  Jesu,  ii. 
o,  p.  1558.  According  to  Dorner,  vers.  4-14  exhibit 
the  development  of  the  gospel ;  v/hile  what  follows, 
from  ver.  15,  exhibits  the  historical  process  of  the 
Christian  religion.  Meyer  regards  the  section  to  ver. 
5  as  a  preparatory  warning  against  false  Messiahs  ; 
then  a  continuous  exhibition  of  the  future  down  to 
the  destruction  of  the  temple.  De  Wette  also  has 
failed  to  discern  the  organic  construction  of  the  dis- 
course. Stier  distinguishes  a  second  coming  of 
Christ,  Matt.  xxv.  "51,  from  the  first  coming,  ch.  xxiv. 
29,  but  without  support  from  the  rest  of  Scripture  ; 
although  it  is  equally  baseless  to  regard  the  coming 
of  Christ  to  the  first  resurrection  as  altogether  spirit- 
ual.    C.  J.  Meyer  understands  Matt.  xxiv.  29-31  of 


*  [N  It  the  Commentator  with  whom  the  Edinb.  trsl. 
confounds  him,  and  whose  Christian  name  is  Ueinrich  August 
>Vilhelm.-P.  S.] 


the  judgment  upon  Jerusalem  ;  a  view  which  has  no 
foundation  in  the  text,  and  which  overturns  the  cy- 
clical organization  of  the  whole  prophecy.  Accord- 
ing to  this  view,  it  is  in  ver.  35  that  tlie  end  of  the 
world  begins  to  be  referred  to. 


First  Cycle. 

General  Sketch  of  the  Last  Things  down  to  the  End 
of  the  World.     Vers.  1-14. 

Ver.  1.  To  shew  Kim  the  buildings  of  the 
temple. — Not  merely  tlie  temple  proper,  va6<:,  but 
the  collective  'upov,  and  not  only  the  structure,  but  the 
various  structures  composing  the  temple.  The  He- 
rodian  consummation  of  the  temple  of  Zerubbabel 
(Joseph.  Antiq.  xv.  11 ;  Bell.  Jud.  v.  5)  Avas  begun 
in  the  eighteenth  year  of  Herod's  rule  (about  20  b. 
c).  The  temple  itself  was  finished  (by  the  priests  and 
Levites)  in  one  year  and  a  half;  the  outer  courta  in 
eight  years.  "  But  the  successors  of  Kerod  went  on, 
at  intervals,  with  the  outbuildings,  down  to  the  be- 
gimiing  of  the  •  Jewish  war  ;  and  Josephus  tells  us 
{Antlq.  XX.  9,  7)  tliat  the  temple  was  not  finished 
imtil  the  time  of  the  last  procurator  but  one,  Albinus : 
comp.  John  ii.  20."  Winer.  Josephus  described 
with  admiration  the  magnificence  of  the  buildings. 
Bell.  Jud.  V.  5,  6  [and  Antiq.  xv.  14].* — And  with 
this  wonderful  house  of  the  theocracy  Jesus  would 
have  nothing  to  do,  because  the  house,  forsaken  of 
the  Spirit,  had  become  a  spiritual  ruin.  The  new- 
temple  seemed  to  promise  a  new  spring  of  the  Jew- 
ish theocracy  :  Jesus  spoke  of  the  end  of  the  temple, 
and  city,  and  all  the  old  economy  of  things.  They 
pointed  His  attention  to  the  temple,  which  they,  sons 
of  (lalilee,  had  so  often  contemplated  with  amaze- 
ment as  the  grandest  or  the  only  sanctuary  upon 
earth ;  referring  probably  to  the  declaration  of  Je- 
sus in  ch.  xxiii.  aS  (Chrysostom,  Wolf,  Meyer;  con- 
tra, de  Vv'ette)  with  deep  emotion,  almost  doubting, 
or  at  least  interceding  for  the  temple,  that  Christ 
might  prevent  it  from  falling  into  ruins. 

Ver.  2.  See  ye  not  sill  these  things  ? — Casau- 

*  [The  m.arble,  he  tells  us,  was  so  white  that  the  building 
appeared  at  a  distance  like  a  mountain  of  snow,  and  the 
gilding  as  dazzling  as  thi-  r.iys  of  the  sun.  Some  of  the 
stones  were  forty-five  cubits  long,  five  liigh,  and  six  broad. 
Even  Tacitus  speaks  of  the  extraordinary  magnificence  of 
the  Herodian  tcmplt^  —P.  S.] 


422 


TUE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


bon,  and  many  others,  startled  by  this  sentence,  have 
proposed  to  omit  the  ou*  Paulus  :  Do  not  look  too 
much  at  these  things  ;  but  this  would  require  ix-i)  in- 
stead of  01).  De  Wctte,  following  Chryso.stom  :  Do 
ye  not  marvel  at  all  this  magnificence  ?  Meyer's  in- 
terpretation is  still  more  unfounded  and  untenable  : 
Do  i/e  not  see  all  this  ?  namely,  the  vision .  of  Jesus 
concerning  the  destruction  of  the  ttnijile,  as  some- 
thing present  before  His  eyes.f  But  the  expression 
is  rhetorical,  and  introduces  what  follows:  Do  ye 
not  really  see  all  these  things  yet  ?  Soon  shall  ye 
see  them  no  more.  The  judgment  will  come : — the 
destruction  of  the  city  ;  the  burning  of  the  temple ; 
Hadrian's  statue  of  Jupiter  upon  the  site;  Julian's 
vain  attempt  to  rebuild  it ;  the  mosque  of  Omar. 

[Verily  I  say  unto  you,  etc. — A  most  remarls;- 
able  prophecy,  uttered  in  a  time  of  profound  peace, 
when  nobody  dreamed  of  the  possibility  of  the  de- 
struction of  such  a  magnificent  work  of  art  and  sanc- 
tuary of  rehgion  as  the  temple  at  Jerusalem ;  a  pro- 
phecy literally  fulfilled  forty  years  ai'ter  its  utterance, 
fulfilled  by  Jewish  fanatics  and  Roman  soldiers  in 
express  violation  uf  the  orders  of  Titus,  one  of  the 
most  humane  of  the  Roman  emperors  (called  delicice 
humani  generis),  who  wished  to  save  it.  And  Jose- 
phus,  the  greatest  Jewish  scholar  of  his  age,  had  to 
furnish  from  his  personal  experience  the  best  com- 
mentary on  our  Saviour's  prophecy,  and  a  powerful 
argument  for  His  divine  mission! — P.  S.] 

Ver.  8.  Upon  the  Mount  of  OZives. — On  the 
prospect  from  the  Mount  of  Ohves  over  the  city,  see 
the  description  of  travellers. ;]: 

The  disciples  came  unto  Kim  privately. — 
Asking  Him  coufideutially.  The  /car'  (Si  ay  refers 
to  no  disthiction  between  the  Twelve  and  other  men. 
It  indicates  indefinitely  that  distinction  among  the 
disciples  themselves,  which  Mark  notes  more  distinct- 
ly in  ch.  xiii.  3.  The  confidential  disciples,  to  whom 
He  disclosed  these  things,  were  Peter,  James  the  El- 
der, and  John ;  to  whom  Andrew  was  added,  who 
had  a  sort  of  seniority  among  the  disciples. 

When  shall  these  things  be  ?  and  what  shall 
be  the  sign  ?— Two  distinct  questions.  The  first 
refers  to  the  time  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem ; 
the  other,  to  the  signs  of  the  advent  of  Christ  and 
the  end  of  the  world.  They  were  sure  that  the 
coming  of  Christ  would  bring  in  the  end  of  the  world  ; 
but  they  did  not  apprehend  that  the  des,truetion  of 
Jerusalem  would  itself  be  a  sign  of  the  coming  of 
Christ.  This  distinction  is  important  for  the  inter- 
pretation of  the  whole  chapter.  The  Rabbins  spoke 
of  the  dolores  Messice,  according  to  Hos.  xiii.  13,  and 
other  places  (Buxtorf,  Lex.  Talm.  p.  '700)  as  the  pre- 
monitory signs  of  the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  § 

*  [A  similar  case  of  the  interrogative  use  of  oh  is  John 
vi.  70:   ovK  if  ill   v/xas  tovs   SciSeKa   6|tAe|a^rj!',   K.r.K. 

t  [The  Edinb.  trsl.,  overlooking  the  sc.  (scilicet,  namely), 
the  7ioch  haltloaer,  and  the  viehnehr  of  the  original,  makes 
Lange  here  defend  the  interpretation  of  Merer,  which  he  ex- 
pressly rejects.— V.  S.] 

X  [The  siege  of  Jerus.alem  began  at  the  Mount  of  Olives 
(lit. :  the  Olives,  t  wv  i\aiSiv\  and  at  the  passover,  the 
place  and  time  of  this  urophecy.  Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  v.  2.  3; 
vi.  9,  -S.— p.  8.]  -     r       J  ,     , 

§  [The  late  Judge  Joel  Jo.ves.  of  Philadelphia  {Kates  on 
iScrzpture,  p.  311,  as  quoted  by  Dr.  Nast)  and  Dr.  W.  Nast 
(Com.  in  lac.)  refer  the  inquiry  of  the  apoi^tles  to  one  and 
the  same  event,  concerning  which  they  wished  to  know  the 
time  and  the  sign,  and  understand  the  -napovaia  of  the  per- 
sonal coming  of  Christ  which  would  bring  about  the  end  of 
the  present  world  and  the  establishnieni  of  His  kingdom. 
In  the  view  of  the  iliseiples  ;it  that  time  these  two  events 
coincided,  and  one  and  the  same  sign  they  imagined  would 


Thy  coming. — The  irapovaia,  1  Cor.  xv.  23 ; 

1  John  ii.  28 ;  Matt,  x.xiv.  37,  39  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  1,  8, 
etc.  Before,  this  had  been  regarded  as  in  antithesis 
to  the  time  of  Old  Testament  expectation — in  which 
the  first  and  second  coming  of  Christ  coincided  ;  but 
here  it  is  specifically  viewed  as  the  period  of  His  last 
coming  in  glory.     The  irupouu'ia   is  the  (Tvi<p6.viia  of 

2  Thess.  ii.  8  ;  1  Tim.  vi.  14,  etc.,  in  antithesis  to  the 
times  of  the  hidden  influence  and  government  of 
Christ.  The  irapouria  refers  to  time  ;  the  inKpaveia 
to  space.  The  question  of  the  disciples  shows  that 
they  no  longer  entertained  the  notion  of  the  palm- 
entry  being  the  advent.  After  the  great  event  of  the 
resurrection,  they  did  indeed  venture  to  hope  that 
that  advent  was  already  beginning.  Acts  i.  6  ;  but  af- 
ter the  ascension  they  expected  His  coming  from 
heaven,  according  to  the  heavenly  intimation  in  Acts 
i.  11;  iii.  20. 

And  of  the  end  of  the  •world.  —  Meyer: 
"  There  is  in  the  gospels  no  trace  whatever  of  a  mil- 
lennarian  apocalyptical  view  of  the  last  things."  But 
Meyer  overlooks  that  the  o-fj/TeAeia  is  the  germ  itself 
of  the  expectation  of  the  millennarian  kingdom  which 
afterward  was  fully  developed  (Rev.  xx.).  From  the 
fact  that  the  awreXfia  should  come  suddenly,  it  does 
not  at  once  follow  that  it  should  come  and  end  at 
once.  It  embraces  a  period,  the  stages  of  which  are 
clearly  intimated,  not  only  in  1  Cor.  xv.  and  the 
Apocalypse,  but  also  in  Matt.  xxv.  and  John  v. — 
To  D  aiw  V  0  s . — "  The  aiuv  ovtus,  which  ends  with 
the  advent,  as  the  alccv  fj.4x\oov  then  begins.  The 
advent,  resurrection,  and  judgment,  fall  upon  the 
fcrxctTTj  i]M.(pa,  with  which  the  Kaiphs  tax^-'^"^  (1  Pct- 
i.  5),  the  iax^-'^a-i-  vi^^pat  (Acts  ii.  17 ;  2  Tim.  iii.  1), 
that  is,  the  stormy  and  wicked  end  of  the  ai(i>v  ovroi 
(see  Gal.  i.  4),  are  not  to  be  confounded."  Meyer. 
[It  should  be  kept  in  mind  that  when  the  "  end  of 
the  world  "  is  spoken  of  in  the  N.  T.,  the  term  alwv, 
the  present  dispensation  or  order  of  things,  is  used, 
and  not  Koa/xoi,  the  planetary  system,  the  created 
universe. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  4.  Take  heed  that  no  man  deceive  you. 
— The  practical  issue  of  all  discussion  of  the  last 
things. 

Ver.  5.  For  many  shall  come,  etc. — De  Wette : 
"  It  cannot  be  shown  that  there  were  any  false 
Christs  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Bar- 
Cochba  (Euseb.  iv.  (i)  appeared  after  that  event  (the 
deceiver  Jonathan  in  Oyrene,  Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  vii. 
11,  is  not  described  as  a  false  Messiah).  The  deceiv- 
ers of  whom  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  and  Josephus 
speak  (Acts  v.  36  ;  comp.  Joseph.  Antiq.  xx.  5,  1 ; 
!S,  9  ;  21,  38 ;  Bell.  Jud.  ii.  13,  5),  did  not  play  the 
part  of  Christs.  Church  history  generally  knows  of 
none  who  gave  himself  out  as  the  Christian  Messiah." 
Here  are  almost  as  many  errors  as  words.  1.  We 
have  not  to  do  here  with  the  specific  signs  of  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem,  but  with  the  general  signs 
of  the  end  of  the  world.  2.  All  those  are  essentially 
false  Messiahs  who  would  assume  the  place  which 
belongs  to  Christ  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  It  includes, 
therefore,  the  enthusiasts  who  before  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  appeared  as  seducers  of  the  people ; 
e.  g.,  Theudas,  Dositheus,  Simon  Magus,  etc.  3. 
Every  one  who  gave  himself  out  as  the  Messiah,  gave 
himself  out  as  the  Christian  Messiah ;  for  Messiah 
means  Christ.  That  no  pseudo-Messiah  could  an- 
nounce himself  as  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  is  obvious  of 


serve  for  both.    Otherwise  Nast  falls  in  with  Lange's  inter- 
pretation of  this  whole  chapter. — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIV.  2-14. 


423 


itself.  Moreover,  every  man  was  a  false  Christ  who 
pretended  to  assume  the  place  of  Christ ;  e.  g.,  Ma- 
nes, ilohammed.  For  modern  false  Messiahs  among 
the  Jews,  sec  the  Serial  Dibre  Eineth,  or  Words  of 
Trv.ih.     Breslau,  1853-4. 

In  My  name. — Properly,  on  Mij  name :  on  the 
ground  of  My  name. 

Ver.  6.  Ye  shall  hear. — As  it  respect'?  the  se- 
ductive side  of  these  false  Messiahs,  they  were  to  be 
on  their  guard  ;  but  as  it  respects  this  fearful  side, 
they  were  not  to  be  afraid. 

Of  wars,  and  rumors  of  wars.  —  Meyer  : 
"  Wars  in  tiio  neighborhood,  where  we  hear  the  up- 
roar and  confusion  ourselves ;  and  wars  in  the  dis- 
tance, the  rumors  of  which  only  are  heard."*  De 
Wette  :  "  Rumors  of  wars,  i.  c,  future  wars  in  pros- 
pect. .  .  .  Even  wars  and  calamities  they  were  not 
to  take  as  signs  of  His  coming.  Such  wars  we  can- 
not find  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem."  Mey- 
er likewise  denies  the  reference  to  facts  preceding 
the  destruction.  But  this  springs  from  misunder- 
standing of  the  construction  of  the  discourse.  Here 
all  wars  are  meant  down  to  the  end  of  the  world ; 
and  certainly  there  are  enough  of  them  to  be  found. 
Wetsteiu,  taking  it  for  granted  that  wars  before  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  must  be  meant,  refers  us  to 
tlie  wars  of  the  Jews,  under  Asinaeus  and  AUnteus, 
with  the  Parthians  in  Mesopotamia  (Joseph.  Aniiq. 
xviii.  '.I,  1),  the  wars  of  the  Parthians  with  the  Ro- 
mans, etc.f 


*  [Alf  iril  refers  the  o/coai  TToKejxaiv  to  the  three  threats 
of  toar  against  the  Jews  by  Caligula,  Claudius,  and  Nero, 
Joseph.  Antiq.  xi.x.  1,  2.  We  doubt  very  much  whether 
j)r()phecy  is  ever  so  specific. — P.  S.] 

t  [I  b^'f:  leave  to  quote  a  passage  from  my  diary  during 
the  famous  Southern  Invasion  of  Pennsylvania  under  Gen- 
eral E.  E.  Lee  in  June  and  July,  1S63,  which  may  throw  some 
light  on  this  passage,  in  its  wider  application  to  different  pe- 
riods of  repeated  fulfilment: 

"MERCEKSBtrnr,,  Pa.,  June  13, 1SC3.  It  seems  to  me  that 
I  now  understand  better  than  ever  before  some  passages  in 
the  proplietic  discourses  of  our  Saviour,  especially  the  dif- 
fereuce  between  '■loars''  and  'rumors  of  wai-s,''  and  the 
force  of  the  command  '■to  flee  to  the  mountains''  (ver.  IG), 
which  I  hear  again  and  again  in  these  days  from  the  mouth 
of  the  poor  cegroes  and  other  fugitives.  Humors  of  wars,  as 
distinct  from  wars,  are  not,  as  usually  understood,  reports  of 
wars  in  foreign  or  distant  countries— for  these  may  be  road 
or  heard  with  perfect  composure  and  unconcern— but  the 
cDntlicting,  confused,  exaggerated,  and  frightful  rumors 
which  precede  the  approach  of  war  to  our  own  homes  and 
firesides,  especially  the  advance  of  an  invading  army,  and 
the  consequent  panic  and  commotion  of  tho  people,  the 
suspension  of  business,  the  confusion  of  families,  the  appre- 
hensions of  women  and  children,  the  preparations  for  flight, 
the  fear  of  plunder,  capture,  and  the  worst  outrages  which 
the  unbridled  p.assions  of  brute  soldiers  are  thought  capable 
of  committing  upon  an  unarmed  community.  Such  rumors 
of  wars  .are  actually  often  worse  than  war  itself,  and  hence 
they  are  mentioned  after  the  wars  by  way  of  climav.  Tho 
present  state  of  things  in  thi^^  community  is  certainly  much 
worse  than  the  rebel  raid  of  Gen.  Stuart's  cavalry'in  Oct. 
last,  when  they  suddenly  appeared  at  Morcersburg  at  noon- 
day. Seized  a  largo  number  of  horses,  shoes,  and  storegoods, 
and  twelve  innocent  citizens  as  candidates  for  Libby  prison, 
but  did  no  further  harm,  and  left  after  a  few  hours  for  Cham- 
bersburg.  But  now  the  whole  veteran  army  of  Lee,  the 
military  strength  and  flower  of  the  Soutliern  rebellion,  is 
8ai<l  to  be  crossing  the  Potomac  .and  marching  into  Pennsyl- 
vania; we  are  cut  off  from  all  m  dl  communication  and  de- 
pendent on  tho  flying  and  contradictory  rumors  of  passen- 
gei-s,  straggling  soldiers,  run-away  negroes,  and  spies.  All 
the  schools  anil  stores  are  closed;  goods  are  being  hid  or  re- 
moved to  the  country,  valuables  buried  in  cellars  .and  gar- 
dens and  other  places  of  concealment;  the  poor  negroes— 
the  innocent  cause  of  the  war — are  trembling  like  leaves 
and  flying  with  tl.air  little  bundles  'to  tho  mountains,' 
especially  the  numerous  run-aw.ay  slaves  from  Virginia,  from 
le.ar  of  being  recaptured  as  "contrabands'  and  sold  to  the 
far  South;  political  pas.5ions  run  high;  confidence  is  de- 
etroyed;  innjccnt  persons  are  seized  as  spies;  the  neighbor 
looks  upon  his  neighbor  with  suspicion,  and  even  sensible 


The  end  is  not  yet.— The  end  of  the  world, 
as  in  vers,  13  and  14.  So  Chrysostom,  Ebrard,  de 
Wette.  Meyer,  on  tl\e  contrary  :  the  end  of  tlie  trib- 
ulations here  spoken  of.  But  this  falls  with  his  erro- 
neous construction  of  the  whole  discourse. 

Ver.  7.  Nation  shaU  rise  against  nation, 
kingdom  against  kingdom.  —  Meyer  :  Wais  of 
races,  and  wars  of  kingdoms.  But  wars  were  spoken 
of  in  the  preceding  verse.  Here,  the  subject  is  great 
poUtical  revolutions  in  the  world  of  nations :  migra- 
tions of  nations,  risings,  judgments,  blendings,  and 
new  formations  of  peoples. 

There  shall  be  famines,  and  pestilences,  and 
earthquakes.— De  Wette  and  Meyer  :  These  can- 
not be  pointed  out  definitely.  But  they  proceed  on 
the  fundamental  error,  that  they  must  be  pointed  out 
before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  With  regard 
to  the  famines,  reference  has  been  made  to  the  dearth 
under  Claudius,  Acts  xi.  28  ;*  with  reference  to  the 
earthquakes,  to  that  in  Asia  Minor  (Tacit.  Annal. 
xiv.  26). f  Certainly  these  are  not  enough  of  them- 
selves ;  and  Kara,  tottovs  points  to  diverse  places 
throughout  the  world.  The  passage  combines  in  one 
view  the  whole  of  the  various  social,  physical,  and  cli- 
matic crises  of  development  in  the  whole  New  Testa- 
ment dispensation.  Wetsteiu  and  Bertholdt  give  speci- 
mens of  Jewish  expectation  in  regard  to  the  dolores 
Messim. 

Ver.  8.  These  are  the  beginning  of  sorrows. 
— The  external,  lesser,  physical  woes,  as  the  basis  of 
the  greater  moral  woes  to  follow.  The  w 5 Ires, 
birth-pangs,  n-tlZT]  "h-^n.  Buxtorf,  Lex.  Talm. 
700.  The  new  world  is  a'birth,  as  the  end  of  the  old 
world  is  a  death. 

Ver.  9.  Then  shaU  they  deliver  you  up. — 
Meyer :  Then,  when  what  is  here  spoken  of  shall 
have  taken  place.  A  wrong  division.  It  does  not 
mean  fir  e  it  a  in  the  external  sense  ;  although  the 
internal  procedure  from  worse  to  worse  is  intimated. 

ladies  have  their  imagination  excited  with  pictures  of  hor- 
rors far  worse  than  death.  This  is  an  intolerable  state  of 
things,  and  it  would  be  a  positive  relief  of  the  most  painful 
suspense  if  the  rebel  army  would  march  into  town." 

Shortly  after  the  above  was  written  various  detachments 
of  Lee's  army  tofii  :  nd  kept  possession  of  Mercersburg  till 
the  terrilde  battles  of  Gettysburs  on  the  first  three  days  of 
Jul}',  and  although  public  anii  priv.'ito  houses  were  ransack- 
ed, horses,  cows,  sheep,  ami  jirovision  stolen  day  by  day 
without  mercy,  negroes  captured  and  carried  back  into  sla- 
very (even  such  as  I  know  to  have  been  born  and  r.aised  on 
free  soil),  and  many  other  outrages  committed  by  the  lawless 
guerilhi  bands  of  Neil,  Imboden,  Mosby,  etc.,  yet  the  .actual 
reign  of  terror,  b.ad  .as  it  was,  did  not  after  all  come  up  to  the 
previous  aiijirehensions  creat-d  by  the  "rumors  nf  v>'ar,"  and 
the  community  became  more  calm  and  composed,  iirave  and 
ui;min<lfid  of  danger.  After  tlu'  b.'ittle  ■■  of  Gettv.-liurg.  about 
a  thousand  wounded  and  mulilir.  .1  •,  '.  :  ••'::.:■?{<,  .■,ii<i  siddiers 
were  captured  on  their  retreat   :  ■  '  ;:i;ic,  and  left  jq 

the  Theological  Seminary  at  .Mr  :  ■  i  iic  cared  for  by 

the  very  I'eopic  v,ho  had  be<-n  yvrx'...,  i,  r>.l,!;ed  and  plun- 
dered li;,  i::.  ,;  r,,iuia.|es.  Thii.s  tlic  pr.avful  .scenes  of  good 
will  ai,  I    II  Iblluwi'd  tlie  liorrors  of  war.  and  tho 

bittciM       .  _:.M!  way  to  tlic  kin  I'y  sympathies  and 

geniTo  :  -  I  .  :  (i;,!iaii  nature  and  of  Cliristian  chanty.  Un- 
fortiinalfiy  a  \<  av  alU'i'War.l  (Julv,  18(i4),  a  band  of  rebels  in- 
v.aded  Soutli.'in  I'cmiim  I  vania  again,  and,  unmindful  of  these 
acts  of  kindiiib,-^,  )dnn<kTL-d  .Mercerslnni.',  and  burned  the  de- 
fenceless flourishing  town  of  (Jhambersburg  to  ashes, — ono 
of  the  most  cruel  acts  in  this  cruel  civil  war. — P.  S.] 

*  [Also  to  tho  assiduce  steriliiatcs  of  which  Suetonius 
{Claud.  IS)  speaks,  and  the  fames  which  Tacitus  {Annal. 
xii.  43)  mentions  about  tho  same  time.  There  was  also  a 
pestilence  at  Eome  about  O.").  which  in  a  sinale  autumn  car- 
ried off  30,000  persons.  (Sueton.  yero  39,  Tacit.  Annal.  xvi. 
18.)    See  Greswell.  and  Alford.— P.  S.] 

+  [Alfoed  in  loc,  and  others  who  refer  the  prophecy 
one-sidedly  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  mention  here 
the  great  earthquake  in  Crele  about  4G  nnd  4T,  another  at 
Rome  in  51,  a  third  and  fourth  in  Phrygia  in  53  and  GO,  a 
fifth  in  Campania  (Tacit.  Annal.  xv.  22).— P.  8.] 


424 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


In  that  time  of  external  convulsions,  will  the  greater 
internal  woes  be  experienced.  Hence  there  is  no 
contradiction  to  Luke  xxi.  12. 

And  shall  kill  you. — Not  merely  persecute  to 
death  "  some  "  of  jou.  Decius,  Diocletian,  the  Inqui- 
sition, religious  wars  of  modern  times.  Certamly  it 
is  not  exclusively  the  persecution  under  Nero. — Kill 
you. — The  Apostles  are  here  the  representatives  of 
all  Christians. 

Ver.  10.  And  then  shall  many  be  offended. 
— Then  marks  again  the  advancement  of  the  suffer- 
ing.— And  shall  hetray  one  another. — Meyer  : 
"  The  apostate  shall  betray  the  faithful  man."  But 
this  does  not  bring  out  the  whole  strength  of  the 
aAA.TjAoi/r,  or  the  progression  of  the  jthought. 
This  betraying  one  another  includes  the  idea  of  de- 
livering up  to  an  unauthorized  tribunal,  i.  c,  to  the 
heathen  magistrate  or  to  the  political  power,  which 
has  no  control  over  conscience ;  and  the  word,  there- 
fore, is  appropriate  to  all  political  persecutions,  which 
not  only  apostates  have  inflicted  upon  true  Christians, 
but  Christians  upon  Christians,  Arians  upon  Catho- 
lics, and  Catholics  upon  Arians,  etc.  (See  this  in  all 
Church  history,  especially  the  history  of  all  Protest- 
ant persecutions.) — And  shall  hate  one  another. 
— The  perfect  opposite  to  the  vocation  of  all  Chris- 
tians, to  love  one  another^  John  xv.  17. 

Ver.  11.  Many  false  prophets. — Not  merely 
•  extreme  antinomian  tendencies "  in  the  stricter 
sense.  The  false  prophet  may  be  legalistic ;  *  and 
that  is  another  and  higher  form  of  Antinomianism. 

Ver.  20.  Because  iniquity  or  lawlessness 
shall  abound. — 'A  v  o  fxlaVj,  not  merely  immoraliii/. 
Apostasy  from  the  internal  spiritual  laws  of  Christian- 
ity, or  mental  lawlessness,  is  iniquity  itself.  The  dying 
out  of  true  religion  must  be  followed  by  the  dying 
out  of  love  among  the  many, — that  is,  the  great  ma- 
jority of  Christians.  This  dying  out  will  be  in  its 
very  nature  gradual — a  grov«'ing  cold.  Meyer,  in  op- 
position to  Dorner,  endeavors  in  vam  to  explain  this 
of  the  apostolical  age. 

Ver.  13.  But  he  that  shall  endiure  unto  the 
end — Endure  in  what,  needs  no  explanation.  It  is 
the  antithesis  to  apostasy  from  the  faith  —  from 
the  Ught  of  faith  and  the  law  of  faith — and  from 
love. 

Unto  the  end. — (1)  Krebs,  KosenmuUer :  Until 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  {a-  o>  drja  era  i ,  flight 
to  Pella,  temporal  deUverance).  (2)  Eisner,  Kuinoel : 
Unto  death.  (3)  Meyer  :  To  the  end  of  the  tribula- 
tions.— It  is  obviously  the  end  simply,  the  last  day 
of  the  world ;  which  comes  preparatorily  to  every 
one  in  the  day  of  his  death,  the  last  day  of  the  indi- 
vidual Christian.  The  same  holds  good  of  the  ad- 
vent of  Christ.  Even  as  there  is  an  mternal  advent 
in  connection  with  the  external  and  universal  advent 
of  Christ,  so  also  there  is  an  internal  end  of  all 
things,  earnest  and  rehearsal  of  the  judgment, — 
the  filial  testing  and  confirmation  of  the  Christian's 
faith.f 


*  [Nohiiafi.-^c/i,  is  not:  Uffal  eiough,  as  tbe  Edinb.  trsl. 
h£tf  is,  which  gives  no  sense  in  this  conncftion,  but  lerjalis- 
tie  in  .a  bad  sense  as  opposed  to  evangelical  or  truly  Chris- 
tian. Alford  refers  here  to  the  plentiful  crop  of  heretical 
teachers  vrhich  sprung  up  every  where  in  the  apostolic  age 
with  the  good  seed  of  the  g.ispel  Acts  xx.  30;  Gal.  i.  7-9: 
Col.  ii. ;  1  Tim.  i.  6,  T,  20;  2  Tim.  ii.  18;  ill.  6-8;  1  John  ii. ; 
2  Pet.  ii. ;  Jude,  etc.— P.  6.] 

t  [Alford  refers  the  t4\os  in  its  primary  meaning  to 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  but  in  its  ulterior  meanings 
to  the  day  of  death  or  martyrdom  for  the  individual,  and  to 
the  end  of  all  things  for  the  Church  at  large.— P.  S.] 


Ver.  14.  This  gospel  [good  news]  of  the 
kingdom. — The  one  great  joyful  sign  of  the  ap- 
proaching end  of  the  world,  which  contrasts- with 
and  outweighs  all  the  preliminary  sorrowful  signs. 

In  all  the  world. — 'E  y  oAt?  tt)  oiKov^i-evri 
must  not  be  limited  to  the  Roman  Empire,  as  what 
follows  plainly  shows. 

For  a  w^itnes.i  unto  all  nations. — Ancient  ex 
positors  interpreted  this  of  the  conviction  of  the  na- 
tions, and  condemnation  of  the  heathen.  Grotius  :  In 
order  to  make  known  to  them  the  stiflfheckedness  of 
the  Jews  {perfinadajudaoruin).  Domer:  Ita uteri- 
sin  aid  vitce  aut  mortis  adducat.  Right,  doubtless.  The 
gospel  is  not  merely  to  be  preached  to  the  nations, 
but  to  be  preached  eis  fxapr  v  piov .  Testified  to 
them  faithfull}',  even  unto  martyrdom,  it  will  be  a 
witness  unto  them ;  and  then  it  will  be  a  witness 
concerning  them  and  against  them.* 

And  then  shall  the  end  come. — The  end  of 
the  world  proper.  Meyer  again  :  "  The  end  of  the 
tribulations  preceding  the  Messiah." 


Second  Cycle. 

The  Specific  Eschatology.  Premonitory  Signs  of  the 
End  of  the  World,  (a)  Tlie  Destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  {b)  the  Nevj  Testa)nent  Period  of  Restrained 
Judgment.     Vers.  15-22  ;  23-28. 

Ver.  15.  When  therefore  ye  see. — De  Wette 
and  Meyer :  The  ovv  signifies — in  consequence  of 
the  entering  in  of  this  re Aos.  Ebrard  :  Jesus  reverts 
to  the  first  question,  the  answer  of  the  second  ques- 
tion being  premised.  Wieseler :  Resumption  of  the 
thread  broken  oif  by  the  warning  of  vers.  3-14.  Dor- 
ner :  Transition  from  the  eschatological  principles  of 
vers.  4-14  to  the  historical  and  prophetical  appUcor 
tiou.  The  oZp  certainly  signifies  a  transition  to  the 
announcement  of  the  approaching  destruction  of  Je- 
rusalem— introduced  now  for  practical  application. 
But  it  looks  back  again  to  vers.  7-9,  where  the  disci- 
ples are  taken  up  into  tlie  figure,  just  as  they  after- 
ward retire,  and  we  hear  no  longer  vixeh. 

The  abomination  of  desolation  ((8  5  e  A  u  7  /u  o 
eprjM'^o-ea)  J.— Dan.  ix.  27,  niDCTD  Q-'lSillSir ; 
comp.  Dan.  xi.  31  ;  xii.  11.  On  the  difficult  place 
in  Daniel,  compare  Hengstenberg,  Hiivernick,  and 
Stier  [Discourses  of  Jesus,  on  this  passage).  Heng- 
stenberg [Christologie  des  A.   IVs,  vol.  iii.  p.  494) 

*  [Dr.  Nast,  and  others,  regard  ver.  14  as  the  cheering 
key-note  echoing  through  and  above  all  the  doleful  sounds 
of  this  prophecy.  "  Though  ever  so  many  dazzling  pseudo- 
Mes^iahs  arise,  though  bloody  wars  and  wild  tumult  fill  the 
world,  though  the  existing  order  of  things  be  overturned  by 
the  storm  of  revolutions  or  by  ttie  migrations  of  whole  na- 
tions, though  the  earth  be  visited  by  devastating  pesti- 
lence, or  bo  shaiien  in  its  very  foundations -notwithstand- 
ing all  this,  the  gos[iel  of  the  kingdom,  of  that  glorious  king- 
dom of  God  and  His  Anointed,  sh;ill  be  published  to  all 
n.ations,  so  that  all  may  have  an  opportunity  to  accept  it, 
and  that  it  may  be  a  witness  against  them  if  they  reject  it." 
Judge  Jones:  '-The  universal  promulgation  of  the  gospel  is 
the  true  ti.sn  of  the  end,  both  in  the  [narrow  and  restricted] 
sense  in  which  the  disciples  put  the  question  and  in  the 
[wider  and  universal]  sense,  which  in  the  Saviour's  mind  it 
really  involved."  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  throughout 
the  Homan  world  preceded  the  end  of  the  Jewish  State ; 
the  promulgation  of  the  gospel  throughout  the  whole  world 
will  bo  the  sign  of  the  end  of  the  al(i:v  ovroi.  "The  gigan- 
tic missionary  operations  of  our  days,"  says  0.  ton  Gkb- 
LACU,  "have  brought  us  considerably  nearer  to  the  fulfil- 
meiii  .if  this  word  of  our  Loid."  Alford :  "The  apostasy 
of  the  latter  days,  and  the  universal  dispersion  of  missions^ 
are  the  two  great  signs  of  the  eud  drawing  near."— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIV.  15-28. 


425 


translates,  "  and  over  the  top  of  abomination  comes 
the  destroyer."  The  top  of  abomination  is  then  the 
summit  of  the  temple  desecrated  by  abomination ; 
and  upon  this  summit  comes  the  desolater.  But  the 
desolater  would  then  form  an  antithesis  to  the  abom- 
ination. We  venture  to  translate :  "  And  even  to  the 
summit  (double  sense :  to  the  uttermost,  and  to  the 
top  of  the  sanctuary,  mentioned  before)  come  the 
abominations,  the  ravagers  (the  singular  instead  of 
the  plural,  comp.  Prov.  xxvii.  9),  and  until  destruc- 
tion, which  is  firmly  decreed,  is  poured  out  upon  the 
wasters."  See  many  other  interpretations  in  Meyer's 
Com.  [4th  ed.  p.  443].  The  Sept.  is  in  sense  cor- 
rect :  KCti  67ri  TO  liphv  PSi\vyixa  roiiv  epT]/j.(irreo)i'. 
Comp.  1  Mace.  i.  55  ;  2  Mace.  vi.  2.  This  abomi- 
nation of  desolation  has  been  variously  interpreted. 
(1)  The  Fathers :  The  statue  of  Titus  [or  Hadrian] 
supposed  to  have  been  erected  on  the  site  of  the 
desolated  temple, — which  is  questionable.  (2)  Je- 
rome :  The  imperial  statue,  which  Pilate  caused  to 
be  set  up  (Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  ii.  9,  2).  (3)  Eisner, 
Hug :  The  raging  of  the  zealots.*  (4)  Meyer  :  The 
vile  and  loathsome  abominations  practised  by  the 
conquering  Romans  on  the  place  where  the  temple 
stood.  (5)  Grotius,  Bengel,  de  Wette,  and  others : 
The  Roman  eagles,  as  military  ensigns,  so  hateful  to 
the  Jews.  This  explanation  we  adhere  to,  as  most 
consistent  with  ^5  4\vy/j.a.  The  Roman  eagles, 
rising  over  the  site  of  the  temple,  were  the  sign  that 
the  holy  place  had  fallen  under  the  dominion  of  the 
idolaters.  (Comp.  Wieseler  in  the  Guttingen  Quar- 
terly for  1846,  p.  183  sq.) 

Spoken  of  by  Daniel. — Wieseler ;  "  Which  is 
an  expression  of  the  prophet  Daniel."  As  Daniel 
describes  it. 

In  the  holy  place. — Mark  xiii.  14,  otrov  ov  5e7. 
Meyer  insists  that  it  was  the  temple  ground ;  Bengel, 
de  Wette,  and  Baumgarten-Crusius,  Palestine  gen- 
erally, but  especially  the  territory  round  Jerusalem, 
"  because,  after  the  capture  of  the  temple,  it  would 
be  too  late  to  flee."  This  extends  the  meaning  too 
far,  while  Meyer  confounds  the  present  passage  with 
the  text  of  Daniel.  It  was  to  be  to  the  disciples  a 
sign,  when  the  abomination  of  desolation  touched 
the  holy  place ;  and  they  were  not  to  wait  until  it 
reached  the  temple.  This,  therefore,  signified  the 
beleaguering  of  the  holy  city.  Jesus  gives  the 
longest  term  for  delay ;  but  does  not  forbid  an 
earlier  flight. 

Let  him  that  readeth  understand. — This  is 
not  a  word  of  Jesus,  as  Chrj'sor-tom  and,  after  him, 
many  have  thought ;  which  would  in  that  case  point 
to  the  reading  of  Daniel.f  It  is  a  word  of  the  Evan- 
gelist (de  Wette,  Meyer),  which  seems  to  intimate 
the  near  approach  of  these  signs,  i.  e.,  the  beginning 
of  the  Jewish  war.     The  passage  is  inijjortant  in  its 


*  [So  also  Stier,  Alford,  Wordsworth,  and  Nast,  who 
refer  the  words  to  the  intern;il  desecration  of  tbe  temple  by 
the  Jewish  zealots  under  pretence  of  defending  it.  See 
Joseph.  Bill.  Jad.  iv.  6,  Z.  But  Wordsworth  in  a  long 
note,  which  "Introduces  much  mystical  and  irrelevant  ni.at- 
ter,"  gives  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  a  wider  aitplication:  (1) 
to  the  idol  statue  of  Jupiter  set  up  in  the  temple  by  Anti- 
"chus  Epiphanes  (comp.  1  Mace.  i.  54,  where  that  idol  is  ex- 
pressly called:  ^54\uyiJ,a  fpT/ua'o-eas  ewl  rh  duaiatrrr}- 
piou) :  (2)  to  the  desecration  of  the  zealots  in  the  Jewish 
war;  (8)  to  the  sotting  up  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  on  the 
altar  of  God,  and  the  abominations  of  the  papacy,  "the  man 
of  sin  .'fitting  in  the  temple  of  God"  (2  Thess.  ii.  4).— I'.  S.] 

+  [I'robably  with  reference  to  the  words  of  tlio  angel  to 
Daniil  (ix.  25):  "Know  therefore  and  understand."  So 
Btier,  Nast,  Wordsworth.— P.  8.] 


bearing  upon  the  origin  of  this  Gospel  and  the  time 
of  its  composition.* 

Ver.  16.  Flee  into  the  mountains. — This  was 
fulfilled  in  the  flight  of  tlie  Christians  to  Pella: 
Euseb.  iii.  5.  Several  Christians  received,  before 
the  war,  according  to  Eusebius,  a  divine  direction  for 
tlie  congregation,  that  it  should  forsake  the  city  and 
betake  itself  to  Pclla,  in  Peraa. 

Ver.  17.  Let  him  not  come  down. — This  and 
the  following  are  concrete  descriptions  of  the  most 
extreme  haste  in  escape,  in  which  they  must  not  be 
hindered  by  any  motives  of  selfishness  or  conve- 
nience. The  allusion  is  to  the  flight  of  Lot  from 
Sodom,  and  Lot's  wife,  Luke  xvii.  32. — Not  come 
down. — Some  think  this  was  a  hint  that  they  sliould 
flee  over  the  flat  roofs  (Winer,  sub  v.  Dach) ;  ac- 
cording to  Bengel,  "  ne  per  scalas  hiteriorcs,  scd  ex- 
teriores  desccndat."  The  manner  of  escape,  how- 
ever, was  not  described  beforehand,  here  or  else- 
where. It  was  said  only,  that  no  one  must  go  down 
into  the  house  again,  to  carry  away  with  him  all 
kinds  of  encumbrances. 

Ver.  20.  Nor  on  the  Sabbath.— On  the  Sab- 
bath the  Jew  might  go  a  distance  of  only  two  thou- 
sand ells  or  cubits  [about  an  English  mile].  Acts  i. 
12 ;  Jos.  Antiq.  xiii.  8,  4.  This  ordinance  was 
based  upon  Exod.  xvi.  29.  (Lightfoot  on  Luke  xxiv. 
50.)  According  to  Wetstein,  however,  the  Rabbins 
made  many  casuistical  exceptions.  De  Wette  asks : 
"  How  does  this  scrupulous  anxiety  agree  with  the 
Saviour's  liberal  view  on  the  Sabbath  ? "  Meyer 
explains,  that  many  scrupulous  Jewish  Christians  f 
would  hardly  be  able  to  rise  aljove  the  legal  prescrip- 
tion concerning  the  Sabbath-journey.  But  both 
these  forget  that  the  Jewish  custom  with  regard  to 
travelling  on  the  Sabbath  [the  shutting  of  the  gates 
of  cities,  etc.]  would  make  the  Christians'  journey- 
ing on  that  day  infinitely  more  ditficult,  even  al- 
though they  themselves  might  be  perfectly  free  from 
any  scruple.  They  would,  in  addition  to  other  em- 
barrassments, expose  themselves  to  the  severest  per- 
secutions of  Jewish  fanaticism,  and  be  denounced  as 
apostates  and  traitors  to  the  religion  of  their  fathers. 

Ver.  21.  For  then  shall  be  great  tribula- 
tion.— A  sketch  of  the  history  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  Comp.  Luke  xxi.  20  sqq.,  and  Joseph, 
Bell.  Jud.  Heubner:  "According  to  Josephus,  not 
less  than  eleven  hundred  thousand  Jews  perished  in 
this  war.  The  siege  took  place  at  the  time  of  the 
crowded  festival.  Since  the  rejection  of  Christ,  the 
Jewish  people  has  been  in  a  state  of  slavery,  and  dis- 
persed over  the  earth.  Immediately  after  the  war, 
ninety  thousand  were  carried  away."  By  the  great- 
ness of  the  terror,  which  the  Lord  only  hints  at  cir- 
cuitously,  they  were  to  measure  the"  swiftness  of  their 
flight. 

Ver.  22.  And  except  those  days  should  be 
shortened,  iKoKofiwd-naav . — What  days '?  and 
how  shortened  ?  According  to  our  view  [Leben 
Jem,  ii.  3,  1269),  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  sig- 
nified and  was  the  actual  beginning  of  the  end  of  the 
world,  inasmuch  as  it  was  the  judgment  upon  the 


*  [Alford  regards  the  words  as  an  ecclesiastical  note,  like 
the  doxology  to  the  Lord's  Prayer,  vi.  13,  for  liturgical  use. 
It  must  be  admitted  that  in  tne  flrst  three  Gospels  there 
occurs  no  similar  case  of  a  subjective  insertion  calling  atten- 
tion to  any  event  or  discourse,  liut  Alford's  hypothesis  is 
thrown  out  of  the  question  by  the  unanimous  testimony  of 
the  critical  authorities  in  favor  of  the  passage. — P.  8.] 


See 


t  [Not :  Jews  and  ClirUtians,  as  the  Edinb.  tish  has  it. 
J  Meyer,  p.  445.— P.  S.] 


42G 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Jewish  people,  which  forms  the  counterpart  of  the 
world's  judgment  upon  Christ,  and  because  the 
heathen  world  was  involved  in  the  guilt  and  in  the 
punishment  of  the  Jewish  world.  Then  those  days 
are  the  days  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  as  the 
days  of  the  great  preliminary  judgment.  Those  days 
are,  as  days  of  judgment,  represented  as  shortened. 
Lightfoot  (with  allusion  to  rabbinical  notions  about 
shortened  days,  in  opposition  to  Josh.  x.  13)  and 
Fritzsche  understand  the  word  of  the  shortened 
le7iffth  of  the  days.  Meyer,  on  the  other  hand  (fol- 
lowing de  Wette),  refers  the  expression  to  the  dimin- 
ishing of  the  number  of  the  days ;  and  deduces  from 
the  saying  generally  the  earlier  occurrence  of  the 
end  of  the  world  itself  (ver.  29).*  But  how  should 
men  be  saved  through  their  passing  all  the  swifter 
out  of  the  burning  of  Jerusalem  into  the  burning  of 
the  entire  world  itself '?  The  verb  ko\o06u  means  to 
mutilate,  to  cut  oS'.  Thus,  then,  the  days  of  the 
New  Testament  dispensation  are,  under  the  judicial 
point  of  view,  or  with  reference  to  the  judgment  as 
already  begim,  modified  days  of  judgment — a  season 
of  grace.  To  this  points  the  conclusion,  "no  man 
would  be  saved."  Shortened — that  is,  in  the  divine 
counsel. 

The  elect  (Gen.  xviii.  23)  are  not  merely  those 
who  at  the  time  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  were 
believers  in  Christ,  but  all  who,  according  to  the 
divine  decree,  should  become  behevers  down  to  the 
end  of  the  world.  Ebrard :  There  follows  an  aitas 
paido  saltern  felicior,  which  Meyer  denies,  with- 
out sufficient  reason,  because  he  tliinks  that  the 
hastening  f  of  the  end  of  the  world  will  be  the 
means  of  salvation  for  many.  This  is  inconsistent 
with  2  Pet.  iii.  9. 

Ver.  23.  Then  if  any  man  shall  say  unto 
you. — Meyer :  Tore,  then,  when  the  desolation  of 
the  temple  and  the  flight  shall  take  place.  But  this 
is  inconsistent  with  what  follows.  The  rare  points 
to  the  New  Testament  interval  between  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  and  the  end  of  the  world. 

Ver.  24.  False  Christs. — The  >//6y5dxp'0'Tor 
must  needs  be  an  avr  ixp^a-ros,  and  conversely  {see 
my  Positive  JDogmatik,  p.  126*7.) — False  prophets 
must  be  understood  only  of  false  Christian  teachers. 
Meyer  thinks  of  false  prophets  among  the  Jews, 
according  to  Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  ii.  13,  4 ;  Kuinoel, 
of  such  as  should  give  themselves  out  to  be  prophets 
raised  up  from  the  dead, — Ehas,  or  others  ;  Grotius, 

*  [Similarly  Greswell  ami  Alford,  who  refer  to  the  va- 
rious causes  which  combined  to  shorten  the  siege  of  Jerus.i- 
lem :  (1)  Herod  Agrippa  had  begun  to  fortify  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem  against  any  attack,  but  was  stopped  by  orders 
from  Claudius  about  42  or  i.3.  (2)  The  Jews  being  divided 
into  factions,  had  totally  neglected  any  preparations  against 
the  siege.  (3)  The  msigazines  of  corn  and  provision  were 
just  burned  before  the  arrival  of  Titus  (ttAtjc  6\iyov  iruvTa 
rhv  alrof,  says  Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  v.  1,  5).  (4)  Titus  ar- 
rived suddenly,  and  the  Jews  viduntarily  abandoned  parts 
of  the  fortification,  (o)  Titus  himself  confessed  that  he 
owed  his  victory  to  God,  who  took  the  fortifications  of  the 
Jews  {Bell.  Jial.  vi.  9,  1).  "Some  such  providential  short- 
ening of  the  great  days  of  tribulation,  and  hastening  of  God's 
glorious  kingdom,  is  here  promised  for  the  latter  times.'' — 
P.  S.] 

+  I  In  German:  Besddeunigung,  and  not  delay  as  the 
Edlnb.  trsl.  has  it,  thus  perverting  the  originul  into  the  very 
opposite.  Meyer  (see  his  Com.  on  Matt.  p.  335  sq.  3d  ed.,  to 
wliich  Lange  refers,  or  p.  446  of  the  4th  ed.  which  I  mostly 
use)  conlinos  the  elect  to  the  Christian  believers  at  the  time 
of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  hence  thinks  that  the 
hastening  of  the  end  will  facilitate  their  salvation  by  short- 
ening the  period  of  trial  and  probation  and  diminishing  the 
danger  of  apostasy.  But  Lange  differs  from  this  view,  as 
appears  from  the  ohne  Grund,  and  the  reference  to  2  Pet. 
iii.  9,  both  of  which  are  omitted  in  the  Edinb.  trsl.— P.  S.] 


of  apostles  of  the  false  Messiahs.  But  compare,  in 
opposition  to  all  these,  2  Thess.  ii.  and  Rev.  xvi.  13. 
A  Christian  prophet  is  the  announcer  of  a  new  devel- 
opment, or  reform,  or  formation  in  the  doctrine  and 
life  of  the  Church.  A  false  prophet  is  an  ecclesias- 
tical revolutionist ;  Avhich,  howevei',  he  may  be  in  a 
despotic  or  absolutistic  sense,  as  well  as  in  a  demo- 
cratic or  radical.  In  the  domain  of  doctrine,  both 
characters  may  combine  in  one. 

Great  signs  and  -wonders. — That  is,  such  in 
appearance.  Awaovai  is  not  merely  promise ; 
nor  is  it  in  the  real  sense  give  ;  but  somewhat  as  in 
a  scenic  representation, — promised  with  ostentation, 
and  accomplished  in  appearance. 

Ver.  26.  In  the  desert ;  in  the  secret  cham- 
bers.— In  both  cases.  Behold  !  A'ot  merely  "  apo- 
calyptic painting,"  as  Meyer  says.  Beliold  indicates 
sensation  and  excitement.  The  general  idea  is,  that 
Christ  is  not  identified  with  a  particular  party  or 
sectional  interest.  Christ  "  in  the  desert,"  according 
to  the  analogy  of  John  the  Baptist  in  the  wilderness, 
signifies  the  supposition  that  Christ  would  be  found 
certainly  in  the  ascetic  and  monastic  form  of  life. 
In  opposition  to  this  view  stands  the  declaration  that 
he  is  eV  Tots  Ta/j.eioti.  The  Ta/j-iioi'  means  especially 
the  chamber  of  treasure  and  provision  ;  and  Christ 
in  the  secret  chambers  points  to  the  secular  forms 
of  millennarianism,  that  Christ  is  to  be  found  in  an 
external  Church,  with  all  its  temporalities  and  glory. 
(Mormonism  and  Communism.) 

Ver.  27.  For  as  the  lightning. — The  light- 
ning has  indeed  a  place  where  it  appears  first ;  but 
it  is  universal  in  its  shining,  visible  from  the  eastern 
to  the  western  horizon.  So  will  Christ  at  His  appear- 
ing manifest  Himself  by  an  uhmistakeable  brightness, 
irradiating  the  whole  earth.  It  is  not  here,  then, 
the  mere  suddenness  that  is  meant,  but  rather  the 
Oiiaiiprcsenf,  unmistakeable,  and  fearful  visibility. 
The  majestic  glory  of  the  lightning,  and  its  effect 
in  purifying  the  air,  are  here  silent  concomitants. 

Ver.  28.  Where  the  carcass  is. — A  universal 
law  of  nature,  which  reflects  the  higher  law  of  the 
moral,  and  especially  of  the  Christian,  world.  The 
eagles  here  are  carrion  vultures  which  were  num- 
bered by  the  ancients  with  the  race  of  eagles. 
Comp.  Job  xxxix.  30 ;  Hos.  viii.  1  ;  Hab.  i.  8. 
[Plin.  Hist.  Nat.  vs..  3.]  The  figure  gives  a  profound 
and  strong  expression  of  the  necessity,  inevitable- 
ness,  and  universality  of  judgment.  As  the  carcass 
everywhere  attracts  the  carrion-eaters,  so  do  moral 
corruption  and  ripened  guilt  everywhere  demand  the 
judgment.  The  bearing  of  this  proverbial  word  in 
the  text  is  somewhat  more  difficult.  The  following 
are  some  interpretations  :  (1)  Christ  is  the  food  (the 
carcass  1),  believers  the  eagles :  Theophylaet,  Calvin, 
Calovius.  (Jerome  even  went  so  far  as  to  find  in 
the   -nruiixa  a  reference  to  the  death  of  Christ.)  * 


*  [So  also  Chrysostom  (the  congregated  eagles  are  the 
assembly  of  saints  and  martyrs)  and  Euthymius  Zigabenus. 
Among  modern  interpreters  Dr.  Wordsworth  soberly  de- 
fends this  untenable  patristic  interpretation :  "  As  keen  as  id 
the  sense  of  the  eagle  for  the  Trrw/xa,  so  sharp-sighted  will 
be  true  Christians  to  discern,  and  flock  to,  the  body  of 
Christ."  The  reason,  he  thinks  (with  Jerome),  why  Christ 
calls  Himself  here  irTw^a  is,  because  He  saven  us  by  Hia 
death.  He,  too,  quotes  Ps.  ciii.  5  and  Isa.  xl.  31  (as  Jerome 
did  before),  to  prove  that  saints  may  be  compared  to  eagles 
who  renew  their  youth  and  ily  up  with  wings  to  Christ  and 
will  be  caught  up  with  Him  in  the  clouds.  But  a  reference 
of  TTTWixa  to  the  s.acred  body  of  the  Saviour,  which  never 
saw  corri;ption,  violates  every  principle  of  good  taste  and 
propriety. — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIV.  29-14. 


427 


(2)  The  carcass  means  those  who  die  to  themselves ; 
the  eagles,  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit :    Grotius. 

(3)  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews  are  the  carcass  ;  attract- 
ing the  Roman  legions  with  their  eagles  :  Lightfoot, 
Wolf,  de  Wette  \the  last  doubtful).  (4)  Meyer  : 
"  The  carcass  is  a  figure  of  the  spiritually  dead  ;  and 
(Tvfaxdvo'ovTai  (that  is,  at  the  advent)  oi  aerul  repre- 
sents the  same  as  is  described  in  eh.  xiii.  41,  that  is, 
the  angels  sent  out  by  Christ."  Doubtless  the 
figure  of  the  eagles  will  express  the  necessity  and 
inevitableness  of  tlie  advent,  as  the  figure  of  the 
lightning  expresses  the  uimiistakeableness  and  awful 
grandeur  of  its  signs.  But  then  the  carcass  must 
represent  the  moral  corruption  and  decay  of  the 
world  itself;  and  the  eagles  the  judgment,  not  only 
in  its  personal,  but  also  in  its  physical,  elements  and 
forces.*  The  only  question  is,  whether  the  word 
merely  looks  back  to  ver.  27,  or  also  to  ver.  26. 
KiiuS'er  thmks  the  latter  exclusively  :  "  Believe  them 
not  who  say  that  Christ  is  here  or  there ;  they  are 
prcedatores  avidi."  If  we  take  the  saying  in  ver.  28 
as  a  conclusive  glance  back  upon  the  whole  section 
from  15  downward,  the  choice  of  the  figure  is  at 
once  explained.  In  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
the  judgment  will  begin  by  the  appearance  of  the  great 
carrion  eagles  (there  is  included  a  manifest  allusion  to 
the  Roman  eagles).  From  that  time  it  will  go  on 
through  the  whole  new  period  ;  and  find  its  expres- 
sion in  continuous  local  judgments  throughout  the 
gracious  period  of  the  shortened  days  of  judgment : 
hence  cnou  iav.  At  last  the  judgment  will  extend  to 
the  whole  morally  corrupt  and  spiritually  dead  world. 
Ver.  28  then  comprehends  and  sums  up  the  whole 
series  of  judgments  from  ver.  15-27. 


Third  Cycle. 

The  Specific  Eschatology.     The  Appearance  of  the 
End  of  the  World  i/se//.— Vkrs.  29-44. 

Ver.  29.  After  the  tribulation  of  those  days. 
— Here  begins  the  representation  of  the  end  of  the 
world,  or  rather  the  hcciinning  of  the  end,  the  irapov- 
aia,  the  advent  of  Christ.  The  Qxl^is  tuv  i)fj.ipSiv 
f  Keivaiv  is  not  the  same  as  the  OKl^t^  niydxri  (ver. 
21),  which  betokens  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
It  is  rather  a  new  e\7ipis,  in  which  the  restrained 
days  of  judgment  under  the  Christian  dispensation 
issue  (ver.  22),  and  which  are  especially  character- 
ized by  the  stronger  temptations  of  pseudo-raessianic 
powers.  Thus,  when  this  d\'iif/ts  of  temptations  has 
reached  its  climax  (comp.  2  Thess.  ii.  8  ;  Rev.  xiii. ; 
ch.  xiv.),  then  immediately  {euOfcos)  the  great 
catastrophe  will  come.  Meyer,  follov/ing  de  Wette 
and  others  [A.  Clarke,  Robinson,  OweuJ,  refers  the 
immediateli/  to  what  is  said  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  and  calls  the  dissenting  explanations  of 
Bengel,  Ebrard,  Diisterdieck,  etc.,  dogmatic.  But 
there  is  also  a  dogmatism  of  the  abstract  modern 
exegesis.  The  grounds  of  our  distinctions  in  these 
crises  are  plain  enough  in  the  record :  (1)  The 
cyclical  nature  of  the  representation,  after  the 
analogy  of  the  apocalyptic  style ;  (2)  the  distinc- 
tion between  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the 
New  Testament  period  of  mitigated  and  restrained 
woes.     The  favorite  modern  hypothesis  most  un- 

*  [Similarly  Alford  :  The  Trrol/xa  is  the  whole  world, 
the  aerui  the  angels  of  vengoance.  See  Deut.  xxviii.  49, 
which  is  probably  here  referred  to;  also  llosea  viii.  1;  IJab. 
L  S.-F.  S.] 


reasonably  places  all  the  temptations  described  in 
vers.  24-26  in  the  time  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. But  tlie  evOdais  describes  the  nature  of  tho 
final  catastrophe,  that  it  will  be  at  once  swift,  sur- 
prisingly sudden,  and  following  ui)on  a  development 
seemingly  slow  and  gradual.  Thus,  throughout  the 
whole  course  of  history,  the  swift  epochs  follow  the 
slow  process  of  the  periods.  We  need  not,  however, 
translate  t  v  6  4oi  s  by  suddenly,  i.  e.,  unexpectedly, 
with  Hammond  and  Schott;  "but  still  less  assume 
that  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  is  here  again  intro- 
duced (Kuinoel).* 

The  sun  shall  be  darkened. — Domer,  figura- 
tively :  "  Sun,  moon,  and  stars  signify  the  Nature- 
worship  of  the  heathen ;  the  whole  passage,  there- 
fore, must  mean  the  fall  of  heathenism  after  the  fall 
of  Judaism."  But  it  is  manifest  that  the  beginning 
of  the  cosmical  end  of  all  is  the  subject  here  ;  as  in 

2  Pet.  iii.  12  ;   Rev.  xx.  and  xxi. ;  comp.  Joel  iii. 

3  sqq.  ;  Isa.  xxxiv.  4  ;  xxiv.  21  ;  Dan.  vii.  13. f 

The  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven. — Isa.  xxxiv. 
4.  1.  The  stars  shall  lose  their  light:  Bengel,  Pau- 
lus,  Olshausen.  2.  AUegorically :  the  downfall  of 
tho  Jewish  commonwealth  :  Wetstein,  etc.  3.  Dor- 
ner :  "  The  fall  of  the  heathen  star-worship."  4. 
Augustine  :  Obscuration  of  the  Church. :f  5.  Calvin  : 
Phenomenal  appearances  of  falhng  stars  {nccundam 
hominum  sensum).  6.  Meteors  and  shooting  stars, 
popularly  mistaken  for  real  stars  :  Fritzsche,  Kuin- 
oel,  de  Wette  [Owen].  V.  Meyer  thinks  that  the 
words  are  to  be  understood  literally ;  the  stars  in 
general  being  spoken  of  according  to  the  notion 
that  they  were  fixed  in  the  heaven.  (Comp.  Kno- 
bel  on  Isa.  p.  245.)  This  would  ascribe  an  astro- 
nomical error  to  Christ,  or  make  Him  acquiesce  in 
a  popular  error.  8.  They  may  be  limited  to  the  stars 
which  belong  to  the  planetary  family,  of  which  this 
earth  is  one,  and  the  falhng  of  the  stars  may  be  un- 
derstood of  the  dissolution  of  their  planetary  connec- 
tion with  the  sun :  that  is,  the  idea  is  here  poetically 


*  [Alford  think.s  that  all  the  difficulties  connected  with 
tvOdoos  have  arisen  from  confounding  the  partial  fulfilment 
of  the  prophecy  with  its  ultimate  one.  Wordsworth 
quotes  from  Glassius,  Philol.  Sacra,  p.  447,  the  following 
remark  on  iiidioos'.  '■'■  Non  ad  nostrum  computum,  sed 
difinum,  in  quo  dies  mille  sunt  unus  dies."  Ps.  xc.  4;  2 
Pet.  iii.  8.  Hence  the  whole  interval  between  the  first  and 
the  second  coming  of  Christ  is  called  the  last  time,  or  the 
Zrt.yi  hour,  iax'^'rv  u>pa,  1  John  ii.  IS;  1  Cor.  x.  11;  1  Pet. 
iv.  7;  Ileb.  i.  2,  etc.  In  the  Apostles'  Creed,  too,  we  imme- 
diately add  to  the  article  on  the  ascen.sion  and  the  sitting  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  the  words  :  '•  from  thence  He  shall 
come  again  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead."  Dr.  Nast,  to 
avoid  the  difficulties  which  beset  the  ante-millennarian  inter- 
pretation of  ei/deoos  (Stier,  Ebrard,  Auberlen,  Alford),  as 
well  as  that  which  refers  vers.  29  sqq.  to  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  (A.  Clarke,  and  others),  proposes  a  figurative  in- 
terpretation of  vers.  29-36,  and  sees  here  a  picture  of  a  "ju- 
dicial visitation  of  nominal  Christendom  by  Christ,  in  order 
to  destroy  all  ungodly  institutions  and  principles  in  Church 
and  State,  of  which  visitation  the  overthrow  of  the  Jewish 
jiolitv  was  but  a  type,  and  which  itself  is,  in  turn,  the  full 
typo'of  the  final  and  total  overthrow  of  all  powers  of  dark- 
ness on  the  great  day  of  judgment."  Consequently  the 
Lord's  coming,  as  described  in  vers,  29-:36,  would  be  merely 
a  providential  coming,  which  precedes  His  1\na.\,  personal 
comins.    See  below. — P.  S.] 

t[dwen:  A  total  eclipse  of  the  sun.  Whedon  under- 
stands here  visible  phenomena  of  the  heavens  at  tho  visible 
appearance  of  Christ.    See  Nast.— P.  S.] 

if  [So  also  "Wordsworth,  who  gives  these  words  a  double 
sense,  a  physical  and  spiritual:  -'The  sun  shall  be  darkened, 
— i.  e.,  the  solar  liL'ht  of  Christ's  truth  shall  be  dimnjod,  tho 
lunar  orb  of  the  Church  shall  be  obscured  by  heresy  and  un- 
belief, and  some  who  once  shone  brightly  as  stars  in  tho 
firmament  of  the  Church  shall  full  from  their  place."  Simi- 
larly Alford.— P.  S.] 


428 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


depicted,  that  the  phinetary  solar  system  will  be 
changed  into  a  heavenly  constitution,  in  which  the 
planets  will  be  independent  of  the  sun,  and  them- 
selves become  self-enlightened  stars  (comp.  Rev.  xxi. 
23).  It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  heaven  (daTe'^ej- 
a-nh  rod  o  v  p  a  v  o  v)  and  the  heavens  {v.1  Swd/xeLs  t  ai  i/ 
oil pavuiv)  are  distinguished. 

And  the  powers  of  the  heavens  (plural). — 1. 
The  common  acceptation  is,  the  host  of  stars.  (Isa. 
xxxiv.  4  ;  Ps.  xsxiii.  0  ;  2  Kings  xvii.  16.)  2.  The 
angel-world  :  Olshausen,  after  the  Fathers.  3.  Rev- 
olution in  cosmical  relations  and  laws.  (Lange's 
Leben  Jesu,  ii.  3,  p.  1275.)  * 

Ver.  30.  And  then  shall  appeal-. — A  cosmical 
transformation,  which  also  affects  the  earth  as  in  a 
transition  state  (Pollok's  Course  of  Time),  prepares 
the  way  for  the  sign  of  Christ ;  this  announces  His 
immediate  coming. 

The  sign  of  the  Ron  of  Man. — 1.  Chrysos- 
tom  [Hilary,  Jerome,  Wordsworth],  etc. :  The  sign 
of  a  cross  in  the  heaven.  2.  Olshausen :  The  star 
of  the  Messiah  (Num.  xxiv.  17).  3.  Fritzsche, 
Ewald:  The  Messiah  Himself.  [So  also  Bengel : 
Ipse  erit  signuni  sui.  Luc.  ii.  12.]  4.  Schott :  No 
Other  than  what  is  described  in  ver.  29.  5.  Rud. 
Hoffmann :  "  An  appearance  resembling  a  man, 
which  was  seen  in  the  Holiest  during  the  siege 
of  Jerusalem."  But  this  is,  as  Meyer  objects,  a 
mere  fable  related  by  Ben  Gorion.  6.  Meyer  :  "  A 
luminous  appearance,  the  forerunner  of  the  5o'|a  of 
the  Messiah  ;  "  de  Wette,  "  a  kind  of  Shechinah."  f 
7.  But  why  not  the  Shechinah  or  the  5ti|a  of  Christ 
itself  ?  It  is  the  shining  glory  of  the  manifestation 
in  general  as  distinct  from  the  personal  manifestation 
itself;  comp.  ch.  xii.  38  ;  xvi.  1  ;  xvii.  2. 

And  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth 
mourn,  etc. — The  expressions  k6^/o  vt  o.  i^  o^ov- 
r  a  t,  have  a  striking  alliteration,  which  cannot  be 
imitated  in  the  translation.:]:  The  former,  KOTrrerreai, 
does  not  mean  merely  a  mourning  in  the  common 
sense  of  the  word,  but  a  ritual,  solemn  lamentation, 
as  in  the  penitent  beating  the  breast,  and  especially 
the  deep  mourning  over  the  dead ;  and  v-a-TfadaL 
means  a  significant  and  spiritually  exalted,  though 
real,  beholding.  Thus  we  must  interpret  the  two 
words  here.  But  it  is  to  be  especially  noted  that 
the  tribes  of  the  earth  in  both  cases  are  so  over- 
powered by  the  events,  that  they  are  involuntarily 
constrained  to  form,  in  the  unity  of  their  expressions 
of  feeling,  one  chorus.  Meyer:  ^^  Mourn:  for,  what 
total  change  in  the  state  of  things,  what  rending  and 
revolution  of  all  the  relations  of  life,  what  de- 
cisive catastrophes  will  declare  themselves  to  be  at 
hand  in  the  judgment  and  changing  of  the  aiwres !  " 
The  lamentation  of  penitence  (Dorner)  is  not  exclud- 
ed. Ewald :  "  Then  will  the  lamentation  over  the 
crucifixion  of  Christ  so  long  delayed  be  taken  up," 
— rather,  consummated  ;  for  Christendom  §  has  con- 

■•■  [Alford  :  "Smi/.  t.  ovpai/wv,  Bot  the  stars  jasi 
mentidiied;  nor  the  angels,  spoken  of  ver.  31;  but  most 
probably  the  greater  heavenly  bodies,  distinguished  from  the 
aaripis  (Gen.  i.  16),  typically:  the  influences  which  rule 
human  society  and  m.ake  the  political  weather  fair  or  foul." 

t  [Similarly  Alford,  who  refers  to  the  star  of  Ihe  Wise 
Men  for  illustration,  but  at  the  same  time  inclines  to  the 
patristic  view  that  this  sign  by  which  all  shall  know  the  ap- 
proach of  Christ,  will  probably  b«  a  cross— P.  8.] 

$  [Lange  endeavors  to  render  it  in  his  German  Version 
by  :  uteheii  weinen  (im  Traverchor)  imd  sehen  erscheinen 
(im  Schauerchor)—Tiiihev  artificial.  The  Edinb.  trsl.  omits 
the  allusion  altogether.— P.  S  ] 

§  [In  German:  Die  ChriatenJieit,  i.  e.,  the  whole  body  of 


tiuued  that  lamentation  from  the  beginning. — All 
the  tribes  of  the  earth. — The  races  and  peoples : 
intunating  that  social  and  political  relations  are  now 
dissolved,  and  that  the  original  national  types  of 
nature  are  now  distinctly  prominent. 

Ver.  31.  And  He  shall  send  His  angels. — 
Meyer :  "  Out  of  the  clouds  of  heaven,  1  Thess.  iv. 
16,  17  ;  comp.  afterward  ver.  33  "  (?).  But  the  pas- 
sage 1  Thess.  iv.  16  shows  only  ti  it  the  iiiithful, 
who  at  the  end  of  the  world  will  he  changed,  or 
have  part  in  the  first  resurrection,  will  joyfully  go  to 
meet  the  Lord  at  His  coming  in  the  form  of  spirit- 
life.  But  that  the  end  of  the  world  does  not  close  in 
one  moment,  is  taught  by  Paul  also  in  1  Cor.  xv.  23, 
24 :  "  Christ  is  the  first-fruits.  Afterward  they  that 
are  Christ's,  when- He  shall  come.  Afterward  the 
end."  Between  the  first  and  the  second  crisis  there 
intervenes  a  period ;  so  also  probably  between  the 
second  and  the  third.  This  period  is  intimated  in 
John  V.  25  ;  comp.  v.  28.  But  in  this  present 
section  a  series  of  judicial  acts  are  clearly  distin- 
guished. First,  the  judgment  upon  the  clerical 
office,  ver.  45  ;  then  upon  the  collective  Church,  ch. 
XXV.  1 ;  then  upon  its  individual  members,  ver.  14 ; 
finally,  upon  all  nations,  ver.  31.  This  series  of 
judgments  points  to  a  period  of  the  royal  admin- 
istration of  Christ  upon  earth,  which  in  the  fuller 
eschatological  development  of  Rev.  xx.  is  repre- 
sented in  the  symbolical  form  of  a  thousand  years' 
kingdom.  Thus,  as  the  great  crisis  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  unfolds  itself  into  a  period  which 
closes  only  with  the  appearance  of  Christ,  so  again 
the  crisis  of  the  appearance  of  Christ  is  the  gei-m  of 
a  period  which  is  consummated  m  the  general  judg- 
ment and  the  end  of  the  world.  But  the  millennial 
kingdom  is,  in  its  totality,  the  great  last  day  of 
separation  and  cosmical  revolution,  out  of  which  the 
present  world  will  issue  in  heavenly  glorification. — 
The  sending  of  Christ  thus  collects  together  the 
faithful  around  the  Lord  upon  earth ;  although  the 
greeting  and  reception  is  to  be  regarded  as  conducted 
in  the  clouds,  that  is,  at  the  point  of  transition  be- 
tween the  old  and  the  new  spiritual  kingdom. 

With  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet.— De  Wet- 
te :  "  It  is  to  be  construed,  either :  with  a  trumpet 
of  loud  sound,  or,  better:  with  a  great  sound  of  a 
trumpet."  Compare  pjn  -i£Vr  bip  ,  Ex.  xix.  16. 
Trumpets  occur  in  the  Old  Testament  in  connection 
witli  the  theophany,  and  in  the  New  Testament  in 
connection  with  the  Christophany  (1  Thess.  iv.  16  ; 
1  Cor.  XV.  52;  and  in  Rev.);  probably,  because  the_v 
had  a  sacred  use  among  the  Israelites  (Num.  x. 
1-10).  Olshausen  would  fain  understand  the  angel 
and  the  trumpet  allegorically  of  the  proclamation 
of  the  gospel  by  the  Apostles.  We  prefer  to  place 
the  emphasis  here  upon  the  trumpet.  The  Apoca^ 
lypse  distinguishes  various  trumpets,  which  follow 
each  other,  becoming  more  and  more  important,  and 
therefore  giving  a  stronger  sound  as  they  proceed. 
It  speaks  of  seven  trumpets  (ch.  viii.  6;  xi.  16) 
And  from  this  section  it  appears  that  by  these 
eschatological  trumpets  are  meant  cosmical  revolu- 
tions, as  the  theocratical  trumpets  signified   social 

Christians,  but  not:  Ohristiavity  {GeTvnm:  Chn&imthnm) 
as  the  Edinb.  edition  falsely  translates  here  and  elsewhere 
(comp.  p.  394,  note).  So  in  the  preceding  sentence,  this  trsl. 
has  repeated  for  taken  up,  mistaking  the  German  vach- 
holen  (to  fetch  up.  to  make  up  for  past  neglect)  for  wieder- 
holen.  In  the  following  sentence  we  read  the  "original 
iiaiural  types  of  nature,"  for  national  types  (7miinnule 
Naturtypen),—no  doubt  a  meie  printing  error.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIV.  29-44. 


429 


revolutions  among  nations,  and  typical  victories  of 
Goil's  people  over  the  heathen.  Meyer  correctly 
ob.-erves  that  the  individual  angels  are  not  here 
represented  as  blowing  trumpets,  but  that  the  trum- 
pet precedes  the  voice  of  the  angel,  as  its  preparatory 
cry,  1  Thess.  iv.  16  ;  that  is,  the  cosmical  signs  pre- 
cede t!ie  spiritual  nianifestatious. 

Ver.  31.  And  they  shall  gather  together  His 
elect. — Here  the  re.surrccliou  of  the  elect  (the  first 
resurrection,  primarily)  is  declared.  Properly,  gather 
together  into  one  place,  tmawa^ovai.  Meyer  :  "  That 
is,  to  Him  where  He  is  just  about  to  make  His  ap- 
pearance on  earth." — His  elect. — That  is,  with  the 
appearance  of  the  Lord,  His  Cliurch  also,  hitherto 
scattered  and  concealed  among  the  nations,  will  be 
fully  uiiited  and  appear  in  fcstable  array.  The  bride 
of  Rev.  xxi.  9.  Meyer  refutes  many  spiritualizing 
and  enfeebhng  interpretations  ;  such  as  "  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel "  (Lightfoot), — "  the  preservation  of 
Christians  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  "  (Kuiuoel). 

Ver.  32.  Now  from  the  fig-tree  learn  the 
parable,  airh  Sc  rfj^  a  v  k^]  s  /.laOere  t  t]  v 
irapa^uKi^v. —  They  v/ere  to  take  from  the  fig- 
tree  a  parable  (not  merely  a  similitude),  namely,  the 
particular  parable  which  illustrates  the  sudden  ap- 
pearance of  the  end  of  the  world.  The  peculiarity  of 
the  fig-tree  is  this,  that  the  blossom  comes  before  the 
leaf — the  fruit  leads  on  the  leaves.  Thus,  when  the 
leaves  are  unfolded,  the  summer  or  the  harvest  (Bepos) 
is  nigh.  The  leaves  here  are  the  cosmical  revolutions 
already  mentioned ;  but  the  summer  harvest  is  the 
advent  of  Christ  itself.  When  the  great  signs  appear, 
the.Lord  will  soon  come. 

Ver.  33.  So  likewise  ye  : — who  should  make  a 
special  application  of  what  is  a  natural  observation  of 
aU.  When  ye  shall  see  all  these  things :— not 
the  signs  from  ver.  15  to  ver.  29  (Meyer),  but  the 
cosmical  signs  of  ver.  30,  for  which  the  others  are 
preparatory. 

That  it  is  near,  even  at  the  doors. — (1)  Olshau- 
sen :  The  kingdom  of  God.  (2)  Ebrard  :  The  judg- 
ment. (3)  Grotius,  de  Wette,  Meyer :  The  Messiah. 
(4)  The  end,  r,  irapovaia  Koi  ri  avvriXna  rod  aiaifos. 
For  that  was  what  the  disciples  were  asking  about, 
ver.  3  ;  comp.  ver.  14.     Especially  the  former. 

Ver.  34.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  This  genera- 
tion shall  not  pass  away. — 1.  Jerome :  The  hu- 
man race.*  2.  Calovius :  The  Jewish  nation. f  3. 
Maldonatus  :  The  creation.  4.  De  Wette,  Meyer : 
That  present  generation.  Lutiujr  :  "  All  will  beffin 
to  take  place  now  in  this  time,  while  ye  l|ve :  "  tliat  is, 
ye  will  survive  tfi'e  bsfitn?ii7i^~oryaese  events.  So 
Starke,  Lisco,  Gerlach.  "  ButCEnsf'liere^spcaks  of 
the  end  of  the  world.  5.  The  body  of  My  disciples, 
the  generation  of  believers.  So  Origen,  Chrysostom, 
and  others,  also  Paulus.  Meyer  raises  here  his 
usual  protest  against  doctrinal  prejudice  involved ; 
but  what  doctrinal  interest  could  Paulus,  the  rational- 
ist, have  in  this  interpretation?  This  generation 
means  the  generation  of  those  who  know  and  discern 
these  signs.  Since  the  words  of  ver.  33,  "  So  like- 
wise 2/e,"  etc.,  could  not  have  their  literal  fulfilment 
in  the  disciples  themselves,  the  Lord  extends  the 
vnili  of  ver.  33  by  the  t)  yfvsa  aur-r],  ver.  34.  But 
that   He  would    have   the  word   so  understood,  is 


*  [Jeromo  is  undecided:   ^'Aut  omne  genua  hm) 
significat^  aut  specialiter  Judceorum. — P.  S.] 

t  [So  Dorner,  Stier,  Nast,  Alford,  and  Wordsworth.  The 
latter,  however,  assigns  to  ytvio.  a  double  sense,  applying 
it  first  to  the  literal  Israel,  and  then  to  the  spiritual  Israel, 
thus  combining  interpretation  2.  with  that  sub  5. — P.  8.] 


proved  by  the  declaration  of  ver.  35,  "  My  words 
shall  not  pass  away."  The  words  referred  to 
are  here  the  living  word-j  concerning  these  last  things  ; 
aud  they  do  not  pass  away,  only  when  and  because 
they  find  in  every  76i'ea  of  believers  those  who  con- 
tinuously carry  on  those  words. — Not  pass  away. 
— This  cannot  mean,  "not  remain  unfulfilled"  (de 
Wette).  That  is  self-understood,  especially  as  "  hea- 
ven and  earth  "  had  just  been  spoken  of.  The  Lord 
here  expresses  His  assurance  that  His  words  will  re- 
main eternal  words  in  a  perpetual  Church — in  a 
Church,  also,  disposed  to  look  for  and  hasten  unto 
the  fulfilment  of  His  words  concerning  the  "last 
things." 

[I  add  the  note  of  Alford  :  "  As  this  is  one  of  the 
points  on  which  the    rationalizing   interpreters  (de 
Wette,  etc.)  lay  most  stress  to  shew  that  the  prophe- 
cy has  failed,  it  may  be  well  to  shew  that  y^v^a.  has" 
in  Hellenistic  Greek  the  meaning  of  a  race  or  family 
of  people.     See  Jer.  viii.  3  in  LXX. ;  compare  eh. 
xxiii.  36  with  ver.  35,  i(\)ou€v(Tare  .  .  .  but  this  gen- 
eration did  not  slay  Zacharias — so  that   the  whole 
people  are  addressed :  see  also  ch.  xii.  45,  in  which  the^ 
meaning  absolutely  requires  this  sense  {see  note  there) : 
see  also  Luke  xvii.  25 ;  Matt.  xvii.  17 ;  Luke  xvi.  8, 
where  y^vio.  is  predicated  both  of  the  viol  rpD  alwpos 
TovTov,  and  the  viol  toD  (pwTos,  Acts  ii.  40;  Phil.  ii. 
15.     In  all  these  places,  yeved  is  =  yivo's,  or  nearly 
so  ;  having  it  is  true  a  more  pregnant  meaning,  im- 
plying that  the   character  of  one  generation  stamps 
itself  upon  the  race,  as  here  in  this  verse  also. — This 
meaning  of  y^v^d  is  fully  conceded  by  Dorner ;  '  om- 
nes    reor   conceasuros,  vocem  y.  si  earn  vertas  cetas, 
multas  casque  plane  insuperabiles  ciere  difiicultates, 
contextum  vero  et  orationis  progressum  flagitare  sig- 
nificationem  gentis,  nempe  Judajorum.'  (Stier,  ii.  502.) 
Tiie  continued  use  of  Trap epx «,""',  '^  verses  34,  35, t 
should  have  saved  the  commentators  from  the  blun-  \ 
der  of  imagining  that  the  then  living  gener/ation  was    ' 
meant,  seeing  that  the  prophecy  is  by  the  next  verse  ■■ 
carried  on  to  the  end  of  all  things  ;  and  that,  as  mat-    i 
ter  of  fact,  the  Apostles  and  ancient  Christians  did    ] 
continue  to  expect  the  Lord's  coming,  after  that  genera-    j 
tion  had  passed  awag.     But,  as  Stier  well  remarks, 
'  there  are  men  foolish  enough  now  to  say,  heaven  and 
earth  will  never  pass  away,  but  the  words  of  Christ 
pass  away  in  course  of  time  ;— of  this,  however,  we 
wait  the  proof.'  ii.  505." — P.  S.] 

Vers.  34  and  35.  Till  all  these  things  bo  ful- 
filled.— Schott,  erroneously  :  "  The  destruction  of 
Jerusalem."  Fritzsche :  "  The  signs  of  the  coming." 
Better  :  Both  the  signs  and  the  coming  itself.  The 
Scripture  knows  nothing,  however,  of  an  actual  pass- 
ing away  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  only  of  a  dissolution 
of  the  old  condition  of  things  in  the  transmutation 
of  heaven  and  earth,  2  Pet.  iii.  V,  8. 

Ver.  36.  But  of  that  day. — Surely  there  is  no 
contradiction  here  to  ver.  34,  but  only  to  Meyer's 
and  de  Wette's  exegesis  of  ver.  34,  in  which  the 
Evangefist  is  asserted  to  have  erroneously  predicted 
that  the  then  present  generation  would  survive  the 
end  of  the  world.  Meyer,  indeed,  thinks  this  the 
meaning,  that,  while  all  would  take  place  during  the 
time  of  that  generation,  the  more  exact  statement  i 
of  the  day  and  hour  was  not  to  be  given.  But  we 
have  here  rather  that  distinction  between  the  reUgious 
measure  of  time  and  the  chronological  measure  of 
time,  which  runs  through  the  whole  of  the  apocalyj)- 
tic  part  of  the  New  Testament  (1  Thess. ;  2  Thess. ;  2 
Pet.  iii. ;  Apoc).  The  key  is  to  be  found  in  2  Pet. 
iii.  8. 


430 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Knovreth  no  one,  but  the  Father  only. — 

Meyer :  "  This  excludes  the  Son,  also."  Mark  xiii. 
32;  whose  not  knowing  '  Lange  wrongly  changes 
into  a  holy  unwillingness  to  know,  or  a  self-limitation 
of  knowledge.'  "  *  But  Sartorius  has  rightly  under- 
stood and  adopted  my  interpretation.  The  Son 
would  not  prematurely  reflect  upon  that  point  as  a 
chronological  point  of  time,  and  the  Church  in  that 
should  imitate  Ilim.f 

Ver.  38.  For  as  .  .  .  they  •were. — For,  ex- 
planatory. The  chronological  end  of  the  world  is 
concealed  by  its  seeming  prosperity  in  the  last  days, 
as  in  the  days  of  the  flood.  They  ate,  etc.,  emphat- 
ically :  in  the  original  all  are  participles,  r  p  wyov- 
r  ^s,  etc.  [which  can  be  better  rendered  in  English : 
they  were  eatiiirj  and  drinkinr/,  etc.,  than  in  the  Ger- 
man.— P.  S.].  They  lived  as  those  who  were  only 
eating,  etc. 

Ver.  39.  And  knew  not  until.  —  They  knew 
nothing  of  what  was  coming ;  nothing  even  then 
when  Noah  went  into  the  ark  before  their  eyes. 

Ver.  40.  The  one  shall  be  taken. — According 
to  ver.  31,  to  be  explained  of  the  being  gathered  to- 
gether by  the  angels.  The  view  of  Wetstein  and 
others,  that  the  one  is  taken  captive  and  the  other 
allowed  to  flee,  is  contrary  to  the  connection,  and 
has  a  false  reference  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. 

Ver.  41.  Two  w^omen  shall  be  grinding, 
a\ri6  ov  (Tai . — The  employment  of  female  slaves, 
Exod.  xi.  5 :  Isa.  xlvii.  2,  etc.    "  As  now  in  the  East, 


*  [Po  I  translate  the  German  :  ein  heiliges  Siehtwias&n- 
woUe7i,,  instead  of  the  unintelligible  Edinb.  trsl. :  a  sacred 
willing  not  to  know.  Meyer  objects  to  Lange's  interpreta- 
tion as  previously  given  in  his  Life  of  Jesus.,  which  he  hero 
reasserts.— P.  S.] 

t  [Some  fathers  in  the  Arian  controversy,  and  so  "Words- 
worth among  recent  ci'mnientators,  explain  that  Clirist 
knew  personally,  but  did  not  know  officially,  i.  e.,  did  not 
make  known,  the  hour  of  judgment;— bnt  this  is  excluded 
by  the  plain  meaning  of  oJSei/,  as  well  as  by  ouSeis  and  ol 
ayyf\oi,  where  such  a  distincti(m  between  personal  and 
official  knowledge  is  inadmissible.  The  older  orthodox 
commentators  generally  took  the  ground  that  Christ  knew 
the  hour  as  God,  but  did  not  know  it  .is  man  ;  but  this  rests 
on  an  abstract  and  almost  dualistic  separation  between  the 
divine  and  human  nati'.re  in  Christ.  Alford  honestly  admits 
the  difficulty,  and  .issuiiies  real  ignorance  for  the  time  of 
Christ's  humiliation.  '-The  very  important  addition,"  he 
gays,  "  to  this  verse  in  Mark :  ouSe  o  v  to  s,  is  indeed  in- 
cluded in  61  IJ.V  0  trarrip  ;ii(^j/of,  but  could  hardly  have  been 
inferred  from  it,  had  it  not  been  expressly  stated,  see  ch.  xx. 
23.  All  attempts  to  soften  or  explain  away  this  weighty  truth 
must  be  resisted;  it  will  not  do  to  say  with  some  commen- 
tators, '■nescitea  nobis,''  which  is  a  mere  evasion  : — in  tlie 
course  of  humili.ation  undertaken  by  the  Son  in  which  lie 
increased  in  wisdom  (Ljike  ii.  52),  learned  obedience  (Heb. 
V.  8),  uttered  desires  in^^rayer  (Luke  vi.  12,  etc.), — this  mat- 
ter teas  hidden  from  /Tim:  and  this  is  carefully  to  be  borne 
in  mind  in  explaining  the  prophecy  before  us." /But  this  is 
not  satisfactory.  It  seems  to  me,  we  must  as^me  here  a 
voluntary  self-limitation  of  RTOVledge,  which  is  a  part  of 
the  Kdi'oxTis,  and  which  may  be  illustrated  by  the  passage, 
1  Cor.  ii.  2,  viz.  the  determination  of  St.  I'aul  not  to  know- 
any  thing  among  the  Corinthians  {ov  yb.p  iicpiva  ruv  eiof- 
I'tti  T(  fV  viJ.1v),  except  Jesus  Christ  and  Ilira  crucified. 
Christ  could,  of  course,  not  lay  aside,  in  the  incarnation,  the 
metajihysical  attributes  of  His  Divine  nature,  sucli  as  eterni- 
ty, but  He  could,  by  an  act  of  His  will,  limit  His  attributes 
of  power  and  His  knowledge  and  refrain  from  their  use  .as 
far  as  it  was  necessary  for  His  humiliation,  i  His  voluntarily 
not  knowing  or  "sacred  unwillingness  to  know,"  the  day  of 
judgment  during  the  daj's  of  His  flesh,  is  a  warning  against 
chronological  curiosity  and  mathematical  calculation  in  the 
exposition  of  Scripture  prophecy.  It  ii  not  likely  that  any 
theologian,  however  learned,  should  know  more,  or  ought  to 
know  more,  on  this  point  before  the  end  than  Christ  Himself, 
who  will  judce  the  quick  and  the  dead,  chose  to  know  in 
the  state  of  His  humiliation.— P.  S.] 


women,  one  or  two  together,  turn  the  handmills  " 
(Rosenmiiller :  Morcjenland ;  Robinson:  Palestine). 
These  slaves  sit  or  kneel,  having  the  upper  millstone 
in  their  hands,  and  turning  it  round  on  the  nether 
one,  which  is  fixed. 

Ver.  43.  But  know  this. — How  momentous  the 
not  knowing  the  hour  is,  the  instance  of  the  house- 
holder shows.  As  he  does  not  know  the  hour  of  the 
breaking  in,  he  must  always  provide  for  the  safety 
of  his  household.  Bnt  if  he  knew  the  time  and  the 
hour,  the  necessity  of  constant  watchfulness  would 
not  exist.  The  similitude  of  the  thief  is  further  ex- 
tended, 1  Thess.  V.  2,  4  ;  2  Pet.  iii.  10 ;  Rev.  iii.  3  ; 
xvi.  15.  The  tertium  comparaiionis  is  the  perfect 
surprise ;  and  the  figure  has  its  application,  not  only 
to  the  end  of  the  world,  but  also  to  the  hour  of 
death,  and  to  those  tragical  catastrophes  which  occur 
in  the  history  of  nations  as  well  as  in  the  lives  of  in- 
dividuals. All  these  critical  periods  arc  connected 
with  the  final  judgment,  and  form  with  it  one 
whole. 

Ver.  44.  Therefore  be  ye  also  ready. — Be- 
cause it  is  the  fundamental  law  of  watchfulness  to  be 
alwat/s  watching ;  and  because  the  Son  of  Man  will 
be  generally  unexpected  when  He  comes, — therein 
like  a  thief  in  the  night,  that  is,  at  a  time  when  the 
world  will  be  buried  in  profound  sleep.  When  they 
first  open  their  eyes,  the  great  robbery  will  have  been 
effected ;  all  their  old  and  worldly  state,  in  which 
they  had  found  a  false  life,  will  have  been  wrested 
from  them  forever. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  See  the  preceding  remarks.  On  the  peculiar 
difficulties  which  exegesis  finds  in  this  eschatological 
discourse,  compare  de  Wette  and  Meyer.  In  various 
ways  it  has  been  attempted  to  settle  the  meaning  of 
the  text,  by  a  spiritual  interpretation  of  many  indi- 
vidual traits  (Dorner),  or  by  referring  the  whole  to 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  (Michaehs).  According 
to  Credner,  we  would  have  here  prophecies  ex  eventu  ; 
while  Meyer  maintains  that  they  were  not  fulfilled  at 
all  in  the  manner  here  predicted,  because  the  disci- 
ples confounded  what  Christ  said  of  His  ideal  coming 
with  what  He  said  of  His  real  or  actual  coming.* 
The  school  of  Baur  refer  the  signs  preceding  the 
coming,  and  the  composition  of  St.  Matthew's  Gos- 
pel, to  the  time  of  Hadrian, — a  supposition  which 
was  meant  to  serve  the  well-knov.-n  Ebionite  h}'pothe- 
sis  \i.  e.,  that  the  Christianity  of  the  original  Apos- 
tles, as  distinct  from  that  of  Paul,  was  essentially 
Judaizing,  and  did  not  rise  far  above  the  later  heresy 
of  Ebionism. — P.  S.].  But,  as  it  regards  the  uncer- 
tainty of  exposition  in  this  passage,  it  can  be  obviat- 
ed only  by  making  ourselves  familiar  with  the  cyclical 
method  of  apocalyptical  representation.  This  is  not 
to  be  confounded  with  what  Bengel  called  the  per- 
spective view  of  the  prophets,  although  it  has  some 
afTmity  with  it  (com p.  my  Lehen  Jeau,  ii.  p.  1259). 
According  to  the  perupcctive  view  of  the  future,  the 
successive  critical  events  that  lie  behind  each  other, 
are  brought  near,  S(j  that  the  great  epochs  rise  into 
light  like  the  tops  of  mountains,  while  their  times  of 
unfolding,  the  periods,  are  concealed  behind  them,  or 


*  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  misunderstands  tins  whole  passiige, 
and  confounds  the  views  of  Credner  and  Meyer:  "Accord- 
in?  to  Credner  and  Meyer."  It  also  omits  several  impor- 
tant p.assages  in  this  whole  section.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIV.  29-44. 


431 


are  manifest  only  in  less  prominent  signs.  The  cy- 
clical contemplation  proceeds  according  to  the  pro- 
cess of  these  epochs  ;  but  in  such  a  way  that  the 
whole  is  in  each  case  regarded  under  its  characteristic 
aspect,  and  each  new  starting-point  is  treated  as  an 
object  brought  forward  into  the  present.  The  start- 
ing-point f)f  the  first  epoch  in  this  chapter  is  that 
Fseiido-Messiamsm  which  began  even  in  the  apostol- 
ic age  (Simon  Magus).  The  second  is  the  Jewish  war. 
The'third  is  the  first  commencement  of  the  cosmical 
phenomena  and  chanrjes.  The  view  therefore  goes 
on  from  the  signs  in  the  ecclesiastical  world  to  the 
signs  in  the  political  world,  and  then  on  to  the  cos- 
mical signs.  They  are  the  same  stages  by  which 
Christianity  glorifies  the  world. 

2.  Distinguishing  between  the  historical  and  the 
spiritual  coming  of  Christ,  we  find  the  principle  of  a 
twofold  eschatological  -Kapovaia.  in  the  evangelical 
history.  Every  victory  of  Christ  in  the  world  is  a 
sign  of  His  actual  coming,  and  a  symptom  of  His  fu- 
ture advent.  The  personal  resurrection  of  Jesus  re- 
curs, and  is  imfolded  in  the  first  and  second  resurrec- 
tions. The  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  recurs,  and 
is  unfolded  in  the  judgment  and  the  glorification  of 
the  world.  But  these  coincide  in  their  historical  in- 
fluence; the  manifestation  of  Christ  in  its  spread 
goes  on  from  the  individual  to  the  people,  from  the 
people  to  mankind,  from  the  Church  to  the  State, 
from  the  State  to  the  universe,  and  so  from  death  to 
the  intermediate  state,  from  this  to  the  resurrection. 
But  the  consummate  appearance  of  Christ  is,  in  op- 
position to  the  first  coming,  the  judg-ment ;  for,  as 
the  development  of  the  seed  is  the  harvest,  so  the 
development  and  consummation  of  redemption  is 
separation  and  doom. 

3.  Stier  {Reden  Jesu,  ii.  539)  makes  the  ingenious 
remark,  that  St.  John  was  directed  to  record,  in  har- 
mony with  his  esoteric  design,  the  last  gracious  pro- 
mises of  our  Lord's  coming  again  to  comfort ;  while 
the  Synoptists  recorded  His  prophecies  concerning 
the  return  for  judgment.  We  have  only  to  add,  that 
St.  John's  eschatology  was  to  be  unfolded  into  a  dis- 
tinctive apocalypse. 

4.  The  Progress  of  the  Last  Events. — The  whole 
representation  combines  in  one  view  the  history  of  the 
nations  and  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Christ ;  the 
history  of  the  earth  with  the  history  of  mankind. 
From  the  personal  history  and  glorification  of  Christ 
the  world  moves  on  in  its  development  toward  the 
end  of  the  world,  which  will  be  at  the  same  time  the 
transformation  of  the  world.  Each  cycle  of  it  lays 
stress  upon  one  particular  stage  of  the  development. 
Each  stage  has  a  Christian  and  a  secular  side.  The 
first  stage  presents  a  picture  of  the  whole  develop- 
ment of  the  world  under  the  Christological  point  of 
view,  and  in  this  the  movement  is  more  gentle.  But 
more  vehement  is  its  progress  from  the  beginning  of 
the  judgment,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  in  the 
second  stage.  Finally,  in  the  third  stage,  its  swift- 
ness is  like  the  Ughtning  from  heaven. 

5.  The  Destruction  of  Jerusalem.— Gerlach  :  "  This 
period  was  rendered  more  terrible  to  the  Jews  than 
we  can  imagine,  by  the  fact  that  \vith  Jerusalem  and 
the  temple  the  ground  of  all  their  perverted  faith  and 
hope  was  taken  away.  The  greater  and  the  holier 
the  truth  is  to  which  error  has  attached  itself,  the 
more  heart-rending  is  the  sorrow  when  those  who  are 
involved  in  that  eiror  at  last  open  their  eyes." 

6.  T7te  Doctrine  of  Antichristianity  as  the  Shadovj 
of  Christianity. — (1)  The  kingdom  of  evil  among  men 
goes  on  side  by  side  with  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 


takes  the  form  of  an  anticipation  and  distortion  of 
the  fundamental  principles  of  that  kingdom.  (2)  As 
a  false  and  carnal  anticipation  it  is  always  one  step 
ahead,  as  the  monkey  precedes  man.  (3)  The  king- 
dom of  God  develops  itself  in  opposition  to  the  king- 
dom of  daikness,  and  vice  versd,  and  the  one  becomes 
mature  in  conflict  with  the  other.  (4)  Pseudo-Chris- 
tianity and  Antichristianity  are  one  in  their  principle 
and  aim.  (5)  The  last  apparent  triumph  of  Anti- 
christianity brings  on  the  last  and  full  manifestation 
of  the  victory  of  Christ,  even  His  parusia. 

Y.  The  assertion  that  the  Apostles  erred  in  the 
expectation  of  the  near  advent  of  Christ,  rests  on  a 
confusion  of  the  religious  hope  with  an  ordinary 
mathematical  calculation,  and  of  the  majestic  coming 
of  Christ  which  is  going  on  constantly  in  the  process 
of  history,  with  the  last  individual  appearance. 

8.  Chi'istians,  waiting  in  a  heavenly  frame  of 
mind  for  their  Lord,  will  find  that  He  is  their  Friend, 
their  legitimate  Lord,  their  Royal  Bridegroom.  If 
they  think  of  His  coming  with  an  earthly  mind.  He 
appears  to  them  as  a  thief,  who  will  strangely  and 
imrighteously  break  in  upon  their  earthly  relations 
and  possessions. 


nOMILETICAL  AND   rEAGTICAL. 

Christ  the  great  Prophet,  as  the  prophesier  of 
His  advent  and  of  the  end  of  the  world:  1.  The 
great  prediction  accredits  the  great  Prophet  ;  2.  the 
great  Prophet  accredits  the  great  prediction. — The 
fulfilled  predictions  of  Christ  are  a  pledge  of  the  ful- 
filment of  the  remainder. — The  solemn  thoughr,;how 
we  are  rushing  on  toward  the  final  consummation. — 
The  patience  and  the  wrath  of  God,  as  seen  in  Christ's 
delineation  of  the  last  times  :  First,  one  day  of  time 
appears  to  stretch  to  a  thousand  years  (the  slow  pe- 
riod) ;  then  a  thousand  years  are  as  one  day  (the 
swift  epoch,  2  Pet.  iii.  4  ;  comp.  Ps.  xc.  4). — The  in- 
tercession of  the  disciples  for  the  earthly  temple,  and 
the  Lord's  declaration. — The  opposite  points  of  view 
from  which  the  Lord  and  the  disciples  regarded  the 
building  of  Herod's  temple :  1.  To  them  it  appeared 
just  risen  up  in  renewed  magnificence ;  2.  to  Him  it 
.already  appeared  fallen  a  spiritual  ruin  into  the 
flames. — The  Lord's  look  back  from  the  Mount  of 
Olives  upon  the  city  and  the  sanctuary  of  His  people ; 
or,  the  sacred  night-discourse  to  the  disciples  con- 
cerning the  end  of  the  world. — The  Lord  corrects  the 
question  of  His  disciples  about  the  last  things :  They 
ask  first  about  the  when,  He  answers  with  the  how  ; 
they  ask  about  the  last  signs,  He  points  them  to  the 
collective  preparatory  signs ;  they  ask  what  will 
come  before  the  end  of  the  world.  He  shows  them 
what  immediately  impends  over  themselves. — The 
wisdom  of  prophecy  a  concealment  and  disclosure  of 
tlie  future. — We  must,  like  the  disciples,  be  assured 
that  the  Lord  cometh  for  manifestation  and  decision : 
1.  That  He  cometh ;  2.  that  before  Him  His  sign 
cometh ;  3.  that  with  Him  and  after  Him  the  end 
cometh. — Christ's  three  great  pictures  of  the  end  of 
the  world:   L  Their  similarity  ;  2.  their  diilcrence. 

First  Cycle  (vers.  3-14). — The  Lord's  first  word 
concerning  the  end  :  Take  heed  that  no  man  deceive 
you. — His  three  words  concerning  the  right  prepara- 
tion for  the  end  :  1.  Take  heed  (ver.  4) ;  2.  see  that 
ye  (courageous  and  wakeful)  be  not  troubled  (ver.  6) ; 
3.  endure  unto  the  end  (in  love,  vers.  12,  13). — The 
signs  of  the  coming  of  Christ  and  the  result :  1.  Ec- 
clesiastical woes  (false  Christs,  millennarian  deceivers 


432 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW, 


of  all  kinds) ;  2.  political  woes  (near  and  distant 
wars) ;  3.  national  woes  (downfall  and  destruction  of 
peoples  and  empires) ;  4.  woes  of  nature  (crises  in 
the  air  and  on  the  land  ;  famines ;  pestilences  ;  dis- 
tress of  human  hfe ;  earthquakes) ;  5.  woes  of  the 
abj'ss  (peisecution  and  apostasy) ;  6.  all  these  woes 
pangs  of  birtli  (all  must  subserve  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel,  and  the  spread  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
among  ihe  nations.  Apoc.  vi. :  The  black  horses 
behind  the  rider  upon  the  white  horse,  his  equipage 
and  attendants). — The  prophecy  of  the  false  Messiahs 
in  its  comprehensive  and  solemn  meaning:  1.  It  re- 
fers not  only  to  those  who  present  themselves  with 
the  title  of  Christ  (Jewish  adventurers,  Barcochba, 
etc.),  but  also  to  all  who  assume  His  place  in  relation 
to  souls  (self-constituted  representatives  of  Christ, 
lords  over  conscience,  leaders  of  sects,  etc.) ;  2.  it  has 
been  fulfilled  in  the  literal  and  spiritual  meaning,  and 
in  a  fearful  manner,  for  our  warning. — See  that  ye  be 
not  troubled ;  or,  he  who  knows  how  to  read  the 
Bible  aright,  will  riglitly  read  the  newspapers  as  a 
Christian. — The  true  and  Christian  observation  of 
the  signs  of  the  times. — All  convulsions  of  the  earth 
must  glorify  the  everlasting  word  of  heaven  in  its  ev- 
erlasting estabUshmeut  (ver.  7) :  1.  They  must  con- 
firm its  prophetic  truth  ;  2.  they  must  subserve  its 
victory ;  3.  they  must  announce  and  bring  about  the 
coming  of  Christ. — Tlie  natural  signs  of  the  coming 
of  the  Lord ;  or,  how  we  must  distinguish  between 
the  signs  of  superstition  (comets,  meteors,  etc.)  and 
the  signs  of  faith  (famines,  etc.) :  1.  The  former  signs 
are,  rightly  understood,  only  signs  of  the  order  of 
things ;  2.  the  latter,  on  the  contrary,  are  signs  of 
the  revolution  and  derangement  of  things.  They  are 
internally  connected,  as  the  birth-pangs  of  nature 
(Rom.  viii.  19),  with  the  birth-pangs  of  the  Church. 
— Yer.  9  :  The  end  of  the  old  world  is,  that  they  hate 
one  another ;  that  is,  that  tliey  are  in  despair  as  to 
all  personal  life. — Hatred  in  Christendom,  the  sign 
of  a  world  in  Christendom  fallen  under  condemna- 
tion: 1.  Hatred  of  Christianity ;  2.  hatred  of  confes- 
sions ;  3.  party  hatred ;  4.  hatred  in  opinion.  —  To 
the  wasted  condition  of  the  Church  is  opposed  the 
prosperous  error  of  the  world,  under  the  guise  of  re- 
form,— that  is,  1.  erring  announcers  of  the  new ;  2. 
new  announcers  of  error. — The  fanaticism  of  false 
ecclesiastical  systems  cojijures  tlie  phantom  of  Anli- 
christiauity  into  the  broad  light  of  day. — Lawlessness 
is  not  the  most  elevated  life,  but  is  the  consummate 
death  of  love. — False  prophets  proclaim  love,  and 
mean  unbridled  caprice,  the  death  of  love. — The  con- 
solation of  Christ,  and  the  kindness  with  which  He 
interprets  to  His  disciples  famines  and  pestilences. — 
The  convulsions  of  the  earth  signs  of  its  preparation 
for  the  last  events. — Earthly  troubles  collectively 
only  the  beginning  of  real  woes. — Woes  of  martyr- 
dom, religious  wars,  and  apostasy,  the  heaviest  woes. 
— The  religious  wars  of  later  times  in  the  light  of 
Christ's  prediction.  —  Every  purer  development  of 
Christianity  must  excite  the  same  hatred  in  the  world 
witliin  Christendom,  which  Christianity  at  first  excit- 
ed in  the  world  at  large.— The  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel, or  missionary  efforts,  the  most  comforting  signs 
of  the  coming  of  Christ. — The  preaching  of  the  gospel, 
in  its  gradual  extension  over  the  earth,  a  confirmation 
of  the  gospel  itself — The  gospel  always  opening  up 
new  worlds  for  its  work  of  salvation  :  1.  Tiie  Graeco- 
Roman  (ancient  Church) ;  the  German  and  Sclavonic 
(Middle  Ages) ;  the  new  world  and  all  lands  (evan- 
gelical period). — The  preaching  of  the  gospel  through- 
out the  world  throws  a  consolatory  light  on  the  suf- 


ferings of  the  world. — The  end  of  the  world  will  be 
also  the  end  of  all  ends. — The  great  death  of  the 
world,  in  which  all  the  deaths  of  mortal  humanity 
have  their  consummation  and  end. — The  word  end, 
in  its  endlessly  rich  significance  :  1.  How  instructive ; 
2.  how  fearful ;  3.  how  encouraging ;  4.  how  full  of 
promise. 

Second  Cycle  (vers.  15-28). — The  abomination 
of  desolation,  the  signal  for  Christians  to  fly  to  the 
mountains :  1.  At  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem ;  2. 
in  the  midst  of  Church  history  ;  3.  at  the  end  of  the 
world. — True  separation  from  a  state  of  things  which 
is  exposed  to  judgment:  1.  Not  premature,  but  in 
haste  ;*  2.  not  partial,  but  complete ;  3.  not  stem, 
but  gentle  ;  4.  not  with  self-confidence,  but  with 
prayer. — The  first  congregation  of  Christ  took  coun- 
sel and  warning  by  Christ's  word,  and  were  saved, 
for  a  type  to  us. — The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  in  its 
everlasting  significance:  1.  A  testimony  to  the  truth 
of  Christ ;  2.  a  proof  of  His  sympathy  (vers.  19-21  ; 
comp.  Luke  xis.  41  ;  xxiii.  28) ;  3.  a  demonstration 
of  the  severity  of  God  toward  His  covenant-people, 
under  the  New  Covenant  as  well  as  under  the  Old. — 
The  great  tribulation,  such  as  never  had  been,  and 
never  will  be  again:  1.  The  centre  of  aU  judgments 
upon  the  old  world ;  2.  the  beginning  and  the  sign 
of  all  final  judgments. — In  what  sense  the  judgment 
upon  Jerusalem  was  the  end  of  the  world  :  1.  It  was 
the  end  of  the  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
in  this  state  ;  2.  the  death-struggle  between  the  Jew- 
ish and  the  Gentile  world ;  3.  the  sign  of  that  point 
of  transition  at  which  the  judgment  of  the  world 
upon  Chiist  was  changed  mto  a  judgment  of  Christ 
the  King  upon  the  vi'orld. — The  New  Testament  day 
of  grace  in  the  light  of  burning  Jerusalem  :  1.  A  sea- 
son of  judgment  cut  short ;  2.  a  fruitful  tone  of 
grace  (in  which  the  vine  flourishes  beside  the  stream 
of  lava  over  the  volcano) ;  3.  a  time  of  temptation  to 
apostasy  from  Christ  to  false  prophets  ;  4.  a  time  of 
the  most  forbearing  patience  and  waiting  for  the  final 
manifestation. — The  Antichristianity  of  the  last  days, 
2  Thess.  ii. — Lying  Christianity  and  Antichristianity 
one  and  the  same  under  different  aspects :  1.  Lying 
Christianity  is  antichristian  in  assuming  Christ's  place ; 
2.  Antichristianity  exerts  its  influence  through  Chris- 
tian means,  which  it  perverts. — Go  not  forth  to  ex- 
pect the  appearing  of  Christ,  but  always  rather  re- 
tire within  :  1.  Not  out  into  the  waste  wilderness  ;  2. 
within,  into  yourselves,  communion  with  Christ. — Be 
not  moved,  not  to  say  seduced,  by  false  prophets  and 
their  lying  wonders. — No  human  pomp  shall  herald 
Christ,  but  the  lightning  of  God,  which  shineth  from 
the  rising  of  the  sun  to  the  going  down  thereof — 
Where  the  carcass  is,  the  eagles  are  gathered :  a  law 
of  life, — 1.  prctypified  in  nature  ;  2.  fulfilled,  and  be- 
ing fulfilled,  in  the  course  of  history  ;  3.  waiting  for 
its  last  reahzation  at  the  end  of  the  world. — This 
last  saying  holds  good  of  individuals,  as  well  as  of 
whole  nations  and  conditions. 

Third  CrcLE  (yers.  29-44).— The  end  of  the 
v/orld:  1.  In  its  nature  and  appearance  (vers.  29- 
31) ;  2.  in  its  time  (vers.  32-36) ;  3.  in  its  relations 
to  the  world  (vers.  37-39);  4.  in  its  judicial  effect 
(vers.  40,  41) ;  5.  as  a  great  exhortation  (vers.  42-44). 
Or,  ihe  end  of  ihe  world  the  consummation, — 1.  of  all 
the  signs  of  heaven ;  2.  of  all  the  funeral  lamenta- 
tions ;  3.  of  all  prophetical  visions ;  4.  of  all  the  reve- 
lations and  glorifications  of  Christ ;  5.  of  all  the  glad 
announcements  of  the  gospel  and  assembUes  of  the 

*  [In  German:  nicht  voreilig,  aher  eiUg.—P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXIV.  29^4. 


saints ;  6.  of  all  tbe  surprises  of  the  world  at  ease ; 
7.  of  all  judgmeuts  and  exhortations  to  watchfulness. 
Or,  1.  As  the  end  and  consummation  of  the  ancient 
judgments ;  2.  as  the  beginning  and  the  germ  of  a 
new  revelation.  Or,  1.  Viewed  comprehensively  in 
its  cause,  the  appearance  of  the  person  of  Christ ; 
2.  extended  in  its  influence  over  heaven  and  earth. — 
With  the  maturity  of  the  Church  all  is  mature: 
1.  Humanity;  2.  the  earth;  3.  the  world  of  stars; 
4.  the  constitution  of  heaven. — ^The  great  testimony 
to  the  glory  of  the  Son  of  Man  at  the  end  of  the 
world:  1.  Tlie  stars  of  heaven;  2.  the  families  of 
earth ;  3.  the  angels  of  God ;  4.  the  elect  of  Christ. — 
The  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man ;  or,  the  manifestation  of 
Christ  in  the  glory  of  God  (the  Shechiuah,  Titus  ii. 
13). — The  great  funeral  lamentation  of  the  peoples  at 
the  death  of  the  old  world. — The  beginning  of  sight, 
brought  in  by  the  appearance  of  Christ :  1.  When  all 
men  will  become  seers ;  2.  and  all  viiions  will  ap- 
prove themselves  to  be  tremendous  realities. — The 
meaning  of  the  trumpet  in  the  history  of  the  liing- 
dom  of  God,  Rev.  viii. ;  ix. — Angels  ministers  of  Christ 
in  judgment  as  well  as  in  salvation. — The  end  of  the 
world  the  great  and  final  redemption  (Luke  xxi.  28). 
— Judgment  a  result  of  redemption;  separation  of 
shell  and  kernel,  corn  and  chaif,  good  and  evil. — The 
leaf  of  the  fig-tree  a  sign  of  all  turning-points  (catas- 
trophes) in  the  history  of  the  world. — How  over- 
whelming in  their  surprise  the  great  times  of  decision 
are  ! — The  generation  of  Christians,  as  a  generation 
of  those  wjio  wait  for  Christ,  never  passes  away. — The 
people  of  the  Lord  eternal  like  His  word :  1.  Through 
His  word ;  2.  for  His  word. — How  solemnly  has  the 
Lord  scaled  the  secrecy  of  the  last  day ! — How  all 
days  of  judgment,  from  the  time  of  Noah,  have  been 
preceded  by  the  feast-days  of  carnal  security. — Two 
in  the  fiell :  the  fellowship  of  the  new  world  abol- 
ishes all  the  fellowships  of  the  old. — The  sudden 
eflfect  of  judgment:  1.  Infinitely  amazing  and  sudden 
(in  the  fieM,  and  at  the  mill) ;  2.  rigorous  in  its  sepa- 
ration (all    kinds   of    companions    and   comrades) ; 

3.  embracing   aU  (men,   women,   owners,    slaves)  ; 

4.  stately  and  tranquil  (not  to  be  received  to  the 
feast,  means  to  be  rejected). — Watch,  the  last  word 
concerning  the  end  of  the  world.  The  first  v.-as  an 
exhortation  to  prudence,  the  last  an  exhortation  to 
watchfulness  and  readiness. — The  figure  of  the  thief 
in  the  night ;  or,  tlie  fearful  solemnity  of  the  thought, 
that  the  Judge  of  the  world  may  come  at  any  moment : 

1.  At  any  moment  for  the  world,  seeing  He  is  already 
on  the  way ;  2.  at  any  moment  for  thee,  as  thou  know- 
est  least  ik}/  last  hour. — Readiness  for  Christ's  advent 
diffuses  somewhat  of  the  brightness  of  His  future 
glorification  over  life. — The  anxious  anticipation  of 
the  great  feast  of  epiphany:  1.  A  joy  with  fear  and 
trembling ;  2.  anxiety  and"  trembling  in  the  blessed 
joy  and  hope. 

On  Vers.  37-51  (Scripture  Lesson  for  the  28th 
Sunday  after  Trinity). — Watchfulness  is  above  all  the 
duty  of  those  who  bear  the  office  of  watchmen. — The 
greater  the  insecurity  and  danger,  the  more  needful 
the  watchfulness. — Watchfulness  the  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  the  true  servants  of  Christ:  1.  It  is 
a  tribute  to  the  treasure,  which  is  to  be  guarded ; 

2.  it  points  to  conflict  with  an  enemy ;  3.  to  the  dan- 
ger of  the  time  of  night ;  4.  to  fidelity  in  waiting  for 
the  Lord. — The  security  of  the  world  should  arouse 
and  keep  effectually  awake  the  servants  of  Christ. 
{See  for  more,  below.) 

Introductio.v. — Starke : — Quesncl:  Many  are  very 
curious  to  know  the  time  of  the  end  of  the  world ; 
28 


but  few  are  busy  in  preparing  themselves  for  the  end 
of  their  life. 

Hcubner : — Desolate,  without  the  Divinity,  lifeless 
and  unblessed,  is  the  temple  which  Christ  has  for- 
saken.—-What  value  has  the  building  of  stone,  if  the 
Spirit  of  God  builds  up  no  spiritual  edifice  ? — The  ex- 
ternal embellishments  of  the  Old  Testament  Church 
pass  away ;  the  temple  which  the  Spirit  builds,  abides. 
— Only  the  weak  are  blinded  by  vain,  external  grand- 
eur.— Times  of  pregntnt  fate  'excite  all  minds,  and 
make  them  intent  upon  extraordinary  help  (eveii 
Savonarola  an  example).  The  desolation  of  holy 
places,  churches  in  war,  are  solemn  and  humbling  re- 
membrances of  God,— -judgments  upon  those  who 
have  not  valued  holy  things. 

First  Cycle. — Starke: — Quesnel :  The  world  is 
full  of  seducers  :  every  one  need  be  on  his  guard  that 
he  be  not  seduced,  2  John  7. —  0 dander :  Dreadful 
judgment,  to  be  adherents  of  a  false  Christ,  of  false 
prophets  ;  and  thus  to  depend  upon  them  for  salva- 
tion, 2  Thess.  ii.  11. —  Quesnel :  iSad  sign  it  is,  not  to 
know  a  good  shepherd.  God  often  takes  sush  an 
one  away  in  righteous  judgment,  suffering  a  hireling 
to  come  in  his  stead. — The  judgments  of  God  begin 
at  His  own  house.  Acts  ix.  16  ;  1  Pet.  iv.  14. —  Osian- 
der :  To  suffer  for  the  sake  of  the  truth  is  a  benefit, 
1  Pet.  ii.  19,  iO.—  Cratner:  the  Church  of  Christ 
caimot  exist  without  offence,  1  Cor.  xi.  19. —  Quesnel : 
The  mingling  of  good  and  bad  dangerous,  but  neces- 
sary.— Zeisius:  Many  who  in  prosperous  times  are 
held  good  Christians,  fall  away  in  the  time  of  perse- 
cution, Luke  viii.  IS. — Xothing  can  stay  the  spread 
of  the  gospel. 

Zisco: — The  great  prosperity  of  the  missionary 
cause  in  our  days  a  sign  of  the  times  (ver.  14). — Ger- 
lach :  Instead  of  gratifying  curiosity,  Christ  warns 
and  exhorts. — All  the  predictions  of  Scripture  are 
warnings  and  encouragements,  exhortations,  proceed- 
ing from  one  great  central  truth,  but  never  mere  fore- 
announcements  of  future  events. — All  these  are  the 
beginnings  of  v.-oes. — The  regeneration  of  the  world 
Jesus  likens  to  natural  birth. — Henbncr :  Calmness 
of  Christians  amidst  the  convulsions  of  the  world. — 
External  revolutions  pave  the  Lord's  way  :  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  is  in  them  all. — The  time  of  persecution 
is  a  time  of  test  and  sifting. — No  cross,  no  crown. 

Second  Ctcle  (vers.  15-28,  the  Gospel  for  the 
25th  Sunday  after  Trinity). — Starke: — Hedinger: 
When  God's  angry  judgments  are  begun,  there  is  no 
more  room  fjr  watchfulness  or  hope. — Pleasant 
places,  and  strong  defences,  are  of  no  use  when  God's 
rebukes  are  sent :  they  must  be  forsaken. — Zcis'ms  r 
The  angry  judgments  of  Heaven,  once  begun,  cannot 
be  hindered  but  abated. — Out  of  six  troubles  He  will 
save  thee.  Job  v.  19. — Shall  not  God  deliver  His  own 
elect?  Luke  xviii.  7,  8. —  Cramer:  Christ  is  nowhere 
to  be  found  but  in  the  word  and  sacrament. — He  who 
binds  Christ  and  His  kingdom  to  certain  persons, 
places,  times,  and  hours,  is  certainly  by  that  token 
of  the  guild  of  the  false  prophets. — Zcisius :  As  a 
physical  abomination  was  a  certain  sign  of  the  deso- 
lation of  Israel,  so  the  spiritual  abomination  of  Anti- 
christ within  the  Church  will  be  a  certain  sign  of  the 
advent  of  Christ,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world,  2  Thess. 
ii.  3. —  Canstein:  The  devil  apes  our  Lord  Christ. — « 
Osi.a7ider :  God  keeps  a  strict  and  careful  eye  on  Hia 
elect. — It  is  dangerous  to  trust  men  in  things  which 
pertain  to  salvation. 

Gerlach : — The  putrifying  corpse  of  the  world's 
and  of  the  Church's  organization,  and  finally  of  all 
humanity  ( ! )  upon  earth. — Heubner :  The  tender  and 


434 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


compassionate  heart  of  Jesus  thinks  of  all  the  scenes 
of  tribulation  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  ;  espe- 
cially of  the  pangs  of  maternity,  of  the  anguish  and 
helplessness  of  those  with  child,  and  those  that  give 
Buck:  comp.  John  xvi.  21.  This  should  draw  to 
Christ  all  hearts  of  mothers. — Christ's  directions,  and 
Christians'  duty,  in  all  times  of  general  distress. 

Western i.€ i er : — How  we  must  prepare  our.^clvcs 
beforehand  for  the  day  of  judgment. — Drcisekfi :  The 
days  will  be  shortened  to  the  elect. — Rambacli:  The 
goodness  of  God  in  the  midst  of  His  judgments. — 
Reinhard :  That  Christians  must  be  confident  wlicn 
nothing,  fearful  when  everything,  depends  upon  them. 
— Bachmann :  The  deportment  of  true  Christians  in 
the  advancing  corruption  of  the  times. 

Third  Cycle  (vers.  37-51,  the  Gospel  for  the  28th 
Sunday  after  Trinity). — Siarke : — Candein:  As  often 
as  we  look  up  to  the  clouds,  we  should  remember  the 
Lord  and  His  coming ;  and  thus  keep  His  fear  before 
our  ej'es. —  Osiander :  The  pious,  driven  about  in  this 
world,  will  all  be  gathered  together  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven ;  not  one  of  them  will  be  left  behind. — The 
day  of  death  and  of  judgment  concealed. — The  more 
secure,  the  nearer  the  Judge. —  Cramer:  The  more 
daring  the  blasphemers  are  in  their  riot  and  debauch- 
ery, the  nearer  the  Lord. — A  wise  householder  makes 


his  house  sure  every  night. — The  uncertain  day  of  hia 
death  is  to  every  one  his  last  day. — Fidelity  is  the 
most  beautiful  trait  of  the  servants  of  God. — Fidelity 
and  prudence  go  together. — Because  hypocrites  are 
of  double  heait,  the  decree  in  their  punishment  is 
that  they  shall  be  cut  asunder. 

Lhco  : — The  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  aa 
sudden  and  unexpected  as  the  flood  was.  (Both  pre- 
dicted ;  both  finding  an  unbelieving,  careless  genera- 
tion, sunk  in  carnal  security.) — Blessed  results  of 
watchfulness. — The  necessity  of  perpetual  readiness, 
exhibited  in  the  fate  of  the  unfaithful  steward. 

Heuhner : — The  earthly-minded  fear  the  last  day 
and  the  Lord's  coming,  as  the  miser  fears  the  thief; 
to  liim  the  Lord  is  only  a  thief,  robbing  him  of  all 
that  he  has. — The  duties  and  the  recompense  of  the 
faithful  servant. — The  guilt  and  the  punishment  of 
the  unfaithful  servant. 

Hossbrich : — The  true  watchfulness  and  prepara- 
tion of  Christians  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord. — 
Rarnbach:  On  the  obligation  to  prepare  for  death 
and  judgment.  —  W.  Hoffmann  {Maranatha,  1857): 
The  signs  of  the  coming  of  Christ:  1.  The  hour  of 
temptation;  2.  the  sufferings  of  the  Church  of  Christ; 
3.  the  power  of  the  lie ;  4.  carnal  security ;  5.  uni- 
versal preaching  of  the  gospel. 


SECOND    SECTION. 
JUDGMENT  ON  THE  RULERS  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

CnAPTEE  XXIV.  45-51. 
(Luke  xii.  35^6. — The  Gospel  for  the  27</i  Sunday  after  Trinity,  vers.  37-51.) 

45  Who  then  is  a  [the,  6]  faithful  and  wise  servant,  whom  his^  lord  hath  made  ruler 
[the  lord  set,  Kareo-Tr^o-ei']  ^  over  his  household,''  to  give  them  meat  [food,  t^v  rpo^-qv]  in 

46  due  season?     Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  so 

47  doing.     Verily  I  say  unto  yon,  That  he  shall  make  him  ruler   [set  him]   over  all  his 

48  goods.     But  and  if  [But  if,  kav  hi]  that  evil  servant  shall  say  in  his  heart.  My  lord  de- 

49  layeth  his  coming;  And  shall  begin  to  smite  [beat]  his  fellow  servants,  and  to  eat  and 

50  drink  [and  shall  eat  and  drink]*  with  the  drunken;  The  lord  of  that  servant  shall  [will] 
come  in  a  day  when  he  looketh  not  for  him  \it\  and  in  an  hour  that  he  is  not  aware  of 

51  [when  he  is  not  aware,  ^  ov  ytvwo-Kei],  And  shall   [will]  cut  him  asunder,  and  appoint 
him  his  portion  with  the  hypocrites :  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 


1  Ver.  45.— A  UT  0  v  is  missing  in  B.,  D  ,  L.,  al.,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  and  thrown  ont  by  Lachmann  and  TIschendorf. 

«  Ver.  45.— [Cod.  Sinait.  reads  here :   /coTaaTTjo-ei,  shall  set,  for  KaTe(TTiri(Tei>.      Anticipated  from  vev.  47.— P.  8.] 

3  Ver.  45,— Laehmann  and  Tischendoif :  o  t  k  f  t  €  i  a ,  following  B.,  L.,  al.  It  likewise  means  twnsehold,  the  hody  of 
aervants.  But  for  internal  reasons  the  text.  reo. :  Oepairiia,  which  has  sufficient  witnesses,  is  preferable.  [Cod. 
Binait.  reads :   oiiciaf.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  49.— Codd.  B.,  C,  D.,  [and  the  critical  editions],  road:  iaOiri  Se  Ka\  ttIvt)  [instead  of  the  inflnitivea 
fcOUiv  Kol  niueiv,  depending  on  ap|r;TO(.— P.  8.] 

in  office  in  the  Church.     He  shows  the  contrast  be- 
EXEGETICAL  AND  CPvITICAL.  tween  the  faithful  and  the  unfaithful   servant,  but 

dwelling  finally  upon  the  latter.     The  rU  is  not  in- 

Ver.  45.   Who  then  is?— That  is,  in  conformity    stead  of  ft  ns.     According  to  Bengel  and  de  Wette, 

with  the  previous  instructions.     The  Lord  shows  in    it  is  encouraging:  May  eveiy  one  be  such  a  servant. 

a  parable  that  the  judgment  will  begin  upon  those    According  to  Meyer,  there  is  a  change  of  construe- 


CHAP.  XXIV.  45-61. 


435 


tion :  the  characteristics  of  the  servant  ought  to  fol-  day  of  Christ's  coming.  "  Even  the  Rabbins  send 
low;  but  in  tlie  vivacity  of  the  discourse  the  com-  the  hypocrites  to  (Jehenna."  The  wicked  servant  is 
mendation  and  the  characteristics  go  together.  But  a  liypocrite,  not  only  because  he  thinks  to  present 
the  description  of  the  servant  whicli  has  gone  before  himself  at  last  under  the  guise  of  fidelity,  and  must 
— faithful  and  wise — is  in  favor  of  de  Wette.  have  showed  false  colors  from  the  beginning  (Meyer), 

Whom  the  lord  hath  made  ruler. — This  being    but   especially  because,  in  his  ill-treatment  of  the 
appointed  of  the  Lord  has  stress  laid  upon  it  in  the    fellow-servauts,  he  assumes  the  semblance  of  official 
case  of  the  faithful  servant.     In  the  case  of  Knich?    zeal. 
SoiiAos  iKelfos  it  is  omitted,  and  the  (ti'ii/SovKih  are 
made  prominent. — Over  his  household. — We  read 
eff^aTreia,  wliich  makes  it  more  definite  that  tlie  office 
of  rulership  has  for  its  end  only  to  provide  nourish- 
ment for  the  house.     The  office  is  tlie  office  of  ruler, 
only  so  far  as  it  actually  imparts  spiritual  food  in  the 


DOCTRINAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

1 .   The  parable  of  the  good  and  wicked  servants 
applies  specially  to  the  disciples,  and  with  them  to 


office  of  teacher.  Watchmg  is  here  indicated  in  its  [  spiritual  officers  in  the  Church,  althou-h  not  with- 
concrete  form,  as  fidelity  to  the  caUing.  It  is  con-  I  out  application  to  Christians  generally."  It  is  to  be 
nected  with  faith,  as  not  watching  is  connected  with  observed,  that,  according  to  Luke,  Peter  gave  the 
unbeUef.  _  !  Lord  occasion  to  utter  it.     Yet  the  whole  context 

\er.  4(.  Venly  I  say  unto  you,  . .  .  ruler  i  shows  that  it  belongs  to  the  general  eschatological 
over  ail.— The  description  ot  the  perfect  ic\ri,wo/La.  |  instruction  which  we  find  in  Matthew ;  that  is,  it  nat- 
Comp.  Rom.  viu.  l?-  !  urally  connects  itself  with  tlie  discourse  concerning 

Ver.  48.  But  and  if  that  evU  servant  shall  I  the  last  things,  and  opens  the  series  of  parables  and 
say.— The  e^eTrus  is  not  only  S^iKTucwT,  but  also  j  declarations  which  introduce  the  jmlgment  of  the  end 
prophetically  significant.  The  faithful  servant  was  j  of  the  world,  the  day  that  winds 'up  the  present  age. 
hypothetically  mentioned  m  the  form  of  exhortation ;  This  connection  makes  the  contrast  between  the  good 
the  wicked  servant  is  exhibited  as  a  very  definite  form  and  wicked  servant  more  than  a  mere  exhortation ;  it 
in  the  future,  anci  brought  near  to  present  view.  The  |  assumes  a  prophetic  aspect,  as  indeed  is  seen  in  the 
evil  conduct  of  the  wicked  servant  springs  from  un-  <  definite  expressions  which  pervade  it. 
beUef,  which,  however,  in  his  official  position,  he  can  )  2.  In  regard  to  the  rulership  of  the  two  servants, 
utter  only  in  his  heart.  But  his  unbelief  is  specific-  i  it  is  obsei-va'ble  that  he  who  humbly  serves  his  fellow- 
ally  unbehef  in  regard  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord  and  ]  servants,  faithfully  giving  them  their  food  (the  word 
His  award.— My  lord  delayeth.— The  expression  !  and  spiritual  nourishment  generally),  is  represented 
marks  an  internal  mocking  frivolity.  But  his  bad  ,  as  being  set  over  the  household  by  liis  lord,  and  that 
conduct  is  evidently  exhibited  in  two  aspects :  first,    it  is  promised  that  he  should  be  set  over  all  his  lord's 


i  a  despotic  and  proud  bearing  to  his  fellow-servants, 
whom  he  abuses  instead  of  giving  them  nourishment ; 
and  secondly,  as  laxiti/  of  conduct  toward  the  wicked 
members  of  the  household  and  the  uninvited  guests, 
with  whom  he  commits  all  kinds  of  riot  and  debauch- 
ery. Meyer :  First,  we  have  his  conduct  toward  his 
fellow-servants,  and  then  his  conduct  outside  *  the 
oiKerela ;  and,  under  the  rule  of  such  a  steward,  the 
household  generally  is  to  some  extent  given  over  to 
wickedness.  Such  a  dissolute  hospitality,  also,  is 
signified,  as  makes  all  drunkards  from  without  wel- 
come. The  fellow-servants  here  must  be  under- 
stood of  such  as  are  faithful  servants  of  their  absent 
master. — The  great  historical  contrast  between  the 
Incfuisition  and  Indulgences  will  easily  occur  to  the 
reader. 


joods.  But  the  wiclvcd  servant,  who  despotically  set 
himself  over  the  household  and  house,  is  not  repre- 
sented as  having  been  appointed ;  in  his  supposed 
official  correction  of  his  subordinates,  he  appears  to 
be  a  reckless  injurer  of  his  equal  fellow-servants. 


HOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 


Ver.  51.  And  cut  him  asunder:  5 


(re  I. — The  expression  is  so  significant  that  Meyer 
properly  holds  fast  the  literal  rendering,  "  to  cut  into 
two  parts,"  and  rejects  all  generalizing  interpretations, 
such  as  scourging  (Paulus,  de  Wette,  etc.),  mutila- 
tion (Michaefis),  exclusion  from  service  (Beza),  and 
extreme  punishment  (Chrysostom).  It  is  emphatic- 
ally the  punishment  of  the  theocracy,  cutting  in  two, 
.sawing  asunder, — 1  Sam.  xv.  33  ;  2  Sam.  xii.  31 
(Heb.  xi.  37), — which  here  figuratively  expresses  a 


The  faithful  servant  and  the  wicked  servant  in  the 
Church:  1.  Their  opposite  spirit:  the  one  waits  (or 
the  coming  of  the  Lord,  the  other  puts  no  faith  in 
that  coming.  2.  Their  acts :  the  one  takes  care  of 
the  household's  nourishment,  the  other  makes  him- 
j  self  a  despotic  lord,  who  abuses  the  faithful,  and 
iXoTouv-    wastes  the  goods  of  the   house  in   riotous   living. 


3.  Their  recompense  :  blessed  and  miserable  surprise 
at  the  advent  of  the  Lord.  The  one  is  elevated  to 
the  highest  dignity,  the  other  is  condemned  and  de- 
stroyed  on  the  spot. — The  faithful  servant  waits  for 
his  Lord,  while  he  waits  upon  the  Church  with  the 
Lord's  word. — The  contradiction  in  the  life  of  the 
wicked  servant:  1.  In  his  spirit:  mocking  unbelief 
of  the  self-deception,  which  supposes  that  in  his  lord's 
lone:  absence  he  mast  take  the  whole  goverament,  in- 


sudden  and  annihilating  destruction,  and  possibly  not  j  stead  of  the  mere  provision  of  food.     2.  In  his  de- 


without  reference  to  the  double-mindedness  of  the 
condemned,  or  even  to  the  duplicity  of  the  Anti- 
Christianity  which  will  finally  bring  spiritual  despot- 
ism to  its  doom  {/see  Rev.  xiii.  1  and  11). 

With  the  hypocrites. — The  further  doom  of 
the  wicked  servant  after  the  judgment  of  the  great 


*  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  lias  just  tho  reverse:  within.  The 
Bervants  constitute  the  household,  the  guests  are  the  out- 
Bider3.-P.  S.] 


portment :  fearful  aevcrUi/  against  the  better  of  the 
household  ;  perfect  laxUi/  toward  the  wicked,  and 
fellowship  with  their  wickedness. — That  servant  who 
assumes  the  iiighest  place  in  hypocrisy  will  encounter 
the  sharpest  doom. — The  divided  heart  will  be  pun- 
ished by  a  perfect  dividing  asunder  of  the  life. — The 
great  schi.sm  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  Church,  an  earn 
est  sign  of  judgment. — The  great  schisms  in  the  Occj 
dental,  and  in  the  Protestant  Churcli,  and  their  bear- 
ing upon  the  end  of  ecclesiasticism  on  earth. — Tho 


436  THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 

twofold  judgment  over  perfected  unfaithfulness :  1.  A  |  puuLshment  of  unfaithfulness  in  oflBce  the  punishment 
sudden  surprise ;    2.  an  endless   punishment. — The  |  of  the  hypocrite. 


THIRD    SECTION. 

THE  JUDGMENT   UPON  THE   CHURCH  ITSELF.     SECOND   PICTURE   OF  JUDGMENT. 

Chapter  XXV.  1-13. 
{Tlie  Gospel  for  the  2'Jth  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 

1  Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened  unto  ten  virgins,  which  [who]  took 

2  their  [own] '  lamps,  and  went  forth  to  meet  the  bridegroom.^     And  five  of  them  were 

3  wise  [foolish],  and  five  we^'e  foolish  [wise].*     They  that  luere  foohsh*  took  their  lamps, 

4  and  took  no  oil  with  them :  But  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  [the]  °  vessels  with  their 

5  lamps.      While  the  bridegroom  tarried,   they  all  slumbered   [nodded,   ivvara^av]   and 

6  slept  [fell  asleep,  e/ca^evSov].     And  at  midnight  there  was  a  cry  [a  cry  was]  made,  Be- 

7  hold,  the  bridegroom  cometh;^  go  ye  out  to  meet  him.     Then  all  those  virgins  arose, 

8  and  trimmed   [adorned,  iKoafirjaav]  their  [own,  iavrCyv]   lamps.     And  the  foolish  said 
unto  the  wise.  Give  us  of  your  oil;  for  our  lamps  are  gone  out  [going  out,  cr^eVvwrat].' 

9  But  the  wise  answered,  saying.  Not  so  [Not  so,  /a^ttotc  •  ] ;  ^  lest  there  be  not  [there  will 
not  be,  ov  fx-^y  enough  for  us  and  you:  but  go  ye  rather  to  them  that  sell,  and  buy  for 

10  yourselves.  And  while  they  went  to  buy,  tlie  bridegroom  came ;  and  they  that  were  ready 

1 1  went  in  with  him  to  the  marriage :  and  the  door  was  shut.  Afterward  came  also  the 
other  virgins  [the  rest  of  the  virgins,  al  Xonral  Trap^eVot],  saying,  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us. 

12,  13  But  he  answered  and  said.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  know  you  not.  Watch  there- 
fore ;  for  ye  know  neither  [not,  ovk]  the  day  nor  the  hour  wherein  the  Son  of  man 
Cometh.'" 

'  Ver.  l.-— [The  best  ancient  authorities  and  the  critical  editions  read:  e  avT  uv,  for  the  lei't.  rec:  avr  cSi/,  in  vers. 
1  and  7.     Dr.  Lange  also  adopts  it  in  his  German  Version  ;  while  Dr.  Conant  overlooks  this  difference  of  reading.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  1. — The  addition:  Kal  rris  vv/xtprii  (ei  tipontia),  is  poorly  attested  and  disturbs  the  sense.  [Trench, 
Notes  on  the  Pa/riblert,  p.  237.  thinks  othor\visi>,  and  npjiroves,  as  to  sense,  the  reading:  and  went  forth  to  meet  the  bri'/e- 
{7roy«i  AND  THE  BKiDE.  Maldonatus  likewise  I'.ivdis  it  propter  veteres  interpretes.  It  was  the  custom  among  the  Jewa 
and  Greeks  that  the  bridegrnoni.  acciinipuiKcd  by  liis  fiicnds,  went  to  the  house  of  the  bride,  to  lead  her  to  his  own  homo, 
and  was  joined  hy  the  virgins,  the  tVieiids  i.f  tlie  brhle,  not  on  his  going  to  fetch  the  l.vido,  hut  o,i  his  returning,  with  her, 
to  his  own  house.  A  similar  custom  seems  to  prevail  in  Sicily  even  to  this  day.  (.'(iin[..  lli'  iiin.  Trareln  in  Sicily,  \o\. 
ii.  p.  20  (quoted  by  Trench):  "We  went  to  view  the  noclurn.al  procession  which  nlum,  ;i>  :  iMpanies  the  bridegroom  in 
escorting  his  betrothed  spouse  from  the  paternal  roof  to  that  of  her  future  husband,  i  i.i.,  (•.M,•i^lc•d  of  nearly  one  hundred 
of  the  first  persons  in  Jonnnina,  with  a  great  crowd  of  torch-bearers,  and  a  band  of  mnsn;.  Ajinr  ha  ci»(/  receircd  the  lady 
they  returned,  but  were  joined  by  an  equal  number  of  ladies,  who  paid  this  compliment  to  the  bride."  These  ladies. 
Trench  thinks,  corresponll  to  tlie  virgins  here,  and  join  the  procession  on  the  return  of  the  bridegroom,  with  the  bride,  to 
his  own  and  her  new  home.  Other  commentators,  however,  anjons;  them  Lange,  assume  here  a  modification  of  the  usual 
custom,  and  a  procession  of  the  virgins  to  meet  the  bridegroom  on  liis  way  to  the  house  of  the  bride.  8ea  the  Exeg.  Xote.i. 
-P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  2.— Codd.  B.,  C,  D.,  L.,  Z.,  Lachmann,  Tischendoff,  put  /noopai  first.  [So  does  Cod.  Sinait.,  and  Alford 
Oonant  ignores  this  difference  in  the  position  of  /xcopal  .and  (ppnyiuoi. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  3.— The  readings:  al  yap  [text.  rec. :  a'/frij/es], — al  Se,  al  ovv  appear  to  be  interpretations."  [Tischendorf,  de 
Wette,  and  Meyer  reg.ard  al  yap  as  an  emendation  of  a'iTiv^s.  But  Codd.  B.,  0.,  L.,  and  Sinait.  sustain  al  yap,  and  it  is 
more  natural  to  suppose,  with  Alford,  that  Se,  oiiv,  Kui,  dirives  were  substituted  because  700  was  not  understood. — 

^  Ver.  4.— [The  text.  rec.  inserts  aiVwy,  or  auruv,  after  ayyeiois,  but  it  is  w.anting  in  Codd.  Sinait.,  B.,  D.,  L.,  and 
omitted  by  Lachmann  and  Alford,  while  Tischendorf  reads  ourcir.  Lange  retains  it,  but  in  parenthesis  and  in  small  type. 
-P.  8.] 

^  Ver.  6. — The  word:  epxf""'  (co?ft«/A),  is  omitted  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf,  accordirg  to  decisive  authori- 
ties.    [See  also  Tr>-gelles  and  Alford.     Conant,  bimply :  Behold,  the  bridegroom  .'—P.  S„] 

■•  Ver.  7. — [Alford  emphasizes  the  pre.sent  tense,  and  tiiids  in  it  the  important  truth,  that  the  lamps  of  the  foolish  vir- 
gins were  not  extinguished  altogether. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  9.— [AW  bo  is  italicised  in  the  English  Version  as  an  interpolation,  because  it  follows  the  text.  rec. :  nvtroTf 
oliK  apKecri,  and  makes  b.pniari  depend  upon  firiTrore.  But  the  correct  reading,  according  to  the  best  critical  au- 
thorities, is:  fii)Tr(iTe'  ou  p.))  a  p/f  6  (rr;,  and  lUTjrroTe  is  to  be  taken  as  an  independent  exclamation  :  .By  7(0  meaws.' 
Not  80  !  There  will  not  be  enough,  etc.  Meyer:  Nimmermehr ;  eswird  gewisslich  nicht  hinreichen  !  Lange:  Mii 
mehten  !  En  wiirde  sicher  nicht  ausreichen.—P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  9.— Read  011  /ut)  [for  ovk  without  ^ut)]  according  to  B.,  C,  D.,  Lachmann.  Tischendorf,  [Tregelles,  Alford]. 

'"  Ver.  18. — The  words  :  wherein  the  Soti  of  Man  cometh,  are  wanting  iu  Codd.  A.,  B..  C,  D.,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  in  Lach- 
mann and  Tischendorf;  [also  in  the  text  of  Tregelles  and  Alford,  and  tho  revised  translation  of  Matthew  by  Conant  and 
tlio  K.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXV.  1-13. 


437 


EXEGETICAL  AND    CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  Then  shall  be  likened. — Fritzsclic 
rightly  notes  a  hint  of  seiuenco  in  t!ie  tots.  After 
the  judgiBent  upon  the  servants  and  the  office,  fol- 
lows the  judgment  upon  the  people  generally.*  The 
figure  introduces  females,  in  conformity  with  the  idua 
of  the  Church. 

Ten  virgins. —  Ten,  the  number  of  developed 
secular  life;  and  thus  the  number  of  the  completed 
eecular  development  of  the  Church.  It  was  termed 
by  the  Rabbins  the  "all-comprehending  number." 
What  goes  beyond  ten  returns  to  units  again,  llence 
the  ten  commandments,  tlie  harp  witli  its  ten  striugs,| 
the  ten  Scphirothof  the  Cabbalists,  ctc.|  (Comp. 
NoRK :  Eti/inolojiRch-s^inibolisch-mythologlsclics  Ileal- 
worterbuch,  sub  Zehn.)  Five,  the  number  of  free- 
dom as  half-consummalion,  and  of  the  course  of  the 
world  in  motion :  hence  also  the  number  of  punisli- 
mcnt  or  compensation,  Exod.  xsii.  1  (five  senses,  five 
fingers,  etc.);  compare  Luke  xis.  19.  The  virgais 
are  not  merely  companions  of  the  bride,  but  repre- 
sentatives of  the  bride,  the  Church. §  8oe  the  pro- 
phetical type  in  2  Cor.  xi.  2 ;  Rev.  xiv.  4.  Virginity 
signifies  Ciiristianity  as  separation  from  the  world,  as 
restraint  from  all  worldly  contamination.  See  Ezek. 
xxiii;  Hos.  i. ;  Rev.  xvii. ;  comp.  eh.  xiv.  4.||     Con- 


*  [Millennarian  Intcrpyetcrs  refer  tlu>  then,  and  the  whole 
section  from  ch.  xxiv.  to  xxv.  SO  to  Christ's  eomins:  before 
the  millennium,  or  the  judsment  which  pieiu'iles  His  per- 
.sonal  reign  on  earth,  as  distinct  from  His  final  coming.— 

+  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  not  knowing  the  difference  between 
Saiteii  (fltring)  and  Seiten  {side,  page),  rimders  Langt^'s 
"Psalter  [/.  e.,  ^aKr-ripiov,  the  stringed  instrument,  or 
i\ia\T'i]p,  which  also  means  sometimes  the  instrument, 
though  more  frequei;tly  the  performer,  the  harper]  mit  10 
Sailen : "  "  the  Psalter  with  its  ten  leu  res  !  "  According  to 
Joseph.  Antiq.  vii.  13,  3,  the  Jewish  harp,  "^"23,  like  the 
Greek  Kiv':pa,  the  Latin  cltharu  (hence  guitar),  had  ten 
strings.    To  this  the  original  no  doubt  refers. — P.  S.] 

t  [Ten  formed  ii  company  with  the  Jews,  also  a  family  to 
oat  the  p:is^^over;  ten  Jews  ii\  in;:  in  one  place  formed  a  con- 
ereg.ation  and  should  be  provided  with  a  synago'jue;  ten 
lanips  ov  torches  were  the  usual  number  in  niarri.ige  pro- 
ce.s.sions.  See  Wetsteijt  in,  loc.  Vithinua  :  <te  Si/ntigoija, 
p.  2^32  .sq  .  and  on  the  biblical  symbolism  of  numbers  the  rj- 
jnarks  in  this  volume,  p.  183  sq. — Tertullian  (Dc  anima.  c. 
IS)  ascribes  to  some  of  the  Gnostics  a  curious  mystic  inter- 
pretaii'in  of  the  ten  virgins:  the  five  foolish  virgins  .signify 
tlie  five  senses  which  are  easily  deceived  and  often  misled, 
the  five  wise  virgins  are  the  rea.soM:ible  powers  which  are 
able  to  comprehend  ideas.  Jerome.  Augustine,  Gregory, 
and  Beda.  on  the  contrary,  refer  the  nuMit>er  ten  to  the  live 
senses  under  two  aspects,  viz.  :  in  their  right  use  and  in 
their  abu.se.  On  this  Maldnnitus  makes  the  remark;  "/"^o- 
habilia  haea  sunt  [V:  •  ,  .  /-/  ■  ■'.  ■nnpferea  clenario 
niimero  pariihohi!!  <        i' (nnninm  homi- 

niim  mnUituflo  at i  :i<:i:lur,  quca  per 

litinr,  numerum  r/,  ,■.'/,,.'.  (  -r,  .  ,'.       1'.  ::.j 

§  [Aecordintr  to  the  miliennaiiati  llifory  the  bride  is  the 
restored  Jewish  Church  and  tlie  ten  virgin-,  represent  the 
Gentile  cunsrejtatious  accoinpauyiui,'  her.  Alford  is  inclined 
to  lake  a  similar  vie-.v:  '-In  both  the  weddina  p.arables  («<?6 
ch.  .x.\ii.)  the  t'li-le  does  not  fippear,  for  she,  being  the 
church,  is  in  fact  the  a;r::reg!ite  of  the  guests  in  the  one  c.ise, 
and  of  t!u-  com[)ii:;()ns  i:i  the  other  (.so  Lanse,  «««  above], 
W.'  ;i)  1 .    '  :  I!  i;  '    '  -he  is  here,  in  the  strict  interpre- 

t;vtii':i             '    '         •  '/   and  these   ten  viigins  Gentile 

con_-  -  :   ■ :  -,:       :-,-|]er.''-l'.  S.] 

''■'  ii  :■■-'.  111.  I  ;.  :i  iv;:iot,  Euthymius  Zig.,  and  Grego- 
ry, also  Au';\istine  in  oiiu  place  (but  differently  in  another), 
are  certainly  wron^  in  taking  rirgins  in  the  literal  sense, 
and  every  other  trat  of  the  "p.arable  in  a  figurative  sense. 
This  contracted  view  (as  even  Maldon.atus  atlmits  it  to  be)  is 
closely  cormected  with  the  ascetic  overestimate  of  colibai-y. 
Uilary,  on  the  other  hand,  expands  the  meaning  of  rirgiiis 
fo  .13  to  comprehend  oinnes  homines,  fideles  et  infiilelei. 
Orisen,  Jerome,  and  Maldon.atus  justly  limit  the  title  to  all 
believers.— P.  S.] 


ceming  the  relation  of  the  virgins  to  the  bride,  we 
must  bear  in  mind  the  analogy  of  the  marriage  supper 
of  the  king's  son  and  his  guests.  The  Church,  in  her 
aggregate  and  ideal  unity,  is  the  bride ;  the  members 
of  the  Church,  as  individually  called,  are  guests ;  in 
their  separation  from  the  world,  and  expectation  of 
the  Lord's  coming,  they  are  Ilis  virgins.  Virginity, 
waiting  for  the  Lord,  and  festal  joy,  they  share  with 
the  bride.  Beugel,  in  his  Discourses  on  the  Revela- 
tion (p.  1039),  distingui.shes  between  such  Christians 
as  belong  to  the  bride  and  such  as  belong  only  to  the 
number  of  guests.  This  is  so  fiir  true,  as  the  perfect 
experience  of  Christianity  finds  its  proper  centre  only 
in  the  elect.  But  we  are  not  authorized  to  make 
a  full  separation  between  the  two,  but  must  assume 
a  gradual  rising. 

Their  own  lamps. — A  feature  of  the  custom 
which  is  significant.  Propriety,  individuaUty,  prepa- 
ration, independence  of  others.  Vocation  to  a  pecu- 
liar and  personal  spiritual  life.  There  was  a  kind  of 
torch  amongst  the  ancients,  which  consisted  of  a  long, 
thick  wooden  staff,  in  the  upper  end  of  v^hich  a  ves- 
sel was  inserted,  having  a  wick  sustained  by  oil :  thus 
they  were  at  once  lamps  and  torches.  [Alford  on 
the  contrary :  These  were  not  torches  or  wicks  fas- 
tened on  staves,  but  properly  lamps,  and  the  oil  ves- 
sels (v/hich  is  most  important  to  the  parable)  were 
separate  from  the  lamps ;  the  lamps  being  the  hearts 
lit  with  the  flame  of  heavenly  love  and  patience,  sup- 
plied with  the  oil  of  the  Spirit. — P.  S.] 

And  went  forth. — "  Here  the  customs  of  a  sol- 
emn bridal  procession  in  the  night  are  presupposed. 
1  Mace.  ix.  37  gives  us  an  example  of  such  a  proces- 
sion in  daylight.  Anaong  the  Greeks  and  Romans, 
the  bride  was  brought  home  by  night:  hence  the 
torches  of  which  so  much  is  said.  Comp.  R.  Salo- 
mo,  ad  Chelim,  ii.  8  {see  Wetstein  and  Lightfoot) 
witnesses  the  same  practice  in  Palestine.  OrtTinarily, 
the  bride  was  fetched  by  the  briJegroom  and  his 
friends  {doiiniin  ducere) ;  but  here  it  is  the  office  of 
the  virgins  (comp.  Ps.  xiv.  1.5,  Grotius)  to  fetch  the 
bridegroom,  and  the  wedding  seems  to  take  place  in 
the  house  of  the  bride,  as  in  Judg.  xiv.  10."  De  Wette. 
Similarly  Meyer.  The  figure  generally  is  modified  by 
the  circumstance,  that  the  bridegroom  comes  from 
afar,  as  in  Judg.  xiv.  This  brings  in  the  festal  going 
forth  to  meet  him,  in  which  the  virgins  represent  the 
bride ;  it  also  indicates  the  long  tarrying  of  the  bride- 
groom ;  and  finally,  though  loss  markedly,  that  the 
marriage  takes  place  in  the  house  of  the  bride.  Com- 
pare the  art.  Hochzeii  in  Winer's  Bibl.  Mealwoi'ier- 
buck  [and  the  art.  Marriage  in  Smith's  Diciio?iari/ 
of  the  Bible,  vol.  ii.  p.  240  sqq.] 

Ver.  3.  They  that  were  foolish  took  their 
lamps. — We  must  carefully  note  the  contrast :  In 
the  case  of  the  foolish  virgin.s,  the  taking  of  the  lamps 
is  everything  (Aa/SoCoai  rar  Aa,u  n-aSas  €OU- 
T  £0 »/) ;  but  in  the  case  of  the  wise,  it  is  the  taking  of 
oil  in  their  vessels.  The  foolish  are  thus  represented 
as  being  vain  and  thoughtless,  looking  only  at  ap- 
pearances, and  only  in  haste  going  forth  through  ex- 
cited feeling. 

Ver.  5.  While  the  bridegroom  tarried. — 
Meyer  supposes  that  tne  virgins  had  set  forth  from 
t!ie"  house  of  the  bride,  and  had  gone  into  another 
house  by  the  v/ay.  This  strange  notion  is  needless, 
when  it  is  considered  that  the  virgins  secretly  provide 
their  own  lamps,  and  then  betake  themselves  to  the 
bride's  house.  The  e^?i\diiv  of  ver.  1  does  not  mean 
that  they  had  already  gone  forth  some  distance  on 
the  way :  it  is  a  i-reliminary  description  of  the  great 


438 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW 


event  of  the  parable. — They  all  nodded  and  fell 
asleep. — An  intimation  of  weakness  indeed,  yet  ex- 
pressing the  great  delay  of  the  bridegroom  rather 
than  censure.*  Certainly  tlie  slumbering  was  peril- 
ous, since  it  took  away  the  possibility  of  repairing, 
in  haste,  the  lack  of  oil.  [Nast  :  The  expression  de- 
notes the  gradual  approach  of  sleep  to  such  as  occu[)y 
a  sitting  posture,  and  strive  at  first  to  withstand  the 
disposition  to  slumber.  These  virgins  made  efforts  to 
keep  awake,  but  liually  yielded  to  the  influence  of 
sleep.  Alford  :  Being  weak  by  nature,  they  gave 
way  to  drowsiness ;  as  indeed  the  wakefulness  of  the 
holiest  Christian,  compared  with  what  it  should  be, 
is  a  sort  of  slumber.  D.  Brown  :  Two  stages  of 
spiritual  declension — first,  that  half-involuntary  leth- 
argy or  drowsiness  which  is  apt  to  steal  over  one  who 
falls  into  inactivity ;  and  then  a  conscious  yielding  to 
it  after  a  little  vain  resistance. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  6.  At  midnight. — Significant.  The  most 
unfit  time  to  obtain  what  they  had  omitted. — A  cry 
was  made. — The  greater  the  apparent  delay,  the 
more  intense  the  surprise  at  the  cry  of  the  heralds 
sent  forward. 

Ver.  '7.  Adorned  their  own  leimps. — The 
trimming  I  had  probably  taken  place  before.  The 
adornment  of  the  lamp  was  the  kindled  festal  flame, 
in  the  light  of  which  it  shone.  Hence,  afterward, 
extinction  is  spoken  of  at  once,  a^ivvvvrai:  they 
burn  dimly,  and  will  go  out.:]: 

Ver.  9.  Not  so! — Since  ou  /xri  is  the  correct 
reading  in  the  following  clause,  /nrjTrore  is  not  de- 
pendent on  a  p  K  e  or  7) ,  but  has  the  force  of  a  strongly 
repelling  negative :  JSy  no  means  ! 

Ver.  10.  They  that  were  ready  went  in 
with  him. — It  is  presupposed  that  they  first  went 
out  to  meet  him  with  their  festal  lamps.  It  is  not 
needful  to  explain,  with  Bornemann,  "  into  the  house 
of  the  bridegroom  ; "  noi-,  with  Meyer,  to  suppose 
that  they  had  gone  back  from  the  imaginary  midway 
house  to  that  of  the  bride. 

Ver.  12.  I  know  you  not. — See  en.  vii.  23, 
p.  145.  [Here  =--  Non  agnosco^  I  do  not  acknowledge 
you  as  mine.  This  as  well  as  the  iKki'iaB-q  i]  Bvpa, 
bears  rather  strongly  against  the  view  of  Olshausen, 
iUford,  and  others,  who  suppose  that  the  foolish  vir- 
gins were  only  excluded  from  the  millennium,  but  not 
from  the  ultimate  kingdom  of  glory  in  heaven.  (See 
below.  Doctrinal  Thouc/hts,  No.  5.)  Alford  tries  to 
evade  the  difficulty  by  making  an  essential  distinc- 
tion, which  is  hardly  justified,  between  ovk  o'lSa 
6  (U  a  5  in  this  passage,  audoiiStTroTe  eyvwv  h  fxus 
in  ch.  vii.  23.— P.  S.] 


*  [Lange :  Andeuiung  (Jer  Sehicachheit  freilich,  nonst 
aher  ineHr  die  grosxe  Vf.rspdtung  den  Bruutigams  als 
einen  bestimmtereM  Tadel  uumprechend.  Tlie  Edinb.  I'di- 
tion  misunderstands  this  passage  entirely  in  translating : 
"  hut  also  declaring  their  more  expreni  fault  to  have  been 
the  retarding  of  the  bridegroom." — P.  S.] 

+  [Not:  "the  pergonal  festal  array"  as  the  Kdinb.  trsl. 
renders :  Das  Aufpiitzen.  Dr.  Lange  no  doubt  refers  to  the 
pre|)arati()n  of  the  lamps  by  pouring  on  fresh  oil,  and  remov- 
ing the  fungi  about  the  wick,  which  was  done  by  a  sharp- 
pointed  wire  attached  to  the  lamp  (as  still  seen  in  ancient 
bronze  lamps  in  sepulchres).  He  translates  inna >xi\<y  av 
(which  the  English  Version  renders  trimmed)  literally  : 
sie  sohmuckten. — P.  S.] 

%  [Alford  emphasizes  the  present  tense:  they  are  going 
out.  See  the  Crit.  Note  above.  The  English  Version  cer- 
tainly conveys  a  false  sense,  and  it  is  surprifing  that  such  a 
scholar  as  Dr.  Wordsworth  .should  base  an  interpretation  on 
a  false  translation,  when  he  remarks  to  (T^evvvvTai: 
"i.  e.,  they  had  died  in  a  cari-l..-ss  unp'ofitable  condition,  and 
these  lamps  were  gone  out.  and  now  it  was  too  late  to  ask 
for  oil."'— The  foolish  virgins  slill  had  t.;e  outward  appear- 


Vers.  1-12.  The  Meaning  of  the  Parable. — 
The  leading  idea  is  the  readiness  of  the  Church  for 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  :  but  that  rather  viewed  in- 
ternally than  externally ;  not  in  its  extension,  but  in 
its  intensilij.*  The  Lord  had  made  it  very  clear  that 
the  question  was  not  of  a  mechanical  millennarian 
preparation ;  for  He  represented  all  the  virgins  as 
asleep,  the  wise  in  common  with  the  foolisli.  Inter- 
nal preparation  is  before  all  things  dependent  on  the 
possession  of  the  oil.  The  oil  signifies  the  anointing 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  do  Wette  denies  in  vain. 
This  explanation  is  founded  upon  the  constant  typi- 
cal meaning  of  the  oil  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 
See  Ileb.  i.  9  ;  com  p.  Ps.  xlv.  V,  8 ;  Acts  x.  38.  The 
name  of  the  Messiah  shows  that  the  oil  of  unction 
was  a  symbol  of  the  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
But  the  oil  which  fed  the  lamps  could  have  no  other 
meanhig ;  for  even  the  olive-tree  partook  of  the  same 
significance.  See  Zech.  iv.  2,  3 ;  Rev.  xi.  4.  Now, 
if  the  oil  signifies  the  true  inward  fife  of  faith,  the 
spiritual  life,  the  interpretation  of  the  lamps  is  not 
far  off:  they  denote  iheform  of  faith.f  Hence  it  is 
significant  that  the  foolish  virgins  were  very  careful 
to  secure  their  lamps,  but  neglected  the  oil;  while 
the  wise  virgins  took  oil  in  their  vessels  with  their 
lamps.  They  did  not  negfect  the  lamps,  but  their 
chief  concern  was  about  the  oil.  Olshausen  gives  the 
right  interpretation  of  the  oil;  but  he  improperly 
makes  the  lamp  mean  the  heart ;  %  observing  that  in 
the  foolish  virgins  faith  had  its  root  only  in  the  feel- 
ing. Chrysostom  gives  an  arbitrary  explanation : 
with  him  the  oil  is  alms ;  and  so  on  with  the  rest  of 
the  particulars.  Luther  inversely  mali:es  the  lamps 
good  woiks,  and  the  oil-vessels  faith.  Meyer  is 
against  all  interpretation  of  the  details,  and  appeals 
to  Calvin :  "  Multum  se  torqueni  quidam  in  lucernis, 
in  vasis,  in  oleo.  Atqui  simplex  et  gcnuina  summa 
est,  non  sufficere  alacre  exigui  temporis  studium,  nisi 
infatigabilis  constantia  simul  accedat."  But  in  this 
constancy,  externally  regarded,  the  foolish  virgins  are 
not  by  any  means  wanting.     They  pray,  they  even 


ance  and  profession  of  Christianity,  but  in  its  last  stage  of 
con.suniption.— P.  S.] 

*  [Calvin  and  AltWrd  put  the  lesson  of  the  parable  in  the 
blessedness  ofen(lur<nice  unto  the  end.  But  Lange  is  right, 
as  appears  from  ver.  13  which  contains  the  lesson  of  the  par- 
able, as  MaUlonutiis  correctly  observed. — P.  S.] 

+  [Here  lies  the  principal  difference  between  the  Koman 
Catholic  and  the  Protestant  Evangelic:il  inter[iretation  of  the 
parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins,— a  difference  which  is  similar  to 
that  concerning  the  Wedding  Garment,  ch.  xxii.  11.  Origen, 
Hilary,  Jerome,  Maldonatus,  and  many  Catholic  interpre- 
ters (including  Quesnel,  the  Jansenist),  make  the  oil  the 
symbol  of  good  works  or  charity,  without  which  faith  is  dead 
and  hence  cnnnot  burn  (James  ii.  26),  and  the  lumps  the 
symbol  of  faith .  which  w.os  common  to  all  virgins.  It  ia 
only  a  modification  of  this  exposition  if  Chrysostom,  Am- 
brose, and  otlier  fithers  refer  the  oil  more  particularly  to 
eh-omoxyna  et  misericordin.  The  reformers  and  most  of 
the  Protestant  c.)mmentators,  on  the  contrary,  more  natural- 
ly understand  the  oil  to  signify  the  principle  of  a  living  faith, 
or  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Spirt,  or  more  generally:  in- 
ward spiritual  life,  the  grace  of  God  in  the  heart,  and  the 
lamps,  the  outward  Chri-tian  appearance  and  profession 
(Luther,  less  aptly:  good  works).  The  fathers,  however, 
can  hardly  bo  quoted  as  a  whole  in  favor  of  the  Roman  in- 
terpretation, since  they  differ  very  widely  in  tht-ir  exposition 
and  explication.  Thus  the  lamps  mean,  according  to  Hila- 
ry, the  human  bodies,  in  which  the  divine  light  burns;  ac- 
cording to  Jerome,  the  senses  of  the  body.  Augustine,  who 
varies  in  his  interpretations  of  this  parable,  in  one  jilace  ap- 
proaches the  Protestant  view,  when  he  makes  the  oil  to 
mean  bonam  intentionem  mentis,  and  tlie  lamps  bona  opera 
(A/).  0x1.  33;  Serm,.  cxllx.  11).  If  wo  arc  authorized  to  press 
every  feature  in  this  parable,  and  to  m  ike  it,  as  it  were,  {sit 
venia  verbo .')  to  walk  on  all  fours,  the  exposition  of  Dr. 
Lange  is  the  most  ingenious  and  plausible. — P.  H.] 

j  [So  also  Quesnel  and  Alford.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXV.  1-13. 


439 


run  in  the  very  midnight  to  the  sellers.  It  would  be 
out  of  the  question  to  suppose  tliat  even,  after  all, 
they  obtained  a  supply,  and  came  with  their  oil  after 
the  rest.  This  is  not  in  the  parable ;  and  the  simple 
point  remains,  that  they  troubled  themselves  about 
the  oil  too  late.  The  division  of  the  virgins  into  two 
classes  must  therefore  have  this  meaning,  that  one 
part  of  the  Church  is  living,  while  the  other  lives 
only  in  appearance,  because  it  lives  only  fo  appear- 
ance. Hence  the  distribution  into  two  halves  must 
not  be  literally  pressed.  Mldnifjht  is  a  late  and  dark 
season,  a  season  of  sleep  and  the  danger  of  surprise. 
"  The  ancient  Church  took  the  word  literally ;  and 
hence  the  origin  of  the  vigilUe.''''  Heubner.  The  cry 
at  midnight  cannot  refer  to  the  ecclesiastical  watch- 
ers exclusively;  but,  in  connection  with  them,  to 
the  cosmical  signs  of  the  paroiisi.a  which  have  been 
already  mentioned.  The  sdhrs  have  been  interpreted 
of  the  Holy  Scripture  and  its  writers.*  The  means 
of  grace  generally,  or  prayer,  will  obviously  be 
thought  off  but  this  is  a  trait  in  the  parable  which 
scarcely  endures  interpretation.  The  deeping  of  the 
virgins  was  very  inappropriately  referred  by  Chrysos- 
tom  to  their  bodily  death  ;  f  and  by  Calvin  to  "  occu- 
pationum  hujus  mundi  distradio."  But  it  seems 
best  to  understand  it  of  an  involuntary  entanglement 
in  the  world  and  its  spirit  of  carnal  security,:]:  to 
which  even  believing  Christians  are  liable.  Heubner : 
"The  sleepiness  is  not  the  relaxation  or  decline  of 
Christianity,§  but  the  remission  of  a  definite  CKpecta- 
tion  ot  the  near  approach  of  Christ's  coming.  We 
can  easily  understand  how  this  expectation  has  de- 
creased with  increasing  ages ;  it  is  not  found  now 
among  all  faithful  Christians,  of  whom  very  few  can 
bring  themselves  to  think  that  ive  may  hvc  to  see  the 
last  day.  But  this  sleepiness  does  not  exclude  the 
general  preparation  of  Christians  in  other  respects, 
that  is,  their  faith  and  love." 


DOCTPwIN.VL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  The  Judgment  on  the  Church. — The  ten  vir- 
gins signify  not  merely  a  part  of  the  Church,  as 
Olshausen  contends  for,  but  the  whole  of  it.  This  is 
evident,  first,  from  the  number  ten,  which  points  to 
the  perfect  secular  development  of  the  Church.  Fur- 
ther, the  circumstance  that  individual  traits  are  not 
at  all  exhibited  ;  the  five  virgms  on  the  one  side,  and 


*  [So  Olshansen.  Somewhat  diflferently  Alford :  oi  iru- 
KoTvres  are  tlie  ordinary  dispensers  of  the  means  of  grace 
(which  he  thinks  supplies  no  mean  argument  for  a  set  and 
appointed,  anil  moreover  a  jjiiid  ministry;  for  if  thoy  se//, 
they  receive  for  ihe  thing  sold).  Better  witli  Lanffe;  the 
means  of  grace  themselves  (including  the  Scriptures  and  the 
ministry).  This  is  certainly  a  far  more  sensible  interpreta- 
tion than  that  of  Chrysostoni,  Hilary,  and  other  fathers,  who 
take  the  sellers  of  ofl  to  si/nify  tha.poor,  who  receive  the 
a/m»Mtlie  oil)  of  the  faithful,  and  sell  the  oil  in  return  for 
the  relii-f  afforded  to  their  wants!— 1'.  S] 

t  [do  also  IJasil,  Hilar)',  and  Augnstine,  as  we'I  as  Words- 
worth and  other  modern  commentators.  Tiiis  exposition 
would  imply  that  at  the  time  of  th-  Lord's  coming  none  of 
the  faithful  would  be  living  on  earth.  Trench,  on  the  other 
hand,  regards  the  fallinff  'asleep  merely  as  a  circumstance 
required  by  the  convenience  of  the  parabolic  narration,  and 
Nast  is  inclined  to  the  same  view.  But  the  exposition  of 
Lange  {nee  above,  comp.  also  Stler  and  Heubner)  is  the  most 
plau>ible  — 1'.  S.] 

X  [In  German:  Sicherheit,  necurity,  not  severity,  as  the 
Kdiiil).  tran.-l.  reads.] 

§  [In  German:  Das  Sclildfrigwerden.  ist  nicht  Kmcldiif- 
fen  (relaxation,  abatement)  des  Christentliums ;  in  the 
V.dinli.  trsl.:  ihe  profound  sleep  of  Christendom  (which 
wi.uld  require  in  German:  dcr  tiefe  Schlaf  der  Christen- 
k6tt).-V.  S.] 


the  five  virgins  on  the  other,  being  altogether  alike 
respectively.  And,  lastly,  tlie  position  of  this  para- 
ble between  that  of  the  two  servants  and  that  which 
follows  concerning  the  entrusted  talents ;  that  is,  be- 
tween the  judgment  upon  the  ministerial  office,  and 
the  judgment  upon  individual  ('hristians. 

2.  The  Siyiiijieance  of  the  Lidtvidaal  Traita  of  ihe 
Parahle. — The  three  most  essential  points  are :  1.  The 
ten  virgins ;  2.  the  delay  of  the  bridegroom,  and  the 
midnight ;  3.  the  oil  in  the  vessels  in  relation  to  the 
lamps.  Of  the  first  we  have  spoken  already.  As  it 
regards  the  second,  the  two  great  things — the  delay 
of"  the  bridegroom,  and  midnight — coalesce  in  one, 
the  second  being  the  consequence  of  the  first.  The 
midnights  in  the  history  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  are 
each  the  last  late  season  of  a  slowly-expiring  age. 
Hence,  the  time  of  the  last  kings  of  Israel,  before  the 
Lord's  coming  in  the  Babylonian  captivity,  or  in  the 
Messianic  prophecies  ;  still  more,  the  time  of  the  cru- 
cifixion of  Christ ;  the  end  of  the  Middle  Ages ;  and 
especia'.ly  the  final  period  before  the  end  of  tlie  world. 
It  is  midnight  for  the  Church  of  Christ,  v/hen  the! 
worldly  sjiirit  is  so  far  in  the  ascendency  as  to  make;  . 
it  seem  that  the  history  of  the  Church  will  fall  into  i  ' 
the  common  course  of  the  world  and  of  nature,  that  ' 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  not  to  be  consummated  in 
the  judgment  and  renewal  of  the  world,  and  that 
Christ  is  not  to  come  or  to  return.  In  such  a  season 
the  faithful  are  more  than  ever  tempted  to  give  up 
the  feeling,  that  they  live  in  the  midst  of  the  great 
preparation  for  the  marriage  supper,  and  the  Chris- 
tian glorification  of  the  world ;  and  gradually  to  sur- 
render their  firm  hold  on  their  vocation,  which  is  to 
represent  the  solemn  festive  character*  of  the  work 

of  Christ.  But  more  than  once  has  arisen,  in  the 
midnights  of  Christian  history,  the  cry,  the  Bride' 
groom  comcth  !  The  cry  without  doubt  must  signify, 
in  such  cases,  the  prophetic  warnings  of  faithful  watch- 
men, in  connection  with  the  solemn  signs  of  the  times, 
which  likewise  preach.  Heavy  judgments  and  great 
awakenings  testify  the  nearness  of  the  Lord,  until  He 
really  come.     In  such  times  the  Church  is  sifted. 

3.  And  the  decisive  test  is  not  the  lamp,  but  the 
oil-vessel, — the  Spirit,  the  spiritual  life. 

4.  But,  as  the  wicked  and  the  faithful  servants 
are  sundered,  and  the  wicked  are  cut  in  two,  so  will 
the  Church  through  that  sifting  be  divided  into  a  dy-  , 
ing  and  a  living  portion.  "  This  distinction  is  always 
present.  But  as  time  runs  on  it  becomes  more  mani- 
fest ;  and  at  the  end  it  will  be  seen  in  all  its  tearful- 
ness, as  the  ground  of  the  judgment  which  the  Church 
must  undergo.  They  all  "have  the  lamps :  the  forma 
of  faith,  ecclesiastical  confession  and  position.  But 
then  the  question  comes  as  to  wliether  the  form  is 
filled  with  the  eternal  substance  of  tlie  Spirit  of  Christ. 
The  foolish  virgins  lack  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  they  have 
no  lights,  no  evidences  of  love,  no  hymns  of  praise  to 
welcome  the  Lord  in  His  coming."  (From  the 
author's  Lebcn  Jcsu.) 

5.  According  to  Olshausen,  this  judgment  is  only 
preparatory,  only  an  exclusion  from  the  marriage  of 
the  Lamb  (Rev.  xix.  7).t     But  what  else  is  the  mai^ 


*  [In  German:  die  FeMlehl-eit  (a  favorite  term  with 
Yir  I.aii<'c),  •.vhieli  the  Kdiiib.  trsl.  mistook  for  FesUykeit, 
and  rendered:  Uahlliti/ !-\\  S.] 

t  [Simlhuly  ,\i.Foi;i);  "  We  are  not  told  that  they  could 
not  buy— that  the  shops  were  shut— but  simply  that  it  was 
too  hitit— /"'•  that  time.  For  it  is  not  the  final  coming  of  the 
L<Md  to  judgment,  when  the  day  of  grace  will  be  past,  that 
is  spokeii  of —except  in  so  far  as  it  is  hinted  at  in  the  back^ 
ground."— I'oiret  (as  quote.l  by  Trench,  p.  2S7),  Fr.  voii 
Meyer,  and  millennarian  commentators,  take  the  Bame  view, 


410 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


riage  of  the  Lamb,  but  the  festival,  or  at  least  the 
fore-festival,  of  eternal  blessedness  ?  Olshausen 
thinks  that  the  foolish  virgins  had  faith  (Kvpit,  Kvpte, 
ver.  11),  and  that  they  lacked  only  sanctification. 
But  they  arc  without  the  Spirit,  and  therefore  with- 
out the  reality  of  faith.  The  saying :  "  Lord,  Lord," 
saves  not  in  the  judgment.  Only  this  much  may  be 
admitted,  that  this  parable,  like  the  preceding  and 
the  following,  primarily  delineates  a  historical  judg- 
ment which  introduces  the  fmal  one,  but  is  not  the 
final  and  conclusive  one  itself  These  three  prelimi- 
nary judgments,  liowever,  are  introductory  to  the  final 
judgment ;  and  they  are  themselves  so  far  final  and 
decisive,  as  the  want  of  the  Spirit  (oil),  consummated 
unfaithfulness  in  office,  and  the  squandering  of  tlie 
gifts  of  grace,  fit  the  soul  for  condemnation.  Only 
with  reference  to  the  possibility  of  individual  conver- 
sions must  a  distinction  be  allowed  between  the  pre- 
liminary judgments  and  the  last  end. 


HOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

The  judgment  of  the  Church. — 1.  The  impending 
coming  of  the  Bridegroom  to  the  marriage ;  2.  the 
five  foolish  and  the  five  wise  virgins ;  3.  the  delay  of 
the  Bridegroom,  and  the  midnight ;  4.  the  cry  at  raid- 
night  ;  5.  the  want  of  oil,  and  the  lam.ps  going  out ; 
e.  the  feast  of  the  wise,  and  the  exclusion  of  the  fool- 
ish virgins. — What  is  the  great  essential  for  the 
Church,  waiting  for  the  Lord?  1.  The  vessel  of  oil 
wiik  the  lamps :  the  spiritual  life  and  the  form  of 
faith.  2.  The  oil  before  the  lamps :  the  spiritual  Ufe 
above  the  form  of  iaith.  3.  The  oil  in  the  vessel: 
the  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  confession. — 
The  Church  always  divided  into  foolish  and  wise  mem- 
bers.— The  characteristics  of  the  foolish  virgins : 
1.  Hasty  external  equipment  for  the  feast,  which 
takes  care  of  the  appearance  (the  lamps),  but  forgets 
the  essence  (the  oil).  2.  Relaxation  and  drowsiness 
after  the  first  excitement,  aflecting  even  the  wise  also. 
3.  False  and  anxious  efibrts  at  last,  to  repair  the  irre- 
parable loss  of  spiritual  life. — The  characteristics  of 
the  wise  virgins:  1.  Divine  preparation  for  eternity: 
the  oil  and  the  lamps.  2.  Human  infirmity  in  the 
course  of  life  (slumbering).  3.  Christian  conduct  in 
every  hour  of  decision :  burning  lamps ;  refusal  of 
ruinous  fellowship  with  the  unprovided. — Comparison 
of  the  wise  and  foolish  virgins:  1.  The  prevailing 
Bimilarity  in  externals ;  2.  the  unapparent  and  yet 
decisive  difference  in  secret. — The  judgments  of  the 
Lord,  especially  the  last,  make  a  severance  between 
tlie  dead  and  the  living  members  of  the  Church. — 
The  severe  test  which  the  Church  sustains,  through 
the  increase  of  worldliness  and  the  apparent  delay  of 
the  Lord. — The  midnight  in  the  history  of  the  Church. 
— The  cry  at  midnight :  The  Bridegroom  cometh  ! — 
Joyful  expectation  of  the  advent,  the  burning  festal 
lamp  with  which  the  Christian  goes  to  meet  the  Lord. 
— The  right  j)reparation  for  His  coming. — The  hour 
of  judgment  makes  the  internal  difference  between 


nnd  srenerally  assume  thai  tlio  five  foolish  virgins  will  be  ex- 
chuied  only  from  the  blessedne.ss  of  tlie  first  resurrection 
and  the  thousand  years' reign  of  Christ  on  e.irth,  but  not 
from  final  ealvation  and  tlie  irlory  of  heaven.  It  may  be 
urged  in  favor  of  this  view  that  the  virsrins  are  not  divided 
into  {/nod  and  had,  but  into  «;?.?«  a,n(\  fooluh  virgins,  and 
that  the  latter  arc  not  represented  as  unbelievers.  But  com- 
pare against  this  interpretation  the  remarks  of  Dr.  Lange 
above,  and  also  Dr.  Nast  on  ver.  12,  and  the  passage  from 
Bengel  quoted  there.— P.  S.] 


living  Christians  and  hypocrites  apparent.  1.  The 
former  find  themselves  prepared  with  the  great  essen- 
tial, which  the  others  lack, — the  Spirit,  and  spiritual 
fellowship  with  the  Lord.  2.  The  former  lift  up  their 
heads,  because  their  redemption  draws  nigh ;  the 
others  are  overwhelmed  and  abandoned.  3.  The  for- 
mer advance  toward  their  Lord  with  the  festal  light 
of  joy  and  praise ;  the  others  seek  their  help  apart 
from  Him. — The  seemingly  severe  word  of  the  wise 
virgins,  a  word  of  truth  and  gentleness.  For,  1.  The 
spiritual  Ufe,  which  makes  Christians  what  they  are, 
cannot  be  externally  transmitted,  but  must  be  inter- 
nally experienced ;  2.  it  cannot  be  divided  and  dimin- 
ished without  perishing ;  3.  every  attempt  of  the  wise 
to  have  fellowship  with  the  foolish  in  the  hour  of 
judgment,  must  be  destructive  to  both  parties  alike ; 
4.  if  salvation  wore  yet  possible,  it  would  be  only  in 
the  ordinary  way  of  repentance  and  conversion. — 
Ruinous  delay  for  the  Lord's  feast. — What  should  be 
the  effect  of  the  Lord's  sacred  delay :  not  a  hurtful 
delay  in  caring  for  what  is  needful,  but  a  saving  dili- 
gence.— The  highest  internal  life  is  the  most  extreme 
watchfulness. 

Starke : — Zcishes :  The  visible  Church  of  Christ 
upon  earth  consists  of  true  and  false,  dead  and  living, 
members,  —  of  wise  and  foolish  Christians. —  The 
Church  is  divided  into  tv/o  halves :  the  true  and  the 
hypocritical. — The  externals  of  Christianity  are  noth- 
ing before  God,  where  the  heart  is  not  truly  sanctified 
through  the  Holy  Spirit. — The  slumbering  must  be 
explained  with  a  difference.  With  the  ungodly,  it  is 
a  godless  security :  with  the  faithful,  it  is  a  spiritual 
lethargy ;  which,  however,  is  consistent  with  true  love 
to  Christ. —  Canstein :  The  tarrying  of  the  Bridegroom 
is  not  delay ;  but  a  pausing,  in  merciful  desire  to  save. 
— Christ  will  come  at  a  time  when  the  Church  is  se- 
cure and  asleep. —  Quesnel:  The  pious  are  reputed 
fools  and  miserable ;  but  the  time  will  come  when 
men  will  wish  to  be  sharers  of  their  goods  and  bless- 
edness.— Every  man  must  live  by  his  own  faith. — The 
sacred  oil  of  joy  may  be  bought  without  money,  but 
it  must  be  in  time. —  Cramer:  Let  him  who  would  re- 
pent, take  it  in  good  season. — The  Lord  knoweth  his 
own,  2  Tun.  ii.  19. — Spiritual  watchfulness  is  most 
needful. 

Gossner : — The  same  judgment  will  come  upon 
all  Christians,  who  hold  only  to  the  form  of  rehgion 
(the  lamps)  without  caring  for  the  spirit  (the  oil  in 
the  lamps). 

Gerlach : — Every  soul  is  accepted  for  himself,  and 
cannot  represent  others  in  judgment.* — Jesus  knows 
those  only  for  His  own  who  have  lived  and  persevered 
in  living  fellowship  with  Hun. 

Heitbner : — To  be  a  virgin,  is  the  destination  of  a 
Christian :  he  is  called  to  purity,  sanctification,  absti- 
nence from  spiritual  whoredom,  idolatry. — He  is  con- 
secrated to  the  Lord. — Not  all  who  have  externally 
left  Babylon,  or  the  world,  are  true  virgins. — Christ 
does  not  speak  of  unbelievers,  but  of  those  who  once 
had  faith. — Perfect  unbelievers,  who  are  without  any 
expectation  of  the  Lord,  belong  to  neither  class  f  of 
virgins. — Expectation  of  the  Lord's  advent  a  neces- 
sary m.ark  of  the  Christian. — The  lamp  is  the  exter- 
nafform,  the  vessel  for  inward  Christianity. — Without 
the  lamp  the  oil  is  wasted,  but  without  the  oil  the 


*  [Comp.  tberem.ark  of  Jerome  on  ver.  9:  "■Units  quia- 
que  jn-o  operihus  suis  mercedemrecipief^iifque  ponsnnt 
in  d ie  jucdcii  aliorum  vii-Putes  aiiorum  vilia  suhleeare.'' 
-P.  S.'] 

t  [In  German:  zv,  kdner  Elasse ;  in  the  Edinb.  trsl. : 
to  one  clans,  which  must  be  a  mere  printing  eiTor.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXV.  14-30. 


441 


lamp  will  not  burn. — Take  care  not  to  despise  exter- 
nal Christianity  (baptism,  confession,  church-going, 
partaking  of  the  holy  communion) ;  but  take  care  also 
not  to  be  satislied  with  it,  and  to  rest  upon  it. — The 
two  olive-trees,  Rev.  xi.  1-6. — True  Christians  unite 
both  external  and  internal  Christianity. — The  extinc- 
tion of  the  lamps,  the  painful  feeling  of  emptiness  in 
the  spirit. — Hence  the  anguish  and  despondency  of 
so  many  dying  people. — How  many  send  for  the 
minister,  and  frantically  desire  spiritual  good,  when 
too  late  ! 

Fri/sck:  The  constant  preparation  for  death. — 
Schenkcl :  The  false  security  of  the  converted. — 
lAsco :  The  parable  an  exhortation  to  true  prepara- 
tion for  the  end. 

[QuESXEL  (in  addition  to  those  extracts  given  by 
Starke  above) : — Man's  life  is  one  continual  prepara- 
tion for  the  marriage-supper  of  eternity.  His  heart 
is  his  lamp.  [So  aiso  Olshausen  and  Alford,  but  not 
Lange,  see  above.]  By  the  motions  and  desires  of 
his  soul,  he  goes  forth  to  meet  the  bridegroom,  and 
hastens  toward  heaven  by  the  virgin  purity  of  his 
life. — The  Church,  bef':)re  the  marriage-supper  of 
eternity,  is  always  divided  and  mixed. — True  wisdom 
consists  in  being  always  ready,  and  in  constant  re- 
membrance of  the  bridegroom's  coming. — A  heart 
without  charity  [faith]  is  a  lamp  without  oil. — The 
holiness  of  others  will  not  avail  us  at  the  hour  of 
death. —  The  door  is  shut!  Dreadful  and  fatal  words! 
No  hope  remams.    Nothing  but  death  shuts  this  door ; 


but  death  may  surprise  us  in  our  sins,  and  then  de- 
spair is  our  portion. —  To  watch  is  to  employ  ourselves 
chiefly  about  the  business  of  our  salvation.  But, 
alas,  how  many  who  slumber !  How  many  asleep ! 
How  many  seized  with  lethargy !  How  many  quite 
dead  ! — Burkitt: — Some  Christians,  like  foohsh  vir- 
gins, content  themselves  with  a  blazing  lamp  of  an 
outward  profession,  without  securing  an  inward  jjiin- 
ciple  of  grace  and  love,  which  should  maintain  that 
profession,  as  tlie  oil  maintains  the  lamp.  Hence  the 
true  wisdom  consists  in  taking  care  that  the  vessel 
of  his  heart  may  be  furnished  with  the  graces  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  as  a  prevailing  and  abiding  principle. — 
The  Bridegroom  will  certainly  come,  though  at  His 
own  time:  1.  Reason  says:  He  may  come  (God  is 
just  and  will  reward,  etc.) ;  2.  faith  says :  He  will 
come  ;  3.  happy  are  those  who  go  forth  to  meet  Him. 
— The  lamp  of  profession  will  certainly  go  out,  which 
has  not  a  stock  of  grace  to  feed  it. — Those  who  would 
have  grace,  must  have  timely  recourse  to  t/iern  that 
sell,  i.  e.,  to  the  ordinances  and  means  of  grace. — The 
door  is  shut  against  them :  the  door  of  repentance ; 
the  door  of  hope ;  the  door  of  salvation ;  shut  for 
ever ;  shut  by  Him  that  shuileth  and  none  can  open. — 
Nast: — Three  great  evils  fell  upon  the  unwise  vir- 
gins: 1.  Their  labor  was  lost,  all  the  preparations 
they  had  made,  the  lamps  which  they  had  purchased, 
the  amount  of  oil  consumed,  the  cold,  dark  hours  of 
watching ;  2.  the  opportunity  of  redress ;  3.  their 
hope  was  lost  for  ever. — P.  S.] 


FOURTH    SECTION. 

THE  FINAL   JUDGMENT   AS  RETRIBUTION   ON  INDIVIDUALS.     THIRD  PICTURE   OF  THE 
JUDGMENT.     [THE  PARABLE   OF  THE   TALENTS.] 

Chapter  XXV.  14-30, 


14  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  [he  is]  ^  as  a  man  travelling  into  a  far  country  [going 
abroad,  avOp.  a.iTohr)iJLihv\  who  [.     HeJ  called  his  own  servants,  and  delivered  unto  them 

15  his  goods.  And  unto  one  he  gave  five  talents,  to  another  two,  and  to  another  one;  to 
every  man  according  to  his  several  ability  [his  own  ability,  Kara  ttjv  ISiav  Swu/xtv]  ;  and 

16  straightway  took  his  journey  [he  went  abroad,  aTreSr^/ATjcrev].  Then  he  that  had  receiv- 
ed the  five  talents  went  and  traded  with  the  same  [with  them,  eV  avro'is:],  and  made  them 

17  [gained]  ^  other  five  talents.     And  likewise  [Likewise  also, 'i2orai;Tws  Kat]   he  that  had 

18  received  two  [the  two,  6  to.  8vo],^  he  also  gained  other  two.     But  he  that  had  received 

19  one  [talent]*  went  and  digged  [dug]  in  the  earth,  and  hid^  his  lord's  money.     After  a 

20  long  time  the  lord  of  those  servants  cometh,  and  reckoneth  with  them.  And  so  he  that 
had  received  [the]  five  talents  came  and  brought  other  five  talent?,  saying.  Lord,  thou 
deliveredst  unto  me  five  talents:  behold,  I  have  gained  beside  them°  five  talents  more 

21  [other  five  talents  beside  them,  aXXa  TreVre  raA..  iKepSrjo-a  Itt  aurois].  His  lord  said 
imto  him,  Well  done,  ^/ioii' good  and  faithful  servant:  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a 
few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things:*  enter  thou  mto  the  joy  of  thy 

22  lord.  [And]  He  also  that  had  received  [the]  two  talents  came  and  said.  Lord,  thou  de- 
liveredst unto  me  two  talents :  behold,  I  have  gained  two  other  talents  beside  them. 

23  His  lord  said  imto  him.  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant;  thou  hast  been  faithful 
over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things :  ^  enter  thou  into  the  joy 

24  of  thy  lord.     Then  he  which  [who]  had  received  the  one  talent  came  and  said,  Lord,  I 


442 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


knew  thee  that  thou  art  a  liard  man,  reaping  wliere  thou  hast  not  sown,  and  gathering 

25  where  tliou  hast  not  strewed : '"  And  I  was  afraid,  and  went  and  hid  thy  talent  in  the 

26  earth:   lo,  there  thou  hast  tliat  is  thine  [thou  hast  thine  own,  l^ft?  "^o  f^^A-      [And]   His 
lord  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Thou  wicked  and  slothful  servant,  thou  knewest  that 

27  I  reap  where  I  sowed  not,  and  gather  where  I  have  not  strewed:  [?]  "  Thou  oughtest 
therefore  to  have  put  [thrown,  ftaXfiv]  '^  my  money  to  the  exchangers,  and  then  at  my 

28  coming  I  should  have  received  mine  own  with  usury  [interest]."     Take  therefore  the 

29  talent  from  him,  and  give  it  unto  him  which  [tliat]  hath  [the]  ten  talents.     For  unto 
every  one  that  hath  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  abundance :   but  from  him  that 

30  hath  not  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  hath.     And  cast  ye  the  unprofitable 
servant  into  [the,  to\  outer  darkness :  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth, 

1  Ver.  14. — [The  interpolation  of  the  Authorized  Version  is  unwarranted  and  unnecessary,  and  not  found  in  the  earlier 
English  Versions.  Lange  inserts  he  is  (viz.,  the  S'mofMan,\eT.  13);  others:  itia;  Ewald  and  Conant  omit  nil  inser- 
tions, and  translate  siiiii)ly:  I'or  as  u  man  going  ahroad  (Ewald:  Venn  sowie  ein  Verreisencler,  etc.).  See  Lange's 
Exeg.  JX'otes.  Meyer  in  loc.  takes  Hiairep  as  anantapodoton,  as  Mark  .\iii.  34;  comp.  Rom.  v.  12.  It  was  intended  to 
connect  the  whole  parable  with  uiaTrep,  and  then  to  add  a  oi/'toj  with  an  apodosis  such  us:  oureas  ical  6  vlhs  tuv  au. 
Ofx^TTou  TToiTjmt,  or  o'utws  (<TTai  Kal  7)  -Kapnvaia  rov  vlou  t.  ki/Qp.,  which  was  given  up  on  account  of  the  length  of 
the  protasis.    Alford  thinks,  the  ellipsis  is  rightly  supplied  in  the  Authoiized  English  Version.— P.  S  ] 

'-  Ver.  1 6.— [Codd.  A.**,  B.,  C,  D.,  L.,  Lachmann,  and  Tregelles,  read :  e  k  e  p  5  r;  rr  e  i/ ,  /ie  gained.  Alford  thinks,  it 
was  inserted  from  vers.  IT  and  22.  The  reading  of  the  text.  rec. :  iir  oitj  a  (  v ,  is  sustained  by  Cod.  Sinait.,  and  retained 
by  Ti.ichendorf  and  Alford.  But  the  meaning  is  the  same  :  7i.e  made,  i.  e.,  he  produced,  he  gained,  and  was  so  rendered 
by  the  English  Versions  preceding  that  of  the  Bishops.    See  Conaiit  in  toe— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  17.— [Comp.  6  to.  irevre,  thejire,vei:  16.  The  Aa^wv  is  necessarily  implied  in  the  second  clause,  and 
hence  the  interpolation  had  received  (or  rather  in  the  imperf  :  received)  is  justified.  The  verb  can  he  easily  spared  in 
Greek.  Ewald  imitates  the  Greek  brevity  in  his  version  :  Ebenso  gewa7in  auch  der  die  zwei  anderezwei.  But  this  is 
too  harsh,  and  would  not  do  at  all  in  English.  Some  MSS.  add  after  olio:  ra.Kavr  a  \a&wv,  which  is  thrown  out  by 
the  teat,  rec,  Tischendorf,  Alford,  etc.  Lachmann  and  Tregelles  omit  also  the  words:  k  a\  ain  6s ,  he  also,  in  which 
they  are  sustained  by  Codd.  B.,  C,  and  also  by  Cod.  Sinaiticus.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  18.— Lachmann  adds  raAavTou  after  A.  and  ancient  versions. 

5  Ver.  IS.— Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Tregelles,  Alford],  read:  iKpv^e,  for  the  led.  rec:  aTre'/cpui^g,  according  to 
most  witnesses.     [Cod.  Sinait.  likewise  reads:   ticpv^i  — P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  20. — The  words :  €  ir'  a  w  t  o  7 $ ,  leside  them  [the  enabling  cause  of  his  gain],  here  and  in  ver.  22  are  omitted  in 
Codd.  B.,  D.,  L.,  al.,  [al.so  in  Cod.  Sinait.],  and  stricken  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendoif.  They  may  have  been  added  to  in- 
crease the  modesty  of  the  expression. 

'  Ver.  21. — [Thou  is  an  unnecessary  interpolation,  and  should  be  omitted,  as  in  ver.  23. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  21. — [Lit:  thou  wast  {hast  heen)  faithful  over  little,  Iwill  set  thee  overmuch,  4tvI  dxiya  ?i  s  Triffrhs, 
f-n-'i  iroWSit'  IT  ^  K  C.T a cr TV  a- 00 .  So  the  German  Versions  of  Luther,  de  Wette,  Ewald,  Lange;  also  the  English 
Versions  of  Coverdale.  Kendrick,  Conant— P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  2.3.— [Comp.  note  8.  ver.  21.—] 

1"  Ver.  24 — [The  British  Bibles  here  and  in  ver.  26  read  strawed,  the  rarer  form  for  strew,  sireuen.  I  followed  here, 
as  elsewhere,  the  spellins  of  the  Am.  Bible  — P.  S.] 

1'  Ver.  26. — [A  question  of  surprise  and  displeasure,  and  hence  with  an  interrogation  mark,  as  in  the  Lat.  Vulg.,  Cover- 
dale.  Campbell,  Conant.  and  nearly  all  the  German  Versions.  De  Wette  and  Lange,  however,  regard  it  as  an  ironical  con- 
cession, in  wh'ch  case  the  punctuation  of  the  Am.  Bible  Society's  edition  (colon)  is  correct.  The  British  Bibles  have  a 
period.— P.  S.] 

1- Ver.  27.— [Lange:  himcerfen.  The  verb  ^aXt'iv  expresses  not  the  worthlessness  of  the  money  which  was  a  good 
gift  of  God.  but  the  perfect  e.ase  with  which  it  might  have  been  mride  to  produce  interest  in  the  hands  of  brokers  and  bank- 
ers, who  then  as  now  received  money  on  deposit  at  interest  and  lent  it  to  others  at  higher  rates. — P.  S.] 

'3  Ver.  27.— [Suf  tokk,  from  tokos  (tlktcc,  TfToica),  birth;  child;  gain,  interest,  in  the  LSX  for  "irp  .  The 
passage  imjilies  the  lawfulness  of  taking  interest.  There  was  a  saying  in  the  ancient  Church,  ■yiuenOe  ^okiixol  Tpa-rre^iTat 
(Origen.  on  Matt,  xxii.),  which  was  attributed  to  Christ,  and  may  possibly  have  been  derived  from  this  verse,  as  express- 
ing the  moral  lesson  of  this  and  the  kindred  parable  in  Luke  xi.v.    See  Suicer's  Thesaurus,  sub  TfjuTrt^"'.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

77ie  Slgmfication  of  the  Parable  of  the  Talents. — 
In  this  parable  the  idea  of  retribution,  as  affecting 
individual  Christians,  comes  prominently  forward  ;  as 
the  first  referred  that  retribution  to  officebearers  in 
the  Church,  and  the  second  lo  the  Church  itself  as  a 
whole.  As  there  the  former  parable  laid  the  stress 
upon  the  watchfulness,  internal  religion,  here  we  have 
the  requirement  of  watchfulness  in  pcrsevcrincc,  un- 
wearied fidelity  and  activity  through  the  Spirit. 
[Compare  the  remarks  of  Trench :  While  the  virgins 
were  represented  as  waitinp  for  the  Lord,  we  have 
here  the  servants  working  for  Him.  There  the  in- 
ward spiritual  rest  of  the  Christian  was  described — 
here  his  external  activity.  There,  by  the  end  of 
the  foolish  virgins,  we  are  warned  against  de- 
clensions and  decays  in  the  inward  spiritual  life — 


here  against  sluggishness  and  sloth  in  our  outward 
vocation  and  work.  That  parable  enforced  the  need 
of  keeping  the  heart  with  all  diligence — this  the  need 
of  giving  all  diligence  also  to  the  outward  work,  if 
we  would  be  found  of  Christ  in  peace  at  the  day  of 
His  appearing.  Alford  likewise  refers  this  parable 
to  the  active  side  of  the  Christian  life,  while  the  pre- 
ceding parable  sets  forth  tlte  contemplative  side. 
"  There,  the  foolish  virgins  failed /roni  thbiking  their 
part  too  easy — here  the  wicked  servant  fails  from 
thinking  his  too  hard.  The  parable  is  still  concerned 
with  Christians  (tovs  loiovs  5ov\uvs),  and  not  the 
world  at  large.  We  must  remember  the  relation  of 
master  and  slave,  in  order  to  understand  his  deliver- 
ing to  them  his  property,  and  punishing  them  for  not 
fructifying  with  it."  But  this  may  be  understood  as 
well  from  the  stand-point  of  free  labor. — P.  S.] 

As  it  respects  the  relation  of  the  parable  of  the 
Talents,  to  the  parable  of  the  Founds  {Mince)  in  Luke 


CHAP.  XXV.  14-30. 


443 


xix.  2"-27,  it  is  somewhat  analogous  to  the  relation 
of  the  parable  of  the  marriage  of  the  King's  Son,  ch. 
xxii.  2,  to  the  parable  of  tlie  Supper,  Luke  xiv.  16. 
We  must  not  be  misled  by  the  appearance  of  likeness 
into  a  denial  of  the  fact,  that  we  liave  to  do  here  with 
an  altogether  new  and  difterent  parable.  Meyer 
says :  "  The  analogous  parable  in  Luke  xix.  is  to  be 
regarded  as  a  modilieation,  which  arose,  in  evangelical 
tradition,  of  our  present  original  and  simpler  parable. 
In  its  form  in  Luke,  probably  an  original  and  indepen- 
dent parable  (concerning  the  rebellious  subjects)  had 
become  blended  with  that  of  the  talents  (comp.  Strauss, 
i.  636  sq.  ;  Ewald,  p.  339  sq.)."  Such  a  perfect  con- 
fusion of  parable  with  fiction  would  be  discarded  at 
once  by  a  careful  estimate  of  the  practical  doctrinal 
scope  of  the  former.  That  would  altogether  set  aside 
the  following  alternative  (of  Meyer) :  "  If  we  enter- 
tain the  thought  that  the  parables  in  Luke  and  those 
in  Matthew  were  delivered  by  Christ  at  different 
times,  we  must  either  admit  the  unnatural  supposi- 
tion that  the  simpler  form  in  Matthew  was  the  later 
(as  Kern  maintains),  or  contradict  the  narrative  by 
assuming  that  Jesus  deUvered  the  parables  in  Mat- 
thew earlier  than  those  in  Luke  (Schleiermacher, 
Neander)."  The  idea  of  "  simpler  "  has  nothing  to 
do  here,  where,  as  even  de  Wette  acknowledges,  the 
parables  are  internally  different  in  their  scope.  The 
differences  are  plain:  1.  As  to  their  respective  mo- 
tives. In  Luke,  Jesus  designs  to  repel  the  supposi- 
tion that  the  advent  would  soon,  or  ininif.diatelii,  in  a 
chronological  sense,  make  its  appearance ;  in  Mat- 
thew, He  intends  to  quicken  the  expectation  that,  in 
a  religious  sense,  it  would  soon  come.  2.  In  the  for- 
mer, the  Lord  is  a  high-born  noble,  who  was  to  receive 
a  kingdom  ;  here.  He  is  simply  a  landowner.  There, 
the  Lord's  absence  is  distance  in  space ;  here,  it 
13  length  of  time  (there :  iirojjivOri  eit  x<^P"-v  M^- 
Kpdv;  here:  ^ero  xp^"'"'  '"'oXhv  (pxerai).  There,  the 
servants  are  ten,  the  number  of  the  world's  age  {see 
the  ten  virgins) ;  here,  they  are  three,  the  number  of 
the  Spirit.  In  the  former,  all  the  servants  receive 
one  pound — doubtless  the  one  equal  office  of  testi- 
mony ;  here,  the  first  servant  receives  five  talents, 
the  second  two,  the  third  one — thus  noting  individu- 
ally different  endowment,  diverse  degrees  of  the  gift 
of  the  Spirit  and  grace.  There,  the  gain  is  not  in  re- 
lation to  the  pounds — there  are  ten  pounds  from  the 
the  one,  five  pounds  from  the  one — because  the  re- 
sult of  official  blessing  may  be  past  all  reckoning ; 
here,  the  gain  is  proportioned  to  the  gift — five  pounds 
from  five,  two  from  two — because  the  gift  of  the 
Spirit  as  such  can  have  an  objective  blessing  only 
according  to  its  subjective  degree.  There,  the  last 
servant  lays  up  the  one  pound,  wliich  makes  him 
equal  to  the  rest,  in  a  napkin,  unused,  signifying  his 
idleness ;  here,  he  buries  it  ia  the  earth,  signifying 
the  prostitution  of  spiritual  gifts  to  the  service  of  the 
world  and  the  flesh.  There,  the  recompense  of  fidel- 
ity is  the  extension  of  the  charge  and  vocation,  the 
being  placed  over  ten  and  over  five  cities  ;  here,  it  is 
an  entrance  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord : — the  former 
in  harmony  with  official  relation,  and  the  latter  in 
harmony  with  the  personal  spiritual  life.  There,  the 
idle  servant  was  punished  by  the  pound  being  taken 
from  him  (removal  from  office) ;  here,  he  is  cast  into 
the  outer  darkness,  condemned  to  eternal  woe.  In 
Luke,  the  parable  closes  with  the  nobleman  being 
changed  into  a  king,  who  punishes  his  rebellious 
servants ;  in  Matthew,  it  closes  with  the  just  admin- 
istration of  the  landowner — although  the  king  comes 
into  all  the  more  glorious  prominence  in  the  last  par- 


able, ver.  31  seq.  The  resemblance  in  the  tone  of 
the  wicked  servant's  words,  and  the  Lord's  rejoinder, 
can  have  no  eil'ect  in  disturbing  our  conviction  of  tlio 
distinctness  of  the  two  parables.  And  upon  this 
point,  it  is  to  be  caicfully  noted  that  the  servant  in 
Luke,  in  accordance  with  tlie  official  relation,  wraps 
liis  pound  in  a  napkin  ;  while  the  servant  in  Matthew, 
in  accordance  with  the  spiritual  relation,  hides  it  in 
the  earth ;  further,  that  the  former  ought  to  have 
put  his  gold  into  the  bank  (the  oHice  is  given  back 
to  tlie  Clmrch)  ;  while  the  latter  should  have  taken 
it  to  the  exchangers  (spiritual  gifts  are  quickened  by 
contact  witli  earnest  leaders  and  members  of  the 
Church).  Thus  the  former  parable  sets  before  us 
simply  the  external,  social,  official  side  of  the  Chris- 
tian calling  ;  the  latter,  the  internal  and  the  individ- 
ual. This  explains  the  difference  between  the  gain 
of  fidelity  in  the  one  case  and  in  the  other  ;  and,  fur- 
tlier,  that  the  slothful  servant  in  office  and  the  sloth- 
ful servant  in  the  service  of  the  Spirit  for  the  most 
part  coincide,  although  in  individual  traits  they  dif- 
fer. Official  vocation  produces  its  outward  results 
broadly  through  the  world ;  and  an  apostle  might 
gain  half  the  population  of  the  earth,  or  bring  the 
whole  generation  under  his  own  influence.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  spiritual  gift  works  inwardly  in  the 
spiritual  domam.  In  this  it  gains  just  so  much  fife 
as  corresponds  with  its  related  capacity  of  the  Spirit. 
Externally,  this  gain  may  seem  less ;  but  in  the  esti- 
mate of  the  kingdom  of  grace  it  is  otherwise.  It  is 
a  higher  reward  to  enter  into  the  joy  of  our  Lord, 
than  to  be  set  over  the  cities  in  the  other  world.  In 
harmony  with  this  distinction,  the  one  slothful  ser- 
vant did  not  work  at  all  ;  the  other  hid  his  spiritual 
gift  in  the  earth.  This  Trov^pos,  too,  has  a  specific  pre- 
dicate attached  to  him,  oKfripos ;  and  his  requital  ia 
not  merely  discharge  from  office,  but  spiritual  tvoe. 

Ver.  14.  For  he  is  as  a  man. — Here  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  explain  the  construction  as  an  abrupt  trans- 
ition and  an  incomplete  clause  (an  anantapodoton),  as 
in  Rom.  v.  12.  But  the  previous  verse  is  latently 
carried  on  in  the  sense :  ifou  know  neither  the  day 
nor  the  hour  wherein  the  Son  of  Man  cometh  ;  for 
He  is,  etc. 

Delivered  unto  them  his  goods.— The  spirit- 
ual blessing  of  His  life  and  salvation.  Christ  entrusts 
to  Christians  in  this  world  the  treasure  of  His  spirit- 
ual life. 

Ver.  15.  To  every  man  according  to  his 
own  ability,  Kara  ty)  v  iS  iav  5uco;ui  V. — Spir- 
itual gifts  are  regulated  by  the  kind  and  degree  of 
personal  susceptibility  and  capacity.  Compare  the 
doctrine  of  the  x^-p'^'^f^O''^'',  1  Cor.  .xii.  ["  There  is  no 
Pelagianism  in  this ;  for  each  man's  powers  are  them- 
selves the  gift  of  God."  Alford.  But  the  words 
iKaaTw  KO.T  iSiav  hvvafxiv  imply  that  every  man  has 
a  natural  endowment,  a  sacred  trust  and  mission  to 
fulfil  in  this  world.— P.  S.] 

And  straightway  he  went  abroad.  —  The 
nearest  possible  approximation  of  the  parable  to  the 
fact,  that  the  ascension  and  Pentecost  are  closely 
connected ;  although  the  order  is  inverted.*     There 

*  [Conip.  tlie  remarks  of  TRE!fcn :  "  In  the  things  p;irtlily 
the  hi)nseliol'ic'i-"s  (iistributio!)  of  the  irifts  n:itiirally  and  of 
ncci'.s-ity  I)iv(;l'(U\s  liis  (Icpartuiv ;  in  Wv  hoiivrnly  it  is  not 
aliou'iitluT  so;  th(>  Asceiihioii,  or  (ie|):irliirc,  ^'oes  bctbi-e  I'cn- 
ti'cost.  or  thi-  distribution  of  <:itts;  yet  llie  ulritiglitway  f,t\\l 
reiniiins  in  full  force;  the  intrrvsil  between  them  w:is  tlid 
.sm-illest,  one  following  hard  upon  the  othisr,  however  the  or- 
der W.1S  reversed.  The  four  verses  which  follow  (10-19)  em- 
brace the  whole  period  intervening  between  tlie  first  anJ 
second  coming  of  Christ." -P.  S.] 


444 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


had  been,  however,  a  preparatory  bcstowmcnt  of  the 
Spirit  before  tlie  ascension.  See  the  farewell  dis- 
courses in  Jolin,  and  ch.  xx.  Meyer  :  "  Straightway, 
without  precise  orders  for  the  application  of  the 
money."  But  some  general  orders  are  presupposed 
by  the  subsequent  judgment ;  while  the  particular 
employment  of  the  personal  endowment  is  entrusted 
to  the  individual.  Every  one  must  know  his  peculiar 
vocation. 

Ver.  18.  Hid  his  lord's  money Contrary  to 

duty  and  to  dignity.  The  money  m  the  earth  is  the 
spirit  in  the  flesh. 

Ver.  20.  Gained  beside  them,  e  ir'  a  n  to  7s. — 
In  addition  to  what  was  entrusted,  and  by  means 
thereof.  [Comp.  the  plainer  statement  in  Luke  xix. 
IG  :  "  Lord,  thy  pound  hath  gained  ten  pounds,"  and 
John  XV.  5  :  "  Without  Me,  ye  can  do  nothing." 
Every  gift  of  God  may  be  doubled  and  even  increased 
tenfold  by  faithful  and  conscientious  use,  while  it  may 
be  lost  by  neglect.  This  is  true  of  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral gifts  of  all  kinds.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  21.  The  Vulgate  and  Cod.  A.*  read  f  Sye  , 
which  may  stand  absolutely,  as  in  Luke  xix.  17  ;  the 
€  i5 ,  on  the  other  hand,  as  Meyer  observes,  nmst  be 
connected  with  the  verb.  [Alford,  however,  thinks 
that  6  V ,  according  to  later  Greek  usage,  need  not  be 
connected  with  eVl  oA.i7a  7]?  ttkjtos,  but  may  bear  the 
sense  of  dye :  well  done!  as  in  the  English  Vers. — 
P.  S.] 

[I  will  set  thee  over  much, — This  implies 
new  spheres  of  activity  and  usefulness  in  the  king- 
dom of  glory  in  heaven  ;  or — according  to  Stier,  Al- 
ford, and  all  who  refer  this  and  the  preceding  para- 
ble to  iha  pre-millemdal  advent — in  the  millennium 
on  earth. — P.  S.] 

Into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord, — De  Wette  :  "  Kuin- 
oel  and  others  interpret  after  Esth.  ix.  1*7  (Sept.), 
where  x"-P"-  =  •^P]''^"^  i  enteriainmeni  ;  better,  prob- 
ably, from  the  feast  of  joy  which  the  lord  would 
celebrate  on  his  return  ;  Fritzsche,  after  Cln-ysostom, 
of  the  Messianic  blessedness, — the  parable  passing 
over  into  the  reality."  Doubtless,  the  Lord's  joyful 
festival  is  meant ;  but  this  signifies  the  inheritance 
of  Christ.  [Alford  refers  the  x  "  P  «  °ot  to  a  feast, 
but  to  the  joy  arising  from  the  completion  of  the 
work  and  labor  of  love,  of  which  the  first  sabbatical 
rest  of  the  creation  was  typical.  Gen.  i.  31  ;  ii.  2; 
Heb.  iv.  3-11 ;  xii.  2  ;  Rev.  iii.  21.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  24.  That  thou  reapest  where  thou  hast 
not  sown. — The  picture  of  a  hard,  and  withal  self- 
ish man.  The  saying  shows :  1.  That  the  servant, 
as  a  self-seeker,  separated  his  own  interest  from  his 
lord's,  and  therefore  reckoned  his  lord  to  be  a  self- 
seeker  also  ;  2.  that  he  promised  himself  no  person- 
al spiritual  joy  in  trading  with  the  entrusted  pound ; 
3.  that  he  would  tacitly  reproach  his  lord  with  hav- 
ing given  him  too  Uttle :  4.  that  he  would  not  only 
sslf-righteously  excuse  his  own  slothfulness  of  spirit, 
but  also  overrule  and  censure  his  lord  ;  5.  that,  with 
all  this,  he  really  held  his  master  to  be  not  an  over- 
hard  man,  but  an  over-gentle  man,  against  whom  he 
could  dare  to  use  such  language  with  impunity. — 
Where  thou  hast  not  strewed. — Meyer  under- 
stands here  again,  as  in  ch.  xxi.  43,  a  winnowing, 
against  Erasmus,  Beza,  and  others,  who  interpret  tlie 
SiatTKopTT  1^611/ of  sowing  ;  thinking  that  other- 
wise there  would  be  a  tautological  parallel.  But  the 
new  idea  introduced  is  that  of  intensification  :  sow- 
inc/  and  reaping,  abundanthj  scattering  and  bringing 
irUo  the  barn.     In  winnowing,  it  is  the  straw  that  is 


j  scattered,  and  not  the  wheat.  [Alford  directs  atten- 
tion to  the  connection  of  thought  between  the  last 
i  parable  of  our  Lord  with  His  first  on  the  Sower  (ch, 
xiii.  3-0).  He  looks  for  fruit  where  He  has  sown, 
i  but  not  beyond  the  power  of  the  soil.  He  expects 
not  so  much  success,  as  faithfulness  which  does  not 
depend  on  the  absolute  amount,  but  is  measured  by 
the  degree  of  ability  and  opportunity.  Hence  He 
says :  good  and  faithful  (not :  successful)  servant. — 
P.  S.] 

Ver.  25.  And  I  was  afraid.— De  Wette  and 
Meyer :  He  might  have  lost  the  talent  in  trading. 
But  that  would  have  been  in  some  sense  praisewor- 
thy. His  fear  was  more  abject :  he  would  not  take 
trouble  for  the  benefit  of  a  selfish  lord.* 

Ver.  26.  Thou  knewest  that  I  reaped. — Kuin- 
oel  and  de  Wette  :  Concessively  and  ironically  spo- 
ken ;  but  according  to  Meyer,  a  question  of  surprise. 
Doubtless  de  Wette  is  right.  The  servant  has  con- 
demned himself  as  a  liar.  If  he  really  regarded  his 
lord  as  a  hard  man,  and  yet  would  risk  nothing  in 
trade,  he  might  have  adopted  a  safe  method  of  gain 
for  his  master,  and  placed  the  money  into  the  hands 
of  the  changers.  Thus  at  least  the  interest  would 
have  been  secured. 

Ver.  2*7.  Thrown  my  money  to  the  bankers. 
— Meyer:  Throw  it  on  the  money-table;  ,BaAe7v 
exhibits  the  sloth  of  his  manner.  The  changers  held 
a  public  bank  among  the  ancients,  at  which  they  re- 
ceived and  lent  money.  [Olshausen  and  Trench  apply 
the  T^aireCiTai  to  those  stronger  characters  who  may 
lead  the  more  timid  to  the  useful  employment  of  gifts 
which  they  have  not  energy  to  use.  Alford  objects 
to  this  interpretation,  and  refers  to  the  machinery  of 
religious  and  charitable  societies  in  our  day  as  very 
much  in  the  place  of  the  rpawe^tTat." — P.  S.] 

I  might  have  received  mine  own. — If  thou 
didst  thus  separate  thy  interest  from  mine,  thou  wast 
bound  to  give  the  money  to  the  changers,  that  I 
might  have  received  tnine  with  interest.  A  striking 
rebuke  ex  concessis  ! 

Ver.  28.  Take  from  him  therefore. — The  neg- 
ative punishment,  entering  into  the  judgment  of  the 
servant  himself :  separation. — And  give  it  to  him 
that  hath  the  ten  talents. — Thus  even  his  judg- 
ment passes  over  into  the  praise  of  God. 

Ver.  29.  For  unto  every  one  that  hath. — See 
ch.  xiii.  12,  p.  240. 


DOCTRINAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  On  the  meaning  of  the  parable,  see  the  Excgei- 
ical  Notes.  All  its  individual  traits  are  regulated  by 
the  different  relation  of  the  talents  ;  as  in  Luke  xix. 
they  signify  offices,  and  here  the  individual  gifts  of 
grace.  Thus,  the  concluding  circumstance,  that  the 
one  pound  is  given  to  him  who  had  ten  pounds,  has 
in  the  two  cases  a  diverse  significance.  In  Luke,  the 
sense  of  the  parable  is  this,  that  the  neglected  office 
devolved  or  passed  over  to  the  highest  fidelity ;  in 
Matthew,  the  truth  is  set  forth,  that  the  unfaithful- 
ness of  the  slothful  servant  increases  the  spiritual  life 
of  the  faithful,  as  affording  him  matter  of  constant 
warning  and  spiritual  meditation,  and  the  means  of 
enlarging  his  knowledge  of  the  divine  government  of 
souls. 


*  [There  is  .an  inponfistcnej  between  tliat  pretended  fear 
and  ttiis  insolent  ^!peecll,  wiiicii  betrays  the  falsehood  of  the 
TTovripos  SovAoi. — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXV.  14-80. 


445 


2.  If  we  refer  this  parable  to  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion, we  find  in  it  the  iinUiniicd  differences  which  the 
Scriptufe  teaches,  as  opposed  to  the  unlimited  con- 
trast of  desiinii  which  the  Augustinian  doctrine  of 
predestination  maintains.  Each  has  his  special  re- 
ligious talent  or  capital  (the  iS/a  SiVa.uiy,  ver.  15)  in 
his  original  nature,  and  this  becomes  to  hun  in  the 
Church  a  charisma  or  gift  {iZwmv  eKcto-rw).  The 
destination  to  salvation  is  thus  universal :  the  capa- 
biUty  and  the  call  to  fidelity  in  all  the  same,  the  mea- 
sure of  the  gift  is  different,  as  are  the  degrees  of 
glory.  But  if  the  least  endowed  iu  regard  to  ful- 
ness of  life  (for  iu  reference  to  truth  and  fidelity  no 
one  is  less  endowed  than  another)  scorns  and  neg- 
lects his  pound,  that  was  not  his  destiny,  but  is  his 
fault.  The  less  richly  lie  was  provided  in  himself, 
the  more  anxious  should  he  have  been  to  enrich  him- 
self by  connection  with  the  more  eminent  members 
of  the  Church.  (Comp.  the  author's  Posilive  Dog- 
tnatik,  p.  956  sqq.) 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PltACTICAL. 

The  judgment  of  the  Lord  upon  all  the  individual 
members  of  the  Church  :  1.  Its  rightful  ground  :  the 
appointment  and  the  obligation  of  the  servants.  2. 
Its  test :  the  true  application  of  gifts.  3.  Its  univer- 
sality :  the  most  richly  and  the  least  endowed  are 
brought  to  account.  4.  Its  requital :  on  the  one 
hand,  the  praise  and  the  joy  of  the  Lord  ;  on  the  other 
hand,  the  despoiling  and  casting  out  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  lost. —  Thy  gifts  are  entrusted  to  the  day 
of  reckoning. — Manifold  gifts,  but  one  duty  and  ojie 
spirit. — The  endowment  of  a  Christian  is  a  call  to 
work  for  the  Lord. — Every  one  receives  the  pound 
of  the  heavenly  spiritual  life  according  to  the  mea- 
sure of  his  capacity. — The  double  obligation  which 
the  absence  of  the  Lord  imposes  upon  Christians :  1. 
They  are  bound  to  fidehty,  because  the  Lord  is  so 
far  (and  has  committed  to  them  all  His  interests  in 
this  world) ;  2.  they  are  bound  to  fidelity,  because 
He  is  so  near  (invisibly  present  hi  His  gifts,  and  may 
come  at  any  moment  to  reckon). — The  grand  and 
stimulating  thought,  that  Christ  has  committed  to 
His  servants  in  this  world  all  His  goods. — The  confi- 
dence of  the  Lord  the  source  of  His  servants'  fidehty. 
— Trading  with  the  riches  of*Christ  the  highest  and 
noblest  gain. — Christ's  business  prospers  only  through 
fidelity. — The  Church  is  a  place  of  trade,  the  noblest 
and  the  richest. — The  principles  of  commerce  with 
spiritual  gifts:  1.  As  regards  God  :  giving  up  all,  to 
gain  all.  2.  As  it  respects  our  neighbor :  to  give  is 
more  blessed  than  to  receive.  3.  As  it  respects  our- 
selves :  to  gain  the  one  thing  needful  in  exchange 
for  many  things.*  4.  As  it  respects  the  world  :  to 
give  up  the  visible  for  the  invisible. — Trading  with 
spiritual  gifts  the  most  perilous  and  yet  the  safest 
commerce. — The  praise  and  the  reward  of  the  faith- 
ful servants  of  Christ  in  the  hour  of  reckoning:  1. 
The  praise,  of  having  been  faithful  over  a  httle  ;  2. 
the  reward,  of  being  set  over  much,  and  of  entering 
into  the  joy  of  the  Lord. — The  end  of  our  spiritual 
work  a  divine  rest  forever,  a  Sabbath  of  God. — The 
wicked  servant ;  or,  lot  no  man  undervalue  the  gift 
which  God  has  entrusted  to  hun. — How  far  a  grudge 

*  [In  German  :  ^^ Das  Eine  erkaufen  um  clan  Viele"  (no 
doubt  an  allusion  to  Luke  x.  82),  which  the  Edinb.  transla- 
tor has  upsKt  thus:  to  sell  one  thing,  to  gain  much!  lie 
probably  mistook  erkaufen  for  verkaufen.—V.  S.] 


against  Christ  underlies  all  unfaithfulness  in  the  use 
of  spiritual  gifts. — Man  becomes  wicked  evermore 
through  thinking  evil  of  God. — The  Christian  be- 
comes ^^icked  evermore  through  thinking  evil  of 
Christ. — The  self-seeker  ascribes  his  own  self-seeking 
to  God  also,  to  excuse  himself. — The  unfaithful  are 
obliged  to  eondenn:  themselves  at  Last  by  their  own 
excuses. — The  frightful  pit  of  earth  in  which  the  hea- 
venly gifts  of  the  Christians  are  buried. — The  infinite 
spiritual  woes  which  must  be  entailed  by  the  prosti- 
tution of  spiritual  light  to  the  service  of  the  flesh. — 
The  nameless  work  without  which  the  slothful  will 
have  to  do  when  the  faithful  rest. 

Starke : — We  men  in  the  world  arc  stewards  of 
the  manifold  gifts  of  God,  1  Cor.  iv.  1-4  ;  Luke  xvi. 
2. — Hedinger  :  God  distributes  His  gifts  strangely, 
but  holily :  let  no  man  think  that  he  has  received 
too  little,  Rom.  xii.  6. — In  the  gifts  of  God  no  one 
must  be  vain,  or  envious ;  but  every  one  must  use 
his  own  portion  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of 
his  fellows. — God  bestows  his  gifts  and  goods  on  men, 
not  that  they  may  be  buried,  wasted,  appropriated  to 
self,  or  imagined  their  own,  but  that  they  may  faith- 
fully trade  with  them,  1  Cor.  xii,  7. — Of  a  steward 
nothing  more  is  expected,  and  nothing  less,  than  fidel- 
ity, 1  Cor.  iv.  2. — Canstein:  Few  gifts  may  be  turned 
to  much  account. — Truth  does  not  shun  the  hght,  but 
comes  to  it,  John  iii.  21. — He  buries  his  Lord's  goods 
who  seeks  only  his  own. — He  who  neglects  nothing 
in  his  Christianity,  will  have  confidence  in  the  day 
of  judgment,  1  John  iii.  21. — In  the  future  reckon- 
ing no  man  will  be  forgotten  or  overlooked,  2  Cor.  v. 
10. — To  be  called  a  good  and  faithful  servant  of  God, 
is  a  title  more  honorable  than  any  that  this  world 
can  give,  Ps.  cxvi.  16. — The  wicked  servant  does  not 
know  Jesus  as  a  merciful  Master,  but  as  another 
Moses  who  requires  more  than  man  has  strength  for. 
— When  we  do  not  see  the  gracious  countenance  of 
God  in  Christ,  God  appears  to  us  hard  and  fearful.  — 
Slothfulness  and  baseness  tlie  two  characteristics  of 
the  unfaithful  servant. — Luther :  His  knavery  con- 
sisted in  this,  that  he  condemns  his  Lord  for  hard- 
ness, and  scorns  the  way  of  grace  (self-denial). — How 
many,  who  now  receive  an  unhmited  number  of  hon- 
orable names,  will  one  day  be  called.  Thou  fool ! — 
Hedinger  :  He  who  makes  a  good  use  of  the  first  be- 
ginnings of  grace,  will  go  on  well  and  soon  grow  rich ; 
he  who  lets  his  giace  decline  within  him,  will  soon  be 
without  it  altogether. 

Braune  : — There  is  no  standing  still,  either  pro- 
gress and  gain,  or  retrogress  and  loss.  [Forward 
and  finally  all,  or  backward  and  finally  nothing.] 

Lisco  : — The  humility  of  tlie  faithful  servants, 
who  attribute  all  blessing  and  increase  not  to  them- 
selves, but  to  the  entrusted  pounds. — It  docs  not  de- 
pend upon  whether  one  has  effected  much  or  little 
according  to  the  measure  of  his  power  and  his  sphere, 
but  whether  he  has  been  faithful  and  dihgent  or  not : 
the  spirit  is  the  main  thing. — This  servant  represents 
such  as  excuse  their  neglect  in  various  ways :  by 
pleading  the  little  which  has  been  entrusted  to  them, 
or  the  fear  they  had  of  encountering  the  dangerous 
influences  of  the  world,  or  the  consequent  necessity 
which  they  felt  of  retreatmg  into  solitude  and  quiet 
piety. 

Gerlach  : — Unbelieving  despondency  is  always 
connected  with  slothfulness,  when  unbelief  becomes 
a  permanent  condition. 

Heubncr  : — Fidehty  in  little  things  is  a  pearl  of 
great  price. — There,  thou  hast  thine  own:  perfect 
breach  with  God ;  he  throws  up  his  service  altogeth- 


446 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


er. — Wicked  (irovv^f)  he  is  called,  because  his  heart 
was  false,  attributing  falsely  to  (Jod  this  unloving 
hardness.  His  conscience  smote  him  in  secret,  and 
testified  to  him  that  God  was  not  as  he  painted  Him. 
— Wlieu  God  lays  much  upon  us.  He  offers  us  abun- 
dance of  strength  to  do  and  to  bear. 

[Bup.KiTT  (condensed) : — 1.  Christ  the  Lord  of 
the  universe,  and  owner  of  all  His  servants'  goods. 
2.  Talents :  riches,  honors ;  gifts  of  mind,  wisdom, 
learning  ;  gifts  of  grace.  3.  Freedom  of  distribution 
to  all,  but  in  different  measure.  4.  Every  talent  is 
given  to  improve  for  our  Master's  use.  5.  Every 
one  is  accountable  for  every  talent.  G.  All  faithful 
servants  will  be  rewarded  with  the  joy  of  their  Lord. 
T.  No  excuses  shall  serve  the  slothlul  or  unfaithful 
Bcrvant  at  the  bar  of  Christ.  8.  The  unf  lithful  ser- 
vant will  be  punished  (a)  negatively,  by  the  loss  of 
his  talent,  (b)  positively,  by  suffering  the  misery  of 
hell  with  gnashing  of  teeth,  i.  e.,  rage  and  indigna- 


tion against  God,  the  saints,  and  against  himself. — 
(Similar  practical  remarks  with  a  more  minute  anal- 
ysis, see  in  Matthew  Henry.) — D.  Brown  (con- 
densed):— 1.  Christ  exhorts  us  in  this  parable,  not 
"  Wait  for  your  Lord,"  but  "  Occupy  till  I  come." 
Blessed  is  he  whom  the  Lord  shall  lind  worhing  (aa 
v.-ell  as  watching,  according  to  the  preceding  parable). 
2.  Christians  are  all  servants  of  Christ,  but  differ  in 
natural  capacity,  acquirements,  providential  position, 
influence,  means,  and  opportunities.  3.  FideUty  will 
be  rewarded,  not  the  amount  or  nature  of  tlie  work. 
4.  Idleness  and  unprofitableness  in  the  Lord's  service 
is  sufficient  to  condemn.—W.  Nast  :— 1.  The  talents  of 
all  men  are  free  gifts  of  God,  so  that  there  is  no  room 
either  for  self-boasting,  or  for  self-reproach  ;  2.  thej 
are  given  in  trust,  the  Giver  still  retaining  a  claim 
upon  them ;  3.  they  are  given  to  be  employed  and 
turned  to  the  best  account  for  the  glory  of  the  Giver. 
-P.  S.] 


FIFTH    SECTION. 

THE    FINAL    JUDGMENT    IN    ITS    LAST    AND    MOST    UNIVERSAL  FORM    UPON  AI.L  NA- 
TIONS:   AND    AS    SEPARATION. 


Ohaptee  XXV.  31-46. 
{The  Gospel  for  the  2&th  Sunday  after  Trinity.) 

31  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy*  angels  with  him, 

32  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory :  And  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all 
[the]  nations  [-n-avTa  ra  Wvrj]  :  and  he  shall  separate  [divide,  d^optei]  them  one  from 
another,  as  a  [the,  6]  shepherd  divideth  [dc^opi'^et]  his  [the]  sheep  [ra  irpofiaTa]  from 

33  the  goats:  And  he  shall  sec  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left. 

34  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  [those]  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 

35  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world :  For  I 
was  a  hungered   [hungry,  cTreiVacra],  and  ye  gave  me  meat   [to  eat,  ^ayetv]  :  ^  I  was 

36  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink:  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in:  Naked,  and  ye 
clothed  me :  I  v/as  sick,  and  ye  visited  me :  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me. 

37  Then  shall  the  righteous  answer  him,  saying.  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  a  hungered 

38  [hungering,  TruvwvTa],  and  fed  thee?  or  thirsty,  and  gave  thee  drink?     [And,  8e]  When 

39  saw  we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took  thee  in?  or  naked,  and  clothed  thee?     Or  when  saw 

40  we  thee  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  came  unto  thee?  And  the  King  shall  answer  and  say 
unto  tliem.  Verily  1  say  unto  you,  Inasmuch  as  ye  liave  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least 

41  of  these  my  brethren,^  ye  have  done  it  unto  me.  Then  shall  he  say  also  unto  them 
[those]  on  the  left  hand.  Depart*  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 

42  tiie  devil  and  his  angels :  For  I  was  a  hungered  [hvtngry],  and  ye  gave  me  no  meat 
[did  not  give  me  to  eat,  cm  eSw^are  /xot.  ^uyeiv]  :  1  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  no 

43  drink :  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  not  in  :  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me  not :  ^  sick, 

44  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me  not.  Then  shall  they  also  answer  him,  saying.  Lord, 
when  saw  we  thee  a  hungered    [hungering],  or  athirst  [thirsting],  or  a  stranger,  or 

45  naked,  or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did  not  minister  unto  thee  ?  Then  shall  he  answer 
tiiem,  saying.  Verily  1  say  unto  you,  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  .of  the  least  of 

46  these,  ye  did  it  not  to  me.  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment  [eter- 
nal punishment,  KoXaaLv  alwiop] :  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal  [eternal  life,  or 
everlasting  life,  ^wr/v  alwvLov].^ 


CHAP.  XXV.  81-46. 


447 


'  Vor.  31.— The  nrtjective  aytoi  of  the  tert.  rec.  is  wantinfr  in  Codfl.  B.,  D.,  L.,  [also  in  Odd.  Siiuiit.],  many  versions 
[including  the  Villi.'.,  wliicli  roads  simply:  omnes  aiigeli],  and  fatlu-rs,  and  seems  to  be  a  later  iiiteipdlatioii. 

-  Ver.  35  — [Comp.  tbo  translation  of  the  English  Version  in  ch.  xiv.  IG,  where  the  same  phiasc  is  rendered :  ffive  y» 
them  U)  eat.—V.  S.] 

3  Vi-r.  40.— T  wj'  aSeA^cSf  juou,  although  omitted  by  Cod.  15.,  is  well  established  by  the  majority  of  witnesses. 

*  Vor.  41.— [Cod.  Sinait.  roads   virdyfre  for  Trope  verrOe  .—P.  S.] 

'  Vor.  43. —[Cod.  Sinait.  omits  the  words  :  yvurhs  Kal  ou  7repi6/8a\€T6'jU.6.  But  thoy  are  well  supported 
by  the  best  autliorilies  and  retained  in  all  the  critical  edjtions.— P.  8.] 

•  Vor.  46.— [As  the  Crock  uses  alwviov  before  ^(ai)v  as  well  as  KnKaaiv,  it  should  be  renden  d  by  the  same  word 
(i'\W\('v  etevnal  ov  ev6rlii!iting)\nho\\\  cXs.n'ii^s.  Comp.  the  Lat  Vulg. :  in  suppUciutn  ccternum  .  .  .  inritom  atternam; 
uU  the  Gerin  in  Versions  {eici(/);  Wiclif:  everUisti/nge  turmente  .  .  .  ecerlastynge  Uif;  the  Kheims  Version:  puiusli^ 
ment  everlasting,  Ufa  cverLiiHting.  Tyndale  introduced  the  change:  everlfiMivge  pai/ne  .  .  .  lyfe  HerniU,  which  was 
retained  in  the  subsequent  Protestant  Versions  except  the  word  prtin,  which  King  James"  revisers  gave  up  for  7JK»mA- 
ment.  I  Avould  prefer,  however,  iii  both  cases  eternal  to  everlasting,  and  translate:  into  eternal  punishment  .  .  .  into 
eternal  I'fi.  For  everlasting  refers  to  ea-tenfiire  infinitude  or  endless  duration ;  eternal  e.xpresses  the  intensive  infinitude, 
and  this  dynamic  conception,  which  im|)lies  much  more  than  mere  duration  or  e.xistence  in  time,  is  the  prevailii  g  idea 
liere,  without,  however,  excluding  the  other.  But  in  any  case  the  passage  is  one  of  the  very  strongest  against  Universal- 
ism,  and  the  c.iroKO.Td.<TTa<JiS  roiv  -KavTwv.      Comp.  also  Dr.  Lango's  Exeg.  Notes.— 1^.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

The  final  Judgment.  General  Remarks. — The 
new  salient  points  of  the  last  judgment  are:  1.  The 
Son  of  Man  as  Judge  unfolds  His  perfect  kingly  and 
judicial  glory.  2.  He  exercises  judgment  now  upon 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  upon  all  the  genera- 
tions of  men.  3.  He  judges  individuals  according  to 
their  personal  conduct,  with  as  much  strictness  and 
reality  as  He  judges  the  collective  whole.  4.  He 
finds  in  all  the  consummate  character  of  their  inner 
life  and  nature  so  expressly  stamped  upon  them,  that 
He  can  divide  them  as  a  shepherd  divides  the  sheep 
from  the  goats.  5.  He  judges,  therefore,  according 
to  the  perfected  consummation  of  the  spiritual  life  iu 
the  works,  and  according  to  the  fundamental  idea  of 
all  good  works — love  and  mercy.  6.  He  judges  ac- 
cording to  the  standard  of  the  universal  life  of  Christ 
among  men  of  all  times,  as  well  as  of  the  historical 
Christ.  7.  His  sentence  introduces  a  separation 
which  must  bring  the  earth  itself,  in  its  ancient  form, 
to  an  end ;  for,  the  good  are  received  into  the  king- 
dom of  the  Father,  and  the  wicked  are  cast  into  hell. 
— Thus  viewed  iu  all  its  extension,  it  presupposes  the 
general  resurrection,  and  forms  the  conclusion  of  the 
Lord's  coming  and  parousia  in  this  present  state  of 
things,  of  the  one  last  day  of  a  thousand  years  in  a 
symbolical  sense,  that  is,  of  a  full  and  perfect  judicial 
reon.  Thus,  as  the  first  parable  (ch.  xxiv.  45)  must 
be  placed  at  the  beginning  of  these  thousand  years, 
and  the  second  and  third  exhibit  the  further  develop- 
ment of  the  kingly,  judicial  administration  of  Christ, 
this  last  judgment  forms  the  great  conclusion,  as  it  is 
exhibited  in  1  Cor.  xv.  24  and  Rev.  xx.  9. 

This  decides  the  question  as  to  whether  it  is 
merely  a  judgment  upon  Christians,  or  upon  other 
than  Christians,  or  upon  all,  both  Christians  and  not 
Christians.  The  first  was  maintained  by  Lactantius, 
Euthymius,  Grotius,  and  others ;  the  second,  by  such 
as  Keil,  Olshausen,  Crusius ;  *  the  third,  by  Kuinoel, 
Paulus,  Fritzsche.  In  favor  of  the  first  view — that 
Christians  alone  are  here  judged — it  is  alleged  that 
the  doctrine  of  the  divine  election  comes  in,  ver.  34, 
of  the  righteous,  ver.  37,  etc.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
Buch  also  are  spoken  of  as  never  had  the  conscious- 
ness of  being  in  pert-onal  relation  with  Christ.  It  is 
supposed  to  decide  in  favor  of  the  second  hypothesis 

*  [So  also  Stier  and  Alford,  who  understand  vivTa  ra 
tdtiy)  to  mean  all  the  nations  of  the  world  as  distinguished 
from  the  (K\(Kroiy  wiio  were  already  gathered  to  Christ  at 
the  first  resurrection  and  beginning  of  His  niillonnial  king- 
dom, and  who  will  take  part  in  the  final  judgment  (1  Cor. 
vi.  2).-P.  S.J 


— those  not  Christians  being  the  objects  of  the  judg- 
ment— that  the  judgment  proceeds  not  according  to 
the  law  of  faith,  but  according  to  the  law  of  worka 
and  of  love  to  man.  But  that  Christians  also  will  be 
judged  at  last  by  works,  the  fruits  of  faith,  as  being 
faith  developed,  is  proved  by  Matt.  vii.  21 ;  Rom.  ii. 
6 ;  2  Cor.  v.  10;  Gal.  vi.  8,  and  the  whole  tenor  and 
spirit  of  Christianity ;  and  that,  on  the  oi;her  hand, 
all  the  works  of  men  will  be  judged,  not  according  to 
their  outward  appearance,  but  according  to  their 
spirit  and  motive,  or  according  to  their  real,  though 
unconscious,  faith  in  Christ,  and  love  or  drawing  to- 
ward Him,  is  proved  by  an  equal  number  of  passages; 
c.ff.,  Matt.  X.  40;  Acts  x.  35;  Rom.  v.  18,  and  the 
universally  valid  word  :  "  The  Lord  seeth  the  heart." 
De  Wette  urges,  in  favor  of  the  third  supposition, 
that  in  Matt.  xiii.  37-43,  49,  we  find  the  plain  idea 
of  a  final  judgment  upon  Christians  and  those  who 
are  not  Christians.  De  Wette  here  confounds  good 
and  bad  with  Christians  and  not  Christians. 

Our  section  certainly  presupposes  the  tmiversal 
nominal  Christianization  of  the  world,  which  must 
take  place  before  the  end  of  the  world :  the  Christi- 
anization of  mankind  in  this  world  (ch.  xxiv.  14; 
Rom.  xi.  32),  and  of  the  whole  of  mankind  in  the 
other  (Phil.  ii.  10 ;  1  Pet.  iv.  6).  Such  a  Christiani- 
zation would  necessarily  follow  from  the  advent  of 
Christ  in  itself;  so  far  as  it  must  constrain  the  nations 
to  submission,  and  continue  throughout  an  entire 
period  of  judgment,  Rev.  xx.  The  common  notion, 
which  terms  every  supposition  of  a  more  extended 
final  period  Chiliasm  or  Millennarianism,  does  not 
merit  notice.  It  is  beyond  all  things  necessary  that 
we  should  distinguish  between  a  concrete  and  a  fan- 
tastic doctrine  about  the  last  things.  The  differences 
are:  1.  The  former  regards  the  thousand  years  as  a 
symbolical  number,  as  the  mark  of  an  ajon,  or  the 
period  of  transition  for  the  earth  and  mankind  from 
the  earthly  to  the  heavenly  condition  (Ircnrous ;  see 
Dorner's  Hhtory  of  Ch-risioloy;/,  I.  p.  245).  But 
millennarianism  interprets  the  thousand  years  chrono- 
logically, and  seeks  to  define  their  beginning.  2.  Con- 
crete cschatology  regards  the  last  period  as  the  mani- 
festation of  a  judgment,  already  internally  ripe,  on 
the  ground  of  the  perfect  redemption  accomi>lished 
through  Christ.  But  millennarianism  is  not  satisfied 
with  the  first  redeeming  appearance  of  Christ ;  it 
looks  forward  to  the  second  as  of  greater  importance. 
3.  Concrete  cschatology  expects  with  the  advent  the 
beginning  of  a  spiritual  transformation  of  the  present 
state  of  things ;  millennarianism  expects  a  perfect 
glorification  of  things  here  as  they  are.  4.  The  for- 
mer sees  in  the  first  resurrection  only  a  revelation  of 
the  full  life  of  the  elect,  dcstmed  to  be  helpers  of 


448 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Christ  in  the  glorification  of  all  humanity ;  but  mil- 
lennarianism  regards  that  period  as  the  time  of  the 
realization  of  Jewish,  Jewish-Christian,  pielistic,  secta- 
I'ian  prerogatives  and  spiritual  pretensions.* 

[We  add  here  the  remarks  of  Dr.  Nast  on  the  dif- 
ferent views  as  to  the  subjects  of  the  final  judgment  : 
"  According  to  the  premillennarian  view,  advocated  by 
Olshauicn,  Stier,  and  Alford,  the  judgment  here  de- 
scribed docfs  not  include  those  that  constitute  the 
Church  triumphant ;  that  is,  those  who,  at  Christ's 
personal  coming  to  introduce  the  millennium,  are 
either  raised  from  the  dead,  or,  if  still  hving,  are  glo- 
rified and  caught  up  together  into  the  air,  to  meet 
the  Lord  (1  Thess.  iv.  1(5,  17;  1  Cor.  xv.  23,  24,  51, 
52)— to  reign  with  Christ,  and  with  him  to  judge  the 
world  (1  Cor.  vi.  2).  The  term  'all  nations,'  {ndi'Ta 
ra.  IQu-q,)  it  is  said,  is  used  in  the  same  sense  as  the 
Hebrew  '  the  nations,  or  Gentiles,'  as  distinguished 
from  God's  chosen  people,  and  stands  here  in  anti- 
thesis to  the  '  brethren '  of  verse  40,  who  had  already 
received  their  reward  as  wise  virgins  and  faithful 
servants.  In  support  of  this  view  the  following  argu- 
ments are  advanced:  1.  'Those  only  are  said  to  be 
judged  who  have  done  it  or  not  done  it  to  my  breth- 
ren; but  of  the  brethren  themselves  being  judged 
there  is  no  mention.'  In  this  argument  we  can  see 
no  point.  The  love  of  the  brethren  is  the  mark  by 
which,  our  Saviour  says,  all  men  shall  know  that  ye 
are  my  disciples.  2.  '  The  verdict  turns  upon  works, 
and  not  upon  faith.'  Surely  this  will  be  the  case 
with  every  believer  or  Christian,  when  he  is  brought 
before  the  judgment-seat  of  Clirist,  whether  at  the 
begimiing  or  close  of  the  millennium,  in  so  far  as 
works  are  the  fruit  of  faith,  or  true  saving  faith  is 
only  that  which  worketh  by  love  (Matt.  vii.  21 ;  Rom. 
ii.  6 ;  2  Cor.  v.  10;  Gal.  vi.  8),  and  in  so  far  as  our 
good  works  spring  from  sincerity  of  heart,  to  which 
the  Lord  looketh  (Acts  x.  35).  Moreover,  unless  the 
plan  of  salvation  is  entirely  changed  in  the  millennial 
state — v,'hich,  if  we  mistake  not,  the  premillennarians 
deny — the  nations  hving  during  the  millennium  will 
be  judged  according  to  their  works,  no  more  and  no 
less  than  those  that  hved  before  the  millennium. 
3.  Anotlier  objection  to  the  common  view  is  stated 
by  Alford  thus :  '  The  answer  of  the  righteous  ap- 
pears to  rae  to  show  plainly  that  they  are  not  to  be 
understood  as  being  the  covenanted  servants  of  Christ. 
Such  an  answer  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to 
make,  who  had  done  all  distinctly  loith  reference  to 
Christ,  and  for  His  sake,  and  with  His  declaration  of 
ch.  X.  49-42,  before  them.  Such  a  supposition  would 
remove  all  reality,  as,  indeed,  it  has  generally  done, 
from  our  Lord's  description.  See  the  remarkable 
difference  in  the  answer  of  the  faithful  servant  (vs. 
XX.  22).'  The  reply  that  the  language  in  question  is 
that  of  humihty  is  said  not  to  be  satisfactory ;  but  we 
know  not  why.  Besides,  the  diiiiculty  appears  to  us  to 
be  the  same  with  regard  to  the  people  that  have  hved 
during  the  millennium.  If  they  are  to  be  saved,  they 
also  nmst  have  done  their  works  for  Christ's  sake, 
and,  if  so,  they  must  have  been  conscious  of  it.  We 
have  given  the  grounds  on  which  the  premillennarian 
interpretation  is  based.  In  objection  to  it,  it  may 
further  be  urged  that  it  is  against  common  Scripture 
language  to  call  any  other  than  believers,  the  mem- 
bers of  Christ's  mystical  body,  'sheep,'  or  'right- 
eous,' or  '  the  blessed  of  the  Father,  for  whom  the 
kingdom  was  prepared  from  the  foundation  of  the 

*  [In  German:  geUtUehe  Anviassu/ngen.    The  Edinb. 
trsl.  has  dignities  .'—P.  S.] 


world.'  With  regard  to  the  difficult  question  of  our 
Lord's  second  advent,  Alford  makes,  at  the  close  of 
hit!  comments  on  the  twenty-fifth  chapter,  a  declara- 
tion breathing  the  docile  spirit  of  the  true  Christian 
and  of  the  thorough  scholar.  He  says,  (p.  238 :) 
'I  think  it  proper  to  state,  in  this  third  edition,  that 
having  now  entered  upon  the  deeper  study  of  the 
prophetic  portions  of  the  New  Testament,  I  do  not 
feel  by  any  means  that  full  confidence  which  I  once 
did  in  the  exegesis,  quoad  prophetical  interpretation 
here  given  of  the  tln-ee  portions  of  this  chapter  xxv. 
But  1  have  no  other  system  to  substitute,  and  some 
of  the  points  liere  dwelt  on  seem  to  me  as  weighty  as 
ever.  I  very  much  question  whether  the  thorough 
study  of  Scripture  prophecy  will  not  make  me  more 
and  more  distrustful  of  all  human  systematizing,  and 
less  willing  to  hazard  strong  assertion  on  any  portion 
of  the  subject.  July,  1855.'" — In  the  fourth  edition 
Alford  adds:  "Endorsed,  Oct.  1858."— P.  S.] 

The  representation  of  this  judgment  is  not  a  par- 
able or  simile,  as  Olshausen  thinks.  It  contains  some 
of  the  elements  of  a  parable ;  but  really  sets  the  judg- 
ment before  us  in  its  concrete  form. 

[Ver.  31.  Jerome  remarks  on  the  time  of  this  dis- 
course :  "  He  who  was  within  two  days  to  celebrate 
tlie  passover  and  to  be  crucified,  fitly  now  sets  forth 
the  glory  of  His  triumph."  This  contrast  deepens 
our  view  of  the  divine  foresight  and  majesty  of  our 
Lord,  and  the  sublimity  of  this  description. — And  all 
the  [holy]  angels  with  Him. — As  witnesses  and 
executive  agents  who  take  tlie  deepest  interest  in 
man's  destiny  and  final  salvation,  comp.  Heb.  i.  14 ; 
Matt.  xiii.  40 ;  xxiv.  31  ;  Luke  xii.  8.  Bengel :  Omnes 
cmgeli :  orn.ncH  oiationes  :  quanta  celehritan  !  "  The 
first-born  of  God,  the  morning  stars  of  creation — be- 
ings that  excel  in  strength,  whose  intelhgence  is  im- 
mense, whose  love  for  God  and  His  universe  glows 
with  a  quenchless  ardor,  and  whose  speed  is  as  the 
hghtning.  Who  can  count  their  numbers?  They 
are  the  bright  stars  that  crowd  in  innumerable  con- 
stellations every  firmament  that  spans  every  globe 
and  system  throughout  immensity." — P.  S.] 

Then  shall  he  sit.— Expression  of  finished  victory. 

Ver.  32.  And  before  Him  shall  be  gathered. 
— Intimating  a  perfect  voluntary  or  involuntary  ac- 
knowledgment and  submission  ;  comp.  Phil.  ii.  10. 

And  He  shall  divide  them. — I'his  is  not  merely 
the  beginning,  but  the  fundamental  outline  of  all  that 
follows. — As  the  shepherd  divideth. — He  was 
Himself  the  Shepherd,  also,  of  the  goats, — the  Shep- 
herd of  all  mankind.  Hence  He  knows  how  to  distin- 
guish them  perfectly,  as  they  are  perfected  in  good  or 
evil. — The  sheep  from  the  goats. — Properly  :  the 
lambs  from  the  he-goats,  ipitpoi.  Goats  and  sheep 
are  represented  as  pasturing  together  (comp.  Gen. 
XXX.  33).  They  were  classed  together  under  the 
name  of  small  cattle.  The  wicked  are  here  exhibit- 
ed under  the  figure  of  goats.  Why  'i  Grotius :  "  on 
account  of  their  wantonness  and  stench."  De  Wette 
says  (referring  to  Ezek.  xxxiv.  17,  where,  however,  it 
is  otherwise) :  "  The  goats  (he-goats)  are  of  less 
value  to  the  shepherd ;  they  are  wilder,  and  less 
easily  led."  Meyer :  "  Because  the  value  of  these 
animals  was  held  to  be  less  (Luke  xv.  29) ;  hence 
also,  in  ver.  33,  the  disparaging  duninutive  ra  ifjifia."* 

*  [So  also  Ililarv  ami  Chrysostom  :  "  Slieep  are  profitable 
bv  their  wool,  their  milk,  their  otf^prins;.  Kot  so  goats: 
they  represent  vnfrvit/uliie.sii  of  life."  Wordsworth  adopts 
this  view  and  adds  with  Euthymius  and  Grotius  the  Svaoi- 
Si'a,  in  opposition  to  the  sweet  and  fragi'ant  sacrifice  of  holy 
and  charitable  deeds."— P.  S.J 


CHAP.  XXV.  31^6. 


440 


But  the  main  point  of  distinction  is  the  gentleness  and 
tractableness  of  the  sheep,  which  points  to  a  nobler 
nature ;  and  the  wild  stubbornness  of  the  goats,  ex- 
hibiting an  inferior,  egotistical  nature.* 

Ver.  S3.  On  his  right  hand.— Thd"  side  of 
preference  and  success. — On  the  left. — The  oppo- 
site. On  the  omens  of  the  right  and  left,  see  Schott- 
gen  and  Wetsteiu ;  comp.  Virg.  ^'En.  vi.  542  sqq. 

Vei'.  34.  The  King. — Not  parabolical,  as  01s- 
hauseu  thinks ;  but  Christ  in  Ilis  advent  comas  for- 
ward with  all  His  real  kingly  dignity. 

Ye  blessed  of  My  Father. — They  are  the 
really  blessed,  as  the  regenerate,  penetrated  and  re- 
newed with  the  Spirit,  liie,  and  blessing  of  the  Father, 
Eph.  i.  3. 

Inherit  the  kingdom. — See  Rom.  viil. — Pre- 
pared from  the  foundation  of  the  ■world. — De 
Wette  tinds  here  the  idea  of  predestination,  Rom. 
viii.  28.  But  what  is  here  spoken  of  is  the  eternal 
foundation  of  the  kingdom  for  the  subjects  of  the 
King.  There  is  no  contradiction  to  John  xiv.  2.  For 
here  the  calling  and  foundation  is  referred  to ;  there, 
the  actual  building  up  of  the  heavenly  community.! 

Ver.  35.  Ye  took  Me  in,  ffvvr)ya.ysri  /xe. — 
Meyer :  As  members  of  My  household.  Deut.  xxii. 
2  :  (Tvva^eis  ahrov  iv^op  els  f^v  olKiav.  Oriental 
hospitality  was  an  essential  form  of  love  to  our  neigh- 
bor. See,  in  ^yetstein  and  Schottgen,  the  rabbinical 
saymgs  concerning  the  promise  of  paradise  to  the 
hospitable. 

[Vers.  35,  36.  Heubner;  "The  acts  of  love  here 
named  are  not  such  as  require  merely  an  outlay  of 
money,  but  such  as  involve  also  the  sacrifice  of  time, 
strength,  rest,  comfort,"  etc.  On  the  other  hand, 
Webster  and  Wilkinson  justly  observe  on  ver.  36, 
that  the  assistance  to  the  sick  and  prisoners  here  is 
not  healmg  and  release,  which  only  few  could  render, 
but  visitation,  sympathy,  attention,  which  all  can  be- 
stow. But  whatever  good  they  did,  was  done  in 
faith  and  in  humility,  and  consequently  tlie  product 
of  divine  grace.  For  charity  is  the  daughter  of  faith, 
and  faith  is  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  unites  us 
to  Christ.— P.  S.] 

A^er.  37.  Lord,  when  saw  we  Thee? — De 
Wette :  "  The  language  of  modesty."  Olshausen  : 
"The  language  of  unconscious  humility."  Meyer: 
"  Actual  declining  of  what  was  imputed,  since  they 
had  never  done  to  Christ  Himself  these  services  of 
love.  The  explanation  is  given  in  ver.  40."  Cer- 
tainly, they  have  not  yet  any  clear  notion  of  the 
ideal  Christ  of  the  whole  world.  But  this  is  con- 
nected with  their  humility ;  and  it  must  not  be  lost 
sight  of,  smce  the  opposite  characteristic  among  the 
reprobate  is  exhibited  as  self-righteousness.  [Ori- 
gen:  "It  is  from  humility  that  they  declare  them- 
selves unworthy  of  any  praise  for  their  good  deeds, 
not  that  they  are  forgetful  of  what  they  have  done."] 

Ver.  40.  To  one  of  the  least  of  these  My 
brethren. — Not  the  apostles  alone,  but  Christians 
generally,  and  pre-eminently  the  least  of  them.   They 


*  [Similarly  Origen,  Theophylact,  and  Maldonatus,  who 
explains :  Boni  ovu-i  appellantxir  quia  mites  sunt,  mnli 
autem  hirci  quia  asperi  et  per  prcerupta  ascendentes,  id 
eat,  non  acta  et  plana  incidentes  via.  Nnst  combines  un- 
cleanness  and  stubbornness  as  the  two  points  of  comparison 
of  the  bad  with  the  goats,  but  mentions  only  meekness  on 
the  part  of  the  sheep.— P.  S.] 

t  [Bengcl  derives  from  the  word  vfJ-^v,  prepared /or 
yow,  an  argument  against  the  scholastic  notion  that  men 
were  created  or  elected  to  fill  up  the  number  of  fallen  an- 
gels: Ergo  homines  eleeti  non  sunt  suffecti  in  Joctfm  an- 
gelorum,  qui  peccamnt.—F.  8.] 
OQ 


are  the  least,  the  poorest,  the  last,  in  v/hom  the  di- 
vme  life,  which  the  Lord  here  recognises  as  brotherly 
love,  is  awakened. 

[Stier,  confining  this  judgment  to  the  heathen,  in- 
fers from  this  description  that  "  a  dogmatically  de- 
veloped faltli  in  the  Lord  is  not  required  of  all  men," 
and  condemns  "  all  narrow  dogmatism  that  would  set 
limits  to  God's  infiuite  love."  Alford,  taking  a  simi- 
lar view  of  this  section,  remarks :  "  The  sublimity  of 
this  description  surpasses  all  imagination — Christ,  as 
the  Son  of  Man,  the  Shepherd,  the  King,  the  Judge — 
as  the  centre  and  end  of  all  human  love,  bringing  out 
and  rewarding  His  latent  grace  in  those  who  have 
lived  in  love — everlastingly  punishing  those  who  have 
quenched  it  in  an  unloving  and  selfish  Ufe — and  in  the 
accomplishment  of  His  mediatorial  ofiice,  causing 
even  from  out  of  the  iniquities  of  a  rebellious  world  His 
sovereign  mercy  to  rejoice  against  judgment."  But 
we  must  not  weaken  the  fundamental  principle :  out 
of  Christ  there  is  no  pardon  and  no  salvation.  Every 
consideration  of  God's  justice  and  mercy,  and  every 
impulse  of  Christian  charity  leads  us  to  the  hope  that 
those  will  be  ultimately  saved,  who  without  knowmg 
Christ  in  this  life  have  unconsciously  longed  after 
Him  as  the  desire  of  all  nations  and  of  every  human 
soul,  but  it  can  only  be  through  an  act  of  faith  in 
Christ,  whenever  He  shall  be  revealed  to  them,  thougii 
it  be  only  on  the  judgment  day.  We  cannot  admit 
diflerent  terms  of  saivation. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  41.  Ye  cursed. — Through  their  own  fault 
penetrated  by  the  curse  of  God.  The  appended  "of 
My  Father "  is  not  now  found  here  as  in  ver.  34. 
And  so  also,  "from  the  beginning  of  the  world"  is 
not  added  to  " preparaV  here.  Nor  is  it  said,  "  pre- 
pared/o;-  you,"  but,  "for  the  devil." *  The  great 
judg-ment  of  nre  is  prepared  for  the  ilevil,  as  a  pun- 
ishment for  devilish  guilt.  Thus,  these  are  here 
represented  as  having  plunged  themselves  into  the 
abyss  of  demoniac  reprobation.  The  Rabbins  dis- 
puted whetlier  Geheima  was  prepared  before  or  after 
the  first  day  of  creation.  According  to  the  gospel,  it 
will  not  be  finished  and  made  effective  tiU  the  final 
judgment  of  the  world  {see  Rev.  xx.  10).  The  scho- 
lastic theology  of  the  middle  ages,f  instead  of  making 
it  a  final  period,  as  in  the  gospel,  gradually  dated  it 
back  to  the  begmning,  as  the  Rabbins. 

[Vers.  42,  43.  Only  sins  of  omission  are  men- 
tioned here;  showing  that  the  absence  of  good 
works,  the  destitution  of  love,  or  the  dominion  of 
selfishness,  disqualifies  man  for  blessedness,  and  is 


*  [Similar  observations  are  mado  by  .\Iford  and  Words- 
worth :  "  In  verse  84,''  says  the  latter,  "  Christ  describes  the 
joys  of  heaven  as  a  KXripovofxia  prepared  for  men  by  God 
even  from  the  beginning.  But  the  pains  of  hell  are  not  de- 
scribed as  prepared  for  men,  but  for  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels. God  designs  eternal  happiness  for  men;  they  incur 
eternal  misery  by  their  own  acts." — The  significance  of  th» 
omissions  and  change  in  the  two  cases  was  early  observed 
e\en  by  Origen  and  Chrysostom,  and  is  urged  also  by  Mal- 
donatns,  Olshausen,  Stier,  Kast,  and  otheis.— -Origen  :  "  He 
says  not  now :  Ye  cursed  of  My  Father,  because  of  all  bless- 
ing the  Father  is  the  author,  but  each  man  is  the  origin  of 
his  own  curse  when  he  does  the  things  that  deserve  the 
curse."— Maldonatus :  -'Aon  dixit:  'Maledicti  Fatinn 
«i(i/,'  sicrit  jmtia  dixerat:  'Venite,  benedicti  Patris 
MEi,'  quia  Deus  non  maledictionis,  sed  benediciionis,  non 
pmnat,  sed  praimii  auctorfuit;  non  quod  non  etiam  poe- 
ncB  auctor  fuerit,  sed  quod  prwrnia  Ubenter  et  ex  animi 
propensiohe,  poenam  invitus  quodammodo,  ut  JMstiiiae 
sum  satisjaceret,  prcepararerit.^' — P.  S.] 

t  [So  also  Dante  in  the  famous  inscription  on  the  gate  of 
hell;  see  Inferno,  Canto  iii.  Stier  observes,  that  even  tor 
the  devil,  who  was  created  an  angel,  hell  waa  no  more  fore- 
ordained than  his  sin,  although  it  was  prep.ared  for  him  as 
soon  as  he  became  a  devil. — P.  S.] 


450 


THE    GOSrEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW, 


Bufficient,  even  without  positive  crimes,  to  exclude 
him  from  heaven. — P.  S.] 

Yer.  44.   And  did  not  minister  unto  Thee  ? 

— As  if  they  would  always  have  been  ready  to  serve 
Him.  But  there  is  nothinf^  of  the  spirit  of  love  in 
their  assumed  readiness ;  only  m  the  spirit  of  servi- 
tude they  would  have  waited  on  Him  had  they  seen 
Him.  The  ignorance  of  the  blessed  was  connected 
witli  their  humility,  as  a  holy  impossibility  of  know- 
ing ;  the  ignorance  of  the  cursed  was  of  another  kind, 
and  closely  connected  with  self-righteousness.* 

Ver.  46.  Into  everlasting  punishment. — 
Comp.  Dan.  xii.  2  {eh  C'^vv  aldviov  .  .  .  ei?  aiax^i'V'' 
altivtof).  Meyer  finds  the  absolute  idea  of  eternity  in 
endlessness,  and  thinks  even  that  (wn  aidyios  de- 
scribes an  endless  Messianic  life.  But  in  this  last 
idea  the  inteTisive  boundlessness  of  life  is  expressed 
(an  abstract  endless  life  might  be  also  merely  an  end- 
less existence  in  torment) ;  and,  therefore,  the  pre- 
dominant notion  of  the  opposite  is  an  intensive  one, 
too.  We  say  only,  the  "predominant"  one.  For 
here  also,  as  in  the  doctrine  of  the  parousia  of  Christ, 
we  must  distinguish  between  religious  and  chronolo- 
gical notions  and  calculations.! 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  section  is  a  paraboUcal  discourse:]:  con- 
cerning the  general  judgment  of  the  human  race. 
Hence  the  essential  ideas  and  the  symbolical  features 
are  to  be  distinguished. 

The  following  are  the  prominent  ihgmatic  points : 
— (1)  Christ  is  the  Judge  of  the  world ;  compare  Acts 
X.  42 ;  xvii.  31 ;  the  Syrnh.  Apost.  (2)  The  judg- 
ment shall  be  exercised  by  Him  upon  all  mankind : 
all  nations  shall  appear  before  the  throne — not  merely 
those  existing  at  the  end  of  the  world,  but  all  genera- 
tions. Therefore  the  general  resurrection  is  included, 
so  that  all  nations  may  be  assembled.     (3)  The  stand- 


*  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  renders /Sefts<(7e/•€cA<^■o'/fcea  (=  r)  e/xr], 
or  7;  ISia  5iKawcrwTj,  or  biKaiotrvvri  tov  v6/j.ov,  ck  v6- 
f.wv,  Sac.  e|  ipywv)  here  and  above  ad  ver.  37  by  self-justi- 
fication, confounding  the  word  with  Selhstrechfj'ertigwig 
(=  5i/fo;ico(7i5)._p.  g.] 

t[ALKORD:  "Observe,  the  same  epithet  is  used  for 
KoKaais  and  C<^i] — which  are  here  contraries — for  the  ^wrj 
here  spoken  of  is  not  bare  existence,  which  would  have  ««- 
?;(^ita</o»  for  its  opposite ;  but  blessedness  and  reward,  to 
wliich  jjunishment  and  misery  are  antagonist  terms." — 
Wordsworth  in  loe. :  "  The  word  alcJov  corresponds  to  the 
Hebrew  CbiS  which  appears  to  be  derived  from  the  un- 
used root  cbs  J  to  coticeal;  so  that  the  radical  idea  in 
aliiy,  as  used  in  Holy  Scripture,  is  tJidefinite  time;  and 
thus  the  word  comes  to  be  iitly  applied  to  iJiis  world,  of 
which  we  do  not  know  the  duration;  and  also  to  the  world 
to  come,  of  which  no  end  is  visible,  because  that  world  is 
eternal.  This  consideration  may  perhaps  check  speculations 
concerning  the  duration  of  future  punibhments.  (?)"  But 
this  etymology  of  cbi^  is  fomewhat  doubtful,  and  alui/ 
has  nothing  to  do  with  hiding  and  concealing,  but  comes 
probably  from  au.;  &7]p.i,  to  hreathe,  to  blow;  hence  life, 
generation,  ago  (like  the  Latin  ce»!/?n);  then  indefinitely  for 
endless  duration,  eternity. — P.  S.] 

$  [Not  a  i)arable  proper.  Comp.  M.  Henry  :  "AVc  have 
here  a  description  of  the  process  of  the  last  judgment  in  the 
great  day.  There  are  some  passai'-'-s  in  it  that  are  paraboli- 
cal ;  as  the  separating  between  the  thet- p  and  the  goats,  and 
the  dialogues  between  the  judge  and  tho  persons  ji'dged; 

but  there  is  no  thread  of  similitude  r. k-.l  through  "tlie'dis- 

course,  and,  therefore,  it  is  rather  to  be  called  a  dr  ;ught  or 
delineation  of  the  final  judgment  than  aparHble:  it  is,  as  it 
were,  the  explanation  of  the  former  paraH  •-  ■'— ".  S.] 


ard  of  judgment  will  be  the  question,  how  they  reputed 
and  dealt  with  Christ  in  the  world  ;  how  Ihey  regu- 
lated their  conduct  toward  Him  in  His  own  person, 
and  in  His  unseen  life  in  humanity  as  the  Logos ; 
how,  therefore,  they  honored  or  dishonored  the  Divine 
in  themselves  and  in  their  fellow-men;  how  they 
showed  cliristological  piety  in  christological  humani- 
ty ;  or  how,  in  short,  they  behaved  toward  Christ  in 
the  widest  sense  of  the  word.  (4)  The  demand  of 
the  judgment  will  be  the  fruit  of  faith  in  Christian 
love  of  men,  or  human  love  ef  Christ.  Thus  not 
merely,  (a)  doctrinal  faith ;  or  (b)  external  works 
without  a  root  of  faith — of  actual  trust  in  Christ,  or 
love  for  the  divine  in  humanity  (done  it  unto  Me,  done 
it  not  unto  Me) ;  (c)  nor  merely  individual  evidences 
of  good ;  but  decided  goodness  in  its  maturity  and 
consistency,  as  it  acknowledged  Christ  or  felt  after 
Him,  in  all  His  conceahnents,  with  longing  anticipa- 
tions. (5)  The  specific  form  of  the  requirement  will 
be  the  requirement  of  the  fruit  of  mercy  and  compas- 
sion ;  for  the  foundation  of  redemption  is  grace,  and 
faith  in  redeeming  grace  must  ripen  into  the  fruits  of 
compassion :  see  this  in  the  Lord's  Prayer.  Sancti- 
fied mercy,  however,  is  only  a  concrete  expression  for 
perfected  holiness  generally,  or  the  sanctification  of 
Christ  in  the  life;  see  Rev.  xxi.  8  ;  xxii.  15,  6. 
(6)  The  finished  fruit  of  faith  and  disposition  is  iden- 
tical with  the  man  himself,  ripe  for  judgment.  C?)  The 
judgment  appears  to  be  already  internally  decided  by 
the  relation  which  men  have  assumed  toward  Christ, 
or  the  character  which  they  have  borne ;  but  it  is 
published  openly  by  the  separation  of  those  who  are 
unlike,  and  the  gathering  together  of  all  who  are  like ; 
it  is  continued  in  the  sentence  which  illustrates  the 
judgment  by  words,  and  confirms  it  by  the  extorted 
confession  of  conscience ;  it  is  consummated  by  the 
fact  of  the  one  company  inheriting  the  kingdom,  and 
the  other  departing  to  the  everlasting  fire  prepared 
for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  (8)  This  perfected  sep- 
aration implies  also  the  total  change  of  the  earth :  on 
the  one  side,  the  view  opens  upon  the  finished  king- 
dom of  God  ;  on  the  other,  the  view  opens  upon  hell, 
now  unsealed  for  the  lost.  (9)  The  time  of  the  judg- 
ment is  the  final  and  critical  period  in  which  all 
preparatory  judgments  are  consummated:  (a)  the 
judgments  of  human  history  in  this  world ;  (6)  the 
judgments  in  Hades  in  the  other  world  {see  Luke  xvi. 
19);  (c)  the  great  judgments  which  will  begin  at  the 
manifestation  of  Christ  {sea  chs.  xxiv.  and  xxv. ;  Rev. 
XX.  1  sqq.).  The  more  precise  description  of  the  form 
of  this  crisis  is  found  in  Rev.  xx.  V-l  5. 

As  symbolical  features  of  the  scene,  we  may  notice 
prominently: — (1)  The  enthrouization  of  the  Son  of 
Man  upon  the  judgment-seat :  a  figure  of  His  perfected 
victorious  glory  (1  Cor.  xv.  25).  (2)  The  administra- 
tion of  Christ  in  the  form  of  the  separating  shepherd : 
for  He  is  still  a  shepherd ;  and  one  great  reason  of 
the  judgment  is  the  perfecting  of  the  redemption  of 
the  good,  the  revelation  of  the  kinudora  (Rev.  xxi.). 
(3)  The  sheep  and  the  goats,  with  their  separation, 
expressing  the  nature  of  their  respective  characters, 
as  now  perfectly  stamped  upon  them  in  the  resurrec- 
tion. (4)  The  placing  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left ;  all  the  ideal  characteristics  of  the  judged  being 
exhibited  as  personal  relationship  to  Christ,  and  the 
whole  sequel  of  the  judgment  being  thus  presented 
in  one  anticipatory  act  of  decisive  division.  (5)  The 
colloquy  of  the  Judge  and  the  judged :  a  disclosure 
of  humility,  on  which  the  piety  of  the  pious  rests ; 
and  of  pride,  on  which  the  reprobation  of  the  wicked 
rests ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  clear  exhibition  of  the 


CHAP.  XXV.  31-46. 


451 


oft-repeated  truth,  that  men  will  judge  themselves  by 
their  own  words. 

2.  The  historical  judgment  of  Christ  will  be  the 
simple,  though  solemn  revelation"  of  that  spiritual 
judgment  which,  as  to  its  beginning,  is  already  de- 
cided in  difference  of  character.  It  is  the  last  quiet 
perfecting  of  a  state  already  ripe  and  over-ripe.  The 
blessed  of  the  Father  are  already  filled  with  blessing ; 
and  the  kingdom,  the  foundation  of  which  was  laid 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  is  already  in  full 
glory,  fmding  now  in  the  glorification  of  tlie  world, 
of  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  its  new  form.  The  ac- 
cursed are  also,  on  their  part,  penetrated  by  the 
curse ;  and  the  hell  to  which  they  go  is  the  kingdom 
of  darkness  in  its  consummation,  separated  from  the 
kingdom  of  light  and  consigned  to  its  proper  place. 
"  From  the  fall  of  Satan  downward  the  eternal  fire 
began  to  work  on  him  and  his  ;  and,  in  connection 
with  this  development,  there  is  going  on  in  humanity 
also  a  great  spiritual  torment,  a  great  fellowship  in 
his  destruction." 

3.  "  The  coming  of  Christ  would  not  be  histori- 
cally that  which  it  was  to  be,  if  it  were  not  at  the 
same  time  spiritual ;  it  would  not  be  spiritually  that 
which  it  was  to  be,  if  it  were  not  historical  also." 

4.  Concerning  the  succession  of  the  aeons  or 
epochs  of  which  Rev.  xiv.  11  ;  ch.  xix.  3  ;  xxi. ;  xxii. ; 
and  1  Cor.  xv.  26-28,  speak,  nothing  more  is  here 
said.  But  in  tlie  ^tcy  alJcvins  unlimited  in(e)mU/  is 
the  first  point,  unliriiited  extrusion  the  second  (for  an 
endless  existence  is  also  imaginable  as  endlessly  tor- 
mentei),  and  hence  the  opposite  conception  also  must 
be  imdevstood  in  the  religious  and  dynamic  sense. 

5.  Otto  von  Geklach  :  "  The  circumstance  that 
the  righteous  also  stand  before  the  Judge,  while  the 
contrary  seems  to  be  stated  in  John  v.  24  ;  1  (^or. 
\i.  2,  is  no  serious  difSculty.  For,  every  one  must 
appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ  (2  Cor.  v. 
10;  comp.  John  iii.  15);  although  the  Christian 
knows  full  well  that  he  will  be  no  more  hurt  by  the 
last  judgment  than  he  was  by  those  earlier  judgments 
which  fell  upon  him  in  common  with  the  wicked." 
We  must  carefully  distinguish  therefore  between 
judgment  to  condemnation  and  judgment  generally. 
The  manifestation  of  the  good  will  be  the  concrete 
judgment  of  the  ungodly. 

(5.  Prepared  for  you.  —  Gerlach  :  "  From  the 
foup.dation  of  the  world  :  this  shows  that  the  reward 
iu  the  future  life  will  be  a  reward  oi  grace.  The /or 
which  follows  states  the  ground  of  vocation  to  bles- 
sedness only  so  far  as  the  works  which  the  Lord 
mentions  bear  whness  to  the  existence  of  faith."  It 
should  be  said  rather,  "  bear  witness  to  His  life  in 
believers ;  "  for  the  final  judgment  will  be  not  mere- 
ly the  confirmation  of  justification,  but  its  perfected 
development  in  life. 

1.  "  Christ  manifestly  assumes  the  personal  ex- 
istence of  the  devil,  when  he  says  that  wicked  men 
will  suffer  the  same  doom  with  him."     Heubner. 

[8.  "  The  great  facts  of  tlie  divine  retribution,  .says 
MoRisoN,  the  eternal  bhss  of  the  righteous,  the  eternal 
woe  of  the  wicked,  are  indisputable,  and  the  images 
of  uplifting  or  appalling  grandeur  in  which  they  are 
enveloped  cannot  act  too  powerfully  on  the  heart  of 
man.  But  the  particulars,  the  blissful  or  terrible  de- 
tails, are  wisely  wllliheld  from  our  mind,  which  in  its 
present  state  of  knowledge  could  not  comprehend 


*  [Not :  t?ie  grand  and  awful  revelation  (Edinb.  trsI.V 
In  German:  die  einfache,  wenn  auch  feierlivhe  Ettthiil- 
lung.] 


them,  and  would  only  be  confounded  or  misled  by 
any  description  of  them  in  human  language." — P.  S.J 
[9.  There  is  an  eternal  election  to  Ufe,  but  no 
eternal  foreoi-dination  to  perdition  (except  as  a  sec- 
ondary  or  covdUional  and  prospective  decree);  there 
is  a  book  of  Hfe,  but  no  book  of  death.  But  "  they 
who  will  serve  the  devil  must  share  with  him  in  the 
end."— P.  S.] 


HOMILETIOAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

The  great  judgment  in  its  comprehensive  impor- 
tance: 1.  A  judgment  upon  the  whole  world ;  2.  a 
whole  world  of  judgment  (all  judgments  summed  up 
in  one).  Or:  1.  The  Judge  of  the  world  (the  Son 
of  Man,  whom  the  world  judged,  now  in  His  glory); 
2.  the  judged ;  ."i.  the  separation,  and  the  twofold 
sentence;  4.  the  end  and  issue  of  all. — The  judg- 
ment of  the  world  as  the  last  great  revelation  :  1.  Of 
the  great  Judge  ;  2.  of  the  great  judgment ;  3.  of 
the  great  redemption. — The  last  judgment,  the  great 
epiphany,  Titus  ii.  13  ;  and  the  end  of  the  world. — 
Christ  at  tliat  day  will  seal  and  finish  His  Pastoral 
office. — The  Son  of  Man  one  with  the  Judge  of  the 
world :  1.  T!ie  Son  of  Man  is  Judge  of  all ;  or,  the 
divinity  of  the  destiny  of  man.*  2.  The  Judge  of 
all  is  the  Son  of  Man ;  or,  the  humanity  of  the  di- 
vine judgment. — Christ  is  all  iu  all  in  the  judgment : 
1.  He  is  the  Judge;  2.  He  is  the  Law,  according  to 
which  judgment  is  pronounced  (whether  He  was  or 
was  not  regarded  in  His  brethren) ;  3.  He  is  Himself 
the  Retribution : — (a)  the  recompense  of  the  good  ; 
{b)  the  loss  of  the  wicked.  —  Individuality  reigns 
throughout  tlie  judgment :  1.  All  the  fundamental 
laws  of  holy  life  appear  in  the  person  of  Christ;  2. 
the  spirit  and  work  of  men  are  manifest  in  pei'sonal 
characteristics  ;  3.  blessedness  and  perdition  are  seen 
in  the  fellowship  of  persons. — Christ,  once  crucified, 
will  speak  as  the  King  in  the  judgment. — The  dis- 
tinctions in  the  divine  decrees  of  salvation  and  perdi- 
tion :  1.  Blessedness  was  prepared  for  men  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world ;  2.  condemnation  (the  por- 
tion of  the  wicked  with  the  devil  and  liis  .angels)  not 
till  the  end  of  the  world. — Christ  will  at  that  day 
judge  the  divinity  of  our  faith  by  its  ChristUke  hu- 
manity, its  sacred  mercy — according  to  its  fruits. — 
Men's  good  or  evil  treatment  of  the  suffering  Christ 
in  suftering  humanity:  1.  As  the  Christ  in  need:  (a) 
hungry,  and  fed  or  not  fed ;  {h)  thirsty,  and  given  to 
drink  or  not ;  {c)  a  stranger,  and  taken  in  or  not.  2.  As 
the  Christ  in  suffering :  (a)  naked  (poor),  and  clothed 
or  not ;  (6)  sickf  (wretched),  and  visited  or  not ;  (c) 
in  prison  (banished,  persecuted,  condemned),  and  re- 
ceiving fellowship  or  not. — Have  ye  taken  in  Christ, 
though  in  strange  garments?  In  the  strange  gar- 
ments :  1.  Of  nationality ;  2.  of  religion ;  3.  of  confes- 
sion (or  denomination) ;  4.  of  scholastic  terminology.  J 

*[Not:  i^^iK«s  (Christ'n)  human  decrees"  as  the 
Edinb.  tn^l.4flfe^^J  '"(//e  Gottliclikeit  der  (not:  Seiner) 
menfirhlichen  BeSimtjiun'q"  (/.  «.,  destiny,  end). — P.  8.] 

t  [For  which  tW  EdJiibXtrsI.  reads  ricA,— evidently  a  ty- 
pographical error.]        tv^    , 

t  [Der  7-eligibnen  Sc?Cfmpruche,  the  languajre  of  different 
theological  schools,  but  nai^'^ denominational  language" 
(as  the  Edinb.  trsl.  hns  it);  tbi^this  would  be  identical  with 
the  preceding  eonfewion,  whiemthe  Germans  use  in  the  same 
sense  in  which  we  use  denommvitimi.  Dr.  Laiige  refers  to 
theoretical  theological  differences  as  distinct  from  practical 
reli.£rious  differences.  Many  disputes  in  the  Christian  Church 
are  inere  logom.ichies.  and  disappear,  if  they  are  divested  of 
their  learning,  and  the  parties  are  broujrht  face  to  face  and 
heart  to  heart  in  prayer  or  good  works  ii.s  Christian  brethrea. 
—P.  8.] 


452 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCOEDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


— The  marks  of  good  works  which  Christ  will  recog- 
niae  :  1.  The  works  oi faith,  which  have,  consciously 
or  unconsciously,  regarded  Ilim  in  the  brethren  ;  2. 
true  works  of  faith,  which  have  beheld  Christ  in 
men,  and  treated  them  accordingly,  in  actions  (and 
not  in  dogmas  only) ;  3.  works  resting  on  the  ground 
of  a  true  humility,  which,  wrought  by  the  Spirit, 
knows  not  what  good  it  has  wrought. — Christ,  as  the 
Judge,  will  bring  to  light  the  most  hidden  roots  of 
life,  and  principles  of  judgment :  the  humility  of  the 
godly,  and  the  self-righteousness  of  the  ungodly. — 
The  great  redemption  and  the  great  judgment  are  the 
consummation  and  complement  of  each  other. — The 
great  contrast  in  the  issue  of  men's  ways  and  pur- 
poses :  the  kingdom  of  the  Father,  and  the  fire  of 
Satan. — And  these  shall  go  away  :  let  us  never  for- 
get the  terrible  end. 

Starke: — Mark,  ye  scoffers,  Christ  will  surely 
come  to  judgment;  2  Pet.  iii.  4. — Quesnel :  The  sin- 
ner may  do  his  best  now  to  fly  from  the  presence  of 
God ;  but  he  must  finally  make  his  appearance  be- 
fore His  judgment-seat,  Rom.  xiv.  10. —  Canstein: 
That  the  faithful  will  themselves  stand  before  the 
tribunal,  is  by  no  means  a  contradiction  to  their  high 
prerogative  of  judging  the  world  as  spu-itual  kings, 
and  of  being  as  it  were  assessors  of  the  Judge,  1 
Cor.  vi,  2. —  O'rc'j.  Nazianz.:  Nulla  re  inter  onmes 
ita  colitur  Drus  id  mlsericordid. — Hedinger  :  Good 
works  shall  be  compensated,  as  if  they  had  been  done 
to  Christ.  —  Canstein  :  Believers  remain  humble,  even 
in  their  glorification. — The  best  good  works  are  those 
which  are  done  in  hearty  simplicity,  and  almost  un- 
thought  of — The  blessed  lose  none  of  their  honor 
through  their  humility  ;  God  glories  in  thom  all  the 
more. — How  great  the  love  of  Jesus,  thus  to  call  the 
faithful  His  own  brethren! — If  he  must  go  into 
eternal  fire  to  whom  Christ  says, "  I  was  naked,  etc.," 
what  place  shall  receive  him  to  whom  He  will  have 
to  say,  "  I  was  clothed,  and  ye  strijjped  Me  ?  "  Au- 
gusline. — Neglect  of  doing  good  is  a  grievous  sin, 
Jas.  iv.  17. — Luther :  That  the  ungodly  will  not  con- 
fess to  their  neglect  of  doing  good,  only  reveals  the 
darkness  and  wretchedness  of  their  minds,  which 
made  them  refuse  to  know,  in  the  time  of  grace, 
either  Christ  or  His  members ;  the  thought  they  had 
concerning  Christ  in  their  hfetime  will  be  most 
strongly  declared  in  the  judgment. — No  excuse  will 
stand  in  the  day  of  judgment. — Camtein  :  The  eter- 
nal rebelUon  of  the  lost  against  God's  holy  will,  will 
be  great  part  of  their  eternal  woe. — Wretched  prince 
of  darkness  !  who  cannot  defend  himself  and  his  ser- 
vants from  the  pains  of  hell. 

Gerlach  : — Two  things  must  be  specially  mark- 
ed in  the  proceedings  of  the  judgment :  the  division 
of  all  men  into  two  parts  or  fellowships,  and  that  for 
eternity ;  and  then  the  tokens  which  will  be  found 
on  those  whom  the  Lord  will  accept — self-forgetting, 
humble,  brotherly  love. — Faith  alone  justifies  and 
saves  (Rom.  iii.  22,  24,  28 ;  Eph.  il.  8,  9);  but  that 
only  is  true  faith  which  works  by  love  (Gal.  v.  6  ; 
Jas.  ii.  14 ;  1  Cor.  xiii.).  Yet  we  must  avoid  the  old 
confusion  which  identifies  righteousness  and  salva- 
tion.— The  Christian,  in  his  course,  looks  not  back 
upon  the  past  (what  he  has  done),  but  forward  to  the 
goal,  Phil.  iii.  13,  14. —  Ye  cursed,  \vho  wilfully  re- 
mained under  the  curse  of  the  law  from  which  I  re- 
deemed you.  Dent,  sxvii.  20 ;  Gal.  iii.  13.  [The 
curse,  however,  at  the  end  of  the  world,  does  not 
merely  signify  condemnableness,  but  consummate 
ripeness  for  condemnation.] — Not  "  Ye  cursed  of  My 
Father : "  their  own  acts,  and  not  the  Father,  brought 


their  curse  upon  them. — The  everlasting  fire  which 
was  prepared  (not /or  you,  but) /or  the  devil. — Chry- 
sostom :  I  prepared  for  you  the  kingdom,  the  fire  for 
the  devil  and  his  angels ;  ye  have  plunged  into  this 
fire,  and  it  is  now  yours. — Indeed,  the  fire  was  not 
from  eternity  prepared  for  tlic  devil ;  Vjut  the  differ- 
ence is,  that  men  were  redeemed. — The  second 
death. 

lAsco : — The  insei)arable  connection  between  love 
to  Christ  and  love  to  the  brethren. — Departure  from 
Jesus,  the  doom  of  the  unloving. — Their  mind  was 
hke  the  devil's  ;  hence  they  share  his  doom. 

Heubner : — Remember  always  the  hymn:  Dies 
irce,  dies  ilia.* — ^Ask  often  of  thy  soul,  where  will 
the  Lord  finally  place  thee. — The  kingdom  is  the 
kingdom  of  glory,  into  which  the  kingdom  of  grace 
has  changed. — Prepared :  the  blessedness  of  the 
good,  the  end  of  creation. — Leo  Magn. :  The  pas- 
sion of  Christ  if  continued  to  the  end  of  the  world. — 
Luther:  It  is  a  lie  to  say  that  thou  wouldst  have 
done  much  good  to  Christ,  if  thou  art  not  doing  it 
to  these,  the  wretched. — Unchristian,  evil  tendencies 
invariably  end  in  communion  with  Satan. 

^'herendn  : — Of  blessedness  and  condemnation. 
— Niemann : — The  glory  of  Christ  in  the  judgment : 
He  will  be  glorious :  1.  In  His  power ;  2.  in  His  onmi- 
science ;  3.  in  His  righteousness  ;  4.  in  His  grace. — 
Knievjel:^  How  firm  faith  in  the  coming  of  Christ 
to  judgment  sanctifies  and  glorifies  earthly  fife.  It 
produces  in  us  :  1.  A  lioly  fear  of  God  ;  2.  genuine 
love;  3.  sound  hope. — Draseke: — The  great  day  of 
the  kingdom  a  glorious  day,  an  all-decisive  day,  an 
inevitable  day,  and  a  day  profoundly  mysterious. — 
llic  same  : — The  threefold  judgment — in  the  heart, 
iu  the  history  of  the  world,  in  the  great  day. — Rein- 
hard  : — That  we  may  not  fear  the  day  of  judgment, 
we  must  have  our  hearts  filled  with  the  spirit  of  true 
Christian  love  to  man. — Baclmiann  : — The  last  judg- 
ment in  its  glory. — Natorp : — God  will  reward  every 
one  according  to  his  works. 

[W.  BuKKiTT  (condensed):  The  general  judg- 
ment: 1.  The  Person  judging,  the  Son  of  Man  ;  2. 
the  persons  judged,  good  and  bad;  the  one  called 
sheep,  for  their  innocency  and  meekness ;  the  other 
goats,  for  their  unruliness  and  uncleanness ;  3.  the 
manner  of  His  coming  to  judgment,  most  august  and 
glorious  in  His  person  and  attendance ;  4.  the  work 
of  the  Judge :  («)  He  wiU  gather  all  nations,  persons 
of  all  nations,  sects,  classes,  and  conditions  of  man ; 
(b)  He  will  divide  them,  as  a  shepherd  his  sheep, — 
a  final  separation  of  the  godly  and  the  wicked ;  (c) 
He  will  pronounce  the  sentence,  of  absolution  of  tlie 
righteous,  and  condemnation  of  the  wicked ;  5.  the 
final  issue. — Christ  personal  is  not  the  object  of  our 

'■  [This  awfully  sublime  hymn  ol  an  humble  medieval 
monk,  Thomas  a  Celano  (about  1250),  is  the  most  perfect 
specimen  of  Latin  church  poetry,  and  sounds  like  the  trum- 
pet of  the  final  judgment  which  will  rouse  the  dead  from 
their  sleep  of  centuries.  Each  word  contains  a  distinct 
sound  and  sentiment;  the  ear  and  the  heart  are  carried  on 
step  by  step  with  irresistible  force,  and  skeptical  reason  it- 
self must  bow  before  the  general  judgment  as  an  awful,  im- 
pondinn  reality  which  will  confront  at  last  every  individual. 
The  Dies  irw  is  introduced  with  great  efi'ect  in  Goethe's 
Faust.  There  are  over  70  German,  and  many  English  trans- 
lations (by  Walter  Scott,  Trench,  Davidson,  Coles,  who 
alone  furnished  13,  etc.)  of  this  giant  hj-mn,  .as  it  is  called, 
but  none  comes  up  fully  to  the  majestic  force  and  overpow- 
erirg  music  of  the  origin?].  It  has  given  rise  also  to  some 
of  the  best  judgment  hymns  in  modern  languages,  and  to  fa- 
mous musical  compositions  of  Palestrjna,  Pergolese,  Haydn, 
Cherubini,  Weber,  and  Mozart.  —P.  S.] 

+  [A  preacher  in  Danzig,  not  to  be  confounded  (as  ia 
done  in  the  Edinb.  trsl.)  witli  Kuinoel,  the  commentator.— 
P.  S.l 


CHAPS.  XXVI.,  XXVII. 


453 


pity  and  charity,  but  Christ  mystical  is  exposed  to 
waiat  and  necessity. — Christ  keeps  a  faithful  record 
of  all  our  acts  of  pious  charity,  wlien  we  Lave  for- 
gotten them. — Christ  calls  His  poorest  members :  My 
brethren. — God  is  the  author  and  procurer  of  man's 
happiness  ("  ye  blessed  of  My  Father  .  .  .  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the.  foundation  of  the 
world"  ver.  34) ;  but  man  only  is  the  author  of  his 
own  misery  ("  ye  cursed,  .  .  .  for  the  denl"  etc., 
ver.  '11). — Sins  of  omission  are  damning  as  well  as 
sms  of  commission  (vers.  42-45). — The  one  sin  of 
unmercifulness  is  enough  to  damn  a  person,  because 
it  deprives  him  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel. — If  the 
uncharitable  shall  be  damned,  where  shall  the  cruel 
appear  ? — Mattuew  Henry  (condensed) : — The  gen- 
eral judgment :  1.  The  appearance  of  the  Judge  in 
the  bright  cloud  of  glory  and  with  the  myriads  of 
angels  as  His  attendants  and  ministers ;  2.  the  ap- 
pearing of  all  the  children  of  men  before  Him ;  3. 
the  separation  ;  4.  the  process  of  judgment :  (a)  tlie 
glory  conferred  upon  the  righteous :  they  are  called 
blessed  and  admitted  into  the  kingdom,  on  account 
of  their  works  of  charity  done  in  faith  and  hmniUty, 
the  grace  of  God  enabUng  them  thereto  ;  (6)  the  con- 
demnation of  the  wicked :  Depart  from  Me.,  ye  cursed, 
etc. — every  word  has  terror  in  it,  like  that  of  the 
trumpet  on  Mount  Sinai,  waxing  louder  and  louder. 


every  accent  more  and  more  doleful.  The  reason  of 
this  sentence :  omission  of  works  of  charity.  5.  Exe- 
cution of  the  sentence.  Tlius  life  and  death,  good 
and  evil,  the  blessing  and  tlje  curse,  are  set  before  us, 
that  we  may  choose  our  way. — (Di-.  Thomas  Scott  in 
loc.  makes  excellent  practical  remarks,  but  not  in  the 
form  of  hints  or  short  lieads.) — D.  Bkown  :  Heaven 
and  hell  are  suspended  upon  the  treatment  of  Christ 
and  of  those  mysterious  ministrations  to  the  Lord  of 
glory  as  disguised  in  the  person  of  His  followers. — 
True  love  of  Chiist  goes  in  search  of  Him,  hastening 
to  embrace  and  to  cherish  Him,  as  He  wanders 
through  this  bleak  and  cheerless  world  in  His  perse- 
cuted cause  and  needy  •people. — To  do  nothing  for 
Christ  is  a  sufficient  cause  for  condemnation. — (I  have 
examined  also  the  Fathers  on  this  section  and  read 
through  tlie  Catena  Aurea  of  Thomas  Aquinas,  but 
find  them  far  less  rich  than  I  expected,  and  consid- 
erably inferior  to  the  practical  comments  of  Protest- 
ant expounders  above  quoted.  Some  of  their  views 
are  inserted  in  the  Fzecf.  Notes.  Augustine  dwells  at 
length  on  ver.  46  to  refute  Origen's  view  of  a  final 
salvation  of  all,  even  the  devil  and  his  angels,  and 
tries  to  solve  the  difficulty  that  the  wicked  can  be 
capable  of  suffering  bodily  and  spiritual  pain,  and 
yet  be  incapable  of  death.  Comp.  De  civit.  Dei,  xxi, 
3.)-P.S.] 


PART     SIXTH 


Jesus  in  the  Consummation   of  His   High-Priesthood ;    or,  the  History  of  the 

Passion. 


ChAPTEES  XXVI.   AND  XXVII. 


(Mark  xiv.  and  xv. ;  Luke  xxii.  and  xxiii. ;  John  xii.-xix.) 

The  prophetic  office  of  Jesus  was  historically  finished  in  His  eschatological  discourses :  in  the  history  of 
His  sufferings.  His  high-priestly  office,  as  to  its  historical  aspect,  was  completed.  It  was  necessary,  in 
the  very  nature  of  the  case,  that  the  idea  of  the  high-priestly  sufferings  should  be  prominent  in  all  the 
Evangelist?  ;  but  we  find  it  made  specially  prominent  in  the  account  of  Matthew.  Thus  he  lays  stress 
upon  the  fact,  that  the  fallen  priesthood  in  Israel  determined  to  put  Him  tcf  death  (ch.  xxvi.  3,  etc.); 
and  he  most  sharply  of  all  delineates  the  traitor  who  dehvered  Him  up.  Matthew  alone  mentions  the 
thirty  pieces  of  silver,  as  the  price  of  Hun  who  was  sold.  In  Matthew's  account  of  the  Supper,  and  in 
his  alone,  it  is  said  that  the  sacrifice  of  Jesus  availed  for  His  people,  eh  S.(be(nv  afiapnuii/  (ver.  28), 
The  strur"-le  in  Gethsemane  is  described  with  particular  minuteness ;  and  the  threefold  repetition  of  the 
same  praver  is  expressly  recorded.  The  reproof  of  Sunon  Peter  when  he  drew  his  sword,  the  declara- 
tion that  the  twelve  legions  of  angels  might  be  summoned  to  help — that  is,  the  exhibition  of  our  Lord's 
voluntary  submission  at  that  time — occur  in  Matthew,  and  scarcely  in  any  other.  (Comp.  John  xviii. 
11.)  The  suicide  of  Judas,  and  the  history  of  the  field  of  blood,  are  peculiar  to  Matthew  (ch.  xxvii. 
3-10):  as  also,  Pilate's  wife's  dream  (ver.  19),  Pilate's  washing  of  his  hands,  the  people's  invocation  of 
the  curse  on  themselves  (vers.  24,  25),  and  specially  the  blasphemy  against  Christ  on  the  cross  (ver.  43). 
The  rendin"'  of  the  vail  of  the  temple  is  recorded  chiefly  by  Mark  also ;  but  the  specific  meaning  of  thia 


454  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDINCx   TO   MATTHEW. 

event  is  unfolded  only  by  Matthew  (vers.  51-53).  So  also  is  the  very  important  circumstance  of  the 
sealing  and  watch  set  by  the  Sanhedrin  on  the  sepulchre.  Thus  in  his  Gospel  Christ  appears  from  tlie 
beginning  as  sacrificed,  and  in  purpose  destroyed  by  the  corrupt  high-priesthood ;  and  the  signs  of  pro- 
pitiation in  His  death  are  made  sharply  prominent.  On  the  other  hand,  many  dramatic  traits  of  the 
synoptical  Gospels  are  given  very  briefly  by  Matthew.  Like  Mark  and  Luke,  he  omits  the  washing  of 
the  feet  (John  xiii.  1  sqq.),  and  records  instead  the  mstitution  of  the  Supper.  He  passes  over  the  con- 
tention of  the  disciples,  Luke  xxii.  24 ;  and  the  further  expansion  of  the  warning  to  Peter,  John  xiii. 
83 ;  Luke  xx.ii.  31.  Like  them  also,  he  omits  the  farewell  discourses  in  John.  (Mark  alone  gives  the 
account  of  the  young  man  who  fled,  ch.  xiv.  51.)  Matthew,  with  the  other  Synoptists,  says  nothing  of 
the  examination  before  Annas,  John  xviii.  13,  or  of  the  details  of  the  examination  before  Pilate,  John 
xviii.  29.  He  omits  also  the  sending  to  Herod,  which  Luke  records,  ch.  xxiii.  7 ;  the  scourging,  John 
xix.  1  •  the  transaction  between  Pilate  and  the  Council  concerning  the  title,  "  King  of  the  Jews,"  John 
xix.  19 ;  the  Saviour's  words  to  the  weeping  women,  Luke  xxiii.  27 ;  His  last  saying  to  His  mother, 
John  xix.  25  ;  and  the  circumctances  of  John  xix.  31,  etc. 

Of  all  the  words  from  the  cross,  Matthew  records  only  the  exclamation,  "  My  God,  My  God  !  "  and 
he  alone  makes  the  observation,  that  Jesus  departed  with  a  loud  cry.  In  these,  as  in  similar  traits, 
Mark  approaches  him  most  nearly ;  but  it  is  very  plain  that  in  Matthew  the  thought  of  the  high-priestly 
Buffering  is  most  strongly  impressed  upon  the  whole  narrative. 

As  it  respects  the  chronology,  the  departure  of  Jesus  from  the  temple,  on  Tuesday  evening,  after  His 
great  condemning  discourse,  had  introduced  the  final  crisis.  We  have  seen  how  much  more  probable 
it  is  that  Jesus  aimounced  on  Wednesday  to  His  disciples,  that  after  two  days  He  should  be  crucified, 
than  that  He  announced  it  late  on  Tuesday  evening.  This  refers.the  session  of  the  Council,  Matt.  xxvi. 
3  to  Wednesday  (not  to  Tuesday  night,  Leben  Jem,  ii.  3,  p.  1307).  From  this  fixed  date  the  narrative 
goes  back  to  the  anointing  in  Bethany,  which  took  place  some  days  before — that  is,  on  the  evening  of 
the  Saturday  before  Palm  Sunday.  Then  follows  the  preparation  of  the  Passover  on  the  first  day  of 
unleavened  bread — that  is,  on  the  14th  Nisan,  the  morning  of  Thursday,  ch.  xxvi.  17.  On  the  evening 
of  the  14th  Nisan,  the  beginning  of  the  15th,  comes  the  Passover  itself. 

The  question  here  arises,  whether  there  is  any  difference  between  the  Synoptists  and  John  in  the  ac. 
count  of  the  Paxsover*  As  the  Synoptists  agree  in  the  statement  that  Jesus  ate  the  Passover  at  the 
legal  time  with  His  disciples,  it  is  John  who  gives  rise  to  a  seeming  difierence ;  and  the  discussion  of 
the  question  might  therefore  ))e  deferred.     It  is  better,  however,  to  attempt  a  brief  settlement  at  once. 

On  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread, — that  is,  on  the  14th  Nisan, — the  paschal  feast  was,  according 
to  Matthew  made  ready.     On  that  day  the  leavened  bread  was  to  be  removed.     On  the  evening  of  that 

*  Comp.  on  this  intricate  question  Winek  :  Reahcorterbuch,  sub  PascTia  ;  de  "Wette,  and  Metee  :  on  John,  xii.  1 ; 
xiii.  1;  xviii.  28.  and  tlie  other  disputed  passages;  Bleek:  Beitragezur  EvangeUen-KriUk,\i.l(i1\  Wieselek:  Clurono- 
logische  Synapse,  \<.  339;  Ebkaed:  Eritik  der  Erang.  GeschleUte;  "Weizel:  Die  chriMiche  Panc.hafeier  der  ersten 
Jdhrhunderte ;  Lange:  Zehen  Jem,  i.  p.  187;  ii.  p.  Ilfi6,  and  Geschichte  des  Apontol.  ZeUalters,  i.  p.  71.— [Also  Gust. 
Skypfarth:  Chronologia  Sucra.  Untermchungen  uher  das  Gehurtsjahr  des  Ilerrn,  Leipz.  1846,  pp,  119-148;  and 
among  English  works,  E.  Greswell  :  Dissertations  upon  the  Piineiples  and  Arrangement  of  an  Harmony  of  the 
Gospels,  id  ed.  Oxf.  1837,  4  vols.;  vol.  iii.  p.  133  sqq.;  Alfokd:  Com.  on  ^/««.  xxvi.  17-19  (p.  248  sqq.);  Robinson: 
ITarmony.  etc. ;  Sam.  I.  Andrews:  The  Life  ofoair  Lord  upon  the  Earth,  New  York,  1S03,  pp.  425-4G0.  Of  English  wri- 
ters Andrews,  Robinson,  and  "Wordsworth  agree  with  Dr.  Laiigo's  view  that  Christ  ate  the  regular  Jewish  Passover  on 
Thursday  evening,  at  the  close  oi'  the  14th  of  Nisan,  and  was  crucified  on  Friday  the  15th,  the  first  day  of  the  feast;  while 
Greswell,  Alford.  Ellicott,  and  others,  side  with  tbe  opposite  view  according  to  which  Christ  instituted  the  holy  commu- 
nion (either  in  connection  with  the  real,  or  a  merely  anticipatory  passover,  or  a  Tracxa  fivrjfjLovtvTiKov,  as  distinct  from 
the  trda-xa  duffL/xov,  or  an  ordinary  meal— for  their  views  differ  in  these  details)  on  the  13th  of  Nisan  (Thursday  evening), 
and  died  on  the  14th  (Friday  afternoon)  when  the  paschal  lamb,  of  which  He  was  the  type,  was  slain  and  the  Jewish  Pass- 
over proper  began.  Seyffarth  agrees  with  the  latter  as  to  the  date  of  tbe  month,  but  differs  from  both  parties  and  from  the 
entire  tradition  of  the  Christian  Church  as  to  the  day  of  the  week,  by  putting  the  crucifixion  on  a  Thursday  instead  of 
Friday,  and  by  extending  the  Saviour's  rest  in  the  grave  to  the  full  extent  of  three  days  and  three  nights  till  Sunday 
morning.  {See  below,  p.  457.)  The  chronological  difliculty  concerning  the  true  date  of  Christ's  death  and  the  true  char- 
acter of  His  last  Supper  divides  the  Greek  and  Latin  Church,  but  was  not  made  an  article  of  faith  in  either.  The  Greek 
writers  generally  hold  that  Christ,  as  the  true  Paschal  Lamb,  was  slain  at  the  hour  appofnted  for  the  sacrifice  of  the  Pa.-.s- 
over  (the  14th  of  Nisan),  and  hence  the  Greek  Church  uses  leavened  bread  in  the  Eucharist.  The  Latin  Church,  using 
unleavened  bread  in  the  Eucharist,  assumes  that  Christ  Himself  used  it  at  the  institution  of  this  ordinance,  and  that  He 
ate  therefore  the  true  Paschal  Supper  on  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread,  i.  e.,  the  14th  of  Nisan,  and  died  on  the  day 
following.  In  this  whole  controversy  it  should  be  constantly  kept  in  mind  that  the  Jewish  day  commenced  six  hours 
before  the  Julian  day,  and  run  from  sunset  to  sunset,  or  from  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  till  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and 
that  the  day  when  Christ  instituted  tin-  licdy  communion,  embraces  the  whole  history  of  the  pas.«ion,  crucifixion,  and 
burial.— P.  S.] 


CHAPS.  XXVI.,  XXVII.  455 


day,  beibre  six  o'clock,  and  thus  at  the  point  of  transition  from  the  14th  Nisan  to  the  15th,  the  legal 
Fassover  was  introduced  by  the  feet-washing.  This  explains  the  repreaeutation  of  John.  (1)  John  xiii. 
1-4:  ^^ Before  the  feast  of  the  Fassover,  .  .  .  Jesus  riseth  from  supper,  and  layeth  aside  His  garments" 
(that  is,  to  perform  the  washing).  The  feast  itself  began  about  six  o'clock ;  and  it  would  be  very 
strange  if  the  expression,  " befois  the  feast,"  must  be  made  to  mean  "  a  day  before."  It  would  be 
much  nearer  to  sa_Y,  " some  minut(  i  before ;  "*  but  the  real  meaning  is,  "  an  indefinite  time  previous." 
(2)  John  xiii.  '27  :  Jesus  said  to  Judas,  "  What  thou  doest,  do  quickly  ;  "  and  some  present  thought  that 
he  was  commanded  to  go  at  once,  before  the  opening  of  the  feast,  and  buy  what  provisions  were  neces- 
sary for  it.  But  they  could  not  possibly  have  entertained  such  a  thought,  if  the  whole  of  the  next  day 
had  been  open  to  them  for  the  purpose ;  although  it  was  a  very  natural  one,  if  the  time  allowed  for  se- 
cular purposes  was  fast  drawing  to  a  close.f  (3)  John,  ch.  xviii.  28,  narrate?  that  the  Jews,  on  the 
morning  of  the  crucifixion,  might  not  enter  with  Jesus  into  the  Praetorium,  "  lest  they  should  be  defiled, 
but  that  they  miffht  eat  the  Passover"  (aAA'  'Iva  (pdywa-i  to  -irdax"-)-  Since  the  defilement  occasioned  by 
entering  a  Gentile  house  lasted  only  one  day,  they  might  very  well  have  gone  into  the  Proetorium,  and 
yet  eat  the  Passover  after  six  o'clock ;  for  the  defilement  would  cease  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening.^ 
But,  if  they  had  eaten  the  Passover  the  evening  before,  tuey  could  not  have  entered  the  hall  on  the 
morning  of  the  1 5th  Nisan,  lest  they  should  desecrate  the  paschal  feast.  John  uses  here  the  com- 
mon and  ordinary  expression,  in  the  biief  form,  (payelv^  rh  -rrdaxa.  Wieseler  thinks  Traaxa  an  unusual 
and  peculiar  form,  and  understands  it  of  the  Chagigah  [feast-offering]  on  the  15th  Nisan;  others  refer 
it  to  the  whole  paschal  feasts,  Dcut.  xvi.  2;  2  Chron.  xxx.  22:  "they  did  eat  the  paschal  feast  seven 
days,  offering  peace  offerings ; "  but  the  peculiarity,  we  think,  lies  in  the  (payeTv,  meaning  the  continu- 
ance of  the  paschal  feast.  Examples  of  such  concise  expressions  are  frequent  enough,  e.  g.,  to  eat  fi^<ih 
for  to  fast ;  to  celebrate  Christmas  {Weihnac/U)  for  Christmas-day  (Christtag),  etc.|  (4)  John  xix.  31 : 
The  Jews  urged  on  the  burial  of  the  crucified,  that  the  bodies  might  not  hang  upon  the  crosses  on  tlie 
Sabbath,  the  day  of  prejmration.  Wieseler :  The  day  of  preparation,  irapaa-Kevfi,  does  not  signify  the 
preparation  before  the  Passover,  but  before  the  first  sabbath  of  the  Passover.  To  the  Jews,  the  Friday 
was  the  eve  of  the  Sabbath,  or  day  of  preparation ;  and,  if  the  Passover  chanced  to  begin  on  a  Friday, 
the  next  Saturday  or  Sabbath  became  a  high  day,  the  great  day  of  the  feast.  "That  Sabbath  was  a 
liigh  day."  From  this  permanent  irapaaicevi)  for  the  Sabbath,  John  distmguishes  a  day  of  preparation 
for  the  feast  generally,  Jolm  xiii.  1  and  ver.  29."^ — Other  reasons  alleged  in  favor  of  the  supposed  dif- 


*  [This  is  the  interpretation  of  W.  Baumlein,  the  latest  coiiimer.tator  on  the  fourth  Gospel.  He  explains  the 
irph  TTJj  eupTTJs  rod  -naaxo^  vninittelbar  vor  dein  Paschufeate^i.  e.,  immediately  before  the  Passover.  Compare  such 
expressions  as  -n-pb  dtlnvov,  irph  7j^epaj.  EwalJ,  however  {Commentm;  p. 348),  explains:  ''am  Tage  vok  dem  Pascha- 
feste,  i.  e.,  a  day  before  the  Passover  (the  14th  of  Nisan).— P.  S.] 

t  [Couip.  the  same  argument  more  fully  stated  by  Andrews  :  Life  of  our  Lord.  p.  446— P.  S.] 

X  [LiGHTFOOT,  ad  John  xviii.  28,  makes  the  same  remark. — P.  S.] 

§  [The  German  original  reads  here  and  afterward  ipdyeiy  for  (payuj/  (infln.  from  tpa-yov,  used  as  aor.  ii.  of  iffOica); 
but  the  Edinb.  trsl.  ought  not  to  have  copied  such  an  obvious  typographical  en-or.— P.  8.] 

1  [Conip.  the  remarks  of  Andrews  I.  c.  p.  447  sqq.,  who  urges  that  John  in  six  out  of  the  nine  times  in  which  he  uses 
the  word  Tracrxct,  applies  it  to  the  feast  generally ;  that  he,  writing  hist  of  all  the  Evangelists,  speaks  of  Jewish  rites  inde- 
finitely as  of  things  now  superseded ;  that  therefore  the  term,  to  eat  the  PuKSorer,  might  very  well  he  used  by  him  in  a  more 
general  sense  with  reference  to  the  sacrifices  which  followed  the  paschal  supper  on  the  14th  of  Nisan.  The  most  recent 
commentary  on  John's  Gospel,  by  W.  Biiumleln,  Stuttgart,  1863,  p.  166,  arrives  at  the  same  conclusion  with  Wieseler,  that 
irdffxa  here  means  the  HS'^jn  or  feast  offering,  i.  e.,  the  voluntary  sacrifices  of  sheep  or  bullock  which  the  Jews  offered 
on  the  festivals. — P.  S.] 

^  [The  term:  irapaffKevri,  preparation,  occurs  six  times  in  tlie  Gospels  (Matt,  xxvii.  62;  Mark  xv.  42;  Luke  xxiiL 
54;  John  xix.  14,  31,  42),  and  in  all  these  cases  it  means  irpoffdliPaToy,  ''the  d.ay  before  the  Sabbath,"  as  Mark  xv.  42  ex- 
I)res,sly  explains  it.  So  the  Germans  call  Saturday  Sannahend,  the  Sunday-eve.  Hence  it  is  equivalent  to  Friday,  and  so 
rendered  in  Syriac.  The  Jews  observed  Friday  afternoon  from  3  o'clock  aa  the  time  for  preparation  for  the  Sabbath  which 
commenced  at  sunset  (Joseph.  Antiq.  xvi.  6,  2).  The  only  difliculty  is  with  John  xix.  14:  '■'it  was  the  pirepjuration  of 
the  Passover"  which  Dr  Lango  should  have  mentioned  before  John  xix.  31,  as  an  argument  urged  by  the  friends  of  the 
opposite  view,  inasmuch  as  it  seems  to  place  the  trial  and  crucifixion  before  the  beginning  of  the  Passover.  But  we  have 
no  clear  proof  that  there  was  a  special  preparation  day  for  a  feast  (a  Passover  eve)  as  well  as  for  the  weekly  sabbath ; 
BocuAET, /Ti'eroj.  p.  56T:  Sacri  scripiores  aliam  I'ai'a.<icevem  sen  Pra!,parationem  non  norunt,  quam  Sabbuti.  And, 
then,  if  irapaiTKivit  became  the  usual  term  for  Frid.ay,  the  phrase  must  mean  the  Friday  of  the  Passover,  i.  e.,  the  paschal 
week,  according  to  the  wider  usage  of  Trdax^i  in  John.  Campbell  translates:  "Now  it  was  the  preparation  of  the  paselial 
Sabbath;"  Norton:  "The  preparation  day  of  the  paschal  week."  As  the  14th  of  Nisan  was  universally  regarded  as  the 
beginning  of  the  Passover,  it  is  very  unlikely  that  John  should  have  gone  out  of  his  way  to  give  it  the  name  of  the  prcpa- 


456  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 

ference  of  days  are  these :  (1)  Improbability  of  an  execution  on  a  feast  day.  Against  this  we  have  Rabbi 
Akiba :  Great  transgressors  were  taken  to  Jerusalem,  in  order  that  they  might  be  put  to  death  at  the 
feast,  before  the  eyes  of  the  people  (according  to  Deut.  xvii.  12,  13).  Executions  had  a  religious  char- 
acter. They  were  symbols  of  judgment,  for  warning  and  edification.  Sad  analogies  are  the  Spanish 
auto  dafes  as  popular  rehgious  festivals.*  (2)  The  women  prepared  their  spices  on  the  day  of  Jesus' 
death.  But  we  answer  that  on  the  mere  feast  days  (not  Sabbaths)  spices  might  be  prepared,  and  other 
things  might  be  done :  labor  only  was  excluded  (Lev.  xxiii.  7,  8).  (3)  The  Synoptists  as  well  as  John 
describe  the  day  of  Christ's  death  as  irapaa-Kivri  and  -rrpoad^Parov.  We  answer  that  the  second  of  these 
terttis  simply  proves  the  day  to  have  been  Friday. — Thus  all  the  evidences  brought  forward  to  support 
the  theory  of  a  difference  in  the  days  may  be  used  on  the  opposite  side. 

In  addition  to  this  we  must  urge  the  following  positive  reasons  in  favor  of  our  view :  1.  It  cannot  be 
conceived  that  Jesus,  led  always  by  the  Father  through  the  path  of  legal  ordinance,  would  celebrate  the 
paschal  feast  a  day  before  the  time,  and  thereby  voluntarily  hasten  His  own  death.  2.  Pilate  releases  a 
prisoner  to  the  Jews  eV  rdp  irao-xa,  John  xviii.  39.  3.  John,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  Quarto- 
decimans  of  the  Easter  controversy,  kept  the  feast  on  the  evening  of  the  14th  Nisan,  and  therefore  at 
the  same  time  with  the  Jews.  4.  The  argument  used  by  the  Fathers,  Clemens  and  Hippolytus,  against 
the  Quar/odecimans,  that  Jesus  died  on  the  legal  day  of  the  Passover,  because  He  was  the  real  Passover, 
may  be  made  to  support  the  claim  for  the  15th  Nisan  (although  there  is  an  evident  confusion  among 
these  fathers  in  tlie  counting  of  the  days,  and  too  much  stress  laid  on  the  fact  that  the  paschal  lamb 
was  slain  on  the  14th  Nisan ).f  If  Jesus  died  on  the  1 5th  Nisan,  He  died  on  the  day  of  the  legal  Pass- 
over ;  •  for  that  day  began  at  six  o'clock  of  the  14th  Nisan.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  at  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  of  14th  Nisan  that  He  died,  it  would  have  been  one  day  before  the  legal  paschal  day, 
which  did  not  begin  till  six  o'clock.  Neglect  of  the  difference  between  the  Jewish  and  the  Roman 
(and  our  own)  reckoning  from  midnight  has  tended  much  to  confuse  this  question. 

The  chronological  difference  in  the  account  of  the  Evangelists  has  been  maintained  by  Bretschneider, 
Usteri,  Theilc,  de  Wette,  Meyer,  Liicke,  Bleek,  Ebrard,  and  many  others,  who  decide  the  question,  some 
in  favor  of  the  Synoptists,  some  in  favor  of  Jolm.  On  the  other  hand,  the  agreement  of  John  with  the 
other  three  has  been  estabhshed  by  Hengstenberg,  Tholuck,  Wieseler,  and,  temporarily,  by  Ebrard.;!^ 
Others,  again,  have  striven  to  explain  the  Synoptists  according  to  the  supposed  meaning  of  John ;  among 
the  more  recent  writers  Movers,  Kralit,  and  Maier  [of  Freiburg,  in  his  Commentar  iiber  das  Evangelium 
des  Johannes,  p.  280  sqq. — not  to  be  confounded  with  the  Protestant  Meyer  so  often  quoted  in  this 
work].  The  latter  urges  that,  according  to  John,  the  meal  of  which  the  Lord  partook  fell  upon  the 
evening  of  the  13th  Nisan.  The  term  iv  irpunri  -ruv  a^v^uv,  in  the  Synoptists,  is  then  explained  by  the 
custom  of  the  Galileans ;  according  to  which  the  whole  preparation  day  of  the  feast,  the  14th  Nisan, 


ration  for  the  Passover  in  the  sense  of  Passover  eve.  Tholuck  and  Wieseler  quote  from  Ignatius  ad  Phil.  c.  13.  the  ex- 
pression: ad^^arov  tov  -rraffxa,  and  from  Socrates,  Mst  Eccl.  v.  22:  aa^^cTov  rf/s  eopTijr.  Biiumlein  in  lac. :  " M 
int  der  Pusttag  der  Paschazeit ;  dennwie  wir  gesehen  haben,  rh  Traffxa  hezeichnet  liei  Johannes  die  game  Pascha- 
festzeit.  Johannes  wollte  hervorheben^  an  welchem  Wochentage  der  Paschazeit  Jesus  gekreuzigt  ward,  wie  naehher 
hervorgehohen  wird,  dass  die  Auferstehung  avfden  ersten  Tag  der  Woche,  also  den  dritten  Tagnaeh  der  Kreiizigtmg 
fieV  To  this  we  may  add  the  higher  reason  that  John  wished  to  expose  the  awful  inconsistency  and  crime  of  the  Jews 
in  putting  the  Saviour  to  death  on  the  very  day  when  they  should  have  prepared  themselves  for  the  service  of  God  in  His 
temple  on  the  coming  sabbath  doubly  sacred  by  its  connection  with  the  great  Passover.— P,  S.] 

*  [It  may  be  added  that  the  Jews  attempted  several  times  to  seize  Jesus  on  sabbaths  or  festival  days,  Luke  iv.  26,  29 
(on  a  sabbath);  John  vii.  30,  32  (in  the  midst  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  ttJs  eoprfjy  ixeffovaTjs,  ver.  1-1);  vii.  87,  44,  45  (on 
the  last  day  cf  the  feast) ;  x.  22.  S9  (at  the  feast  of  the  dedication).— P.  S.] 

t  [The  church  fiithers  have  the  tradition  that  Christ  died  on  the  viii.  C'al.  Apriles,  i.  e.,  on  the  25th  of  March,  three 
days  after  the  vernal  equinox.  The  most  definite  testimony  is  that  of  TertuUian,  which  may  be  turned,  however,  against 
the  view  of  Dr.  Lango :  "  Qua>  passio  facta  est  sub  Tiberio  Caesare,  Consulibus  PubelHo  Gemino  et  Fusio  Gemino, 
mense  Martio,  iemporibus  Paschm,  die  viii.  Calend.  Apr  ilium,  die  prima  asumorum.  [this  seems  to  be  the  X-Uh  of  Ni- 
san, as  in  Matt.  vxvi.  17  and  parallels],  quo  agn-wm  ut  occiderent  ad  vesperam,  a  Moyse  fuerat  pr(Bceptum.''''  Adv. 
Jud.  8.  De  Bapt.  c.  19.— P.  S.] 

X  [Ebrard  held  originally  the  other  view,  that  Christ  died  on  the  14th  of  Nisan,  and  was  rather  suddenly  converted  to 
the  opposite  side  by  Wieseler  {Chronol.  Sijnopse,  Hamburg,  1843,  pp.  333-390),  but  then  he  again  returned  to  his  first  view 
in  consequence  of  the  clear,  calm,  and  thorough  investigation  of  Bleek  {Beitrage  zur  Evangelien-Kritik,  Berlin,  1846,  pp. 
107-156).  Comp.  Ebraed  :  Das  Evangeliwn  Johannis,  p.  42  sqq.,  where  he  defends  Wieseler's  view,  and  his  Wissen 
schafUiche  Kritik  der  Ecang.  Geschichte,  2d  ed.  1850,  p.  506  sqq.,  where  he  retur.^s  to  his  first  view  with  the  honest  con- 
fession :  "The  plausible  and  acute  arguments  of  Wieseler  have  since  been  so  thoroughly  refuted  by  Bleek  that  no  false 
pride  of  consistency  can  prevent  me  from  returning  openly  to  my  original  opinion  as  expressed  in  the  first  edition  of  this 
work."— P.  S.] 


CHAPS.  XXVI.,  XXVII.  457 

had  been  already  kept.  "  According  to  their  custom,  this  day  fell  into  the  Passover  season,  and  might, 
as  including  the  last  part  of  the  13th  Nisan,  when  the  leaven  was  removed,  be  described  as  irpcoTij  riv 
a^v/iaiv."  Thus  he  explains  Matthew  as  meaning  that  the  meal,  no  proper  Passover,  took  place  on  the 
evening  of  the  13th  Nisan.  But  this  is  untenable.  Foi-,  1.  Maier  himself  acknowledges  that  Mark  and 
Luke  expressly  describe  the  Lord's  meal  as  a  Passover  celebrated  at  the  legal  time ;  and  it  is  highly 
improbable  that  Matthew  would  here  place  himself  on  the  side  of  John,  in  opposition  to  Mark  and  Luke. 
2.  The  circumstance,  that  the  Galileans  removed  the  leaven  earlier  than  the  Jews — so  soon  as  the  morn- 
ing of  the  14th  Nisan,  even  the  evening  before — may  be  accounted  for  by  the  obligations  of  then-  journey. 
They  came  as  travellers  and  guests  to  Jerusalem,  and  were  therefore  obliged  to  fix  an  earUer  time  for 
the  beginning  of  the  preparation.  But  it  was  not  possible  that  they  should  begin  the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread  a  day  earlier,  because  this  would  have  been  opposed  to  all  Jewish  ordinance,  and  because  they 
must  in  that  case,  during  that  whole  day,  have  avoided  all  social  intercourse  with  the  Jews.  3.  Jesus 
is  said  to  have  anticipated  the  day,  because  He  foresaw  His  own  death.  But  Jesus  also  foresaw  that 
the  betrayal  of  Judas  would  be  connected  with  the  Passover.  4.  It  is  plain  that  5Iatthew  speaks  of  a 
legal  Passover  which  could  not  be  anticipated ;  for  the  disciples  remind  the  Lord  that  the  time  of  the 
Passover  was  at  hand.  Matthew  does  not  say  that  the  first  day  of  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread  was 
approaching,  but  that  it  was  come. — On  other  artificial  attempts  at  reconciliation,  see  Winer,  Reallexi- 
con,  art.  Pascha. 

All  the  Evangelists  plainly  agree  in  recordmg  that  Christ  rose  again  on  a'  Sunday^  that  He  lay  dur- 
ing the  preceding  Sabbath  in  the  sepulchre,  and  that  He  died  on  the  Friday  before  this  Sabbath.  Ac- 
cording to  Wieseler  (p.  386  sqq.),  Jesus  was  crucified  on  the  15th  of  Nisan  of  the  year  30  a.  d.,  or  '783 
from  the  foundation  of  Rome ;  and  that  day  was  a  Friday. 

[I  call  attention  here  to  a  different  view  on  the  day  of  Christ's  death,  not  hitherto  noticed  by  com- 
mentators, but  worthy  of  a  respectful  examination.  Dr.  Gustav  Setffarth,  formerly  professor  extraor- 
dinary in  the  university  of  Leipzig,  now  residing  in  New  York,  the  author  of  a  number  of  learned  works 
on  Egyptiology,  Astronomy,  and  Chronology,  and  the  propounder  of  a  new  theory  of  the  Egyptian  hie- 
roglyphics {see  his  Grammatica  uEgyptiaca  ;  Theologische  Schriften  der  alien  yEgypter,  etc.),  deviates 
from  the  traditional  view,  and  holds  that  Christ  died  on  Thursday,  the  14th  (not  the  15th)  of  Nisan  (the 
19th  of  March),  and  lay  full  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  grave  till  Sunday  morning.  Bee  his 
Chronologia  Sacra,  Leipzig,  p.  viii.  sq.  and  p.  120  sqq.  He  thus  solves  the  difficulty  concerning  the 
three  days  and  three  nights  which  the  Saviour  was  to  lay  in  the  grave  according  to  repeated  statements, 
Matt.  xii.  40  {rpeh  ^^epaj  koI  Tpets  vvKTas);  xxvii.  63  (.uera  rpels  -n/J-epas)  ;  John  ii.  19  (eV  rpiaiv  t)^4- 
pais) ;  Apoc.  xi.  9  {■tjij.epas  rpeis).  Dr.  Seyffarth  supports  this  view  also  by  astronomical  calculations  of 
the  ecUpse  of  the  sun  at  the  death  of  our  Saviour,  into  the  details  of  which  I  cannot  here  follow  him. 
In  fact,  he  bases  ancient  chronology  largely  on  astronomy.  As  to  the  year  of  Christ's  death.  Dr.  Seyf- 
farth, considering  the  iEra  Dionysiaca  correct  ia  the  date  of  the  year  and  the  day  of  Christ's  birth,  puts 
it  the  year  33  post  Christum  rtatum,  or  787  A7ino  Urhis.  Other  dates  of  Christ's  death  assigned  by  va- 
rious writers  are:  A.  TJ.  783  (Wieseler,  FriedUeb,  Tischendorf,  Greswell,  EUicott,  Lange,  Andrews) ; 
781  (Jarvis);  782  (Browne,  Sepp,  Clmton);  786  (Ebrard,  Ewald).— P.  S.] 

The  Meaning  of  the  Sufferings  and  Death  of  Jesus. — Here  is  the  sacred  centre  of  history,  the  his- 
tory of  histories,  the  end  and  the  summing  up  of  all  past  time,  the  beginning  and  the  summing  up  of 
all  the  new  ages,  the  perfected  judgment,  and  the  perfected  redemption.  Therefore,  also,  it  is  a  per- 
fected revelation :  it  is  the  supreme  revelation  of  Jesus  and  of  the  depths  of  His  heart ;  of  the  deep 
things  of  the  Godhead ;  of  the  divine  wisdom,  righteousness,  and  grace ;  of  the  depths  of  humanity,  the 
most  manifold  characteristics  of  which  are  here  laid  bare  in  the  contrast  between  the  holy  Son  of  Man 
and  the  sinful  children  of  men ;  the  depths  of  nature,  Uving  and  suffering  in  fellowship  with  humanity ; 
the  deep  things  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  the  depths  of  Satan.  As  it  is  said  in  Isa.  liii.,  concerning  the 
Redeemer:  "Who  shall  declare  His  length  of  hfe?"  so  it  may  here  be  said:  "Who  shall  declare  the 
depths  of  His  death  ?  " 

We  can  only  hint  here  at  the  riches  of  the  contrasts — revealing  the  fulness  of  the  revelation  of  judg- 
ment and  redemption — which  the  history  of  our  Lord's  passion  includes.  1.  The  contrast  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ  with  His  last  eschatological  predictions  concerning  His  own  future  judicial  majesty. 
Chrysostom  :  "  At  the  fitting  time  He  speaks  now  of  His  suffermgs,  when  His  future  kmgdom,  with  its 
rewards  and  punishments,  was  so  present  to  Ilis  thoughts."  2.  The  contrast  of  His  passion  with  His 
jiast  official  work  ui  life :  suffering  as  the  counterpart  of  action,  passive  obedience  of  active.  Lisco : 
"  Tlie  history  of  the  Redeemer's  passion  is  related  at  large,  and  with  peculiar  preference,  by  the  Evan- 
gelists.    In  His  sufferings  (as  in  His  actions)  the  God-man  reveals  Himself  in  His  dignity  and  glory. 


458  THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 

But  while  the  active  virtues  exhibit  themselves  in  His  whole  life,  the  no  less  great  virtues  of  patience, 
gentleness,  longsuffering,  and  supreme  submission  to  God,  prominently  express  themselves  in  His  suf- 
ferings. These  were  not  so  mueli  the  consequence  of  the  cunning,  malice,  and  power  of  His  enemies, 
as  His  own  free-will  ottering  for  the  redemption  of  a  sinful  v/orld :  in  this  He  manifested  Himself  as  the 
innocent  and  patient  Lamb  of  (iod,  bearmg  and  putting  away  the  sins  of  the  world  in  obedience  to  His 
heavenly  Father.  The  suffering,  dying,  and  victoriously  rising  Redeemer,  amidst  all  the  diversified 
concomitants  of  His  passion,  gives  us  a  perfect  image  of  the  great  conflict  between  the  kingdoms  of 
hght  and  of  iiarkness.  Far  from  all  passionless  indifference,  the  Redeemer  exhibited  in  His  sufferings 
the  tender  emotions  of  sorrow  and  grief,  and  even  of  anguish  and  fear — thus  becoming  to  us  also  a  sym- 
bol of  that  endurance  of  suffering  which  is  well-pleasing  to  God."  3.  The  contrast  of  the  perfected  pas- 
sion to  the  suffering  course  of  His  whole  life.  4.  The  contrast  between  the  great  fulfilment,  and  the 
types  and  the  predictions  concerning  the  suficring  Messiah  (Ps.  xxii. ;  Isa.  liii.).  5.  The  contrast  with 
the  ancient  martyrs  from  the  blood  of  Abel  downward.  6.  The  contrast  between  the  woes  of  Christ 
and  the  sorrows  and  pleasures  of  the  old  world.  7.  The  contrast  of  His  passion  with  His  original  divine 
glory,  and  his  final  human  glorification. — A  new  series  of  such  antitheses  is  then  opened  in  the  contrast 
of  the  sufferings  of  the  personal  Christ  with  the  sufferings  of  His  people,  with  the  contrast  of  death  and 
resurrection,  to  the  end  of  the  world.  And,  on  the  other  side,  there  are  the  contrasts  of  reconciliation : 
the  reconciUation  of  God  and  man,  of  heaven  and  earth,  of  this  world  and  the  next,  of  hfe  and  death, 
of  the  crown  and  tlie  cross,  of  judgment  and  mercy.  Heubner :  "  The  history  of  the  passion  is  the 
highest  and  holiest  history ;  it  is  the  turning-point  in  the  history  of  the  world,  both  in  itself,  and  its  de- 
sign and  effect." 

In  the  hotyiiletical  treatment  of  this  event  care  should  ever  be  taken  not  to  forget  the  central-point, 
the  Lord  Himself,  while  contemplating  the  prominent  figures  surrounding  Him.  The  suffering  Re- 
deemer Himself  is  always  the  essential  object  in  every  section : — the  point  of  view  from  which  to  regard 
all  the  other  persons,  Judas,  Peter,  Pilate,  and  the  rest,  who  must  be  seen  in  the  light  which  He  sheds 
upon  them.  Then,  also,  we  should  remember  to  regard  these  guilty  and  failing  characters  not  witia 
feehngs  of  human  excitement,  and  the  rage  of  judicial  revenge  against  Pilate  and  Judas  (as  in  the  Ash- 
Wednesday  services  of  medieval  Catholicism),  but  in  the  spirit  of  conciliation  which  the  atoning  sacri- 
fice before  us  suggests.  And,  lastly,  the  redeeming  power  of  the  victorious  love  of  Christ  should  be 
supreme  in  our  thoughts ;  from  it  we  should  derive  our  arguments  and  pleas. 

LiTEUATURE  OH  tlie  History  of  Christ's  Tassion.*— &<;  full  lists  of  works  in  Lilientual  :  Mill  AroMvarius,  1745,  p. 
118  sqq.;  Danz:  Worterb uo/i  der  theol.  Literatur^  p.  T-i%  and  Supxilement,  p.  80;  Winee:  Handhuch  der  theol.  Literu- 
tur,  ii.  p.  155,  Supplement,  p.  25S;  Heubner,  p.  370.— We  mention  the  following:  Hugo  Grotius:  Christus  Patiens,  a 
Latin  drama,  1610;  Klopstook  :  Mesxias  {heroxc.  poem);  Lavater  :  Pontius  PUattis;  Eambach:  Meditations  on  the 
Whole  Jlintory  of  OhriuVs  Passion  (German),  Berlin,  1742;  Eieger:  Sermons  on  the  Passion  (German),  Stuttgart,  1751 ; 
Oallisen  :  The  Last  Days  of  our  Lord  (German),  Niirnberg,  1823 ;  F.  W.  Krummacher  :  The  Suffering  Saviour,  Biele- 
feld, 1851  [English  translation,  Boston,  1857] ;  J.  Wichklhaus  :  A  complete  Commentary  on  the  History  of  Christ's  Pas- 
sion (Gerniaii),  Halle,  1S55.  [I.  II.  Friedlieb:  Archceology  of  the  llihtory  of  the  Passion,  Bonn,  1843;  W.  Steotjd: 
Physical  Cause  of  the  Death  of  Christ,  London,  1847;  the  relevant  sections  in  the  Lives  of  Christ  by  Hase,  Meander 
yKi"i>,  Lange,  Licutenstein,  Ebrakd,  Ewald,  EiGGENBAcn,  Baujigauten,  van  Oosterzee,  Kitto,  Ellioott,  Andeews. 
On  i\w  doctrinal  aspect  of  the  History  of  the  Passion,  comp.ire  also  W.  Magee  (archbishop  of  Dublin,  tl831) :  Discowrses 
and  DifKertutions  on  the  Scriptural  Doctrines  of  Atonement  and  Sacrifice,  1801  and  often  ( Wor-ks,  London,  1842,  vol. 
1st).— P.  S.] 

On  the  development  of  the  Catholic  celebration  of  the  Passion  of  Christ  during  Lent  and  the  Holy  Week  to  Good  Fri- 
day, we  refer  to  the  arcbseolcgical  works  of  Auousti  and  Eheinwald  [Binguam.  Binterim]  ;  also  to  Fe.  Strauss  :  The 
Evangelical  Church-  Year  (German),  p.  177,  and  Lisoo :   The  Christian  Church-  Year  (German),  p.  19,  etc. 

*  [All  omitted  in  the  Edinb.  trsl.— P.  8.] 


FIRST    SECTION. 

THE   CERTITUDE   OF  CHRIST,   AND   THE   INCERTITUDE   OF  HIS  ENEMIES.      THE  DIVINE 
COUNSEL:    AT   THE   FEAST   OF  THE  PASSOVER. 


Chapter  XXVI.  1-5. 
(Mark  xiv.  1,  2 ;  Luke  xxii.  1,  2.) 

1  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jesus  had  finished  all  these  sayings,  he  said  unto  his  dis- 

2  ciples,  Ye  know  that  after  two  days  is  the  feast  of  the  passover  [comes  the  passover,  to 

3  Ttaa-x'^  ytVerat],  and  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed  [delivered  up] '  to  be  crucified.     Then 


CHAP.  XXVI.  1-5. 


459 


assembled  together  the  chief  priests,  and  the  scribes,^  and  the  elders  of  the  people,  unto 

4  the  palace  [in  the  court,  avXi)]  ^  of  the  high  priest,  who  was  called  Caiapbas,  And  con- 
sulted   [together,  a-wejSovXevaavTo]    that    they  might    take    Jesus    by  subtilty   [craft, 

5  SdAo)],  and  kill  hwi  [put  him  to  death].     But  they  said,  Not  on  the  feast  day  [at  the 
feast,  ei/  T^  €opT^],*  lest  there  be  an  uproar  [tumult,  ^opu/5os]  among  tiie  people. 

1  Ver.  2.— [So  Lange  renders  irapaSiSorat  here.  Comp.  ch.  v.  25;  xv.  5;  xviii.  34;  xxvii.  18,  26;  Mark  xv.  1 ; 
Luke  XX.  20 ;  Rom.  viii.  32.  But  Trapa^SiSSvai  is  iised  sometimes,  like  irpoSiSovat  and  the  Lat.  prodere,  witli  the  collat- 
eral notion  oi  treacheri/,  as  in  ch.  x.  4.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  3.— K  ai  ol  7  p  a  ;ii  ,u  a  t  6  T  s  (and  the  scHles)  must  be  omitted  according  to  Codd.  A.,  B.,  D.,  L.,  etc.  Prob- 
ably inserted  from  Mark  xiv.  1 ;  Luke  xxii.  2.     [The  words  are  also  wanting  in  Cod.  Sinait.  and  in  the  critical  editions.] 

3  Ver.  3.— [Dr.  Lani;e:  I/<ii:<>.  AuA?)  means  usually,  and  so  here,  not  the  jxilaee,  but  the  atrium,  the  inner  court, 
or  enclosed  square  arouud  which  the  house  was  built,  and  which  was  used  also  for  business.  This  is  evident  from  ver.  61*  : 
neVpos  iKaOiiTo  e|co  e»'  rP]  au\^,  >i,it  without  in  the  caurt  {i\ot:  without  in  the  //alace,  vrhioh.  involves  a  contradiction 
in  terms),  and  from  Luke  xxii.  55,  where  it  is  said  that  they  kindled  a  firo  eV  ^eVou  rf/s  oi/Af/j,  in  midst  of  the  court. 
Comp.  Meyer  and  Conant  in  loc,  and  Lange's  Exeg.  Notes. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  5.— [The  yiord feast  here  means  the  whole  period  of  seven  days  during  which  the  passover  lasted.  Meyer:  iSie 
meinen  die  ganze  siehentdgige  Ft&tzeit. — P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CPvITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  Had  ended  all  these  sayings. — With 
these  sayings  [ch.  xxiv.  and  xxv.]  the  Lord  complet- 
ed His  historical  prophetic  cilice.  He  now  forean- 
nounces  the  fulfilmefft  of  His  priestly  oiEce.  He  has 
marked  out  the  figure  of  His  future,  the  Son  of  Man 
in  His  majesty  and  glory.  This  assurance  is  the 
basis  on  which  He  stands  at  the  commencement  of 
His  sufferings  and  deepest  humiliation,  and  the  basis 
on  which  He  seeks  to  place  His  disciples. 

Ver.  2.  After  two  days. — {Bay  after  to-mor- 
row, on  Thursday.]  See  the  introductory  remarks 
on  the  chronology  of  the  history  of  the  Passion. 

The  Passover. — nOS  ,  Aram.  NHOS  ;  accord- 
ing to  Ex.  xii.  13,  from  nOQ  ,  to  pass  over^  to  spare, 
with  allusion  to  the  sparing  of  the  first-born  of  Isra- 
el when  the  first-born  of  Egypt  were  slain  by  the 
destroying  angel :  thus,  the  passing  over  (of  the  de- 
stroymg  angel).*  This  passing  over  has  a  threefold 
meaning :  1.  The  deliverance  of  the  people  out  of 
Egypt  through  the  judgment  upon  the  Egyjjtians — 
the  typical  redemption;  2.  the  spiritual  offering  up 
of  the  IsraeUte  first-born  with  the  Egyptian,  expressed 
by  the  blood  of  the  lamb  sprinkled  on  the  door- 
posts— the  typical  death  of  Christ;  3.  the  actual 
sparing  of  the  Israelite  first-born  in  connection  with 
that  sacrifice — the  raising  up  of  the  new  life  of  Christ 
out  of  the  sacrificial  death.  Accordmgly,  the  Pass- 
over is  a  feast  of  thank-offering,  a  peace-offering,  a 
sacrifice  of  salvation,  which  rests  upon  the  basis  of  a 
sacrifice  devoted  to  curse  (the  death  of  the  Egyptian 
first-born),  and  of  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  (the  sacri- 

*  [The  word  Traax°-  (.onginaWy  traiisitus,  uirfp^aais, 
nOQ  )  is  used  in  a  threefold  sunse  in  the  N.  T.  (1)  Agnus 
paschalis,  the  paschal  lamb ;  hence  the  phrase  to  kill,  the, 
pussorer,  Mark  xiv.  12  ;  Luke  xxii.  7.  (2)  The  sacrificial 
lamb  and  the  supper.  Matt.  xxvi.  17;  Mark  xiv.  14;  Luke 
xxii.  11.  (3)  The  ?c/ioi« /(.'«*)!  of  unleavened  bread,  ?;  ioprrj 
Tuv  a.(uficiii',  or  to  ii^vaa,  which  lasted  seven  days.  Matt. 
xxvi.  2;  Luke  xxii.  1,  and  so  generally  in  John  ii.  13 ;  vi.  4; 
xi.  15;  xii.  1 ;  xiii.  1,  etc.  Some  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  fa- 
thers connected  the  pafisover  with  the  Greek  verb  tt  o  ct  x  "i 
to  suffer,  and  with  the  death  of  Christ  which  was  typified  by 
the  sacrifice  of  the  paschal  lamb.  Dr.  Wordsworth  finds  a  deep 
mystic  meaning  in  this,— a  mistake,  which  evidently  arose 
from  the  ignorance  of  Hebrew,  a  l.iiiguage  known  to  very 
few  of  the  fathers  and  schoolmen  down  to  the  puriod  of  tlie 
lieformation.  lie  also  sees  a  providential  paronomasia  in  Luke 
xxii.  15  between  tovto  rb  Tracrxa  (payflv  and  irph  tov 
U€  iradfly.—P.  8.] 


fice  of  the  Israelite  first-bom  in  the  blood  of  the 
lamb).     The  feast  of  deliverance  is  the  seal  and  sac- 
rament of  salvation,  the  festival  of  new  life  and  re- 
demption, won  out  of  the  judgment  of  death.     The 
type  has  thus  its  threefold  relation  to  Christ.     As 
Christ  in  His  fife  was  the  true  burnt-offering,  so  in 
His  death  He  was :  1.  The  sacrifice  of  curse  cherem 
(Gal.  iii.  13),  through  the  blindness  of  the  world  and 
the  judgment  of  God,  in  order  to  the  awakening  and 
spiritual  judgment  of  the  world ;  2.  the  sin-offering, 
chatlah  (2  Cor.  v.  21),  for  the  reconciliation  of  tlie 
world ;  3.  the   thank-offering  in  the  new  life,  in  the 
infinite  fulness  of  life  which  He  obtained  in  death. 
lu  all  these  senses  He  was  the  true  and  real  Passover 
(1    Cor.  V.  1) ;  and  Easter,  but  especially  the  holy 
Supper,  is  the  New  Testament  paschal"  feast,  the 
feast  of  salvation,  grounded  upon  propitiation  through 
the  condemnation  of  sin.   And,  inasmuch  as  with  the 
deUverance  from    Egj'pt  was   connected   separation 
:  from  the  leaven  of  Egyptian  idolatry,  and  disciplinary 
j  wandering  through  the  desert,  the  Passover  is  at  the 
j  same  time  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread  (niu^rt  5n). 
I  This  view  of  the  feast  has  two  main  points  :  1.  Sep- 
j  aration  from  the  leaven,  the  spiritual  fellowship  of 
i  Egypt  (Matt.   xvi.   0  ;  1   Cor.  v.   1) ;    2.  wandering 
j  through  all  the  tests  and  discipUne  of  privation  in  the 
I  wilderness  (Deut.  xvi.  3).   With  this  twofold  religious 
'  significance  of  the  feast,  there  was,  in  process  of  time, 
connected  the  festival  of  spring-time  and  the  begin- 
ning of  harvest,  or  the  first-fruits.     (Some  modem 
archaeologists  have  without  cause  reversed  the  order, 
and  made  the  natural  feast  the  basis  of  the  churchly 
or   spiritual.     Compare  Winer,  sub   PascJia.)     The 
Passover  was  the  first  of  the  three  great  feasts  of 
Israel,  and  was   celebrated   in   the   first  month  of 
the   year,  Abib   or  Nisan,  about   the   time   of  full 
moon — ^from   the   14th  to  the  21st  of  Nisan — and 
in  the  central  sanctuary.     Concerning  its  rites,  see 
below. 

And  the  Son  of  Man  is  delivered  up  to  be 
crucified. — The  predictions  of  the  crucifixion  gen- 
erally are  here  taken  for  granted  :  the  prophecy  here 
specifically  hes  in  the  definition  of  the  date. 

Ver.  3.  Then  assembled  together.  —  To  the 
clear  prospect  and  certitude  of  the  Lord  concerning 
the  period  of  Ilis  death,  is  characteristically  opposed 
the  perfect  uncertainty  of  the  Sanhedrin  concerning 
it,  and  tlie  decree,  which  circumstances  soon  render- 
ed vain,  "  not  on  the  feast-day.'''' 

In  the  court  [m  der  Halle']. — Not  the  palace  of 
the  high-priest  itself,  but  the  atrium,  or  court  ea- 


4G0 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


closed  by  its  buildings.  The  common  place  of  meet- 
ing for  the  Sanhedrin  was  called  Gazith,  and  joined, 
according  to  the  Talmud,  the  south  side  of  the  tem- 
ple.    Lightfoot,  p.  459.* 

Who  was  called  Caiaphas. — "  Probably  equiv- 
alent to  NS";3  ,  depres.sioy  This  was  a  standing  sur- 
name, which  passed  into  a  proper  name.  He  was 
originally  called  Joseph  (Joseph.  Antlq.  xviii.  2,  2). 
[Some  ancient  fathers  confounded  him  with  Jose- 
phus  the  Jewish  historian,  and  supposed  that  be  was 
secretly  converted  to  Christianity. — P.  S.]  Caiaphas 
was  one  of  those  high-priests  who  mai-ked  the  dese- 
cration of  the  institution  by  party  spirit  and  the  in- 
fluence of  foreign  power.  The  Procui-ator  Valerius 
Gratus  had  given  him  the  office,  and  he  lost  its  tlig- 
nity  through  Vitellius  (Joseph.  Aniiq.  xviii.  2,  2  ;  4, 
3).  He  was  the  son-in-law  of  Annas.  The  evangeli- 
cal history  paints  his  character  in  his  deeds. 

Ver.  4.  By  craft,  5  o  A  6d  . — The  impression  which 
the  spiritual  victories  gained  over  them  in  the  temple 
by  Jesus  had  made  upon  the  people,  and  also  upon 
themselves,  is  here  very  plainly  marked. 

Not  at  the  feast. — The  people  were,  in  their 
congregation  at  the  feast  (often  to  the  amount  of  two 
millions),  generally  inclined  to  insurrection  (Joseph. 
Aniiq.  xvii.  9,  3 ;  xx.  5,  3) ;  and  a  tumult  on  behalf 
of  Jesus  was  all  the  more  to  be  provided  against,  be- 
cause He  had  so  many  dependents,  among  the  peo- 
ple, especially  among  the  bold  and  quarrelsome 
mountahieers  from  Galilee.  The  decree  was  pi'esent- 
ly  invalidated — not  through  the  first  offer  of  Judas 
(Meyer),  which  had  already  been  made,  and  had  led 
them  to  settle  the  form  of  betrayal  and  His  sudden 
surprise — but  through  the  later  appearance  of  the 
traitor,  when  he  came  from  the  supper  in  the  night, 
and  announced  to  them  the  favorable  opportunity  of 
seizing  Christ  in  the  garden.  Bengel :  Sic  comilium 
divinum  successit  Their  counsel  was  fulfilled  only 
so  far  as  the  taking  the  Lord  by  craft.  It  was  a  vain 
imagination  that  such  a  person  as  Jesus  was,  could 
be  surreptitiously  and  without  noise  removed  out  of 
the  way. 

[Comp.  WoKDSwORTii :  "  Observe  Christ's  power 
over  His  enemies  in  His  death.  Oftentimes  when 
they  endeavored  to  take  Him,  He  escaped  from  them 
(John  X.  89).  But  at  the  time  wlien  they  had  desired 
not  to  take  Him,  viz.,  at  the  Passover  (comp.  Luke 
sxii.  6),  then  He  willed  to  be  taken,  and  they,  though 
unwillmg,  took  Hun ;  and  so  they  fulfilled  the  prophe- 
cies in  kilhng  Him  who  is  the  true  Passover,  and  in 
proving  Him  to  be  the  Christ.  (Comp.  Leo,  Serni. 
Iviii. ;  Theophylact  in  Marc.  xiv.  2.) "  Dr.  Lange, 
Meyer,  Wordsworth,  and  others,  assume  that  the 
priests  intended  to  crucify  the  Lord  after  the  feast 
of  the  Passover,  when  the  crowds  of  strangers,  some- 
times amounting  to  two  millions,  should  have  left, 
but  were  frustrated  in  their  design  by  the  favorable 
opportunity  soon  oifered.  Ewald,  on  the  contrary 
{Gesckichie  Christus\  p.  410),  supposes  that  they 
intended  to  crucify  Him  before  the  feast,  and  actually 
did  so,  viz.,  on  the  14th  of  Nisan.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  the  words  jj.))  if  rfj  eoprrj,  not  at  the  feast ! 
admit  of  both  views.  But  in  the  latter  case  we  would 
involve  the  Synoptists  in  self-contradiction ;  and  then 
the  time  was  already  so  far  advanced,  that  the  peo- 
ple, whose  tumult  they  feared,  must  have  already 
been  at  Jerusalem  when  the  Sanhedrm  resolved  to 
crucify  Christ.  In  any  case  their  words  in  ver.  5  im- 
ply that  they  had  no  religious  scruples  against  a  pub- 

*  [Comp.  Crit,  Note,  No.  3,  above,  p.  459.— P.  S.] 


I  lie  execution  on  the  feast,  but  were  restrained  only 
by  motives  of  policy  and  expediency.  Probably  such 
executions  did  take  place  sometimes  on  high  festi- 
vals— as  religious  acts,  and  as  a  warning  to  the  peo- 
ple. The  lav/  nowhere  expressly  prohibits  them. 
Hegesippus  relates  in  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  ii.  23,  that 
James  the  Just,  the  brother  of  the  Lord,  was  stoned 
and  killed  on  the  day  of  the  Passover.  See  above, 
p.  456.  Consequently  this  verse  cannot  be  pressed 
as  an  argument  against  the  view  th;.t  Chriti.  died  on 
the  15th  of  Nisan,  as  is  done  by  Bicek  and  others 
who  advocate  the  14th  as  the  day  of  the  crucifixion. 
—P.  S.] 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Jesus  in  divine  assurance  ready  for  death, 
familiar  with  the  time  of  His  death ;  while  His  mur- 
derers themselves  know  not  whither  they  are  pro- 
ceeding. 

2.  Jesus  the  real  Passover,  or  Paschal  Lamb. 
See  above. 

3.  The  Sanhedrin,  in  its  decree:  "iVoi  on  the 
feast,^^  is  the  type  of  the  policy  of  a  sinful  world, 
which  is  violently  moved  by  the,  powers  of  hell,  and 
urged  whither  they  will  more  impetuously  than  itself 
desires. 

4.  In  the  v/ay  of  obedience,  Jesus  came  to  the 
feast  of  the  Passover.  He  Avas  separated  from  the 
temple,  but  not  from  His  people  and  His  religious 
obligations  and  customs.  As  an  Israehte,  He  must 
keep  the  feast  in  Jerusalem ;  although  this  feast 
should  result  in  His  own  death.  And  this  very  fact 
makes  it  an  untenable  notion,  that  Jesus  kept  the 
Passover  a  day  earlier  than  was  the  custom.  He 
would  then  have  arbitrarily  altered  and  belied  at  the 
end  the  legal  propriety  of  Ilis  whole  life.  His  sub- 
mission to  the  law  brought  Him  to  His  death.  Con- 
cerning the  high-priestly  office  of  Christ,  compare 
dogrmatical  treatises. 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Christ,  in  the  fvdl  anticipation  of  His  judicial  gloi-y, 
is  prepared  for  His  death  :  1.  He  is  notwithstanding 
ready  for  death ;  2.  He  is  on  that  account  ready  for 
death. — The  divine  assurance  of  the  Lord,  in  contrast 
with  the  perfect  and  helpless  uncertainty  of  His  ene- 
mies :  1.  The  fact  itself:  («)  He  as  the  sacrifice  knows 
the  day  of  His  death,  which  the  murderers  them- 
selves do  not  yet  know ;  {l)  He  marks  out  a  definite 
day,  which  they  by  their  decree  in  council  reject.  2. 
The  explanation  of  the  fact :  (a)  Christ  is  perfectly 
familiar  with  the  spirit  of  Scripture  (the  meantog  of 
the  ancient  Passover) — with  the  government  of  His 
Father  (He  knows  the  machinations  of  the  powers  of 
evil  to  which  His  enemies  are  given  over) ;  (6)  His 
enemies  suppose  in  their  despotic  counsels  that  they 
are  above  events,  while  they  have  become  the  help- 
less instruments  of  hell ;  (c)  hell  itself  knows  not  all 
things,  and  knows  wrongly  all  that  it  knows ;  it  is 
decreed  by  God  that  it  shall  be  now  condemned. — 
What  is  it  that  the  Lord  lays  most  stress  upon  when 
He  aimounces  His  passion  V  1.  Not  that  He  should 
be  nailed  to  the  cross ;  but,  2.  that  He  should  be  be- 
trayed.— Perfect  truth  mourning  over  perfect  false- 
hood in  the  deepest  grief — The  sufferings  of  Christ 
the  consummation  of  ail  Joseph's  sufferings :  to  be 
betrayed  and  sold  by  His  brethren. — The  uncounselled 


CHAP.  XXVI.  1-6. 


461 


confusion  of  the  High  Council. — The  mixing  up  of 
politics  with  the  Church  must  ruiA  both. — The  last 
sittings  of  the  Jewish  ruling  Council  in  the  Church, 
aeconiing  to  Matthew  :  1.  A  council  without  counsel* 
devoted  to  subtilty  (eh.  xxvi.  5) ;  2.  a  shameless 
council,  devoted  to  lying  and  calumniation  (ch.  xxvii. 
1) ;  3.  a  profligate  council,  devoted  to  h)-pocrisy  (ver. 
'7) ;  4.  a  blind  council,  devoted  to  bribery  (ch.  xxviii. 
12). — The  greatest  of  all  insurrections  "(against  the 
Lord's  Anointed)  must  always  be  in  dread  of  the 
phantom  of  insurrection:  1.  They  lift  themselves  up 
against  the  Lord ;  and,  2.  brand  the  possible  upris- 
ing for  His  defence  as  rebellion. — The  shallow  farce 
of  hierarchical  pride  condemned  :  1.  They  think  they 
can  triumphantly  trifle, — (a)  with  circumstances  ;  (6) 
with  men ;  (c)  with  sm.  2.  They  become  a  spectacle 
of  judgment, — (a)  through  unforeseen  accident ;  (6) 
through  the  spirits  of  hell  (workmg  in  the  soul  of 
Judas) ;  (c)  through  the  sacred  supervision  of  God. 
— The  counsel  of  the  wicked  set  at  nought :  1.  It 
half  succeeds  (they  take  the  Lord  with  subtilty); 
2.  it  seemed  to  have  succeeded  beyond  expectation 
(the  people  made  an  insurrection  in  their  favor  at 
the  feast) ;  3.  but  it  was  absolutely  put  to  shame 
(the  crucifixion  of  Christ  at  this  feast  was  the  end  of 
all  their  feasts). — The  warning  thought,  that  the  ob- 
duracy of  the  Jews  reached  its  cUmax  precisely  at  the 
feasts,  when  Jesus  came  to  them — The  question, 
whether  Christ  should  die  at  the  feast?  The  ene- 
raies  say:  "Not  at  the  feast;"  the  Lord  says:  "On 
the  feast-day,  and  no  other."  \  The  corruption  of 
the  Jewish  feasts,  out  of  which  the  great  Christian 
feasts  have  sprung :  Good  Friday,  Easter,  Ascension 
Day,  and  Whitsuntide. — The  counsel  of  God,  that 
Christ  should  die  at  the  feast  of  the  Passover.  1. 
The  appointment:  (a)  in  the  hohest  place  of  the 
earth  ;  (6)  at  the  highest  feast ;  (f)  m  the  naidst  of 
an  assembly  which  represented  the  whole  of  man- 
kind ;  {d)  thus  with  perfect  pubUcity.  2.  The  reason : 
(a)  for  the  reaUzation  of  all  the  symbols,  especially 
the  Passover ;  {li)  to  establish  that  the  feast  of  the 
typical  dehverance  was  changed  into  the  feast  of  the 
real  redemption  ;  (c)  for  a  manifestation  of  the  judg- 
ment of  the  world,  and  of  the  reconciUation  of  the 
world,  in  the  greatest  assembly  of  Jews  and  Gentiles. 
— God  can  make  sacrifices  of  His  own,  but  He  does 
not  give  them  up  to  secret  murder. — They  might  cru- 
cify Him  openly  before  all  the  world ;  but  secretly 
do  away  with  Him  they  could  not. — The  blood  of  the 
saints  does  not  sink  silently  into  the  ground  ;  it  pub- 
licly flows,  and  preaches  aloud. 

Starke  : — Christ's  words   inseparable   from   His 

*  {Ein  rathloser  Jtath^—ein  seham/oser  Rath — ein  ruch- 
loser  Ruth — ein  minloser  Rath. — ] 

t  [This  theme,  of  course,  implies  the  chronolodcal  view 
held  Dy  Lange,  Tholuck,  Wieseler,  and  llengstenberg,  who 
flx  upon  the  15th  Nisan  as  the  day  of  crucifixion;  but  it  is 
of  no  avail  if  Christ  died  on  the  14th  Nisan  or  before  the 
regular  Jewish  Passover,  according  to  Seyffarth,  £brard, 
Bleek,  and  others.— P.  S.] 


suficrings. — Happy  he  who,  when  his  death  comes, 
can  speak  and  hear  about  it  with  satisfaction. — 
Christ  would  suffer  and  die  at  the  Passover  :  1.  Be- 
cause tlie  paschal  lamb  was  a  type  of  Himself,  1  Cor. 
V.  1 ;  2.  that  His  sufferings  and  death  might  the 
sooner  be  everywhere  known. — Zeidus : — In'  the  first 
Passover,  the  Israelites  were  brouglit  out  of  the  lit- 
eral slavery  of  Egypt ;  in  the  last  Passover,  Christ 
has  delivered  us  by  His  death  from  spiritual  slavery, 
Titus  ii.  14,  15. — Christ  delighted  to  speak  of  His 
sufferings ;  let  us  delight  in  hearing  of  them,  especial- 
ly during  Lent. — The  great  mass  of  the  High  Council 
are  spoken  of  (Nicodemus,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  and 
some  others,  were  excepted) :  happy  those  who  do 
not  make  themselves  partakers  of  the  sins  committed 
in  the  fraternity  of  their  colleagues. — Bibl.  Wiori. : — 
The  worst  wickedness  is  practised  at  the  most  holy 
times  :  men  never  play  and  debauch  themselves,  and 
rage  more  in  iniquity,  than  on  the  feast-days ;  but 
what  on  other  days  is  smiple  sin,  on  such  days  is  ten 
fold. —  Canstcin : — The  visible  Church  of  Christ  may 
reach  such  a  point,  that  its  most  eminent  and  great 
est  ijiembers  may  not  only  not  tolerate  Christ  and 
His  truth,  but  even  seek  to  destroy  them. — Quesnel : 
— The  human  schemes,  Gen.  1.  20. —  Cansiein: — The 
ancient  hypocritical  serpent-subtilty  (ver.  4,  by  sub- 
tilty). Gen.  iii.  15. — Zeisius: — The  world  can  bear 
with  Jews,  Gentiles,  Turks,  Epicureans,  but  not  with 
the  honest  witnesses  of  truth. — The  Messiah  was  to 
suffer  and  die  in  the  midst  of  a  great  multitude  of 
people. —  Cramer  : — The  counsel  of  the  ungodly  pass- 
es away,  but  the  decree  of  God  shall  stand. — Un- 
priestly  priests,*  who,  instead  of  attending  to  devo- 
tion, are  dealing  in  political  and  ofttunes  diabolical 
schemes. 

Heuhncr : — All  these  sayings  (ver.  1).  He  had 
told  His  people  and  His  disciples  all  that  was  needful 
for  salvation,  and  had  confirmed  all  by  works  and 
miracles :  nothing  now  was  left  but  to  die. — He  spoke 
of  His  sufferings,  that  His  disciples  might  see  how 
little  chance  had  to  do  with  them,  but  that  all  was 
after  the  will  of  His  heavenly  Father. — A  pattern  to 
us,  that  we  should  accustom  ourselves  to  think  and 
speak  without  fear  of  our  final  sufferings.  —  They 
thought  not  that  He  well  knew  all  that  was  passing 
in  their  council. — The  higher  a  man  rises  in  influence 
and  authority,  the  greater  is  his  tem.ptation  to  ambi- 
tion, pride,  love  of  power,  and  envy. — Those  who  are 
mighty  in  tliis  world,  its  great  men  and  rulers,  are 
mostly  indisposed  to  any  new  and  better  ordinance. 
— Fear  of  the  people :  vigor  and  openness  are  pecu- 
liar to  the  righteous  cause. — "  Not  at  the  feast :"  the 
feast  was  the  wrong  time,  not  because  of  any  fear  of 
God,  but  because  of  their  fear  of  man.  The  decree 
must  have  cost  them  after  all  some  pangs  of  con- 
science. 


*  [This  conies  nearer  the  original:  Geistlose  Geistliche, 
than  the  Edinb.  trsl:  VnspiHtuui  clerics. — P.  8.] 


462 


?IIE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


SECOND     SECTION. 
THE    ANOINTING    AT    BETHANY. 


Chaptee  XXVI.  6-16. 
(Mark  xiv.  3-11 ;  Luke  xxii.  3-6  ;  Johu  xii.  1-8.) 

6  Now  -when  Jesus  was  in  Bethany,  in  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper  [four  days  previous, 

7  on  Saturday],  There  came  unto  him  a  woman  having  an  alabaster  box  of  very  precious 
ointment,  and  poured  it  on  his  head,  as  he  sat  at  meat  [reclined  at  table,  dvaKei/xivovj. 

8  But  when  his  [the] '  disciples  saw  it,  they  had  indignation  [were  indignant,  or  displeas- 

9  ed,  rjyavaKTrjadv],  saying,  To  what  purpose  is  this  waste?     For  this  ointment'  might 

10  have  been  sold  for  much,  and  given  to  the  poor.  When  Jesus  understood  it,  he  [And 
Jesus  knowing  it,  yvous  8e  6  'Ii?cr.]  said  unto  them,  "Why  trouble  ye  the  woman?  for  she 

1 1  hath  wrought  a  good  work  upon  me.     For  ye  have  the  poor  [the  poor  ye  have,  tovs 

12  TTTwxov's  e'xfre]  always  with  you;  but  me  ye  have  not  always.  For  in  that  she  hath 
poured   [in  pouring,  fSaXovaa]   thi^  ointment  on  my  body,  she  did  it  for  my  burial 

13  [for  my  embalmment,  or  to  prepare  for  my  bm-ial,  Trpos  to  IvTa^taaai  /ac].  Verily  I 
say  unto  you,  "Wheresoever  this  gospel  shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  world,  there 
shall  also  this,  that  this  woman  hath  done  [this  also  that  she  hath  done,  /cai  6  iTrotrjcrev 

14  avTT]],  be  told  for  a  memorial  of  her.     Then  one  of  tlie  twelve,  called  Judas  Iscariot, 

15  went  unto  the  chief  priests,  And  said  unto  them,  "What  will  ye  give  me,  and  I  will  de- 
liver him  unto  you  ?     And  they  covenanted  with  him  for  [promised  him]  ^  thirty  pieces 

16  [shekels]  of  silver.*     And  from  that  time  he  sought  opportunity  to  betray  him. 

!  Ver.  8. — T7ie  for  His;  avruv  beinc;  omitted  liere  and  ver.  4.5  by  the  best  authorities. 

■■'  Ver.  9.— A.,  B.,  D.,  L.,  and  other  MSS ,  omit  rh  fjLVpoi',  ointment.     [So  also  Cod.  Sinait.  which  reads  simply  tovtu.] 

5  Ver.  15.— [Dr.  Lange  transLites  eaTTtaav  ahrw:  .y/s  «eirfea  tA>«  rt!/«,  i.  c,  tliey  appointed  or  fixed  upon  that 
price  for  him,  they  secured  or  promised  him.  So  Vulgata,  .Jerome  {in  loc),  Thcopliylact,  Luther,  E.  V.,  Grotius,  Eisner, 
Fritzsche,  Alford,  etc.  The  other  translation  is :  they  weighed  out  to  him:  So  Etithyin.,  Beza,  Wahl  {appendo,  zmcdgen. 
(larwdgen.  Matt.  xxvl.  15),  Bretschneider,  Kuinoel,  de  WeCte,  Ewald,  Meyer  (nee  quotation  in  the  Exe.g.  jfotex),  Kobinson, 
T.  J.  Conant,  Wordsworth,  etc.  Comp.  the  Lexica,  sub  'i  (t  r  t] /J.  t ;  Wetstein  in  loc;  Winer,  5.  ^.  TF.  i?.,  sub  Geld; 
and  Valtken<er  ad  Eurip.  Fragm.  p.  288 :  "  Qiu  lancets  cequato  suMnebat  e^am.ine,  cujmaunque  rei  pohdun  ad  lilrain 
antimatums,  diccbaiur  eximie  larav  etiam  vetei'ibus,  f/erodoto  ii.  p.  1.35,  89,  Platoni  De  Republ.  x.  p.  602.  D.  . .  In- 
tcrpres  Jobi  xxxvi.  6,  icrTO,  fj,e  ev  C^JV  5  <  if  o  i  ff> ."  Corapar<},  however.  Dr.  Lange"s  objection  to  Meyer's  explan.i- 
tiou  in  the  Exe^.  ^^oten.  To  this  may  be  added  that  the  avvidevro  of  Luke  and  the  emryyeiXaTo  of  Mark  are  rather  in 
faror  of  the  first  translation. — P.  S.] 

••  Ver.  15. — [Dr.  Lange  inserts  here  BhekelJS  ofsilrer.  The  rptaKOvTa  Inpyvfyia.  were  probably  sacred  shekels,  which 
were  heavier  than  the  common  shekels,  and  hence  paiil  by  weight. — P.  8.] 

•  Of  Simon  the  leper. — Probably  Jesus  had  heal- 
ed this  Simon  of  his  leprosy.  He  dwelt  iu  Bethany. 
It  is  natural  to  suppose  that  he  had  made  Jesus  a 
feast  in  gratitude.  According  to  a  tradition  in  Nice- 
phor.  Hist.  Eccl.  i.  27,  he  vras  the  father  of  Lazarus  ; 
accordmg  to  others?,  he  was  the  husband  of  Martha, 
or  Martha  his  widow.  All  this  is  very  uncertain; 
but  it  is  not  an  arbitrary  supposition,  that  he  was  iu 
some  way  related  to  the  family  of  Lazarus. 

Ver.  7.  There  came  to  Him  a  woman. — ''  This 
anomting,  which  Mark  also  (ch.  xiv.  3)  relates,  is  not 
that  recorded  in  Luke  vii.  36  sqq. ;  it  is  so  essential- 
ly distinguished  from  the  latter  in  time,  place,  circum- 
stances, person,  as  also  in  its  whole  historical  and 
ethical  connections  and  bearings,  that  we  are  not 
warranted  even  by  the  peculiarity  of  the  event  to  as- 
sume different  aspects  of  one  transaction  (agahist 
Chrysostom,  Grothis,  Schleiermacher,  Strauss,  Weisse, 
Ewald).  See  Calov.  Bibl.  llluntr.  But  it  is  not  dif- 
ferent from  that  which  is  recorded  in  John  xii.  1 
(against  Origen,  Chrvsostom,  Euth.  Zigabenus,  Osian- 
der,  Lightfoot,  Wolf,  etc.)."  Meyer.  Similarly  de 
Wette  ;  who,  however,  gives  some  supposed  devia- 
tions in  the  two  accounts.  1.  According  to  John, 
the  anointing  took  place  six  days  before  the  Pass- 


EXEGETICAL  AIvD  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  6.  Now,  when  Jesus  w^as  in  Bethany, 
or  Ut. :  And  Jesus  being  in  B. — On  the  Saturday 
before  [six  days  before  the  Passover,  ftee  John  xii.  1], 
Meyer,  indeed,  thinks  that  to  remove  this  abode  of 
Jesus  at  Bethany  before  the  note  of  time,  ver.  2,  is 
a  device  of  the  Harmonists,  from  which  the  t  d  t  e  of 
ver.  14  should  have  deterred  them.  Certainly  that 
would  be  true  if  this  Tore  were  found  in  ver.  6. 
But  the  T  d  T  e  in  ver.  14  manifestly  refers  to  the  pre- 
vious anointing.  A  similar  retrogression  to  an  earher 
event  may  be  found  in  Matt.  xiv.  3  ;  as  an  anticipa- 
tion in  ch.  xxvii.  7,  where  Meyer  himself  is  obliged 
to  give  up  the  external  succession.* 


*  [Wordsworth  :  "  A.ii\aeXa,nce  oirecapUtclMion.  This 
incident  took  place  Ijcfore  our  Lord's  betrayal,  but  St.  Mist- 
thew  introduces  it  here  to  mark  the  contract  between  Jfari/ 
and  Judas  Iscariot.  .Judas  murmured  airainst  her  (.John 
xii.  4),  because,  she  had  bestowed  on  our  Lord  the  olfering 
of  this  precious  oiniment  which  might  have  been  sold  for 
300  pence  (Majk  xiv.  5),  and  he  sells  his  M.ister  for  thirty 
pieces  of  silver  or  60  pence."  But  in  this  case  Matthew 
would  have  expressly  mentioned  Judas  instead  of  the  dis- 
ciples generally  in  ver.  8.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  6-16. 


463 


over;  according  to  Matthew,  two  day?.  This  has 
been  set  aside.  '2.  According  to  Matthew  and  Mark, 
the  meal  wa5  in  the  house  of  Simon ;  according  to 
John,  in  the  house  of  Lazarus.  But  the  expression, 
"  thev  made  Him  a  feast,"  is  not  necessarily  to  be 
referred  to  the  family  of  Lazarus  ;  certainly  not  to  be 
limited  to  them.  It  is  possible  that  all  the  believers 
in  Bethany  gave  Him  this  feast ;  and  the  fact  that 
Lazarus  was"  among  the  guests  to  the  Lord's  honor, 
that  Martha  waited  upon  Him,  and  Mary  anointed 
liim,  conclude  nothing  against  the  place  being  Simon's 
liouse ;  especially  as  we  know  nothmg  of  the  near 
connection  between  the  family  of  Lazarus  and  Simon. 
[Both  families  may  have  occupied  the  same  house, 
especially  if  they  were  relate<l,  according  to  the  an- 
cient tradition ;  or,  Simon  may  have  been  the  owner, 
Lazarus  the  tenant,  of  the  house. — P.  S.]  3.  Accord- 
ing to  Matthew  and  Mark,  Jesus  was  anointed  on  the 
head ;  according  to  John,  on  the  feet.  But  according 
to  Matt.  xxvi.  12,  the  body  of  Jesus  generally  was 
anointed.  The  connection  shows  why  John  makes 
prominent  the  anointing  of  the  feet.  4.  In  the  Sy- 
noptists,  the  disciples  express  their  displeasure ;  in 
John,  Judas  Iseariot.  But  Matthew,  ver.  14,  inti- 
mates that  Judas  was  the  instigator  of  the  murmm- 
ing,  and  carried  the  mass  of  the  disciples  with  him. 
And  for  John,  the  glance  at  the  traitor  was  the  main 
point.  According  to  Augustine  and  others,  Judas 
might  have  made  the  remark,  and  the  rest  harmless- 
ly consented.  Meyer  supposes  that  the  original  ac- 
count, as  given  by  John,  had  been  disturbed  in  the 
Synoptists  through  blending  it  with  that  of  Luke  vii. ; 
and  that  hence  the  name  of  Simon,  the  host,  was  ob- 
tained. An  arbitrary  assumption ;  since  the  name 
of  Simon  was  very  common,  and  the  related  feat'ores 
might  have  been  repeated  very  naturally  through 
their  inner  significance. 

A  womaiL — John  calls  her  Mary,  the  well- 
known,  whose  noble -character  he  had  drawn  before 
in  ch.  xi. ;  see  also  Luke  x.  39. 

Having  an  alabaster  -  box.  —  More  precise 
statement  in  John  xii.  3.  Anointing  with  oil  was  a 
primitive  custom  of  consecration.  Gen.  xxviiL  13.  It 
was  then  used  for  the  ritual  consecration  of  priests, 
Lev.  viii.  12 ;  of  kings,  1  Sam.  x.  1 ;  ch.  xvi  13  ;  oc- 
casionally also  of  prophets,  1  Kings  xix.  16.  By  an- 
omtlng  was  the  Old  Testament  David  marked  out  as 
the  3/ashiach,  as  also  his  sons  ;  and  especially  the 
ideal  David,  the  Saviour,  Ps.  iL  2.  But  the  anoint- 
ing was  interpreted  of  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit,  Isa. 
zi  2 ;  IxL ;  Heb.  i.  9,  after  Ps.  xlv.  7,  8.  The  an- 
ointing of  the  head  was  also  a  distinction  which  was 
conferred  upon  the  guest  of  honor,  Luke  vlL  46, — 
not  only  among  the  Jews,  but  generally  in  the  East 
and  among  the  ancients :  Plato,  Be  Republ.  iiL  See 
Grotius  in  Matt.  p.  501.  In  connection  with  the  an- 
ointing of  the  head,  was  the  washing  of  the  feet  with 
water.  Thus  it  was  an  elevation  of  the  custom  to  the 
highest  point  of  honor,  when  the  head  and  the  feet 
were  alike  anointed  with  oil.  Thus  the  anointing  of 
the  feet  in  Luke  vii.  was  not  simply  dictated  by  the 
woman's  prostration  and  humility :  Jesus  was  on  His 
journey,  and  the  anointing  of  the  feet  was  therefore 
primarily  mentioned.  And  in  John's  account  also, 
the  fact  that  Jesus  came  as  a  traveller  to  Bethany 
will  account  for  his  giving  special  prominence  to  the 
anointing  of  the  feet.  But  Matthew  leaves  this  cir- 
cumstance unnoticed.  De  Wette  :  "  A  whole  pound 
of  ointment  (she  had  so  much,  according  to  John), 
poured  out  at  once  upon  the  head,  would  have  been 
improper;   probably  it  was  easier  for  Mary  to  ap- 


proach His  feet  than  His  head."  Friedlieb  supposes 
that  the  Utra  (pound)  heremeuiioued,  was  the  ancient 
and  genuine  htra  of  the  Sicilian-Greek  system,  about 
^"o  of  a  Cologne  pound.  We  learn  from  Mark,  ver. 
3,  that  she  broke  the  alabaster-fiask  at  the  top,  m 
order  to  pour  out  the  ointment,  '"  The  ointment  of 
nard  was  highly  esteemed  in  anti  luity  as  a  precious 
aromatic,  and  a  costly  luxury,  Plin-us,  xii.  26.  It  was 
brought  c'uietiy  from  Asia  Minor  in  little  alabaster- 
flasks  ;  and  the  best  were  to  be  had  in  Tarsus.  Yet 
the  plant  grew  in  Southern  India.''  See  Winer,  sub 
Xarde.     the  best  was  very  high  in  price. 

Ver.  8.  They  became  indignant. — According 
to  John,  Judas  expressed  this  dispkisure ;  according 
to  Mark,  some  of  them  were  indignant  within  them- 
selves ;  according  to  Matthew,  the  body  of  the  dis- 
ciples.    Matthew   is   wont   to  generalize;    but    his 
j  words  here  mean  only,  that  the  disciples  collectively 
I  were  led  astray  by  the  hypocritical  word  of  Judas  : 
'  symptoms  of  murmuring  appeared  in  many. 
;        To  what  purpose  is  this  waste  ?  —  'A  x  « - 
Acta,  wasting.     The  active  meaning  must  be  held 
fast.     It  marks  the  supposed  useless  squandering  of 
a  costly  possession.    Meyer,  however,  takes  the  sense 
passively:  loss. 

Ter."  9.  Sold  for  much-  —  Pliny  says  that  a 

'  pound  of  this  ointment  cost  more  than  four  hundred 

I  denarii.     [A  denary,  or  "  penny "'  in  the  English  Yer- 

I  sion,  is  about  15  American  cents.     See  note,  p.  352.] 

Mark  mentions  that  three  hundred  was  the  amotmt 

specified  by  the  murmuring  disciples :  about  equal 

to  63j-  Prussian  dollars  [about  -$45]. 

And  given  to  the  poor. — The  money  realized 
from  the  sale  of  the  ointment.  John  gives  the  ex- 
planation, that  Judas  had  the  bag  (as  manager  of  the 
common  exchequer),  and  was  a  thief  in  the  manage- 
ment of  it.  The  money,  he  takes  for  granted,  should 
have  gone  into  his  bag.  Under  the  present  circum- 
stances, with  a  mind  darkened  by  desperation  as  to 
the  cause  of  Christ,  which  he  had  begim  now  to  re- 
nounce, he  might  perhaps  have  "  deserted  with  the 
bag." 

Ver.  10.  But  when  Jesus  saw  it. — That  is, 
the  secret  imgracious  murmuring ;  for  none  durst 
speak  aloud  save  Judas. 

Why  trouble  ye  the  woman,  r  i  kottovs 
ir  a p  e'x  e T 6  T y  yvvaiKi ; — inflict  not  upon  her  any 
burden  or  disquietude  by  confusing  her  conscience,  by 
disturbing  her  love,  or  by  disparaging  her  noble  act 
of  sacrifice. 

For  she  hath  wrought  a  good  work. — ^Lit- 
erally, a  beautiful  work,  marking  its  moral  propriety 
and  grace.  Meyer :  '•  The  disciples  turned  away 
from  the  moral  quality  to  the  expediency  of  the  ques- 
tion." Rather,  they  measured  moral  quahty  by  prac- 
tical utility,  Judas  doing  so  as  a  mere  hypocrite.  But 
Jesus  estimated  moral  quality  according  to  the  prin- 
ciple of  beheving  and  acuve  love  from  which  the  act 
I  sprang. 

I        Ver.  1 1 .  Me  ye  have  not  alwa3^. — Xot  simply 
i  a  "  sorrc'iN'ful  lifote-*"  to  signify  His  speedy  departure 
I  through  death ;  but  also  intended  to  impress  the  un- 
exampled significance  of  the  occasion.     Only  once  in 
I  the  whole  course  of  history  could  this  particular  act 
of  reverence  occur,  which,  humanly  speaking,  cheered 
!  and  animated  the  Lord  before  His  passion.     This 
j  hour  was  a  fleeting,  heavenly  opportunity  which  could 
never  return ;  while  the  care  of  the  poor  ..  ould  be  a 
I  daily  duty  to  humanity  down   to  the   end  of  time. 
;  But,  at  the  same  time,  there  is  a  general  reference  to 
!  the  contrast  between  festal  ofi'erings  and  every-day 


464 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


offerings.  Only  on  certain  special  occasions  may 
Christ  be  anointed  ;  but  we  may  always  do  good  to 
the  poor. 

Ver.  12.  She  hath  poured  out  this  ointment. 

— She  poured  it  all  out,  as  desirous  to  offer  the  last 
drop.  And  she  thereby  expressed  an  unconscious 
presentiment  which  the  Lord  now  interprets. 

She  did  it  for  My  burial  [lit. :  to  prepare  Me 
for  burial,  to  ernhalm  Ale.'] — She  hath  anointed 
and  embalmed  for  solemn  burial  My  body,  as  if  it 
were  already  a  corpse.  The  Lord  gives  this  signifi-i 
cance  to  the  occasion,  on  account  of  the  prophecy  of 
his  death  contained  in  the  traitor's  temper:  He  would 
intimate  all  to  Judas,  and  at  the  same  time  humble 
the  disciples.  The  woman  was  not,  in  her  act,  con- 
scious of  all  this  inducement ;  but  she  had  some  pre- 
sentiment which  made  her  act  as  if  she  thought,  We 
have  come  to  the  end ;  hereafter  there  will  be  no  need 
of  anointing. 

Ver.  1 3.  This  gospel. — The  tidings  of  salvation, 
with  special  reference  to  the  death  of  Jesus. 

Shall  be  told  for  a  memorial  of  her. — Prom- 
ise of  a  permanent  justification  and  distinction  for 
this  eminent  woman,  which  has  been  in  the  most 
glowing  manner  fulfilled.  [Even  now,  while  we 
write  or  read  these  lines,  we  fulfil  the  Saviour's  pro- 
phecy. Alford  well  observes  on  this,  the  only  case 
in  which  our  Lord  has  made  such  a  promise  :  "  We 
cannot  but  be  struck  with  the  majesty  of  this  pro- 
phetic announcement:  introduced  with  the  peculiar 
and  weighty  d^-);c  xiyu  v [xlv , — conveying,  by  im- 
plication, the  whole  mystery  of  the  ihayy^Kiou  which 
should  go  forth  from  His  death  as  its  source, — lookmg 
forward  to  the  end  of  time,  when  it  shall  have  been 
preached  in  the  whole  world, — and  specifying  the  fact 
that  this  deed  should  be  recorded  wherever  it  is 
preached."  He  sees  in  this  announcement  a  distinct 
prophetic  recognition  of  the  existence  of  written  gos- 
pel records  by  means  of  whicli  alone  the  deed  related 
could  be  universally  proclaimed. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  14.  Then  one  of  the  twelve  TO-ent. — 
Now  did  the  secret  of  the  murmuring  of  the  disciples 
disclose  itself,  as  if  an  old  sore  in  the  sacred  circle 
had  broken  open.  The  woman  with  her  ointment  has 
hastened  the  heaUng  crisis.  .As  the  hardening  of  the 
Jews  was  developed  at  the  great  feasts  when  Jesus 
visited  them,  so  the  hardening  of  Judas  was  com- 
pleted at  the  feasts  where  Jesus  was  the  centre. — 
Tore.  Meyer,  unsatisfactorily,  says :  "  After  this  meal ; 
but  not  because  he  was  aggrieved  by  Jesus'  saying, 
which,  in  its  tenderness  of  sorrow,  was  not  calculated 
to  wound  hun."  The  answer  of  the  Lord  approved 
the  act  of  the  woman,  punished  the  complaint  of  Ju- 
das, sealed  and  confirmed  the  prospect  of  His  death : 
all  this  was  enough  for  the  exasperated  confusion  of 
Judas'  mind.  He  now  began  to  dally  with  the  thought 
of  treachery  (compare  Schiller's  Wallenstein),  when 
he  went  over  the  Mount  of  Olives  (probably  the  same 
evening)  to  Jerusalem,  and  asked  a  question  of  the 
enemies  of  Jesus  which  should  clear  up  matters. 
But  after  the  paschal  supper  the  thought  began  to 
dally  with  him ;  for  Satan  entered  into  his  soul  (John 
xiii.  2*7).  Meyer,  de  Wette,  and  Strauss,  are  unable 
to  see  this  progress  in  the  development  of  evU,  and 
hence  find  here  contradictions.  Meyer  thinks  that 
Luke  xxii.  3  more  particularly  is  in  conflict  with  John 
upon  this  point ;  thougli  John  vi.  '70,  compared  with 
John  xiii.,  has  more  the  semblance  of  contradiction. 
But  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  expression 
"  Satan  entered  into  him,"  may  be  used  in  a  larger 
and  in  a  more  limited  sense. 


Ver.  1 5.  But  they  promised  [or :  secured]  to 
him. — Meyer :  "  They  weic/hed  out  to  hitn,  after  the 
old  custom.  There  had  been  in  the  land  a  coined 
shekel  since  tlie  time  of  Simeon  (143  d.  c.)  ;  but 
loeigldng  seems  to  have  stiU  been  customary  in  the 
temple  treasury.  At  any  rate,  we  are  not  authorized 
to  make  ecrr-qirav  signify  simply :  tltey  paid  . . .  The 
explanation  of  others,  '  they  made  secure  to  him,  or 
promised^  (Theophylact,  Grotius,  al.),  is  contradicted 
by  Matt,  xxvii.  3,  where  ra  apyvpia  points  to  the 
shekels  as  received  already,  as  also  by  the  prophecy 
of  this  fact  in  Zech.  xi.  12."  But  Meyer  overlooks 
the  fact,  that  Judas,  after  the  Passover,  went  again 
to  the  high  priests,  and  that  then,  according  to  John, 
the  matter  was  finally  decided.  They  hardly  gave 
him  the  money  before  that. 

Thirty  pieces  of  silver. — Silver  shekels.  The 
shekel,  ^irjli-i,  aUxos,  one  of  the  Hebrew  weights 
from  early  times,  and  one  that  was  most  in  use 
("like  our  pound").  By  the  weight  of  the  silver 
shekel  all  prices  were  regulated  in  commerce  and 
barter,  down  to  the  time  of  coinage  in  Israel  after  the 
exile.  Hence  the  silver  shekel  was  the  current  me- 
dium in  all  transactions  of  the  sanctuary.  The  shekel 
of  the  sanctuary  and  the  royal  shekel  were  probably 
somewhat  heavier  than  the  common  shekel.  The 
half-shekel  was  the  personal  tribute  to  the  temple, 
two  Attic  drachmas  {see  ch.  xvii.  24).  The  value  of 
the  shekel  has  been  estimated  at  about  25  Silbcr- 
c/roschen'*  [a  little  over  two  English  shillings,  or  50 
American  cents].  Consequently  SO  shekels  amount 
to  25  [Prussian]  dollars  [between  three  and  four 
pounds  sterling,  or  about  fifteen  American  dollars]. 
Gerlach  counts  20,  Lisco  only  15  [Prussian]  dollars. 
De  Wette:  About  42  florins. — Meyer:  "Matthew 
alone  specifies  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver ;  and  the 
triviality  of  this  gPvin,  as  measured  by  the  avarice  of 
Judas,  makes  it  probable  that  the  unknown  recom- 
pense of  treason  was  fixed  by  evaugehcal  tradition, 
according  to  Zech.  xi.  12."  Here  Meyer  follows 
de  Wette,  who  often  follows  in  the  track  of  Strauss. 
As  if  Satanic  avarice  and  treason  had  any  reasonable 
tax,  or  as  if  any  sum  of  money  could  more  easily  ex- 
plain and  justify  the  betrayal  of  the  person  of  Jesus ! 
The  most  improbable  sum  is  here  the  most  probable. 
Thirty  pieces  of  silver  were,  according  to  Exod.  xxi. 
32,  the  price  of  a  slave.f  Hence,  in  Zech.  xi.  12,  the 
price  at  which  the  Shepherd  of  nations  is  valued,  was 
thirty  pieces  of  silver.  The  literal  fulfilment  of  this 
word  should  not  make  the  round  sum  suspicious. 
We  should  rather  assume  that  the  Sanhedrin  design- 
edly, and  with  cunning  irony,  chose  the  price  of  the 
slave  in  Exod.  xxi.  If  Judas  demanded  more  from 
them,  they  would  answer  that  they  needed  not  bis 
help,  and  that  at  most  they  would  give  him  the  an- 
cient price  of  a  slave. 

*  [Not:  cJoUars,  as  the  Edinb.  transl.  Las  it.  which  omits 
the  other  estimate :  for  it  takes  thirty  Silbergroschm  to 
equal  one  Prussian  dollar. — P.  S.] 

t  [.Joseph  was  sold  by  his  brothers  for  twenty  pieces  of 
silver,  Gen.  xsxvii.  28.  Jerome  on  Matt.  sxvi.  15  sayt^: 
''Joseph  mm,  tit  muUi  pntavt.  jua-ia  iSepiuaffinta.  inter- 
jwetes,  vlginti  aureis  venditus  est,  seel  :)uxta  Behraicam 
veritatem  viginti  argenteis;  neqii.e  enim  pretioHor  pote- 
rat  esse  servus,  quam  Dominus."  But  Jerome  did  not  see, 
nor  any  of  the  fothers,  that  thirty  piecos  of  silver  was  the 
regular  price  for  the  life  of  a  slave,  which  explains  this  sum 
in  our  case  as  a  deliberate  insult  of  the  Sanhedrin  to  our 
Lord  who  died  the  death  of  a  slave  and  a  malefactor,  that 
He  might  redeem  us  from  the  slavery  and  eternal  misery  of 
sin.  Origen  compares  the  30  pieces  of  silver  with  the  30 
(rather  33)  years  of  the  Saviour's  life.  Augustine  allegorizes 
in  another  way  about  the  number.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  6-16. 


465 


Ver.  16.  And  from  that  time  he  sought  op- 
portunity.— Thus  docs  not  exclude  a  later  and  final 
decision.  He  was  now  the  wretched  and  vascillathig 
watcher  of  events,  making  his  last  act  dependent,  on 
casual  opportunity'.  Fritzsche:  Iff.  eitm  tradere  possEr. 
To  betray  him. —  General  Remarks  on  the  Be- 
trayal of  Judas. — For  the  dualistlc  exaggeration  of 
the  moral  importance  of  the  man,  see  Daub :  Judas 
Ischarioth.  For  the  under-valuation  of  his  significance, 
see  Paulus,  Goldhorn,  AViner,  Theile,  Hase,  etc.  Ac- 
cording to  the  latter  view,  it  was  his  design  to  excite 
an  insurrection  of  the  people  at  the  feast,  and  to 
constrain  the  tardy  Messiah  to  base  Ilis  kingdom 
upon  popular  power.  In  that  case,  the  conduct  of 
Judas  would,  judged  by  its  motive,  be  rather  that  of 
a  blinded  enthusiast  than  of  a  supremely  wicked 
man.  Ewald  rightly  assumes  that  he  had  been  mis- 
taken in  his  Master ;  but  the  aims  and  motives  which 
he  further  attributes  to  Judas  as  a  consequence  (that 
he  felt  it  his  duty  to  deliver  Him  to  the  Sanhedrin, — 
and  that  he  wished  to  try  the  experiment  and  see 
what  would  follow  next),  are  not  very  consistent  with 
each  other.  The  repentance  of  Judas  and  his  suicide 
must  be  taken  in  connection  vfith  his  betrayal ;  and 
then  his  state  of  mind  will  be  determined  to  have 
been  an  ambition,  excited  by  Satan,  which  sought  its 
ends  in  the  carnal  kingdom  to  be  set  up  by  the  Mes- 
siah, and  which,  therefore,  when  Clirist's  determina- 
tion and  that  of  His  enemies  concurred  to  point  to  His 
death,  was  changed  into  a  deep  despondency  and  ex- 
asperation against  his  Master.  In  this  frame  of 
mind,  the  scene  at  Bethany  presented  to  him  only  a 
wasteful  company,  in  which  all  things  were  going  to 
dissolution ;  and  he  felt  himself  personally  aggrieved 
by  the  Lord's  rebuke,  marking  him  out  as  an  alien 
to  His  circle  of  disciples.  Then  he  viewed  the  rulers 
of  the  people  as  invested  with  power :  they  had  the 
government  of  the  temple,  and  guarded  its  treasure 
— they  had  this  world  with  them.  It  seemed  to  him 
worth  his  trouble  to  see  what  was  to  be  gained  on 
their  side ;  thus  there  was  the  evening  journey,  an 
audience,  a  question — only  at  first,  he  might  think,  a 
question.  In  the  high  priest's  palace,  the  favor  of 
the  gi'cat  perfectly  intoxicated  him ;  so  that  even  the 
tliirty  pieces  of  silver,  which  the  avarice  of  the  priests 
offered  to  his  avarice,  was  a  tempting  bait.  At  this 
point  he  may  have  thought  that  Jesus  would  in  the 
hour  of  need  save  Himself  by  a  miracle,  and  go 
through  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  as  He  had  done 
more  than  once  before  (Luke  iv.  SO;  John  x.  39); 
or  that  he  would  resort  to  a  political  kingdom  in  the 
sense  of  the  tempter.  Matt.  iv.  0.  On  the  other  hand, 
he  may  have  flattered  himself  with  the  prospect  of 
the  greatest  favors  and  gains  from  the  Sanliedrin. 
Under  his  last  exasperation  at  the  paschal  supper, 
the  thought  of  treason  became  a  passionate  decision. 
He  saw  himself  detected  and  unmasked :  the  man  of 
hypocrisy  was  then  lost ;  the  treachery  was  accom- 
plished. But,  when  Jesus  did  not  save  Himself,  and 
the  Council  no  longer  cared  for  the  traitor,  the  thirty 
pieces  of  silver  lost  all  their  magical  glitter  for  him. 
On  the  one  hand,  the  scorn  of  the  world  weighed  on 
him  as  a  burden ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  dark 
mystery  of  the  death  of  Jesus,  the  possible  reahzation 
of  His  dread  predictions,  and  the  woe  of  tlie  Master 
still  ringing  in  his  ears.  His  rancorous  dejection  was 
now  turned  into  burning  despair.  How  he  still  sought 
to  save  himself,  the  narrative  of  his  exit  tells  us.  In 
our  view  of  his  history,  such  an  important  character 
among  the  Apostles  was  certainly  no  weak,  contracted, 
and  unawakened  man.    He  was  a  man  of  enthusiasm, 

30 


but  led  away  by  appearances ;  therefore,  when  the 
first  manifestation  of  Christ  paled,  he  lost  his  fiiith, 
despaired  of  Clirist,  and  perished.  How  he  could 
ever  have  entered  the  company  of  the  Apostles,  see 
Com.  on  Matt.  x.  The  main  motive  of  his  gloomy 
course  we  may  regard  as  a  combination  of  covetous- 
ness  and  ambition  carried  to  the  verge  of  madness, 
and  lost  in  the  labyrinths  of  hypocrisy.* 

DOCTKINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1 .  In  the  midst  of  the  company  of  disciples  at  Beth- 
any, we  see,  represented  in  a  living  type,  the  contrast 
between  Christianity  and  Anticuristiauity — an  exhibi- 
tion of  the  manner  in  which  the  one  wrestles  with  the 
other,  and  the  one  'm  brought  by  the  other  to  its  ripe 
perfection.  The  lurking  treachery  of  Judas,  and  the 
death  threatening  the  Lord,  were  the  dark  spirit 
which  raised  the  soul  of  the  woman  to  a  sublime, 
solemn,  and  joyous  feeling  of  self-sacrificing  love. 
And  this  noble  disposition,  with  the  anointing,  the 
odor  of  which  filled  the  whole  house,  became  the  bit- 
terest and  most  decisive  offence  to  the  soul  of  the 
traitor.  The  fundamental  characteristics  of  this  re- 
ciprocal influence  are  drawn  in  2  Thess.  ii. 

2.  For  the  last  time,  Judas  by  his  hypocrisy  drew 
a  large  part  of  the  disciples  into  the  snare  of  his  evil 
spirit.  This  circumstance,  and  the  fact  that  he  had 
the  bag,  throw  some  light  upon  his  relations  to  the 
disciples  generally.  He  was  a  man  of  fleeting  enthu- 
siasm, of  deceitful  appearances,  of  alluring  promises, 
among  the  Apostles;  his  power  of  demoniacal  elo- 
quence misled  most  of  the  company,  and  ensnared 
them  into  s}-mpathy.  For  the  sake  of  the  greater 
number  of  the  Apostles,  the  Lord  was  consti-ained  to 
tolerate  this  adversary,  until  he  sundered  himself  by 
a  spiritual  judgment  and  an  act  of  self-reprobation. 
Hence  the  moment  of  his  departure  was  to  the  Lord 
one  of  the  highest  significance.  {8ee  John  xiii.  31 ; 
Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  3.  p.  1328.) 

3.  "^he  justification  of  festal  offerings  of  love,  in 
opposition  to  sacrifices  for  the  proper  necessities  of 
the  poor,  is  strictly  connected  with  the  contrast  al- 
ready pointed  out.  Judas  knew  nothing  of  Christ  in 
the  poor,  when  he  took  offence  at  the  anointing  of 
Christ.  To  his  glance  the  world  appeared  (for  the 
sentiment  was  hypocritical)  to  be  sinking  into  infinite 
necessity  and  pauperism,  because  the  ideal  of  worldly 
abundance  and  pleasure  had  demoniacally  enkindled 
his  avarice.  Mary,  on  the  contrary,  poured  out  lav- 
ishly her  store,  because  in  her  pure  self-denial  she  let 
the  world  go,  and  found  her  peace  and  her  blessed- 
ness in  the  kmgdom  of  love  and  of  the  Spirit. 

4.  John  looked  deeper  into  the  heart  of  Judas 
than  tlie  other  disciples.  Similarly,  the  woman  went 
to  a  significant  extent  in  advance  of  the  disciples  in 
the  way  of  the  New  Covenant.  She  is  a  symbol  of 
the  quicker  development  of  the  female  spiritual  life. 
(Eve,  the  Virgin  Mary.)  Its  perfect  (1,  velopment  and 
consinnmation,  on  the  other  hand,  l^olongs  to  the 
man.  The  bclicvmg  woman  is  here  justified  by  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  house  of  Bethany  a  type  of  the  Church: 

*  [Comp.  Alford's  estimate  of  the  ch.aracter  and  motives 
of  Judas,  in  Com.  on  Matt.  xxvi.  14-1 C  (p.  247,  4th  ed.), 
which  agrees  with  that  of  Neander  {Lehen  Jesu,  p.  CSS); 
al3'>  Ewald,  Meyer,  Olshnusen,  and  Lbrard. — P.  S.] 


466 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


1.  The  Church  of  the  Spirit  darkened  by  the  Church 
of  hypocrisy ;  2.  the  Church  of  hypocrisy  condemned 
by  the  Church  of  the  Spirit. — The  self-sacrificing 
woman  and  the  covetous  apostle  in  the  company  ol 
the  disciples. — The  self-seeking  heart  in  the  Church 
turns  balsam  into  poison:  1.  It  turns  a  joyous  feast 
into  an  hour  of  temptation ;  2.  the  purest  offering  of 
love  into  an  offence;  3.  the  sacred  justification  of 
fidelity  into  a  motive  for  exasperation ;  4.  the  most 
gracious  warnings  against  destruction  into  a  doom  of 
death. — Even  among  the  Lord's  own  company,  the 
heart  that  is  truly  devoted  to  the  Saviour  must  be 
prepared  for  the  bitterest  trials.— Judas  the  type  of  a 
fiendish  spirit,  which  has  in  all  times  sent  traitors 
abroad  in  the  Church. — How  he  with  a  double  mind 
looked  always  a.skance :  1.  At  the  goods  of  this  world ; 

2.  at  the  favor  of  the  great ;  3.  at  the  fellowship  of 
the  priestly  order ;  4.  at  the  reward  of  treachery. — 
The  little  treasury  of  the  disciples  in  its  significant 
relation  to  the  future. — Covetousness  in  the  garment 
of  hypocrisy. — Covetousness  and  ambition  develop 
and  perfect  each  other. — Christ  and  His  poor. — The 
attempt  to  relieve  poverty  at  the  expense  of  Christ 
is  to  increase  it. — The  spirit  of  love  to  Christ  can 
alone  regulate  the  use  and  expenditure  of  earthly 
goods. — The  pious  presentiment  of  a  loving  heart 
thinks  beyond  and  above  its  own  clear  consciousness. 
The  unperishable  remembrance  of  beUevers  bound  up 
with  the  eternal  praise  of  the  Lord. — The  gospel 
makes  all  its  children  in  two  senses  immortal. — 
"  Then  went  one.  of  the  twelve^''  (ver.  14) ;  or  the  fear- 
ful fall:  1.  An  image  of  the  sinner's  Ufe  ;  and,  2.  a 
warning  for  every  Christian. — "  What  will  ye  give  meP' 
(ver.  15.)  The  commercial  spirit  in  its  light  and  its 
dark  side :  1.  Abraham's  intercession  for  Sodom  ;  his 
purchase  of  a  sepulchre ;  the  pearl  of  great  price,  etc. 
2.  The  treachery  of  Judas ;  Simony  in  the  Church, 
etc. — Christ  could  be  sold  only  for  the  price  of  a 
slave,  thirty  pieces  of  silver:  for  1.  the  highest  price 
would  in  relation  to  Him  be  a  mere  mockery ;  2.  the 
lowest  price  for  which  He  is  surrendered  up  is  enough 
for  perfect  treachery. — Many  of  His  disciples  are  look- 
ing only  for  a  good  opportunity  of  betraying  Him. — 
The  beginning  of  the  passion :  Christ,  like  Joseph, 
sold  by  His  brethren. — The  apostate  Christian  a 
seducer  of  the  enemies  of  Christ. — The  dark  mixture 
of  sense,  of  calculation,  and  insanity  in  the  death- 
path  of  the  backslider. — The  house  of  Bethany  and 
the  palace  of  the  high-priest.—  Christ  the  everlasting 
Defender  of  true  Christendom  against  all  the  assaults 
of  hypocrisy. 

Starke: — God  often  employs  weak  instruments 
for  the  accomplishment  of  His  hidden  purposes,  who 
surpass  the  men  in  Christ. —  Canstein :  He  who  heart- 
ily loves  Christ,  will  gladly  give  up  all  to  His  service. 
— Quesnel:  Riches  are  of  no  value,  unless  they  are 
helpful  to  Christ  and  His  people. — Canstein:  Many 
perform  acts  out  of  love  to  Christ  on  which  the  world 
puts  an  evil  construction. — He  that  touches  one  who 
loves  Jesus,  touches  the  apple  of  His  eye,  Zeeh.  ii.  8. 
— What  is  given  to  Christ  is  well  laid  out. — An  act 
must  be  estimated  according  to  its  source  in  the 


heart. — That  there  shall  always  be  poor,  is  God's 
ordinance  ;  but  that  there  should  always  be  beggars, 
might  be  prevented  by  good  human  ordinances. — 
Qv,esnel:  In  the  actions  of  God's  children  there  are 
often  secrets  which  they  themselves  do  not  under- 
stand.— The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed  for  ever, 
Ps.  cxii.  3,  6. — Their  name  is  as  ointment  poured  out, 
Eecl.  vii.  1. — Fellow-Christian,  be  not  disquieted  when 
your  own  companions,  relatives,  and  dependants,  to 
whom  you  have  done  nothing  but  good,  give  you  an 
evil  return ;  console  yourself  with  Christ. — Hedinger : 
0  cursed  avarice,  which  still  sells  Christ,  religion, 
fidelity,  and  faith ! — How  evil  are  often  the  uses  of 
gold  ! — Luther :  There  is  no  greater  enemy  to  man, 
after  the  devil,  than  a  niggard,  Prov.  xv.  27. — He 
who  sets  out  in  sin  will  easily  go  on ;  for  the  oppor- 
tunity to  perfection  is  never  wanting. 

Oerlach: — Love  to  Christ  urged  this  woman. — 
Her  whole  heart  was  thrown  into  this  act. — He  who 
loves  Jesus  does  not  love  a  mere  man,  or  creature, 
but  the  true  God,  and  eternal  life. — Whoso  thus  in- 
wardly loves  Jesus,  seeing  Him  present,  must  love 
Him  always,  when  no  longer  seen,  in  His  brethren, 
the  poor. — No  man  among  you.  He  says,  would  blame 
it,  iJf  so  much  were  spent  upon  My  burial  and  em- 
bahning ;  why  do  you  blame  her  now,  since  I  shall 
really  die  in  a  few  days  ? 

Heubner : — The  last  token  of  honor  which  Christ 
received  before  His  death. — The  sufferings  of  His  last 
hour  were  softened  to  Him  by  these  proofs  of  love. 
And  so  God  often  orders  it  with  ourselves. — The  in- 
wardness and  tenderness  of  which  woman  is  suscepti- 
ble in  her  love. — It  was  love  to  the  Saviour  of  her 
soul. — It  was  reverential  love,  set  upon  the  Son  of 
God. — Sacrifice  is  the  nature  and  nourishment  of 
love. — In  the  service  and  love  of  Christ  all  things  are 
dignified  and  made  holy. — This  anointing  had  a  sym- 
bolical meaning.  It  was  the  figure  of  that  full  stream 
of  love  which  poured  from  her  heart  on  Jesus  ;  the 
type  of  the  inexhaustible  streams  of  love  which  will 
proceed  from  the  redeemed  upon  Jesus  throughout 
eternity. — Application  of  the  anointing  to  the  mis- 
sionary cause. — Jesus  was  manifestly  moved  deeply 
in  His  heart  by  her  act.  Of  Himself,  and  the  dis- 
honor done  to  Him,  He  says  nothing.  It  grieves  Him 
that  the  woman  was  so  badly  treated.  To  grieve  a 
noble  soul  in  the  performance  of  a  glorious  act,  is  a 
heavy  offence. — In  hurting  Christlike  souls,  we  injure 
Christ  Himself.  We  should  always  hasten  to  mani- 
fest all  love  and  sympathy  toward  the  living.  It  is 
vain  to  wish  them  back  when  they  are  gone. — The 
final  and  highest  honor  done  to  goodness. — Christ 
assures  her  of  everlasting  remembrance  in  requital  of 
this  brief  dishonor,  and  thereby  gives  her  a  pledge 
of  her  eternal  honor  in  His  heavenly  kingdom. — 
What  Christ  determines  to  keep  in  lasting  credit  will 
be  truly  immortalized. — The  command  of  John  xi.  57 
might  have  occasioned  in  Judas  the  thought  which 
he  expressed. — Pitiable  are  Satan's  wages. 

Braune : — Here  a  table  is  spread  for  Him  in  the 
presence  of  His  enemies,  an^  His  head  is  anointed 
with  oil,  Ps.  xxiii.  6. 


CHAP.  XXVI.  n-so.  467 


THIRD    SECTION. 
CHRIST   THE   PASCHAL   LAMB,   AND   THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

Chapter  XXVI.  17-80. 
(Mark  xiv.  12-26 ;  Luke  xxii.  7-39  ;  John  xiii.  1-xviii.  1.) 

17  Now  the  first  day  of  i\\Q  feast  o/ unleavened  bread  the  disciples  came  to  Jesus,  say- 

18  ing  unto  him,  Where  wilt  thou  that  we  prepare  for  thee  to  eat  the  passover?  And  he 
said,  Go  into  the  city  to  such  a  man  [to  a  certain  man,  Trpos  toj/  Seua],  and  say  unto  him, 
The  Master  saith,  My  time  is  at  hand ;  I  will  keep  the  passover  at  thy  house  with  my 

19  disciples.     And  the  disciples  did  as  Jesus  had  appointed   [directed,  (rwerafei/]  them; 

20  and  they  made  [and  made]  ready  the  passover.     Now  wlien  the  even  [evening]  was 

21  come,  he  sat  down  [reclined  at  table]'  with  the  twelve  [disciples].''  And  as  tliey  did 
eat  [were  eating,  lcr6t6vT<Mv  airdv,  comp.  ver.  26],  he  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  one 

22  of  you  shall  [will]  betray  me.     And  they  were  exceeding  sorrowful,  and  began  every 

23  one  of  them  [each  one]^  to  say  unto  him,  Lord,  is  it  I?     And  he  answered  and  said, 

24  He  that  di[ipeth  his  [the,  t?;i/]  hand  with  me  in  the  dish,  the  same  shall  [will]  betray 
me.  The  Son  of  man  goeth  [departeth,  virdya]  as  it  is  written  of  him :  but  woe  unto 
that  man  by  whom  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed  !  it  had  been  [it  were]  good  for  that 

25  man  if  he  had  not  been  born.*  Then  Judas,  which  [who]  betrayed  him,  answered  and 
said.  Master  [Rabbi,  pa/3/3t],  is  it  I?     He  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  said  [it]. 

26  And  as  they  were  eating,  Jesus  took  bread,^  and  blessed®  if,''  and  brake  it,  and  gave 

27  it  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat;  this  is  my  body.     And  he  took  the  [a]  cup,^  and 

28  gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them,  saying.  Drink  ye  all  of  it;  For  this  is  my  blood  of 
the  [new]  ^  testament  [my  blood,  the  blood  of  the  new  covenant,  to  aifj.<x  fxov,  to  t^s 
KtttvTjs  Sta^rjKrys],'"  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  [for  remission,  ets  a^ecrtj/] 

29  of  sins.  But  [And]  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  [in  no  wise]"  drink  henceforth  of  this 
fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father's  kingdom. 

30  And  when  they  had  sung  a  hymn  [the  hymn  of  praise,  *.  e.,  the  great  Hallel,  Ps.  cxv.-cxviii.], 
they  went  out  into  the  mount  of  Olives. 

>  Ver.  20.— ['Are /cejTO.  Dr.  Lange  renders  avdicei/xai  and  avaicXlvoixa:  uniformly  and  correctly:  sich  en  Tische 
lagern,  to  fecline  at  table,  i.  e.,  accordintr  to  the  oriental  fashion  of  eating,  upon  a  couch  or  triuli.niiira,  which  was  usually 
higher  than  the  low  table  itself.  Honcc  John  could  lean  at  the  last  supper  on  Jesus'  boaoin,  John  xiii.  23.  See  (.Jrit,  Note 
4  on  p.  150,  and  the  Coranicntators  on  Luke  vii.  36. — P.  S.] 

"^  Ver.  20.— Lachmann  adds  fj.adrjTcii'  according  to  A.,  L.,  M.,  etc.     [Also  Cod.  Sin.ait.] 

3  Ver.  22.— [Thi!  text.  reo.  reads :  'iicaaros  aurtiou.  But  Dr.  Lanse,  with  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Tregelles,  Al- 
ford,  and  the  majority  of  witnesses  prefers:    fis   e  kuo-t  os,  each  one,  without  auTOui/.—P.  S.] 

••  Ver.  24. — [Ka\lii'  ?iv  avrai,  el  oIik  iyevvriOri  n  avOfwiror  iKfTfns.  Lanc'e:  I'ur  ihn  ware  es  Vesser,  wenn  er 
nicht  gehoren  -iciire,  fCu  jbnen  Menschen;  it  tcere  better  for-  him,  if  that  man  had  not  been  born.  The  English  Ver- 
sions, except  Wiclif 's,  take  the  liberty  of  transposing  the  pronoun  anil  the  noun.— P.  S.] 

s  Ver.  26.— The  art.  rov  before  &pTov  is  omittod  by  Lachmann  [and  Tregelles]  on  the  authority  of  B.,  C,  D.,  L.,  eta 
Meyer  favors  the  article,  [so  also  Tischendorf  and  AlfordJ,  and  explains  the  omission  from  liturgical  usage.  [Cod.  Sinait. 
omits  the  article  both  before  aprov  and  before  iroT-ripiov,  ver.  27.  It  is  not  found  in  the  par.illel  tests:  Mark  xiv.  22; 
Luke  xxii.  19.-P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  26.— For  ev\oy4\T  as:  B.,  D.,  Z.,  and  a  number  of  later  MSS.,  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Alford].  For 
fvxapi(TTr)tras:  Scholz  with  A.,  E.,  F.,  II.,  etc.,  consequently  a  larger  number  of  witnesses.  Mark  has  the  former 
reading,  Luke  and  also  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi.  %\,  the  latter,  and  it  is  supposed  that  the  liturgical  expression  of  tlie  Church  in. 
flaenced  our  text.  [Cod.  Sinait.  reads  i-jKoyr\aas,  like  B.,  D.,  L.,  Z.,  the  Syriac,  and  Vulgate  Versions  (benediHt).  Comp. 
Mark  xiv.  22.— P.  S.j 

'  Ver.  26.— [Dr.  Lange  translates:  sprach  den  Segan,  i.  e.,  pronounced  the  blessing,  or  gave  thanJcn,  b/esiied,  without 
it,  which  is  omitted  in  the  Greek,  !is  in  the  following  clauses  and  in  the  next  verse. — P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  2T.— The  article  before  cup  is  omitted  by  the  best  critical  auMiorities.  Lachra:inn  has  it  according  to  A.,  D., 
and  Rpcepta.  Meyer  thinks  that  it  was  inserted  from  liturgical  language.  [Cod.  Sinait.  and  the  editions  of  Tischendorf 
and  Alford,  omit  t  d .  The  genius  both  of  the  English  and  German  languages,  however,  requires  here  the  article,  defi- 
nite or  in<ieftnitc,  while  it  niay  be  omitted  in  both  before  bread. — P.  S.] 

•  Ver.  28.— K  a  (  f  ^  y  is  omitted  by  B.,  L.,  Z.,  etc.,  [Cod.  Sinait.],  and  given  uj)  by  Tischendorf  and  Meyer  (who  re- 
gard it  as  an  insertion  from  the  ancient  liturgies);  while  A.,  D.,  etc..  Irena-us,  and  Cyprian  favor  it,  and  Lachmann  re- 
tains it.  [So  also  Alford.  but  in  brackets.]  The  adjectivn  is  omitteil  also  in  Mark,  Codd.  B.,  C,  D.  The  Paulina  tradition, 
which  h.ad  it,  prevailed,  the  more  so  as  it  corre.-^ponds  with  the  nature  of  the  case. 

'"  Ver.  28. — [Dr.  Lantre  translates  S  laOri  kv  Bund,  covenant.  So  also  Castalio,  Beza,  Doddridge,  Campbell,  Norton, 
de  Wette,  Ewald  {inein  Bandeshliit),  Meyer,  Cro.sby,  <'oiiant.  Tiie  new  covenant  refers  by  contrast  to  the  old  covenant, 
that  of  Moses,  which  was  consecrated  by  the  blood  of  calves  and  goats.  See  the  Exeg.  Notes.  The  English  Version  renders 
SiaB-nKT]  by  testament  in  thirteen  pas-^agcs,  and  by  covenant  in  nineteen  pa.ssages  of  the  N.  T.— P.  8.] 

"  Ver.  29.— [In  Greek :  ixi  fj.v,  which  Dr.  Lunge  translates  more  emphatically :  mit  nichten,  by  iio  means,  in  no 
ioise;  Meyer:  getcisslich  nicht.  The  Bisliops'  Bible  translates  the  double  negation  here:  in  nowise;  in  ver.  85  still 
•tronger:  by  no  manner  of  means.    Other  Engl,  and  Germ.  Verss.  (also  Lange  in  ver.  35)  overlook  th«  emphasis.— P.  S.] 


4G8 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   JIATTIIEW. 


F.XEGETICAL  AND   CllITICAL. 


Ver.  17.  The  first  day  of  unleavened  bread. 
— On  the  14th  of  Ni.^an  the  leaven  was  removed,  and 
the  unleavened  loaves  (nilSiin)  took  their  place.  It 
was  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread,  foi-ming  the 
foundation  of  the  Passover,  ■which  did  not  begin  till 
the  15th  of  Nisan.  The  feast  of  faith  rested  upon  a 
feast  of  renunciation.  Hence  the  feast  was  reckoned 
to  last  eight  days  by  Josephus  {Antiq.  ii.  15,  1). 
These  words  are  express  against  the  ancient  notion, 
that  Jesus  celebrated  the  Passover  a  day^  earlier. 
Comp   Meyer,  p.  488. 

[The  words  t^  5e  -n-pdrri  raov  a^vnaiv  are 
equivalent  to  the  first  day  of  the  Passover,  and  im- 
portant for  the  settlement  of  the  chronological  diffi- 
culty. All  are  agreed  that  this  was  Thursday,  since 
Christ  died  on  Friday  (except  Dr.  Scj'ffarth,  who 
makes  it  Wednesday,  since  he  puts  the  crucifixion  on 
Thursday).  Bat  the  question  is  as  to  the  day  of  the 
month,  viz.,  whether  it  was  the  14th  of  Nisan,  at  the 
close  of  whicii  tlie  paschal  lamt)  was  slain,  as  Dr. 
Lange,  Wieseler,  Hengstenberg,  Baumlein,  Andrews, 
and  most  modern  commentators  of  this  passage  as- 
sert, or  the  13th  of  Nisan,  according  to  the  view 
of  the  Greek  Gliurch  and  of  those  commentators  who, 
from  a  different  point  of  view,  try  to  harmonize  the 
Synoptists  with  John.  Had  we  no  otlier  guide  in 
this  matter  than  the  Synoptists,  every  commentator 
would  probably  adopt  the  former  view,  for  the  follow- 
ing reasons  :  1.  It  is  the  obvious  meaning  of  the  term 
used  by  all  the  Synoptists :  "  the  first  day  of  un- 
leavened hread^''  especially  if  we  compare  ilark, 
who  characterizes  the  day  more  fully  by  adding  : 
"  When  they  killed  the  Passover  (i.  e.,  here  the  pas- 
chal lamb),  and  Luke,  who  says  in  equally  clear  terms : 
"  When  the  Passover  must  be  killed."  It  was  toward 
the  close  of  the  14th  of  Nisan  (probably  from  three 
o'clock  till  dark),  that  the  paschal  lamb  was  slain, 
and  all  preparations  made  for  the  feast  which  began 
with  the  paschal  supper  at  evening,  i.  c,  at  the  close 
of  the  14th  of  Nisan  and  the  beginning  of  the  15th 
of  Nisan  (which  day  was,  strictly  spealdng,  the  first 
day  of  the  feast,  although,  in  popular  language,  the 
Hth  was  called  the  first  day  of  Passover  or  of  un- 
leavened bread).  See  Ex.  xii.  18:  "In  the  first 
mouth  (Nisan),  on  the  14th  day  of  the  month  at  even, 
ye  shall  eat  unleavened  bread  until  the  one  and  tweu- 
tietli  day  of  the  month  at  even.".  Comp.  Lev.  xsiii. 
5  ;  Num.  xxviii.  16.  Dr.  Robinson  says  {Harm.  p. 
214)  :  "  Their  language  (of  the  Synoptists)  is  full, 
cxpHcit,  and  decided,  to  the  effect  that  our  Lord's 
last  meal  with  His  disciples  was  the  regular  and  or- 
dinary paschal  supper  of  the  Jews,  introducing  the 
festival  of  unleavened  bread  on  the  evening  after  the 
14th  day  of  Nisan."  Comp.  Meyer  in  loc. :  "  £s  ist 
der  14.  Nisan  {nach  den  Synoptikerii,  Donnerstag) 
gemeint,  mit  dessen  Abend  das  Passah  begann,  welcher 
aber  schon  gam  unter  den  Festlagen  mitgezdhlt  ist, 
nach  der  popular  ungenauen  Weise,  in  welcher  auch 
Josephus,  Antiq.  ii.  1 5, 1 ,  acht  Festtage  zahlf''  2.  It  is 
very  improbable  that  Christ,  who  came  not  to  destroy 
but  to  fulfil,  should  have  violated  the  legal  time  of  the 
Passover,  and  if  He  did  so,  we  would  have  some  inti- 
mation of  the  fact  in  the  Gospels.  3.  An  anticipatory 
sacrifice  of  the  paschal  lamb  in  the  court  of  the  tem- 
ple, on  the  13th  of  Nisan,  a  day  before  the  legal 
tune,  would  not  have  been  permitted  by  the  priests. 
Greswell  quotes  from  Philo  to  the  efieet,  that  each 
miin  was  then  liis  own  priest,  and  co'dd  slay  the  Iamb 


in  his  own  dwelling.    But  the  weight  of  authority 
goes  to  show  that  the  lamb  must  be  slain  in  the  tem- 
ple and  the  blood  be  sprinkled  on  the  altar  (Deut,  xvi. 
5,  6 ;  Ezra  vi.  20;  2  Chron.  xxxv.  11).     Hence  the 
\  Jews,  afcer  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  have  only  a 
Memorial  Passover,  confined  to  the  use  of  unleaven- 
ed bi'ead  and  bitter  herbs  with  the  usual  psalms  and 
prayers.     The  difliculty  then  arises  not   from   the 
I)la!n  statements  of  the  Synoptists,  but  from  certain 
I  passages  in  John  which  seem  to  contradict  the  for- 
i  mer,  and  from  the  apparent  probabihty  that  Christ 
should  have  been  tried,  condemned,  and  crucified  on 
the  15th  of  Nisan,  which  v,as  the  most  solemn  day 
I  of  the  Passover.     But  it  has  been  shown  in  the  intro- 
j  duction  to  this  chapter  that  these  difficulties  are  not 
i  insurmountable,  and  in  fact  not  so  great  as  those  prs- 
j  sented  on  the  other  side.     It  is  certain  that  John  and 
the  Synoptists  can  be  harmonized  on  the  chronologi- 
cal question    concerning    so  i-iiportant    a   part   of 
piimitive  tradition  as  the  date  of  the  Saviour's  death. 
-P.S.] 

To  prepaxe  the  Passover. — To  this  appertain- 
ed the  slaying  of  the  paschal  lamb,  which  usually  the 
Jewish  householder   attended   to,   and  which  took 
place  in  the  outer  court  of  the  temple ;  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  unleavened  loaves ;  the  provision  of  the 
'  other  requisites   of  the  feast ;  with  the  preparation 
j  of  the  chamber.     "The  iroD  shows  that  this  last  is 
here  intended."     Probably  all  had  been  done  on  tlie 
present  occasion  by  the  unknown  friend  of  the  Lord, 
1  to  whom  ver.  18  points,  without  the  disciples  know- 
!  ing  anything  about  it  beforehand.     The  male  young 
j  lamb  or  goat  must  be  one  year  old,  and  without  blem- 
,  ish  (Ex.  xii.  2,  S  sqq.).     It  was  slain  "  between  the 
i  evenings ;  "  that  is,  doubtless,  between  the  decline 
I  of  14th  Nisan,  or  the  first  evening,  which  extended 
to  sundown,  and  the  second  evening,  commencing  at 
six  o'clock.     This  is  the  chronological  explanation  of 
Josephus  and  the  Rabbins  ;  the  more  rigorous  expla- 
nation of  the  Karaites  and  the  Samaritans  was,  "  be- 
tween sundown  and  twilight."      The  blood  of  the 
lamb  was  now  no  longer  sprinkled  on  the  door-posts, 
but  was  taken  up  by  a  priest,  and  then  poured  or 
sprinkled  on  the  altar.     Starke,  after  Lundius  {JiXd. 
Alterthiimer):    A  crowd  of  IsraeUtes  was  received 
into  the  court,  the  gates  were  shut,  the  ti'umpets 
sounded.     The  householders  slew  their  lambs.     The 
I  priests  formed  a  row  which  extended  to  the  altar, 
I  received  the  blood  in  silver  basins,  which  they  passed 
i  on  from  one  to  another ;  and  those  who  stood  nearest 
I  the  altar  poured  it  out  at  its  feet,  whence  it  flowed 
j  subterraneously  into  the  brook  Kedron.     The  house- 
holder lifted  the  slain  lamb  to  a  hook  on  a  pillar,  took 
j  off  its  skm,  and  removed  the  fat.     This  last  the  priest 
!  burned  on  the  altar.     The    householder  uttered  a 
prayer,  and  carried  the  lamb  to  his  house,  bound  in 
its  skin.     The  head  of  the  house  where  the  feast  was 
held  received  the  skin.     When  the  first  crowd  de- 
parted, another  followed,  and  so  forth. 

Ver.  18.  Go  into  the  city. — The  abode  of 
Jesus  at  that  time  v.-as  in  Bethany.  According  to 
Luke,  the  intimation  was  given  to  Peter  and  John. 

To  a  certain  man;  -npbs  -rhv  Zf'iva. — The  Evange- 
list had  his  reasons  for  not  mentioning  the  name  of  the 
man  intended  by  Jesus.  According  to  Calvin,  Jesus 
did  not  give  his  name,  and  the  disciples  found  it  out 
by  a  miracle.  According  to  Theophylact  and  others. 
He  would  not  mention  the  name  in  the  presence  of 
Judas,  that  he  might  not  execute  his  purpose  of  be- 
trayal at  the  meal.  Mark  and  Luke  give  expressly 
the  manner  in  which  He  pointed  out  the  man: — 


CHAP.  XXVI.  11- 


at  tlieir  entrance  into  the  city  a  man  should  meet 
them  with  a  pitcher  of  water,  whom  they  were  to 
follow  to  the  house  wliither  he  went  And  tliey  have 
the  watchwords  given  to  them  which  tlicy  were  to 
speak,  just  as  they  were  given  to  those  who  sliould 
fetch  the  two  asses  for  the  entrance  into  the  city. 
Here,  therefore,  as  there,  it  is  to  be  presupposed :  1. 
That  the  man  marked  out  was  in  both  oases  a  be- 
liever ;  2.  that  there  was  some  kind  of  understanding 
between  the  Lord  and  the  man ;  3.  that  the  uuder- 
.standing,  especially  in  the  present  case,  contemplated 
caution.  4.  The  Lord's  assurance,  as  it  regards  this 
man,  reveals  the  certain  knowledge  of  the  Master, 
and  the  marvellous  influence  of  Ilis  authority.  And, 
in  the  present  case,  this  cautious  action  would  hin- 
der the  premature  accomplishment  of  Judas'  pur- 
pose. 

My  time  is  at  hand. — 1.  Kumoel  and  others  : 
The  time  of  My  Passover.  2.  Ewald  :  The  tune  of 
Jly  Messianic  manifestation  from  heaven.  3.  De 
Wette,  Meyer :  The  time  of  My  death.  The  text 
gives  only  the  meaning :  the  certain  period  of  the  de- 
cisive crisis.  De  Wette :  According  to  the  view  of 
the  Synoptists  (rather,  of  all  the  Evangelists),  the 
Passover  and  the  passion  of  Christ  were  inseparably 
comiected.  This  expression  proves  also  the  unsound- 
ness of  the  old  hypothesis,  that  Jesus  ate  the  Pass- 
over a  day  earlier  than  the  proper  time. 

Ver.  20.  He  reclined  at  table. — According  to 
the  ancient  custom  of  reclining  at  the  table,  with 
the  left  hand  resting  upon  the  couch.  It  is  remark- 
able that  the  Jews  themselves  ventured  to  modify 
the  legal  prescription,  which  required  them  to  eat  the 
Passover  standing,  with  staff  in  hand,  Exod.  xii.  11. 
The  rabbinical  explanation  is  this :  3Ios  servorum  est, 
ut  cdant  s/anfe.t,  at  nunc  comedunt  reacmbeiites,  ut 
dignoscatur,  ezmse  eos  a  servitute  in  lihertatem.  [Dr. 
Wordsworth  malces  a  liberal  remark  here,  which  is 
doubly  to  be  appreciated  as  coming  from  a  strict 
Episcopalian :  "  Uod  had  commanded  the  attitude  of 
standing  in  the  reception  of  the  paschal  meal ;  the 
Jewish  cJiurch  having  come  to  the  land  of  promise, 
and  being  there  at  rest,  reclined  at  the  festival,  and 
our  Lord  conformed  to  that  practice, — a  proof  that 
positive  commands  of  a  ceremonial,  kind,  even  of 
Divine  origin,  are  not  immutable  if  they  are  not  in 
order  to  a  permanent  end." — P.  S.] 

Ver.  21.  And  as  they  were  eating. — The  Cel- 
ebration of  the  Passover. — The  company  at  table 
might  not  be  less  than  ten  persons  (Joseph.  Bdl.  Jul. 
vi.  9,  3).  It  generally  included  from  ten  to  twenty, 
according  to  the  family,  or  as  enlarged  by  strangers. 
The  image  of  a  complete  Church  in  the  house.  The 
rites  of  the  feast  were  regulated  by  the  succession  of 
the  cups,  filled  with  red  wine,  commonly  mixed  with 
water.  1.  Announvenient  of  the  FeoM. — The  liead  of 
the  house  uttered  the  thanksgiving  or  benediction 
over  the  wine  and  the  feast,  drinking  the  first  cup. 
Then  followed  the  remainder  of  the  household.  The 
washing  of  hands,  after  praise.  2.  They  then  ate  the 
bitter  herbs,  dipped  in  vinegar  or  salt  water,  in  re- 
membrance of  the  sorrows  which  their  fathers  under- 
v/eut  in  Egypt.  Meanwhile  the  paschal  dishes  were 
brought  iu — the  well-seasoned  broth  (called  charo- 
eeth),  the  unleavened  loaves,  the  festal  offerings,  and 
the  lamb.  All  these  things  were  then  explained. 
They  sang  the  first  part  of  the  ilallel,  or  song  of 
praise,  Ps.  cxiii.,  cxiv.,  and  the  second  cup  was  drunk. 
3.  Then  began  the  feast  proper  (at  which  they  re- 
clined) :  the  householder  took  two  loaves,  broke  one 
in  two,  laid  it  upoii  the  whole  loaf,  blessed  it,  wrap- 


ped it  with  bitter  herbs,  dipped  it,  ate  of  it,  and 
handed  it  round  with  the  words  :  "  This  is  the  bread 
of  atHiction,  which  our  fachers  ate  in  Egypt."  He 
then  blessed  the  paschal  lamb,  and  ate  of  it ;  the  fes- 
tal offerings  were  eaten  with  the  bread,  dipped  in  the 
broth ;  and  finally  the  lamb.  The  thanksgiving  for 
the  meal  followed  the  blessing  and  drinking  of  the 
tliird  cup.  4.  The  remainder  of  the  Hallel  was  sung, 
Ps.  cxv.-cxviii.,  and  the  fourth  cup  drunk.  Occa- 
sionally a  fifth  cup  followed,  wlule  Ps.  cxx.-cxxvii. 
were  pronounced,  but  no  more.  The  first  cup  was 
thus  devoted  to  the  announcement  of  the  feast ;  and 
Luke  tells  us  th;it  with  this  cup  Christ  announced  to 
the  di.sciples  that  this  was  the  last  feast  which  He 
would  celebrate  with  them  in  this  world ;  and  that 
He  would  celebrate  with  them  a  new  feast  in  His  Fa- 
ther's kingdom.  The  second  cup  was  devoted  to  the 
interpretation  of  the  festal  act :  with  it  the  Apostle 
Paul  connects  the  exhortation :  "  As  oft  as  ye  eat 
of  this  bread,"  etc.,  "  ye  show  forth  the  Lord's  death." 
Tlie  third  cup  followed  the  breaking  of  the  loaves, 
whicli  celebrated  the  unleavened  bread,  and  was  the 
cup  of  t'nanksgiving :  this  the  Lord  consecrated  as 
the  cup  of  the  New  Covenant,  as  He  had  consecrated 
the  breaking  of  bread  as  the  remembrance  of  His 
broken  body,  the  bread  of  life.  Thus,  as  in  baptism 
He  loosed  from  the  Old  Testament  circumcision  the 
sacred  washing  which  accompanied  it,  and  made  it 
tlie  New  Testament  sacrament  of  the  covenant  en- 
tered into,  so  also  now  He  severed  the  breaking  of 
bread  and  the  cup  of  thanksgiving  from  the  Old  Tes- 
tament Passover,  and  made  it  a  sacrament  of  the 
New  Testament  redemption. 

Two  <iuestions  concerning  the  several  modifica- 
tions of  the  original  Passover-rites,  may  here  be  briefly 
discussed  (comp.  also  my  Lehen  Jem,  ii.  3,  p.  1422) : 
1.  As  it  respects  the  relation  of  this  account  to  the 
Gospel  of  John :  he  relates  the  waslung  of  the  feet, 
which  introduced  the  Passover,  with  its  interpreta- 
tion ;  and  he  presupposes  the  institution  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  itself  as  well  known.  We  find  it  hinted  at  in 
the  fVToA.7)  KOAuh,  John  xui.  34.  The  contention  as 
to  which  was  the  greatest,  Luke  xxii.  24,  probably 
preceded  the  feetwasliing,  and  was  its  immediate 
occasion.  2.  As  to  the  participation  of  Judas  in.  the 
Lord's  Supper,  we  learn  from  John  (xui.  3())  that  the 
traitor  v/cnt  away  immediately  after  he  had  received 
the  sop  dipped  hi  the  vessel  of  the  charoseth.  As  the 
sop  can  hardly  be  supposed  to  mean  only  the  bitter 
herbs,  the  distribution  of  the  bread  must  have  pre- 
ceded, if  the  rites  had  gone  on  as  usual,  but  not  the 
distribu'ion  of  the  third  cup.  Thus  it  might  seem 
that  Judas  departed  between  the  breaking  of  the 
bread  and  the  cup  of  thanksgiving.  The  account  of 
Luke,  indeed,  and  it  alone,  appears  to  pre-suppose 
the  participation  of  Judas  in  the  full  supper  of  both 
bread  and  wine.  But  his  chronological  sequence  is 
not  exact ;  for  it  is  his  purpose  to  mark  strongly  the 
contradiction  between  the  spirit  and  feelings  of  the 
disciples,  and  the  sacred  meaning  of  the  feast.  Hence 
the  contention  follows  at  the  close,  ver.  24,  although 
it  had  doubtless  taken  place  before  the  washing  of 
the  feet.  But  Luke  Ukewise  assures  us  that  Christ 
blessed  the  cup  /j-era  to  Secrj/^ffa/,  so  that  the  later 
declaration  :  "  The  hand  of  him  that  betrayeth  Me 
is  with  Me  on  the  table,"  must  be  referred  to  an  ear- 
Uer  moment.  After  the  third  cup  nothing  more  waa 
eaten.  But  if  we  mark  Matthew's  account  more 
carefully,  we  may  conclude  that  the  breaking  of  the 
broad  was  deferred  a  little  beyond  the  exact  ritual 
time.     It  took  place  after  the  traitor  was  indicated 


470 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


as  such,  and  after  he  had  doubtless  departed.  Hence, 
then,  the  glorification  of  the  Son  of  Man,  according  to 
John,  in  the  symbolical  act  of  the  Supper,  might  pro- 
ceed, John  xiii.  31.  Most  of  the  Fathers  and  schoohnen 
were  in  favor  of  Judas'  participation:  Cyprian,  Jer- 
ome, Augustine,*  Thomas  Aquinas,  Calvin, f  Beza,  etc. 
Against  it  were  Tatian,  Ammonius,  Hilary,:^  etc.,  and 
many  Reformed  theologians  [also  Nast,  p.  572]. 
The  discussion  of  the  point  cannot,  without  forcing, 
be  made  theologically  important  in  the  confessional 
controversies  between  Romanists  and  Protestants, 
Lutherans  and  Reformed.  Comp.  Wichelhaus,  1.  c, 
p.  2.57. 

[Ver.  21.  One  of  you  will  betray  Me. — 
Wordsworth  :  "  Observe  how  tenderly  He  deals  with 
the  traitor.  Before  supper  He  washed  his  feet ;  and 
He  did  not  say :  he  will  betray  Me,  but  '  one  of  you,'' 
— in  order  to  give  him  an  opportunity  for  repentance  ; 
and  He  terrifies  them  all,  in  order  that  He  may  save 
one.  And  when  He  produced  no  effect  on  his  insen- 
sibihty  by  this  indefinite  intimation,  yet,  still  desirous 
of  touching  his  heart.  He  draws  the  mask  off  from  the 
traitor,  and  endeavors  to  rescue  him  by  denuncia- 
tions."— Similar  remarks  are  made  by  the  Fathers, 
Chrysostom,  Jerome,  and  Leo  M.  See  Catena  Aurea. 
—P.  S.] 

Ver.  22.  Lord,  is  it  I  ? — See  the  particulars  of 
this  scene  in  Com.  on  St.  John. 

Ver.  '23.  Into  the  dish. — According  to  John,  an 
allusion  to  Ps.  xli.  10.  Meyer,  following  de  Wette: 
"  Yet  no  such  plain  intimation  as  that  which,  in 
John  xiii.  26,  Jesus  gave  to  John.  For  it  is  not 
probable  that  the  dipping  took  place  after  the  ex- 
pression of  Jesus  in  ver.  21,  and  after  the  sensation 
of  ver.  22,  but  rather  before,  when  certainly  several 
of  the  disciples  had  had  their  hand  in  the  dish."  The 
last  is  quite  doubtful.  Comp.  my  remarks  on  Mark 
xiv.  20. — Meyer  :  "  What  is  meant  here  was  the  sop 
of  charoseih  (noiin),  which  was  prepared  of  dates, 
figs,  etc.,  and  which  was  of  a  brick  color  (in  remem- 
brance of  the  Egyptian  bricks  ;  Maimonides,  ad  Pe- 
sach,  7,  11)." 

Ver.  24.  The  Son  of  Man  departeth.— That 
is,  to  death. 

As  it  is  written  of  Him.— De  Wette :  "  This 
indicates  the  necessity  of  death  or  fate,  after  the  Jew- 
ish view."  It  rather  indicates  the  Father's  counsel 
according  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ. 

But  woe ! — De  Wette  calls  this  an  imprecation, 
as  in  eh.  xviii.  6  ;  confoundhig  the  Christian  and  the 
heathenish  spirit,  as  before.  The  expression  was  a 
proverbial  one,  and  very  common,  as  Wetstein  shows 
by  many  rabbinical  passages.  Here,  it  is  to  be  re- 
membered, the  man  as  that  particular  man  in  Ms  act 
is  meant ;  not  the  man  in  himself,  as  that  would 
tJirow  an  imputation  upon  his  original  creation. 
[Stier :  This  woe  is  the  most  affecting  and  melting 


*  [.A-ugustine :  "Peter  and  -Judiis  received  of  the  same 
bread,  but  Peter  to  life,  Judas  to  death." — P.  8.] 

t  [Calvin  is  not  positive  on  this  point.  Compare  his  re- 
marks on  Luke  xxii.  21  (in  Tholuck's  edition  of  Calvin's 
Com.  on  the  Harmony  of  the  Gospels,  i.  p.  807) :  "  Idea 
apwl  Luoam  poseitur  adversaria  particula,  veruntamen 
ecf.e  manus  prodenUs  me  mecuni  ext  in  inensa.  Msi  au- 
(em,  peracta  demum  caena  hoc  Christi  dictum  Lucas  subii- 
cit,  NO.N  POTEST  tamen  inde  certa  coUigi  temporis  series, 
quam  scimu.i  SjEpb  ab  Evangelistia  negligi.  Puobabile 
TAME^f  ESSE  NON  NEGo,  JuDAM  AFPUissE,  qiium  Corporis  et 
sanguinis  siii  si/mhola  Chrixtus  suis  diatrihueret." — P.  S.] 

X  [Hilury:  "Tlie  passover  was  concluded  .  .  .  without 
Judas,  for  he  was  unvvorthy  of  the  communion  of  eternal 
sacraments."— P.  S.] 


lamentation  of  love,  which  feels  the  woe  as  much  as 
holiness  requires  or  will  admit. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  25.  Thou  hast  said  it. — Formula  of  affirm- 
ation common  among  the  Jews,  Greeks,  and  Romans. 
De  Wette  and  Meyer  consider  this  passage  contra- 
dictory to  John  xiii.  26.  But  it  is  no  other  than  one 
of  those  cases  in  which  John  supplements  the  rest. 
Without  doubt,  Judas  only  at  the  last  moment  asked, 
"7s  it  I ?"  and  the  answer  of  Jesus,  spoken  proba- 
bly with  softened  voice,  retreated  behind  the  excla- 
mation, "  What  thou  doesf,  do  quicldy  !  " 

Ver.  26.  As  they  were  eating,  Jesus  took 
bread. — Not  after  the  finished  paschal  feast,  as  Wet- 
stein, Kuinoel,  and  Scholz  suppose.  Rather,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  breaking  of  the  bread,  and  the  cup  of 
thanksgiving,  were  taken  from  two  elements  in  the 
Passover-rite.  But  the  act  of  the  breaking  of  the 
bread  is  brought  down  somewhat  later;  unless  we 
assume  that  it  had  already  taken  place  in  a  prepara- 
tory way,  and  thus  was  in  some  sense  repeated. 
[The  Fathers  refer  here  to  the  consecration  of  bread 
and  wine  by  Melchisedek,  the  priest-king,  as  a  type 
of  the  Eucharist  (Gen.  xiv.  18  sqq. ;  Ps.  ex.  4  ;  Heb, 
vii.  1-15).  Bengel  observes  on  the  order  eiiXn-yljaas, 
iKkaji  (comp.  Luke  xxii.  19  and  1  Cor.  xi.  24,  sh- 

XoplTTvaas,    ^KAaae)  :    "  FREGIT  post  BENEDICTIONEM  ; 

contra  transubstantiationem.  Accidens  enim,  quale 
post  benedictionem  panem  esse  ajunt,  non  potest 
frangiP  From  the  giving  of  thanks  (ivxa.()\.aTi\ua-i) 
and  blessing  (euXoyriaas)  the  offering,  the  holy  com- 
munion is  called  fuxa-pioTici.  Seethe  patristic 
passages  in  Suicer's  iliesaurus,  sub  verba. — P.  S.] 

Take,  eat;  this  is  My  body. — This,  in  the 
neuter  (t  o  0  t  o).  Therefore  not  directly  6  apros. 
So,  in  what  follows,  this  is  not  the  cup,  but  what  was 
presented.  Starke  :  "  The  expression  :  '  The  bread 
is  the  body  of  Christ,  the  wine  Christ's  blood,'  is  not 
properly  scriptural,  but  a  propositio  ecclesiastica  ; 
although  it  is  not  incorrect,  rightly  understood." 
Against  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation.*  So,  in 
1  Cor.  xi.  it  is  not,  "  This  cup  is  My  blood."  Meyer 
(a  Lutheran  by  profession)  thus  explains  the  words 
of  institution :  "  Since  the  whole  Passover  was  a  sym- 
bolical festival  of  remembrance ;  since,  further,  the 
body  of  Jesus  was  still  unbroken,  and  His  blood  still 
unshed :  none  of  those  present  at  the  table  could 
have  supposed  that  they  were  doing  what  was  impos- 
sible,— that  is,  that  they  were  in  any  sense  actually 
eating  and  drinking  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord. 
Again,  the  words  spoken,  according  to  Luke  and 
Paul,  in  connection  with  the  cup  {^)  Kaiyi]  SiadriK-q), 
absolutely  exclude  the  sense  that  the  wine  in  the  cup 
was  actually  itself  the  New  Covenant.  For  all  these 
reasons,  eo-ri  can  be  no  other  than  the  copula  of  sym- 
bolical relation.  'This  broken  bread  here  which  you 
are  to  take  and  to  eat  is  symbolically  Mi/  body,  or 
the  symbol  of  My  body  which  is  about  to  be  offered 
up. '  "  So  far  Meyer.  He  then  contends  against  the 
reference  of  the  awina  to  the  mystical  body  of  Christ, 
the  Church  (a  view  held  by  fficolampadius,  Schult- 
hess,  and  Weisse).  We  distinguish,  in  conformity 
with  the  tenor  of  all  the  ritual  usages  of  the  Old  Cove- 
nant, between  the  allegorical,  the  symbolical,  and  the 
typical  meamng,  as  they  all  concur  in  the  sacrament- 
al.    1.  The  allegorical  (commonly  called  symbolical) : 


*  [Similarly  Alford :  "The  form  of  expression  is  impor- 
tant, not  being  oStos  6  apros,  or  oStos  6  ohos,  but  toO. 
TO,  in  both  cases,  or  touto  -rh  irorvpiov,  not  the  bread  or 
wine  it.self,  but  the  thing  itself  in  p.ach  case;  precluding  all 
idea  of  a  substantial  change." — P.  8.] 


CHAT.  XXVI.  l'7-30. 


471 


The  paschal  lamb  was  an  appropriate  didactic  figure 
of  the  ideally  sacrificed  firstrbom  and  their  deliver- 
ance, a  figure  which  at  the  same  time  signified  the 
deliverance  of  Israel : — the  breaking  of  the  bread 
and  the  cup  signify  the  broken  body  and  the  shed 
blood  of  Christ.  2.  The  .si/mbolica!  :  The  paschal 
lamb  was  the  symbol  and  assurinff  sij;:i  or  jiledge  of 
the  propitiatory  offering  up  of  the  spiritual  first-born, 
the  priests  of  Israel  set  apart  for  the  people : — the 
bread  and  the  cup  are  the  sealing  signs  of  the  re- 
deeming propitiation  which  was  accomplished  by 
Christ  in  Eis  perfect  high-priestly  sacrifice,  which 
was  changed  from  a  sin-offering  of  death  into  a 
thank-offering  of  life.  3.  The  typical :  The  feast  of 
the  Passover  was  a  prophecy  in  act ;  that  is,  the  me- 
dium and  the  sign  of  the  future  of  the  suffering  and 
triumphing  Christ : — the  bread  and  the  cup  are  the 
type ;  they  are  the  media  of  the  spiritual  transforma- 
tion of  believers  through  fellowship  mth  the  glorified 
Chiist.  Thus,  didactic  spiritual  enlightenment,  a 
sealed  covenant  redemption,  and  real  participation 
in  the  glorified  Christ,  are  the  three  elements  which 
make  the  Supper  a  mysterious  seal  or  sacrament  of 
finished  salvation.  According  to  Meyer,  the  Luther- 
ans and  the  Roman  Catholics  agree  in  the  excgetical 
interpretation  of  e  o-  t  i ,  since  both  take  the  word  as 
the  copula  of  actual  being.  He  thinks  they  only 
difier  in  their  dogmatic  definition  of  the  manner  of 
the  being.  Similarly  there  is  an  exegetical  agree- 
ment and  a  dogmatic  disagreement  between  Zwingli 
and  Calvin,  who  both  take  the  e  o-ti  as  a  symbolical 
copula.  But  doctrine  goes  back  to  exegesis.  The 
e  (T  T 1  of  the  Romanists  means  in  fact :  "  it  has  become 
in  a  hidden  manner  ; "  that  of  the  Lutherans  :  "  it  is 
in  a  certain  sense  and  partially  ;  "  that  of  Zwingli : 
"  it  is  in  an  exclusively  spiritual  sense ; "  that  of  Cal- 
vin :  "  it  is  in  a  concrete,  spiritual-real  manner."  On 
the  allegorical  and  symbolical  occurrence  of  e  o-  t  i 
(which,  however,  was  not  spoken  in  Aramaic),  see 
Exod.  xii.  11 ;  John  xv.  1 ;  Luke  vii.  1  ;  Gal.  iv.  24  ; 
Heb.  X.  20. 

[De  Wctte,  Meyer,  Alford,  and  others  agree  with 
Lange  that  the  verb  is  was  not  spoken  in  the  origi- 
nal Aramaic  (^5D'r!!3  Nfl  or  ''lUJS).  Alford,  whose 
lengthy  explanation  of  the  words  of  institution  does 
not  seem  to  me  very  clear,  infers  from  this  probable 
omission  that  the  much  controverted  i<T  ri  should 
not  be  urged  at  all.  "In  the  original  tongue  in 
which  the  Lord  spoke,  it  viould  not  be  expressed  ;  and 
as  it  now  stands,  it  is  merely  the  logical  copula  be- 
tween the  subject  this  and  the  predicate  My  body." 
But  the  verb  is  in  the  Greek  text,  and  has  to  be  dis- 
posed of  in  some  way.  De  Wette  thinks  that  f  rrn' 
may  be  real  (Luther),  or  symbolical  =  significat 
(Zwingli) ;  but  that  here  the  latter  alone  is  admissible 
in  view  of  the  symbolical  character  of  the  whole  dis- 
course and  action,  and  in  view  of  the  impossibility 
of  Christ's  real  living  body  being  then  offered  to  the 
disciples  as  food.  He  refers  to  Luke  xii.  1 ;  Heb.  x. 
20;  Gal.  iv.  24;  John  xiv.  6;  xv.  1,  .5,  etc.,  as  in- 
stances of  this  s}Tnbolical  meaning  cf  inrl.  A  very 
large  number  of  other  passages  have  been  quoted 
over  and  over  again  in  the  various  stages  of  the  sac- 
ramental controversy,  by  Ratramnus,  Bcrengarius, 
Zwingli,  Schulz,  and  others,  in  favor  of  the  figura- 
tive interpretation.  It  is  an  acknowledged  law  of 
thought  and  language  that  the  copula  never  really 
identifies  two  things  essentially  diSerent,  but  brings 
simply  the  subject  and  predicate  into  a  relation,  the 
exact  nature  of  which  depends  upon  the  nature  of 
the  subject  and  predicate.     This  relation  may  be  real 


or  symbolical,  may  be  full  or  partial  identity,  or  mere 
resemblance.  But  it  is  perhaps  more  correct  to  say, 
that  the  figure  in  these  cases  does  not  lie,  as  is  usual- 
ly assumed,  in  the  auxiliary  verb  {((rrl),  but,  as  CEco- 
lampadius  suggested,  and  as  Maldonatus  maintains  in 
his  lengtliy  exposition  of  Matt.  xxvi.  26  (though  ho 
denies  the  figure  in  this  case),  either  in  the  subject, 
or  more  usually  in  the  ])rcdleate.  If  I  say  of  a  pic- 
ture :  "  This  is  Martin  Luther,"  I  mean  to  say :  This  is 
(really  and  truly)  a  picture  of  Martin  Luther,  or  the 
man  which  this  picture  represents  is  M.  L.  If  I  say : 
"  The  dove  is  the  Holy  Spirit,"  I  mean  to  identify  the 
dove  with  the  Holy  Spirit  only  in  a  symbolical  or 
figurative  sense.  In  both  these  cases  the  figure 
lies  in  the  subject.  But  if  I  say :  "  Peter,  thou  art 
rock,"  or  "Christ  is  the  rock,  the  lamb,  the  door, 
the  bread,  the  vine,"  etc.,  etc.,  the  figure  Ues  in  the 
predicate,  and  I  mean  to  convey  the  idea  that  Christ 
is  really  all  this,  not  in  a  literal  and  physical,  but  in 
a  higher  spiritual  sense,  the  rock  of  ages,  the  lamb 
of  God,  the  bread  of  eternal  life.  As  to  the  words 
of  institution,  already  TertuUian  explained  them  by 
circumscribing :  hoc  est  figura  corporis  mei,  but  he 
also  uses  the  term  reprcesentat  for  est  {Adv.  Marc.  i. 
14;  iii.  19;  iv.  40).  That  there  is  some^/m;^  figura- 
tive in  the  words  of  the  Saviour,  is  conclusively  evi- 
dent from  the  text  according  to  St.  Luke  and  St. 
Paul :  Tof'To  jh  TT  0  r  71  p  t  o  p  (not :  ovroi  6  oIa'os)  ri 
Kaivri  StadnK-q  iaTlf  iv  tqJ  (fxcc  al/uart,  where  the  cup 
is  used  for  the  wine, — a  clear  ease  of  a  synecdoche 
confinentis  pro  contento, — and  the  covenant  for  the 
blood.  Maldonatus,  the  Jesuit  commentator,  to  get 
rid  of  this  difficulty,  boldly  declares  that  Christ  never 
spoke  these  words  ("  Nego  Christum  hcec  verba  dix- 
isse,"  etc.) ;  but  this  does  not  help  the  case,  since 
the  inspired  Luke  and  Paul  must  certainly  be  regard- 
ed as  authentic  expounders  of  the  Saviour's  meaning, 
and  Paul  moreover  expressly  declares  that  he  derived 
his  account  of  the  institution  of  tlie  holy  supper  di- 
rectly from  the  Lord.  We  sec  then  that  even  the 
Romish  interpretation,  which  otherwise  is  the  most 
consistently  literal,  cannot  be  carried  out  exegetically, 
much  less  philosophically,  and  in  order  to  maintain 
the  thesis,  that  the  bread  is  no  bread  at  all  as  to 
substance,  but  the  real  body  of  Christ  and  nothing 
else,  it  must  contradict  the  laws  of  reason,  the  testi- 
mony of  the  senses  (the  eyes,  the  smell,  the  taste), 
the  declaration  of  Paul,  who  calls  the  eucharistic  bread 
still  bread,  even  after  the  consecration  (1  Cor.  x.  16 ; 
xi.  26,  2Y,  28),  and  must  overthrow  the  true  nature 
of  the  sacrament  by  destroying  the  natural  elements. 
But  the  figurative  exposition  of  the  words  of  institu- 
tion does  by  no  means  force  us  to  stop  with  that 
sober,  jejune,  common-sense  view  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, which  regards  it  as  a  purely  commemorative  or- 
dinance; it  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  deeper 
view  that  it  is  at  the  same  time  tlie  feast  of  a  vital 
union  of  the  soul  with  the  whole  person  of  the  Sa- 
viour, and  a  renewed  appfieation  of  all  the  benefits  of 
Ills  atoning  sacrifice,  so  significantly  exhibited  and 
offered  in  tliis  holy  ordinance.  Sec  the  further  Exeg. 
JVotes,  and  the  Doctrinal  Thoughts  below. — P.  S.] 

Eat. — Meyer :  Eating  and  drinking  are  the  sym- 
bol of  the  spiritual  appropriation  of  the  saving  virtue 
of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  in  His  crucifixion  and  blood- 
shedding  (comp.  Paul :  to  vnip  v,uwv),  in  living  and 
saving  faith  (comp.  John  vi.  51  sqq.);  so  that  this 
symbolical  participation  of  the  elements  represents  a 
spiritual,  living,  and  vivifying  icdivu.'via  with  the  body 
and  blood  (1  Cor.  x.  16).  De  Wette  (after  Olshau- 
sen) :  "  We  must  not  suppose  that  Jesus  Himself  ate 


472 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


of  this  bread  ;  He  imparted  simply,  but  did  not  re- 
ceive." This  is  contrary  to  tlie  profound  meaning 
of  communion  (symbolized  by  the  shew-bread),  which 
is  also  communion  with  the  Lord.  Just  because  the 
dying  Saviour  Himself  partook  of  the  bread  and  wine, 
He  imparted  to  these  elements  their  unique  signifi- 
cance. It  is  true,  however,  that  at  the  words  and 
during  the  act  of  distribution  the  disciples  alone  re- 
ceived the  bread  and  the  wine.  Starke  :  "  Some  of 
the  Fathers  (Jerome,  Augustine)  held  the  opinion 
that  Jesus  ate  and  drank;  hence  they  said  that  He 
was  sui  ipsius  ho.ipes.  But,  if  we  yield  this  at  all, 
we  must  quaUfy  it  by  saying  that  it  was  not  a  comes- 
iio  sacramcntalis,  but  a  p7-a;ffusla(io  and  prwhibiUo 
eomec7-atoriay  De  Wette :  "  With  au/xa  there  is 
wanting  the  necessary  rl  inrep  v/xojf  OLSi'inevov  of 
Luke,  or  the  K\(aaevov  of  Paul  (which,  perhaps,  is 
still  bitter  supported),  in  order  that  not  a  substance, 
but  a  fact,  might  be  indicated."  We  say  rather  a 
.substance  in  action.  The  words  of  Luke  :  "  Do  this 
in  remembrance  of  Me,"  were  derived  from  the  nature 
of  the  institution,  and  remained  in  the  remembrance 
of  the  Cliurch ;  among  the  Jewish  Christians,  for 
whom  Matthew  wrote,  the  words  might  have  been 
omitted  the  more  easily,  because  they  still  celebrated 
the  Passover. 

Ver.  27.  And  He  took  the  cup.— The  article 
is  doubtful.  But  it  is  defined,  not  only  by  Luke  and 
Paul,  but  also  by  Matthew,  as  the  well-known  cup  in 
connection  with  or  after  the  meal,  which  could  only 
be  the  third, — as  is  proved  also  by  the  mention  of 
the  communion  cup  as  the  cup  of  thanksgiving  in  1 
Cor.  X.  16,  which  corresponds  with  the  name  of  the 
third  cup  in  the  Jewish  Passover.  Meyer,  on  the 
contrary,  asks :  "Where  would  then  have  been  the 
fourth  cup,  over  which  the  second  part  of  the  Hallel 
was  sung  ?  "  And  he  thinks  it  improbable  that  Je- 
sus, after  the  cr.p  of  symbolical  significance,  would 
have  added  another  cup  without  any  such  signifi- 
cance, also  that  ver.  29  excludes  any  additional  cup. 
But  the  fourth  cup  marked  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  feast,  and  as  such  needed  no  particular  men- 
tion. Moreover,  it  had  no  special  reference  to  the 
paschal  lamb,  as  Maimonides  testifies  (Lightfoot) : 
Deinde  miscei  poculum  quarium,  et  super  illud  per- 
Jicit  Hallel,  addiique  insuper  benedictionem  Caniici, 
quod  est:  '■'■  Laudent  te,  domine,  omnia  opera  iua,'" 
etc.,  et  dicit:  '^  Benedicfzts  sit,  qui  creavit  frudum 
viiis" — ctposfea  non  qnidquamgustat  ilia  node. 

[Drink  all  ye  of  it. — The  tt  a  r/ t  e  ?,  which 
stands  in  connection  with  the  drinking  of  the  cup, 
but  not  with  the  eating  of  the  bread,  supplies  a  strong 
argument  against  the  withdrawal  of  the  cup  from  the 
laity  ;  for  the  disciples  represent  here  the  mauj!,  ver. 
28,  or  the  whole  church  of  the  redeemed,  and  not  the 
ministry  alone.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  words 
of  the  Saviour:  dadKn  eac  -nivriTe,  according  to  the 
report  of  St.  Paul.  Bengel  :  "  Si  una  spjccies  svffi- 
ceret,  bibendum  esset potins.  Etiaml  Cor.xv.  25  to 
QUOTiES  in  poeuli  meniione  ponitnr.  Lncuta  sic  est 
Scriptura,  pr^videns  {Gal.  Hi.  8)  quid  Roma  esset 
factura."  Still  stronger,  Calvin  :  "  Cur  de  jmne 
simpliciter  dixit  ui  ederent,  de  calico,  ut  omnes  bibt- 
rent  ?  Ac  si  Satance  calliditati  ex  destinato  occurrere 
voluisset."  Maldonatus,  who  dwells  with  undue  length 
on  this  section  to  prove  the  Romish  dogma  of  traii- 
eubstantiation,  notices  the  objection  of  Calvin,  but  dis- 
poses of  it  in  a  lame  and  sophistical  manner. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  28.  This  is  My  blood.— That  is,  the  wine. 
Meyer :  "  The  sj-mbol  does  not  lie,  as  Wetstein  and 
others  think,  m  the  (red)  color,  but  in   the  being 


poured  out."  But  also,  we  add,  in  the  nature  of 
wine,  the  noble  blood  of  the  grape  (see  John  xv.  1  ; 
Gen.  xlix.  11,  12). — The  blood  of  the  covenant. 
Body  and  blood  are  something  like  counterpart 
terras,  but  they  are  not  precisely  parallels :  else  we 
would  read  :  "  This  is  My  flesh  ; — tliis  is  My  blood  " 
(John  vi.  53).  It  is  usual  to  pay  regard  to  the  par- 
allel terms  as  such ;  but  to  forget  the  sequence  oi  the 
two  expressions.  The  body  signifies  the  whole,  as 
the  broken  and  dying  outer  life ;  the  blood  then  sig- 
nifies the  whole  as  the  inner  life  (the  principle  of  the 
soul)  poured  out  in  sacrifice  to  God,  by  Him  given 
back  to  the  Redeemer  for  the  world.  The  idea  that 
the  blood  was  to  be  drunk,  is  intelligible  only  when 
it  is  regarded  as  the  new  life  received  by  God  and 
given  back  to  the  offerers,  that  is,  as  the  wine  of  the 
New  Covenant.  The  Jews  were  not  allowed  to  eat 
the  flesh  of  a  bunit-offering :  the  priests  alone  ate 
of  the  sin-ofTeiing ;  the  laity  of  the  thank-offerings. 
But  the  sacrifiml  blood,  which  belonged  to  God,  it 
was  permitted  to  none  to  drink.  So  far  was  this  car- 
ried, that  the  eating  of  blood  in  any  form  was  abso- 
lutely forbidden.  And  now  Christ  gives  to  His  peo- 
ple His  blood  to  drink.  That  cannot  mean  as  the 
blood  yet  to  be  offered  to  God  ;  but  as  the  blood  of 
the  new  risen  life,  which,  having  been  poured  out  for 
many  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  was  accepted  of 
God  and  given  back  to  the  New  Covenant  High  Priest 
and  to  His  Church.  In  the  distribution  of  the  body, 
the  act  of  death  is  ideally  presupposed,  as  the  fulfilled 
and  perfected  expiation;  and  so,  in  the  distribution 
of  the  blood,  the  act  of  reconciliation.  But  the  con- 
summate and  sealed  reconciliation  is  connected  rather 
with  the  resurrection  of  Christ  and  its  influence. 
And  this  is  the  predominant  element  in  the  sacrametit 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Baptism  represents  fellowship 
with  the  wliole  Christ,  fellowship  with  both  His 
death  and  His  resurrection;  yet  with  special  em- 
phasis upon  the  death.  The  Lord's  Supper,  again, 
signifies  fellowship  v;ith  the  whole  Christ ;  yet  with 
special  emphasis  upon  the  resurrection.  Hence  the 
cup  is  the  chiff  thing  in  the  Eucharist  ;  and  a  com- 
munion in  bread  alone  (as  in  the  Roman  Church) 
bears  too  much  resemblance  to  a  new  baptism. 

The  blood  of  the  (new)  cov8nant.-ri-2n  Cr, 
Exod.  xxiv.  8.  Meyer :  "  My  blood,  serving  for  the 
establishment  of  a  covenant  with  God."  Rather, 
"My  blood  which  ratifies  and  seals  the  covenant  al- 
ready established."  For  the  covenant  is  in  Exod. 
xxiv.  supposed  to  have  been  entered  into  when  the 
lamb  was  slain ;  and  hence  the  offering  of  bumt- 
ofierings  and  thank-offerings.  The  blood  of  the 
thank-offering  is  now  in  part,  poured  out  upon  the 
altar,  and  in  part  sprinkled  upon  the  people.  Here 
first  enters  in  the  idea  of  a  sacrificial  blood  which 
Jehovah  gives  back  to  the  offering  people — the  es- 
sential germ  of  the  sacramental  participation  of  the 
blood  in  the  Lord's  Supper.  This  blood  serves  also 
unto  purification,  according  to  Heb.  ix.  14.  But  this 
purification  is  no  longer  the  negative  expiation,  which 
abohshes  the  sin  of  the  old  hfe ;  it  is  the  sanctifica- 
tion  which  completes  positively  the  new  life.  The 
ordinary  symbol  of  purification  was  water,  though  not 
without  the  addition  of  blood  (Lev.  xiv.  6).  The 
higher  purification  was  the  sprinkling  with  blood 
(the  idea  of  the  baptism  of  blood  was  the  consummar 
tion  of  life  in  the  ancient  Church).  This  cleansing 
is  not  merely  the  removal  of  the  impure,  but  also  the 
positive  communication  of  a  new  life,  which  cannot 
be  lost.  Hence,  in  the  Old  Testament,  the  sprink- 
ling of  blood  was  followed  by  eating  and  drinking  on 


CHAP.  XXVI.  17-30. 


473 


the  part  of  Moses  and  the  priests  and  the  elders  upon 
the  Mount  of  God  :  Esod.  xxiv.  11, — a  very  manifest 
type  of  the  Xcw  Testament. 

Which  is  shed  (or  :  being  shed)  for  many 
(to  X  e  pi  TTo  \  \  uv  i  Kxw  6  fxevo  v).  —  Present 
tense.  [Compare  the  addition  to  o-oJua  in  Lulce : 
rh  vrrep  vu&f  SioSaevoi',  which  it  beinr/  ffiven.']  The 
sacrifice  is  already  virtually  accomplished,  and  the 
future  act  reaUzed  in  the  Lord's  first  Supper.  Hence, 
this  eternal  ideal  presence  of  the  atoning  death  is 
continued  throughout  all  ages  in  the  sacrament,  be- 
cause the  ofFering  was  presented  in  the  Eternal  Spirit ; 
but  the  Romish  repetition  of  the  sacrifice  reduces  the 
great  atonement  to  a  mere  act  of  the  past,  a  tempo- 
rary event,  however  significant  in  its  bearings  and 
effects.  Matthew  writes  ir  e  p  / ,  Luke  vvep.  While 
these  prepositions  are  often  interchanged,  vtt  ep  is 
the  more  definite  expression.  Matthew,  however, 
adds  the  explanation,  e  t  j  acp^ff  iv\  and  therefore, 
in  accordance  with  bibHcal  typology,  only  an  expia- 
tory offering  can  be  meant,  yet  at  the  same  time  an 
expiatory  offering  wliich  is  transformed  by  the  grace 
of  the  reconciled  God  into  a  thank-offering.  For  the 
blood  of  the  sin-offering  as  such  belonged  to  God 
alone.  The  objective  sprinkling  of  the  blood,  and 
the  subjective  act  of  faith,  are  both  supposed. 

Ver.  20.  I  will  not  drink  henceforth. — Meyer 
refers  this  to  the  four;h  cup  as  the  eucharistic 
cup ;  *  but  it  seems  rather  to  intimate  that  this 
fourth  cup  was  drunlc,  as  usual,  in  addition  (after  the 
eucharistic  iTnTv.pLov  ttj?  euAoyi'as),  at  the  close  of 
the  feast,  as  the  thanksgiving  for  the  blessing  of  the 
wine.  Hence  the  expression,  "_/>(«<  q/'^Ae  t^jwe."  At 
the  same  time,  Christ  marks  this  moment  as  His  per- 
fected renunciation  of  all  things :  His  enjoyment 
of  all  things  in  this  world  had  come  to  its  end. 
It  was  the  last  cup  of  this  world.  Hence  He  con- 
secrates this  sad  moment  as  the  anticipatory  fes- 
tival of  a  common  enjoyment  in  the  world  of  glory. 
Bengel :  Novitatem  dicit  plane  singularem.  Kuin- 
oel :  The  expression  is  figurative,  signifying  the 
highest  happiness.  The  new  wine  of  the  glorified 
world,  or  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  is  a  symbol 
of  the  future  festal  blessedness  of  the  heavenly  world, 
even  as  that  earthly  cup  (especially  the  fourth  one) 
was  a  srabol  of  the  festal  enjoyment  of  the  spiritual 
Ufe  in  this  divinely  created  world. 

[Tliis  verse  implies  that  the  Lord's  Supper  has 
not  only  a  commemorative  and  retrospective,  but 
also  a  prophetic  and  prospective  meaning.  It  not 
only  carries  us  back  to  the  time  of  the  crucifixion, 
strengthening  our  vital  union  with  the  Redeem- 
er, and  conveying  to  us  anew,  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  through  faith,  all  the  blessings  of  His 
atoning  sacrifice ;  but  it  is  also  a  foretaste  and  antici- 
pation of  the  great  Marriage  Supper  of  the  Lamb 
which  He  has  prepared  for  his  Church  at  His  last  ad- 
vent, when  all  eucharistic  controversies  will  cease 
forever,  and  give  place  to  perfect  vision  and  fruition 
in  harmony  and  peace. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  30.  And  when  they  had  sung  the 
hymn  of  praise,  vavvravris . — The  second  part 
of  the  Hallel,  Ps.  cxv.-cxviii. 

*  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  reads:  '•Meyer  thinks  this  excludes 
the  fourth  oiip;"  and  thus  attributes  to  lira  the  very  oppo- 
Bite  ();hiion.  Comp.  note  ou  ver.  'J7,  ami  .Meyer's  Com.  on 
Matt.  p.  .^Ui)  (4th  ed.):  "oxi  ov  /x?)  ttiV',  dabs  ich  ce- 

•WlSSLICn  .SICUT  TKINKEX  WEKDE.  Die.'<8  sstzt  .  .  .  vordux, 
dims  ei  der  letzte  [the  fourth],  nicht  der  rorletzie  [the 
third]  Becker  des  Mahles  war,  xoelchen  er  V.  27  /  gegeben 
hatte.  .  .  .  Kh  war  der  %cBX,vs%becher,  bei  desxen  Geriuss 
d«r  ziceite  Tlieil  des  IlnUel  genungen  wurde."—^.  S.] 


To  the  Mount  of  Olives  :  that  is,  to  Geth- 
scmane,  ver.  3(5.  Meyer :  The  tradition,  that  people 
were  obliged  to  spend  this  night  in  Jerusalem  (Light- 
foot),  seems  not  to  have  had  a  universal  application. 
But  ancient  Jerusalem  extended  as  far  as  the  eastern 
decHvity  of  the  mount.  And  it  is  at  least  remarka- 
ble, in  relation  to  this  tradition,  that  Jesus  did  not 
go  to  Bethany. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  relations  between  the  typical  and  the  real 
salvation  by  judgment,  between  the  typical  and  the 
real  redemption,  the  typical  and  the  real  Passover, 
the  typical  and  real  covenant  institution,  the  typical 
and  real  feast  of  the  covenant  (Exod.  xxiv.  3-11). 
On  the  significance  of  the  Passover,  compare  also  the 
typological  writings  of  Biihr,  Kurtz,  Sartorius,  [Fair- 
bairn],  etc. 

2.  The  Woe  Pronounced  on  Judas. — It  were  bet- 
ter for  him  that  he  had  never  been  bom.  This  is 
held,  and  rightly  so,  to  prove  the  perdition  of  the 
traitor.  But  when  his  endless  perdition  is  estabUshed 
by  this  text,  and  the  words  are  taken  literally,  ortho- 
doxy must  take  care  lest  the  consequence  be  deduced, 
that  it  would  have  been  better  for  all  the  condemned 
generally  never  to  have  been  l)orn,  and  evil  inferences 
be  drawn  as  to  their  creation.  But  our  Lord's  ex- 
pression cuts  off  such  abstract  discussions ;  it  says 
only  that  it  were  better  that  he,  o  ai'dpanro^  iKuvos, 
had  never  been  born.  This  may  be  said  of  every 
sinner  generally,  inasmuch  as  his  sin  is  the  beginning 
of  eternal  death ;  but  it  held  good  especially,  and  in 
an  immeasurably  heightened  sense,  in  the  case  of  the 
traitor.  We  should  feel  and  reahze  the  full  force  of 
this  most  fearful  word ;  yet  witliout  overstraining  it, 
remembering  that  it  is  no  Jinal  judicial  sentence,  but 
a  burning  expression  ratlier  of  infinite  pity. 

3.  That  the  first  holy  communion  was  at  the  same 
time  an  institution  of  the  ordinance  for  His  perpetual 
commemoration,  is  n:anifest  from  the  express  declar- 
ation of  the  Lord  in  Luke,  from  the  account  given  by 
all  the  Evangelists,  and  from  the  testimony  of  the 
Church. 

4.  And  it  appears,  further,  from  the  particulars 
of  the  first  supper,  that  it  could  not  have  been  cele- 
brated according  to  the  Catholic,  the  Lutheran,  or 
the  Reformed  doctrine;  but  that  it  was  celebrated 
rather  as  an  annunciation  of  the  saving  death  of  Jesus. 
It  was  the  reconciliation  of  the  disciples  with  the 
death  of  reconcihation  ;  and,  as  Dietlein  says  (1857), 
a  confession  in  the  form  of  action,  and  not  of  doc- 
trinal teaching.  The  development  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  sacrament,  however,  became  an  ecclesiastical  ne- 
cessity, although  by  no  means  the  confusion  of  Chris- 
tian disputants  about  the  doctrine.  On  the  dogmatic 
question  we  must  refer  to  the  doctrinal  histories  gen- 
erally, and  to  the  monographs  of  Eljrard  on  the  Re- 
formed side  (1845),  of  Kahnis  on  the  Lutheran  (1851), 
and  also  of  Dieckhoff  (1854).* 

Meyer,  p.  443, f  sums  up  the  views  of  Ebrard  and 
Kahnis  witli  the  remark  :  "  It  would  be  easy  on  the 

*  [Comp.  also  the  able  work  of  Dr.  L  W.  Nevin:  The 
MtjHtical  Presence,  Philadelphia,  184G  (a  defence  of  tlie  Oal- 
vinistii!  theory  with  some  luodifleation),  together  with  Dr. 
Ch.  Hodge's  review  of  it  in  the  Princeton  Review  for  18-18 
(from  the  Zwinglian  stand-point),  and  Dr.  Nevin's  defence 
in  the  Mercersburg  lieview  for  1849. — P.  8.] 

.t  [In  the  third  edition  of  his  Commentary,  to  which  Dr. 
Lange  ;dways  refers.  In  the  fourth  edition  of  185S  it  is  p. 
499.— P.  S.] 


474 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


way  which  is  supposed  to  lead  to  the  Lutheran  theory, 
to  arrive  at  the  dogma  of  transubstantiation,  because 
both  theories  rest  on  doctrinal  premises  to  whicli  tlic 
exegetical  operation  is  made  to  conform."  The  dif- 
ferent interpretations  of  the  various  evangelical  con- 
fessions are  not  iKrissarily  contradictory  and  exclu- 
sive, but  may,  with  certain  modifications,  be  reconciled 
under  a  higlicr  theory.  Comp.  my  Positive  Dogmatik, 
p.  1144.  The  Piti'ormed  divines  will  always  insist  on 
the  allegorical  and  symbolical  interpretation  of  the 
words  of  institution  as  a  proper  starting  point  (comp. 
Martensen,  ^  262) ;  while  the  Lutherans,  on  the  other 
hand,  will  maintain  that  the  holy  communion  is  not 
only  the  sign  and  seal  of  the  negative  abohtion  of  the 
guilt  of  sin  by  the  death  of  Christ,  but  also  a  posi- 
tive celebration  and  communication  of  the  new  hfe 
of  Christ,  as  also  the  symbolical  anticipation  and 
typical  foundation  of  the  final  glorification  of  the 
spiritual  Hfe  of  behevers.* 

[Dr.  Lange  refers  here,  without  naming  it,  to 
Martexsen's  ChrhstUche  Bogmatik  (German  transla- 
lation  from  the  Danish,  2d  ed.  Kiel,  1853,  §  262, 
p.  491),  where  this  distinguished  Lutheran  divine  of 
Denmark  concedes  the  relative  truth  of  ZwinglVs 
symbohcal  interpretation,  but  combines  with  it  the 
Lutheran,  at  least  as  to  its  substance,  concerning  the 
actual  fruition  of  Christ.  As  this  interesting  work  is 
not  accessible  to  the  EngUsh  reader,  as  far  as  I 
know,  I  will  translate  the  passage  in  full :  "  The 
Romish  doctrme  of  fansubstantiation  resolves  the 
natural  elements  into  an  empty  show,  and  violates 
the  order  of  nature  in  order  to  glorify  the  order  of 
grace.  Against  this  the  xohole  Evangehcal  Church 
protests,  and  maintains  the  natural  identity  of  the 
sensual  signs.  'Bread  is  bread,  and  wine  is  wine,' 
both  are  symbols  only  (nur  Sinnhild)  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ.  In  this  sense,  as  a  rejection  of 
transubstantiation,  the  entire  Evangelical  Church 
owns  and  adopts  Zwingli's  interpretation :  '  this  sig- 
nifies '  [dies  bedeutet).  And  in  this  church-historical 
connection  Zwingli's  sober  common-sense  view  ac- 
quires a  greater  importance  than  Lutheran  divines 
are  generally  disposed  to  accord  to  it.  Zwingli  him- 
self almost  stopped  with  this  negative  protest ;  while 
Luther  held  fast  to  the  real  presence  of  the  Lcrd 
(comp.  Conf.  Aug.  art.  x.),  but  a  presence  which  is 
veiled  and  hid  under  the  natural  signs,  and  communi- 
cates the  heavenly  gifts  of  grace  in,  with,  and  under 
the  same.  Calvin  sought  out  a  medium  path  between 
Zwingli  and  Luther,  but  his  theory  of  the  real  pres- 
ence represents  a  one-sidedness  the  very  opposite  to 
that  of  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  [?],  by 
separating  dualistically  what  Romanism  mixes  and 
confounds." — P.  S.] 

[In  this  connection  it  may  be  proper  to  refer  to  a 
recent  controversy,  as  far  as  it  bears  on  the  exegeti- 
cal aspect  of  the  eucharistic  question,  among  Luther- 
an divines.  Dr.  C.  Fe.  Aug.  Kahxis,  who  is  quoted 
above  by  Meyer  and  Lange  as  the  chief  modern  cham- 
pion of  the  Lutheran  doctrine  of  the  eucharist,f  as 
Ebrard  is  of  the  Calvinistic,|  has  recently  changed 
his  view  on  the  exposition  of  the  words  of  institution, 
and  thus  superseded  the  lengthy  note  of  Meyer  ( Com. 


*  [The  Edinb.  trsl.  omits  the  greater  part  of  the  original, 
sub  N,..  4.-P.  S.] 

+  [See  his  Lehi'e  vom  Aiendmahle,  Leipzig,  1851,  p.  472. 
—P.  S.] 

t  [In  an  elaborate  History  of  the  Dogma  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  in  2  vols.,  Frank!'.  1845-"46,  also  in  his  Dogmatics, 
and  in  a  re\iew  of  Dr.  Nkvin's  Mystical  Presence  in  Uil- 
mann"8  atuditn  und  Kritiken,  but  I  do  not  remember  for 
which  year,  probably  1S50.— P.  S.] 


on  Matthew,  p.  498  sq.  4th  ed.)  above  quoted  in  part  by 
Dr.  Lunge.  In  his  recent  work  on  didactic  theology,* 
he  gives  up  the  literal  interpretation  of  the  eari,  to 
which  Luther  always  resorted  as  the  strongest  bul- 
wark for  liis  theory  of  the  real  corporeal  presence  of 
Christ  in  the  sacramental  elements  {in,  cum  et  sub 
pane  et  vino).  I  will  translate  the  exegetical  results 
(without  the  arguments)  at  which  Kahnis  arrives  in 
the  first  volume  of  his  Dogmeiiics:  "  Where  such  diffi- 
culties are  to  be  overcome,  it  is  well  to  proceed  from 
principles  which  command  assent.  1.  It  is  beyond  a 
doubt  that  the  sentence :  '  The  bread  is  the  body, 
the  wine  is  the  blood  of  Jesus,'  taken  hterally,  is  logi- 
cally an  impossibiUty.  . . .  Bread  and  body  are  hetero- 
geneous conceptions  which  can  no  more  be  identified 
as  subject  and  predicate  than :  Hegel  is  Napoleon,  or, 
this  wood  is  iron.  ...  2.  It  is  beyond  controversy 
that  the  sentence :  '  This  is  my  body,'  may  be  figura- 
tive (metaphorical).  The  Scriptures  contain  innumer- 
able figurative  sentences.  . . .  S.  The  words  of  insti- 
tution say  plainly  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  here 
spoken  of  as  the  one  which  was  lo  )>e  ofiered  up  in 
death.  ...  If  bread  and  v.-iae  are  the  subject,  then 
the  literal  interpretation  must  be  given  up,  and  to  this 
we  are  forced  even  by  the  sentence :  '  This  cup  is  the 
new  covenant  in  my  blood,'  which  . . .  must  mean : 
This  cup  is  a  sign  of  the  new  covenant.  . . ."  Dr. 
Kahnis  then  goes  on  to  prove  that  the  Lord's  Supper 
is  not  a  mere  memorial,  but  also  a  feast  of  the  Ufa 
union  of  behevers  with  the  whole  Christ,  etc.,  but 
adds  expressly,  that  Christ  can  only  be  received  in  a 
spiritual  manner  (not  by  oral  munducation),  i.  e.,  by 
faith.  In  his  self-defence  against  Dr.  Hengstenberg 
(Zevgniss  von  den  G rundwo.hr heiten  des  Protestantis- 
mus,  etc.,  Leipzig,  18G2,  p.  26  sqq.)  he  discusses 
the  question  again,  and  arrives  at  the  conclusion 
(p.  28)  that  "the  Lutheran  interpretation  of  the 
words  of  imtiiution  must  be  given  up,"  but  that  this 
matter  aifects  only  the  Lutheran  theology,  not  the 
Lutheran /a<7/i,  which  he  thinks  is  substantially  right, 
though  resting  on  an  untenable  exegetical  basis.  He 
also  expresses  his  conviction  (p.  29)  that  there  is  a 
possibihty  of  a  higher  union  and  reconciliation  of  the 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  doctrine  on  the  eucharist. 
Dr.  Francis  Delitzsch,  of  Erlangen,  another  promi- 
nent divine  and  Biblical  scholar  of  the  strict  Lutheran 
type,  in  his  pamphlet :  FiXr  und  wider  Kahnis,  Leip- 
zig, 1863,  p.  28,  thus  speaks  of  his  friend's  recent 
change  on  this  particular  point :  "  In  the  doctrine  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  Kahnis  has  no  intention  of  giving 
up  the  Lutheran  dogma,  he  only  thinks  it  necessary 
to  drop  the  Lutheran  exposition  of  the  words  of  in- 
stitution. He  admits,  indeed,  that  in  themselves  con- 
sidered, they  may  be  understood  synecdoehically,  as  it 
may  be  said  of  the  dove  which  descended  at  the  bap- 
tism of  John :  '  This  dove  is  the  Holy  Spirit ; '  but 
he  regards  this  synecdochical  relation  inappUcable  in 
this  case  on  account  of  the  words  of  Luke  and  Paul: 
toCto  Th  TTOTvp^ov  rj  KaiuT]  iiaOvKt}.  We  think,  on  the 
contrary,  that  these  words  confirm  the  Lutheran  exe- 
gesis ;  for  they  present  evidently  a  synecdoche  coriti- 
nerdis  pro  cordento :  the  cup  is  the  New  Testament  in 
Jesus'  blood,  because  it  contains  and  exhibits  this 
very  blood  of  the  Testament  which  is  the  ground, 
bond,  and  seal  of  the  New  Covenant.  As  Kahnis  does 
not  mean  to  discredit,  but  rather  to  save  the  Luther- 
an dogma,  we  may  hope  that  he  may  find  out  at  last 
that  the  words  of  institution  which  have  become  un- 


'  [Lutherische  Dogmatik,  vol.  i.  Leipzig,  ISCl,  p.  CIC  i 


-P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  17-30. 


475 


certain  and  unsettled  to  his  mind,  still  stand  fast,  and 
that  his  new  doctrine  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  only  a 
shadow,  not  the  substance,  of  the  Lutheran  dogma." 
Dr.  Ebrard,  on  the  other  hand,  a  distinguished  cham- 
pion of  the  Rfformed  Confession,  in  the  second  edi- 
tion of  his  Christlkhe  Dogmallk,  Konigsberg,  1863, 
vol.  ii.  p.  638,  expresses  his  satisfaction  that  Kahnis 
has  come  over,  as  he  thinks,  to  his  own  view  on  the 
Lord's  Supper,  which  he  formerly  opposed,  but  cen- 
sures him  rather  severely  for  not  giving  him  credit 
for  indebtedness  to  his  (Ebrard's)  argument.  Dr. 
Kahnis  will  take  care  of  his  originality.  But  we 
firmly  believe  that  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  views 
can  be  essentially  reconciled,  if  subordinate  differ- 
ences and  scholastic  subtleties  are  yielded,  and  that 
the  chief  elements  of  reconciliation  are  already  at 
hand  in  the  Melanchthouian-Calvinistic  theory.  The 
Lord's  Supper  is :  1.  A  commemorative  ordinance,  a 
memorial  of  Christ's  atoning  death.  (This  is  the 
truth  of  the  ZwingUan  view  which  no  one  can  deny  in 
the  face  of  the  words  of  the  Saviour :  Bo  this  in  re- 
membrance of  Me').  2.  A  feast  of  living  union  of  be- 
lievers with  the  Saviour,  whereby  we  truly,  though 
spiritually,  receive  Christ  w^ith  all  His  benefits  and  are 
nourished  by  His  life  unto  life  eternal.  (This  was 
the  substance  for  which  Luther  contended  against 
Zwingli,  and  which  Calvin  retained,  though  in  a  dif- 
ferent scientific  form,  and  in  a  sense  confined  to  be- 
lievers.) 3.  A  communion  of  believers  with  one 
another  as  members  of  the  same  mystical  body  of 
Christ.     8ee  below.  No.  9.— P.  S.] 

5.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  not  a  saerifive.,  but  a  fes- 
tal thank-offering.  Hence  the  name  Eucharist.,  which 
connects  itself  with  the  cup  of  thanksgiving.  Gregory 
the  Great  was  the  first  w!io  changed  the  idea  of  the 
New  Testament  thank-offering  into  that  of  a  sin- 
offering;  and  those  evangelical  theologians  who  are 
anxious  to  establish  in  the  Supper  a  continued  propi- 
tiation, have  already  passed  the  Rubicon  between  the 
Evangelical  Confession  and  Romanism. 

6.  Meat  and  drink ;  bread  and  wine :  type  of  the 
whole  nourishment  and  invigoration  of  life,  the  spir- 
itual life  being  also  presented  under  this  twofold  aspect 
in  Scripture  (Ps.  xxiii.,  green  pastures  or  meadows, 
and  fresh  waters).  The  Lord's  Supper  embraces  both 
in  one :  it  is  the  sacrament  of  the  glorification  of  the 
new  Ufe  derived  from  the  bloody  fountain  of  the  aton- 
ing death  of  Jesus. 

T.  The  materia  terrestria  and  ccelestis  in  t'ne 
Eucharist.  Its  reUgious  and  moral  influence.  Either 
salvation  or  condemnation. 

8.  For  the  history  of  tlie  rites  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, see  the  works  on  church  history  and  archaeology. 
The  Church  passed  over  from  the  use  of  unleavened 
to  the  use  of  leavened  bread.  Contentions  arose,  in 
consequence,  between  tlie  Eastern  and  the  Western 
Churches.  Other  differences  concerning  the  kind  of 
bread,  the  use  and  withdrawal  of  the  wine,  the  pos- 
ture (kneeling,  standing,  sitting)  of  the  communicants, 
etc. 

[9.  It  is  a  sad  reflection,  that  the  ordinance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  this  feast  of  the  unto  rnystica  and  corn- 
munio  sanctorum,  whieli  should  bind  all  pious  hearts 
to  Christ  and  each  other,  and  fill  them  with  the  holi- 
est and  tenderest  aflections,  has  been  the  innocent 
occasion  of  the  bitterest  and  most  violent  passions, 
and  the  most  uncharitable  abuse.  The  eucharistic 
controversies,  before  and  after  the  Reformation,  are 
among  the  most  unrefreshing  and  apparently  fruit- 
less in  church  history.  Theologians  will  have  much 
to  answer  at  the  judgment-day,  for  having  perverted 


the  sacred  feast  of  Divine  love  into  an  apple  of  dis- 
cord. No  wonder  that  Melanchthon's  last  wish  and 
prayer  was,  to  be  di-livered  from  the  7-abies  thenlogorum. 
Fortunately,  the  blessing  of  the  holy  Communion  does 
not  depend  upon  the  scientific  interpretation  and  un- 
derstanding of  the  words  of  institution — however  de- 
sirable this  may  be — but  upon  the  promise  of  the 
Lord,  and  upon  cliildlike  faith  which  receives  it, 
thougli  it  may  not  fully  understand  the  mystery  of  the 
ordinance.  Christians  celebrated  it  with  most  devo- 
tion and  profit  before  they  contended  about  the  true 
meaning  of  tliose  words,  and  obscured  their  vision  by 
all  sorts  of  scholastic  theories  and  speculations.  For- 
tunately, even  now  Christians  of  different  denomina- 
tions, and  holding  difl'erent  opinions,  can  unite  around 
the  table  of  their  common  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  feel 
one  with  Him  and  in  Him  who  died  for  tliem  all,  and 
feeds  them  with  His  lite  once  sacrificed  on  the  cross, 
but  now  hving  for  ever.  Let  them  hold  fast  to  what 
they  agree  in,  and  charitably  judge  of  their  differ- 
ences; looking  hopefully  forward  to  the  marriage- 
supper  of  the  Lamb  in  the  kingdom  of  glory,  when 
we  shall  understand  and  adore,  in  perfect  harmony, 
tlie  infinite  mystery  of  the  love  of  God  in  His  Son 
our  Saviour. — P.  S.] 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  Passover  and  the  Lord's  Supper. — Both  in 
their  relation  to  circumcision  and  baptism. — The 
question  of  the  disciples,  li'^ere  loilt  Thou,  etc.  (ver. 
17)?  an  expression  of  their  feeUngs  and  state:  1.  Of 
their  legal  anxiety ;  2.  of  their  painful  embarrassment 
and  sad  presentiments ;  3.  of  their  want  of  decision. 
— The  disciples  htlped  forward  the  doom  of  their 
Master:  1.  unconsciously,  and  yet  2.  inevitably. — 
(a)  as  instruments  of  the  Lord,  and  {b)  as  representa- 
tives of  mankind. — The  Lord's  silent  guests. — The 
secret  friends  of  God  in  all  times  concealed  in  Jeru- 
salem, ready  at  the  critical  moment  to  do  the  Lord 
service  (the  friend  at  Bcthphage,  the  friend  in  Jeru- 
salem, Joseph  of  Arimalhea,  and  Nicodemus). —  When 
it  was  evening  (ver.  20) :  the  supper  in  the  Egyptian 
night  of  fear,  and  in  that  of  Mount  Zion. — The  feel- 
ings with  which  the  Lord  celebrates  the  institution 
of  the  Supper,  in  presence  of  the  traitor:  1.  The 
moral  horror  which  shook  His  whole  being ;  2.  the 
stern  solemnity  which  amazed  all  the  disciples ;  3.  the 
compassion  which  revealed  itself  in  the  severest  self- 
denial  :  4.  a  boldness  of  love  wKich  established  the 
feast  of  heaven  in  spite  of  all  the  murmurs  of  hell. — 
The  traitor  amidst  the  preparations  of  the  Passover ; 
or,  how  hardness  of  heart  ripens  under  the  midday 
sun  of  tender  love. — The  deportment  of  the  Lord 
toward  the  traitor,  an  everlasting  type  of  all  true 
ecclesiastical  discipline  :  a  holy  frame  of  mind,  a 
penetrating  eye,  a  general,  all-comprehensive  judg- 
ment.—  One  of  you  {VQT.  21). — The  important  ques- 
tion. Is  it  I?  a  question  of  preparation  for  the  sacra- 
ment.— The  decisive  conflict  at  the  table  of  grace,  or 
the  most  quiet  and  the  greatest  victory  of  the  Lord 
{see  my  Lebenjesu,  ii.  3,  p.  1327). — Judas,  master  of 
hypocritical  dissimulation,  unmasked  by  the  Master 
of  divine  simplicity.  1.  The  points  of  development 
in  his  hypocrisy : — («)  his  receiving  the  bag,  and  de- 
ceiving the  disciples ;  (6)  the  pretence  of  care  for  the 
poor ;  (c)  the  question.  Is  it  I?  (d)  the  kiss.  2.  His 
detection  m  its  corresponding  points  of  interest. — 
The  institution  of  the  Supper  an  expression  of  tlm 
Lord's  supreme  certainty  of  victory  before  His  final 


476 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


conflict. — How  the  Lord  transfused  the  Old  Testa- 
ment into  the  New:  1.  In  all  its  parts  generally; 
2.  in  the  institution  of  the  Eucharist  especially. — 
Christ  present  at  the  first  supper,  and  present  at  all 
others:  I.  Always  present,  because  present  the  first 
time.  He  alone  can  distribute,  interpret,  and  make 
it  cifeetual.  2.  Always  present,  as  present  the  first 
time.  Distinguished  from  the  sacranient ;  presenting 
Himself  in  it, — The  bread  and  the  wine  in  their  in- 
separable unity:  1.  With  each  other:  the  broken 
body,  the  expiating  blood  ;  2.  one  after  the  other : 
the  assurance  of  reconciliation,  the  new  life. — The 
Eucharist,  the  great  feast  of  the  Church  :  1 .  A  true 
feast  (for  the  nourishment  of  the  spiritual  hfe) ;  2.  a 
eacred  feast  (separating  from  all  sinful  enjoyment) ; 
8.  a  covenant  feast  (sealing  redemption) ;  4.  a  love 
feast  (uniting  the  redeemed) ;  5.  a  supper  feast  (fore- 
festival  of  death,  of  the  end  of  the  world,  of  the  com- 
ing of  Christ). — The  Lord's  Supper  a  glance  of  light 
into  the  new  world  of  glory  in  the  shadows  of  the 
present  world  :  L  A  sure  pledge  that  the  old  world 
is  perishing  as  Christ's  body  was  broken ;  2.  a  sure 
pledge  that  the  new  world  will  appear  penetrated  by 
the  eternal  resurrection  life  of  Christ. — And  when 
they  had  sung  a  hymn  (ver.  30). — The  Christian  en- 
ters upon  his  final  conflict  strengthened  by  the  Sap- 
per:  1.  Upon  the  deciding  conflict  of  youth  (over  the 
brook  Kedron);  2.  upon  the  repeated  conflicts  of 
adult  life  (Gcthseniane) ;  3.  upon  the  final  conflict  of 
death  (imprisoinnent  .and  Calvary). — Judas  the  infi- 
nitely dark  riddle  of  Christianity  ;  Christ  its  eternally 
bright  mystery. — The  Lord's  household  company  the 
figure  and  the  gei-m  of  the  Church. 

Slarke  :—Nov.  Bibl.  Tub. :  Out  of  the  depths  of 
the  humiliation  of  Jesus  stream  forth  the  brightest 
rays  of  His  Divine  omniscience,  and  power  over  the 
human  heart. — Happy  he  into  whose  heart  Jesus 
comes  !  1  Cor.  v.  7,  8. — Hcdinger :  Is  it  marvellous 
that  there  should  have  been  a  wicked  one,  and  a 
hypocrite,  among  the  disciples  ? — We  may  publicly 
speak  of  prevaiUng  sins,  but  should  not  mention  the 
sinner  by  name. —  Cramer:  Many  have  enemies  and 
traitors  frequenting  their  tables. — Osiander :  Fore- 
knowledge and  prediction  do  not  make  sinners  sin, 
1  Cor.  xi.  27. — Quesnel:  The  communion  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ  a  pledge  of  the  fellowship  of 
Heaven. — In  the  worthy  participation  our  hope  of 
perfect  enjoyment  of  the  transcendent  blessings  of  the 
kingdom  of  glory  is  strengthened. — The  Lord's  Sup- 
per is  a  sacrament  which  must  abide  in  the  Church 
until  the  Lord  comes. 

Lisco : — In  the  glorified  world  a  glorified  feast. 

Heubner: — Jesus  was  subject  to  the  law,  ob- 
served all  the  feasts  as  a  peifeet  Israelite ;  thus  ap- 
proving Himself  a  true  lover  of  His  Church  and  His 
countr}'. — To  Him  must  all  hearts  and  all  doors  fly 
open. — Love  deals  forbearingly  with  the  greatest  sin- 
ners.— The  anxiety  of  the  disciples  a  joy  to  Jesu.«. — 
The  saints  are  always  troubled  lest  sin  should  be  lying 
hidden  in  their  hearts. — The  fact  that  all  questioned, 
shows  that  they  did  not  suspect  Judas ;  they  were 
deceived  in  him. — It  was  not  with  Judas  as  Terence 


says,  eriibuit,  salvus  ext. — Where  shame  is,  there  is 
not  yet  full  perdition. — The  earthly  supper  a  type  and 
pledge  of  the  heavenly. — Heaven  an  eternal  feast  of 
love  and  friendship. — Christ  sang  with  his  disciples  ; 
thus  He  sanctified  Church  psalmody. 

i^.  W.  Krummacher  ( 2'hc  Suffering  Saviour) : — 
The  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper. — The  doctrine 
of  the  Lord's  Supper. — Judas  Iscariot  the  New  Tes- 
tament Achitophel. — Ahlfcld :  Tho  Lord's  Supper 
the  means  of  grace,  through  which  J.sus  nmLes  His 
abode  in  Hij  Church  and  in  us.  Mauuday  Thursday. 
— Harless:  The  true  guests  at  the  Lord's  table. — 
Kern :  The  holy  Supper  a  Supper  of  the  New  Cove- 
nant— A.  Kna,pp:  The  Lord's  Supper  the  holy  of 
hohes  in  the  new  dispensation. 

[Quesnel: — (on  ver.  17.)  See  here  the  extreme 
poverty  of  Christ,  who  had  no  house  of  His  own  on 
earth  !  He  v.'ho  would  fain  settle  himself  here,  as  in 
his  native  country,  is  not  His  disciple.— (Ver.  20.) 
The  Son  of  God,  in  this  last  assembly,  which  contains 
an  abridgment,  as  it  were,  of  the  whole  church,  shows 
us  the  mixture  of  the  good,  the  weak,  and  the  wick- 
ed, who  are  all  united  in  the  participation  of  the 
same  sacraments  [?  this  depends  upon  the  unsettled 
question  of  the  presence  of  Judas  at  the  institution  of 
the  Lord's  Supper].^Ver.  21.)  Prudence  and  charity 
require  that  we  should  use  the  greatest  sinners  ten- 
derly to  the  last ;  admonishing  without  discovering 
them. — When  a  lieart  is  once  hardened,  it  has  no 
longer  any  ears  to  hearken  to  admonitions.  It  is  the 
property  of  hardness  df  heart  to  make  us,  like  Judas, 
deaf,  obdurate,  and  insensible,  without  perceiving  that 
we  are  so. — (Ver.  26.)  Holy  and  adorable  words! 
which  contain  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  wor- 
ship, the  institution  of  the  new  law,  the  contract  of 
the  true  covenant,  the  testament  of  a  dying  lather,  a 
commandment  of  the  greatest  importance,  the  foun- 
dation ol'  a  true  religion,  the  substitution  of  reality  in 
the  room  of  shadows,  and  the  end  of  all  types  and 
figures. — (Ver.  30.)  A  communion-day  is  a  day  en- 
tirely set  apart  for  thanksgiving,  adoration,  and 
hymns  of  joy,  which  are  to  be  the  beginning  of  the 
hymns  and  anthems  of  eternity.  —  JBdrkitt  : — On 
Judas :  1.  His  character :  a  professor  of  religion,  a 
preacher,  an  apostle,  one  of  the  twelve ;  2.  his  crime: 
he  betrayed  Jesus,  a  man,  his  master,  his  maker; 
3.  the  cause  and  occasion :  covetousness,  the  root  sin, 
[add  4.  his  sad  repentance  (the  worldly  sorrow  lead- 
ing to  death,  contrasted  with  the  godly  sorrow  of 
Peter  unto  life) ;  5.  his  terrible  end].— (Ver.  23.) 
Eternal  misery  is  much  worse  than  non-entity.  Better 
to  have  no  being,  than  not  to  have  a  being  in  Christ. 
— The  Lord's  Supper:  1.  The  author:  Jesus  took 
bread  ;  2.  the  time  of  the  institution  :  the  night  be- 
fore He  was  betrayed ;  3.  the  sacramental  elements : 
bread  and  wine ;  4.  the  ministerial  action  :  the  break- 
ing of  the  bread  and  the  blessing  of  the  cup ;  5.  the 
object :  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  Me,  etc. ;  6.  thanks- 
giving after  communion. — Comp.  similar  reflections 
and  suggestions  in  Matthew  Henry,  Thomas  Scott, 
Ph.  Doddridge,  and  other  practical  commentators, — 
P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  31-16.  477 


FOURTH    SECTION. 
PROMISES  TO   THE   DISCIPLES;    AND   CHRIST   IN   GETHSEMANE. 

Chapter  XXVI.  31-46. 
(Mark  xiv.  27-42 ;  Luke  xxii.  31-46 ;  John  xiii.  36-xviii.  1.) 

31  Then  [in  going  out  to  the  Mount  of  Olives]  saith  Jesus  unto  them,  All  ye  shall  [will]  be 
offended  because  of  me  [at  me]  this  night:  for  it  is  written,  I  will  smite  the  Shepherd, 

32  and  the  sheep  of  the  flock  shall  be  scattered  abroad  (Zech,  xiii,  V).     But  after  I  am 

33  risen  again,  I  Avill  go  before  you  into  Galilee.  Peter  answered  and  said  unto  him, 
Though  all  men  shall  be  offended  because  of  thee  [at  thee],'  yet  will  I  never  be  offended. 

34  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Verily  I  say  unto  thee.  That  this  night,  before  the  [a]  cock  crow 

35  [crows],  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice.  Peter  said  unto  him,  Though  I  should  die  with 
thee,  yet  will  I  not  [in  no  wise,  ov  //.tJ]  deny  thee.^  [But]  ^  Likewise  also  said  all  the 
disciples. 

36  Then  cometh  Jesus  with  them  unto  a  place  called  Gethsemane,  and  saith  imto  the 

37  disciples.  Sit  ye  here,  while  I  go  and  pray  yonder.  And  he  took  with  him  Peter  and 
the  two  sons    of  Zebedee,   and  began  to  be  sorrowful  and  vety  heavy   [full  of,   or, 

38  overwhelmed  with,  sorrow  and  anguish,  XvTVitdOaL  koX  dSTyz-toveiv].^  Then  saith  he 
unto  them.  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death :  tarry  ye  here,  and  watch 

39  with  me.  And  he  went  a  little  farther,'  and  fell  on  his  face,  and  prayed,  saying,  0  my 
Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me :  nevertheless,  not  as  I  will,  but  as 

40  thou  wilt.     And  he  cometh  unto  the  disciples,  and  findeth  them  asleep,  and  saith  unto 

41  Peter,  What,®  could  ye  not  [then,  ouVw?]  watch  with  me  one  hour?  Watch  and  pray, 
that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation :  the  spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak. 

42  He  went  away  again  the  second  time,,  and  prayed,  saying,  0  my  Father,  if  this  cup'' 

43  may  not  pass  away  from  me,*  except  I  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done.     And  he  came  and 

44  [again]  found  them  asleep  again : '  for  their  eyes  were  heavy.     And  he  left  them,  and 

45  went  away  again,  and  prayed  the  third  time,'"  saying  the  same  words.  Then  cometh 
he  to  his  disciples,  and  saith  unto  them,  Sleep  on  now,  and  take  your  rest :  behold,  the 

46  hour  is  at  hand,  and  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  sinners.  Else,  let  us 
be  going :  behold,  he  is  at  hand  that  doth  betray  me. 

1  Ver.  33.— Ei  {KaX)  iravTis  ffKavSaXia-driaovTai  eV  ffoi.  Kai  is  omitted  in  A.,  B.,  C,  D.,  etc.,  Lachmann  and 
Tiscbendorf. 

2  Ver.  35.— Codd.  A.,  E.,  G-.,  al,  read  the  somewhat  milder  subj.  aTrapvrjauj  fiat  [for  airapi-ijir  o /iiai].  rrobably  a 
gloss. 

'  Ver.  35.— Several  uncial  Codd.  add  3  f .  Probably  from  Mark  xiv.  .'SI.  [But  implies  here  an  extenuation  of  the  guilt 
of  Peter,  as  much  as  to  say,  Peter  made  these  professions,  but  we  all  did  the  same,  and  have  nothing  to  boast  of.  '^But 
Lachmann,  Tischendori;  and  Alford  omit  it. — P.  S] 

*  Ver.  37.— [Lan£;e:  zu  tp.attern  (schaudeni)  u.xd  zu  bangen  (hebm).  Doddridge  complains  that  "the  words  which 
our  translators  use  here,  are  very  flat,  and  fall  short  of  the  emphasis  of  those  terms  in  which  the  Evangelists  describe  this 
a-wful  scene."  The  verb  aSruxov^lv  is  derived  by  some  from  Srjuot,  people,  and  the  alpha  privativum,  hence,  to  feel  lone- 
ly, solitarv;  expression  of  a  sorrow  that  makes  man  unfit  for  company  and  shiinnins  it,  and  pressins  like  a  weii'ht  of  lead 
upon  the  soul.  Y.  H.  Scrivener  (A  Sup2)lement  to  the  Authorized  EiiglUh  Version  of  the  N.  7!,  London,  1S45,  vol.  i.  p. 
304)  thinks  that  no  single  Greek  word  can  be  more  expressive  of  deep  dejection  than  kZ t]  il o v il v ,  and  renders  it:  '■■to 
he  ovenchelmed  leith  anguinh."  Tyndale  and  Coverdale:  grievouslrj  troidiled.  Conant  less  forcibly:  trouhled.  Mever 
seems  to  agree  with  Suidas'  definition  of  aSr/u.  =  \iav  KwelcrBai,  and  adds  :  "S<  bezoichnet  dif.  rmheimUche  Beuriru- 
higung  der  Angst  imd  VerJegenlieit."  I  regret,  that  the  scholarly  work  of  Scrivener,  ju.st  alluded  to,  has  not  sooner  come 
to  hand.    It  wonld  have  been  of  considerable  assistance  to  me  in  the  Critical  Notes  on  the  English  Version.— P.  S.] 

=  Ver.  39.— The  reading  irpo  a  i\Qdv  [for  TrpoeACoii/]  is  probably  a  writing  error.     [Cod.  Sinait.  likewise  reads  irpoff- 

»  Ver.  ■iO.—lWhat!  is  an  interpolation  and,  as  Conant  remarks,  "violates  the  tone  of  feeling  and  manner  of  the  Sa- 
viour."   The  our  COS  can  best  be  rendered  by  tAe?!.    Lange:  iSo  a^«o. — P.  8.] 

'  Ver.  42.— Many  Codd.,  A.,  B.,  C,  etc.,  [also  Cod.  Sinait.],  read  here  only  tovto  without  vornptoi;  which  .seems 
to  be  supplemented  from  ver.  39,  and  is  omitted  by  Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [and  Alford]. 

8  Ver.  42.— Codd.  B.,  D.,  etc.,  [also  Cod.  Sinait.],  omit  the  words:  an'  4 fx. o  v ,  from  me.  [Lange  puts  them  in  brack 
ets.] 

5  Ver.  43.— Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  [Tregelles,  Alford],  read  with  the  best  authorities,  [including  Cod.  Binait.] 
ira\iv  eupey  {again  found)  aurovs  [instead  of  evpicTKfi  avrovs  ir  a.Kiv  ,Jinda  them  again:]. 

10  Ver.  44.— A.,  D.,  K.,  omit  fK  rpirov.  Lachmann  puts  it  in  brackets,  Ti.schondorf  omits  it.  [In  the  large  ed. 
of  1S59  Tischendorf  retains  the  words  in  the  text,  but  Alford  omits  them.  Cod.  Sinait.  has  them,  but  between  rhy  alnoy 
and  \6yoVy  instead  of  before  toi/  outJ;'.— P.  8.] 


478 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


KXEGETIC-VL   AND   CRITICAL. 

Vcr.  31.  Then  saith  Jesus  unto  them,  tot 6. 

— For  a  time  Jesus  remained  in  the  room  of  tlie  Pass- 
over, as  is  evident  from  John  xiv.  31.  At  this  point 
comes  tlie  departure  from  the  house.  Tlie  prediction 
of  the  flight  of  the  disciples  and  of  Peter's  denial 
took  place,  according  to  John  xiii.  37,  in  the  Pass- 
over-room itself  Hereupon  followed  the  farewell 
discourses,  John  xiii.  to  xvii.,  spoken  partly  within 
the  room,  and  partly  on  the  way  to  Gethsemane. 

Will  be  offended  at  Me,  a KavSa^iadv- 
cf(T6e  if  (1X0 1. — That  is,  My  sufferings  ye  will 
make  an  offence  and  snare  to  yourselves. 

For  it  is  written. — What  the  Lord  knew  by  im- 
mediate previ.-ion,  He  nevertheless  connects  with  a 
prophetic  word:  partly  for  the  sake  of  the  disciples, 
partly  on  account  of  His  relation  to  the  law ;  and  fur- 
ther to  prove  that  the  course  of  His  suffering  was  not 
contrary  to  Old  Testament  predictions,  but  that  the 
carnal  notions  of  the  Jews  as  to  a  Messiah  exempt 
from  suffering  were  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  Old 
Testament.  The  passage,  Zech.  xiii.  7:  "-4iioZ:f,  O 
sword,  against  My  sheplierd,  and  against  the  man  that 
is  My  fellow  [My  eqital],  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  : 
smite  the  Shepherd,  ami  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered ; 
and  I  will  turn  Mine  hand  upon  the  little  ones," — is 
indeed  quoted  freely,*  yet  not  incon.sistently  with  the 
connection  of  the  text.  In  the  original,  Jehovah 
commands  the  sword  to  smite  His  Shepherd ;  but 
here  He  appears  to  lift  up  the  sword  Himself.  The 
Messianic  import  of  the  passage  is  without  reason  re- 
solved by  Meyer  (after  Hitzig)  into  a  merely  typical 
significance.  For  the  passage  is  closely  connected 
with  Zechariah's  previous  reference  to  a  future  time, 
when  prophecy  should  be  silenced,  and  when  he  who 
should  arise  as  a  prophet  would  be  exposed  to  the 
most  bitter  sufferings.  That  prediction  stretched 
forward  beyond  the  prophetless  period  after  Malachi 
to  the  period  of  the  new  prophets,  John  the  Baptist 
and  Christ.  Hut  if  we  recognize  the  prophetical 
spirit  in  this  passage  at  all,  we  cannot  refer  it  to  John 
the  Baptist.  It  foretold,  however,  the  universal  dis- 
persion of  the  people  in  consequence  of  their  rejec- 
tion of  Christ.  "The  Shepherd  indicated  by  the 
prophet  is  the  same  who,  in  ch.  xi.  4,  feeds  the  miser- 
able sheep,  the  Jewish  people ;  His  death  is  the  sign 
for  the  scattering  of  the  flock,  yet  the  Lord  immedi- 
ately stretches  out  His  hand  to  save  the  httle  ones, 
the  faithful,  His  disciples.  Hence  the  profound 
meaning  of  the  passage  is  this:  When  the  Jewish 
people  had  rejected  their  last  Deliverer  and  Saviour, 
they  underwent  the  punishment  of  dispersion.  This 
was  preparatorily  typified  in  the  actual  scattering  of 
the  disciples  on  the  death  of  Jesus ;  just  as  their  eter- 
nal salvation  in  their  bodily  deliverance  when  Jesus 
was  taken"  (John  sviii.  9).     Gerlach.f 

Ver.  32.  Go  before  you  into  Galilee. — Meyer 
denies  the  genuineness  of  this  declaration,  for  tlie 
groundless  reason,  that  Jesus  could  not  so  definitely 
predict  His  own  resurrection.    The  announcement  of 

*  [The  quotation  is  verbatim  after  tbe  Alexandrian  MS. 
of  the  LXX.,  except  that  the  imperative  TraTa^ov,  strike, 
is  changed  into  the  future  iraralco,  I  will  ntrike,  God  who 
commands  the  striking  into  God  who  utrikea  Ilimself. — 
P.  S.] 

t  [Comp.  here  Stier,  Ueden  Jesu,  vi.  176  sqq.,  who  goes 
at  length  into  the  meaning  of  this  prophecy,  and  especially 
the  word  •^P'^lljJ  ,  "Tny/eMow,"  "my  equal,"  i.  e.,  the 
Messiah.    Also  Nast  ad  foe— P.  S.] 


a  particular  meeting  in  Galilee,  does  not  exclude  the 
previous  appearances  of  Jesus  to  the  disciples  in  Je- 
rusalem. He  says  this  to  those  who  had  come  with 
Him  from  Galilee  to  the  feast :  "  Before  ye  shall  have 
returned  to  your  homes,  I  will  rise  again."  In  Galilee 
He  collected  together  again  all  the  scattered  disci- 
ples: ch.  xxviii.  16;  John  xxi. ;  1  Cor.  xv.  6.  Ger- 
lach.  [The  Lord  seems  to  allude  in  this  comforting 
prediction  to  the  remaining  words  of  the  prophecy  of 
Zech.  xiii.  7  :  ^^  And  I  will  turn  Mine  hand  upon,  the 
little  ones."  To  go  before,  irpoayav,  is  a  verburn  pas- 
torale, as  Bengel  remarks,  comp.  John.  x.  4. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  34.  Before  a  cock  crows. — De  Wette : 
"If  Jesus  said  these  words,  He  meant  merely  (de 
Wette's  mere  assertion)  the  division  of  the  night 
called  a\(KTupo<poovla,  *13i«fl  rx*^"!?  ;  but  the  Evan- 
gelists referred  it  to  a  real  cock-crowing."  Gerlach : 
"  Before  the  cock-crowing  between  midnight  and  morn- 
ing. But  it  came  to  pass  literally,  like  so  many  other 
predictions."  It  must  be  regarded  as  fixed,  that  the 
definite  specification  of  that  time  of  the  night  was 
the  main  point ;  but  since,  where  cocks  were  found, 
their  cry  would  not  be  wanting,  we  must  hold  fast  the 
circumstance,  that  the  cock-crowing  was  appointed 
to  be  the  warning  sound  for  Peter.  Meyer  seems  to 
suppose  that  the  first  cock-crowing  took  place  at  mid- 
night, and  the  second  about  three  in  the  morning. 
It  is  not  estabhshed  that  the  oA^KTopocpoivia  marked 
always  the  time  from  midnight  till  three ;  since  the 
Talmudists  reckoned  only  three  divisions  of  the  day, 
and  regarded  the  fourth,  irpu'i,  as  the  mornmg  of  the 
day  following.     Comp.  Winer,  sub  NachtwacheJ* 

Deny  Me  thrice. — De  Wette  :  Deny  knowing 
Me  ( ! ).  Better  Meyer :  Deny  that  thou  belongest  to 
Me.  But  the  denial  of  faith  in  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God,  is  contained  in  it ;  and  not  merely  the  denial  of 
a  personal  relation. 

■  Ver.  36.  Gethsemane.— Most  probably  NW':3  ra , 
oil-press.  The  most  approved  form  is  TfeaTquaufi: 
see  de  Wette.  A  piece  of  land  at  the  foot  of  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  which  was  provided  with  a  press, 
and  perhaps  also  with  a  dwelMng-house,  or  at  least 
the  usual  garden-tower.  See  Winer  and  Robinson. 
Through  the  Stephen  Gate  or  the  Gate  of  Mary  (ac- 
cording to  Schulz,  identical  with  the  ancient  Fish 
Gate),  there  is  a  descent  to  the  valley  of  Kedron,  by 
which  the  traveller  went  over  the  bridge  of  the  same 
name  into  the  garden  of  Gethsemane.  Kedron  means 
Black  brook  ;  it  flowed  with  perturbed  waters,  which 
were  still  more  darkened  by  the  blood  of  the  temple- 
sacrifices,  down  through  the  valley  toward  the  Dead 
Sea.  Gethsemane  lay  on  the  right  of  the  path  to  the 
Mount  of  Olives.  It  scarcely  deserves  now  the  name 
of  a  garden,  as  the  place  is  covered  with  stones,  and 
there  are  only  eight  old  olive  trees  remaining.  The 
place  is  in  possession  of  the  Franciscans,  who  in 
1847  erected  a  new  wall  around  it,  in  length  two 
hundred  paces,  and  m  breadth  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

*  [The  difficulty  derived  from  the  Mishna,  that  the  inhab- 
itants of  Jerusalem,  and  the  i>riests  eveiywhere,  were  for- 
bidden to  keep  fowls,  because  they  scratched  up  unclean 
worms,  is  easily  removed,  rlist,  in  \  iew  of  the  inconsistency 
of  the  Talmud  on  this  point  (v<?e  Lifihtfoot),  and  secondly,  by 
the  consideration  that  such  a  prohibition  could  in  no  case 
aft'ect  the  Koman  residents,  over  whom  the  Jews  had  no 
power.  The  scarcity  of  cocks  in  Jerusalem  i.s.  liowever,  in- 
timated by  the  absence  of  the  definite  article  before  aKiK-rap 
in  all  the  four  Gospels.  Hence  it  should  be  omitted  in  the 
Knalish  Version,  vers.  34,  T4,  75;  Mark  si  v.  30,  C8,  72;  Luke 
xxii.  84,60,01:  John  xiii.  88;  xviii.  27.  At  any  rate  the 
whole  history  of  Peter's  denial  is  evidenily  drawn  from  real 
life,  and  presents  one  of  the  strongest  evidences  for  the  origi- 
nality and  truthfulness  of  the  Gospel  records.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  31-46. 


479 


There  is  no  ground  for  doubting  the  identity  of  the 
present  and  the  ancient  Gethsemane ;  yet  it  must  be 
confessed  that  there  is  no  reason  why  the  place  on 
the  left  of  the  road  may  not  be  preferred  (Wolff). 
C.  von  Raumer :  "  The  olives  are  not  of  the  time  of 
our  Lord ;  for  Titus,  during  the  siege  of  Jerusalem, 
had  all  the  trees  of  the  district  cut  down ;  and,  more- 
over, the  tenth  legion  were  encamped  on  the  western 
declivity  of  the  mountain.  The  great  age  of  the  eight 
trees  is  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  each  of  them  pays 
a  particular  tribute  which  goes  up  to  the  time  of  the 
capture  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Saracens  (a.  d.  036).* 

And  He  saith  to  the  disciples. — There  were 
eight  of  them  ;  the  three  selected  ones,  and  Judas, 
being  excluded.  Only  those  three,  who  had  seen 
His  transfiguration  on  the  Mount,  might  be  witnesses 
•  of  the  conflict  of  His  soul.  But  this  appointment 
of  Christ  formed  also  a  kind  of  watch  against  prema- 
ture surprise  on  the  part  of  the  traitor.  In  the  fore- 
ground of  the  garden  sat  the  eight  disciples  ;  beyond 
them  are  the  three  confidential  ones  ;  into  the  Holiest 
of  His  Passion  He  goes  alone.  These  stations  are 
not  without  symbolical  significance. f 

Ver.  37.  He  began  to  be  overwhelmed 
with  sorrow  and  anguish  {to  mourn  and  to 
tremble)  \  Xv-jre'icrOai  i<ai  aS  tj  fx  o  v  e7y . — Suidas 
explains  a^Tjuoz/eli/  to  be  \ia.i'  Ainreiir^ai,  atropiiv. 
But  the  latter  expression  is  probably  not  an  in- 
tensification of  the  former ;  it  is  a  kind  of  contrast 
to  it.  \v7Ti1(TQai  is  the  passive:  being  troubled 
or  afflicted.  Thus  it  signifies,  absolutely  taken,  the 
experience  of  an  infinitely  afHicting  influence.  All 
the  woe  of  the  world  falls  upon  Him,  and  oppresses 
His  heart.  Mark  has  the  stronger  expression  :  f  «- 
eatxBfiTOxi.  The  contradictory  impressions |  which 
Christ  experienced  extended  to  horror  and  amaze- 
ment. 'AS^uoreri',  On  the  other  hand,  related  to 
cLTTopfr^  —  according  to  Buttmann  from  aorjuos — 
expresses  in  the  absolute  sense  the  being  forsaken 
of  all  the  world  and  bereft  of  every  consolation,  the 
uttermost  anxiety  and  experience  of  woe. 

Ver.  38.  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  or 
girt  round  with  sorrow,  ir  f  p  i  \  u  tt  o  r. — Compare 
John  xii.  27.  The  soul  is  the  intermediate  in  man  be- 
tween body  and  spirit.  The  spirit  expresses  the  rela- 
tion to  God ;  the  body,  the  relation  to  earth ;  the  soul, 
the  relation  to  the  world  at  large,  especially  the  world 
of  spirits.  Hence  the  soul  is  the  specific  organ  of 
ppiritual  experiences  and  emotions  of  pleasure  and 
sorrow  (Beck,  Bibl.  Sedenlehre,  10). — Even  unto 
death. — The  extremest  degree.  Even  unto  death, 
80  that  sorrow  might  bring  Me  to  death,  Jon.  iv.  0. 
"  Anguish  even  unto  death,  the  woes  of  one  strug- 
gling with  death,  I  now  experience.     The  words  of 

*  [Dr.  Wordsworth,  following  the  ancient  fathers  and  the 
older  Protestant  commentators,  sees  a  providential  and 
prophetical  adaptation  of  the  names  of  Scripture  localities 
generally,  and  of  Gethsemane,  in  particular,  to  the  events 
which  occurred  there.  In  this  oil  press,  in  which  the  olives 
were  crushed  and  bruised,  Christ  was  bruised  for  our  sins, 
that  oil  misht  flow  from  Ilis  wounds  to  heal  our  souls. 
Comn.  Matthew  Henry:  "There  lie  trod  the  wine-press  of 
His  Fathers  wrath,  and  trod  it  alo  e."  In  like  manner 
Wordsworth  allet'orizes  on  Bethlehem,  the  honse  of  bread, 
wher.-  the  bread  of  life  was  born ;  Nazareth,  where  He  jrew 
op  as  a  branch  ;  Bethsaida,  the  house  of  flshins,  where  He 
called  the  apostles:  Caperruium.  the  house  of  consolation, 
where  He  dwelt :  Bethany,  the  place  of  palm-dates,  which 
speaks  of  the  palms  and  hosannahs  of  His  triumphal  entry 
Into  .Jerusalem ;  Bethphaqe,  the  house  of  figs,  which  is  a  me- 
mento of  the  withHrini;  of  ihe  barren  fls-tree;  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  whence  ('hrist  ascended  to  heaven,  to  hold  forth  the 
olive  branch  of  pe.ace  between  God  and  man.  — P.  8.] 
t  [The  Kdinb.  transl.  has  in^ifjnifii-mice. — P.  8.1 
X  [Not:  passions,  as  in  the  Edinb.  transl.— P.  S.J 


Ps.  xxii.  16  ;  xl.  13,  seem  to  have  been  present  to 
His  thoughts."     Gerlach. 

Tarry  ye  here,  and  watch  with  Me. — Inti- 
mation of  the  deepest  agony.  Bengel :  In  magnis 
tcntationihus  juvat  soliiudo,  sod  taiocn  ut  in propinquo 
sint  at  aid. 

Ver.  39.  And  He  went  a  little  farther.— 
M 1  «•  p  0  f  belongs  to  irpo^kediv,  a  little  distance. 
Luke  gives  here  the  vivid  and  dramatic  statements 
of  the  spiritual  excitement  of  the  Lord, — of  the  bloody 
or  blood-like  sweat  which  poured  from  Him, — of 
His  being  strengthened  by  an  angel.  See  Com.  on 
Luke  xxii.  41-44. 

If  it  be  possible. — Not  as  opposing  the  notion 
of  an  unbt.nding  decree  ;  but  in  Uviug  harmony  with 
the  Father's  government  and  perfect  submission. 
Luke  :  ei  0ov\et.  The  Travra  SuvaTo.  aoi  in  Mark  is 
no  contradiction. 

This  cup. — The  suffering  is  a  cup  filled  with  a 
bitter  potion.  See  above,  ch.  xx.  22.  Meyer  (after 
de  Wette) :  "  This  sufiFering  and  dying  now  before 
Me."  The  signification  of  the  cup  is  the  same  as  the 
signification  of  the  suffering  of  His  souL  But  the 
modern  interpretation,  of  an  anguish  in  the  presence 
of  death  which  extorted  a  prayer  for  its  removal,  is 
in  opposition  to  all  the  earUer  declarations  of  Christ, 
and  especially  to  the  institution  of  the  Supper,  and 
the  high-priestly  prayer,  John  xvii.  On  this  farther 
on. 

But  as  Thou. — As  Thou  wilt,  let  it  be.  See 
Mai'k.  Not  My  will,  but  Thine  be  done.  "  The  feel- 
ing of  profound  emotion  speaks  in  broken  lan- 
guage." Meyer.  [This  passage  figures  very  promi- 
nently in  the  Monothelite  controversy  as  one  of  the 
principal  proofs  that  Christ  had  two  wills,  a  human 
and  a  divine,  as  He  had  two  natures.  It  should  not 
be  overlooked,  however,  that  the  contrast  is  not  as 
between  His  human  and  His  divine  will,  but  as  be- 
tween His  will  (as  the  God-Man  in  the  state  of  humil- 
iation and  intense  agony)  and  the  will  of  His  heaven- 
ly Father.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  40.  And  findeth  the-n  sleeping. — "  The 
sleeping  of  the  disciplc,<i,  and  of  these  three  favorite 
disciples,  under  these  circumstances,  and  with  so  un- 
conquerable a  drowsiness,  is  psychologically  mysteri- 
ous, even  after  Luke's  explanation,  a-irh  ttj?  \inrT]^ 
(ch.  xxii.  45) ;  but  the  certainly  genuine  words  of 
Jesus,  vers.  40  and  45,  constrain  us  to  regard  the 
circumstance  as  historically  true."  Meyer.  We 
must  connect  with  this  the  equally  mysterious  sleep- 
ing of  the  same  three  men  during  the  transfiguration  ; 
an^  this  will  confirm  the  supposition,  that  higher 
spiritual  influences  and  transactions  almost  overpow- 
ered the  feeble  flesh.  Yet  the  Lord  expressly  declares 
that  the  disciples  were  morally  responsible  for  being 
in  such  a  condition.  An  analogous  influence  we  see 
under  preaching.  Sermons  stimulate  some,  and  send 
others  to  sleep,  according  to  their  several  dispositions 
and  preparation.  The  simple  law,  that  extraordinary 
tension  raises  the  highly  developed  spiritual  life,  while 
it  stupefies  the  less  developed,  finds  here  its  strongest 
illustration  in  the  most  absolute  contrast  of  spiritual 
watchfulness  and  sleep. 

He  saith  unto  Peter. — He  had  promised  most ; 
was  in  the  greatest  danger;  and  probably  he  was  in 
psychical  respects  the  strongest. — So  then,  o'li- 
T  w  s , — with  displeasure :  with  allusion  to  his  great 
promises. — Not  one  hour. — Incidental  intimation 
of  the  duration  of  our  Lord's  tii'st  conflict. 

Ver.  41.  That  ye  enter  not  into  temptation; 
€  I  0-  e  \  fl  7}  T  € . — That  the  situation  in  which   they 


480 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


would  soon  be  pLiced,  might  not  be  a  cause  of  offence 
to  thcin,  through  lack  of  their  own  preparation.  The 
simple  test,  wliich  comes  from  God  alone,  becomes 
ir  ( I  p  uT  u6s ,  an  assault  dangerous  to  the  soul, 
partly  through  the  accession  of  tempting  influences 
from  without  ("  the  devil,  the  woi-ld  "),  and  partly 
throTigh  a  hlameable  internal  bias  ("  our  own  flesh 
and  blood  ").  The  Lord's  words  were  fully  explain- 
ed ^s'iieu  the  band  soon  afterward  came  upon  them. 

The  spirit  indeed  is  willing. — A  general  de- 
claration ;  but,  like  the  passage,  Rom.  vii.  22,  25, 
qualified  and  particularized  by  its  relation  to  the  dis- 
ciples, and  the  progress  of  the  Christian  life.  In  the 
unconverted  the  willingness  of  the  tr  ved  fiais  not 
yet  uuljound  ;  in  mature  Christians  the  it  a  p  ^  is  puri- 
fied and  governed  by  the  spiritual  principle.  But, 
even  in  the  first  case,  the  willingness  of  the  spirit  is 
faintly  expressed  in  indefinite  desires  ;  and  in  the  last 
case,  the  opposition  of  the  flesh  is  not  absolutely 
suppressed  and  abolished  until  the  consummation. 
The  proper  conflict  between  the  irv^v^a,  the  higher 
principle  of  life,  and  the  old  ungodly  nature,  falls 
into  the  domain  of  the  Christian  discipleship,  the  life 
that  is  being  matured.  The  tt  y  e  C  /u  a  is  here  the 
human  spiritual  life,  awakened  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
It  is  not  only  wiUing,  but  vp  6Q  v  ixov  ^  ready  and 
willing.  Tlie  aap^  which  opposes  is  not  simply  the 
sensual  nature,  but  the  sensuous  nature  disorder- 
ed by  the  ^vxh-  The  Scripture  presents  the  o-a'p^j — 
that  is,  the  natural  life  in  its  inclinations  and  im- 
pulses,— in  tlu-ee  stages  :  1.  As  innocent  capl  (Gen. 
ii.) ;  2.  as  sinful  cra.p^  (Gen.  vi.) ;  3.  as  sanctified  crap^ 
(John  vi.).  But  the  sinful  cdp^  is  even  in  the  regen- 
erate excited  to  a  diseased  contradiction ;  it  is  not 
merely  weak,  but  ao-O  f  r^  s ,  as  the  TTved/xa  is  npo- 
du,uou.  Hence,  above  all  things,  watchfulness  is 
needed.  Calovius :  adp^  is  here  the  homo  animalis  ; 
TTVii'na,  the  homo  spii-itualis.  This  is  too  dogmati- 
cal. [Slier,  Alford,  and  Xast  take  Jlesh  here  in  its 
original  sense  as  a  constituent  part  of  human  nature, 
which  in  itself  is  not  sinful,  but  has  an  inherent  weak- 
ness, which  the  soul,  standing  between  the  spirit  and 
the  Jlesh,  must  overcome  by  deriving  strength  from 
the  spirit  through  watching  and  prayer.  They  also 
maintain  that  Christ  Himself  is  included  in  this  de- 
claration, with  the  difference  that  He  gave  as  high 
and  pre-eminent  an  example  of  its  truth,  as  the  disci- 
ples afforded  a  low  and  ignoble  one :  He,  in  the  wil- 
lingness of  the  spirit,  yielding  Himself  to  the  Father's 
will  to  suffer  and  die,  but  weighed  down  by  the  weak- 
ness of  the  flesh  ;  they,  having  professed,  and  really 
iiaving,  a  wilhng  spirit  to  suffer  with  Him,  but,  even 
in  t'ne  one  hour's  watching,  ovei'come  by  the  burden 
of  drowsmess.  Observe,  it  is  here  irvivixa,  the  higher 
spiritual  being,  and  not  ^vxh,  the  human  soul,  the 
seat  of  the  afi'ections  and  passions,  as  in  ver.  38  and 
John  xii.  2Y.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  42.  Again  the  second  time. — No  pleon- 
asm. The  tK  5evT  4  p  o  u  defines  the  aTreAOtiv, 
the  TT  a  A.  4  J/  defines  the  Ttpoa-Tju^aro  in  a.  signifi- 
cant manner.  In  the  second  supplication,  the  resig- 
nation and  self-sacrifice  comes  more  prominently  for- 
ward. 

Ver.  44.  The  third  time. — Apart  from  the  tex- 
tual uncertainty,  this  presents  no  difSculty.  It  is  in 
harmony  with  life,  and  especially  spiritual  life,  that 
intense  and  decisive  conflicts  develop  themselves  in 
a  succession  of  acts,  with  intermissions  of  pause. 
The  rhythm  here  assumes  a  threefold  rise  and  fall,  ac- 


cording to  the  nature  of  the  spirit  and  of  spiritual 
conflict,  as  in  the  conflict  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  2  Cor. 
xii.  8.  Luke  does  not  record  this  tlireefold  repeti- 
tion hterally ;  but  he  describes  it  in  the  growmg  in- 
tensity of  the  struggle,  the  bloody  sweat,  and  the 
word  of  the  strengthening  angel. 

Ver.  45.  Sleep  on  now,  and  take  your  rest. — 
1.  Chrysostom,  Grotius,  Winer,  and  others  :  "Jesus 
needed  no  longer  the  co-operation  of  His  disciples,  and 
gives  them  rest."  But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  read  : 
"The  hour  is  come."  2.  H.  Stephanus,  Heumanu,  [also 
Greswell  and  Robinson],  and  others,  make  it  a  ques- 
tion :  Sleep  ye  still  ?  but  this  is  opposed  by  to  Aoi- 
nov.  3.  Gruhch  (on  the  L-ony  of  Christ,  p.  '74) : 
Sleep  and  take  your  rest  for  the  time  to  come,  that 
is,  in  future,  when  ye  shall  have  more  security.  But 
this  would  not  be  rh  KonTov.  4.  Euthymius  Zigab., 
[Calvin],  and  Beza,  call  it  "  rebuking  irony."  [Also 
Chrysostom.]  Meyer  :  "  The  common  objection 
against  the  ironical  view,  that  it  is  not  in  harmony 
with  the  present  feeling  of  Jesus,  is  psychologically 
arbitrary.  The  profoundest  grief  of  soul,  especiaUy 
when  associated  with  such  clearness  of  spirit,  has  its 
own  irony.  And  what  an  apathy  had  Jesus  here  to 
encounter  !  "  But  if  the  essential  principle  of  irony 
is  security  and  perfect  composure  of  spirit,  we  recog- 
nize here  the  sacred  irony  which  does  not  speak  in 
contempt  of  weakness,  but  in  the  triumphant  con- 
sciousness that  the  fight  was  already  won.  Another 
token  is,  that  it  passes  over  at  once  into  the  most 
solemn  language.  See  the  divine  irony  in  Ps.  ii. 
Meanwhile,  we  must  be  careful  not  to  overlook  the 
symbohcal  element  in  the  saying.  The  disciples  had 
slept  in  the  body,  because  they  slept  in  the  spirit. 
And,  because  they  had  not  watched,  there  was  a  ne- 
cessity now  that  they  should  outwardly  watch  while 
they  slept  on  in  spirit,  untU  they  were  awakened  by 
the  cock-crowhig,  the  Redeemer's  death,  and  the  re- 
surrection morning. 

The  hour  is  at  hand. — The  great  hour  of  deci- 
sion.    Comp.  Luke  xxii.  53. 

Shall  be  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  sinners. 
— Grotius :  The  Romans.  Meyer  :  The  Sanhedrin. 
De  Wette,  better  :  The  Romans  and  the  Jews.  For 
that  the  betrayal  was  twofold,  Jesus  had  before  de- 
clared. 

Ver.  46.  Arise, "let  us  go  hence. — "Remark 
the  haste  which  is  expressed  miyeipiaOf,  ay  oi- 
uev,  ISov."     Meyer. 

The  Relation  of  the  Three  Evangelists  to 
John. — The  silence  of  John  upon  the  conflict  in 
Gethsemane  has  been  explained  in  various  ways. 
According  to  Olshausen  and  others,  he  took  for 
granted  an  acquaintance  with  the  synoptical  naiTa- 
tives.  I  have  explamed  the  omission  of  this  event, 
as  well  as  of  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
from  the  pecuhar  composition  and  aim  of  the  fourth 
Gospel,  with  reference  to  the  three  already  existing.* 
So  also  Meyer.  John  has  something  analogous  to 
the  agony  of  Gethsemane  in  the  spiritual  conflict  of 
Jesus  in  the  temple,  John  xii.  27,  though  the  two 
arc  of  course  not  to  be  identified. 


*  [The  Edinb.  edition  altogether  misunderstands  this  pas- 
sage, and  translates:  "  The  issue  (as  if  Auxfali  was  the  same 


with  A'usgang  .')  of  this  eve 
in  his  oicn  way."    John  do 


1  illustrtited  hy  John 


all,  but  jjasses  them  by  in  complete  silence.  But  Lange  il- 
lustrates this  silence  in  his  Lehen  Jesu,  to  which  ho  here  al- 
ludes.-P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  S1-4G. 


481 


DOClTvINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  perfect  fidelity  of  Jesus  to  the  law  is  seen 
in  His  not  going  over  the  Mount  of  Olives  to  Beth- 
any. It  was  necessary  for  every  one  to  spend  that 
night  in  Jerusalem.  His  calmness  is  seen  in  the  fact 
of  His  going  to  His  accustomed  place  of  prayer  (Luke 
xxii.  39),  although  knowing  that  Judas  was  acquaint- 
ed with  the  place.  The  time  for  hiding  Himself  was 
past ;  for  throughout  the  whole  land  there  was  no 
longer  freedom  for  His  steps.  But  no  more  did  Jesus 
go  prematurely  to  meet  danger,  which  He  would  have 
done  had  He  celebrated  the  Passover  a  day  earlier 
than  usual.  "Just  at  the  commencement  of  Ilis 
public  teaching  (ch.  iv.),  lie  retired,  before  His  ex- 
tremest  agony,  into  silence  ;  that  there  He  might  in 
prayer  await  and  overcome  in  His  inmost  spirit  the 
fiercest  assaidts  of  Satan  (John  xiv.  30),  before  He 
entered  upon  His  external  mortal  passion."  Ger- 
lach. 

2.  The  Agony  of  the  Saviour  in  Geth-^emane. — 
The  final  form  of  an  anxious  presentiment  which 
had  pervaded  His  whole  public  life,  and  which  con- 
stantly came  out  more  and  more  distinctly  into  utter- 
ance: Luke  xii.  50;  Mark  viii.  12  ;  John  xii.  There 
is  nothing  improbable,  though  something  mysterious 
and  wonderful,  in  the  record  that  Christ's  agony  fol- 
lowed the  high  festival  of  His  soul  hi  the  sacerdotal 
prayer  (John  xvii.).  A  similar  transition  in  feeling 
often  appears:  1.  From  joy  to  sorrow  in  the  entry 
with  jjalm-branches  in  Luke,  in  the  temple,  John  xii., 
in  Githsemane;  2.  from  sorrow  to  joy  at  the  depar- 
ture from  Gahlee,  at  the  dismissal  of  Judas  from  the 
company  of  disciples,  John  xiii.,  after  the  cry,  "  My 
God,  My  God,"  on  the  cross.  All  this  shows  the 
elasticity  and  absolute  depth  and  vigor  of  His  inner 
life.  We  distinguish  three  great  conflicts  and  triumphs 
in  the  passion :  1.  The  victory  over  the  temptation 
of  the  Idngdom  of  darkness  in  His  Spirit,  at  the  in- 
stitution of  the  holy  Supper  (John  xiii.  31) ;  2.  the 
victor}'  over  temptation  in  His  soul,  in  Gethsemane ; 
3.  the  ■victory  over  temptation  in  His  bodily  life,  on 
the  cross.  These  three  great  crises,  indeed,  are  not 
to  be  separated  abstractly,  as  if  in  the  one  case  His 
spirit  only  was  tried,  in  the  other,  His  soul,  etc.  But 
the  assault  made  the  life  of  the  spirit  the  medium  of 
trial  in  the  one  case,  in  the  other,  the  Ufe  of  the  soul ; 
and  the  victory  which  preceded  became  an  advantage 
in  the  conflict  which  followed.  And  tliis  serves  to 
show  the  real  import  of  the  specific  sufiering  of  the 
soul  of  our  Lord.  It  is  in  its  nature  one  of  the  deep- 
est mysteries  of  the  evangelic  history ;  but  it  receives 
some  light  from  the  position  of  the  soul-conflict  be- 
tween the  spirit-conflict  and  the  conflict  of  bodily  dis- 
tress, from  its  relation  to  the  temptation  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  by  definite  declarations  of  Christ  Him- 
self. Interpretations : — 1.  Origen,  Be  martyrio,  c. 
29  :  Christ  de§ired  a  yet  deeper  .sufiering ;  an  asceti- 
cally  strained  view.*  Contra  C'elsum  :  He  would 
have  averted  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  So  Am- 
brose, Basil,  Jerome.  2.  He  suffered  the  wrath  of 
God  in  our  stead  and  our  behalf.  Melanchthon :  Jacuit 
filius  Dei  prostratus  coram  ceterno  Patrc,  sentiens 
iram  adversus  tua  et  mea  peccata.  So  llambach, 
"  the  cup  of  wrath."     3.  Assaults  of  hell.     Knapp  : 

*  [Oriirea  pxpl.iins  the  words  :  "  J/y  soul  is  gcrrrmoful 
unto  death..  Sorrow  is  begun  in  me,  but  not  to  endure  for- 
ever, but  only  till  the  hour  of  death;  when  I  shall  die  for 
sin,  I  shall  die  also  for  all  sorrow,  whose  beginnings  only  are 
in  me."— P.  S.] 

31 


"  Tiic  last  and  most  terrible  attacks  of  the  kingdom 
of  darkness,  iu  which  the  prince  of  death  sought  to 
wrest  from  Him  the  victory."  -i.  Ebrard :  "  His 
trembling  in  Gethsemane  was  not  dread  of  His  suf- 
ferings, but  was  part  of  His  passion  itself;  it  was  not 
a  transcendental  and  external  assumption  of  a  for- 
eign guilt,  but  a  concrete  experience  of  the  full  and 
concentrated  power  of  the  world's  sin."  5.  Olshau- 
scn :  Actual  a):)andomnent  on  the  part  of  (Jod ;  the 
human  \f>vxri  of  Jesus  alone  was  in  conflict  here, 
while  the  fulness  of  the  divine  life  had  withdrawn. 
G.  Rationalists  hke  Tliiess  and  Paulus  refer  it  to  phy- 
sical illness  and  exhaustion,*  to  which  Scliuster  adds 
the  distress  of  abandonment  by  friends,  f  7.  De 
Wctte  :  Fear  of  death  ("  a  moral  weakness  !  "). 
8.  Tileyer  :  Horror  and  shudder  in  confronting  the  ter- 
ror of  such  cruel  sufterings  and  death.  So  most 
modern  interpreters.  Neander  proves  against  Strauss 
that  a  change  of  feeling  in  the  life  of  the  Saviour  is 
by  no  means  improbable.  But  we  caimot  admit  a 
change  of  thought,  least  of  all  a  change  of  the  funda- 
mental thoughts  of  His  fife.  A  supplication  for  the 
turning  away  of  the  suffering  of  death,  even  as  a  con- 
ditional and  resigned  reijuest,  is  not  to  be  imagined 
after  so  many  foreannouncements  of  His  passion,  af- 
ter the  institution  of  the  Supper,  and  His  continuance 
in  the  scene  of  danger  at  Gethsemane.  This  would 
be  to  make  Jesus  directly  contradict  Himself.  The 
agony  in  Gethsemane  was  not  dread  of  the  agony  on 
Calvary,  but  it  was  a  specific  agony  of  itself ;  there- 
fore He  prays,  according  to  Mark,  that,  if  it  were 
possible,  the  hour  of  this  suffering  might  pass, — sim- 
ilarly as  in  John. 

It  was  the  hour  of  nameless  woe,  of  an  excite- 
ment and  commotion  of  soul,+  in  which  He  would 
not  appear  before  His  disciples,  in  wliich  He  could 
not  appear  before  His  enemies.  ] .  It  was  then  first 
a  specific  conflict  of  sov.l  ("  My  soul  is  surrounded  by 
sorrow,"  tt  e  p  i  Auttos)  :  He  was  assaulted  by  the  sever- 
est experience  of  woe  and  distressmg  anxiety.  And 
this  disposes  of  the  opinions  of  those  who  make  the 
sufiering  either  predominantly  pneumatic,  or  predom- 
inantly corporeal.  2.  It  was  a  counterpart  to  the 
temptation  in  the  wilderness.  &eLuke  iv.  13.  Christ 
was  tempted  in  the  wilderness  by  the  pseudo-messi- 
anic and  carnal  hopes  and  desires  of  His  people,  in 
connection  with  the  vanities  of  the  world.  But  in 
Gethsemane  He  was  tempted  by  the  pseudo-messianic, 
carnal  grief  and  disappointment  of  His  people,  and 
the  whole  misery  of  the  world,  which  culminated  in 
the  fearful  treachery  of  Judas,  and  revealed  itself  m 
a  milder  form  in  the  sleeping  of  the  disciples  for  sor- 

*  [In  German:  kbrperliche  Ahupannnng,  which  Is  just 
the  reverse  of  "corporeal  intensity  nf feeling"  as  tl;e  Edinb. 
edition  renders  it.— P.  t>.] 

t  [Eenan,  in  his  Life  of  Je^u\  ch.  xxiiL,  adds  the  sad 
memory  of  "the  clear  fountains  of  Galilee,  where  lie  might 
have  refreshed  Himself;  the  vineyard  and  fig-tree,  under 
which  He  miirht  have  been  seated;  and  (hoar,  hear!)  the 
young  maidens  who  might  perhaps  have  consented  to  love 
Himi"  Only  a  French  novel-writer  wouIJ  profane  this  sa- 
cred .scene  by  such  erotic  sentimentalism.  Eenan  places 
tbe  agony  in  Gethsemane  several  days  before  the  night  of 
the  Passion,  contrary  to  the  unanimous  testimony  of  the  Sy- 
noptists  as  wuU  as  the  iniierent  probability  of  the  case.  Biit 
his  opinions  on  such  subjects  are  worth  nothing  at  all. — P. 
S.] 

J  [In  German:  GemiitJbserschuttf.rir.ig.  GemiUh  is  here, 
like  the  Greek  duaos  (from  6vct>,  to  rw/t.  on,,  to  etorm;  to 
bwn  in  xncrifice),  the  Inmost  soul,  as  the  principle  of  life, 
feeling,  and  thought,  esnecially  as  the  seat  of  strong  feeling 
and  passion.  The  Edinb.  edition  obliterates  the  meaning  of 
the  original  by  turning  it  into;  unrest  and  amazement, 
which  is  no  transl.ation  at  all.  The  next  sentences  are  still 
more  diluted  and  mutilated,  or  entirely  omitted. — P.  S.] 


482 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW, 


row.  The  whole  tempting  power  of  the  desperation 
of  humanity  pressed  hard  upon  Jesus :  that  was  His 
\vTTe7a  Q  at.  And  in  His  ovm  internal  defence  He 
stood  alone,  invigorated  by  no  sympathy  and  help  of 
mortals  :  that  was  His  aZtiaoviZv. — Comp.  Isa.  Ixiii. 
3.  In  this  temptation  through  the  despair  of  hu- 
manity lay  indeed  the  strength  of  the  fiercest  assault 
of  hellish  powers  upon  His  lonely  soul.  It  was  also 
the  judgment  of  God  upon  humanity  which  Jesus 
experienced  in  His  sonl ;  not  God's  judgment  upon 
Himself,  but  a  judgment  upon  humanity,  which  He 
received  into  His  own  soul,  in  order  to  change  it  into 
redemption.  Of  the  former — the  despair  of  the  world 
— Judas'  treachery  was  the  concentrated  and  terrific 
expression :  it  was  the  demoniac  fruit  of  his  demoniac 
grief,  an  act  of  mad  contempt  of  salvation  and  of 
self.  Hence  the  Lord  again  alludes  here  to  the  trai- 
tor (ver.  46).  The  great  double-betrayal  of  His  peo- 
ple and  of  the  whole  world  committed  against  His 
life,  was  the  extreme  suflering  of  the  Saviour,  the 
fulfilment  of  Joseph's  type,  sold  with  fearful  anguish 
on  his  part  by  his  brothers  (Gen.  xhi.  21).  Thus 
the  agony  of  Jesus'  soul  in  the  garden  was  related  to 
the  despairing  sorrow  of  the  world,  as  the  victory  in 
the  wilderness  was  related  to  the  enticing  and  dis- 
guised pleasures  of  this  world. 

3.  Not  as  I  will,  but  as  Thou  wilt. — Opposed  to 
the  Monothelite  heresy.  This  preserves  the  truth 
and  truly  human  character  of  His  conflict,  without 
disparaging  His  constant  accordance  in  all  things 
with  the  will  of  the  Father.  Contrast  and  suspense 
do  not  amount  to  contradiction.  Difference  is  not 
discord.  See  the  decrees  of  the  Council  of  Constan- 
tmople,  A.  D.  680. 

4.  Christ,  in  His  threefold  supplication  in  Geth- 
semane,  perfected  the  doctrine  of  prayer,  and  sanc- 
tified the  prayers  of  sinners.  His  petition  rises  from 
the  full  expression  of  His  woe  to  the  full  expression 
of  submission  to  the  Father's  will.  And  His  being 
heard  consisted  in  this,  that  in  the  Father's  strength 
He  drank  the  cup,  and  enjoyed  the  perfect  security 
of  victory  before  the  sharpest  conflict  took  place. 

5.  It  was  not  the  treachery  of  Judas  in  its  exter- 
nal aspect,  but  that  treachery  as  the  expression  of 
the  disciples'  and  the  world's  sorrow  and  disappoint- 
ment and  of  their  despair  of  Christ's  honor  and  vic- 
tory, that  constituted  the  temptation  which  the  Sav- 
iour here  suffered.  But  He  had  overcome  this  temp- 
tation already,  when  the  external  and  actual  betrayal 
came  upon  Him. 


HOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

I.  The  Two  Sections. — The  passage  from  the 
Supper  to  Gethsemane  ;  or,  spiritual  invigoration  ex- 
perienced in  the  way  of  duty :  a.  The  appointment 
of  spiritual  strengthening ;  b.  how  it  is  experienced 
by  Christ  and  by  His  disciples. — The  warning  voice 
of  their  Master  scarcely  heard  amidst  the  expressions 
of  the  disciples'  self-confidence. — Divine  and  human 
care  in  provision  against  assaults  at  hand  :  1.  Christ 
is  careful,  and  therefore  free  from  care ;  2.  His  dis- 
ciples were  careless,  and  therefore  burdened  with 
care  and  anxiety. — Christ  in  His  work  of  redemption 
overcame  the  unfaithfulness  of  His  disciples  :  1.  Their 
unbeUefin  its  presumption  ;  2.  their  unbelief  in  its  de- 
spondency.— The  sudden  and  decisive  turning-point : 
1 .  Of  destiny ;  2.  of  feeUng ;  3.  of  t lie  issue.-Thc  watch- 
man and  the  sleepers :  1.  God  and  men ;  2.  Christ 
and  the  disciples  ;  3.  the  spirit  and  thj  earthly  cares. 


II.  TriE  Wat  to  the  Mou.nt  of  Olives. — The  fore- 
announcement  of  the  Lord,  and  the  unbelief  of  the 
disciples. — The  spirit  of  Christ  and  tlie  spirit  of 
Scripture  of  one  accord  in  their  judgment  upon  the 
weakness  of  believers. — The  promise  of  seeing  them 
again  in  (JaUlee,  bound  up  with  the  prediction  of 
their  coming  fall :  1.  A  testimony  of  His  supreme 
hope  above  His  sorrows ;  2.  of  His  continued  faith- 
fulness to  the  disciples  in  their  wavering. — The  a-s- 
surances  of  Peter. — His  self-coir.placent  boasts  the 
token  of  his  deep  fall. — Mark  his  presumptuous  and 
boasted  superiority:  1.  To  his  enemies:  2.  to  the 
other  disciples ;  3.  to  the  warning  word  of  his  Mas- 
ter.— Strong  professions,  miserable  apostacy.* — The 
last  unholy  contention  of  the  disciples. — The  mea- 
sure of  our  false  self-estimation  the  measure  of  our 
humihation  in  life. — Niglit  and  the  offence. — The 
strength  of  fidehty  which  can  look  beyond  and  over- 
look the  offence  of  weakness,  and  turn  it  to  salva- 
tion.— The  offence  of  weakness  (Peter),  and  the  of- 
fence of  wickedness  (Judas). 

III.  Gethsemane. — The  Mount  of  Ohves  and  the 
Oil-Press  (Gethsemane),  symbols  of  the  i)roduction 
and  maturity  of  the  Christian  life:  I.  The  mount  is 
a  figure  of  the  Church,  in  which  the  spiritual  life 
grov/s ;  2.  the  oil-press  is  a  figure  of  suffering,  through 
which  the  spiritual  life  is  purged  or  set  free. — The 
three  great  things  of  eternal  significance  connected 
with  the  Mount  of  Olives:  1.  The  palm-entry  into 
Jerusalem  ;  2.  Gethsemane ;  3.  the  ascension. — Geth- 
semane the  turning-point  between  the  old  and  the 
new  Paradise. — The  reserve  and  the  famiharity  of 
Jesus  in  His  agony. — The  concealment  of  the  agony  : 

1.  It  is  altogether  hidden  from  the  world ;  2.  the 
greater  number  of  His  disciples  see  only  the  signs  of 
this  suffering;  3.  the  confidential  ones  only  see  it  in 
ayiazement  and  trembling ;  4.  only  God  views  Him 
stretched  out,  as  a  worm  in  the  dust. — The  soul  of 
Jesus  oppressed  by  the  distress  of  all,  and  bereft  of 
the  help  of  all. — Or,  the  soul  of  the  agonized  treader 
of  the  wine-press  (Isa.  Ixiii.  3) ;  alone  in  His  suffer- 
ing, over  whom  all  the  billows  roll  (Ps.  xxii.  21  ;  Isa. 
liv.  11);  resigned  entirely  to  God,  and  hidden  in 
Him  (Ps.  xxvii.  5). — How  Christ  in  the  garden  over- 
came the  sorrow  of  all  the  world :  1.  Human  sorrow,  in 
its  vain  imaginations  and  despair  ;  2.  devilish  sorrow, 
in  its  betrayal  and  mockery. — The  conflict  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  the  conflict  in  the  garden. — The  three 
great  conflicts  of  Jesus:  at  the  Supper,  in  Gethse- 
mane, and  on  Calvary. — Gethsemane  and  Calvary. — 
The  horror  of  Jesus  in  prospect  of  the  kiss  of  Judas. 
— The  Judas-kiss  evermore  the  bitterest  cup  of  the 
Lord  and  of  His  Church. — The  world  gave  Him  toil ; 
Ilis  disciples  gave  Him  trouble. — The  suffering  of 
Christ  the  suffering  of  priestly  sympathy  with  the 
misery  of  the  world:  1.  He  feels  its  perfect  woe; 
hence  His  suffering.  2.  He  experiences  the  whole 
power  of  sm  in  this  woe ;  hence  the  dread  assault 
and  conflict.  3.  He  begins  to  expiate  its  whole  guilt 
in  this  woe :  hence  His  persevering  prayer. — Even  in 
the  agony  of  His  soul  He  is  the  Christ :  1.  The  pro- 
phetic Revealer  of  all  the  depths  of  man's  misery ; 

2.  the  high-priestly  Expiator  of  them  ;  3.  the  kingly 
DeUverer  from  them. — The  severest  suffering  is  but 
a  cup:  1.  Rigorously  measured  ;  2.  surrounded  and 
adorned  by  the  cup ;  3.  prepared,  presented  and 
blessed  by  "the  Father. — Christ  in  the  apparent  anni- 


*  [In  German:  Diestai'ken  Zu^agen  und diekWglichen 
Ahsageii,—&  paronomasia  which  I  cannot  imitate  in  Eng- 
lish.-P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  31-46. 


483 


hilation  of  tlie  work  of  His  life  :  the  seeming  iuvali- 
dation  of  His  mission ;  the  seeming  dissolution  of  His 
company  ;  the  seeming  succumbing  of  His  disciples 
under  grief,  desjiondency,  and  self-reprobation ;  the 
seeming  contempt  of  His  love. — His  faithful  heart  the 
dove  with  the  olive-branch  liigli  above  the  floods. — 
Christ  in  His  great  conflict  of  jirayer :  teaches  us  to 
pray ;  makes  our  prayer  acceptable  ;  and  becomes 
its  Mediator. — Prayer  is  most  acceptable  in  its  abso- 
lute submission  to  the  will  of  God. — The  disciples  as 
the  outposts  and  watchmen  of  the  Church. — The 
sleep  of  the  disciples;  or,  the  dcath-hke  collapse 
which  follows  over-strained  self-confidence. — The  two 
divisions  of  the  disciples :  a  watch-company  toward 
the  world,  and  a  watch-company  around  the  Lord. — 
The  Lord's  request  to  His  disciples  a  token  of  infinite 
humility. — The  three  words  of  tlie  Lord  to  the  disci- 
ples :  l'.  Watch  with  Me ;  2.  watch  for  yourselves ; 
3.  sleep  on  now  (whether  waking  or  sleeping,  ye  will 
sleep  till  the  awakening  of  My  resurrection). —  Watch 
andprai/,  because  of:  L  Temptation;  2.  weakness. 
— The  three  witnesses  of  His  transfiguration  and  His 
humiliation  (of  the  glorious  beams  and  the  bloody 
sweat). — The  divine  majesty  with  which  the  Lord 
comes  out  of  His  human  sorrow. — The  strength  and 
solidity  which  the  soul  acquires  from  communion 
with  Christ  in  all  the  conflicts  of  life  and  death. 


Selections  from  other  Homildical  Commentators. 

L  The  "Way  to  the  Mount  of  Olives. — Starke : — 
From  Cramer:  He  is  a  true  friend  who  warns  of  dan- 
ger ;  but  flesh  and  blood  is  too  secure,  and  will  not 
take  warning,  1  Thess.  v.  3. — How  easily  may  even 
the  best  men  lapse  into  sin !  James  iii.  2. —  Osiander : 
The  cross  and  triljulation  a  great  offence  to  the  weak. 
— Professions :  not  to  promise  good  is  unbelief ;  to 
promise  without  earnest  will  is  hypocrisy  ;  to  prom- 
ise in  reliance  upon  our  own  strength  is  presumption. 
— Hedinger :  Good-will  must  guard  carefully  against 
arrogance. — Trust  none  less  than  thine  own  heart, 
Jer.  xvii.  9. —  Canstein:  Nothing  is  so  hidden  from 
us  as  our  own  hearts. — We  never  come  to  know 
thoroughly  our  own  weakness  and  unsteadiness. — 
The  imagination  which  we  have  formed  concerning 
ourselves  prevents  our  seeing  what  we  are  and  what 
we  are  not. — Hard  work  it  is  to  wean  a  man  away 
from  his  false  imaginations  about  himself. — To  con- 
tradict the  voice  of  truth  is  the  sum  of  shame. 

Ll'ico: — The  Searcher  of  hearts. — Peter  trusts 
more  the  strength  of  his  feehng  than  the  word  of 
Jesus. 

Gerlach: — The  Lord  (luotes  the  language  of 
Scripture  oftener  in  His  sufferings  than  in  any  other 
circumstances.  So  in  the  temptation  in  the  wilder- 
ness, ch.  iv.  1-11. 

Ileuhncr : — This  prediction  of  the  Lord  shows 
His  supreme  peace  and  victory  over  self — The  suf- 
fering Messiah  was  a  riddle  to  them. — Christ  is  the 
only  bond  of  His  people  :  take  llim  away,  and  all  is 
dissolved. — He  would  give  them  all  a  proof  of  His 
unlimited  knowledge  of  men's  hearts  :  that  was  of 
importance  for  their  whole  life. — The  over-hasty,  the 
presumptuous,  and  the  self  confident,  are  those  whom 
God  suSers  to  fall. — There  is  a  great  difference  be- 
tween arrogance  of  flesh  and  alacrity  of  spirit. — The 
honest  humility  with  whicli  the  disciples  relate  their 
own  faults. — Warning  to  us  all  not  to  take  offence 
at  the  Lord  in  anything. 

n.  Gethsemane: — Starke: — The  transfiguration 


upon  the  high  mountain  ;  the  humiliation  in  the  deep 
valley. — It  is  not  wise  for  every  one  to  reveal  every- 
where and  indiscriminately  his  heart  and  all  its  im- 
pulses, Gen.  xxii.  5  ;  for  there  are  weak  people,  who 
cannot  bear  the  strong. —  Osiander:  Wc  can  dis- 
burden ourselves  most  confidently  in  the  ears  of  our 
God  when  we  have  no  one,  or  but  few,  near  us. — 
Canstein :  Christ  enters  upon  His  passion  with  pray- 
er ;  He  carries  it  on  and  ends  it  with  prayer ;  and  so 
teaches  us  that  our  own  suiferings  cannot  be  over- 
come and  made  to  subserve  our  salvation  without 
much  prayer. — The  three  Apostles  called  in  Gal.  ii. 
9  pillars:  Peter,  the  first  who  opened  to  Jews  and 
Gentiles  the  door  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  James, 
the  first  martyr  ;  John,  the  longest  liver,  to  whom  the 
most  glorious  revelations  were  vouchsafed. — The 
trials  of  Abraham,  Paul,  Luther  (great  saints,  great 
trials). —  Canstein :  The  faithful  God  ministers  trials 
according  to  the  measure  of  the  ability  of  those  who 
are  to  bear  them  (1  Cor.  x.  13). — When  it  is  time  to 
fight  and  to  pray,  we  ought  no£  to  sleep. — God  lets 
His  weak  children  for  a  long  time  see  others  in  the 
conflict,  before  they  themselves  are  exposed  to  the 
contest. — The  cup  of  Christ's  sufl'ering  has  conse- 
crated the  cup  of  our  cross. — Trust  not  to  men,  Ps. 
cxviii.  v. — Our  best  security  against  temptation  is  to 
watch  and  pray. — The  daily  contest  of  the  spirit  with 
the  flesh  absolutely  necessary.  Gal.  v.  17. — Thy  will 
be  done. — We  may  pray  for  mitigation. — When  Je- 
sus is  suffering  in  His  members,  our  eyes  are,  alas ! 
commonly  full  of  sleep. — Perseverance  in  prayer 
without  fainting, 'Luke  xviii.  1. — A  faithful  father 
warns  his  children  of  danger. — lie  who  feels  safe  in 
the  time  of  danger  may  easily  be  ruined ;  he  who 
is  caujious  and  self-distrustful  will  escape. — When 
one  hour  of  trial  is  passed,  we  must  pi-epare  for  an- 
other.— When  we  in  God's  strength  have  overcome 
the  first  assaults  and  terrors  of  death,  all  is  more  and 
more  tolerable,  until  the  cross  itself  is  gloriously  tri- 
umphed over. — Jesus  our  Forerunner. — Christ  went 
freely  and  joyfully  to  meet  His  passion,  for  an  exam- 
ple to  us,  Phil.  ii.  5. 

lAsco : — Heb.  v.  7.  The  threefold  prayer  reminds 
us  of  the  threefold  victory  over  Satan,  when  he 
tempted  Jesus,  ch.  iv.  1 . 

Gerlach : — From  Luther  :  "  We  men,  born  and 
bound  in  sin,  have  an  impure,  hard,  and  leprous  skin, 
which  does  not  soon  feel.  But,  because  Christ's 
body,  His  flesh  and  blood,  is  fresh,  and  pure,  and 
sound,  without  sin,  while  ours  are  full  of  sin,  we  feel 
the  terror  of  death  in  a  far  less  degree  from  what  He 
felt  it."  The  disciples  should  watch  vnth  Iliin,  and 
the;/  should  pray ;  but  with  Him  they  could  not  pray  ; 
in  His  mediatorial  conflict  no  man  could  stand  by 
and  help  Him. — He  desired  the  fellowship  of  these  as 
the  first-fruits  of  the  men  who  were  to  be  redeemed 
by  Him. — In  this  severe  agony  of  the  passion,  the  di- 
vine will  ever  more  and  more  penetrates  and  exalts 
the  human. 

Heubner : — It  was  a  garden,  as  in  Gen.  'm. — Xot 
all  the  disciples  were  fitted  to  be  witnesses  of  this 
profound  and  mysterious  humiliation  of  our  Lord. — 
Ramhach :  It  is  not  expedient  that  the  child  of  God 
should  reveal  to  every  one  the  depths  of  his  heart. — 
It  is  the  highest  grace  to  be  companion  of  the  most 
secret  sorrows  of  Jesus. — Jesus  is  the  source  of  con- 
solation and  encouragement  for  all  burdened  and 
heavy-laden  souls. — The  greater  the  anguish,  the 
greater  the  joy. — Rieger :  And  He  went  to  a  little 
distance.  So  the  high-priest  went  into  the  Holiest. 
—The  Son  of  God  bows  down  to  the  uttermost  before 


484  THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


His  Father,  to  make  us  acceptable. — 0  that  we  bet- 
ter learned  the  lesson  to  bow  down  before  God ! — 
Jacob's  wrestling  in  the  night,  Hos.  xii.  4,  5. — Sleep- 
iness and  inconsiderateness  among  Christians,  moni- 
tors oi"  fall. — Christ  awakens  out  of  slcci"). — The  sec- 
ond petition  takes  for  granted  an  answer  of  God, 
that  His  will  was  fixed  on  this  (as  indeed  did  tlie 
first)  ;  hence  the  more  direct  expression  of  resigna- 
tion.— In  prayer  we  do  not  depend  upon  many  and 


beautifully  arranged  words;  the  heart  is  the  great 
thing  (as  in  the  prayers  of  Moses,  David,  Daniel,  and 
Christ). — The  Holy  One  falls  absolutely  into  the  pow- 
er of  the  unholy. — Is  at  hand :  the  betrayal,  now 
brought  to  its  consummation,  troubled  the  soul  of 
Jesus  afresh. — There  is  a  dilfcrence  between  the  mere 
expectation,  albeit  certain,  and  the  fulfilled  reality. — 
Kapff:  Jesus  suffering  in  Gethsemane  :  1.  Its  depth; 
2.  its  cause ;  3.  its  fruit. 


FIFTH     SECTION. 

JESUS  ON  THE  NIGHT  OF  HIS  BETRAYAL:  JESUS  AND  THE  TRAITOR;  JESUS  AlfD 
THE  DEFENDER;  JESUS  AND  THE  MULTITUDE;  JESUS  AND  HIS  DISCIPLES  GEN- 
ERALLY; OR  THE  GLORY  OF  JESUS  IN  THE  NIGHTLY  ASSAULT  AND  THE  CON- 
FUSION  OF  THE  IMPRISONMENT.* 


Chaptee  XXVI.  47-56. 
(Mark  xiv.  43-52 ;  Luke  xxii.  47-53 ;  John  xviii.  1-11.) 

47  And  while  he  yet  spake  [was  yet  speaking,  tn  avrov  XaXowros],  lo,  Judas,  one  of 
the  twelve,  came,  and  with  him  a  great  multitude  with  swords  and  stav^es  [clubs,  fwAwv]/ 

48  from  the  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  people.  Now  he  that  betrayed  him  gave  them 
a  sign,  saying,  Whomsoever  [Whom,  ov]  I  shall  kiss,  that  same  is  he ;  hold  him  fast. 

49'  And  forthwith  he  came  to  Jesus,  and  said,  Hail  [x^ipe],  Master  [Rabbi]  ;^  and  kissed 

50  him.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Friend,  wlierefore  art  thou  come?  \_do  that  for  which 
thou  art  here  !]^     Then  came  they,  and  laid  hands  on  Jesus,  and  took  him  [held  him 

51  fast,  as  in  ver.  48].  And,  behold,  one  of  them  which  [that]  were  with  Jesus  stretched  out 
Ms  hand,  and  drew  his  sword,  and  struck  a  [the]  servant*  of  the  high  priest,  and  smote 

52  off  his  ear.     Then  said  Jesus  unto  him,  Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  his  place :   for  all 

53  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword.^  [Or,  i;]  Thinkest  thou  that  I 
cannot  now  pray  to  my  Father,  and  he  shah  presently  "^  give  me  [place  beside  me,  Trapa- 

54  o-TT^o-ei  /Aot]^  more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels?  But  how  then  [How  then,  ttojs  ovvY 
shall  [can]  the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled,  that  thus  it  must  be  ?  [fulfilled  ?  For  thus  it  must 

55  be.]  In  that  same  hour  [in  that  hour,  Iv  iKuvri  rrj  wpa]  said  Jesus  to  the  multitudes.  Are 
ye  come  out  as  against  a  thief  [robber,  XyaT-qvy  with  swords  and  staves  [clubs]  for^"  to 
take  me  ?     I  sat  daily  with  you  teaching  in  the  temple,  and  ye  laid  no  hold  on  me. 

56  But  all  this  was  done,  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  prophets  might  be  fulfilled.  Then  all 
the  disciples  [the  disciples  all]  "  forsook  him,  and  fled. 

*  All  these  significant  headings  are  omitted  in  the  Edinb.  ti-sl.— P.  S.] 

1  Yer.  47.— [The  Vulsnte  translates  uira  /jLO-xaipiov  koI  ^vXaiv:  cum  glacUis  et  fufiWbus ;  Lange:  mit  ScJiwertern 
nnd  mit  Keulen;  other' Germ.in  Versions:  Stangen,  ov  Knitteln,  or  Frugeln ;  stmws  was  introduced  by  Tyndale,  and 
retained  in  the  subsequent  English  Version,  except  that  of  Eheims,  which  renders  |uAa :  clubs.  Staff  is  the  proper  trans- 
lation for  pdlSSovs  in  eh.  x.  10;  Mark  yi.  8;  but  the  Authorized  Version  renders  |t''Aa  and  pa^Ouvs  alike.  Comp.  ver. 
5.") ;  Lnke  xxii.  52.  .John  mentions  also  laniervs  and  torc7ie%  lo  search  perhaps  in  the  secret  parts  of  the  garden  and  the 
dark  caverns  of  the  valley  of  the  Kedrou. — P.  S.] 

-  Ver.  49.— [The  colder  .and  more  formal  liahii  ought  be  retained  here  .and  in  ver.  '2b  in  the  translation,  as  Matthew  re- 
tained it  from  the  Hebrew  for  oiSarrKaAf ,  and  as  the  English  Ver.sion  itself  did  in  ch.  xxiii.  7,  S.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  50.— [The  words  ■  (^'  h  Trdpei,  are  generally  understood  as  a  question  and  sii  punctuated  in  most  editions! 
but  Pritzsche  takes  them  as  an  exclam.ation :  For  what  (dreadful  deed)  art  thou  here  !  Meyer,  Ewald,  Lange,  as  an  ellip- 
tical command,  as  to  say  :  Away  with  your  hypocritical  kiss;  do  rather  that /or  ichlch  thou  art  here  I  See  the  Eireg.  Notes. 
But  the  ellipsis  might  also  be  supplied  by  a"   o  1 5  a  :   I  know  for  what  thou  art  here.—V.  S.] 

«  Ver.  51.-[T  hv  Sov\ov,  the  well  known  servant,  viz.,  Malchus,  John  xvi!i.  10,  Comp.  Mark  xiv.  47,  Tvhere  the 
English  Version  likewise  substitutes  the  indefinite  article.— P.  S.] 

^  Ver.  53.— Some  uncial  Codd.  read    a-KoQavovvrai   [for  dTroAovi'Tad- 

6  Ver.  m.— [Presently  should  be  omitted,  as  it  arose  from  confounding  two  i-oadinrfs  in  the  text,  some  authorities  plac- 
ing SpTi,  now,  after  irapaa-Tna-^i,  otliers  after  Svvanai,  but  none  repeating  it.     Cranmer"s  Bible  first  put  7lo^l}  {eDeii 


CHAP.  XXVI.  47-50. 


485 


«o«0  iiftpv  boih  verbs,  while  Tyndnle,  the  Genev.'in  Bible,  and  the  Bishops'  Bible  have  it  only  after  cannot,  and  the 
Klieims  N.  T.  (following  the  Vulgate)  after  give  me.    King  James"  revisers  substituted  jin^xeni/!/  for  the  second  now.— 

7  Ver.  53.— [Or:  cause  to  stand  6y,  as  the  Bishops'  Bible  literally  renders  -nafaarxn^i,  and  .Scrivener  comineuds. 
Conaut  prefers  ''«C7irf"  with  Ooverdale.    Campbell :  "send  to  my  relief:"— V.  S.] 

8  Ver  i}-i.—\^But  u  an  iusertioii  to  make  the  connection  plainer,  or  it  was  supposed  to  be  iinidied  in  ovv.  But  the  mean- 
ing is:  Considering  then  that  God  could  place  such  a  mishty  force  ut  My  disposal,  how  is  it  possible,  etc.— P.  B.] 

3  Ver.  55.— [Nor :  ((Actt7;s,  which  is  expressly  distinguished  from  Xrimri'i  in  John  x.  1,  8.  Comp.  Matt.  .x.xi.  l-S,  and 
note.  Scrivener:  "  All  these  i)rocautious  would  be  futile  against  a  petty  thief,  though  very  proper  asaiust  a'bandit  such 
as  r.arnabas  for  example."— P.  8.]  ■  .  ^  5 

'"  Ver.  55. — [For  before  the  infinitive  is  obsolete  and  should  be  omitted  in  a  revised  translation. P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  5(5.— [This  is  the  emphatic  form  of  the  Greek  :  oi  fiadnral  Travrej,  aud  so  rendered  by  Conant  and  others.— 
P.  g.] 

11  false  prophet,  and  therefore  worthy  of  stoning, — 
the  appointod  punishment  of  that  crime.  That  ques- 
tion they  had  already  settled  iu  the  affirmative  some 
time  before,  having  determined  to  put  Jesus  to  death 
(John  xi.  4*7) ;  although  they  found  themselves  want- 
ing in  grounds  of  action,  which  therefore  they  endeav- 
ored by  cunuuig  to  obtain  from  Himself,  but  failed. 
The  right  of  putting  offenders  to  death  had  been 
taken  from  thera  by  the  Roman  government  (John 
xviii.  31);  hence  the  Roman  crucifixion  was  after- 
ward subsiituted  for  the  Jewish  stoning.  Thus  their 
undertaking  was,  on  the  whole,  a  daring  experiment 
of  wickedness.  They  were  as  yet  without  false  wit- 
nesses and  without  grounds  of  accusation  ;  they  had 
not  the  thorough  consent  of  Pilate ;  and  they  must 
silence  and  win  over,  by  some  sudden  stimulant,  the 
common  people.  On  this  account  they  aimed  to  give 
the  capture,  in  which  the  Roman  soldiers  were  at 
tlieir  disposal,  a  spurious  character  of  importance  ; 
their  excessive  preparation  would  have  the  effect  of 
creating  the  presumption  that  Jesus  must  be  a  very 
great  criminal. 

Ver.  48.  Gave  them  a  sign. — Meyer;  "The 
tSoL'Kev  is  commonly,  but  improperly,  regarded  as 
having  a  pluperfect  sense.  The  Vulgate  has  it  right, 
dedif.  As  he  came  he  gave  them  a  sign."  [So  also 
Alford].— V/hom  I  shall  kiss.— The  kiss  was  among 
the  ancients  a  sign  of  affectionate  and  cordial  inti- 
macy, and  particularly  a  token  of  fidelity,  Gen.  xxix. 
11.  More  commonly,  the  teachers  kissed  their  pu- 
pils ;  but  examples  of  the  converse  are  not  wanting. 
Lightfool,  Hone,  p.  484.  It  is  doubtful  whether  the 
kiss  of  reverent  submission  (Ps.  ii.  12)  was  impressed 
on  the  lips :  probably  on  tlie  hands  o?  the  feet. 

Hold  Him  fast,  seize  Him. — We  take  the 
Kpar  n  (TUT  e  aurov  as  emphatic.  Possibly  there 
was  a  touch  of  irony  in  the  language  of  the  arch- 
traitor,  who  expected  that  Jesus  might  in  a  magical 
manner  elude  them  after  all.  For  the  darkened  mind 
of  Judas  had  now  come  to  regard  Him  as  a  magi- 
cian. 

Ver.  49.  And  forthwith  he  came. — Excited, 
but  also  dissembling.  He  pretended  tliat  he  did  not 
belong  to  the  procession  of  enemies,  that  he  would 
I)recede  them,  point  out  the  danger,  and  separate 
from  his  Master  witli  sorrow. — Kissed  Him. — The 
KaTicpiAriafv  must  be  understood  in  all  its  empha- 
sis, to  km  very  tenderly,  to  caress.  Comp.  Xenoph. 
Mem.  ii.  0,  33  ;  Luke  vii.  38,  4.5  ;  Acts  xx.  37. 
Meyer :  "  The  sign  was  the  simple  kissing ;  but  the 
performance  was  more  empliatic,  a  caressing,  corre- 
spondii'g  with  the  purpose  of  Judas  to  make  sure, 
and  with  the  excitement  of  his  feelings."  The  kiss 
of  Joal),  2  Sam.  xx.  9  (comp.  2  Sam.  iii.  27).  "  The 
early  Christians,  who  kissed  each  other  at  the  Lord's 
Supper,  did  it  as  appropriate  to  the  time  when  the 
sufl'erings  of  Christ  were  remembered ;  they  did  not 
thereby  intend  to  express  their  abhorrence  of  Judas' 
kiss."    Heubncr. 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CKITIOAU 

Ver.  47.  Then  came  Judas. — He  knew  the  spot, 
as  being  the  place  where  Jesus  often  met  His  disciples, 
John  xviii.  2.  Drn'ing  the  completion  of  the  meal,  the 
final  discourses  of  Jesus,  and  His  agony  in  Gethsemaue, 
Judas  went  out  into  the  night,  and  consummated  the 
work  of  his  villany.  His  impetuosity  induced  the 
Sanhedriu  to  rescind  their  resolution  of  not  taking 
Jesus  at  the  feast.  This  it  was  first  necessary  that 
they  should  decide  upon,  and  then  summon  the  tem- 
ple-guard ;  after  which  the  permission  of  the  Roman 
governor  was  to  be  obtained,  and  the  requisite  mili- 
tary protection.  Judas  had  reckoned  upon  all  this 
delay,  aud  had  calculated  that  time  enough  would  he 
allowed  for  Jesus  to  have  reached  Gethsemaue.  But 
that  the  preparation  which  the  higli  priests  in  league 
v.-ith  Judas  appointed,  was  exaggerated  and  excessive, 
all  the  Evangelists  agree.  According  to  John,  Judas 
brought  the  Roman  cohort  ((TireTpa).  Even  if  we  do 
not  understand  this  litei-ally — as  the  one  Roman 
cohort  which  was  stationed  in  the  Castle  Autouia 
c;)usisted  of  500  men — yet  we  may  assume  thtit  tlie 
disposable  portion  of  that  force,  representing  the 
cohort,  was  there.  To  these  must  be  added,  accord- 
ing to  Luke,  the  temple-watch.  Such  a  watch  be- 
longed to  the  temple,  and  vfas  commanded  by  a 
a-T/)anj7>T?,  Acts  iv.  1.  The  plm-al  (TTparnyoi  (Luke 
xxii.'52),  refers  to  the  presence  of  other  and  subordi- 
nate officers.  The  torches  also  betray  the  excess  of 
the  preparation ;  although  even  the  paschal  full  moon 
would  not  render  these  needle.ss,  when  searching 
among  the  shady  caverns  of  the  gloomy  valley  of  the 
Kedron. 

One  of  the  twelve. — The  significance  of  this 
ercpression  here  rests  upon  this,  that  Judas  no  longer 
vnmes  in  the  train  of  the  disciples  as  a  follov/er  of 
Jesus,  but  at  the  head  of  the  hostile  multitude. 

V/ith  him  a  great  multitude. — The  swords  * 
indicate  that  the  Roman  cohort  (John  xviii.  3)  was 
the  centre  of  this  multitude :  while  the  clubs,  and  so 
forth,  indicate  that  the  Jewish  temple-watch,  and 
other  miscellaneous  fanatics,  were  there  also.  Ac- 
cording to  Luke  xxii.  52,  there  were  also  fanatical 
priests  and  ciders  who  mingled  in  the  procession, — a 
circumstance.which  Meyer  refers  to  a  later  and  incor- 
rect enlargement  of  the  tradition.  But  Luke  appears 
to  regard  representatives  of  the  Sanhedrin  as  requi- 
site for  such  a  religious  capture  as  this  was  {see  Acts 
iv.  1);  and  Meyer  undcr-estimate.-i  the  fanatical  im- 
pulses of  Jewish  fanaticism. 

With  swords  and  clubs,  from  the  high 
priests. — Here  we  see  the  mingled  religious  and 
political  relations.  The  Sanhedrin  had  the  decision 
in  all  matters  of  spiritual  jurisdiction.  Thus  it  was 
for  thera  to  settle  the  question  whether  any  one  was 

*  [Not:  these  words,  as  the  Edinb.  edition  reads.— P,  S.] 


486 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTUEW, 


Ver.  50.  Friend,  tralpe. — Comp.  ch.  xx.  13  [and 
Crit  Note  No.  4,  y>.  852.] 

[Why  (lid  the  Lord  call  Judas  friend — a  term  of 
civility,  thougli  not  necessarily  of  friendship — and  not 
a  villain,  or  a  traitoi;  and  why  did  He  not  turn  away, 
in  holy  indignation,  from  this  Judas-kiss,  the  vilest, 
the  most  abominable  piece  of  hypocrisy  known  in 
history,  which  the  infernal  inspirer  of  treason  alone 
could  invent  ?  To  give  us  an  example  of  the  utmost 
meekness  and  gentleness  under  the  greatest  provoca- 
tion, surpassing  even  the  standard  which  He  holds  up 
for  His  disciples.  Matt.  v.  39.  If  the  face  of  the  Sa- 
viour was  not  disgraced  by  the  traitor's  kiss,  no 
amount  of  injury  and  insult  heaped  upon  His  follow- 
ers by  the  enemies  of  religion  can  really  dishonor  the 
former,  but  falls  back  with  double  effect  upon  the 
latter.  At  the  same  time  the  words  e<p'  o  irapei, 
whether  they  be  taken  as  a  question,  or  as  an  ex- 
clamation, or  as  an  elliptical  assertion  or  command — 
together  with  the  question  recorded  by  Luke :  "  Be- 
trayest  thou  the  Son  of  Man  with  a  kiss  ?  "  conveyed 
a  most  stinging  rebuke  to  Judas,  whose  force  was 
doubled  by  the  use  of  the  word  friend,  and  the  deep 
emotion  and  holy  sadness  with  which  they  v/ere  ut- 
tered. The  effect  appears  from  the  subsequent  de- 
spair of  Judas. — P.  S.] 

Do  that  for  -which  thou  art  here !  *  [Author- 
ized Version :  Wherefore  art  thou  come  ? — Meyer : 
"Since  the  relative  05  (e,^'  '6  Trapei)  is  never  used  in 
direct  question,  but  only  in  indirect,  the  common  ac- 
ceptation of  this  as  a  question  is  not  correct ;  and  it 
is  quite  groundless  (Winer,  192)  to  assume  a  corrup- 
tion in  the  declining  Greek  in  relation  to  os.  Fritzsche 
explains  it  as  an  appeal  ad  qualem  rem  perpetramlara 
ades!  But  the  Greek  would  require  this  also  to  take 
the  form  of  a  question.  The  words  are  broken  off 
with  an  aposiopesis :  Friend,  that  for  which  thou  art 
here  come — do  !  Jesus  thereby  denounces  the  trai- 
torous kiss." — Ewald :  "  I  need  not  thy  kiss ;  I  know 
that  thou  meanest  it  in  hypocrisy ;  do  rather  that 
which  is  thy  business."  Similarly  Euthym.  Zigab. 
This  would  certainly  accord  with  the  declining  of  the 
kiss  in  Luke :  Betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  Man  with  a 
kiss  ?  But,  in  tliis  case,  it  is  better  to  assume  that  it 
is  a  concise  form  only :  tov-tu  irpam,  i<^  &  tra.pzi. 
Or:  irapiarai,  ip"  t)  irapsi.  By  the  Lord's  going  oat 
to  meet  the  watch,  the  hypocritical  play  of  Judas  was 
interrupted.  John  alone  relates  the  falling  to  the 
ground  on  the  part  of  the  multitude.  But  Jesus 
hastened  to  meet  the  multitude,  in  order  to  protect, 
,.not  only  the  three,  but  also  the  other  disciples  on  the 
outside  of  the  garden. 

Ver.  51.  And,  behold,  one  cf  them. — When 
the  evangeUcal  tradition  hrst  assumed  shape  and 
form,  prudence  required  that  the  name  of  Peter 
should  not  be  publicly  mentioned.  Hence  the  indefi- 
nite expression  in  the  SynoptLsts.  But  this  necessity 
did  not  exist  when  John  wrote  his  Gospel :  therefore 
he  gives  the  name.  The  same  remark  apphes  to  the 
omission  of  the  raising  of  Lazarus  in  Bethany,  which 
the  Synoptists  may  have  had  good  reasons  for  ignor- 
ing, but  not  John  who  wrote  so  much  later. 

Drew  his  sword. — When  he  saw  that  they  laid 
hands  on  the  Lord.  According  to  Luke,  the  question 
was  first  asked  from  among  the  disciples,  Lord,  shall 
we  smite  with  the  sword  ?  (On  the  two  swords,  com- 
pare-Luke.)    Immediately  thereupon  followed  the 


*  [So  Lansie  :  "  Freund  .'  {n 
Similarly  Kwald  :   '^Freund,  d~ 
Luther,  de  Wette.  and  (Hlur  Germ 
the  English  in  taking  tlic-  phra^ie  us  t 


das) 


wozu  du  da  hist ! 

du  da  bint!  But 
a  Versi'iiiK,  agree  with 
question.— PrS.] 


blow  of  Peter's  sword ;  and  it  struck  the  servant  of 
the  high  priest,  called  Malchus,  according  to  John. 
He  had  cut  off  his  right  ear :  Matthew  and  Mark, 
rh  wTiov;  but  Luke,  rh  oSt,  the  ear  itself,  and  not 
merely  the  lobe.  It  seemed  that  he  would  have  split 
his  head.  The  separation  of  the  ear  must  have  been 
not  quite  perfect ;  and  Jesus  healed  the  servant,  ac- 
cording to  the  narrative  of  Luke  the  physician.  Meyer, 
following  Strauss,  attributes  this  healing  to  a  later 
tradition.  The  other  Evangehsts,  however,  appear  to 
have  regarded  this  heahng  as  self-understood;  as, 
otherwise,  Peter  would  have  remained  a  criminal,  and 
the  mutilation  of  Malchus  would  have  furnished  good 
ground  of  an  accusation,  which,  however,  was  not 
preferred. 

Ver.  52.  Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  its 
place. — The  sheath,  John  xviii.  11.  Peter,  there- 
fore, still  stood  there  with  his  drawn  and  brandished 
sword  in  his  hand. — For  all  they  that  take  the 
sword. — This  is  a  judicial  sentence,  but  also  a 
threatening  warning.  In  the  former  light,  it  rests 
upon  an  absolutely  universal  princij)le.  The  sword 
is  visited  by  the  sword  in  war ;  the  sword  of  retribu- 
tion opposes  the  arbitrary  sword  of  rebellious  sedi- 
tion ;  and  the  sword  taken  up  unspiiitually  in  a  spir- 
itual cause,  is  avenged  by  the  certain,  though  perhaps 
long-delayed,  sword  of  historical  vengeance.  Peter 
was,  in  all  these  three  aspects,  in  a  bad  position,  and 
the  representative  of  wrong.  The  warrior  exposed 
himself  to  the  superior  force  of  the  legions  of  Rome, 
the  rebel  to  the  order  of  the  magistrate,  and  the  abuse 
of  the  sword  in  the  service  of  reUgion  provoked,  and 
seemed  to  justify,  the  same  abuse  on  tne  part  of  the 
world.  Peter  had  really  forfeited  his  life  to  the 
sword ;  but  the  Lord  rectified  his  wounded  position 
by  the  correcting  word  which  He  spoke,  by  the  mirac- 
ulous healing  of  the  ear,  and  by  the  voluntary  surren- 
der of  Himself  to  the  authorities.  But  Peter  had  not 
only  with  wilful  folly  entered  on  the  domain  of  this 
world,  he  had  also  brought  his  Master's  cause  into 
suspicion.  Indeed,  he  sought  to  bring  his  fellow- 
disciples,  and  his  Lord  Himself,  into  this  wrong  posi- 
tion, and  to  make  his  own  Christ  a  Mohammed. 
Therefore  the  Lord  so  solemnly  denounced  his  act, 
pronounced  an  ideal  sentence  of  death  upon  his  head, 
which,  however,  was  graciously  repealed.  The  Lord's 
word  from  that  hour  became  a  maxim  of  Christianity 
(comp.  Rev.  xiii.  10) ;  and  it  was  probably  spoken  to 
Peter  with  a  typical  significance.  Even  the  Church 
of  Rome  says:  ccclcsia  7ion  sitit  sanguinen\,  but  only 
to  have  recourse  to  the  stake  and  faggot,  of  which 
certainly  the  letter  of  this  passage  says  nothing. 

[Shall  perish. — Alford:  ^^  iy  fjLaxo-'pV  airoKoiivrai 
is  a  command ;  not  merely  a  future,  but  an  impera- 
tive future ;  a  repetition  by  the  Lord  in  this  solemn 
moment  of  Gen.  ix.  6.  8ce  the  parallel  in  Rev.  xiii. 
10:  Sel  o.\'Tov  iv  uax-  o.TroKTai'dyvai.  This  should  be 
thought  of  by  those  well-meaning  but  shallow  per- 
sons, who  seek  to  abolish  the  punishment  of  death  in 
Christian  states."  Comp.  also  Rom.  xiii.  4.  Thus 
the  passage  justifies  capital  punishment  as  a  measure 
of  just  retribution  for  murder  in  the  hands  of  the  civil 
magistrate,  but  condenms  at  the  same  time  the  resort 
to  all  carnal  and  violent  measures  on  the  part  of  the 
Church,  which  is  a  spiritual  body,  and  should  only 
use  spiritual  weapons.  Comp.  2  Cor.  x.  3,  4.  Rome 
agrees  in  theory  {Ecclesia  non  sitit  sanguinem),  but 
violates  it  in  practice  by  handing  the  heretics,  wher- 
ever she  has  the  power,  to  the  state  for  execution, 
and  thus  using  the  civil  magistrate  as  an  instrument. 
Quod  quisper  aliumfacit,  id  ipsefecisse  dicitur. — P.S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  47-5G. 


487 


Ver.  53.  Or  thinkest  thou?— If  Christ  had  re- 
fused to  take  the  way  of  the  passion,  He  might  have 
adopted  quite  another  way  than  that  of  wilful  and 
violent  opposition  to  the  world  :  the  way,  namely,  of 
coming  to  judgment  ui)on  it.  Thinkest  thou  not  that, 
if  I  did  not  desire  to  be  a  loug-suffen;i ;  Redejiner,  I 
might  at  once  appear  to  the  whole  w -rid  as  its  su- 
preme Judge,  rather  than  enter  upon  thy  hypocritical 
way  of  half-spirituality  and  half-woililhuess,  half-pa- 
tienee  and  half-violence,  of  civihzation  with  a  sword 
in  its  hand  ?  For,  the  twelve  legions  of  angels  which 
He  might  have  prayed  for,  doubtless  signified  that 
multitude  of  augels  which  will  actually  attend  Him 
when  He  returns  to  judgment  (ch.  xxv.  31).  If  the 
Church  of  the  Middle  Ages  had  not  the  courage  to 
achieve  the  evangelization  of  the  woi-ld  in  the  way 
of  Christ's  passion,  she  should  have  had  foith  to  sup- 
plicate for  the  last  day  to  come ;  but  she  did  wrong 
to  make  Christ  another  Mohammed,  and  to  continue 
His  work  by  a  hypocritical  mixture  of  rehgious 
preaching  and  carnal  violence.  Meyer:  "The  num- 
ber twelve  corresponds  to  the  number  of  the  Apos- 
tles, because  it  was  one  of  those  who  had  just  endeav- 
ored to  defend  Him."  But  it  is  also  and  always  the 
number  of  the  developed  perfection  of  life.  The  le- 
gion is  the  symbol  of  a  great  fighting  host.  Schaaf, 
AlUrthumskunde :  "  By  legio  {a  legendo)  was  origin- 
ally understood  the  aggregate  of  the  Roman  mihtary 
collected  for  war.  When  that  force  increased,  it  be- 
came a  great  division  of  the  host,  which  contained, 
at  various  times,  from  2400  to  beyond  6000  infantry, 
and  from  300  to  400  horsemen.  Since  the  tune  of 
Marius,  the  legion  had  reached  more  than  6000." 
— It  is  well  worthy  of  notice  that  Christ  here  num- 
bers the  angels  by  legions,  as  the  counterpart  of  the 
Roman  power,  now  leagued  against  Him  with  His 
enemies. 

Ver.  .54.  How  then  shall  the  Scriptures  be 
fulfilled?  for,  etc. — Meyer:  "We  must  not  sup- 
ply \4yova-ai  before  on  (Beza,  Maldonatus,  and 
others) ;  but  there  must  be  a  question  after  ypacpai, 
and  on  is  for.  For  thus  (in  no  other  Avay)  mu^t  it 
(that  which  now  befalls  Me)  be."  Thus  there  are  two 
reasons:  1.  The  fulfilment  of  the  Scripture  concern- 
ing the  suffering  Messiah  :  Ps.  xxii. ;  Isa.  liii. ;  Dan. 
ix.  26 ;  Zech.  xiii.  7.  2.  The  counsel  of  God  Him- 
self for  the  salvation  of  a  sinful  world,  which  is  the 
foundation  of  all  the  prophetical  Scriptures. 

Ver.  55.  In  that  hour  said  Jesus  to  the  mul- 
titudes.— According  to  Luke,  especially  to  the  rulers 
and  the  guard  of  the  temple,  which  Meyer  vainly 
seeks  to  set  aside. — Starke :  "'  Jesus  did  not  say  this 
before  he  had  been  seized  and  bound.  He  would 
give  no  indication  that  He  was  not  willing  to  be 
taken ;  and  therefore  not  till  after  they  had  done  their 
will  did  He  rebuke  their  injustice." — In  the  temple ; 
— that  is,  in  the  forecourt  of  the  temple.  In  this 
space  the  Rabbins  placed  a  sjmagogue  (comp.  Luke 
ii.  46).  Here  also  was  ip  be  sought  Solomon's  porch 
(John  x.  23  ;  Acts  in.  11),  with  other  halls — the  re- 
gion of  teaching  and  preaching. — And  ye  laid  no 
hold  on  Me. — Certainly,  because  they  durst  not ; 
but  that  exhibits  their  surprise  by  night  as  the  work 
of  evil  conscience  and  malignity. 

Ver.  56.  But  all  this  is  done  that  the  Scrip- 
tures of  the  prophets  might  be  fulfilled. — Luke : 
♦'  But  this  is  your  hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness." 
The  one  supplements  the  other.  Of  this  hour  of 
darkness,  and  of  the  seeming  trium])h  of  evil,  all  the 
prophets  prophesied  :  Isa.  hii.  ;  Dan.  ix.  26,  etc. 
The  supposition  of  Erasmus,  de  Wette,  and  others, 


that  this  last  word  in  Matthew  was  a  remark  of  the 
Evangelist,  takes  off  the  point  of  our  Lord's  address, 
as  Meyer  rightly  observes.  It  was  this  last  word 
which  indicated  His  settled  purpose  to  take  the  path 
of  death.  Hence  it  also  gave  occasion  for  the  flight 
of  the  disciples.  Their  courage  now  failed  them,  and 
they  fled.  The  flight,  however,  was  not  absolute,  as 
appears  from  the  narrative  of  the  young  man  in  Mark 
xiv.  51,  and  the  conduct  of  Peter  and  John,  accord- 
ing to  John  xviii.  15.  They  followed  Him,  but  afar 
otf.  In  reahty,  the  scattering  and  flight  was  com- 
plete. [But  while  the  eleven  forsook  the  Lord,  other 
disciples,  as  Nicodemus,  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea, 
took  a  more  decided  stand  for  Him.  The  Church  can 
never  fail ;  new  Christians  always  take  the  place  of 
the  old  ones.  Comp.  Lange's  notes  on  Mark  xiv. 
51,  52.— P.  S.] 


DOCTRINAL    AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  The  A1.SS  of  Judas. — Its  dark  history  in  the 
world  and  the  Church.  This  combination,  the  be- 
trayal and  t'le  kiss  of  respect  in  one,  could  have 
been  invented  by  no  man,  least  of  all  by  the  soul  of 
an  Evangelist.  He  only  who  executed  it  could  have 
devised  it ;  or,  rather,  hell  alone. 

2.  This  wild  combination  of  enemies — soldiers, 
temple-servants,  and  priests — for  the  accomplishment 
of  an  act  of  hypocritical  violence  against  Christ,  is 
also  a  typical  world-historical  scene.*  Not  less  so 
is  the  surprise  and  capture  of  the  Holy  One  in  His 
Holiest  of  All,  under  the  pretext  of  serving  the  sanc- 
tuary. 

8.  Peter  showed  by  his  first  stroke  that  he  was 
no  soldier ;  happily  he  had  missed  his  blow.  That  it 
was  the  car  of  Malcyius  which  he  struck,  is  very  sig- 
nificant. It  has  always  been  the  ear,  the  spiritual 
hearing,  and  willing  susceptibility,  which  carnal  de- 
fenders of  Christ's  cause  have  taken  away  from  their 
opponents,  when  they  have  had  recourse  to  the  sword 
of  violence. 

4.  The)/  who  take  fJie  Sword  shall  perish  bij  the 
Sword. — That  this  was  said  to  Peter,  had  its  typical 
historical  meaning.  "The  early  Christians,  amidst 
all  the  slanders  heaped  upon  them,  were  never  charged 
with  having  risen  in  insurrection  against  their  Gentile 
oppressors.  Comp.  Tertull.  Apol.  cap.  37.  Luther 
(in  the  peasant  insurrection)  quoted  this  passage 
against  the  peasants.  Duels  also  are  by  this  sentence 
absolutely  forbidden.  Tiie  punishment  of  death  for 
certain  ofi'ences  is  clearly  enjoined.  Sec  Rothe's* 
Ethik,  iii.  877."  Heubner.  How  far  a  Christian  state 
may  be  justified  in  giving  this  punishment  another 
form,  may  be  matter  of  reasonable  question.  In  its 
essential  significance  the  death  penalty  is  an  inalien- 
able legal  ordinance,  but  the  form  of  social  death  and 
its  execution  has  been  in  many  ways  subject  to  modi- 
fication. 

5.  Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot. — Christ  rejects 
once  for  all  that  unholy  and  disturbing  misture  of 
judgment  and  salvation  into  which  carnal  zeal  is  so 
much  disposed  io  turn  His  cause.  What  He  here 
says  applies  to  every  moment  in  the  history  of  Christ- 
ianity. If  it  were  God's  will  that  at  any  time  (before 
the  end)  the  economy  of  grace,  effectual  through  the 
sacred  cross,  should  be  suspended,  at  that  moment 

*  [Not:  symbolical,  as  the  Kdinb.  tr.sl.  reads.  In  Ger- 
man: ein  Ujpisohes  weltiuaiorixches  Slid,  i.  e.,  an  event  of 
tvpicnl  sisniflcance  which  is  frequently  repeatad  and  fulflU- 
ed  in  history.— P.  S.] 


488 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


the  infinite  preponderance  of  heavenly  forces  over  the 
violence  of  the  eucniy  of  earth  would  at  once  be  ex- 
hibited. But  then  the  work  of  salvation  would  be 
broken  off  before  its  consummation.  This  no  man 
should  ever  think  of.  Whenever  men  act  on  this 
principle,  they  tempt  God,  and  summon  such  powers 
against  the  cause  of  evil  as  prove  themselves  to  be, 
not  angels  of  light,  but  disguised  powers  of  darkness ; 
and  the  emiiity  which  these  exhibit  against  the  cause 
of  evil  is  only  apparent.  Of  such  carnal  violence 
iLgainst  conscience  we  must  distinguish  educational 
legal  discipline  within  the  Church,  as  we  must  distin- 
guish also  between  theocracy  and  hierarchy. 

6.  The  assurance  of  Christ  to  those  who  came 
against  Him  with  weapons  in  the  night, — that  He  had 
been  ready  to  give  them  an  account  in  broad  day, — 
has  also  a  symbolical  meaning  for  all  ages.  The  per- 
secutions of  the  faithful  are  always  stamped  with  the 
mark  of  calumny. 

7.  The  last  word  of  Christ  is  the  expression 
of  His  consummate  preparation  for  His  passion. 
Therefore  it  is  the  crisis  when  the  disciples,  not  yet 
mature  in  faith,  forsook  Him.  Old  Testament  mar- 
tyrdom had  in  it  some  affinity  with  the  self-sacrifice 
of  a  hero  in  battle  :  they  hoped  for  the  speedy  tri- 
umph of  the  theocracy.  The  N'ew  Testament  martyr 
must,  in  the  patience  of  the  saints  (Rev.  xiii.  10 ; 
xiv.  12),  tarry  for  the  manifestation  of  victory  until 
the  last  day.  For  this  the  disciples  were  not  ripe : 
they  had  not  the  joyful  testknony  of  victory  within 
their  own  spirits.  This  New  Testament  martyrdom 
could  flourish  only  after  the  blood  of  Christ  was 
shed. 


IIOMILETICAL  AND   PEACTIOAL. 

The  betrayal. — The  first  betrayal  as  tjie  germ  of 
the  second. — Jesus  and  His  company  in  the  hour  of 
betrayal. — An  old  and  always  new  event,  and  yet  an 
event  standing  alone. — Xo  place  upon  earth  is  a  per- 
fectly secure  refuge  for  the  Church:  God  alone  is 
that.  (Luther  sung :  "  A  tower  of  strength  our  God 
is  still,"  but  many  sing :  "  A  tower  of  strength  our 
Church  is  still.")* — Gethsemaue:  1.  Consecrated  by 
Christ's  prayer ;  2.  desecrated  by  the  betrayal ;  3.  for 
ever  consecrated  by  the  voluntary  resignation  of  Je- 
sus.— The  temple  dishonored  in  the  name  of  tlie  tem- 
ple.— Judas,  having  left  the  company  of  the  Twelve, 
now  at  the  head  of  Christ's  enemies :  a  fearful  image 
of  a  deep  apostasy. — The  sign  of  treachery,  the  self- 
condemnation  of  tlie  traitor:  1.  As  the  hypocritical 
sign  of  his  acciuaiutance,  of  his  discipleship,  of  his 
apcstofical  vocation;  2.  as  the  token  of  his  apostasy, 
of  his  ingratitude,  of  his  reprobation. — The  kiss  of 
Judas,  the  most  cunning  and  the  maddest  imagination 
of  hell. — The  serpent's  bite  in  its  historical  consum- 
mation and  spiritual  meaning :  1.  Consummated  in 
the  connection  of  hellish  betrayal  with  the  sign  of 
heavenly  honor  (Ps.  ii  12) ;  2.  the  sign  of  all  treason 
against  aU  faith  and  fidelity,  taken  from  the  sign  of 
love  and  confidence. — Supreme  cunning,  one  with 
Bupreme  infatuation  (stupidity). — Friend,  wherefore 
art  thou  here ;  or,  the  counter-greeting  of  Christ  to 

*  [Dr.  Lange  alludes,  of  course,  to  the  famous  hymn  of 
Luther  :  Eiti  feste  Miirg  int  unser  Golt  (based  upon  Ps. 
xlvi.  and  composed  15291,  which  may  be  called  the  spiritual 
war-sonft  of  tbe  Reformation,  and  which  has  been  very  often 
translated  into  English,  by  Thomas  Carlyle,  Mills,  Cath. 
Winkworth,  Bunting,  and  othtrs.  It  is  omitted  in  the 
Edinb.  edition,  tosetlier  with  a  number  of  homiletical  hints 
in  this  section. — F.  S.] 


the  traitor :  1.  Infinitely  gentle  (although  "/ricwtZ" 
in  Greek  was  no  more  than  "  compaiiion  ") :  *  a  mild 
allusion  to  his  ingratitude.  2.  Infinitely  earnest  and 
severe :  Take  the  mask  away !  Stand  forth  as  thou 
art !  3.  Infinitely  effectual :  the  subsequent  despair 
of  Judas. — How  different,  although  related,  the  kiss 
of  Judas  and  the  sword-stroke  of  Peter ! — The  unholy 
use  of  the  sword,  and  all  the  acts  of  sijiritual  violence 
do  but  dull  the  spiritual  ear  in  their  false  zeal. — 
Christ  between  His  friends  and  His  enemies :  oppress- 
ed by  both,  righteous  to  both. — The  decree  of  the 
Lord,  "All  who  take  the  sword,"  etc. :  1.  A  decisive 
action  (the  perfect  action  of  perfect  suffering) ;  2.  a 
sacred  principle ;  3.  a  prediction  scarcely  half-fulfilled. 
— The  connection  between  Peter's  smiting  with  the 
sword  and  his  denial :  1.  Presumption,  despondency ; 
2.  wounded  conscience,  anxiety  (John  xviii.  26,  Mal- 
chus'  relation) ;  3.  his  misinterpretation  of  the  word : 
"  He  that  taketh  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the 
sword ; "  as  if  it  were  to  be  at  once  Uterally  fulfilled. — 
Christ  enters  upon  the  path  of  His  passion  in  the  full 
consciousness  of  His  heavenly  glory  {Thinkest  ilimi 
that  I  could  not?) — Not  weakness  restrains  the  judg- 
ment upon  the  wicked,  but  only  the  divine  compas- 
•sion. — One  of  the  deadliest  evils  to  Christ's  cause  is 
the  intermixture  of  gospel  and  judgment  in  carnal 
zeal  for  the  advantage  of  the  Church  :  it  makes  both 
the  gospel  mercy  and  the  judicial  severity  matter  of 
contempt  and  scorn. — The  protest  of  the  Lord  against 
the  cunning  violence  of  the  assault,  an  eternal  protest 
of  the  spirit  of  truth. — The  cunning  violence  of  the 
enemies  of  the  truth  condemns  itself:  1.  The  violence 
and  force  condemns  the  cuiming ;  2.  the  cunning  con- 
demns the  force. — Swords  and  staves  mixed,  and  both 
lost :  the  honor  of  the  sword,  of  the  State ;  the  dig- 
nity of  the  staff,  of  the  Church. — The  Scriptures  of 
the  prophets  concerning  Ciirist  taken  and  bound. — 
Clirist's  peace  in  the  great  word  that  the  dark  hour 
of  uttermost  darkness  was  perfectly  in  accordance 
wltli  the  word  and  will  of  God. — The  flight  of  the 
disciples  at  the  end  of  their  human  enthusiasm  was 
their  guilt,  and  yet  mercifully  they  were  delivered 
from  its  consequences  by  their  Lord's  protection. — 
Christ  the  great  Martyr,  the  Founder  of  New  Testa- 
ment martyrdom. 

Starke : — Wickedness  is  often  stupid  and  shame- 
less. The  wicked*  are  bold.  Matt.  vii.  22. — Zebsius: 
The  Lord  abhors  the  bloody  and  deceitful  man,  Ps. 
V.  6. — Ps.  ii.  12,  the  kiss  of  genuine  homage  and 
love. — Qaesnel:  The  world  is  full  of  deceitful  courte- 
sies and  flatteries. — Everywhere  we  should  be  able  to 
answer  the  question :  Wherefore  art  thou  come? — 
0 slander :  When  Christians  are  bound  and  put  in 
prison  without  any  guilt  of  their  own,  they  should 
reckon  it  no  disgrace,  but  rather  the  highest  honor. — 
Even  among  the  saints  is  much  lust  of  revenge,  Rom. 
xii.  19. — Provocation  to  anger  and  vengeance  the 
most  deadly  temptations  of  Satan  in  the  time  of  ex- 
ternal tribulation. — Young  and  rash  preachers  are  too 
apt  to  brandish  Peter's  sword,  before  they  have 
learned  to  use  the  sword  of  the  Spirit. — But  when 
our  carnal  zeal  smites  wrongly,  the  injury  is  done  to 
the  ear,  which  should  hear  the  word  of  God. —  Can- 
stein  :  God  rules  the  sins  and  infirmities  of  His  peo- 
ple in  such  a  way,  that  they  cannot  do  more  evil  than 
He  has  decreed  to  permit,  Rom.  xiii.  4. — Luther: 
They  take  the  sword  who  use  it  without  orderly 
authority.     They  have  fallen  under  the  judgment  of 

*  [Gomp.  note  4  on  p.  .352.— P.  S.] 

t  [The  Edinb.  edition  has  godly,— no  doubt  a  typograph- 
ical error  for  godlesd.—}'.  8.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  51- 


489 


the  sword,  although  repentance  may  prevent  the  exe- 
cution of  the  decree.  Thus  Christ  approves  a  right 
use  of  the  sword. — Ramhach:  Peter  says  (1  Ep.  iv. 
15) :  "  Let  no  man  suifer  as  a  murderer  or  as  an  evil- 
doer," probably  with  allusion  to  this  very  event.  If 
he  had  cut  off  the  servant's  head,  he  would  have 
fallen  under  the  condonniation  of  the  law  as  a  mur- 
derer, and  then  could  never  have  died  as  a  martyr. — 

1  Pet.  ii.  13  :  No  man  must  opi)Ose  lawful  authority. 
— Hcdingcr :  Christ's  kingdom  needs  no  sword ;  suf- 
fering and  praying  are  the  best  weapons. —  Crpmer: 
The  seditious  go  never  unpunished,  2  Kings  ix.  SI ; 

2  Sam.  xviii.  1-t. — The  angels  of  Dan.  vii.  10;  Heb. 
i.  14. — That  all  the  angels  of  God  serve  the  Saviour, 
a  great  consolation  for  God's  children. —  Canstebi: 
When  God  suffers  His  people  to  be  overcome  in  ex- 
ternal trouble,  that  is  no  sign  of  His  weakness,  but 
that  these  sulierings  are  decreed  for  His  own  glory 
and  His  people's  good. — Nova  Bibl.  Tub. :  The  wea- 
pons of  the  false  Church  are  swords  and  staves,  ex- 
ternal violence. — True  Christians  never  shun  the 
light:  their  words  and  deeds  are  manifest. — The 
heart,  Jer.  xvii.  9,  10,  with  reference  to  Peter. 

Braune: — Jesus'  suffering  His  greatest  deed. — 
Gerlach :  The  sword  out  of  its  sheath  is  not  in  its 
place,  except  when  it  is  subserving  the  wrath  of 
God. 

Lisco  : — The  sad  fall  of  Judas  should  be  a  warn- 
ing to  every  one  not  to  indulge  a  vain  reliance  in  the 
mere  external  fellowship  of  Christ. 

Hcuhner : — The  frightful  transformation  of  Judas. 
— Judas  at  their  head. — A  studied  dishonor  to  the 
Lord, — that  they  should  come  with  so  great  a  multi- 
tude.— Jesus,  taken  and  suffering  in  the  night,  atones 
for  the  sins  which  are  done  in  the  night. ^ — There  is 
always  a  Judas-kiss  among  us  (insmcerity  of  profes- 
sion, in  office,  in  sacramental  pledges,  in  the  holy 
communion). — Jesus  endures  still  the  kiss  of  many 
false  members  of  His  Church. — Jesus,  according  to 
Luke  xxii.  48,  names  his  name :  Judali !  Thou  art 
named  confessor,  and  art  become  a  traitor. — This 
Bound  One  is  the  Captain  of  God's  host,  the  Leader 
of  all  mankind. — Jesus  is  free  even  in  His  bonds. — 
Peter  not  yet  free  from  revenge  and  ambition. — How 
often  must  the  Lord  repair  what  the  rashness  and 
folly  of  His  disciples  have  done  amiss  ! — He  who  has 
full  faith  in  God,  his  Father,  sees  himself  without 
amazement  surrounded  by  enemies  ;  invisible  defend- 
ers are  around  him,  and  the  Almighty  is  his  help. — 
Look  on  all  sufferings  as  the  Lord's  good  pleasure; 
so  will  all  their  bitterness  be  gone. — Wrong  for  ever 
shuns  the  light. — Goodness  can  always  appeal  to  its 
open,  frank,  and  known  behavior  before  the  world. — 


The  forsaken  Jesus  is  the  atonement  of  our  unfaith- 
fulness.— He  knows  what  the  forsaken  feel. 

Kapff: — What  we  may  learn  from  Jesus  when 
taken  captive:  1.  Courage  and  strength;  2.  hu- 
miUty  and  submission  to  the  will  of  God ;  3.  meek- 
ness and  love  for  our  enemies. — Brandt:  Because 
Adam  would  not  be  bound  by  God's  commandment 
and  his  own  obedience,  Christ  must  be  bound  by 
human  bonds. — Graminlich:  Christ's  fettered  hands 
tear  away  tlia  bonds  of  our  death. 

[Burkitt: — None  sin  with  so  much  impudence 
and  obstinacy,  as  apostates. — There  is  so  much  hypo- 
crisy in  many,  and  so  much  corruption  in  all,  that  we 
must  not  be  too  confident.  Peter's  heart  was  sincere, 
but  his  head  rasii  in  drawing  the  sword. — God's  in- 
tentions are  no  warrant  for  irregular  actions. — Christ 
will  thank  no  man  to  fight  for  Him  without  a  Avarrant 
and  commission  from  Him. — Christ  was  more  con- 
cerned for  our  salvation  than  for  His  own  temporal 
preservation. — Had  He  been  rescued  by  the  power  of 
angels,  we  would  have  fallen  into  the  paw  of  devils. 
Matthew  Henry  : — Many  betray  Christ  with  a  tiss, 
and  Hail,  Master,  who,  under  pretence  of  doing  Him 
honor,  betray  and  imdermine  the  interests  of  His 
kingdom. — Mel  in  ore,  fel  in  corde — Honey  in  the 
mouth,  gall  in  the  heart. — KaracpiXelv  uvk  ian^iXelv 
— To  embrace  is  one  thing,  to  love  another. — Jacob's 
kiss  and  Judas's  kiss  were  much  alike. — Religio  cogi 
non  potest,  et  defendenda  non  oecidendo,  sed  moriendo. 
[From  Lactantius  :  Imtilutioncs  div.  Similar  re- 
marks might  be  quoted  from  Tertuliian's  Apologeti- 
cus,  and  other  ante-Nicene  writers,  who  opposed 
religious  persecution  and  claimed  toleration  as  an  in- 
alienable right  of  conscience. — P.  S.]  Men  hasten 
and  increase  their  own  troul)les  by  blustering,  bloody 
methods  of  self-defence. — Persecutors  are  paid  in 
their  own  coin.  Rev.  xiii.  10. — God  has  no  need  of 
us,  of  our  services,  much  less  of  our  sins,  to  iDring 
about  His  purposes ;  and  it  argues  our  distrust  and 
disbelief  of  the  power  of  Christ,  when  we  go  out  of 
the  way  of  our  duty  to  serve  His  interests. — There  is 
an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  Heb.  xii.  22. 
(Twelve  legions  =  above  seventy-two  thousand,  and 
yet  a  mere  detachment  which  would  not  be  missed  in 
heaven.) — Let  God's  word  be  fulfilled  and  His  will  be 
done,  whatever  may  become  of  us. — The  Scriptures 
are  fulfilling  every  day.— What  folly,  to  flee,  for  fear 
of  death,  from  Him  who  is  the  fountain  of  life ! 
Lord,  what  is  man ! — Christ,  as  the  Saviour  of  souls, 
stood  alone ;  as  He  needed  not,  so  He  had  not  the 
assistance  of  any  other.  He  trod  the  wine-press  alone, 
and  when  there  was  none  to  uphold,  then  His  own 
arm  wrought  salvation,  Isa.  Ixiii.  3,  5. — P.  S.] 


SIXTH    SECTION. 
CHRIST    BEFORE    CAIAPHAS. 


Chaptee  XXVI.  57-68. 
(Mark  xiv.  53-66;  Luke  xxii.  64-71 ;  John  xviii.  12-24.) 

57  And  tliey  that  liad  laid  hold  on  Jesus  led  him  away  to  Caiaphas  the  high  priest, 

58  where  the  scribes  and  the  elders  were  assembled.     But  Peter  followed  him  afar  off 
unto  the  high  priest's  palace  [the  court  of  the  high  priest]/  and  went  in,  and  sat  witli 


490  TEE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 

59  the  servants,  to  s^ee  the  end.     Now  the  chief  priests  and  [the]  elders,''  and  all  the  coun- 
cil, sought  false  witness  against  Jesus,  to  [that  they  might,  oVws]  put  him  to  death ; 
GO  But  [And,  Kat]   found  none :  yea,  though  many  false  witnesses  came,  yet  found  they 

61  none.*     At  the  last  [But  at  last,  vcrT(.pov  Sc]  came  two  false  witnesses.  And  said,  This 
fellow  [man]^  said,  I  am  able  to  destroy  the  temple  of  God,  and  to  build  it  in  [within] 

62  three  days.     And  the  high  priest  arose,  and  said  unto  him,  Answerest  thou  nothing? 


64  whether  thou  be  [art]  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Thou  hast 
said  [it]  :  nevertheless  [besides,  ttXt/v]  I  say  unto  you.  Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son 
of  man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  [on]  the  clouds  of  heaven. 

65  (Dan.  vii.  13.)  Then  the  high  priest  rent  his  clothes,  saying,  He  hath  spoken  blasphe- 
my ;  what  further  need  have  we  of  witnesses  ?  behold,  now  ye  have   [ye  have  now] 

66  heard   his   blasphemy.      What   think   ye?      They  answered  and    said.   He  is  guilty 

67  [worthy,  eVo^os] ''  of  death.     Then  did  they  spit   [they  spit]  in  his  face,  and  buffeted 

68  him;  and  others  smote  him  with  the  palms  of  their  hands,®  Saying,  Prophesy  unto  us, 
thou  Christ,  Who  is  he  that  smote  thee? 

I  Ver.  58.— [Comp.  Crit.  Note  3  on  ch.  xxvi.  3,  p.  459,  on  the  true  meaning  of  aliK-h.—V.  S.] 

-  Ver.  59.— B.,  D.,  L.,  al.,  [also  Cod.  Sinait],  omit  Ka\  ol  Trpeff^v-repoi.  Probably  an  unnecessary  insertion 
from  ver.  57.     [Lachmann  and  Alford  omit  it,  but  Tischcndorf  retains,  and  Meyer  defends  it.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  60. — The  second  ovx  ^i poy  is  omitted  in  B.,  C,  and  Origen.  Comp.  Meyer  on  the  probability  of  an  inser- 
tion and  the  manner  of  its  origin.  [The  text,  rec,  which  is  supported  by  the  majority  of  MSS.,  reads :  Kal  iroWiev 
\pevS  o  uapT  vpoov  it  po  ct  eXdovT  wv,  ovx  (vpov,  but  Griesbach  and  the  critical  editors  omit  Kai  before 
TToW'l'y,  and  o  ii  x  ev pov ,  or  nt  lea.?t  the  last  two  words,  on  the  authority  of  three  Alexandrine  uncials  (B.,  C,  L.),  to 
which  must  now  be  added  also  Cod.  Sir.ait.,  and  the  Vulgate  (cum  mutti  faUi  testes  accessissent)  and  later  versions.  Dr. 
Conant,  following  this  reading,  renders:  t/iovgh  many  fahe  icitnesses  came.  Lachmann,  however,  while  he  omits 
Kai,  retains  oi'X  ^upov  in  brackets.  So  Lange  in  his  German  Version.  The  case  is  hardly  clear  and  important  enough 
to  justify  us  to  disturb  the  Authorized  English  Version.— P.  S.] 

•*  Ver.  61.— [In  the  original  simply  outo  s  ,  which  the  English  Version  generally  renders:  this;  In  some  eases:  tkU 
■man.  Felloic  is  too  disrespectful  in  modern  English,  especially  if  applied  to  Christ,  and  .should  bis  omitted  here,  ver.  71, 
and  xii.  24.— P.  S.]  .  " 

°  Ver.  G3.— [Lange,  and  all  the  German  Versions:  Schweff  stiUe.  This  is  all  the  Greek  (t  io>na  expresses,  while 
to  hold  (me's  peace  seems  to  imply  the  suppression  of  feeling  or  emotion.  Silence  is  often  better  than  speech,  and  in  this 
case  was  the  best  answer.— P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  63.— B.,  C,  and  other  MSS.,  and  some  traiiBlatiom  (Yulgaia)  omit  the  a-jroKptde'is,  probably  on  account  of  tho 
difficulty  of  its  meaning  in  its  connection  with  tho  previous  silence. 

'  Ver.  66. — [Or:  '-worth!/  to  die"  Tyndale,  Cranmer,  Cheke,  Genevan,  Bishops';  or:  "//«  deset'ves  to  die"  Campbell; 
or:  ''he  is  deserving  of  death,''  SnWencr.  The  rendering  of  evox^-i  6a.v6.rov  in  the  Authorized  Version  is  borrowed 
from  Wiclif,  Coverdale,  and  the  Ehemish  N.  T.,  and  retained  by  Conant  and  the  revised  Version  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union, 
but  it  is  hardly  justifiable  no\v  after  the  old  Saxon  sense  of  guilt  (—  debt)  has  become  obsolete.  In  the  same  antiquated 
sense  guilty  is  used  Mark  xiv.  64;  1  Cor.  xi.  27. — P.  S.] 

8  Ver.  67. [The    words :    with   the  palms   of  their   hands,  should   be    omitted    as    not    necessarily    implied    in 

4ppd-!riTap,  which  means  to  strike  with  a  stick  a-s  well  as  with  the  hand.  Hesychius  derives  pairi^dv  from  pd&Sos. 
The  marsin  of  the  Authorized  Version  reads:  Or,  rods,  following  the  Genevan  Version  and  Beza  ('■  le  frappiiit  de  lewr 
rergesy'  So  also  Bengel,  Meyer,  Ewald,  and  Lange.  This  is  preferable  here,  since  oi  Se,  a7id  ethers,  introduces  a  new 
kind  of  abuse  differing  from  hufeiiiig,  and  since  Mark  (xiv.  65)  ascribes  the  pairiCnv  to  the  servants.  But  the  word  is 
better  left  indefinite.  Older  English  Versions  add:  on  the  face.  So  Lange:  schlugen  ihm  ins  Angesicht.  See  Exeg. 
A'otes.—P.  S.] 

I  nought  and  buffeting  after  His  third  examination ; 
the  scarlet  robe. — Matthew  and  the  other  two  Evan- 
gehsts  pass  over  the  examination  of  the  Lord  by  An- 
Chronologkal  Order  of  Events.— \.  The  prepara-  I  nas.  It  is,  however,  related  with  all  its  particulars 
tory  examination  bv  Annas,  John  xviii.  13;  2.  the  j  by  John;  and,  indeed,  was  quite  in  accordance  with 
examination  during" the  ni^ht  before  Caiaphas ;  3.  the  i  the  views  of  the  Jews.  Though  Annas  had  been  de- 
formal  and  final  examination  before  Caiaphas  and  i  posed,  the  Jews  seem  still  to  have  considered  him  aa 
the  Sanhedrin  on  Friday  morning  (Matt.,  Mark,  Luke).  !  their  real  high-priest ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  they 
This  threefold  examination  by  the  ecclesiastical  tri-  were  obhged  in  an  official  capacity  to  acknowledge 
bunal  was  followed  by  another  threefold  examination  \  Caiaphas,  whom  the  Romans  had  appointed  "  that 
on  the  part  of  the  secular  authorities,— first,  by  Pi-  i  same  year."  As  Caiaphas  was  the  son-in-law  of  An- 
late  ;  then  by  Herod  (Luke)  ;  and,  lastly,  a  second  ;  nas,  they  would,  m  all  probability,  order  their  domes- 
time  by  Pilate.  Between  these  examinations  the  fol-  !  tic  arrangements  so  as  to  meet  the  views  of  theJews 
lowing  events  intervened:—!.  The  mocking  and  buf-  i  without  giving  offence  to  the  Romans.  Accordingly, 
feting  on  the  part  of  the  servants  of  the  temple,  be-  \  wc  would  suggest  that  both  lived  m  one  and  the  same 
tween  the  second  and  the  third  examination  by  the  I  palace  ;  which  would  also  account  for  the  fact,  that 
ecclesiastical  authorities.  2.  The  being  set  at  nought  while  the  exammation  was  successively  carried  on  m 
after  the  second  exammation  bv  the  secular  rulers,  j  two  different  places,  the  guard  seems  to  have  reinain- 
or  before  Herod  ;  the  white  robe.     3.  The  settmg  at  i  ed  in  the  same  inner  court  of  the  palace.     This  is  ev- 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 


CHAP.  XXVI.  57-68. 


491 


ident  from  a  comparison  of  the  narrative  of  Peter's 
denial  as  given  by  John,  in  its  rehition  to  that  of  the 
same  event  as  recorded  by  tlie  other  Evangelists. 
Similarly,  this  would  also  explain  the  fact,  tluvt  in 
the  three  first  Gospels  wc  only  read  of  Christ  being 
led  before  Caiaphas.  From  the  peculiar  practical 
view  taken  by  Matthew,  we  can  readily  understand 
why  he  should  have  only  recorded  the  official  exam- 
ination. In  general,  we  infer  that  the  examination 
by  Annas  was  mainly  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
old  priest  (whom  Klopstock,  without  adequate 
grounds,  represents  in  a  milder  light)  to  ensnare  the 
Lord  in  His  words,  and  thus  to  elicit  some  tenable 
grounds  of  accusation.  The  examuiation  by  Caia- 
phas was  merely  a  formal  matter.  The  only  impor- 
tance attachmg  to  it  is,  that  the  testimony  of  Christ, 
to  the  effect  that  He  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
was  there  declared  to  be  blasphemy,  and  deserving 
of  death.  The  circumstances  as  now  detailed  will 
enable  us  to  understand  how  Matthew  and  Mark  re- 
late first  the  examination  by  the  high-priest,  and  then 
the  denial  by  Peter,  while  this  order  is  reversed  in 
the  Gospel  by  Luke.  Evidently  the  threefold  denial 
on  the  part  of  Peter  extende  1  from  the  first  to  the 
second  examination  of  the  Master. 

Ver.  57.  Where  the  scribes  and  the  elders 
were  assembled. — In  accordance  with  our  former 
remarks,  we  conclude  that  this  was  a  preluninary 
meeting  of  the  Sanhedrin,  quite  distinct  from  the 
regular  and  formal  meeting  which  took  place  early 
on  the  following  morning.  It  is  quite  characteristic 
of  the  Evangelists,  that  John  details  the  first  exam- 
ination, Luke  the  third,  while  Matthew  and  Mark  re- 
cord the  second.  John  evidently  apprehended  the 
rejection  of  Christ  by  the  Jews  as  originating  in  the 
hatred  of  Annas  and  the  priests,  which  decided  the 
rest  of  the  procedure  ;  Luke  viewed  it  in  the  light  of 
its  political  bearing ;  the  other  two  Evangehsts  de- 
scribed it  in  its  relation  to  the  central  idea  of  the 
hierarchy  as  this  unfolded  itself  to  their  intui- 
tions. 

Ver.  58.  Afar  oflf. — As  it  were,  not  with  the  cor- 
dial closeness  of  a  disciple,  but  like  a  mere  spectator 
or  observer. 

Unto  the  court  or  hall. — Not  the  palace, 
as  in  Luther  [and  in  our  authorized  version].  The 
expression  av  \-n  was  appUed,  among  the  Greeks, 
both  to  the  hall  or  court  in  front  of  the  house,  ami 
to  the  dwelling  itself.  In  Eastern  and  Jewish  houses 
it  was  the  inner  court  surrounded  by  side  halls.* 
Here  the  hall  of  the  palace,  the  court-yard.  Accord- 
ing to  the  account  given  by  John,  He  had  obtained 
immediate  access  into  the  inner  hall,  and  then  pro- 
cured admission  for  Peter.  Tradition  asserts  that 
John  had  become  acquainted  with  the  family  of  the 
high-priest  while  still  engaged  in  his  original  calling 
as  fisherman.  "  As  in  all  eastern  houses,  so  in  this 
palace,  the  wmdows  of  the  room  or  the  openings  of 
the  hall  in  which  Jesus  was  examined,  would  open 
into  the  inner  court,  which,  according  to  Mark  xiv. 
tj6,  must  have  been  somewhat  lower  than  the  rest  of 
the  house.  There  Peter,  and  perhaps  John  also, 
heard  part  of  the  examination  that  went  on.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  accounts  in  the  three  first  Gospels 
bear  evident  marks  of  having  been  derived  from  eye- 
witnesses, who,  however,  had  not  heard  all  that  had 
passed.     But  the  account  given  by  John  was  mani- 


*  [The  entrance  to  this  enclosed  area,  or  court-yard,  was 
thronsh  the  porcli,  ttuXwv,  ver.  71,  or  TrpoavKtof,  Mark 
xiv.  63.    Comp.  Crit  Note  on  ver.  8,  p.  459.— P.  8.] 


festly  supplemented  from  more  full  and  satisfactory 
reports."    Gerlach. 

Ver.  59.  And  all  the  coimcil.— So  Matthew 
adds  from  his  ideal  tiieocratic  point  of  view.  The 
expression  must  evidently  be  taken  in  a  general 
sense.  In  their  official  capacity  as  a  council,  the 
whole  assemblage  were  animated  by  the  same  spirit 
of  hatred  and  murder.  Individual  exceptions,  such 
as  Nicodemus  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  are  left  out 
of  view  by  the  historian.  Besides,  they  may  not 
have  been  present  at  this  meeting.  It  will  be  re- 
membered, that  when,  on  a  much  earlier  occasion, 
Nieodenius  attempted  to  speak  in  favor  of  Jesus,  he 
was  threatened  with  excommunication,  Jolm  vii.  50, 
etc.  Again,  according  to  John  ix.  22,  the  council 
had  formerly  passed  a  resolution  to  excommunicate 
any  person  who  should  own  Jesus  as  the  Christ. 
Hence  it  seems  probable  that  ^'icodemus  had  taken 
no  further  part  in  the  dcHberations  of  the  council 
agamst  Jesus.  Similarly,  we  conceive  that  Joseph 
of  Arimathea  had  also,  on  an  earlier  occasion,  spo- 
ken in  the  same  spirit  as  Nicodemus,  Luke  xxiii.  51. 
Other  members  of  the  Sanhedrin  may  have  been 
frightened  and  kept  away  in  hke  manner  by  the 
threat  of  excommunication.  From  Luke  xxii.  70  we 
infer  that  these  members  of  the  council  were  not 
present  even  at  the  formal  and  official  examination 
wliich  took  place  in  the  morning.  Finally,  it  de- 
serves notice  that  the  procedure  of  the  Sanhedrin 
against  Jesus  may  be  said  to  have  extended,  from 
first  to  last,  throughout  the  whole  of  His  official 
career.  This  appears  most  clearly  from  the  account 
furnished  in  the  Gospel  of  John.  Ch.  ii.  18 :  first 
attendance  at  the  Passover  in  the  year  781  ;  comp. 
ch.  iv.  1  ;  v.  16:  festival  of  Purim,  782.  Commence- 
ment of  the  persecutions  in  Gahlee. — Ch.  vii.  1 ;  ix. 
14  :  feast  of  Tabernacles,  in  the  year  782.  Excom- 
munication pronoimced  upon  the  adherents  of  Jesus, 
ch.  ix.  22.  Open  and  full  persecutions  in  Galilee. — 
John  X.  22  :  feast  of  the  Dedication  of  the  Temple, 
in  the  wmter  of  the  year  782.  Ch.  x.  31 :  attempt 
to  stone  Jesus.  Ch.  xi.  57 :  pronouncmg  of  the  ban 
or  injunction,  that  any  one  who  knew  where  Jesus 
was,  should  immediately  indicate  the  same  to  the 
council. — Ch.  xii.  10:  the  decisive  meeting  of  the 
council  on  the  evening  before  Christ's  entry  into  Je- 
rusalem, when  the  resolution  was  also  taken  to  kill 
Lazarus.  Then  followed  the  three  examinations 
during  the  night  of  the  betrayal,  when  it  was  no 
longer  a  matter  of  question  whether  Jesus  should 
be  put  to  death, — the  main  object  only  being  to  ob- 
serve some  kind  of  legal  form,  and  to  fix  upon  a  suf- 
ficient ground  of  accusation.  Of  course,  Nicodemus 
and  Joseph  of  Arknathea  could  not  be  present  on 
tliese  occasions. 

Sought     false     witness     against    Jesus 

Meyer :  "  ^eudoixaprvplav,  i.  e.,  as  viewed  by  the 
historian."  But  it  ought  to  be  kept  in  mind  that 
the  priests  acted  not  merely  under  tlie  impulse  of 
fanaticism,  but  with  a'  fixed  determination  to  find 
l)r()of  against  Christ,  whether  it  were  rightly  or 
wrongly  obtained.  The  remark  of  de  Wttte,  that 
they  would  have  preferred  to  have  found  true  wit- 
ness, and  did  not  purposely  seek  for  false,  seems 
somewhat  superfluous,  as  this  would  of  course  b_e  the 
case.  It  is  sufficient,  that  they  were  fully  conscious 
that  true  witness  could  not  be  obtained. 

Ver.  60.  But  foiind  none. — According  to  Mark 
xiv.  56,  "their  witness  agreed  not  together."  By 
the  law  of  Jloses,  at  least  two  witnesses  were  required 
to  agree  if  the  accusation  was  to  be  sustained  (Niun. 


492 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW 


XXXV.  30;  Deut.  xvii.  6;  xix.  15).  Hence  ia  the 
following  clause  the  emphasis  ijjsts  on  the  word 
two.  At  last  the  smallest  requisite  number  was 
found ! 

VcT.  61.  This  man  said. — A  perversion  of  the 
statement  of  Jesus  in  John  ii.  19  (Atytrars),  which 
had  referred  to  His  body.  "  Misunderstood  and  al- 
tered," observes  Meyer  ;  "  but  whether  intentionally 
or  not,  cannot  be  decided."  But  a  witness  is  fully 
responsible,  if  not  for  his  understanding  of  the  words 
which  he  reports,  yet  for  the  accuracy  of  his  quota- 
tion. A  witness  from  hearsay,  who  professes  to  have 
himself  heard  a  certain  statement,  or  an  accuser  who 
has  not  accurately  heard  what  he  reports,  must  also 
be  regarded  as  a  false  witness. 

Within  three  days^  5 1  a ,  not  after  three 
days. — From  this  passage,  as  well  as  from  The 
treatment  of  Stephen  (Acts  vi.  13),  we  learn  that 
statements  derogatory  to  the  temple  were  treated  as 
blasphemy.  Nor  is  it  difficult  to  infer  the  reason  of 
this — the  temple  being  regarded  as  the  symbol  of 
the  Jewish  religion.  Jesus  held  his  peace,  "  in  lofty 
self-consciousness,"'  not  merely  because  the  witness 
was  false,  but  also  because,  even  if  true,  it  was  really 
no  evidence  of  hostility  to  the  temple,  since,  along 
with  the  statement  of  its  destruction,  it  had  held  out 
the  promise  of  its  restoration  ;  and  because  the  whole 
of  this  preliminary  questioning  pointed  forward  to 
His  avowal  of  His  Messianic  character,  to  which,  af- 
ter all,  the  inquiry  must  ultimately  come. 

Ver.  62.  And  the  high-priest  arose.— "The 
chief-priest  loses  his  self-possession,  and  rises  up." 
Perhaps  more  accurately  it  may  be  characterized  as 
a  piece  of  theatrical  affectation,  the  high- priest  pre- 
tending to  be  filled  with  holy  indignation. — Answer- 
est  Thou  nothing  ? — Meyer  :  The  arrangement  of 
the  following  clause  into  two  distinct  queries  is  ex- 
ceedingly characteristic  of  passionate  hatred,  and 
quite  warranted  by  the  phraseology,  as  o  tt  o  k  p  i  - 
ve  (T  Oat  r  L  may  mean  to  answer  something^  and  t  i 
may  be  equivalent  to  o ,  t  i . 

Ver.  63.  And  the  high-priest  answered He 

understood  the  meaning  of  Christ's  silence,  and  hence 
answered  His  silent  speech.  Meyer  rightly  observes  ; 
"  He  replied  to  the  continuous  silence  of  Jesus  by 
formally  proposing  to  Him  to  answer  on  oath  the 
question,  whether  He  was  the  Messiah.  On  this 
everything  depended,  in  order  to  secure  that  the 
sentence  of  death  pronounced  against  Him  should  be 
confirmed  by  the  Roman  authorities."  Comp.  John 
xviii.  19. 

I  adjure  Thee. — Gen.  xxiv.  3 ;  2  Chron.  xxxvi. 
13.  When  such  a  formula  of  adjuration  was  em- 
ployed, a  simple  affirmation  or  negation  was  re- 
garded in  law  as  sufficient  to  constitute  a  reg- 
ular oath.  See  Michaelis,  Laws  of  Moses,  §  302. 
Grotius  :  i^opKL^ew,  Hebraice  3'"':irn,  modo  est  jure- 
ji'.rando  adigerc,  interdum  vero  obsecrare.  Solebant 
jvdices  talem  6pK.ifffj.6v  adhibere,  ut  aid  test/thus 
iesi'imonium  auf  reis  confessionem  exprimerent.  An- 
other fonnula  of  the  same  kind  is  mentioned  in  John 
ix.  24.  "  The  judge  adjured  the  witness,  who,  by  a 
simple  Yea  and  Amen,  made  the  oath  his  own." 

By  the  living  God.— Not  in  the  sense  of 
"pointing  Thee"  to  Him,  but  in  that  of  putting 
the  oath  as  in  His  presence,  and  in  view  of  Him 
as  the  judge  and  avenger.  The  Uving  God  Him- 
self was  invoked  as  the  witness  and  the  judge  of 
any  untruth,  Heb.  vi.  13 ;  x.  31.— Thou  hast  said, 
e  1 77  a  9 . — An  affirmation  (ver.  25),  and  consequent- 
ly an  oath.     The  conduct  of  Christ  is  not  inconsis- 


tent  with  ch.  v.  34,  since  in  the  i)resent  instance  the 
Lord  was  placed  before  tlie  constituted  authorities  of 
the  land,  and  acted  as  bound  in  law.  "  Rationalists 
have  understood  the  words  of  Jesus  as  unplying: 
Thou  sayest  it,  not  II"  "  He  tells  them  now  thai 
He  is  the  Christ."     Braunc. 

The  Son  of  God. — More  fully  reported  in  Luke 
xxii.  67,  and  ver.  70.  From  that  passage  it  appears 
that  the  expression,  Son  of  God,  v.-;s  not  m -.ely  in- 
tended as  a  further  addition  to  the  lerm  C/./Wi!(de 
Wette),  but  meant  to  express  the  Christian  idea  at- 
taching to  the  latter  designation.     . 

Ver.  64.  Besides,  tt  a  ij  r . — A  particle  of  transi- 
tion, intended  to  introduce  a  new  statement,  Luke 
xix.  27.  "  Not  ^ro/ecto  (Olshausen),  nor  5?«w(Kuin- 
oel),  [nor  nevertheless,  as  in  the  authorized  Engl, 
version],  but,  besides,  or  over,  beyond  My  affirmation 
of  this  adjuration."  Meyer.*  Besides  this,  I  shall 
henceforth  manifest  Myself  as  the  Messiah  over  you ; 
My  Messianic  glory  shall  appear  before  your  eyes. 
Thus,  of  His  own  accord  did  Jesus  now  add  His  royal 
testimony  to  the  confession  which  He  had  been 
forced  to  make. — From  hence  shall  ye  see. — 
The  expression  must  not  be  limited  to  tlie  final  ap- 
pearing of  Christ,  but  refers  to  His  whole  state  of 
exaltation, — to  that  personal  exaltation  which  reveals 
itself  in  the  almighty  power  and  universal  influence 
exercised  by  Him  throughout  the  course  of  history. 
— Sitting  on  the  right  hand  cf  power. — T  tj  s 
Svvaij.eccs  =:  nnsi^^H  (Buxtorf,  Lex.  Talm.,  p. 
3855).  Power,  one  of  the  main  attributes  of  the 
Deity,  here  the  abstract  for  the  concrete,  to  indicate 
how,  under  this  influence,  His  apparent  impotence 
would  at  once  be  transformed  into  omnipotence. 
According  to  Ps.  ex.  1,  "  sitting  at  the  right  hand  " 
refers  to  the  exaltation  of  the  Messiah,  and  to  the 
manifestation  of  His  5o'|a ;  more  especially  to  His 
share  in  the  government  of  the  world,  in  the  form 
of  festive  rest  and  absolute  supremacy. — And  com- 
ing ia  the  clouds  of  heaven. — The  expression 
does  not  merely  refer  to  His  final  advent  (de  Wette), 
but  to  the  whole  judicial  administration  of  Clirist, 
which  commenced  immediately  after  His  resurrec- 
tion, but  especially  at  the  time  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  and  shaU  be  completed  in  the  end  of  the 
world. 

Ver.  65.  Then  the  high- priest  rent  his 
clothes. — "He  rent  his  Simla,  or  upper  garment 
(not  his  high-priestly  robe,  which  he  only  wore  in  the 
temple;  comp.  Ileland,  Antiq.  ii.  c.  1,  §11).  A 
mark  of  indignation,  Acts  xiv.  14 ;  on  other  occa- 
sions, of  mourning  (2  Sam.  i.  11) ;  and  in  this  sense 
interdicted  to  the  high-priest  "(Lev.  x.  6  ;  xxi.  10), 
but  only  on  ordinary  occasions.  This  prohibition, 
however,  does  not  seem  to  have  appUed  to  extraordi- 
nary occurrences:  1  Mace.  ii.  14  ;  Joseph..  Bell.  Jud. 
ii.  15,  iv."  De  Wette.  The  practice  of  rending  the 
clothes  on  occasions  of  supposed  blasphemy  was 
based  on  2  Kings  xviii.  37.  Buxt.  Lex.,  p.  2146. 
Originally  it  was  simply  a  natural  outburst  of  most 
intense  pain,  such  as  grief  or  indignation,  or  of  both 
these  emotions.  Hence  it  would  be  voluntary,  and 
not  subject  to  a  special  ordinance.  But  at  a  later 
period,  when  many  of  these  outbursts  were  more 
theatrical  than  real,  their  exercise  was  regulated  by 
special  rules,  according  to  Maimonides,  quoted  by 
Buxtorf,  just  as  similar  manifestations  were  made 
the  subject  of  regulation  in  the  medieval  Church. 


*  [So  also  Alfovri :   "TliHrr'  shall  be  a  sign  of  tbe  truth  of 
what  I  say,  over  and  above  this  confession  of  mine." — P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVI.  51 


493 


The  rent  made  in  the  garment  was  from  the  neck 
downward,  and  about  a  span  (palmus)  in  length. 
The  body  dress  and  the  outer  garment  were  left  un- 
touched :  "  ill  reliqu'is  vestibus  corporl  accornmodalis 
omnibus  Jit,  etiamsi  deceinfuerinty  Hence  to.  I  ud- 
ria. — Saurin :  Here  was  an  infalli))le  high-priest; 
was  it  duty  implicitly  to  trust  and  to  follow  him  ? 
An  argument  against  the  Romish  conception  of  faith 
as  a  blhul  submission  to  the  absolute  authority  of 
the  Cliurch  and  the  pope.* 

He  hath  spoken  blasphemy. — An  explana- 
tion oi"  his  symbolical  action,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  pronouncing  of  sentence,  which,  according .  to 
the  law,  would  in  such  a  case  be  that  of  death. 
On  the  supposition  of  their  unbehef,  and  of  their 
view  that  tlie  statement  of  Christ  was  false,  His  dec- 
laration that  He  was  the  Messiah,  as  well  as  of  the 
manner  in  which  He  sustained  that  office,  would  be 
peculiarly  repugnant  to  them.  But  then,  even  on 
the  high-priest's  o^\ai  showing,  it  was  he,  and  not 
Christ,  who  was  guilty  of  blasphemy,  since  he  had, 
in  his  autlioritative  capacity,  obliged  Jesus  to  take 
this  oath.  Thus  the  conduct  of  the  judges  them- 
selves led  to  what  they  regarded  as  the  crime,  which 
in  turn  they  condemned,  thus  condemning  themselves. 
But  viewed  in  its  true  light  and  spirit,  the  presump- 
tuous high-priest  alone  and  his  compeers  were  the 
blasphemers. 

What  further  need  have  we  of  witnesses  ? 
— An  involuntary  admission  that  they  were  at  a 
loss  for  witnesses.  At  the  same  time,  it  also  im- 
plies that  they  wished  to  found  the  charge  against 
Jesus  solely  upon  His  own  declaration  that  He 
was  the  Me.^siah.  In  point  of  fact,  a  confession 
of  guilt  would  render  a  further  examination  of  wit- 
nesses unnecessary.  Caiaphas,  however,  presupposes 
that  the  members  of  the  Sauhedrin  shared  his  own 
unbelief.  In  his  hot  haste  he  takes  tliis  for  granted : 
Behold,  ye  have  now  heard  His  blasphemy. 

Ver.  G(3.  He  is  worthy  of  death. — As  they  im- 
agined, according  to  the  law,  Lev.  xxiv.  16  ;  comp. 
Deut.  xviii.  20.  A  full  statement  of  the  sentence, 
which  Caiaphas  had  already  implied  when  he  declared 
Jesus  guilty  of  blasphemy.  According  to  de  Wette 
and  Meyer,  this  was  merely  a  preliminary  expression 
of  opinion  on  the  part  of  the  Sanhedrin,  while  the 
formal  resolution  was  only  arrived  at  next  morning, 
oh.  xxvii.  1.  In  our  view,  this  sentence  was  already 
full  and  final,  although  in  point  of  form  it  may  not 
have  been  quite  complete.  For,  (1)  the  Sanhedrin 
had  probably  to  be  convoked  in  a  formal  manner  ; 
(2)  that  tribunal  was,  according  to  Jewisli  law,  pro- 
hibited from  investigating  any  capital  crime  during 
the  night.  Besides,  all  haste  in  pronouncing  cou- 
denmation  was  interdicted  ;  nor  could  a  sentence  of 
death  be  pronounced  on  the  same  day  on  which  the 
investigation  had  taken  place.  Probably  the  San- 
hedrin may  have  wished  to  elude  tliis  provision  by 
entering  on  the  examination  during  the  night.  But  | 
this  object  was  not  in  reality  secured,  since  the  Jew-  i 
ish  day  commenced  in  the  evening.  See  Friedlieb,  , 
ArchcBol.  of  the  History  of  the  Passion,  p.  95.  Ou 
other  violations  of  the  proper  legal  procedure  in  this 
case,  see  p.  87.  (3)  According  to  Roman  law,  a  sen- 
tence pronounced  before  the  dawn  was  not  regarded  as 
valid  (Sepp.  Leben  Jcsu,  iii.  484).  (4)  What  was 
most  important,  the  Jews  were  required  to  couch 

*  [The  EJiiib.  ed.  omits   the  l.ibt  sontoncc,  and  turns 
Saurin,  tlie  well-known   French   Kefuriiu'd   pulpit  orator  I 
who  died  at  the  lla^ue  in  17:J(>,  into  Haitriims,  as  if  he  were 
eome^d  Latin  divine.— P.  S,] 


their  sentence  of  condemnation  in  the  form  of  a 
charge  which  they  might  hope  Pilate  would  sustain; 
for  the  Roman  governor  was  required  to  confirm  the 
Jewish  verdict  of  death  (Joseph.  Arch.  xx.  0,  1). 
The  ill-treatment  of  the  Lord  inunediatcly  afterward 
shows  that  the  Sanhedrin  regarded  even  this  first  sen- 
tence as  final.  "  It  is  sad  that  many  modern  Jews 
are  srill  found  attempting  to  defend  the  sentence  of 
death  pronounced  upon  Jesus.  Thus  the  Liber  Niz- 
zacho7i,  cd.  by  Wagenseil,  1681,  p.  50 ;  and  Salva- 
dor, Histoire  des  Listilutioi^  de  Moise  et  du  Peuple 
Hebr.,  Paris,  1828,  ii.  85.  They  maintain  that  Jesus 
was  rightly  condemned,  because,  1.  He  arrogated  to 
Himself  Divine  dignity  (Deut.  xiii.  1),  and  because, 
2.  His  work  and  mission  tended  toward  the  over- 
throw of  Judaism,  the  undermining  of  the  authority 
of  the  highest  tribimal,  and  consequently  the  ruin  of 
the  people.  Compare,  on  the  other  hand,  von  Am- 
Mox,  Fortbild  d.  Christenth.,  vol.  iv."     IIe\ibner. 

Ver.  67.  Then  they  spit  in  His  face. — With 
reference  to  the  ill-treatment  to  which  tlie  Lord  was 
subjected  before  the  Sanhedrin,  we  must  call  to  mind 
that,  even  in  the  house  of  Annas,  He  w;!,s  struck  by 
one  of  the  officers  (John  xviii.  22).  De  Wette  and 
Meyer  are  mistaken  in  supposing  that  this  ill-treat- 
ment is  recorded  in  another  connection  in  Luke  xxii. 
63.  Manifestly  the  latter  Evangelist  there  refers  to 
what  had  taken  place  at  a  period  intermediate  be- 
tween the  first  examination  before  Caiaphas  and  the 
final  examination  on  the  following  morning,  related 
in  ver.  60,  which  describes  this  final  meeting,  in 
terms  similar  to  the  narrative  of  the  first  examina- 
tion given  by  Matthew.  That  the  two  meetings  must 
have  resembled  each  other,  is  evident  from  the  cir- 
cumstance that  the  second  was  in  part  merely  a  re- 
petition of  the  first,  certain  formalities  being  now 
observed.  There  are,  however,  certain  pecuharities 
about  each  of  them.  In  reference  to  the  account  of 
the  ill-treatment  itself,  we  notice  that  the  narratives 
of  the  various  Evangelists  supplement,  but  do  not 
contrailict,  each  other.  In  all  probability,  the  spit- 
ting in  His  face  occurred  immediately  after  His  con- 
demnation. It  may  be  regarded  as  a  consequence 
of  the  sentence,  spitting  being  considered  among  the 
Jews  as  the  expression  of  the  greatest  contempt 
(Deut.  XXV.  9  ;  Num.  xii.  14).  "  This  insult  was 
punished  with  a  fine  of  four  hundred  drachmas  [the 
drachma  being  equal  to  about  15  American  cents]. 
Even  to  spit  before  another  was  regarded  as  an  of- 
fence, and  treated  as  such,  by  heathen  also.  Thus 
Seneca  records  that  it  was  inflicted  at  Athens  upon 
Aristidcs  the  Just,  adding,  at  the  same  time,  that 
with  considerable  difficulty  one  individual  was  at  last 
found  willing  to  do  it."  Braune.  But  as  those  who 
were  excommunicated  were  regarded  as  beyond  the 
pale  of  the  law,  this  expression  of  contempt  was  spe- 
cially applied  to  them  (comp.  Isa.  1.  6).  According- 
ly, the  members  of  the  Sanhedrin  may  have  consid- 
ered themselves  warranted  to  take  part  in  this  man- 
ifestation of  sanctimonious  zeal.  Their  conduct 
served  as  the  signal  for  bodily  maltreatment  on  the 
part  of  the  officers  by  striking  Hun  with  fists  (de- 
scribed by  the  term  KoKacpi  ^eiv).  The  other 
particulars  added  by  Matthew  took  place  on  a  later 
occasion.  From  the  narratives  of  Mark  and  Luke 
{see  my  Life  of  Jesus,  ii.  3,  p.  1477)  we  gather  that, 
after  the  sentence  pronounced  by  Caiaphas,  Jesus 
was  led  througli  the  hall,  where  the  servants  were 
v.-arming  themselves,  into  another  prison,  and  that 
at  the  very  moment  when  Peter  denied  Him  for  the 
third  time.     There  the  guard  which  was  to  watch 


494 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


the  person  of  Jesus  till  the  final  examination  on  the 
following  morning,  commenced  to  maltreat  Him,  as 
fully  detailed  in  the  Gospel  by  Luke.  This  guard 
was,  therefore,  different  from  the  officers  who  had 
formerly  insulted  Him.  The  expression  ip  ^dir  ic  av 
is  generally  referred  to  smiting  with  the  hand  [so 
also  in  the  E.  V.  :  they  smote  Him  with  the  palms 
of  their  hands]  ;  but  Beza,  Ewald,  Meyer,  and  others, 
apply  it  to  smiting  with  rods.*  Both  renderings  are 
equally,  warranted  by  the  text.  From  Luke  and 
Mark  we  infer  that  the  scoffing  which  now  took  place 
was  accompanied  and  followed  by  smiting  with  rods. 
Ver.  68.  Prophesy  unto  us,  Thou  Christ. — 
The  scoffing  was  directed  against  His  prophetic  dig- 
nity, or,  as  they  supposed,  against  the  prophetic  title 
which  He  claimed.  According  to  Luke  xxii.  64, 
they  blmdfolded  and  then  struck  Hun  on  the  face, 
asking  Him  to  prophesy  which  of  them  had  inflicted 
the  indignity.  Fntzsche  interprets  it  as  meaning  : 
Predict  to  us  rcho  shall  smite  Thee  ;  but  in  that  case 
it  would  have  been  needless  to  have  covered  His  face. 
As  a  prophet,  He  was  to  tell  them  what  He  could  not 
see.  The  devilish  fanaticism  of  the  superiors  had 
communicated  itself  to  the  lowest  officials,  and  spread 
in  the  way  of  sympathy  from  the  Jewish  temple 
guard  even  to  the  Roman  soldiers.  The  officers 
became  a  band  of  murderers  around  Hun  {see  Ps. 
xxii. ;  the  bulls  of  Bashan). 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAK 

1.  Jesus,  silent  before  His  accusers,  a  living  ex- 
pression of  the  truth,  in  its  concrete  form,  as  confi- 
dently relying  on  its  eternal  victory.  Before  His 
bright  consciousness  of  truth  all  false  testimonies 
melted  away,  as  shadows  and  mist  are  chased  by  the 
rays  of  the  sun.  The  last  false  testimon}-,  for  which 
the  requisite  number  of  witnesses  had  been  procured 
(although  the  expressions  in  Matthew  and  Mark  dif- 
fer in  reference  to  it),  could  scarcely  weigh  against 
Ilim,  since,  along  with  the  miraculous  destruction  of 
the  temple,  it  spoke  of  its  miraculous  restoration. 
After  all,  it  only  implied  that  He  asserted  His 
abiUty  to  perform  the  works  of  the  Messiah.  Thus 
His  enemies  were  ultimately  obliged  to  try  Him  sun- 
[>ly,  upon  the  issue  whether  He  was  the  Messiah. 
This  alone,  of  all  the  charges,  now  remained.  In 
other  words,  they  dared  to  set  their  own  miserable 
authority  against  aU  the  glorious  evidences  by  which 
lie  was  accredited  as  the  Messiah  and  the  Son  of 
(Tod. 

2.  Properly  speakmg,  the  saying  of  Christ,  "  De- 
stroy this  temple,"  etc.,  which  two  years  previously 
He  had  uttered  at  the  time  of  the  Passover,  properly 
meant — You  seek  to  kiU  Me ;  kill  Me  then :  I  shall 
rise  again.  It  was  the  curse  of  their  fanatical  dul- 
ness  and  misunderstanding,  and  of  their  false  hear- 
ing, that  they  converted  this  very  saying  into  a 
charge  on  which  they  condemned  Him  to  death. 

S.  The  ancient  Church  allegorically  interpreted 
Christ's  silence  before  the  secular  and  the  ecclesias- 
tical tribunals,  as  unplying  that  He  answered  not  a 
word  because,  as  poor,  guilty  sinners,  we  must  and 
would  have  been  silent  at  the  judgment-seat  of  God. 
But  the  tribunals  of  Caiaphas  and  Pilate  could  only 
in  point  of  form  and  appearance  serve  as  an  emblem 
of  the  judgment-seat  of  God.  In  reality,  they  exliib- 
ited  the  fact,  that  the  secular  and  rehgious  authori- 

*  [Comp.  the  Crit.  Note  No.  8,  p.  490.— P.  S.] 


ties  of  the  ancient  world  were  wholly  devoted  to  the  - 
service  of  darkness,  and  hence  given  up  by  the  Lord 
to  the  judgment  of  self-condemnation.  On"  the  other 
hand,  however,  this  judgment  of  self-condemnation, 
which  sinful  humanity  executed  upon  itself  in  con- 
demning the  Christ  of  God,  is  the  sentence  which 
Christ  by  His  silence  took  upon  Himself  as  the  woe 
of  humanity,  in  order  to  transform,  by  His  sympathy 
and  self-surrender,  the  punishment  of  the  world  into 
an  expiatory  atonement. 

4.  Christy  the  Son  of  God. — "  The  former  title 
was  probably  mentioned  first,  because,  as  it  did 
not  embody  the  real  ground  of  accusation,  the  high- 
priest  may  have  expected  that  Jesus  would  more 
readily  assent  to  the  query  when  couched  in  that 
fbiTu.  For,  even  in  the  eyes  of  such  a  tribunal,  the 
mere  claim  to  Messiahship  could  not  by  any  possibil- 
ity be  regarded  as  a  crime  deserving  of  death,  so 
long  as  no  attempt  whatever  had  been  made  to  prove 
the  falseness  of  the  assertion.  All  this  appears  still 
more  plainly  from  the  narrative  as  given  by  Luke,  in 
which  the  question,  '  Art  Thou  then  the  Son  of  God  ?' 
is  put  separately  from  the  other,  seemingly  called 
forth  by  the  announcement  that  they  would  see  Him 
sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  the  power  of  God. — , 
Many,  in  fact  most  Jews  at  that  time,  understood  that  ^ 
title  (Son  of  God)  as  only  referring  to  the  Messianic  /| 
kmgship  of  Jesus,  without  connecting  with  it  the/ 
idea  of  eternal  and  essential  Sonship.  But  Caiaphas 
evidently  intended  this  expression  to  imply  some- 
tliing  more  than  the  former  designation  of  Christ. 
He  and  the  Sanhedrin  wittingly  attached  to  it  the 
pecuhar  meaning  which,  on  previous  occasions,  had 
been  such  an  offence  to  them  (John  v.  18;  x.  33); 
and  Jesus,  fully  understanding  their  object,  gave  a 
most  emphatic  affirmation  to  their  inquiry.  Of  all 
the  testimonies  in  favor  of  the  divinity  of  Christ,  this 
is  the  most  clear  and  definite."     Gerlach.  v 

5.  The  testimony  and  the  oath  of  Christ. — Calmly  > 
did  He  utter  the  reply  which  insured  His  death. 
The  Faithful  Witness  (Rev.  i.)  did  not  falter  or  fail. 
And  at  the  very  moment  when  He  surrendered  Hun- 
self  to  an  unrighteous  judgment  unto  death,  did  the 
full  consciousness  of  His  kingly  glory  burst  upon 
Him. 

6.  By  the  sentence  of  the  Sanhedrin,  the  people 
of  Israel  rejected  their  Messiah,  apparently  with  all 
due  observance  of  legal  fonns  (altliough  in  contra- 
vention of  several  legal  ordinances),  but  in  utter  vio- 
lation of  the  spirit  and  import  of  the  law.  Thereby 
the  nation  rejected  itself,  and  destroyed  the  theocrat- 
ical  and  political  import  of  its  temple.  See  Eph.  ii. 
16.  It  was  in  reahty  the  Sanhedrin  itself  which,  by 
condemning  Jesus,  condemned  the  temple,  the  city, 
the  theocracy,  and  the  whole  ancient  world.  From 
this  sentence  of  death  upon  the  Lord,  the  world  can 
only  recover  in  and  through  the  new  life  in  Christ. 

7.  Besides,  I  sai/  unto  you,  etc. —  On  the  right 
hand  of  power — of  the  majesty  of  God,  Ps.  ex. — 
"  Jesus'  here  announces  to  His  judges  the  judgment 
of  His  future  advent.  He  intimates  that  henceforth 
they  were  to  be  continually  visited  by  dreadful  visions 
of  His  sovereignty.  They  would  ever  see  Him. 
Wherever  omnipotence  would  manifest  itself,  there 
would  He  also  appear  along  with  it,  since  aU  its  op- 
erations should  be  connected  with  His  kinguom. 
Above  all  the  clouds  which  were  to  darken  the  sky, 
would  He  ever  and  again  appear  as  the  hght  of  new 
eras,  as  the  morning  star,  and  the  sun  of  a  brighter 
and  better  future, — and  that  from  this  time  onward, 
until  the  final  revelation  of  His  glory  over  the  last 


CHAP.  XXVI.  57- 


495 


clouds  which  would  ascend  from  a  burning  world  " 
(Leben  Jesu).  "  These  words  of  our  Lord  show  that 
His  coining  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  referred  not  only 
to  His  final  and  visible  advent  at  the  last  day,  but 
also  to  the  events  heralding  and  typifying  His  re- 
fiirn."     Gerlach. 

8.  With  this  grand  utterance  the  Lord  Jesus  di- 
rectly met  His  enemies  on  the  very  ground  of  Scrip- 
ture to  which,  in  their  hypocrisy,  they  had  appealed. 
The  reference  here  is  to  the  prediction  of  Daniel,  in 
ch.  vii.  13,  concerning  the  glory  of  the  Son  of  Man  ; 
hence  also  the  final  apphcation  of  this  prophecy  to 
the  Son  of  Man,  who  from  the  first  had  referred  it  to 
Himself. 

9.  We  might  reasonably  have  expected  that,  af- 
ter Christ  had  been  condemned  by  an  ecclesiastical 
tribunal  on  the  charge  of  blasphemy,  such  accusa- 
tions would  not  again  have  been  laid  by  or  before 
any  who  professed  to  be  His  disciples,  but  that  all 
such  questions  would  have  been  left  to  be  settled  by 
the  Lord  Himself  But  the  Inquisition  has  pursued 
the  path  first  trodden  by  Caiaphas.  The  Church  of 
Christ  must  commit  the  judgment  upon  such  sins  to 
God  Himself,  while  the  State  may  enact  such  laws 
agamst  blasphemy  and  crimes  of  sacrilege  as  it  may 
deem  necessary  for  the  well-being  of  the  land. 

10.  The  last  coimcil  of  traditionahsm  in  its  full 
and  final  blindness,  an  antitype  of  similar  councils  in 
the  Christian  Church. 

11.  The  spitting  upon  Jesus,  as  predicted  in  Isa. 
liii.  Gerlach:  "  Condemned  as  a  blasphemer,  He 
was  treated  as  an  outlaw,  and  exposed  to  every  indig- 
nity and  attack." 


nOMILETICAL  AND   PRACTICAL. 

The  Son  of  God  surrendered  into  the  hands  of 
sinners. — The  holy  Judge  before  the  iniquitous  judg- 
ment of  the  world. — The  judgment  of  the  world  upon 
the  Judge  of  the  world:  1.  The  false  witnesses  over 
against  the  Faithful  Witness  of  God ;  2.  the  criminal 
occupying  the  seat  of  the  high-priest,  and  the  High- 
Priest  standing  in  the  place  of  the  criminal ;  3.  blas- 
phemy in  the  garb  of  zeal  for  God,  and  the  loftiest 
praise  of  God  designated  as  blasphemy  ;  4.  the  sui- 
cide of  the  world  in  the  sentence  pronounced  upon 
the  Prince  of  Ufe,  and  the  life  of  the  world  in  the  read- 
iness of  Christ  to  submit  unto  death  ;  5.  the  picture 
of  bell  and  the  picture  of  heaven  in  the  insults  heap- 
ed upon  the  Lord. — The  judgment  of  man  on  the  Sa- 
viour (a  judgment  of  God):  1.  The  world  given  up 
to  complete  and  full  blindness  and  guilt  unto  death  ; 
2.  the  Son  of  God  given  up  to  complete  and  full  suf- 
fering, and  to  love  of  redemption. — In  the  judgment 
of  man,  that  of  God  is  ever  present.  It  appears 
either :  1.  By  means  of  the  judgment  of  man ;  or  else, 
2.  beyond  and  above  the  sentence  of  man. — How  fre- 
quently have  spiritual  tribunals  pronounced  their  own 
sentence  ! — False  witness  as  gradually  developing  and 
appearing  in  the  course  of  history. — The  misappre- 
hensions of  fanaticism  the  source  of  its  mistakes. — 
The  holy  silence  of  the  Lord,  a  most  solemn  divine 
utterance:  1.  Concerning  the  guilt  of  the  world,  and 
His  own  innocence ;  2.  concerning  its  implacableness 
and  His  gracious  compassion. — The  holy  utterance 
of  the  Lord  after  His  holy  silence. — His  oath;  in 
taking  it,  Jesus,  the  Eternal  One,  swore  by  Himself 
(Isa.  xlv.  23). — The  oath  of  Jesus  the  seal  of  truth. — 
The  Faithful  Witness  who  seals  and  confirms  all  that 
God  has  said,  2  Cor.  i.  20  ;  Rev.  iii.   14.— The  as- 


sumed appearance  of  zeal,  and  genuine  holy  indigna- 
tion.— "  What  further  need  have  we  of  witnesses  ?  " 
or,  how  malice  always  betrays  itself. — "  Hereafter 
(or,  henceforth)  ye  shall  see ;  "  or  the  roll  of  thun- 
der in  the  distance. — Christ's  abiding  consciousness 
of  His  royal  rank  as  appearing  in,  and  standing  the 
test  of,  the  hour  of  its  severest  trial. — The  appeal  of 
Christ  to  His  own  judgment-seat  a.^  unto  the  tribunal 
of  God. — The  insults  otfered  unto  the  Lord,  or  the 
bitter  mocking  of  Satan  in  the  fury  of  man. — How 
hell  seeks  to  scoff  at  the  King  of  heaven. — The  dark 
shadows  which  ever  follow  hypocritical  rehgiosity : 
1.  It  is  always  connected  with  coarseness  and  rude- 
ness ;  2.  it  spems  to  take  pleasure  in  satanic  malice 
and  love  of  mischief — How  ingenious  fanaticism  has 
ever  proved  in  calling  for  the  torments  of  hell,  while 
boasting  that  it  alone  possessed  the  keys  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. — Infectious  character  of  the  evil  ex- 
ample set  by  spiritual  leaders. — The  peace  of  Christ 
during  that  dreadful  night,  like  the  moon  above 
dark  lowering  clouds. — The  long  and  anxious  hours. 
— Daniel  in  the  Hon's  den ;  Christ  among  tigers 
and  serpents. — The  spiritual  prison-house. — When 
led  before  the  secular  authorities.  He  was  set  free 
from  the  authority  of  the  spiritual  rulers. — The  sor- 
row and  pain  which  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  pre- 
pared for  themselves,  when  inflicting  paui  upon  Hun. 
— The  moral  desolation  which,  from  the  beginning  to 
the  end,  ever  accompanies  a  spurious  zeal  for  reli- 
gion :  1.  It  falsifies  and  perverts  testimony ;  2.  it 
apphes  the  law  against  truth  and  righteousness  ;  3. 
turns  judgment  into  mockery  of  judgment;  4.  it 
transforms  the  ministers  of  justice  and  the  people 
into  lawless  murderers ;  5.  it  involves  even  the  secu- 
lar power  in  its  guilt  and  ruin. — Moral  rudeness  also 
in  the  service  of  the  evil  one. — Moral  rudeness,  the 
delight  and  the  instrument  of  hypocritical  cunning. — 
The  sufferings  and  the  gentleness  of  Jesus  amidst  the 
coarse  rudeness  of  the  world. — The  sufferings  of  the 
members  of  Christ  (His  martyrs)  amidst  the  coarse 
gibes  of  the  world. — The  covering  of  the  face  of  Je- 
sus a  sign  that,  even  while  setting  Him  at  nought, 
they  dared  not  encounter  the  hght  of  His  eyes. — The 
spitting  in  His  face  a  scoffing  of  the  highest  person- 
ality and  individuality,  implying  at  the  same  time 
self-rejection  of  their  own  human  individuality. — An 
emblem  also  of  all  sin,  as  it  tends  to  efface  per- 
sonality.— The  impotence  of  human  and  satanic  mal- 
ice against  the  triumphant  self-consciousness  of  the 
Divine  Saviour. — The  heavenly  pattern  of  perfect 
patience  and  endurance. — The  sins  which  He  there 
bore,  He  bore  for  all,  and  for  us  among  the  num- 
ber. 

Starke: — Canstein:  Even  the  true  Church  and 
its  whole  solemn  assembly  may  err  and  fail,  if  they 
set  aside  the  word  of  God,  Ex.  xxxii.  Y-10. — We 
may  "follow"  Jesus,  yet  not  in  the  right  spirit  or 
manner. — Danger  of  fellowship  with  men  of  the 
world  (Peter  warming  himself  by  the  fire  of  coals). 
— If  we  arc  weak,  we  must  avoid  fellowship  with 
those  whose  intercourse  might  have  a  tendency  to 
render  us  still  more  weak. — Solemn  ordinances  of 
God  against  false  witnesses,  Ex.  xxiii.  1 ;  Deut.  xix. 
18.  But  these  wicked  judges  not  only  admitted,  but 
even  suborned  false  witnesses. — While  seekmg  to 
entangle  Jesus,  they  entangled  themselves. — Can- 
stein :  Even  the  most  sacred  ordinances  of  God  are 
capable  of  being  desecrated  by  men. — Zclsius :  The 
enemies  of  Christ  at  one  and  the  same  time  ac- 
cusers, witnesses,  and  judges :  thus  frequently  even 
in  our  own  day. — Quesnel :  A  most  vivid  picture  of 


496 


THE  GOSrEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


what  envy  still  does  every  day  against  the  people 
of  God. — Hedinger :  Attend,  0  my  soul ;  thy  Saviour 
suffers  for  the  false  witness  of  thy  tongue",  for  thy 
hypocrisy,  etc. — When  wicked  rulers  and  judges  oc- 
cupy the  high  places,  vile  persons  will  always  be 
found  ready  to  lend  themselves  as  their  tools. — Zei- 
sius :  If  the  words  of  Christ,  who  was  eternal  Wis- 
dom and  Truth,  were  perverted,  why  should  we  won- 
der that  His  servants  and  children  suifer  from  simi- 
lar misrepresentations  '?^ — The  testimony  of  Christ  af- 
ter His  silence  ;  similarly,  may  we  not  remain  silent 
when  the  glory  of  God  or  His  truth  are  in  question. 
— Zeisius :  The  confession  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
God,  to  this  day  the  rock  of  offence  (to  Jews,  Turks, 
heathens,  and  unbelieving  professors  of  Christianity). 
— Judicial  blindness  of  the  servants  of  Satan  in  de- 
claring truth  to  be  blasphemy,  and  blasphemy  truth. 
— Canstein :  by  this  Christ  expiated  the  sins  which 
are  committed  in  judicial  procedures. — Zeisius :  The 
spitting  upon  Jesus,  etc.,  the  expiation  of  our  sins, 
that  our  faces  might  not  be  ashamed  before  God,  but 
that  we  might  obtain  eternal  honor  and  glory. — 
Quesnel :  You  who  ailorn  and  paint  your  faces,  be- 
hold the  indignity  offered  to  the  face  of  Jesus,  for 
your  sakes  ! — The  members  of  Christ  should  willing- 
ly and  readily  submit  to  every  kind  of  scorn  and  in- 
sult.— Men  dare  to  insult  the  Almighty  as  if  He 
could  be  "  blindfolded." 

Gerlach : — While  Peter  denied  Jesus,  He  con- 
fessed before  Caiaphas  that  good  confession  by  which 
our  souls  are  saved. — Here  we  behold  Jesus  taking 
a  solemn  and  judicial  oath,  to  the  effect  that  He  was 
the  Son  of  God  ;  which  He  still  further  confirmed  by 
adding  that  they  would  see  Him  again  in  the  glory 
of  His  exaltation,  as  Judge  of  the  world,  and  as  their 
Judge. — The  vast  contrast  between  Jesus,  who  enter- 
ed watching  and  praying  into  the  temptation,  which 
He  had  overcome  within  before  He  encountered  it 
without,  and  Peter,  who  in  self-confidence  rushed 
into  danger,  without  any  preparation. — The  insults 
heaped  upon  Jesus  were  not  only  the  expression  of 
the  personal  hatred  of  Ilis  enemies,  but  intended,  if 
possible,  completely  to  destroy  His  influence  and  po- 
sition in  popular  estimation. 

Htuhner  : — For  our  sakes,  Christ  had  to  go  many 
a  road  of  sorrow,  surrounded  by  the  band  of  the 
wicked.  Let  us  count :  1.  The  road  from  Gethse- 
mane  to  Annas  ;  2.  that  from  Annas  to  Caiaphas ;  3. 
from  Caiaphas  to  Pilate  ;  4.  from  Pilate  to  Herod  ;  5. 
from  Heiod  to  Pilate ;  6.  from  Pilate  to  the  hall  of 
judgment  (although  Pilate  lived  in  the  Pneiorhim, 
the  soldiers  occupied  another  part ;  hence  it  was  not 
"  from  Pilate  to  the  judgpjent-hall,"  but  from  the  hall 
of  judgment  to  where  the  soldiers  were) ;  1.  from 
thence  to  Golgotha.  These  sorrowful  roads  Jesus 
would  not  have  been  obliged  to  tread,  had  not  our 
feet  declined  from  the  ways  of  God. — Christ  led  be- 
fore Caiaphas :  the  true  High-Priest  before  the  spu- 
rious, the  Just  before  the  unjust,  the  Innocent  One 
before  His  bitter  enemies,  who  had  long  before  re- 
solved upon  His  death,  John  xi.  50. — A  night  trial. 
The  prince  of  darkness  himself  presided  unseen  over 
this  meeting. — The  members  of  the  Sanhedrin  deceiv- 
ed themselves  and  each  other  by  the  tacit  assump- 
tion of  possessing  divine  authority. — (Rambach.)  Let 
us  not  be  deceived  by  the  semblance  of  outward  dig- 
nity and  position,  but  seek  grace  to  have  our  eyes 
opened  so  as  to  penetrate  through  the  mist,  and  the 
pretensions  of  those  who  at  heart  are  the  enemies  of 
Christ. — Christ  was  arraigned  before  two  tribimals : 
the  ecclesiastical,  which  took  cognizance  of  the  first, 


and  the  secular  tribunal,  which  took  cognizance  of 
the  second,  table  of  the  law.  We  have  transgressed 
both  tables  of  the  law. — J7iei/  sought  false  witness  : 
the  sentence  had  been  beforehand  resolved  upon, 
— Falsehood  must  enter  into  the  service  of  mur- 
der.—  Though  many  false  witnesses  came:  society 
abounds  in  venal  instruments  of  iniquity. — Every 
false  witness  is  in  opposition  to  the  holy  God  of 
truth;  hence  such  v/ill  not  only  be  put  to  shame, 
but  even  their  false  testimony  must  ultimately  sub- 
serve the  truth. — Calumny  omits  or  adds  (or  per- 
verts), as  it  may  serve  its  purpose,  so  as  to  give  false- 
hood the  semblance  of  truth. — It  is  the  peculiar  arti- 
fice of  the.  evil  one  to  mix  some  clement  of  truth  in 
every  lie. — Tims  have  the  enemies  of  revelation  fre- 
quently perverted  the  Bible. — The  silence  of  Jesus : 
1.  Wise;  2.  dignified;  3.  putting  His  enemies  to 
shame  and  condemning  them  ;  4.  conciUatory ;  5.  a 
holy  example  to  His  followers.  (The  biograjihies  of 
Franke,  Rengeltaube,  Boos,  Zinzendorf,  and  others.) 
— The  great  and  grievous  damage  often  resulting  from 
controversies  is  solely  caused  by  our  own  premature 
and  hasty  conduct. — The  solemn  confession  of  Jesus : 
1.  Wise  and  necessary:  2.  holy  and  sacred;  3.  hero- 
ic, or  unshrinking,  1  Tim.  vi.  13 ;  4.  unhesitatmg 
and  decided ;  5.  an  example  to  His  martyi-s. — The 
different  bearing  and  relationship  in  reference  to  the 
truth  (on  the  part  of  Jesus,  of  Pilate,  of  the  high- 
priests,  of  the  false  witnesses,  of  Judas). — Neverthe- 
less (but,  besides),  I  saij  unto  you.  A  most  solemn 
thunder-call  to  His  enemies.  Its  confirmation  ap- 
peared immediately  on  His  death  (the  darkness,  the 
earthquake,  etc.). — They  who  will  not  believe  in  the 
divine  character  of  Jesus  must  soon  experience  it  to 
their  terror  and  confusion. — It  is  terrible  to  His  en- 
emies, but  most  comforting  to  His  friends. — The 
faithfulness  of  the  Lord  met  by  the  mere  semblance 
of  the  fear  of  God. — A  painful  and  sleepless  night  to 
the  Lord.  Under  the  Old  Testament,  tiie  high-priest 
was  wont  to  spend  the  night  before  the  day  of  atone- 
ment waking ;  so  the  true  High-Priest  also.  A  con- 
solation this  to  sufferers  during  their  sleepless  nights. 
— Subordinates  imitate  their  superiors  and  the  high- 
er classes,  1  Cor.  ii.  8. — The  fiice  of  man  the  char- 
acteristic and  special  index  of  his  individuality  ;  to 
spit  upon  the  face,  is  to  set  at  nought  the  peculiar 
individuality  of  the  man.  In  the  present  instance  it 
was  Jesus.  His  face  was  the  face  of  God,  John  xiv.  9. 
His  holy  face,  which  angels  adore,  veiling  their  coun- 
tenances, was  here  insulted.  A  setting  at  nought  of 
His  person,  and  at  the  same  time  of  His  prophetical 
office. — Beware  of  a  scoffing  spirit,  and  of  fellowship 
with  scorners,  Ps.  i.  1. — Alas  !  how  frequently  is 
Christ  still  set  at  nought  among  us,  wittingly  and  un- 
wittingly, by  neglect  and  contempt  of  His  word,  or 
by  jokes  and  witticisms  in  connection  with  it !  For 
the  present  He  bears  with  it,  but  the  tune  shall  come 
when  judgnnent  will  be  passed  upon  those  daring 
scoffers. — Let  the  reproach  of  Christ  be  our  choicest 
adorning. 

/.  W.  Konig : — What  a  change !  In  the  night  (of 
the  nativity),  when  heaven  descended  upon  earth, 
etc.,  the  seraphim  opened  their  song  of  joy  and  praise, 
etc.  In  this,  the  last  night  of  His  life,  the  Lord  of 
heaven  is  set  at  nought. — Rieger : — This  question, 
whether  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  still 
proves  the  testing-point  of  unbelief  and  worldly- 
raindedness.  He  that  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son 
of  God  overcometh  the  world. — Braune  : — No  crim- 
inal has  ever  endured  what  Jesus  had  to  sufi'er ;  at 
least  in  no  other  case  have  cruelty  and  mahce  been 


CHAP.  XXYI.  69-75.  497 


so  grievously  at  work. — As  on  that  occasion,  in  the    Christ  is  made  in  the  darkness  of  the  world  of  this 
obscurity  of  night,  so  still,  many  an  attempt  against  |  life. 


SEVENTH    SECTION. 

CHRIST  AND   PETER. 

Chapter  XXVI.  69-75. 
(Mark  xiv.  66-72;  Luke  xxii.  56-62;  John  xviii.  15-27.) 

69  Now  Peter  sat  [was  sitting]  without  in  the  palace  [court,  avXyj]^:  and  a  damsel 

70  came  unto  him,  saying,  Thou  also  wast  with  Jesus  of  Galilee  [the  Galilean].-     But  he 

71  denied  before  theyn^  all,  saying,  I  know  not  what  thou  sayest.  And  when  he  was  gone 
out  into  [going  toward]  the  porch,  another  maid  [olAAt;]  saw  him,  and  said  mito  them* 
that  were  there,  This  fellow  [man,  oSros]  was  also  with  Jesus  of  Nazareth  [the  Naza- 

72,  73  rene].*  And  again  he  denied  with  an  oath,  I  do  not  know  the  man.  And  after 
a  while  came  tmto  Mm  they  that  stood  by  [they  that  stood  by  came],  and  said  to  Peter, 
Surely  thou  also  art  one  of  them ;  for  thy  speech  bewrayeth  [betrayeth,  or  discovereth^ 

74  BrjXov  ere  Trotet]  thee.  Then  began  he  to  curse®  and  to  swear,  saying,''  I  know  not  [I 
do  not  know,  ovk  oT8a,  as  in  ver.  72]   the  man.     And  immediately  the   [a]  ^  cock  crew. 

75  And  Peter  remembered  the  word  of  Jesus,  which  said  unto  him  [when  he  said],^  Before 
the  [a]  cock  crow,  thou  shalt  [wilt]  deny  me  thrice.  And  he  went  out,  and  wept  bit- 
terly. 

1  Ver.  69.— [The  e | « ,  without,  plainly  Bhows  that  avKri  cannot  mean  here  the  palace  itself,  but  the  interior,  qua- 
drangular and  open  hall,  or  court-yard,  to  which  there  was  a  passage  (sometimes  arched)  from  the  front  part  of  the  house, 
called  TTvXdv  or  Trpo  ai;Aio  j/,  ver.  71;  Mark  xiv.  CS.  &e  Crit.  Note  on  ver.  3,  p.  459.  The  place  where  the  Saviour 
stood  before  Caiaphas  was  probably  an  audience-room  on  the  ground-floor,  in  the  rear  or  on  the  sidu  of  the  court-yard. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  69. — [Literally  after  the  Greek  :  r  ov  V  aXiKaiov ,  which,  in  the  mouth  of  the  enemies  of  Christ  in  Judffa, 
had  a  contemptuous  meaning.  So  Julian  the  Apostate  used  to  call  Christ,  and  he  is  reported  (.ilthough  on  insufficient  au- 
thority) to  have  died  with  the  exclamation:  "Galilean,  thou  hast  conquered!" — P.  S  ] 

3  Ver.  70. — The  avT  wv  is  doubtful,  as  many  authorities  are  against  it.  Still  the  fact  that  it  is  more  difficult,  speaks 
in  its  favor,  inasmuch  as  the  ainoi  are  not  mentioned.  [The  English  Version  italicizes  it ;  it  may  as  well  be  omitted, 
being  superfluous.] 

<  Ver.  71.— AuTots  eKeT  [for  toTs  e/fsT]  is  best  supported. 

'  Ver.  71.— [T  ov  N  o  ^aip  a  i  o  u  has  a  similar  contemptuous  meaning  as  tov  TaKiKa'iov,  ver.  69,  and  Kazaraans,  as 
■well  as  Galikeans  became  nicknames  of  the  Christians. — P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  7-1. — [To  curse  is  somewhat  ambiguous  for  KaTava6eiJ.aTi^eiv.  The  meaning  is:  he  invoked  curses  on 
himself  in  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  his  assertion.  Lange:  Dajtng  er  an  mit  Bannfluch  (Verwunschung)  und  Eid 
aieh  eii  ^erschwbren.—'P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  74.— [This  interpolation  should  be  omitted,  since  it  "destroys  the  proper  connection,  and  gives  a  false  sense  to 
the  preceding  words."    (Conant.) — P.  S.] 

8  Ver.  7-1. — [All  the  four  Evangelists  omit  the  definite  article  before  aXenruip  for  the  reason  stated  in  the  note  on  vec 
34,  p.  478.— P.  SJ 

»  Ver.  7.3.— ['I ij (7 0  1/  elpijKoTos,  quod  dixerat,  in  the  Vulgate  and  Syriac  Version.  To  refer  it  to  pri/iaros 
as  in  the  English  Version,  would  require  toO  tipr]K6ros.  The  best  authorities  omit  ainw,  but  Lange  retains  it— 
P.  S.]  .  .  =. 

EXE6ETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 


On  the  manner  and  circumstances  under  which 
Peter  gained  access  to  the  palace  of  the  high-priest, 
see  the  Gospel  of  John. 

Yer.  69.  Now  Peter  was  sitting  without. — 
"The  expression  e|co  must  be  taken  relatively  to 
the  interior  of  the  house  in  which  Jesu3  underwent 
examination.  In  ver.  58  the  term  eo-o)  was  used, 
because  Peter  is  represented  as  going  from  the  street 
into  the  court."     Meyer. 

Ver.  CO.  A  damsel, — i.  e.,  a  female  slave,  as  con- 
tradistinguished from  the  other  mentioned  in  ver.  71. 
The  former  (who,  according  to  John  xviii.  17,  "kept 
the  door ")  said :  "  Thou  also  wast  with  Jesus 
32 


the  Galilean ; "  the  latter :  "  with  Jesus  the  Na- 
zarene."  Both  maids  had  gathered  their  informa- 
tion by  hearsay;  but,  although  ignoiunt,  they  were 
malevolently  disposed.  Probably  the  statement  was 
made  in  both  cases  in  malicious  banver,  or  Hght  ridi- 
cule, as  the  chaige  evidently  led  to  no  further  con- 
sequences. 

Yer.  70.  He  denied  before  them  all. — Before 
the  servants  of  the  liigh-pricot  and  the  officials. — I 
know  not  ■what  thou  sayest. — A  mode  of  expres- 
sion which  might  be  taken  as  denying  the  denial :  I 
do  not  even  understand  what  thou  meanest.  Of 
course  this,  however,  implied  a  denial  of  the  charge 
itself,  although  Meyer  lays  undue  emphasis  upon  it 
when  interpreting  it :  So  far  from  havmg  been  with 
Him,  I  do  not  even  know,  etc. 


y? 


498 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


Vers.  11  and  72.  And  when  he  was  going 
out  into  (toward)  the  porch. — After  his  first  and 
indireet  denial,  I'eter  began  to  feel  the  painfulness  of 
his  situaticin,  and  wished  to  go  away,  or  at  auj'  rate 
to  be  nearer  the  door,  so  as  to  secure  a  retreat.  But 
in  order  to  conceal  his  intention  of  leaving,  he  con- 
tinued still  for  a  short  time  in  the  porch.  Accord- 
ingly, he  went  from  the  court  or  a  u  A  77 ,  which  en- 
closed the  house,  toward  the  porch.  In  our  opinion, 
the  6  TTvAdov  refers  to  the  same  as  the  npoavXiov 
in  Mark  xiv.  68  (which  Meyer  denies).  It  was  then 
that,  according  to  Mark,  Peter  denied  Jesus  a  second 
time,  after  having  risen  from  warming  himself  at  the 
fire.  "  Another  maid  saio  him  (when  going  away), 
and  (following  him)  said  unto  them  that  were  there 
(probably  the  guard  at  the  gate) :  This  one  was  also 
with  Jesus  the  Nazarene^  Then  the  second  distinct 
denial  ensued,  confirmed  by  an  oath,  and  by  the  con- 
temptuous expression:  '■'•  I  do  not  know  the  manP 
The  circumstance  that  Peter  made  use  of  an  oath  is 
recorded  by  Matthew  alone.  The  particle  mi  prob- 
ably refers  to  the  confirmation  by  the  oath. 

Ver.  73.  And  after  a  while,  they  that  stood 
by  came  and  said  to  Peter. — Primarily  referring 
to  those  who  had  been  at  the  gate.  But  the  lan- 
guage of  the  text  does  not  prevent  our  understanding 
it  to  mean,  that  in  the  interval  a  number  of  persons 
had  come  from  the  court  and  joined  the  group.  In 
fact,  according  to  Luke,  a  considerable  interval  had 
elapsed,  before  general  attention  had  been  called 
forth  and  fixed  on  Peter. — Surely  thou  also  art 
one  of  them. — An  oath  against  the  oath  of  Peter. — 
For  thy  speech  also  betrayeth  thee. — "  Beside 
other  circumstances,  by  which  the  maid  recognized 
thee.  The  pronunciation,  the  dialect,  tj  AaXia  of 
the  Galilceans  was  defective  in  the  utterance  of  the 
gutturals,  so  that  no  distinction  was  perceptible  be- 
tween N,  jJ,  n.  Besides,  the  Galila3ans  also  pro- 
nounced the  li)  like  n."  De  Wette.  The  proliun- 
ciation  of  the  people  of  Galilee  was  uncouth  and  in- 
distinct ;  hence  they  were  not  allowed  to  read  aloud 
in  the  Jewish  synagogues. '  The  Talmudists  relate  a 
number  of  amusing  anecdotes  about  the  curious 
misunderstandings  occasioned  by  the  indistinctness 
of  pronunciation  in  Galilee.     See  Friedlieb,  p.  84. 

Ver.  74.  Then  began  he.— He  meets  and  out- 
does the  asseveration  '■'■Surely,''''  used  by  the  servants, 
by  beginning  to  invoke  curses  on  himself  and  to 
swear. 

Ver.  74.  And  immediately  a  cock  crew. — De 
Wette :  "  The  statement  in  Mishna,  Baha  Kama  vii. 
7,  that  fowls  were  not  allowed  to  be  kept  in  Jerusa- 
lem, is  probably  incorrect.  It  is  contrary  to  what  is 
related  in  Hieros.  Eruhin,  fol.  26,  cp.  1 ;  comp. 
Lightfoot  ad  v.  84." — It  was  indeed  contrary  to  the 
Levitical  law  of  purity  to  keep  fowls  in  Jerusalem, 
because  these  animals  pick  their  food  in  dirt  and 
mud,  and  might  thus  occasion  the  defilement  of  sa- 
crifices and  other  dedicated  ofierings.  But  is  it  like- 
ly that  the  Eoman  soldiers  in  the  castle  of  Antonia 
would  care  for  such  Jewish  ordinances  ?  And  even 
with  reference  ta  the  Jews,  we  read  that  the  Sanhe- 
drin  had  on  one  occasion  ordered  a  cock  to  be  stoned, 
because  it  had  picked  out  the  eyes  of  a  little  child, 
and  thereby  caused  its  death.  (Sepp,  Leben  Jcsu,  iii. 
475.) — Plinius  observes  that  the  second  crowing  of 
the  cock  (galliciniiim)  took  place  during  the  fourth 
watch  of  the  night.     Friedheb,  p.  SI. 

Ver.  75.  Thou  wilt  thrice  deny  Me.— Bengel 
has,  in  his  Qnomon^  given  the  following  fatisfactory 


explanation  of  the  fact,  that  the  Gospels  speak  only 
of  a  threefold  denial  on  the  part  of  Peter :  "  Abnega- 
tio  ad  plures  plurimn  interrogationes,  facta  tmo  paro- 
.rysmo,  'pro  una  numeralur"  By  dint  of  that  pres- 
sure of  the  letter  at  the  expense  of  the  import  and 
spirit  of  luFtory,  which  is  so  common  with  a  certain 
school  of  critics  {Lcben  Jesu,  ii.  3,  1490),  Strauss 
and  I^aulus  have  maintamed  that  the  Gospels  record 
more  than  three  denials  on  the  part  of  Peter  (Paulus 
speaks  of  eight  distinct  denials).  But  a  closer  in- 
quiry shows  that  .the  three  occasions  are  specially 
and  separately  enumerated  in  the  Gospels : — 

First  denial. — Immediately  on  entering  the  palace, 
John  xviii.  17,  and  on  the  charge  of  the  maid  who 
kept  the  door.  According  to  Matthew  (ver.  69),  in 
the  court ;  according  to  John  and  Mark,  at  the  fire,  r 
where  the  servants  warmed  themselves;  according 
to  Luke,  by  the  light  of  the  fire. 

Second  denial. — According  to  John's  narrative, 
Peter  was  still  standing  by  the  fire  and  warming 
himself,  probably  with  the  design  of  covering  a 
speedy  retreat  by  assuming  the  appearance  of  un- 
concern. According  to  Matthew,  he  was  now  about 
to  leave,  when  another  maid  attacked  him,  and  peo- 
ple gathered  around  him  in  the  porch.  Luke  reports 
one  of  these  bystanders  as  already  expressing  the 
general  feeling  in  the  words:  "Thou  art  also  of 
them." 

Tliird  denial. — ^Again  Peter  had  tarried  for  some 
time  in  the  porch.  The  false  oath  which  he  had 
taken  had  allayed  the  rising  indignation  of  the  peo- 
ple, when  another  fancied  that  he  recognized  him  by 
his  speech.  Soon  the  servants  declared  that  his 
fipeech  betrayed  him.  Such  a  recognition  would  in- 
volve imminent  peril  of  life.  For,  according  to  John, 
a  relative  of  MaJchus  maintained  that  he  had  seen 
him  in  the  garden  with  Jesus.  Then  Peter  began  to 
curse  and  swear,  and  immediately  the  cock  crew  (a 
second  time),  reminding  and  warning  him.  It  ap- 
pears that  he  had  scarcely  given  any  heed  to  the 
first  crowing  of  the  cock  (Mark). 

[On  the  different  accounts  of  the  threefold  denial 
of  Peter  compare  also  the  tables  in  the  Greek  and 
English  Harmonies,  Andrews'  Life  of  our  Lord,  p. 
49 1  sqq.,  and  the  remarks  of  Alford  on  Matt.  xxvi. 
69-75,  4th  ed.  (p.  268  sqq.).  These  minor  variations 
with  essential  coincidences  prove  the  independence 
of  the  Evangelists  and  confirm  the  truth  of  their 
narrative.  "  Whether  we  can  arrange  them  or  not, 
being  thoroughly  persuaded  of  the  holy  truthfulness 
of  the  Evangelists,  and  of  the  divine  guidance  under 
which  they  wrote,  our  faith  is  in  no  way  shaken  by 
such  discrepancies.  We  value  them  rather,  as  testi- 
monies to  independence:  and  are  sure,  that  if  for 
one  moment  we  could  be  put  in  complete  p)ossession 
of  all  the  details  as  they  happened,  each  account 
would  find  its  justification,  and  the  reasons  of  all  the 
variations  would  disappear.  And  this  I  firmly  be- 
lieve will  one  day  be  the  case."  Alford  (p.  269,  in 
the  4th  edition,  where  he  corrects  the  errors  of  the 
corresponding  note  in  the  former  edition). — P,  S.] 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  This  picture  of  the  denial  of  the  Lord,  as  ex- 
hibited by  the  fall  of  that  disciple  who  had  been  the 
first  to  confess  Christ,  has  its  peculiar  and  eternal 
import  in  the  history  of  the  Church.  Hence  we 
should  study  it :  1.  In  the  source  and  antecedents  of 
this  denial ;  2.  in  its  various  phases  and  stages ;  3. 


CHAP.  XXVI.  69-Y5 


499 


in  the  repentance  which  followed,  and  which  led  to 
the  only  true  and  lasting  spiritual  confession. 

2.  The  fall  of  Peter  a  significant  type  of  the  Rom- 
ish Church. 

8.  The  look  of  the  Lord,  recorded  in  the  Gospel 
of  Luke,  in  its  historical  and  iu  its  eternal,  ideal  im- 
port for  the  Church. 

4.  The  deep  sorrow  and  suffering  of  the  Lord 
caused  by  the  denial  of  Peter,  in  its  lasting  import 
for  the  Church. 

5.  Peter  went  out  into  the  black  night,  but  not 
as  Judas  into  the  darkness  of  despair.  Weeping 
bitterly,  he  awaited  the  dawn  of  another  and  a  better 
morning.  The  angel  of  mercy  accompanied  him  on 
that  heavy  road  to  spiritual  self-condemnation  which 
issued  in  the  death  of  his  old  man,  more  especially 
of  his  former  pride  and  self-confidence.  And  thus  it 
came  that  he  really  accompanied  Christ  unto  death, 
thougli  in  a  very  different  and  much  better  sense 
than  he  had  intended.  His  repentance  had  to  be 
completed, — he  had  to  obtain  peace  and  reconcilia- 
tion from  the  mouth  of  Christ  Himself,  before  he 
could  offer  the  requisite  satisfaction  for  his  guilt  to- 
ward man  by  makmg  such  a  grand  confession  as 
would  efface  and  obliterate  the  offence  of  his  gi-and 
denial.  It  deserves  special  notice,  that  this  progress 
of  repentance  and  conversion  in  the  case  of  Peter 
may  serve  as  the  prototype  of  the  economy  of  gen- 
uine grace ;  while  this  procedure  was  reversed  in  the 
case  of  Judas,  who  wished  first  to  offer  human  satis- 
faction before  those  enemies  whose  guilt  he  had  shar- 
ed, but  who  failed,  in  that  manner,  to  come  to  Christ. 

[6.  Wordsworth  :  "  Even  soon  after  he  had  re- 
ceived the  Holy  Communion  Peter  denied  his  Master. 
But  he  repented  and  was  pardoned.  Hence  tlien  we 
may  confute  the  Novatians,  who  refuse  to  restore 
those  who  fall  into  grievous  sin  after  Baptism  and 
the  Holy  Communion.  And  St.  Peter's  sin,  and  the 
sins  of  other  saints,  are  written  in  Holy  Scripture 
that  we  may  not  be  high-minded,  but  fear ;  and  that 
when  we  fall  into  sin  we  may  repent.  The  grace 
given  in  the  Holy  Communion  was  improved  by  St. 
Peter  into  the  means  of  godly  repentance ;  but  it  was 
perverted  by  Judas  to  his  own  destruction.  It  was 
used  as  medicine  by  the  one ;  and  was  abused  into 
poison  by  the  other."  But  the  presence  of  Judas  at 
the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  a  matter  of 
critical  uncertainty  (comp.  John  versus  Luke)  and  of 
inherent  improbability.  The  weight  of  patristic  au- 
thority is  in  favor  of  his  presence ;  but  some  of  the 
best  modem  harmonists  and  commentators,  as  Meyer, 
Tischendorf,  Robinson,  Lichtenstein,  Lange,  Wiese- 
ler,  Ellicott,  and  Andrews,  deny  it,  and  assume  that 
the  traitor  left  the  paschal  supper  before  the  institu- 
tion of  the  eucharist,  for  which  in  John's  narrative 
we  can  find  no  place  for  insertion  prior  to  the  depar- 
ture of  Judas.— P.  S.] 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PKACTICAL. 

Internal  connection  between  the  denial  of  Peter 
and  the  condemnation  and  injuries  which  Christ  suf- 
fered at  the  hands  of  His  enemies. — The  denial  of  a 
disciple  the  most  poignant  sorrow  to  the  Lord  in  the 
midst  of  His  confession. — The  Faithful  Witness  and 
the  unfaithful  disciple.— The  denial  of  Peter  interve- 
ning between  his  foi-mer  and  his  later  confession,  or 
different  kinds  of  confession. — The  causes  of  tlie  de- 
nial of  Peter:  1.  Self-exaltation  on  accoimt  of  his 
former  confession ;  2.  a  morbid  desire  after  confes- 


sion beyond  the  measure  of  tlie  strength  of  his  faith ; 
3.  want  of  sufficient  maturity  for  the  confession  in 
life  and  in  deed. — The  giddiness  and  the  stumbhng 
of  Peter,  before  his  actual  fall :  1.  He  underrated  and 
neglected  the  warnings  of  Jesus ;  2.  he  exalted  him- 
self above  his  fellow- disciples ;  3.  he  neglected  the 
proper  preparation  by  watching  and  prayer ;  4.  he 
voluntarily  and  presumptuously  rushed  into  danger. 
— How  it  deserves  special  notice,  in  the  fall  of  Peter, 
that  he  had  attempted  to  come  forward  as  a  witness 
for  Christ  with  a  conscience  that  was  not  void  of 
blame  and  offence. — The  sad  after-history  of  the 
sword  assault  upon  Malchus;  or,  hoy  frequently 
times  of  fanatical  defence  of  the  faith  are  followed 
by  seasons  of  open  denial. — Hov/  it  could  come  to 
pass  that  a  poor  maid,  standing  at  the  gate,  could 
terrify  into  a  denial  him  to  whom  the  keys  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  had  been  promised. — The  triumph 
of  the  lear  of  man  over  that  of  God  the  source  of  de- 
nial.— He  who  tempts  the  Lord  is  on  the  way  to  de- 
ny Him. — The  fatal  boldness  which  rushes  into  the 
battle-field  without  having  been  sent :  1 .  Its  portrai- 
ture as  here  presented :  it  wants  a  proper  call,  pro- 
per weapons,  and  proper  spiritual  courage.  2.  Its 
fate:  despondency,  defeat,  and  the  most  imminent 
peril  of  soul. — How  those  who  confess  Jesus  have  to 
endure  the  most  varied  temptations  to  deny  Him. — 
How  the  children  of  the  world  and  the  ministers  of 
darkness  combine,  in  the  spirit  of  the  evil  one,  to 
change  our  confession  into  a  denial  of  Christ. — The 
unfailmg  mark  of  the  disciples  in  their  language  and 
tone,  also  the  indication  of  their  fate:  1.  It  is  to 
their  highest  spiritual  benefit,  if  they  are  faithful ;  2. 
or,  again,  to  their  shame  and  confusion,  when  they 
turn  aside  from  the  Lord. — The  gradation  of  guilt  in 
the  denial  of  Peter:  1.  Ambiguous  evasion  (a  sup- 
posed unimportant  falsehood) ;  2,  distinct  denial  with 
a  false  oath :  "  I  know  not  the  man  "  (contemptuous- 
ly); 3.  awful  abjuration,  with  solemn  imprecations 
upon  himself. — Every  ban  pronounced  upon  genuine 
Christians,  an  imprecation,  in  confirmation  of  the  de- 
nial of  Christ. — Peter  did  not  wish  to  forsake  the 
Lord,  but  he  would  fain  have  attempted  to  save  both 
Jesus  and  himself  by  crafty  policy. — In  his  view, 
everything  formed  part  of  this  jjolicij :  the  evasion,  ^ 
the  false  oath,  and  even  the  imprecations,  were  in-  JQ 
tended  to  carry  out  this  plan. — How,  as  "  the  Faith- 
ful Witness,"  the  Lord  has  expiated  even  the  denials 
of  His  honest  disciples,  into  which  they  have  fallen 
through  weakness. — How  the  faithfuhiess  of  Christ 
alone  restores  the  unfaithful  servant  from  imminent 
judgment:  1.  Only  His  faithfulness:  {a)  in  His  gra- 
cious warning;  (6)  in  His  look  of  compassion  and 
love ;  (c)  in  giving  that  warning  and  rousing  sign  (the 
crowing  of  the  cock) ;  (d)  in  His  readiness  to  restore 
again  the  fallen  disciple.  2.  Blessed  effects  of  that 
faithfulness  on  the  part  of  Jesus:  "He  went  out, 
and  wept  bitterly." — The  warning  tokens  in  nature, 
as  accompanying  the  warning  and  rousing  voice  of 
the  Spirit. — The  repentance  of  Peter  a  constant  call 
to  repentance  in  the  Church. — The  marks  of  genuine 
repentance:  1.  All  the  pride  of  self-righteousuess 
ceases  and  is  given  up ;  2.  it  is  connected  with  a 
going  out  from  the  world ;  3.  it  is  characterized  by  a 
going  forth  with  tears  through  night  to  light. — Biiler 
weeping,  or  a  broken  and  contrite  heart,  the  evidence 
of  reconciling  grace. — How  the  humiliation  of  the 
heart  and  the  grace  of  our  God  always  meet  as  eye 
to  eye:  1.  True  humiliation  and  humility  find  no 
other  resting-place  than  the  loftiest  height,  even  the 
grace  of  God ;  2.  the  grace  of  God  descends  and  rejci 


500 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


only  in  the  lowest  depth,  even  the  ftroken  and  con- 
trite heart. — Divine  grace  transforming  the  fall  of 
Peter,  as  formerly  that  of  David,  into  the  introduc- 
tion to  a  genuine  and  thorough  conversion. — Will 
the  so-called  Komish  Peter  ever  go  forth  from  the 
palace  of  the  high-priest,  where  he  has  denied  Jesus, 
to  weep  bitterly  ? 

Starke:  —  Hedlnger :  Self-confidence  and  pre- 
sumption bring  sorrow. — 3farginal  Note  by  Luther : 
Peter  may  have  thought  that  his  untruth  could  not 
injure  any  person,  while  it  might  profit  him  and  in- 
sure his  safety,  and  hence  that  it  was  lawful,  or  at 
least  a  matter  of  small  moment;  but  he  soon  ex- 
perienced what  consequences  the  commencement  of 
sin  entailed. —  Ounntein :  The  fear  of  death. — Zeisius  : 
Observe  how  sin  grows  and  increases  when  it  is  not 
resisted.  Therefore,  be  very  careful  to  resist  it  in  its 
commencement. — To  stumble  is  human,  to  rise  again 
Christian,  to  persevere  in  sin  is  devihsh. 

Lisco : —  TAc  denial  of  Peter. — 1.  Its  source,  (a) 
Its  more  remote  occasion :  {aa)  transgression  of  the 
injunction  of  Jesus,  John  xiii.  36 ;  [bh)  neglect  of 
the  admonition,  Matt.  xxvi.  41.  (6)  Its  deeper 
ground :  [aa)  unbelief  in  the  word  of  the  Lord,  vcr. 
36  ;  {bb)  confidence  in  the  strength  of  his  love  to  Je- 
sus and  in  his  own  firmness  of  will ;  (cr)  proud  pre- 
sumption in  the  midst  of  danger.  2.  The  denial  it- 
self. («)  Manifestation  of  his  fear  of  man,  thought- 
less haste,  and  impotence.  (6)  Starting-point :  a  Ue. 
(c)  Gradual  and  increasing  development:  at  first 
merely  a  denial,  then  a  false  oath,  and  at  last  impre- 
cations upon  himself.  3.  The  conversion.  («)  The 
crowing  <ji  a  cock  and  the  look  of  Jesus  awaken  him 
to  a  sense  of  the  real  state  of  matters,  {b)  He  per- 
ceives the  truthfulness  and  faithfulness  of  Jesus,  and 
his  own  weakness,  (c)  Godly  sorrow  and  repentance. 
— Thus  we  also  learn  from  this  history,  hov/  a  man 
may  be  restored  after  having  sadly  dechned  and 
fallen  into  grievous  sin. 

Heubner : — Peter  was  here  in  the  midst  of  a  mul- 
titude of  the  ungodly. — The  disciples  of  Christ  can- 
not be  long  hid  when  among  the  men  of  this  world. 
— Isa.  xix.  18 :  the  language  of  Canaan. — The  more 
poignant  our  repentance,  the  more  sweet  and  precious 
afterward  the  enjoyment  of  grace. — Wherein  consist- 
ed the  denial  of  Peter?  1.  It  was  not  a  determined 
denial  of  the  heart,  nor  a  final  or  thorough  renuncia- 
tion of  Jesus ;  2.  it  was  a  concealment  of  his  faith 
and  allegiance,  a  denial  of  his  discipleship. — Survey 
of  the  conduct  of  Peter:  1.  It  involved  deep  guilt; 
2.  grade  of  that  guilt — [a)  not  a  sin  of  malicious  in- 
tent, {b)  but  of  weakness. — In  the  sin  of  Peter,  Jesus 
had  to  bear  our  human  weaknesses. — ^Application :  1. 
The  fall  of  Peter  reminds  us  of  the  weakness  of  our 
own  hearts,  against  which  we  must  always  be  on  our 
guard,  despite  our  better  feelings  and  aspirations ;  2. 
a  call  to  self-examination ;  3.  we  must  learn  to  place 
our  whole  confidence  in  the  grace  and  intercession 
of  Jesus.     Hold  fast  your  faith. 

Braune: — Evendown  to  the  maid  who  guarded 
the  gate,  the  servants  of  the  high-priest  were  involved 
in  the  sin  and  injury  committed  against  the  Saviour. 
— Peter  wished  to  do  lietter  than  the  other  disciples, 
who  all  forsook  Jesus  and  fled,  but  fell  lower  than 
they. — The  world  knows  well  how  to  remind  us  of 
such  sword-cut,  or  how  to  avenge  supposed  or  real 
injury. — These  Jewish  servants  seem  to  have  been 
proud  of  their  pure  pronunciation  of  the  language ; 
similarly,  most  of  us  try  to  shine  and  to  outshine 
others. — After  that,  Peter  also  strengthened  his  bre- 
thren, as  the  Lord  commanded  him.—  Godly  sorrow 


worketh,  etc. — From  the  Lord  Jesus  comes  forgive- 
ness of  sin. 

H.  Muller: — Peter  warms  his  hands  and  feet, 
while  in  the  meantime,  however,  the  heart  freezes  so 
far  as  the  love  of  Jesus  is  concerned. — If  a  man  for- 
sakes the  way  in  which  the  Lord  calls  him  to  walk, 
and  seems  to  slink  mto  corners,  etc.,  he  is  outside  of 
God's  protection,  and  the  devil  has  power  over  him. 
— If  thy  foot  ofiend  thee,  etc. — He  v«ho  warms  him- 
self by  the  fire  of  the  ungodly,  will  deny  Christ  along 
with  the  ungodly. — Ahlfcld: — He  that  walks  in  his 
own  strength,  will  assuredly  meet  with  a  speedy  fall. 
— Kapff: — Why  did  Peter  recover  from  his  fall,  and 
not  Judas?  1.  Because  their  sins  differed;  2.  be- 
cause their  repeutance  differed. 

[QuESNEL : — Every  one  carries  in  him  the  possi- 
liility  of  renouncing  Christ. — There  is  nothing  on 
which  we  can  depend  but  the  grace  of  God. — One 
temptation  unresisted  seldom  fails  of  bringing  on  an- 
other and  a  third. — Peter  joins  perjury  to  infidelity. 
Let  the  example  of  an  apostle  make  us  tremble. — A 
small  matter  (a  mean  servant)  makes  us  fall  when 
God  does  not  support  us ;  a  small  matter  (the  crow- 
ing of  a  cock)  raises  us  again,  when  His  grace  makes 
use  of  it.— P.  S.] 

[Bdrkitt  : — The  denial  of  Peter  :  1.  The  sin :  (a) 
a  he;  {b)  an  oath  (perjury);  (c)  an  anathema  and 
curse.  2.  The  occasion  of  it:  (a)  Peter  followed 
Christ  aj^ar  oJ}\  from  fear  and  frailty;  (6)  he  kept 
bad  company  with  the  enemies  of  Christ ;  (c)  pre- 
sumptuous confidence  in  his  own  strength  and  stand- 
ing. 3.  The  repetition  of  the  ■  sin.  If  we  yield  to 
one  temptation,  Satan  will  assault  us  with  more,  and 
stronger :  progress  from  bare  denial  to  perjury  and 
thus  to  imprecation.  4.  The  aggravating  circum- 
stances :  («)  the  person  thus  falling,  a  disciple,  an 
apostle,  the  chief  apostle,  a  special  favorite  of  Christ ; 
{b)  the  person  denied,  his  Master,  his  Saviour  and 
Redeemer,  who  just  before  had  washed  his  feet  and 
given  him  the  sacrament ;  (c)  the  company  of  high- 
priests,  and  scribes,  and  elders,  and  their  servants 
before  whom  Peter  denied  his  Master ;  {d)  the  time 
of  the  denial,  but  a  few  hours  after  the  communion ; 
(<=)  the  smallness  of  the  temptation :  a  mere  question 
of  a  servant  girl,  a  door-keeper.  Ah,  Peter,  how 
unlike  thyself  art  thou  at  this  time,  not  a  rock,  but  a 
reed,  a  pillar  blown  down  by  a  woman's  breath.  0 
frail  humanity,  whose  strength  is  weakness ! — In 
most  of  the  saints'  falls  recorded  in  Scripture,  either 
the  first  inciters  or  the  accidental  occasions  were  wo- 
men. Adam,  Lot,  Sampson,  David,  Solomon,  Peter. 
A  wealv  creature  may  be  a  strong  tempter. — The  re- 
covery and  repentance  of  Peter:  1.  Its  suddenness. 
His  sin  was  hasty  and  sudden  under  a  violent  pas- 
sion of  fear,  contrary  to  his  settled  purpose,  and 
hence  much  sooner  repented  of.  2.  The  means  of 
his  repentance:  («)  the  crowing  of  a  cock;  (6) 
Christ's  looking  upon  Peter  with  an  eye  of  mercy 
and  pity  which  melted  his  heart  and  dissolved  it  into 
tears  ;  (f)  Peter's  remembrance  of  Christ's  prediction 
v/ith  a  close  application  of  it  to  his  conscience.  The 
manner  of  his  repentance :  (a)  it  was  secret,  he  went 
out  (vere  dolet  qui  sine  teste  dolet ;  sohtariness  is  most 
agreeable  to  an  afflicted  spirit) ;  (6)  sincere,  he  loept 
bitterly ;  (c)  lasting  and  abidmg,  showing  its  efiect 
on  the  whole  subsequent  life  of  Peter.  "History 
(tradition)  reports,  that  ever  after,  when  St.  Peter 
heard  the  crowing  of  a  cock,  he  fell  upon  his  knees 
and  mourned ;  others  say,  that  he  was  wont  to  rise 
at  midnight  and  spend  the  time  in  penitent  devotion 
between  cock-crowing  aivl  day-light.     And  the  Pa- 


ciLvr.  XXVII.  1-10. 


501 


pists,  who  love  to  turn  everything  into  superstition, 
began  that  practiee  of  setting  a  cock  upon  the  top 
of  towers,  and  steeples,  and  chimneys,  to  put  the  peo- 
ple in  mind  of  this  sin  of  Peter  and  his  repentance 
by  that  signal."  (</)  The  repentance  of  Peter  was 
attended  with  an  extraordinary  zeal  for  the  service 
of  Christ  to  the  end  of  his  life.— P.  S.] 

[Similar  retieetions  and  improvements  in  Mat- 
THKW  Henry,  Gill,  Dodhriuge,  A.  Clarke,  Th. 
Scott,  and  other  practical  English  commentators. 
We  add  the  last  of  the  "  Practical  Observations  "  of 


Thomas  Scott  :  "  If  any  have  fallen  even  in  the  most 
dreadful  manner,  let  them  think  of  Peter's  recovery 
and  not  despair ;  and  let  them  recollect  the  words 
of  Christ,  as  well  as  their  own  sins ;  that  their  tears, 
confessions,  and  humiliations  may  be  mingled  with 
hope.  And  let  us  all  frequently  remember  om-  past 
follies,  and  manifold  instances  of  ingratitude;  that 
we  may  learn  watchfulness,  himulity,  caution,  and 
compassion  for  the  tempted  and  fallen,  by  the  expe- 
rience of  our  own  immerous  mistakes,  sins,  and  re- 
coveries."— P.  S.] 


EIGHTH    SECTION. 

JESUS  AND   HIS  BETRAYER.— JUDAS  AND   THE  HIGH-PRIESTS. 


Chapter  XXVII.  1-10. 
(Mark  xv.  1 ;  Luke  xxii.  66-xxiii.  1 ;  John  xviii.  28.) 

1  When  [Bat,  Si]  the  morning  was  come,  all  the  chief  priests  and  [the,  ot]  elders  of 

2  the  people  took  counsel  against  Jesus  to  put  him  to  death :  And  when  they  had  bound 

3  him,  they  led  him  away,  and  delivered  him  to  Pontius  Pilate  the  governor.^  Then 
Judas,  which  [who]  had  betrayed '^  him,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  condemned,  repented 
himself  [regretting,  /Aera/AeAr^^et's],^  and  brought  again  [brought  back]  the  thirty  pieces 

4  of  silver  to  the  chief  priests  and  [the]  elders,  Saying,  I  have  sinned  in  that  I  have  be- 
trayed the  innocent^  blood  [I  sinned,  or  erred,  in  betraying  innocent  blood,  ^[xaprov 
TrapaSoi)?  aXfxa  a.6S>ov].^     And  they  said,  What  is  that  [it]  to  us?  see  thou  to  that  [it]. 

5  And  he  cast  down  the  pieces  of  silver  in  the  temple,  and  departed  [withdrew,  or  isolat- 

6  ed  himself,  avex'^PV^^]>'^  ^^'^^  went  [away  hence]  and  hanged  himself.  And  the  chief 
priests  took  the  silver  pieces,  and  said.  It  is  not  lawful  for  to  put  them  into  the  treasury, 

7  because  it  is  the  price  of  blood.     And  they  took  counsel,  and  bought  with  them  the 

8  potter's  field,  to  bury  strangers  in.     Wherefore  that  field  was  called.  The  field  of  blood, 

9  unto  this  day.  Then  was  fulfilled  that  which  was  spoken  by  Jeremy  [Jeremiah] '  the 
projDhet,  saying.  And  they  took  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  price  of  him  that  was 
valued   [priced],^  whom  they  of  the  children  of  Israel  did  value  [priced,  Gen.  xxxvii. 

10  28;   Zech.  xi.  12,  13;    Jer.  xvin.  1;  xix.  12;  xxxii.  6  ff.] ;    And  gave  them  for  the 
potter's  field,  as  the  Lord  appointed  me  [to  me].^ 

1  Yer.  2. — [TtS  rjyffjiovt,  here  =  err  irpoiro  s,  j)rocurator,  which  was  the  proper  official  character  and  title  of 
Pilate;  but  7}yefLci>v  is  a  more  general  term  which  applies  to  proconsuls,  legates,  or  procurators.  Ilenco  governor 
may  be  retained.  Valerate  and  Beza  translate  :  prmsidi  (but  this  title  belonged  to  the  President  of  Syria  (Luke  ii.  2),  Pi- 
late's superior);  Castalio:  proetori  (in  the  wider  acceptation  of  early  Eonian  history);  Tyndale,  Coverdale,  Cranmer, 
Genevan,  Bishops':  deputy  (but  this  is  used  for  av  6  utt  ar  o^ ,  proconml,  in  Acts  xiii.  T,  8,  12;  xviii.  12;  xix.  88); 
Campbell:  ;;roc(f?'ator  (correct,  but  not  so  generally  Intelligible  as  !70i'c/'no/');  Lutlier:  Landpfleger  ;  Ewald  and  Lange: 
Statthattev.—V.  S.] 

"^  Yer.  .3.— n  a  p  a  5  o  t<  r  according  tft  B.,  L.,  cursive  MSS.,  Lachmann,  [and  Tregelles.  Tisciiendorf  and  Alford  retain 
the  usual  readins :    irapa  5  (  Soiis.J 

3  Yer.  3. — [It  is  worth  while  to  mark  in  the  translation  the  difference  between  /Lt6Ta,ufAo/xai,  to  cJiange  one's  care, 
and  ufravoica,  to  change  one's  mind  or  pnrpose,  and  thus  between  the  repentance  of  Peter,  who  abhorred  the  canae^ 
his  sill,  and  the  r<-morse  of  Judas,  who  shrnuk  back  from  the  effect;  or  the  godly  sorrow  which  leads  to  life,  and  the  world- 
ly regret  wh'ch  leads  to  death. —  P.  S.] 

*  Yer.  4  —In  place  of  aduoov  (innocent)  some  manuscripts  ami  translations  read  o'lKaiop  {righteous),  which  h.is 
too  little  authority. 

5  Ver.  4.— [So  in  accordance  with  the  concise  earnestness  of  the  Greek,  and  the  state  of  Jud.as.  "The  fewer  words  the 
better."  Similarly  Ew.ild:  Jeh  HiiwUgte  ubergelend  [better:  verrathend]  unnchnkHgeH  Blvt,  and  Conant:  I  sinned, 
etc.  ButLanse:  Ich  hahe  gefehlt,  eio.,  I  erred ;  Luther:  Jch  hahe  iibel  gethuii,  Idid  crj7,  which  draws  a  nice  distinc- 
tion between  blundering  and  sinning,  and  is  perh-ips  better  suited  to  the  case  (f  .Judas,  wlio,  like  Cain  and  Saul,  had  no 
real  sense  of  sin  itself  in  its  horrible  guilt  and  enormity,  and  hence  no  true  repentance,  but  shrunk  back  in  dismay  from 
the  consequences  of  sin.  The  Greek  rnxaprov,  however,  admits  of  both  traii.slations.  Comp.  Lange's  Exeg.  Note.". 
Coverdale  correctly  omits  the  article  before  innocent,  but  the  other  older  English  Versions  unmeaningly  prefix  it— P.  S.] 


502 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


5.— [Lange  lays  stress  on  a.vfX'^f'V'^f,  and  translates:  eog  nich  zuruck  {tinsiedlerisch  in  die  Oede).    See  bis 


•  Ver. 
^6(7.  Notes.- 

'  Ver.  %.— Jeremiah  is  left  out  by  several  cnrsiye  MSS.  and  in  the  Syriac  and  Persian  translations.  Cod.  22,  and  others, 
rtad  Zaxa-piov.  [Cod.  22  is  an  inferior  MS.  of  the  eleventh  century,  and  can  therefore  hardly  claim  any  authority 
On  the  dilficulty  of  the  true  reading,  see  the  Exeg.  Kotes.—V.  8.] 

*  Ver.  9.— [So  Conaut,  who  substitutes  priced  for  valued,  to  retain  the  verbal  correspondence  between  price  and 
7))-«c«c?  as  In  the  Greek  tV  ti/xtjv  toC  r  er  tMr)  fX€vov .  Comp.  Ewald,  who  translates:  den  Schatzdes  Geschats- 
ten,  tcelchen  schdtzten,  etc.— P.  S.] 

°  Ver.  10.— [2uy€Taf  «  fxoi,  either  appointed  to  me,  as  Scrivener  and  Conant  propose,  or  commanded  me,  as 
Coverdale  has  it.  The  appointed  me  of  the  Authorized  Version  is  susceptible  of  another  meaning.  Thus  correct  eh. 
xxviii.  16.— P.  8.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  When  the  morning  vjzs  come. — The 
formal  meeting  of  the  council  must  have  taken  place 
after  six  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  night  of  His 
betrayal  hito  the  hands  of  the  high-priests  was  past, 
and  the  morning  of  His  betrayal  to  the  Gentiles  had 
dawned.  The  deed,  commenced  in  the  night,  was 
sufficiently  developed  and  matured  to  be  finished  in 
clear  day-light. — All  the  chief  priests  and  the 
elders  of  the  people  took  counsel. — This  meet- 
ing of  the  Sanhedrin,  which  Luke  describes  in  his 
Gospel,  was  intended  at  the  same  time  to  meet  all 
the  forms  of  law,  and  definitely  to  express  the  grounds 
of  the  charge  against  Jesus.  But,  as  we  have  al- 
ready seen,  in  point  of  fact,  it  only  served  to  cover 
those  violations  of  the  law  into  which  thek  reckless 
fanaticism  had  hurried  them.  One  of  the  main  oId- 
jects  of  the  Sanhedrin  now  was,  to  present  the 
charge  in  such  a  light  as  to  oblige  Pilate  to  pro- 
novmce  sentence  of  death.  Accordingly,  they  agreed 
on  the  following  course  of  procedure:  1.  They  de- 
manded the  absolute  confirmation  of  their  own  sen- 
tence, without  further  inquiry  into  their  proceedings 
(John  xviii.  30).  2.  Failing  to  obtain  this,  they  ac- 
cused Jesus  as  King  of  the  Jews,  /.  e.,  as  Messiah,  in 
the  ambiguous,  semi-religious  and  semi-political  sense 
of  that  title.  3.  When  (according  to  John)  Jesus  re- 
pudiated the  political  character  of  His  kingdom,  they 
preferred  against  Him  the  charge  of  making  the  re- 
ligious claim  that  He  was  the  Son  of  God.  But  as 
the  effect  of  this  accusation  proved  the  very  opposite 
from  what  they  had  expected,  they  returned  to  the 
political  charge,  now  threatening  Pilate  with  laying 
before  the  Emperor  the  fact  that  Jesus  had  made 
Himself  a  king.  No  doubt  the  general  outline  of 
this  procedure  was  planned  and  sketched  in  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Sanhedrin.  Of  course,  they  could  not  have 
foreseen  that  Pilate  himself  w^ould  offer  them  the 
means  to  overcome  his  opposition,  by  setting  Jesus 
and  Barabbas  before  them  on  the  same  level. — All 
the  priests,  elders,  and  scribes [Matthew  men- 
tions only  the  first  two  of  these  three  classes,  but 
Luke,  ch.  xxii.  60,  adds  also  the  scribes. — P.  S.]  "  Be- 
sides their  common  hatred,  each  of  these  three  estates 
had  their  own  special  motive  for  hostility  to  the  Lord. 
The  priests  were  indignant  that  He  should  lay  greater 
stress  on  obedience  than  on  sacrifice ;  the  elders  were 
offended  that  He  judged  traditionalism  by  the  stand- 
ard of  revelation ;  the  scribes,  that  He  contended 
against  the  service  of  the  letter  by  the  spirit  of  the 
word.  In  a  thousand  difierent  ways  had  they  felt 
their  prejudices  shocked,  and  their  ambition  and 
pride  humbled.  At  last  the  hour  of  revenge  had 
come.  Thus  they  led  Him  before  their  supreme 
council.  The  language  used  by  Luke  (xxii.  66) 
seems  to  imply  that  they  led  Jesus,  in  formal  proces- 
sion, from  the  palace 'of  the  high-priest  mto  the 
council-chamber,  on  the  area  of  the  temple.     It  is 


scarcely  probable  that  they  would  have  conducted 
Him,  with  such  formalities,  from  the  prison-chamber 
to  the  upper  hall  of  the  high-priest's  palace.  Ac- 
cording to  the  Talmud,  sentence  of  death  could  only 
be  pronounced  in  the  Cfazilh  (the  council-hall  on  the 
temple-mountain).  See  Friedlieb,  p.  97  (who,  how- 
ever, question.?  the  correctness  of  this  statement). 
At  any  rate,  it  would  appear  indispensable  that  a 
formal  meeting  of  the  Sanhedrin  should  assemble 
on  the  temple-mountahi  "  (Zeben  Jcsu,  ii.  3,  p.  1786). 
On  Sabbaths  and  feast-days  the  Sanhedrin  met  in  an 
uncovered  space,  which  was  enclosed  by  a  wall,  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  court  of  the  women,  and  not  in  the 
Gazith.  In  ordinary  circumstances,  judicial  matters 
were  not  carried  on  upon  the  Sabbath-day.  "  Hence, 
not-n-ithstanding  the  studied  semblance  of  legality,  the 
whole  procedure  was  characterized  by  iiTcgularity  and 
violence."   Wichelhaus,  p.  211. 

To  put  Him  to  death. — The  resolution  had 
been  finally  taken  during  the  night,  and  their  pres- 
ent object  was  to  put  that  sentence  and  the  charge 
against  Jesus  into  proper  form,  as  a  means  toward 
the  end  in  view. 

Ver.  2.   And  when  they  had  bound  Him, 
they  led  Him  away. — They  bound  Him,  even 
when  they  first  seized  Him  (xxvi.  50  ;  John  xviii.  12). 
These  fetters  He  also  stUl  bore  when  led  from  Annas 
to  Caiaphas  (John  xviii.  24).     They  seem  to  have 
been  removed  during  His  examination  before  Caia- 
phas.    After  that  they  appear  to  have  been  again  put 
upon  the  Lord.     Now  they  proceed  in  a  body  (Luke) 
to  hand  over  to  the  Roman  procurator  Him  whom 
I  they  had  condemned.    They  calculated  upon  produc- 
[  ing,  by  their  formal  procession  in  a  body,  so  early  in 
the  morning,  and  that  on  the  first  day  of  the  feast, 
'.  the  impression  that  Jesus  had  committed  some  fear- 
ful and  unheard-of  crime.      For  this  purpose  they 
I  now  put  Him  again  in  fetters.     Besides,  this  early 
and  pompous  procession  would  tend  to  terrify  the 
j  friends  of  Jesus  among  the  people,  and  to  anticipate 
!  any  possible  movement  in  His  favor.     If  Pilate  had 
!  once  sentenced  Jesus,  there  would  be  less  cause  for 
I  apiDrehension  on  the  score  of  a  popular  tumult.    "  The 
[  procession  of  the  Sanhedrin  passed  from  the  councU- 
chamber  across  the  temple-mountain,  in  a  northerly 
I  direction,  toward  the  palace  of  the  governor,  which 
[  lay  at  the  northern  base  of  the  tcmple-moimtain.    As 
\  the   house  of  the   high-priest  was  situated  on  the 
'■  northern  slope  of  the  Upper  City,  or  of  Mount  Zion, 
:  and  a  lofty  archway  led  across  the  vaUey  of  the  Tyro- 
[  paeon,  coimecting  the  temple-mountain  with  Mount 
1  ZioD,  it  seems  probable  that  Jesus  may,  before  that, 
j  have  been  brought  in  formal  procession  across  this 
high  archway  into  the  council-chamber  on  the  tem- 
I  pie-mount.     As  we  may  assume  that  Herod,  the  ruler 
1  of  Galilee,  resided,  during  his  stay  at  Jerusalem,  in 
the  palace  of  Herod,  which  also  stood  on  the  northern 
slope  of  Mount  Zion,  Jesus  must  afterward  have  again 
been  led  from  the  hall  of  judgment,  on  the  temple- 
I  mount,  across  that  archway  and  back — a  spectacle 


CHAP.  XXVII.  1-10. 


503 


of  ignominy  and  woe."     (From  the  author's  Leben 
Jesu,  ii.  3,  p.  1502.) 

And  delivered  Him. — The  original  irapeSw- 
Kav  contains  an  allusion  to  the  second  great  betray- 
al of  the  Saviour.  "^\i"tcr  Judea  became  a  Eoman 
provmce  (upon  the  deposition  of  King  Archelaus), 
the  Sanhedrin  no  longer  possessed  the  ju^  gladii. 
Comp.  John  xviii.  31."    lleyer. 

Pontiiis  Pilate. — Tlie  sixtli  Roman  procurator 
of  Judsa,  and  successor  of  Valerius  Gratus.  He  held 
this  office  for  ten  years  during  the  reign  of  the  Em- 
peror Tiberius  (Joseph.  Aitiiq.  xviii.  4,  2).  Ilis  arbi- 
trary conduct,  however,  led  to  repeated  risings  of  the 
Jews,  which  he  suppressed  by  bloody  measures  (Jo- 
seph. Antiq.  xviii.  3,  1 ;  Z>e  Bdlo  Jud.  ii.  9,  2).  lie 
was  accused  before  Vitellius,  the  Prasses  of  Syria, 
who  deposed  and  sent  Mm  to  Rome,  to  answer  before 
the  Emperor  for  his  administration.  He  was  proba- 
bly deposed  from  his  office  the  same  year  as  Caiaphas 
from  the  priesthood — in  36  p.  C.  (asr.  Dion.).  Ac- 
cording to  Eusebius,  Hist.  Ecclcs.  ii.  7,  and  the  Chronic. 
of  the  first  year  of  Cajus,  he  committed  suicide  dur- 
ing the  reign  of  Cajus  Cahgula.  The  opinion  enter- 
tained of  him  by  the  Jews  was  affected  by  their  fanat- 
icism on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  by  his  proud 
contempt  of  the  Jewish  nation.  He  affords  one  of 
the  earliest  mstances  of  that  antagonism  between  the 
Roman  and  heathen  spirit  of  the  world  and  Jewish 
fanaticism  which,  under  the  administration  of  his 
successors,  attained  such  immense  proportions,  and 
at  last  burst  forth  in  open  war  for  independence. 
The  Litter  and  derisive  contemptuousuess  which  he 
ever  and  again  displayed,  led  to  frequent  conflicts 
with  the  leaders  of  the  Jews,  in  which  the  obstmate 
determination  and  cunning  of  tlie  latter  generally  se- 
cured the  victory.  This  aversion  to  the  Jews  made 
it  easier  for  him  to  take  a  favorable  view  of  the  cause 
of  Jesus.  To  this  must  be  added,  the  moral  impres- 
sion produced  by  the  person  of  Jesus,  the  religious 
awe  which  the  mysterious  religious  character  of  the 
Messiah  evoked,  and  the  warning  of  his  wife.  Under 
the  influence  of  such  feelings,  he  made  unmistakable 
efforts  to  withdraw  Jesus  from  the  vengeance  of  His 
enemies,  whose  minds  and  motives  he  easily  read,  or 
at  least  sought  to  avoid  having  any  part  in  His  con- 
demnation. Hence  he  sent  Jesus  to  Herod,  placed 
Hun  side  by  side  with  Barabbas,  solemnly  washed 
his  hands,  presented  Hun  to  the  people  after  He  had 
been  scourged,  etc.  But  he  was  too  weak  and  un- 
righteous to  pronounce  what  he  must  have  felt  a 
righteous  sentence,  and  boldly  to  adhere  to  it  as  a 
matter  of  duty,  instead  of  resorting  to  these  niuuer- 
ous  paltry  devices.  Hence  also  his  carnal  and  devil- 
ish wisdom  was  overmatched  by  the  superior  cunning 
and  skill  of  the  Jewish  priesthood.  Pilate  may  serve 
as  a  type  of  the  complete  unbehef,  worldly-minded- 
ness,  and  morally  impotent  civilization  of  the  ancient 
Greek  and  Roman  world.  According  to  the  word  of 
the  Lord  Himself,  PUate  was  guilty,  but  his  sin  w-as 
less  than  that  of  the  priesthood  which  had  delivered 
the  Christ  into  his  hands  (John  xix.  11).  Ordinarily, 
Pilate  appears  not  to  have  been  so  yielding.  Philo, 
legatio  ad  Coj. :  "  His  disposition  was  unyielding,  nor 
was  he  moved  to  leniency  toward  daring  malefactors." 
For  the  literature  and  Mstory  of  Pilate,  comp.  Dauz, 
Univ.  Worterbuch,  sub  Pontius  Pilate.  On  the  de- 
fence set  up  by  some  writers  for  Pilate,  see  lloub- 
ner,  Com.  p.  434,  note,  ties  also  especially,  Lavater, 
'■'■  Poniins  Pilate,  or  Human  Character  in  all  Us 
Piloses."  Winer,  art.  Pilate  [and  other  Bibl.  En- 
cyclop.].    The  apocryphal  tales  connected  with  Pi- 


late are  recorded  m  the  "■Ada  Pilati."  They  are 
of  a  twofold  character :  1.  Such  as  were  invented  by 
Christians  ;  2.  such  as  were  of  heathen  origin,  del\im- 
atory  in  their  nature,  circulated  in  the  schools  by 
order  of  Maximinus  about  the  year  311.  See  Ileub- 
ner,  p.  427.  The  introduction  of  "Pontius  Pilate" 
in  the  Creed  shows  that  in  the  mind  of  the  Church 
he  was  regarded  as  representing  the  ancient  world, 
and  in  general  the  si>irit  of  the  world. 

The  governor,  7,y iix6vi, — the  more  general 
term.  The  more  special  designation  of  the  office 
was  e'lrtTpoTTos,  procurator.  Winer:  "The  offi- 
cial title  of  procurator  or  cparch  was  given  to  the 
chiefs  of  admiuistration — commonly  Roman  knights 
— who  were  appointed  along  with  the  governors  both 
of  imperial  and  senatorial  provinces,  and  whose  duty 
it  was  to  attend  to  the  revenues  of  the  imperial  treas- 
ury, and  to  decide  on  all  legal  questions  connected 
with  this  department.  Occasionally  they  occupied 
the  place  of  governor  in  smaller  provinces,  or  in  dis- 
tricts wliijli  had  been  conjoined  with  larger  prov- 
inces, but  were  separately  administered,  when  they 
had  the  command  of  the  troops  stationed,  m  their 
district  and  administered  the  law  even  in  criminal 
cases ;  the  president  of  the  province  retaining,  how- 
ever, the  superintendence  of  such  administration,  and 
being  empowered  to  receive  and  hear  accusations 
against  the  procurator.  Comp.  Joseph.  Antio.  xviii. 
5,  2  ;  XX.  6,  2  ;  Pell.  Jud.  ii.  14,  3."— After  the  ban- 
ishment of  Archelaus  (sLi  years  after  Christ),  when 
Judasa  and  Samaria  were  conjoined  with  the  prov- 
ince of  Syria,  the  government  of  Palestine  was  ad- 
ministered by  a  procurator.  This  governor  of  Pales- 
tine generally  resided  at  Cssarea,  by  the  sea ;  but 
during  the  Passover  he  was  in  Jeiusalem,  whither 
the  male  population  of  the  whole  country  flocked, 
and  where  it  was  his  duty  not  only  to  preserve  order, 
but  also  the  prestige  of  the  Roman  power.  If  the 
presidents  of  Syria  were  in  Palestine,  they,  of  com'se, 
exercised  sovereignty  in  the  country.  In  regard  to 
succession  of  the  procurators,  which  was  interrupted 
by  the  reign  of  Herod  Agrippa  from  41—44,  see  Wi- 
ner, art.  Procurator,  ar.d  K.  von  Raumer's  Palestine, 
p.  338  et  seq. 

Ver.  3.  Then  Judas  .  .  .  'vsrhen  he  saw. — He 
might  readily  learn  that  Jesus  had  been  condemned. 
But  he  also  saw  it,  from  the  procession  in  wliich  the 
Pharisees  conducted  Jesus  to  Pilate,  which  could 
have  no  other  object  than  to  secure  His  condemna- 
tion.— Repented  himself  (regretted,  felt  sor- 
row, remorse).* — This  repentance  was  not  genu- 
ine, as  occasioned  by  the  consequences  of  his  deed, 
but  false,  as  caused  by  these  consequences,  and  these 
alone.  It  seems,  then,  that  he  had  not  anticipated 
such  an  issue.  This  circumstance  has  frequently 
been  adduced  in  support  of  the  idea,  that  the  object 
of  Judas  in  betraying  the  Lord  had  been  to  induce 
Him  to  display  His  majesty  and  glory  as  the  Messiah. 
But  in  that  case  we  would  have  expected  that  his  re- 
pentance would  lead  him  now  to  cling  to  Jesus.  Yet 
he  seems  to  have  expected  tliat,  as  on  former  occa- 
sions, so  now,  Jesus  would  miraculously  deUver  Him- 
self from  the  power  of  His  enemies ;  and  that  in  any 
case  he  would  have  his  own  honor  promoted  by  the 
turn  things  would  take  {see  above).  Moreover,  by 
the  very  fact,  that  after  His  betrayal  Jesus  surren- 
dered Himself  unto  death,  Judas  was  filled  with  ter- 
ror and  anguish,  seeing  in  this  the  fulfilment  of 
Christ's  prediction,  and  an  indication  that  all  His 

♦  [Comp.  Crit  Note  on  ver.  3,  p.  501.— P.  S.] 


504 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


other  sayings,  notably  that  concerning  His  betrayer, 
would  also  be  fulfilled.  Reckoning  in  his  own  mean 
way,  Judas  expected  an  ordinary  result ;  and  the  fact 
that  all  his  anticipations  proved  so  utterly  false,  and 
the  issue  proved  so  entirely  extraordinary,  filled  his 
inind  with  awe. 

And  brought  back  the  thirty  pieces  of  sil- 
ver.— The  way  of  spurious  penitence  in  contradis- 
tinction to  the  genuine  repentance  of  Peter.  His  first 
disposition  is  to  attempt  some  outward  rectification 
t  f  his  deed  in  the  sight  of  men,  without  previous  hu- 
raihation  before  God,  and  scelcing  of  refuge  with 
Him.  In  connection  with  this,  it  is  also  a  question 
whether  lie  did  not  also  entertain  the  hope  of  a  still 
higher  reward  for  his  betrayal.  The  second  stage 
and  feature  is  expressed  in  the  word  d^ex'iJp'jce, 
the  force  of  which  is  too  little  understood  [and  not 
adequately  rendered  in  our  authorized  version  by 
"he  departed^J.  It  conveys  to  us  the  idea  that  "he 
retired  or  withdrew"  into  solitude — desolation,  a 
desert  place — "  and  went  away  thence  and  hanged 
himself." — The  third  stage  was  that  of  absolute  de- 
spair. The  precise  time  when  Judas  brought  back 
the  thirty  pieces  of  silver  is  not  mentioned.  But 
from  the  circumstance  that  Matthew  connects  it  with 
the  leading  away  of  Jesus  unto  Pilate,  we  infer  that 
he  approached  the  priests  and  elders  during  the  time 
of  their  appeal  to  the  Roman  governor,  and  the  trans- 
actions connected  with  it.  We  can  readily  conceive 
that  many  opportunities  for  this  may  have  offered, 
when  they  were  not  otherwise  engaged,  as,  for  exam- 
ple, during  the  examination  before  Herod. 

Ver.  4.  I  (have)  erred.* — Luther  translates 
iHj-apTov  here:  I  have  done  (did)  evil;  de  AVette 
[as  the  authorized  Engl.  Version] :  I  liave  sinned. 
The  word  bears  either  construction.  Accordingly, 
we  prefer  rendering  it,  I  (have)  erred,  which  seems  to 
express  the  mind  and  the  views  of  Judas  more  fully. 
The  desire  to  make  his  guilt  appear  as  small  as  pos- 
sible is  also  evident  from  the  explanation  which  he 
offers  of  his  conduct. — In  that  I  betrayed  inno- 
cent blood,  i.  e.,  that  by  my  betrayal  I  have  caused 
the  bloody  death  of  one  who  is  innocent.  This  ad- 
mission may  be  taken  as  a  grand  testimony  in  favor 
of  the  innocence  of  Jesus,  which  rmist  be  added  to 
that  of  Pilate,  and  to  the  indirect  testimony  of  the 
Sanhedrin  itself,  which  could  prefer  no  other  accusa- 
tion against  Jesus  than  that  He  had  designated  Him- 
self the  Messiah  and  the  Son  of  God.  If  Judas  could 
have  recalled  any  circumstance,  however  trifling,  which 
might  have  cast  a  shadow  upon  the  Lord,  we  may 
readily  believe  he  would  gladly  have  appeased  his 
conscience  in  that  manner.  Still  this  declaration  about 
innocent  blood  cannot  in  any  way  be  construed  into 
the  testimony  of  a  penitent  disciple.  It  seems  to  us 
that,  in  his  remorse  and  anguish,  Judas,  with  his 
carnal  millennarian  views,  would  now  view  Jesus  in 
the  light  of  an  innocent  enthusiast.  The  balance  of 
evidence  is  sti'ongly  against   the  reading  aXiia  Si- 

KO-LOV  . 

What  is  it  to  us  ?  see  thou  to  it ! — Bengel : 
Impii  in  facto  consortes  post  factum  deserunt. 

Ver.  5.  In  the  temple — Meyer  rightly  calls  at- 
tention to  the  distinct  and  definite  meaning  of  the 
expression.  "It  is  neither  beside  the  temple  (Kypke), 
nor  in  the  council-chamber,  Gazith  (Grotius),  nor  is 
it  equivalent  to  iv  tw  lepy  (Fritzsche  and  others)  -, 
but — as  the  term  va6s  always  imphes,  and  in  the 


*  [So  Dr.  Lange  translates  in  his  Version:  Ich  hale  ge- 
fehlt.    See  the  Critical  Note  on  ver.  4,  p.  501.— P.  S.] 


sense  which  every  reader  must  attach  to  the  preposi- 
tion iv — in  the  temple-building,  i.  e.,  in  the  holy  place 
where  the  priests  were.  Thither  Judas  now  cast  the 
pieces  of  silver.  In  his  despair,  he  had  penetrated 
where  priests  alone  were  allowed  to  enter."  If,  as 
seems  probable,  this  took  place  on  the  morning  of 
Christ's  death,  we  can  readily  understand  how  he 
found  the  temple  empty,  and  thus  was  able  to  cast 
down  the  money  in  the  sanctuary,  as  a  testimony 
against  the  hierarchy.  "  There  lay  that  blood-money, 
the  price  of  the  betrayal  of  innocent  blood,  from 
which  the  field  was  called,  Hie  field  of  blood — a  tes- 
timony against  Israel."  Hengstenberg,  Christologie, 
iii.  2,  p.  464. 

And  he  withdrew  himself  (anchorite-like  into 
solitude),  and  went  away  hence. — AVe  have  here 
not  one  movement  of  Judas,  but  two :  the  verb  ave- 
Xwpriae  ia  separated  and  distinguished  by  Kal  from 
air^KOwv,  and  the  latter  indicates  the  going  away 
from  the  deed,  which  had  been  designated  by  avex^- 
p7]ae.  From  tlie  locality  where  his  suicide  took  place, 
we  may  infer  that  he  had  first  attempted  to  retire 
from  the  world,  and  to  lead  a  life  of  penitence  as  an 
anchorite  in  the  valley  of  Gehinnom.  But  his  despair 
allowed  him  no  rest,  and  he  committed  that  awful 
deed  which  the  religion  and  the  history  of  his  people 
(Saul,  Ahithophel)  alike  condemned. 

And  hanged  or  strangled  himself. — Meyer 
(following  de  Wette)  observes :  "  We  must  not  bs 
led  by  tlie  statement  in  Acts  i.  18  to  attach  any  other 
than  its  primary  meaning  to  the  word  airdyxo/~iai 
(such  as,  he  was  consumed  by  anguish  of  conscience, 
Grotius,  Hammond,  Heinsius,  etc.),  as  the  only  one 
which  accords  with  the  simple  historical  narrative. 
To  reconcile  the  difference,  it  is  generally  assumed, 
that  after  having  hanged  himself,  Judas  fell  down. 
headlong.  In  that  case,  Matthew  would  simply  have 
recorded  one  part,  and  Luke  the  other,  of  his  sad 
end  (thus  Kuinoel,  Fritzsche,  Olshausen,  etc.).  This 
cutting  in  pieces  of  the  narrative,  is,  however,  not 
only  arbitrary,  but  unsupported  by  Acts  i.  18,  which 
does  not  even  explicitly  record  the  fact  of  a  suicide," 
etc.  Accordingly,  Meyer  supposes  that  there  were 
two  different  traditions  about  the  end  of  the  betrayer, 
the  relative  historical  value  of  which  cannot  be  ex- 
actly determined,  bearing  to  the  end  that  "  Judas  had 
met  with  a  violent  and  fearful  death,  in  a  manner 
which  tradition  variously  represented  as  suicide  by 
hanging  (Matthew),  or  as  falling  headlong  and  burst- 
ing asunder  ui  the  midst  (Acts  i.  18),  or  finally,  as  a 
swelling  of  the  body,  and  crushing  by  carts  and  wag- 
ons (Pajjias  according  to  fficum.)."  In  considering 
this  question,  we  must,  in  the  first  place,  avoid  being 
confused  by  the  apocryphal  legend.  {See  the  passage 
in  Winer,  art.  Judas,  Note  4.)  Next,  we  must  bear 
in  mind  the  different  point  from  which  Matthew  here, 
and  Peter  in  Acts  i.  view  the  same  event.  Matthew 
simply  records  the  successive  stages  of  Judas's  de- 
spair, terminatuig  in  suicide  by  hanging  himself.  Pe- 
ter, on  the  other  hand,  views  the  death  of  Judas  as 
the  condign  reward  of  a  wicked  part,  in  opposition  to 
the  part  of  the  aposlleship  which  he  was  to  have  ob- 
tained. Viewed  in  this  hght,  Judas  had  first  volun- 
tarily gotten  the  reward  of  iniquity,  and  ultimately 
(involuntarily)  a  field,  upon  which  he  fell  dying,  all 
his  bowels  gushing  out.  That  tlie  words  of  Peter  do 
not  mean  that  Judas  had  jrarchased  a  field  with  the 
thirty  pieces  of  silver,  appears  from  the  rhetorical 
character  of  his  address,  in  which  he  assumes  a  know- 
ledge of  the  facts  of  the  case,  and  by  the  explanatory 
clause,  added  to  the  words :  he  purchased — and  fall- 


CHAP.  XXVII.  1-10. 


505 


ing  headloncf,  etc.  The  expression,  " purchaxed"  or 
gained  for  himself,  is  ironical,  with  special  reference 
to  the  circumstance  that  he  hanged  himself  in  the 
field  which  was  afterward  purchased  for  the  thirty- 
pieces  of  silver.  Accordingly,  we  adopt  the  view  so 
vividly  sketched  by  Casaubomis.  That  writer  sug- 
gests that  Judas  (according  to  Matthew)  hanged  him- 
self over  a  precipice  in  the  valley  of  Gehiunom.  The 
branch  broke,  or  the  rope  was  torn,  and  Judas  (ac- 
cording to  the  report  of  Peter)  fell  down  headlong 
and  burst  asunder.  Winer,  indeed,  carpingly  objects, 
that  the  effects  described  by  Peter  could  in  that  case 
only  have  resulted  if  the  body  had  fallen  on  jagged 
pieces  of  rock.  But  we  may  safely  leave  a  criticism 
which  is  driven  into  difficulties  in  search  of  rocks, 
among  the  rocky  valleys  around  Jerusalem. 

Ver.  G.  It  is  not  lavrful. — Wetstein:  Argu- 
mento  ducto  ex  Deut.  xiii.  18.  Sanhedr.  fol.  112. — 
Thus  unconsciously  condemning  their  own  hypocrisy 
who  had  paid  this  same  price  of  blood. 

Ver.  7.  And  they  took  counsel; — i.  e.,  re- 
solved in  council.  No  doubt  this  took  place  after  the 
crucifixion,  although  soon  afterward. — And  bought 
the  potter's  field. — Evidently  a  well-known  place. 
A  field  used  for  potteries  would,  of  course,  be  a  waste 
and  comparatively  valueless  spot. — To  bury  stran- 
gers in. — The  expression  does  not  refer  to  Jews  from 
other  countries  (as  Meyer  supposes),  who  in  a  reli- 
gious point  of  view  were  not  strangers,  nor  to  pro- 
fessing heathens,  who  were  left  to  themselves,  but  to 
Gentile  proselytes  (of  the  gate),  to  whom  a  certain 
regard  was  due,  while  priestly  exclusiveness  would 
not  allow  them  to  repose  in  properly  consecrated 
graves.  Thus,  even  in  this  act  of  cheap  charity  and 
pious  provision  on  the  part  of  a  Sanhedrin  which 
slew  the  Lord  of  glory,  Pharisaism  remained  true  to 
itself.  The  price  of  blood  and  the  field  of  blood  are 
declared  quite  suited  for  "  strangers."  The  field  of 
blood,  or  Aceldama  (Acts  i.  19),  is  on  the  steep  face  of 
the  southern  hill,  opposite  Mount  Zion,  which  bounds 
the  valley  of  Ben  Ilinnom.  Tradition  points  out  the 
spot.  "  In  a  corner  where  some  graves  or  natural 
caves,  in  a  semi-dilapidated  condition,  are  found,  is 
the  Aceldama  or  field  of  blood  of  tradition.  In  sup- 
port of  tlie  accuracy  of  this  view,  I  may  state,  that 
above  it  there  is  a  considerable  stratum  of  white  clay, 
where  I  repeatedly  observed  people  working.  Euse- 
bius  and  Jerome  are  the  first  who  mention  the  tradi- 
tion in  the  Onomasticon.  This  place  of  sepulture, 
which  till  the  fourteenth  century  belonged  to  the 
Latins,  became  afterward  the  property  of  the  Arme- 
nians. Probably  it  ceased  to  be  used  for  interments 
since  the  last  century,  although  it  is  impossible  exact- 
ly to  determine  the  date.  A  large  vaulted  sepulchre  in 
a  rock,  or  rather  a  cave,  served  to  indicate  the  local- 
ity of  the  field  of  blood."  KrafFt,  Topogr.  of  Jerus., 
p.  193.— The  field  of  blood  adjoins  "the  Hill  of  Evil 
Counsel,"  where  Caiaphas,  according  to  tradition, 
possessed  a  country  house,  in  which  the  death  of 
Jesus  had  been  resolved  upon  (Matt.  xxvi.  3).  Braune 
confounds  tliis  with  the  Ilill  of  Offence,  on  the  south- 
ern top  of  the  Mount  of  Olives.  In  the  Middle  Ages 
it  was  believed  that  the  soil  of  the  Aceldama  had  the 
power  of  consuming  bodies  in  one,  or  at  least  in  a 
few  days.  Accordingly,  shiploads  of  it  were,  during 
the  thirteenth  century,  transported  to  the  Campo 
Santo  at  Pisa. 

Ver.  9.  That  which  was  spoken  by  Jere- 
miah the  prophet. — De  Wette  observes :  "  Neither 
this  nor  any  similar  passage  is  found  in  Jeremiah. 
Accordmgly,  some  Codd.  and  Versions  omit  these 


words.  But  a  shnilar  passage  occurs  in  Zcch.  xi.  12. 
Hence  Cod.  22,  Syr.  p.  in  m.  read  Zaxapiou.  But 
even  Origen,  Eusebius,  Jerome,  and  Augustine  found 
tlie  common  reading,  which,  in  fairness,  cannot  be 
disputed.  Origen,  Homil.  35,  supposes  that  the  pas- 
sage is  found  in  an  apocryphal  book  of  Jeremiah. 
Jerome  found  the  passage  in  an  apocryphal  writing 
of  Jeremiah,  whicli  a  Nazarene  showed  him,  but  he 
thought  it  was  borrowed  from  Zcchariah.  To  us  it 
seems  probable  tliat  the  Evangelist  has  been  misled 
by  the  statement  in  Jer.  xviii.  2,  to  name  that  pro- 
phet instead  of  Zcchariah.  The  quotation  from 
Zechariah  is  freely  made,  the  phraseology  being  dif- 
ferent both  from  the  Hebrew  text  and  from  the 
Sept."  The  following  are  various  attempts  at  re- 
moving the  difficulty :  1.  It  was  a  mistake  of  memory 
(Augustine)  * ;  2.  the  reading  "  Jeremiah  "  is  spuri- 
ous (Rupert  von  Deutz,  etc.) ;  3.  it  occurred  in  a  work 
of  Jeremiah  which  has  been  lost  (Origen,  etc.) ; 
4.  it  was  an  oral  statement  of  that  prophet  (Calovius, 
etc.) ;  5.  the  Jews  have  expunged  the  passage  from 
the  book  of  Jeremiah  (Eusebius).  "  If  the  passage 
has  been  found  in  an  Arabic  book,  or  in  a  Sahidic  or 
Coptic  lectionary,  these  must  be  regarded  as  inter- 
polations from  our  passage."  Meyer. •(• — In  reference 
to  the  above,  we  remark, — 1.  That  it  is  very  improb- 
able our  Evangelist  should  have  confounded  the  pro- 
phecies of  Zechariah — with  which  he  evidently  was 
quite  famifiar,  quoting  without  naming  them,  as  in 
xxi.  5  ;  xxvi.  31 — with  those  of  Jeremiah.  2.  It 
seems  impossible  to  identify  the  passage  before  us 
with  Jer.  xvui.  2,  since  it  contains  no  reference  to  a 
purchase  on  the  part  of  the  prophet.  3.  On  the 
other  hand,  however,  we  find  a  coimection  between 
the  quotation  of  Matthew  and  Jer.  xxxii.  8,  especially 
ver.  14:  "Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts,  the  God  of 
Israel,  Take  these  evidences  [letters],  this  evidence 
of  the  purchase  which  is  sealed,  and  this  evidence 
which  is  open,  and  put  them  in  an  earthen  vessel, 
that  they  may  continue  many  days.  For  thus  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel,  Rouses,  and 
fields,  and  vineyards,  shall  be  possessed  [in  German, 
purchased]  again  m  this  land."  These  words  must 
be  taken  along  with  ver.  8,  where  the  Lord  com- 
manded the  prophet  to  act  in  this  manner.  These 
words  are  now  paraphrased  by  the  Evangelist,  in 
connection  with  materials  furnished  by  Zcchariah  and 
bg  Jewish  history,  so  as  to  exhibit  the  irAripu'crt?  of 
what  the  prophet  intended  to  convey,  viz.,  that  the 
boldest  purchase  should  yet  be  made,  by  which  the 
price  set  upon  the  Messiah  would  be  given  for  a  pot- 
ter's field  to  be  a  burying-place  for  pious  pilgrims. 
The  meaning  of  the  quotation  is  as  follows :  At  the 
command  of  the  Lord,  Jeremiah  bought  a  field  at 
Anathoth,  at  a  time  when  Jerusalem  seemed  to  be  in 
the  hands  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  in  order  thereby 
symbolically  to  express  the  idea  that  Jerusalem  was 

*  [Adopted  by  Alford  :  "The  citation  is  prob.ably  quoted 
from  memory  and  inaccurately."  Ho  refers  to  similar  mis- 
takes in  ttie  apology  of  Stephen,  Acts  vii.  4, 16,  and  iu  Mark 
ii.  26.  Wordsworth  cuts  the  Gordian  knot  in  a  manner  di- 
rectly opposite,  though  equally  unsatisfactory,  viz. :  by  the 
bold  do<,'matic  assert'on  that  the  name  of  Jeremi.ah  is  here 
purposely  substituted  for  that  of  Zcchariah  to  teuch  r.s  that 
all  prophecies  proceed  from  one  Spirit,  and  that  the  prophets 
are  merely  channels,  not  sources,  of  the  Divine  truth.  But 
this  object  could  have  been  reached  much  better  by  substi- 
tuting the  J/ol>/  Spirit  or  the  Scripture  for  the  name  of  the 
writer  —P.  S.] 

t  [Dr.  Lange  might  have  added  a  sixth  attempt  to  solve 
the  difficulty,  viz. :  that  the  book  of  Jeremiah,  being  actually 
arranged  by  the  Jews  as  the  first  of  all  tho  prophets  (Bava 
Bathra),  gave  its  name  to  the  whole  body  of  their  Writings. 
So  Lightfoot  and  Scrivener.— P.  S.] 


506 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Btill  a  place  of  hope,  and  that  it  had  a  blessed  future 
in  store.  Thus  unconsciously  had  the  Sanhedrin,  by 
its  purchase  of  the  ])ottcr's  field  as  a  burying-place 
for  strangers,  symbolically  and  prophetically  express- 
ed the  idea  that  Jerusalem  was  yet  destined  to  be  the 
place  of  pilgrimage  of  countless  worshippers.  Thus 
they  unconsciously  prophesied,  as  Caiaphas  did,  ac- 
cording to  Jolm  xi.  50 ;  and  thus  had  they  fulfilled 
the  prediction  of  Jeremiah  (vers.  15,  43,  44).  4.  The 
EvangeUst  sums  up  in  a  brief  sentence  the  grand 
thought  of  Jeremiah  (as  he  had  done  in  ii.  23),  re- 
ferring in  it  to  Zeeh.  xi.  12,  wiihovt,  lioivever,  quoting 
that  passage.  There  the  typical  Shepherd  of  the  peo- 
ple of  God  (who  is  the  same  as  Jehovah  himself)  has 
His  price  fixed  by  His  sheep.  They  give  it  as  thirty 
pieces  of  silver,  the  well-known  price  of  a  slave. 
Jehovah  says:  "Cast  it  to  the  potter,  nsi'sn-^N  : 
a  goodly  price  that  I  was  prized  at  by  them."  (On 
the  meaning  of  these  obscure  words,  comp.  the  au- 
thor's '■'■  Lehen  Jesu,''^  ii.  3,  p.  1494.)  The  Sept.  adds, 
by  way  of  explanation,  "  to  the  melting-pot."  (An 
anomalous  explanation  by  Hitzig,  mentioned  by 
Meyer,  who  thinks  he  finds  in  it  a  rectification  of  the 
Sept.  and  the  punctuation  of  the  text.)  This  is  to 
imply  that  the  money  was  impure,  and  required  to 
be  melted  over  again.  5.  Matthew  also  distinctly 
alludes  to  Gen.  xxxvii.  28 — the  purchase-money  of 
Joseph  when  sold  by  his  brethren.  6.  Accordingly, 
the  passage  in  question  combines  four  different  quo- 
tations :  («)  "  And  they  took  the  thirty  pieces  of  sil- 
ver," which  is  derived  from  tlie  narrative,  with  a 
special  reference  to  Zechariah ;  {b)  "  the  price  of  Him 
that  was  valued  " — also  after  Zechariah ;  (e)  "  whom 
they  bought  of  the  children  of  Israel"  [as  m  the 
margin  of  the  authorized  version] — after  Gen.  xxxvii ; 
{d)  "  and  gave  them  for  the  potter's  field  " — the  nar- 
rative of  the  text,  with  a  special  reference  to  Zechariah ; 
(e) "  as  the  Lord  appointed  to  me  " — the  key  of  the  whole 
passage,  quoted  from  Jer.  xxxii.  G,  8.  They  gave  the 
whole  price  for  which  they  bought  and  sold  the  Sa- 
viour for  a  potter's  field,  to  serve  as  a  place  of  burial 
for  beheving  Gentile  pilgrims.  Thus,  while  seahng 
their  own  doom,  they  have  unconsciously  made  Je- 
rusalem a  city  of  the  future — but  of  a  future  which 
shall  bring  advantage  to  believing  Gentile  pilgrims — 
they  have  purchased  for  them  a  resting-place  in 
death. 

Ver.  9.  Of  Him  that  was  valued  or  priced, 
Tov    T  er  I  firi  fxe  j/o  V. — Meyer  thinks    that   "the 
expression  is  intended  to  give  the  Hebrew  "ip'^n 
ipretii).    But  the  EvangeUst  evidently  read  "ip^^T] 
{cari,  cestimati),  and  applies  it  to  Jesus  as  the  valued 
One  kot'  e^oxw',  Euthym.  Zigabenus  :  rod  TravTlfiov 
Xpio-ToD,  comp.  Theophylact,  and  of  late  Ewald  :  the 
invaluably  valuable  One,  who  nevertheless  was  val- 
ued at  so  low  a  price."     This  view  impHes  not  only 
that  Matthew  had  intended  closely  to  follow  Zechariah, 
but  that  he  had  at  the  same  time  misunderstood  and 
misrepresented  him.    It  attaches  to  the  verb  Ti/jido  a 
twofold  and  a  contradictory  sense.     The  meaning  of 
the  words  really  is :  "  of  Him  that  was  valued  " — the  I 
sense  favored  by  most  critics,  mcluding  de  Wette  ' 
and  Hofmann.     Nor  is  there  any  tautology  about  it,  I 
as  the  words  ov  ir  i  jxi]  a avr  o  air 6  mean :  whom  ! 
by  valuing  they  purchased,  or,  whom  they  bought.  | 
Thus  the  expression,  "of  Him  that  was  valued,"  | 
would  seem  specially  to  refer  to  the  passage  in  Zech-  | 
ariah — the  priests  bemg  the  subject  of  the  verb  in-  j 
fj-TtaavTo. — Whom  they  bought  of  the  children 
of  Israel  (=  Jacob). — This  does  not  mean  that  I 


Christ  had  been  valued  by  the  whole  people  (Hof- 
mann) ;  nor,  at  the  instigation  of  the  children  of  Is- 
rael (Meyer) ;  nor,  from  among  the  children  of  Israel, 
i.  (?.,  for  a  man  of  Israel  (Baumgarten-Crusius) ;  but, 
bought  from  the  children  of  Israel  (Castelho,  Luther, 
and  others).  Judas  is  here  the  representative  of  the 
whole  treacherous  nation ;  and  the  passage  alludes 
to  the  sons  of  Jacob,  who  sold  Joseph. — For  the 
potter's  field,  f  Is  to  y, — for  the  purchase  there- 
of The  aUusion  here  to  Zech.  xi.  1 3  is  very  sUght. 
The  passage  in  the  prophet,  "Cast  it  "i:ji''n~bN  " 
(and  that,  as  appears  from  the  sequel,  in  the  temple), 
is  rendered  by  the  Sept.  its  rh  x'^vivrr^pwv,  to  the 
melting  furnace.  Hitzig  proposes  to  read  ~::i'i , 
the  treasure,  hence.  Cast  it  into  the  temple-treasury. 
But,  irrespective  of  the  fact,  that  this  is  merely  an 
arbitrary  conjecture,  it  would  give  a  wrong  meaning, 
as  the  small  price  was  to  be  treated  with  contempt, 
not  with  honor  and  distinction.  Hcngstenberg  ex- 
plains it  :  Cast  it  to  the  potter  =  the  executioner. 
But  these  two  tei-ms  are  certainly  not  identical.  The 
potter  forms  the  vessels  for  the  temple,  and  puts  the 
old  into  new  fonns.  Accordingly,  we  conjecture  that 
in  the  court  of  the  temple,  where  the  various  vessels 
were  arranged,  there  was  a  place  bearing  the  inscrip- 
tion "  To  the  potter,''''  which  was  equivalent  to  "  the 
melting  furnace.''''  Into  this  receptacle,  designated 
by  its  inscription,  Jehovah  directs  the  thirty  pieces 
of  silver  to  be  cast. — Thus  "  to  the  old  u-on  "  cast 
the  price,  according  to  which  they  have  valued  Him 
as  equal  with  "  old  iron."  Gerlach  regards  the  thirty 
pieces  of  silver  as  the  hire  of  a  shepherd  for  a  year. 
But  it  is  well  known  to  have  been  the  price  for  a 
slave. — As  the  Lord  appointed  to  me. — Referring 
not  to  the  passage  in  Zechariah,  but  to  the  narrative 
of  Jeremiah  refei'red  to,  that  the  Lord  had  command- 
ed him,  by  way  of  symbol,  to  purchase  the  field  at 
Anathoth. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  On  the  Chaeacter  of  Judas,  see  our  previous 
remarks.  For  more  detailed  treatises  about  his  call 
to  the  apostolate,  comp.  Heubner,  Comment,  p.  418. 
On  the  defence  set  up  for  Judas  hj  a  section  of  the 
Gnostics  and  of  the  Menonites,  and  by  some  modem 
writers,  see  Heubner,  p.  420. 

2.  The  Repentance  op  Judas.  —  Temble  and 
mysterious  as  is  the  guilt,  so  awful  and  sad  is  the  re- 
pentance of  the  traitor,  as  it  ultimately  terminates 
m  the  blackness  of  despair.  The  ancients  were  wont 
to  place  it  side  by  side  with  the  penitence  of  Cain,  as 
the  counterpart  of  true  repentance.  Thus  much  is 
evident,  that  from  first  to  last  his  penitence  was  im- 
healthy  and  godless.  Tor  its  source  and  origin  was 
not  his  guilt,  but  the  consequences  resulting  from  it 
("  when  Judas  saw  that^''  etc.).  Secondly,  in  its  course 
and  progress  it  did  not  appear  as  repentance  toward 
God,  in  the  economy  of  salvation.  We  see  him  seek- 
ing first  to  offer  human  satisfaction  before  the  priests ; 
next,  retiring  as  a  penitent  into  solitude  ;  and  lastly, 
casting  himself,  in  his  suicide,  headlong  into  the 
abyss  of  despah-.  We  note  the  opposite  of  all  this 
in  Peter.  Here  we  have  first  bitter  weejiing,  re- 
pentance toward  God,  and  return  to  Christ ;  and  then 
human  satisfaction,  offered  in  the  strength  of  the  par- 
doned soul  and  in  newness  of  life.  Lastly,  there  is 
the  sad  termination  in  the  case  of  Judas, — his  repen- 
tance being  the  sorrow  of  the  world,  which  worketh 
death  (2  Cor.  vii.  10).    At  the  outset,  he  wants  the 


CHAP.  XXVII.  1-10. 


507 


genuineness  and  sincerity  in  dealing  with  an  offended 
God  wliich  constitutes  the  grand  characteristic  of 
true  repentance ;  during  the  course  of  it,  that  faith 
which  flies  for  refuge  to  the  sovereign  mercy  of  God, 
who  is  able  and  willing  to  pardon  ;  and  hence,  in  the 
end,  the  victory  of  hope  and  love  over  despair. 
Heubncr  remarks  :  "  When  the  conscience  of  a  sin- 
ner awakens  and  fills  him  with  terror  he  is  hopelessly 
lost  if  he  lose  faith — faith  in  the  grace  of  God,  who 
is  able  and  willing  to  pardon,  and  faith  in  an  atoning 
and  all-sufficient  Saviour.  Hence  it  is  absolutely  ne- 
cessary to  keep  firm  hold  of  failli."  However,  in- 
genuousness and  truth  are  the  condition  of  abihty  to 
believe.  He  that  doetli  the  truth  cometh  to  the 
light.  The  same  writer  remarks :  "  Satan  has  two 
arts  by  which  he  seduces  men.  Before  we  sin  he 
cries  out :  Spera  !  and  after  we  have  sinned :  De- 
eper a  ! "  {See  the  quotation  from  Luther,  Works, 
vol.  six.  1498.) 

3.  Suicide  :  Saul,  AnixHOPnEL,  Judas. — "  Suicide, 
if  not  freely  and  voluntarily  committed,  but  arising 
from  physical  disturbance,  may  expect  pardon  from 
God."  In  his  "  Tal)le-talk"  Luther  expressly  says 
(Walch's  edition,  ch.  xlviii.  §  13,  p.  1039),  "that  all 
cases  of  suicide  are  not  condemned."  (Which  may 
be  added  to  Stiiudlin's  Hisiorj/  of  the  opinions  on 
Suicide,  p.  116.)  Heubner:  "When  suicide  is  com- 
mitted freely,  and  with  full  consciousness  and  reflec- 
tion, it  is  always  the  result  of  sinful  estrangement 
and  alienation  from  the  Creator,  and  of  despair  in 
everlasting  love.  True,  it  is  very  generally  also  the 
consequence  of  gross  sins  which  torment  the  soul,  and 
of  violent  passions.  These  alone,  however,  do  not 
lead  men  to  their  eternal  downfall ;  it  is  unbeUef 
alone.  Hence  it  is  that  suicides  are  now  so  much 
more  common." — ^^Vhat  makes  suicide  at  once  detest- 
able and  horrifying  is,  in  the  first  place,  the  false  and 
wicked  combination  of  the  most  extreme  contradic- 
tions,— self-love  and  self-abandomnent,  deliverance 
and  destruction,  healing  and  murder,  rebellion  against 
God  and  forth-stepping  to  His  judgment-bar  ;  in  the 
second  place,  the  fact  that  the  self-murderer  perverts 
to  his  own  destruction  that  moment  which  God  had 
appointed  to  be  the  crisis  of  his  perfected  salvation 
{see  Acts  xvi.  27) ;  in  the  third  place,  the  circum- 
stance that  the  self-murderer,  regardless  of  conse- 
quences, anticipates  and  neutralizes,  in  a  cowardly 
and  wicked  manner,  the  act  of  free  surrender  of  the 
soul  to  God  in  death,  which  is  its  highest  spiritual 
form  {see  the  author's  Positive  Dogmatik,  p.  1243). 
Suicide  is,  so  to  speak,  the  theatrical  exhibition  and 
full  development  of  sm's  self-destructive  nature,  and 
is  the  natural  type  of  eternal  self-condemnation. 
Truth  accordingly  must  never  in  its  testimony  cease 
to  war  against  suicide,  regarded  in  itself;  she  cannot 
compromise  with  it,  but  must  ever  condemn  it  as 
the  evidence  of  despairing  unbelief.  But  as  suicide 
is  often  the  result  of  boddy  and  mental  weakness, 
the  twin  child  of  madness,  we  should  deal  with 
actual  cases  in  a  forbearing,  mild,  and  cautious 
spirit.  We  should  act  similarly  in  those  cases  where 
remorse  in  after-life  leads  to  suicide,  though  that  act 
appears  to  be  merely  the  natural  consequence  of  the 
preceding  heinous  crime  committed  by  the  miserable 
persons.  The  spiritual  suicide  of  Judas  was  con- 
summated in  the  moment  of  his  treachery  against  his 
Lord  and  Master.  Heubner's  statement :  "  We  may 
fall  ever  so  low,  if  we  only  hold  fast  the  faith,"  is  as 
liable  to  misconception  as  many  similar  remarks  of 
Luther.  Faith  is  ethical  in  its  very  nature,  and  can- 
not be  separated  from  moral  laws.     Upon  other 


points  connected  with  suicide,  consult  the  Systems 
of  Ethics.  We  should  not  return  to  the  confessional, 
because  the  reserve  of  ungodly  men  and  their  brood- 
ing lead  them  to  self-destruction ;  but  we  should, 
throughout  the  Evangelical  Church,  recommend  the 
practice  of  a  free  confession  of  heart. 

4.  APPIIOPRIATION  OF    THE    BlOOD-MoNEY. "  Hj- 

pocritical  conscientiousness.  Their  scruples  arose 
from  Dent,  xxiii.  18: — 'Thou  shalt  not  bring  the 
hire  of  a  whore,  or  the  price  of  a  dog,  into  the 
house  of  the  Lord  thy  God  for  any  vow  ;  for  even 
both  these  are  an  abomination  unto  the  Lord  thy 
God.'  The  instruments  of  the  wicked  are  a  source 
of  disgust  and  dread  to  them,  especially  those  to 
whom  the  stain  of  blood  attaches  as  a  memorial  of 
their  guilt.  They  are  agents  to  awaken  conscience, 
and  threaten  punishment.  These  wretches  suffered 
blood  to  stain  their  hands  and  lie  upon  their  con- 
sciences, but  they  would  not  allow  the  temple  treas- 
ury to  be  defiled.  The  money -chest  they  valued 
above  their  conscience.  They  would  not  transgress 
by  receiving  defiled  money,  for  they  feared  to  render 
their  treasury  valueless  :  this  was  their  reverence  for 
God  (Matt,  xxiii.  24).  There  is  a  proper  solicitude, 
however,  which  we  should  all  have,  to  keep  our 
property  undefiled." — "  They  appropriated  the  money 
to  a  charitable  purpose  ;  but  it  is  hnpossible  to  re- 
move the  guilt  and  disgrace  of  former  days  by  acts 
of  mercy."  Heubner.  Similar  institutions  were 
common  in  the  Middle  Ages.  The  cloister  of  Konigs- 
felden  in  Switzerland  was  the  fruit  of  Queen  Agnes' 
bloody  vengeance. 

5.  The  Field  of  Blood. — Even  in  the  acts  of 
charity  performed  by  the  Sanhedrin,  the  character- 
istic traits  of  its  members  come  to  view ;  the  most 
complete  hypocrisy,  making  the  money-chest  of  God's 
house  more  sacred  than  God  Himself  and  God's  acre.* 
They  purchase  for  a  paltry  sum,  and  that  the  price 
of  blood,  a  field  of  blood,  to  inter  pious  pilgrmis  from 
heathen  nations,  who  were  not  reckoned  to  be  fully 
Jewish  proselytes.  So  the  charity  of  the  Middle  Ages 
sought  out  beggars  upon  whom  to  expend  its  kind 
offices,  and  these  it  furnished  with  beggars'  broth. 
Unconsciously,  these  hypocrites  were  compelled  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  their  sinful  acts ;  and  in 
thi^  act,  besides,  was  given  unconsciously  a  plastic 
type  of  the  Sanliedrin.  Without  wilUng  it,  they  had 
to  fulfil  Jeremiah's  prophecy.  The  purchase  of  the 
potter's  field  to  be  a  restmg-place  for  foreign  pil- 
grims becomes  prophetical  of  this,  that  Jerusalem, 
Palestine,  and  Israel's  entire  inheritance,  was  des- 
tined to  be  a  resting-place  for  the  beUeving  Gentile 
world. 

6.  Here  for  the  first  time  Christian  grave-yards 
took  the  place  of  isolated  sepulchres,  as  was  the  cus- 
tom among  the  Jews.  And  who  was  probably  the 
first  interred  in  that  field  ?  This  history  preaches 
mildness  and  tenderness. 


nOMILETICAL  AND  rKACTICAL. 

The  counsel  and  the  treachery  on  the  morning 
of  the  feast.  1.  The  counsel  and  treachery:  (a)  An 
act  of  treachery  from  a  resolution  of  council ;  (6) 
a  counsel  which  was  perfected  by  an  act  of  treachery. 
2.  On  the  morning  of  the  feast :  {a)  The  morning 
thought ;  (6)  the  festival  thought,  of  the  rulers  of 

*  [^Gottesacker,  also  Friedlwf,  is  the  Gorman  name  for 
grave-yard.— V.  8.] 


508 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Israel. — The  abominable  display  of  the  high-priest 
and  the  chief  council  on  the  festal  morning. — Christ's 
murder  disguised  under  an  imposing  act  of  worship 
rendered  to  God. — The  great  display  of  fanaticism, 
in  its  historic  import  to  the  world. — Blessed  arc  they 
who  can  resist  the  currents  of  the  time. — The  mad 
pomp  with  which  the  Jews  abandon  their  long-look- 
ed-for  King  to  the  Gentiles. — Judaism  in  the  act  of 
involving  the  Gentile  world  in  the  guilt  of  Christ's 
murder :  the  opposite  of  the  promise :  "  In  thy  seed 
shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  Isa. 
liii. — The  effects  of  magnificent  display:  1.  Its 
power ;  2.  its  weakness. — Jesus  abandoned  by  His 
own  nation  to  the  Gentiles. — The  second  betrayal  the 
sentence  of  death  pronounced  upon  the  first  betrayal 
{Novj  ivJien.  Judas  saw). — The  repentance  of  Judas 
the  completion  of  his  guilt,  as  seen :  1.  In  its  begin- 
ning; 2.  its  means;  3.  its  end. — The  repentance  of 
Judas  compared  with  Peter's,  2  Cor.  vii.  10. — To 
render  due  satisfaction,  we  must  begin  at  God's 
throne. — (Against  Thee  only  have  I  sinned.)  Ezek. 
xxxiii.  15,  16. — That  innocent  blood,  which  he  had 
betrayed,  would  have  saved  hhri,  had  he  known  its 
full  value. — Judas's  testimony  to  the  innocence  of 
Jesus  a  significant  fruit  of  his  discipleship :  1.  The 
spoiled  fruit  of  a  reprobate  or  deserter ;  2.  the  im- 
portant testimony  of  a  deserter. — The  unwilling  tes- 
timony of  the  unbelieving  and  despairing  to  the  glory 
Jesus. — Behold  how  heartlessly  the  wicked  abandon 
the  instruments  of  their  guilt !  "  See  thou  to  thai." 
— The  confession  of  a  bleeding  conscience  is  unheard 
by  the  hierarchical  superintendents  of  the  confession- 
al.— How  soon  is  the  friendship  of  the  wicked  at  an 
end  ! — They  hurl  one  another  mutually  into  destruc- 
tion.— Tlie  fruitless  attempts  of  Judas  to  silence  his 
conscience. — The  end  of  Judas  ;  or,  suicide  the  sign 
of  finished  unbelief. — The  conscientious  scruples  of 
the  unscrupulous  :  "  It  is  not  lawful." — The  charita- 
ble institutions  of  a  hardness  of  heart  which  cloaks 
itself  under  the  garb  of  piety:  1.  Their  occasion, — 
the  committal  of  a  crime  ;  2.  their  spring, — supersti- 
tion and  selfishness ;  3.  tlieir  form, — monuments  of 
a  proud,  unloving  spirit. — The  price  at  which  the 
world  valued  Christ  sufficed  to  purchase  an  old,  ex- 
hausted clay-pit  ("  loam-pit  or  sandhole  "). — The  ful- 
filment of  the  prophet's  word ;  or,  the  burying-ground 
of  pious  pilgrims — i.  <?.,  of  believers — bought  with 
the  purchase  money  of  Jesus. — The  field  of  blood  of 
despairing  Judaism  converted  into  a  burial-field  (a 
afield  of  peace)  for  the  believing  Gentile  world. — They 
who  delivered  Christ  over  to  the  Gentiles  have  had 
to  yield  their  land  likewise  to  the  Gentiles. 

Starke : — We  should  be  up  early,  not  to  injure 
our  neighbor,  but  to  praise  God,  Ps.  cviii.  2,  3,  and 
to  attend  honestly  to  our  calling,  Ps.  civ.  23. — Zci- 
sius :  Christ  has  been  bound  that  He  might  free  us 
from  the  bonds  of  sin,  death,  the  devil,  and  hell. — 
He  also  thereby  sanctified  and  blessed  the  bonds  of 
our  aiflictions,  especially  those  endured  for  the  gos- 
pel.—  Ganstein:  Satan  bUnds  the  eyes  to  precipitate 
man  into  sin ;  and  then  he  opens  them  again,  that 
despair  may  seize  the  sinner. — Do  not  be  such  a  fool 
as  to  commit  a  sin  to  gain  the  world's  favor ;  for  it 
will  draw  its  head  out  of  the  noose,  and  leave  thee  to 
be  hanged. —  Quesnel :  There  is  a  kind  of  hirelings 
and  false  shepherds,  to  whom  it  is  of  no  consequence 
whether  their  sheep  stray  and  are  lost  or  not. — Zei- 
sms  :  Do  but  see  how  far  greed  will  lead  a  man. — 
Caiutein  :  The  anguish  of  an  evil  conscience  deprives 
a  man  of  his  judgment,  so  that  he  is  no  more  his 
own  master ;  for  when  he  thinks  by  self-murder  to 


free  hunself  from  torment,  he  only  plunges  himself 
into  eternal  torment. — Thou  canst  find  many  a  com- 
panion in  sin;  but  when  thy  poor  conscience  will 
have  comfort,  thou  art  forsaken  by  them  all. — Hast 
thou  sinned  deeply,  despair  not ;  arise,  and  repent 
truly. — Nova  Btbl.  Tub. :  Christ  has  given  the  grave- 
money  for  our  burial,  and  has  purchased  for  us,  poor 
pilgrims  who  have  nothing  of  our  own,  a  resting- 
place. —  C'anstcin  :  The  wicked  themselves  i oust  as- 
sist in  establishing  divine  truth. 

Gossner  : — "  See  thou  to  that : "  such  is  their 
absolution. 

Gerlach  : — It  was  a  remarkable  circumstance  in 
the  passion  history  of  Christ,  that  He  must  be  deUv- 
ered  up  to  the  Gentiles.  Not  the  Jews  only  were  to 
reject  and  crucify  the  Son  of  God,  but  the  Gentiles 
also  ;  and  His  blood  crieth  for  mercy  on  behalf  of 
Jews  as  well  as  Gentiles. 

Heuhner: — The  witness  of  Judas.  He  was  the 
spy  whom  Satan  had  been  permitted  to  place  among 
the  confidential  friends ;  he  was  Satan's  appointed 
fault-finder,  who  should  pay  attention  to  discover  any 
fault  that  might  be  committed.  But  he  had  to  con- 
fess he  had  betrayed  innocent  blood. — That  Ju- 
das might  have  gained  pardon,  if  he  had  believed,  is 
acknowledged  by,  e.  g.,  Chrysostom,  m  Sermon  1  on 
Repentance,  and  by  Leo  the  Great,  in  the  11th  Ser- 
mon on  the  Passion. — Even  the  most  glorious  oppor- 
tunities of  virtue  and  religion,  even  the  companion- 
ship and  conversation  of  the  most  holy  and  most 
lovable  of  men,  are  perverted  to  its  own  ruin  by  a 
corrupted  spirit. — An  evil  germ,  small  at  first,  but 
nourished  and  tended,  produces  fruits  ever  more  and 
more  poisonous. — They  care  for  the  bodies  of  dead 
foreigners,  but  let  the  souls  of  the  living  perish. — 
The  perpetuation  of  sinful  acts  through  memorials, 
names,  etc.,  against  the  will  and  expectation  of  evil- 
doers.— How  are  the  children  of  God,  yea,  Christ 
Himself,  valued  in  this  world !  To  how  many  are 
philosophers,  artists,  heroes,  or  millionnaires  far  more 
precious ! 

Braune  : — Common  minds  become  small  crimi- 
nals, great  characters  great  crhninals,  as  men  judge  : 
the  former  are  base,  the  latter  more  wicked.  (Still 
the  deed  of  Judas  was  the  very  depth  of  baseness.) 
— He  seeks  to  clear  himself  only  before  his  own  con- 
science and  his  accomplices,  not  before  God,  and  that 
he  would  do  without  Jesus.  He  wanted  faith,  and 
hence  he  prayed  not  and  sought  not. — Themselves 
they  have  stained,  God's  treasury  they  would  not  de- 
file.—Schidz  :  The  end  of  Judas :  1.  His  despair ;  2, 
his  ruin. 

[BuRKiTT : — Behold  !  a  disciple,  an  apostle,  first 
a  traitor,  then  a  self-murderer.  Behold  !  all  ye  cov- 
etous worldlings,  to  what  the  love  of  that  accursed 
idol  has  brought  this  wretched  apostle.  Behold! 
Judas,  once  shining  in  the  robes  of  a  glorious  pro- 
fession, now  shining  in  the  flames  of  God's  eternal 
wrath  and  vengeance.  Lord !  how  earnest  ought  we 
to  be  for  thy  preserving  grace,  when  neither  the 
presence,  the  miracles,  the  sermons,  the  sacraments 
of  Christ,  could  preserve  and  secure  a  professor,  a 
disciple  and  apostle  from  ruinous  apostasy.  Let  him 
that  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall. — Doddridge  : — The 
irresistible  force  of  conscience  in  the  worst  of  men. — 
The  testimony  of  the  traitor  to  the  innocence  of  Je- 
sus.— The  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  the  Lord. — D. 
Brown  : — The  true  character  of  repentance  is  deter- 
mined neither  by  its  smcerity  nor  by  its  bitterness, 
but  by  the  views  under  which  it  is  wrought.  Judas, 
under  the  sense  of  his  guilt,  had  nothing  to  faU  back 


CHAP.  XXVII.  11-31.  509 


upon ;  Peter  turned  toward  Jesus,  who  was  able  and 
willing  to  forgive.  In  the  one  case  we  have  natural 
principles  working  themselves  out  to  deadly  eflect ; 


in  the  other,  we  see  grace  working  repentance  unto 
salvation.  —  Wordsworth  : — Judas,  a  typo  of  the 
Jews,  m  his  sin  and  end  ('?). — P.  S.] 


XINTH    SECTION. 

SUS,  THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS,  BEFORE  PILATE'S  BAR;  OR,  CHRIST  EXAMINED  BY 
THE  CIVIL  AUTHORITY;  INSULTINGLY  PUT  BESIDE  BARABBAS;  STILL  MORE  IN- 
SULTINGLY REJECTED,  AND,  IN  SPITE  OF  THE  MOST  DECISIVE  PROOFS  OF  HIS 
INNOCENCE,   CONDEMNED,   DELIVERED   TO   BE   CRUCIFIED,   MOCKED. 


ClIAPTEK   XXVII.    11-31. 

(Mark  xv.  2-20 ;  Luke  xxiii.  2-25 ;  John  xviii.  28-xix.  16.) 

11  And  Jesus  stood  [was  placed]^  before  the  governor:  and  the  governor  asked  [ques- 
tioned] ^  him,  saying,  Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews  ?     And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou 

12  sayest  [it].^     And  when  he  was  accused  of  [by]  the  chief  priests  and  [the]  elders,  he 

13  answered  nothing.     Then  said  Pilate  mato  him,  Hearest  thou  not  how  many  things 

14  [what  things,  TTocra] *  they  witness  against  thee?  And  he  answered  him  to  never  a 
word  [and  lie  answered  him  not  a  word]  ;  *  insomuch  [so]  that  the  governor  marvelled 

15  [wondered]  greatly.     Now  at  that  [the]   feast®  the  governor  was  wont  to  release  unto 

16  the  people  a  prisoner,  Avhom  they  would.     And  they  had  then  a  notable   [notorious, 

17  €7n'cn?/xov]  ^  prisoner,  called  Barabbas.^  Therefore  when  they  were  gathered  together, 
Pilate  said  unto  them.  Whom  will  ye  that  I  release  unto  you  ?  Barabbas,^  or  Jesus 

18  which  [who]  is  called  Christ?     For  he  knew  that  for  envy  they  had  delivered  him. 

19  When  he  was  set  down  on  the  judgment  seat,  his  wife  sent  unto  him,  saying.  Have 
thou  nothing  to  do  with  that  just  man :  for  I  have  suffered  many  things  [much]  this 
day  in  a  dream  because  of  him. 

20  But  the  chief  priests  and  elders  persuaded  the  multitude  that  they  should  ask  [for] 

21  Barabbas,  and  [should]  destroy  Jesus.  The  governor  answered  and  said  unto  them, 
Whether  of  the  twain  [Which  of  the  two]  will  ye  that  I  release  unto  you?     They 

22  said,  Barabbas.     Pilate  said  imto  them.  What  shall  I  do  then  with  Jesus  which  [who] 

23  is  called  Christ?  They  sX\  say  unto  him,'' Let  him  be  crucified.  And  the  governor 
said,  Why,  what  evil  hath  he  done  ?  But  they  cried  out  the  more,  saying.  Let  him  be 
crucified. 

24  When  Pilate  saw  that  he  could  prevail  [avail]  nothing, '°  but  that  rather  a  tumult 
was  [is]  made,  he  took  water,  and  washed  his  hands  before  the  multitude,  saying,  I  am 

25  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just  person :  "  see  ye  to  it.     Then  answered  all  the  people, 

26  and  said,  His  blood  he  on  us,  and  on  our  children.  Then  released  he  Barabbas  mito 
them :  and  when  he  had  scourged  Jesus,  he  [but  Jesus  he  scourged  and,  tov  Se  'l-qaovv 

27  e^payeXXdjcras]  delivered  him  to  be  crucified.  Then  the  soldiers  of  the  governor  took 
Jesus  into  the  common  hall  [Pra^torium],^^  and  gathered  unto  him  the  whole  band  of 

28,  29  soldiers}^  And  they  stripped  him,'*  and  put  on  him  a  scarlet  robe.  And  when 
they  had  platted  a  crown  of  thorns,  they  put  it  upon  his  head,  and  a  reed  in  liis  right 
hand :  '^  and  they  bowed  the  knee  before  him,  and  mocked  him,  saying,  Plail,  King  of 

30  the  Jews !     And  they  spit  upon  him,  and  took  the  reed,  and  smote  him  on  the  head. 

3 1  And  after  that  they  had  mocked  him,  they  took  the  robe  off  from  liim,  and  put  his  own 
raiment  on  him,  and  led  him  away  to  crucify  him. 

1  Ver.  11.— Lachmann  and  Tischendorf  read  iffradi)  [for  effTT/],  according  to  B.,  C,  L.,  [also  Cod.  Sinait.,  which 
generally  agrees  with  Cod.  Vaticanus.    Meyer  and  Alford  regard  icrrdOr]  as  a  correction  to  suit  the  sense  better.— P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  11. — ['E  TrepcoTTjffei'  is  "a  part  of  the  formal  judicial  inquisition ; "  hence,  questioneiJ. — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  11.— [So  Coverdale  and  Conant,  who  insert  it.  Others  insert  right  or  tndtj.  'S.v  \fyfis,  like  rru  eliras 
In  ch.  xxvi.  25,  is  a  form  of  affirmative  answer,  common  in  IJ.ibbinic  writers  («oi««7^^s  ajfirmantium  apud  Judu:os  for- 
mula,  as  Scholtgen  says);  the  object  of  the  verb  being  implied. — P.  S.] 


510 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Ver.  13.— [So  Dr.  Lange :  tcelche  Binge.    Also  Dr.TConant,  who  refers  the  word  ir6(xa,  quantus,  how  great,  not  so 

much  to  the  number  of  the  offences  charged  upon  Him,  as  to  their  magnitude:  and  in  this  sense  the  reader  naturally 

■   n.-P.  8.]  ' 


:a:    not  one  word;  Conant:  not  even  to  one  word;  Lange  : 
einziges  Wort,  i.  e.,  not  even  to  one  inquisitorial  question.— 


understands  the  word  what  in  this  connection.- 

6  Ver.  14. —[Coverdale  renders  irpbs  ovSe  ev  ^r/) 
nicM  atif  irgend  ein  Wort;  Meyer:  auf  nichl  einmal  eii 
P.  8.] 

«  Ver.  \b.—[At  tJie  feast,  at  every  passover.    See  Exeg.  J^ote^.—P.  B.] 

'  Ver.  16. — [The  word  iiriarrjfjios  is  here  used  in  a  had  sense,  as  in  Joseph.  Antiq.  v.  7, 1,  and  Euripides,  Orent.  289; 
hence,  notorious  (Eheinish  Version,  Symonds,  Norton),  or  famous  (Wiclif,  Campbell,  Scrivener),  or  noted  (Conant);  in 
German:  herUchtigt  (de  Wette,  Lange,  etc.).  The  term  notable,  which  dates  from  Tyndale,  and  was  retained  by  Cran- 
mer,  the  Genevan,  and  the  Authorized  Version,  is  now  generally  employed  in  a  good  sense.  The  Latin  Vulgate,  however, 
translates:  msiVi**,  and  Ewald :  heruhmt. — ^^P.  S.] 

8  Vers.  16  and  17.— Fritzsche  and  Tischendorf  read  ^l-qcrovv  Bafia^^av,  following  some  cursive  Codd,  the  Syr- 
iao  and  other  versions,  and  Origen.  Meyer  thinks  the  sacred  name  was  left  out  through  reverence.  De  Wette  supports 
this  reading.  [In  his  large  critical  edition  of  1859  Tischendorf  omits  'liqcrovi',  and  defends  the  usual  reading:  see  his 
critical  note.  So  also  Alford,  who  thinks  that  some  ignorant  scribe,  unwilling  to  ascribe  to  Barabbas  the  epithet  iiricrifj.os, 
wrote  in  the  margin  'IrjffoOy.  This  is  doubtful.  The  insertion  cannot  be  satisfactorily  explained,  and  I  am  disposed 
to  agi'ee  with  Meyer,  that  'ItjcoCs  is  genuine.    It  makes  the  contrast  still  more  striking. — P.  8.] 

9  Ver.  22.— The  avrq)  of  the  Recepta,  according  to  the  best  testimonies,  is  to  be  omitted. 

'0  Ver.  24.— [The  older  English  Versions  and  Campbell  take  ot  i  ovSev  w(pe\e7  personally.  So  also  Alford,  the 
Latin  Vulgate,  the  German  Versions,  Lange  {doss  er  nichts  ausrichte),  and  Meyer  (dass  er  nichts  nutze).  But  Beza, 
Ewald,  Norton,  and  Conant  translate  it  impersonally  =  oii^lv  dxpiKelr  ai,  dass  es  nichts  nutze,  that  it  avails  noth- 
ing.—F.  S.]  ^  ^ 

11  Ver.  2-1. — The  words  rod  StKalov  [before  toi;tou]  are  wanting  in  B.,  D.  But  Cod.  A  reads :  rovrov  tov 
5  i  K  a  1  o  u ,  Lachmann  puts  them  in  brackets,  Tischendorf  omits  them  [so  also  Alford].  The  omission  is  more  diflScult 
to  account  for  than  the  insertion.    [Cod.  Sinait.  differs  here  from  the  Vatican  Cod.  and  sustains  the  text,  rec:  rod  Si- 

fcaiov   T  OVTOV  . — P.  S.] 

1=  Ver.  27.— [The  scourging  took  place  outside  of  the  irpaiTwpiov,  which  is  the  oflBclal  palace  of  the  Roman  Procura- 
tor, or  the  governor's  house,  as  the  margin  of  the  Authorized  Version  explains.  Comp.  Mark  xv.  16:  effta  rrjs  avXijs. 
-P.  S.] 

13  Ver.  27.— [The  interpolation:  of  soldiers,  is  a  useless  repetition.  By  '6\i)v  t7]v  a-Ktlpav  is  meant  the  whole  cohort 
(the  tenth  part  of  a  legion)  then  on  duty  at  the  palace.— P.  S.] 

n  Ver.  2S.— Several  C^odd.,  B.,  D.,  etc.,  read  e  y  5u(Taj/Tf  y  [having  clothed  Eim,  for  e/cSuaacres  avriv].  Lach- 
mann adopts  it,  but  regards  this  reading  as  an  old  writing  error.  [Lachmaun's  object,  it  should  be  remembered,  is  not  to 
establish  tlje  most  correct,  but  the  most  ancient  text  attainable,  as  it  stood  in  the  fourth  century.  Tischendorf  and  Alford 
retain  iKSvcrapTfi.     See  the  Exeg.  Notes.— P.  8.] 

1*  Ver.  29.— The  best  supported  reading:  ev  t^  Se^ici  [for  the  led.  rec. :  ettI  tv,v  Se^iay]  represents  the  conduct 
of  Christ  more  passive,  and  is  more  suitable.  [Cod.  Sinait.  reads  fv  t?)  Se|ia,and  eTri  Tf)?  K.i<pa\rts  for  iirl 
rrjv  Kecpa\T}i/. — P.  8.] 

;  tion,  see  John  xviii.  ver.  29  ff.  From  the  same  pas- 
sage, vers.  34-37,  we  learn  that  Jesus,  before  reply- 
ing m  the  affirmative,  asked  whether  Pilate  used  the 
expression,  Kinff  of  the  Jews,  in  a  Eoman  or  a  Jew- 
ish sense.  The  chief  point  for  Matthew  was,  that 
Jesus,  even  before  Pilate,  the  civU  ruler,  declared 
Himself  expUcitly  to  be  the  Messiah.  Theophylact 
has,  without  reason,  interpreted  av  \eye  is  as  an 
evasive  answer. 

Ver.  12.  He  answered  nothing. — After  He 
had,  according  to  John  xviii.  37,  declared  that  He 
was  the  Messiah,  and  in  what  sense.  He  made  no  an- 
swer to  the  most  diverse  accusations  and  questions, 
and  spake  not  till  Pilate  cast  in  His  teeth  the  taunt, 
"  Knowest  Thou  not  that  I  have  power  to  crucify 
Thee,  and  have  power  to  release  Thee  ?  "  John  xix. 
10.  The  accusations  were  by  His  silence  stamped 
as  groundless,  and  this  majesty  of  silence  filled  Pi- 
late with  wonder  and  amazement. 

Ver.  15.  Now  at  the  feast. — Annually,  at  the 
Passover.  The  Passover  was  the  Jewish  feast  /cot' 
f^oxvv,  and  the  connection  shows  that  to  this  festi- 
val reference  is  here  made.  The  antiquity  of  this 
custom  is  unknown.  The  Talmud  makes  no  allusion 
to  it ;  but  that  is  in  all  Ukelihood  an  intentional  over- 
sight. Grotius  says,  this  custom  was  introduced  by 
the  Romans  for  the  purpose  of  flattering  the  Jews. 
Braune :  "  The  Roman  and  Greek  custom  of  releas- 
ing prisoners  upon  the  birthdays  and  festive  seasons 
"  the  emperors,  and  upon  days  of  public  rejoicing, 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

General  View. — Matthew  describes  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  chiefly  from  the  theocratic  point  of  view. 
Hence,  under  the  general  head  of  a  theocratic  refer- 
ence, we  would  group  the  silence  of  Jesus  before  Pi- 
late, after  He  had  declared  that  He  was  the  Messiah ; 
His  being  put  upon  an  equahty  with  Barabbas  ;  the 
testimony  of  the  wife  of  Pilate,  and  the  testimony  of 
Pilate  hunself  (following  that  of  Judas) ;  the  cry  of 
the  Jews :  "  His  blood,"  etc. ;  and  the  detailed  narra- 
tion of  the  mocking  Christ  in  His  kingly  nature,  on 
the  part  of  the  soldiers.  The  events,  according  to 
the  Evangehsts,  occurred  in  the  following  order : — 
At  first  Pilate  wished  to  hand  Jesus  over  to  the  Jew- 
ish court,  that  is,  to  receive  a  simple  ecclesiastical 
censure.  Then  he  sent  Jesus  to  Herod,  to  get  rid  of 
the  difficulty.  Thereupon  occurred  the  presentation 
of  Christ  along  with  Barabbas,  and,  after  the  faUure 
of  that  device,  the  significant  hand-washing.  Then, 
the  presentation  of  Jesus  to  the  people,  after  He  had 
been  scourged :  £cce  homo.  Piually,  the  scornful 
treatment  of  the  Jews  by  Pilate,  designed  to  veil  his 
own  disgrace.* 

Ver.  11.  Art  Thou  the  King  of  the  Jews  ?— 
For  the  circumstances  leading  Pilate  to  put  this  ques- 

*  [In  German:  '■'•  Schliesslich  eine  hohnische  Behand- 
lung  der  Jxulen,  die  seine  (viz.,  Pilate"s)  Schrnach  verUul- 
len  sollte."  Dr.  Lange  refers  evidently  to  the  mockery  of 
the  Jews  by  Pilate  related  in  John  sis.  14, 15,  20,  22.  The 
Edinb.  edition  entirely  misunderstands  this  sentence  in 
translating:  "The  conclusion  of  all  being  the  ironical  con- 
duct of  the  Jews,  as  if  they  wished  to  throw  a  cloak  over 
Jlis  indignities.'"  Here  the  word  Behandlung  was  probably 
mistaken  for  Handlung,  and  the  subject  changed.— P.  S.] 


of 

had  been  undoubtedly  introduced  among  the  Jews 
before  the  time  of  Pilate,  to  soften  the  Roman  yoke." 
Meyer :  "  We  must  not  overlook  a  reference  to  the 
significance  of  the  Passover."  Hence  our  thoughts 
are  carried  back  to  the  free  escape  of  the  Israehtish 


CHAP.  XXVn.  11-81. 


511 


first-born.  Looked  at  in  this  light,  the  release  of 
the  prisoners  at  the  Passover  reminds  us  of  the 
Good  Friday  dramas  of  southern  Roman  Catholic 
countries.  The  custom,  as  a  Jewish  custom,  was 
improper,  aud  was  opposed  to  the  law,  especially  in 
such  a  case  as  the  present,  Exod.  xxi.  12.  Barab- 
bas  had  bean  arrested  for  sedition  and  murder,  Luke 
xxiii.  19.  ^ 

Ver.  16.  They  had  then  a  notorious  prison- 
er.— The  wardens  of  the  jails,  m  which  were  con- 
fined those  who  had  committed  offences  against  the 
Roman  laws. 

Called  Barabbas. — Several  cursive  MSS.,  ver- 
sions, scholiasts,  and  also  Origen,  read  Jesus  Barab- 
bas. See  note  appended  to  the  text.  Barabbas,  = 
N3X  ~i3  ,  which  appears  frequently,  according  to 
Lightfoot,  in  the  Talmud,  means  "  the  father's  son." 
Ewald  says  :  "He  was  the  son  of  a  rabbi."  Theo- 
phylact  saw  in  it  an  allusion  to  Antichrist,  "  the  «on 
of  the  devil."  On  the  contrary,  Olsliausen  makes  it 
refer  to  the  Son  of  God,  and  finds  in  it  a  play  of  di- 
vine providence,  according  to  the  proverb :  Ludit  in 
humanis  divina  pofenfia  rebus.  DeWette  terms  this 
a  very  improper  play  of  pious  wit ;  and  yet  he  must 
acknowledge  it  to  be  possible  that  Barabbas,  being  a 
mover  of  sedition  (Luke  xxiii.  19),  might  have  play- 
ed the  part  of  a  false  prophet,  or  a  messiah.  The 
objection,  that  he  would  not  have  committed  a  mur- 
der had  he  been  representing  himself  as  a  messiah,  is 
of  no  weight.  Let  us  now  conceive  to  ourselves  the 
whole  state  of  matters  :  a  Jesus  Barabbas,  the  son 
of  the  father,  a  pseudo-messiah,  is  presented  to  the 
Jews  along  with  Jesus  Christ.  Surely  in  all  this 
may  easily  be  seen  a  striking  sport  of  so-called 
"chance."  And  why  should  the  supposition  that 
providence  controlled  the  similarity  and  difierence 
between  the  two  names,  be  so  senseless  ?  It  is  con- 
ceivable, however,  that  the  Christian  tradition  re- 
moved the  name  Jesus,  out  of  reverence. 

Ver.  17.  When  they  ■were  gathered  togeth- 
er.— Pilate  had  by  this  time  discovered  how  matters 
stood.  In  his  crooked  pohcy,  accordingly,  he  calcu- 
lated upon  certain  success,  when  he  should  place  the 
notorious  or  distinguished  criminal  side  by  side  with 
Jesus,  for  the  Jews  to  choose  which  of  the  two  should 
be  released.  Besides,  he  appears  to  have  waited  cun- 
ningly till  the  people  had  reassembled  in  very  large 
numbers  before  his  palace  on  the  Antonia,  after  hav- 
ing gone  and  returned  with  the  train  which  conduct- 
ed Jesus  to  Herod.  Because,  according  to  Luke,  this 
train  had  gone  off  before  the  events  here  recorded 
occurred.  Pilate  knew  by  this  time  how  envious  the 
members  of  the  Sanhedrm  were  of  Jesus,  and  must 
from  this  conclude  that  he  stood  high  in  the  favor 
of  the  people. 

Ver.  18.  For  envy. — The  Evangelist  mentions 
here,  in  a  historical  connection,  envy  as  the  cause  of 
all  the  hostility  manifested  against  Jesus,  as  if  it 
,  were  something  well  tmderstood. 

Ver.  19.  When  he  was  set  down  on  the 
judgment-seat. — The  people  had  a  moment  for  con- 
sideration, and  Pilate  regards  the  issue  as  one  of 
such  certainty,  that  he  ascends  the  seat  of  judgment 
to  receive  the  decision  of  the  people,  and  to  pro- 
nounce judgment  accordingly.  The  judge  was  re- 
quired to  pronounce  judgment  from  a  lofty  seat  of 
authority,  from  his  chair  of  office.  This  stood  usu- 
ally upon  a  stone  pavement  {Lithostroton,  in  Hebrew, 
Gabbatha,  John  xix.  13).* 

♦[The  Kdinb.  translation  reads:  "This  stood,  uvfortu- 


His  wife  sent  to  him.— This  fitct  is  found  in 
Matthew  only.  As  formerly,  according  to  Matthew, 
the  spirit  of  truth  had  in  visions  of  the  night  borne 
witness  for  the  new-born  Jesus,  and  as  the  testunony 
of  the  heathen  magi  had  in  the  day-season  confirmed 
this  witness,  so  on  this  occasion  is  the  solemn,  polit- 
ical testimony  of  Pilate  on  behalf  of  the  suffering  Je- 
sus strengthened  by  a  witness  speaking  out  of  the 
dream-life  of  his  wife.  Thus  it  is  that  each  Evange- 
Ust  selects  out  of  the  store  of  facts  those  which  accord 
best  with  his  views  and  purpose.  From  the  time  of 
Augustus,  it  became  usual  for  the  Roman  governors 
to  take  their  wives  along  with  them  into  the  prov- 
mces,  though  the  custom  was  attacked  down  till  the 
age  of  Tiberius :  Tacit.  Annal.  iii.  33.  Pilate's  wife, 
according  to  a  tradition,  given  in  Niceph.  Eist.  Eccles. 
i.  30,  was  called  Claudia  Procida  or  Procla,  and 
was,  according  to  the  Gospel  by  Nicodemus,  eeoue- 
;8i7$,  i.  e.,  a  proselyte  of  the  gate,  and  perhaps  one 
who  revered  Jesus.  The  Greek  Church  has  canon- 
ized her. 

Have  nothing  to  do  with  that  just  man. — 
She  designates  Jesus  the  Just,  and  hints  that  Pilate, 
by  injuring  Him,  may  subject  himself  to  the  divine 
punishment.— For  I  have  suffered  Eiuch.- An 
ordinary  dream  would  not  be  spoken  of  in  this  way, 
as  a  dream  of  bitter  agony.  Xor  would  such  a  dream 
have  led  a  Roman  wife  to  send  a  dissuasive  message 
to  her  husband  when  seated  upon  the  judgment-seat. 
Some  apparition,  something  supernatural,  awful,  must 
be  here  understood.  Hence  many  have  attributed 
this  dream  to  a  direct  interposition  of  God,  especially* 
Origen,  Chrysostom,  Augustin ;  others — namely,  Ig- 
natius {Epist.  ad  Phil.  cap.  4),  Beda,  Bernard,  also 
the  old  Saxon  Gospel-Harmony,  Heliand — ascribe 
the  dream  in  a  naive  way  to  the  devil,  who  wished  in 
this  way  to  prevent  the  redeeming  death  of  Jesus. 
Of  course  the  dream  may  have  arisen  quite  naturally, 
as  de  Wette  and  Meyer  hold.  The  governor's  wife 
knew  something  of  the  mission  of  Jesus ;  and  the 
night  before,  the  Sanhedrin  Jiad  in  all  probability 
alarmed  the  procurator's  household,  coming  to  de- 
mand a  guard.  But  this  view  does  not  mihtate 
against  di\-ine  interposition,  although  the  Evangelist 
makes  no  allusion  to  such  intervention.  The  dream 
was  a  morning  dream,  hence  (rri  fxe  pov  , — according 
to  the  Roman  time-division,  from  twelve  at  midnight. 
Klopstock  makes  Socrates  appear  in  the  dream  to 
the  wife  of  Pilate  (in  the  seventh  Song  of  the  3fes- 
sias). 

[It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  a  woman,  and  she  a 
heathen,  should  be  the  only  human  being  who  had 
the  courage  to  plead  the  cause  of  our  Saviour  during 
these  dreadful  hours  when  His  own  disciples  forsook 
Him,  and  when  the  fanatical  multitude  cried  out: 
Crucify  Him,  crucify  Him  !  It  is  equally  remark- 
able that  she  should  call  Him  ZiKaios  i  k^ ivos, 
that  just  man,  and  thus  remind  one  of  the  most 
memorable  unconscious  prophecy  of  heathenism, 
viz.,  Plato's  description  of  the  perfect  SiKaior,  who. 


tiately,  upon  a  stone  foundation."  It  is  as  difficult  to  see 
the  connection  of  the  German  uhlicher  Weise  (usually) 
with  uvfortunaitly,  as  the  connection  of  misfortune  with  a 
stone  foundation,  linless  some  one  happens  to  fall  on  it.  It 
is  hardlv  conceivable  that  the  translator  should  have  deriv- 
ed 80  plain  a  word  as  uhlich^  customary,  usual,  from  Uebel, 
evil,  instead  of  uben,  to  practine.—P.  S.] 

*  [Not :  natnely,  as  the  Edinb.  translation  reads,  which 
uniformly  confounds  namentlich  (enpecially)  with  ndmlich 
(nar/je/y),  althoujrh  in  this  case  the  preceding  wany  (i-ieZd 
in  Gerinan,  for  which  the  Edinb.  trsl.  substitutes  some) 
should  have  jireventcd  the  mistake.— P.  S.] 


512 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


"  without  doing  any  wrong,  may  assume  the  appear- 
ance of  the  grossest  injustice  {ixri^ei'  yap  aSiKwi/  So^av 
c'XfTa'  TVS  /xeyiarris  &.SiKias) ; "  yea,  who  "  shall  be 
scourged,  tortured,  fettered,  deprived  of  his  eyes,  and, 
after  having  endured  all  possible  sufferings,  fastened 
to  a  post,  must  restore  again  the  beginning  and  pro- 
totype of  righteousness  "  (.see  Plato,  Politicly  vol.  iv. 
p.  74  sqq.  ;  ed.  Ast,  p.  360  sq.,  ed.  Bip.,  and  my 
History  of  the  Apostolic  Church,  p.  433  sq.).  Aris- 
totle, too,  says  of  the  perfectly  just  man,  "  that  he 
stands  so  far  above  the  political  order  and  constitu- 
tion as  it  exists,  that  he  must  break  it,  wherever  he 
appears."  The  prophecies  of  Greek  wisdom  and  the 
majesty  of  the  Roman  law  here  unite  in  a  Roman 
lady,  I  he  wife  of  the  imperial  representative  in  Jeru- 
salem, to  testify  to  the  innocence  and  mission  of 
Christ.  It  is  very  likely  that  the  wife  of  Pilate  was 
one  of  those  God-fearing  heathen  women,  who,  with- 
out embracing  the  Jewish  religion,  were  longing  and 
groping  in  the  dark  after  the  "  unknown  God." — 
P.  S.] 

Ver.  20.  But  the  cliief  priests  and  the  elders 
persuaded. — The  members  of  the  Sanhedrin  availed 
themselves  of  the  delay  during  which  Pilate  was  oc- 
cupied in  receiving  this  message,  to  canvass  the  peo- 
ple and  obtam  their  support.  The  two  warnings 
which  came,  the  one  from  the  thoughtful  presenti- 
ment of  a  pious  spirit  to  Pilate,  the  other  from  the 
tortured  conscience  of  Judas  to  the  priests — proved 
fruitless ;  indeed,  the  first  occasioned  only  a  delay 
which  the  enemies  of  Jesus  turned  to  their  account. 
Nevertheless  the  testimony  of  his  wife  was  not  wholly 
lost  on  Pilate,  for  it  reacted  upon  his  own  later  sol- 
emn testimony. 

Ver.  21.  But  he  ansiwered,  aTrojcpieeJs  Se. 
— Meyer  properly  explains.  He  replies  to  these  prep- 
arations on  the  part  of  the  Sanhedrin,  which  he 
overhears  from  his  chair,  by  asking  the  people  again, 
and  more  definitely :  Which  of  the  two,  etc.,  and 
so  puts  a  stop  to  this  canvassing  of  the  priests. 

Ver.  22.  Let  Him  be  crucified,  ar  av  puOv- 
T  a> . — They  might  have  asked  simply  that  he  would 
confirm  the  condemnation  for  blasphemy,  and  sen- 
tence Jesus  to  the  Jewish  mode  of  execution  by  ston- 
ing ;  but  they  go  further,  and  demand  his  active  co- 
operation in  the  judgment.  They  wished  Jesus  to  be 
executed  as  an  insurrectionist,  and  hence  to  be  cru- 
cified according  to  the  Roman  custom.  They  sought 
by  this  extreme  penalty  and  this  deepest  disgrace  to 
annihilate  the  memory  of  Jesus,  and  to  stake  the 
Roman  might  against  faith  in  Him.  Thus,  in  their 
senseless,  self-destructive  fanaticism,  they  consigned 
to  the  Roman  cross  their  ov/n  Messianic  idea ;  for 
the  accusation,  that  Jesus  was  a  mover  of  sedition, 
was  only  an  inference  which  they  deduced  from  the 
Messianic  dignity  claimed  by  Jesus. 

Ver.  23.  What  evil  then  hath  He  done? 
Ti  yap  kukov  i  tt  o  It]  a  e  v  ; — then,  yap,  implies 
that  they  must  be  able  to  give  positive  reasons  for 
His  death.  The  Evangelist  passes  by,  however,  the 
further  special  points,  and  represents  only  the  efiect 
of  the  uproar,  which  threatened  to  become  an  insur- 
rection. 

Ver.  24.  Washed  his  hands. — A  symbolical 
act  of  Jewish  custom  (consult  Deut.  xxi.  6  ;  Sota,  8, 
6),  by  which  one  frees  oneself  solemnly  from  guilt. 
Pilate  adopted  a  Jewish  custom,  to  make  himself 
from  their  own  stand-point  fully  understood,  and 
probably  also  to  make  a  final  attempt  to  dissuade 
them  from  the  course  they  were  pursuing.  "  The 
heathen  practice  of  cleansing  the  hands  to  clear  them 


from  the  guilt  of  murder  after  it  had  been  commit- 
ted, might,  from  its  analogy,  have  led  to  the  adop- 
tion of  the  Jewish  custom."  Meyer.  The  matter, 
however,  was  important  enough  to  call  for  a  peculiar 
symbolic  expression.  [Pilate  washed  his  hands,  but 
not  his  heart,  and  in  delivering  up  Christ,  whom  he 
pronounced  innocent,  he  condemned  himself.  Sense 
of  guilt  made  him  a  coward.] 

Ver.  25.  His  blood  be  on  us. — That  is,  the 
punishment  for  His  death,  if  He  be  guiltless.  That 
Matthew  is  the  only  one  who  records  this  act  of  self- 
cursing  on  the  part  of  the  people,  cannot  throw  any 
doubt  upon  the  truthfulness  of  the  same,  when  we  re- 
member that  he  wrote  for  Jewish  Christians,  and 
brought,  in  this  declaration,  the  saddest  truth  before 
his  nation.  The  early  Christians  had  reason  to  see 
in  the  speedily  following  downfall  of  the  Jewish  state 
a  fulfilment  of  this  imprecation.  [The  history  of  the 
Jews  for  these  eighteen  hundred  years  is  a  continued 
fulfilment  of  this  daring  and  impious  imprecation,  this 
fearful  legacy  bequeathed  by  the  murderers  of  Jesus 
to  their  posterity.  Yet  for  repenting  and  believing 
Jews,  this  curse  is  turned  into  a  blessing ;  the  blood  of 
Jesus  which  cleanseth  from  all  sin,  and  speaketh  bet- 
ter things  than  that  of  Abel,  comes  upon  them  as  a 
cleansing  and  healing  stream,  and  may  yet  come  upon 
this  whole  race,  after  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  has 
been  saved,  Rom.  xi.  25,  26. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  26.  But  Jesus  he  (caused  to  be)  scourg- 
ed.*— The  Roman  scourging,  of  which  mention  is 
here  made,  was  much  more  severe  than  the  Jewish. 
According  to  the  latter,  only  the  upper  part  of  the 
body  was  bared  ;  according  to  the  former,  the  entire 
body.  The  Jews  numbered  the  lashes  (2  Cor.  xi.  24) ; 
the  Romans  laid  them  on  without  number  or  mercy. 
Besides,  the  Roman  scourge  was  more  excruciating. 
None  but  slaves  were  subjected  to  this  flogging,  Acts 
xxii.  25.  Little  value  was  attached  to  a  slave's  life, 
mucli  less  his  feeUngs.  It  is  a  matter  of  controversy 
whether  bones,  iron  teeth,  or  leaden  balls,  were  in- 
serted among  the  thongs  of  the  lash  {see  Heubner,  p. 
435).  "  That  such  lashes  ai-e  mentioned,  is  not  to 
be  doubted ;  one  of  such  a  description  was  called 
fidcTTt^  aarpayaXoiTv,  a  knout  with  bones  woven  to 
the  end  of  the  thongs,  from  aaTpdyaXoi,  a  joint  of 
the  back-bone,  then  dice,  talus."  The  Romans 
scourged  in  two  different  ways.  Those  who  were 
condemned  to  be  crucified  were  flogged  after  one 
fashion..  This  scourging  was  so  cruel,  that  the  crim- 
inals died  frequently  while  undergoing  the  punish- 
ment. Another  kind  of  scourging  was  inflicted  upon 
dehnquents  who  were  not  condemned  to  capital  pun- 
ishment, for  the  pm-poso  either  of  extorting  a  con- 
fession from  them,  or  to  punish  them  for  a  crime. 
This  was  the  kind  of  scourging  to  which  Pilate  sub- 
jected Jesus.  It  was  no  less  cruel  than  the  other, 
inasmuch  as  it  lay  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  judge 
to  declare  how  far  the  punishment  was  to  be  carried. 
— See  FriedUeb,  p.  114. — De  Wette  :  "  Matthew  and 
Mark  represent  Jesus  as  sufiering  the  scourging  which 
the  Romans  inflicted  upon  those  condemned  to  the 


*  [The  verb  cppayeWoai,  which  occurs  twice  in  the 
N.  T.,  here  and  Mark  sv.  15,  and  the  noun  <ppay  fXKiov, 
which  occurs  once,  John  ii.  15,  are  Latin  terms  {flagtUo, 
flagelluvi),  introduced  into  the  later  Greek  for  the  moi'e 
usual  fjLacT  T  i^oo  or  /xarr  t  lyoai,  and  jj-dcrr  i^  or  i  /i  a  r 
(a  ichip,  a  scoiM-ge).  Luke  (xxiii.  10)  uses  in  this  connec- 
tion the  more  general  term  tt  aiSe  v  a  as  avT  6vy  having 
chastised  Ilim,  John  (si.x.  1),  the  more  usual  word  4fJ.aa- 
TiyaxreVy  scourged  Uim.—V.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXYII.  11-31. 


513 


cross.  (Liv.  xxxii.  S6  ;  Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  v.  11,  1 ; 
Hieron.  ad  Matt,  xxvii.*)  According  to  Luke,  Pilate 
merely  proposes  to  punish,  that  is,  to  scourge,  Jesus, 
and  then  release  Ilim ;  but  from  his  account  (xxiii. 
16)  it  would  appear  that  there  had  been  no  actual 
infliction  of  scourging.  From  John  xLs.  1,  it  seems 
that  Pilate  caused  Jesus  to  be  really  scourged,  hoping 
thus  to  satisfy  the  Jews,  and  to  awaken  their  sympa- 
thy. Paulus  holds  John's  accoimt  to  be  the  decisive 
one,  and  hence  falsely  explains  our  passage :  after 
having  already  previously  caused  Him  to  be  scourged.\ 
Strauss  (ii.  625)  considers  that  the  Synoptists  give 
the  more  correct  and  earlier  account."  It  is  manifest 
that  John's  narrative  is  the  most  exact.  The  scour;:in;,' 
which  Pilate  inflicted  was  employed,  it  would  seer.!,  as 
a  punishment  of  Him  whom  he  considered  innocent,  in 
order  to  satisfy  the  accusers,  and  to  move  them  to 
compassion.  It  was  a  police  correction,  and  the 
right  of  inflicting  it  rested  upon  the  right  to  employ 
torture.  In  this  sense  it  was  that  Pilate  had  long 
ere  this,  according  to  Luke,  proposed  to  scourge  Je- 
sus, hoping  by  this  act  to  work  upon  the  feelings  of 
the  people,  and  to  influence  them  in  their  choice  be- 
tween Barabbas  and  Christ.  Hence  Luke  considers 
it  superfluous  to  record  the  later,  actual  chastisement. 
Matthew  presents  the  scourgmg  in  its  significance 
as  an  actual  fact,  which,  in  his  eyes,  was  the  transi- 
tion from  trial  to  crucifixion,  the  first  act  in  the  cru- 
cifixion agonies.  He  might  all  the  more  properly 
view  the  scourging  in  this  light,  inasmuch  as  Pilate 
sought  to  effect,  in  his  hesitation,  a  twofold  object. 
At  one  moment  it  seemed  as  though  he  would  him- 
self take  the  initiative  in  the  crucifixion ;  again,  as 
though  he  would  craftily  ovennaster  the  Jews. — "  It 
was  usually  lictors  that  scourged ;  but  Pilate,  being 
only  sub-governor,  had  no  command  over  lictors, 
and"  so  handed  Jesus  over  to  the  soldiers.  Hence  it 
is  probable  that  Jesus  was  not  beaten  with  rods,  but 
scourged  with  twisted  thongs  of  leather."  Fricdlieb, 
p.  115.  Those  who  were  flogged  were  tied  to  a  pil- 
lar; generally  they  were  bound  in  a  stooping  posture 
to  a  low  block,  and  so  the  skin  of  the  naked  back 
was  stretched  tight,  and  fully  exposed  to  the  fearful 
lashes.  The  whips  were  either  rods  or  thongs,  to  the 
ends  of  which  lead  or  bones  were  attached,  to  in- 
crease the  tension  of  the  lash,  and  render  the  blow 
the  more  fearful.  The  backs  of  the  prisoners  were 
completely  flayed  by  tliis  process.  They  "frequently 
fainted,  and  sometuues  died.  The  soldiers  would  not 
inflict  the  punishment  mildiy,  for  they  were  the  cruel 
ones  who  m-jcked  Him  aftei- ward.    It  was,  moreover, 


♦[Jerome  says  on  Matt,  sxvii.  2G:  ^'■Sciendum  est  Ro- 
mania eum  {PiUitum)  legibua  ministraifse,  quibus  sanci- 
titm  est,  ut  qui  crucifigitui',  prius  flageUis  verberttur. 
Trnditus  eiit  itaque  Jesus  militibus  verberandus,  et  illud 
sacratiaxiriium  corpus  pectusque  Dei  capax,flugeUa  see- 
nerunt"'  etc.  He  then  says  this  was  (lone  "that  by  His 
stripes  we  niizlit  bo  healed"  (Isa.  liii.  5). — P.  S.] 

t  [This  sentence,  as  well  as  the  whole  quotation,  and  the 
following  passage,  is  entirely  mistranslated  in  the  Edinb. 
edition;  "a>i4  so  he  rejects  the  atatement  Jiere  contained 
as/alse."  He  Wctte  (on  Matt  sxvii.  20)  as  here  quoted  by 
Lausje  (an;!  correctly  quoted),  ascribes  to  Paulus  of  Ilciik-l- 
berg  no  dinial  of  the  fact  of  scourging  asserted  by  Matthew, 
but  a  false  interpretation  of  (ppayeWtoaas  as  expret^sing  an 
action  which  occurred  at  a  previous  stage  according  to  John 
xix.  1.  Ile6<iys:  "Paulus  halt  den  Bericbt  des  Johannes 
fur  maassgebend  und  erkliirt  daher  unsere  Stelle  (i.  <>.,  Matt. 
xxvii.  26)~falsch:  nachdem  er  ihn  vorher  schon  fuitte  geis- 
seln  lasxeii."  The  words  in  italics  are  quoted  from  Paulus. 
Some  commenfcitors  assume  that  Jesus  was  scourged  twice; 
but  this  is  improbable  and  unnecessary,  as  the  chronological 
diiHculty  can  be  satisfactorily  accounted  for  in  the  manner 
proposed  by  Dr.  Lange  in  the  text. — P.  S.] 


33 


I  the  policy  of  Pilate  that  Jesus  should  be  perfectly 
disfigured. 

Ver.  26.  He  delivered  Him  to  be  crucified. 

— The  actual  decision  succeeded  the  presentation  of 
Jesus,  after  His  being  scourged  and  crowned  with 
thorns.  The  history  which  Matthew  gives  of  these 
circumstances  is  quite  systematic.  The  matter  was 
now  as  good  as  settled.  The  form  of  the  sentence 
was  not  prescribed,  but  must  be  short  and  vaUd.  It 
was  commonly  :  Ibis  ad  crucem.  By  the  time  these 
transactions  were  over,  it  was  already,  as  John  in- 
forms us,  the  sixth  hour,  toward  mid-day. 

[By  delivering  Jesus  to  the  Sanhedrin,  Pilate  sac- 
rificed his  lofty  and  independent  position  as  a  secular 
judge  and  representative  of  the  Roman  law,  to  the 
religious  fanaticism  of  the  Jemsh  hierarchy.  The 
state  became  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  an  apostate  and 
blood-thirsty  church.  How  often  has  this  fact  been 
repeated  in  the  history  of  religious  persecution !  By 
this  act  Pilate  condemned  hhnself,  and  gave  addi- 
tional force  to  his  previous  testimony  of  the  inno- 
cence of  Christ,  showing  that  this  was  dictated  nei- 
ther by  fear  nor  favor,  but  was  the  involuntary  ex- 
pression of  his  remainuig  sense  of  justice  from  the 
judgment-seat. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  27.  Into  the  praetoriiun  or  governor's 
house. — Luther  translates  tt  pan  dip  lov  by  Fdch- 
thaiis  {common  hall).  Its  original  meaning  is  the 
tent  of  the  general  in  the  Roman  camp  :  then  it  came 
to  sigTiify  the  residence  of  the  provincial  ruler  {pra- 
ior,  proprcetor),  where  the  court  of  justice  likewise 
was  held.  The  prcetorlutn  is  consequently  the  resi- 
dence of  a  military,  or  a  civil  and  military  magistrate ; 
and  hence  it  is  connected  with  the  main  guard-house, 
and  equally  with  the  state-prison  (Acts  xxiii.  35). 
"  ^Vlready  existing  palaces  were  employed  as  jirce- 
toria  in  the  provincial  towns ;  and  we  see  from  Jo- 
seph. Bell.  Jud.  ii.  14,  8,  that  the  procurators  of  Ju- 
dsea,  when  they  were  in  Jerusalem,  converted  the 
palace  of  Herod  into  a  prcEtorium."  V/iner.  Is  it 
certain,  however,  that  the  palace  of  Herod  was  al- 
ways so  used  '/  According  to  tradition,  the  governor 
lived  in  the  lower  city,  and,  as  some  more  definitely 
assert,  in  the  fortress  Aatonia.  Winer  is  of  opin- 
ion, that  Pilate  would  find  the  empty,  waste-standing 
palace  of  Herod  the  most  convenient  residence.  But 
where,  in  that  case,  would  Herod  Antipas,  who  had 
come  up  to  the  feast,  dwell  ?  There  is  nothing  cer- 
tain to  be  made  out.  The  following  fact,  however, 
speaks  in  support  of  tlic  fortress  Antonia.  The 
scourging  had  taken  place  in  front  of  the  prceforium. 
Then  Christ  was  handed  over  to  the  soldiers ;  and 
they,  instead  of  leading  Jesus  away  immediately, 
commenced  to  mock  and  make  a  sport  of  Him.  To 
can-y  this  mockery  on  undisturbed,  they  conducted 
Jesus  into  the  court  of  the  pratorium.  In  this  con- 
duct, the  soldiers  followed  the  excitement  of  the  cap- 
ital in  its  hate  against  Jesus,  continuing  the  godless 
sport,  which  Herod  had  begun  when  he  invested  the 
Lord  in  a  white  robe,  the  token  of  candidateship, 
a,nd  so  make  a  mock  of  His  claim  to  the  throne.  Pi- 
late had,  however,  the  double  design,  cither  to  mol- 
lify the  Jews  by  the  sight  of  the  derided  Jesus,  or  to 
mock  them  through  Him,  should  his  cunning  plan 
fail. 

And  gathered  unto  him  the  whole  band. — 
This  is  conclusive  for  the  place  being  the  fortress 
Antonia :  o-  tt  e  Tp  a ,  the  tenth  of  a  legion,  from  400 
to  600  men.* 

*  [The  Edinb.  translation  magnifies  the  company  to  4,600 


514 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


Ver.  28.  And  they  stripped  Him.-Meycr  adopts 
the  reading  4v^v  a  avr  es,  they  dothed  Him,  and  ex- 
plains that  His  clothes  had  been  torn  of}'  to  scourge 
Him,  and  were  now  again  put  on.  But  the  clothing  is 
silently  implied — mention  being  made  here  of  a  new 
maltreatment.  Perhaps  they  may  have  first  put  on 
again  the  white  dress  in  which  Herod  had  caused 
Him  to  lie  clothed,  to  mark  Him  out  as  a  candidate 
for  royal  honors,  and  then  taken  it  off  in  order  to 
invest  Him  with  the  scarlet  robe,  the  sign  of  His 
having  attained  to  kingly  dignity.  The  drama  would 
thus  be  complete.  They,  accordingly,  again  strip- 
ped off  His  outer  garment,  and,  instead  of  it,  put  on 
a  scarlet  military  cloak,  sagum,  which  was  intended 
to  represent  the  imperial  purple  ;  "  for  even  kings 
and  emperors  wore  the  sarjum  (only  longer  and  finer)." 
Meyer.  The  mantle  was  a  pallium  dyed  with  cochi- 
neal. The  epithets,  purple,  purple  robe,  used  by 
Mark  and  John,  are  explained  by  the  fact,  that  they 
had  before  them  the  ironical  import  of  the  cloak. 

Ver.  29.  A  crown  of  thorns. — It  is  impossible 
to  settle  accurately  what  particular  kind  of  thorns  was 
employed  to  crown  Jesus.  Paulus  assumes,  without 
good  reason,  that  the  crown  was  made  of  blooming 
branches  of  the  hedge-thorn  (Michaelis,  of  bear's 
wort).  Meyer  :  "  A  wreath  of  young,  supple  thorn- 
twigs,  with  which  they  would  caricature  the  bay 
crown,  as  they  did  the  sceptre  by  the  reed.  Their 
object  is  not  to  occasion  pain,  but  to  mock."  Why 
thorns  then  ?  Consult  Winer,  art.  Born,  as  to  the 
plentiful  supply  of  thorns  in  Palestine.  Hug  con- 
siders it  was  the  buckthorn.  Braune  :  Perhaps  the 
crown  was  made  from  the  supple  twigs  of  the  Syrian 
acacia,  which  had  thorns  as  long  as  a  finger. 

And  a  reed  in  His  right  hand. — John  omits 
this  point,  from  which  we  might  suppose  that  the 
reed  had  not  remained  in  His  hand.  Probably  a  so- 
called  Cyprian  (we  say  now  Spanish)  reed.  Sepp, 
iii.  516.  De  Wette  says,  a-neeT^Kav  does  not  agree 
with  KaAafMop.  His  iOjiKuf  does  not  agree,  liowever, 
with  the  idea  of  a  hand,  which  did  not  need  to  close 
on  receiving  the  reed. 

And  they  bowed  the  knee. — "After  they 
clothed  Ilim,  they  began  their  feigned  homage,  bow- 
ing the  knee,  and  greeting,  according  to  the  usual 
form  :  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews  !  " 

[On  the  symbolical  meaning  of  this  mock-adora- 
tion, Wordsworth  obsei-ves  :  "All  these  things,  done 
in  mockery,  were  so  ordered  by  God  as  to  have  a 
divine  meaning.  He  (Christ)  is  clothed  in  scarlet 
and  puiple,  for  He  is  a  military  (?)  conqueror  and 
King ;  He  is  crowned  with  thorns,  for  He  has  a  dia- 
dem won  by  suffering,  the  diadem  of  the  world ;  He 
has  a  reed  in  His  hand,  for  He  wields  a  royal  scep- 
tre, earned  by  the  weakness  of  humanity  {see  Phil.  ii. 
8-11).  The  cross  is  laid  on  His  shoulder,  for  this 
is  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man,  the  trophy  of  His  vic- 
tory, by  which  He  takes  away  sin  and  conquers  Sa- 
tan; His  titles  are  inscribed  upon  the  cross :  'King 
of  the  Jews,'  for  He  is  the  sovereign  Lord  of  Abra- 
ham and  all  his  seed.     In  all  these  circumstances,  as 


men.'  The  original  has  "4-600  J/c/wm;"  the  dash  being 
always  employed  in  Buch  cases  for  bis,  to.  The  number  of 
men  constituting  a  Roman  legion  varied  at  different  liaies 
and  according  to  circumstances  from  3,100  to  6,000  or  more. 
Consequently  a  (nre7pa  («^m/),  or  <«Aor*,  which  was  the 
tenth  part  of  a  legion,  embraced  from  300  to  600  men  or  more. 
In  Joseph.  Bell.  Jud.  iii.  4,  2,  of  eiglitffu  nitelpai  five  are 
said  to  contain  each  1,0»J0  men,  and  tlic  uthers  COO.  But  in 
Polybins  i)  (T7re7pa  is  only  the  third  part  of  a  coliort,  a  ma- 
niple, manipulufi.    See  Classical  Dictiona  -rcs.  —  1'.  S.] 


St.  Hilary  says.  He  is  worshipped  while  He  is  mock- 
er!. The  purple  is  the  dress  of  royal  honor;  His 
crown  of  victory  is  woven  with  thorns.  As  St.  Am- 
brose says  (in  Luke  xxiii.  11):  '■  illudentes,  ado- 
rant:  "-^P.  S.] 

Ver.  30.  And  they  spit  upon  Him. — Their 
cruelty,  and  the  intoxication  of  wickedness,  keep 
them  irom  carrying  out  to  the  close  the  caricature 
exactly.  The  Satanic  mockery  clianges  into  bratal 
maltreatment. 

Ver.  81.  And  after  they  had  mocked  Him. 
— And  after  the  presentation  to  the  people,  John  xix. 
5,  had  taken  place, — Pilate's  last  attempt  to  deliver 
Him.  After  the  final  decision,  they  clothed  Jesus  in 
His  own  garments,  to  lead  Him  away. 


DOCTEINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Jesus,  the  longed-for  Messiah  of  the  Jews, 
abandoned  by  His  people  to  the  detested  Gentiles. 
Christ,  the  desire  of  the  old  world,  driven  out  by  that 
old  world,  as  if  He  were  the  old  arch-enemy.  Or, 
the  condemnation  of  the  world  converted  through 
His  victorious  patience  into  the  world's  redemption. 

2.  Christ  before  the  judgment-scat  of  Pontius  Pi- 
late.— When  He  stood  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
Caiaphas,  He  pronounced  in  spirit  judgment  upon 
the  hierarchy  of  the  old  world  ;  but  in  that  He  Him- 
self bore  this  condemnation.  He  atoned  for  us.  So 
here,  standing  before  Pilate,  He  represents  the  judg- 
ment of  God  upon  the  old  world,  its  civilization  and 
arts  ;  but,  on  the  other  had.  He  takes  upon  Himself 
this  judgment,  and  makes  an  atonement  for  that 
world.  Here,  too.  He  stood  the  real  judge  Himself: 
here,  too,  did  He  suffer  Himself  to  be  judged. 

3.  The  hierarchy,  the  people's  uproar  (revolu- 
tion), the  secular  government,  and  the  soldiery  of  the 
okl  world,  are  all  involved  in  the  common  guilt  of 
the  maltreatment  and  execution  of  Christ,  though  the 
degree  of  their  guilt  differs. 

4.  Christ's  threefold  silence,  before  Caiaphas,  be- 
fore Herod,  and  before  Pilate,  not  a  silence  of  con- 
trition because  of  well-grounded  accusations,  but  an 
atoning  silence  of  majesty,  bcc^ause  of  the  worthless- 
ness  of  those  courts,  which  had  sunk  into  the  very 
depths  of  guilt.  In  this  light,  the  contrast  between 
the  moments  of  silence  and  of  reply  is  most  signifi- 
cant. 

5.  On  one  side,  the  testunony  of  Pilate's  wife  to 
the  Lord  stands  most  closely  connected  with  Pilate's 
own ;  but,  on  the  other,  is  strongly  opposed.  The  pious 
spirit ;  the  poUtical  time-server.  "  It  is  by  no  means 
unusual  to  see  noble,  pious  women  go  along  side  by 
side  with  vain,  worldly  men,  like  anxious  guardian 
angels,  and  in  moments  most  fraught  with  danger, 
step  in  their  way,  and  dissuade  them  fiom  sin." 
(From  the  author's  Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  3,  p.  1517.) 

6.  Persuaded  the  people  (ver.  2(i).— The  members 
of  the  Sanhedrin  stirred  up  undoubtedly  the  fanati- 
cism of  the  people.  They  would  say,  Jesus  had  been 
condemned  by  the  orthodox  court.  Barabbas  was, 
on  the  contrary,  a  champion  of  freedom  ;  that  Pilate 
wished  to  overthrow  their  right  of  choice,  their  civil 
rights,  their  spiritual  authority,  to  persecute  the  friend 
of  the  people,  etc.  And  so  Barabbas  would  be  grad- 
ually made  to  appear  to  the  people  by  the  statements 
of  these  demons  of  seduction  as  a  Messiah,  and  the 
Messiah  a  Barabbas. 

7.  Crucify  Him. — The  State  was  here  dethroned, 
and  made  subservient  to  the  Church.     Later,  again, 


CHAP.  XXYII.  11-31. 


515 


it  became  the  slave  of  the  heathen,  Roman  hierarchy, 
which  hated  and  persecuted  Christianity,  till  the  days 
of  Constantine.  Again,  the  hierarchy  of  the  Middle 
Ages  ruled  the  State  in  the  persecution  of  heretics. 
(Even  the  Emperor  Frederic  II.  *  pronounced  sen- 
tence of  outlawry  upon  all  who  were  excommunicat- 
ed from  the  Church,  unless  they  speedily  made  their 
peace  with  her.)  Finally,  the  relorm-detesting  hie- 
rarchy is  seen  again  and  again,  in  the  histories  of 
Roman  Catholic  states,  overriding  the  civil  power. 
Even  at  the  present  day,  France,  though  revolution- 
ized three  times,  will  not  suffer  a  person  who  has  re- 
tired from  the  priesthood  to  marry.  In  Austria,  a 
monk  can  obtain  from  the  civil  authorities  no  defence 
against  a  persecution  by  his  superiors,  as  bitter  as 
the  Inquisition  of  the  Middle  Ages  (at  least,  it  was  so 
till  very  recently). — The  old  wound  will  take  long  to 
heal. 

8.  The  crowd  of  those  who  cried  Jlosanna,  are 
driven  into  the  background  by  the  crowd  crying : 
Cruel/;/  Hun.  Hence  contradiction.  And  yet  agree- 
ment. The  same  people.  The  weakest  and  most 
cowardly,  who  ever  swim  with  the  stream,  allowed 
themselves  to  be  borne  along  with  both  streams. 

9.  The  self-cursing  of  the  Jewish  people,  a  Satan- 
ic prediction  of  the  people  of  the  prophets,  which 
was  the  last  evidence  and  extinction  of  their  pro- 
phetic gift.  The  final  prediction  of  Judaism  was  a 
cursing  of  themselves. 

10.  Pilate's  total  want  of  character  over  against 
the  perfect  character  (Heb.  i.  3,  xap"fTiip). 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

The  apparent  reconciliation  of  the  Jews  and  the 
Gentiles:  1.  In  its  deformity:  (a)  the  priests  sedu- 
cers of  the  worldlings,  the  Jews  seducers  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, who  hate  them ;  {h)  the  Roman  State  made  to 
be  the  executioner  of  the  decrees  of  that  Judaism 
which  it  despises  and  humbles ;  (c)  both  combined 
against  the  king  of  humanity.  2.  The  awful  results 
of  this  reconcihation :  («)  the  rejection  of  Christ ;  (b) 
the  new  separation,  which  appears  even  before  the 
crucifixion,  and  culminates  in  the  Jewish  war ;  (c)  the 
downfall  of  Judaism  ;  {d)  the  heavy  guilt  and  deep 
uneasiness  of  the  Gentile  world.  3.  The  significant 
signs  in  this  apparent  reconciliation :  («)  a  caricature ; 
but  also,  (h)  a  presage,  though  not  pattern,  of  the 
true  reconcihation,  which  Christ  instituted  by  His 
death,  between  Jews  and  Gentiles,  Eph.  ii.  14. — The 
judge  of  the  v,'orld  before  the  bar  of  the  old  world. 
— The  courageous  confession  and  witness  of  Christ 
before  Pilate  (1  Tim.  vi.  13;  Rev.  i.  5).— The  cahn 
consciousness  of  Christ  in  His  last  victorious  mo- 
ments (cahn  before  Caiaphas,  Herod,  Pilate). — The 
threefold  silence  of  Christ,  a  majestic  testimony:  1. 
To  the  etoi-ual  discourse  of  His  Hfe ;  2.  to  the  empti- 
ness of  His  enemies'  replies  ;  3.  to  His  certainty  of  a 
different  judgment  from  God. — What  were  the  mo- 
tives leading  Christ  one  time  to  speak,  again  to  keep 
silence,  before  the  judge?  1.  He  speaks  first  to 
preserve  His  self-consciousness  by  confession ;  sec- 

*[Not:  "Charles  the  Fifth,'"  as  the  Edinb.  translation 
reads;  for  he  belonsrs  no  more  to  the  middle  agi-s,  but  to 
the  modern  ajje,  being  a  conti-mporary  of  the  lielbrniation. 
Dr.  Lange  means  Frederic  II..  German  emperor  of  the  fa- 
mous honse  of  llohenstaiifen  in  "Wurtcmberg,  who  conquer- 
ed Jerusalem,  but  quarrelled  with  Pope  Orec;ory  IX..  was 
twice  excommunicated  by  him,  and  deposed  by  the  council 
of  Lyons,  and  wa.<  supposed  to  be  an  unbeliever,  although 
he  died  reconciled  to  the  Church;  a.  d.  1250.— P.  S.J 


[  ond,  to  save  His  enemies  by  a  great,  solemn  warn- 
ing.    2.  Jle  makes  no  reply  to  the  futile,  the  ambig- 
uous, the  confused,  which  must  overthrow  itself,  con- 
fute itself,  and  reveal  its  own  falsity ;  above  all,  He 
is  silent  before  the  unworthy  and  mean,  especially 
before  Herod. — Christ,  at  the  bar  of  the  world,  ac- 
quitted and  yet  condemned. — Christ  was  put  to  death, 
not  so  much  in  consequence  of  the  condemnation  of 
the  civil  authority,  as  in  consecjueuce  of  the  hierarch- 
ical revolution. — And  this  revolution  was  the  most 
disgraceful  of  all. — Yet  was  this  first  year  of  this 
disgrace  of  man  made  by  God's  rule  to  be  the  first 
year  of  man's  salvation. — Christ  and  His  surround- 
ing company  at  His  trial:  1.  The  accusers;  2.   His 
partner  in  trial,  Barabbas ;  3.  the  witnesses  (Pilate 
and  his  wife) ;  4.  the  judge. — Notwithstanding  the 
greatest  promise  of  His  release,  nothing  in  the  world 
could  save  Him,  because  the  world  was  to  be  saved 
through  His  death. — The  three  arch-enemies  of  Christ 
upon  His  trial,  and  His  impotent  friends  :  1.  Against 
Him  :  (a)  the  envy  of  the  priests  ;  (b)  the  ingratitude 
of  the  people ;  (c)  the  unbehef  of  Pilate.      2.  For 
Him :  (a)  a  witty  comparison  (with  Earabbas) ;  (6)  a 
pious  dream ;  (c)  an  ineffective  ceremony  (washing 
of  the  hands). — The  full  powers  of  hell,  and  God's 
full  power  to  decide  and  save,  were  at  work  in  the 
death  of  Christ ;  and  yet  human  freedom  was  in  no 
respect  affected. — The  world's  judgment  of  rejection, 
as  concerns  Christ,  and  Christ's  judgment  of  salva- 
tion, as  concerns  the  world. — Christ  and  His  accu- 
sers, and  Barabbas,  and  Pilate's  wife,  and  Pilate,  and 
the  people,  and  the  men  of  war. — Pilate,  the  judge 
of  Christ,  fallen  under  judgment.     1.  His  picture  : 
with  full  understanding  of  the  circumstances,  con- 
scious, warned,  anxious,  and  yet  succumbing.    2.  The 
lessons  taught  by  the  picture.  So  fell  the  ecclesiastical 
judges  of  Jesus  before  him  ;  so  will  all  fall  after  him 
who  presume  to  judge  the  Lord. — Pilate  knew  that  for 
envy,  etc. — Envy,  which  stirred  Cain  up  against  pious 
Abel,  reaches  its  maturity  in  Christ's  crucifixion. — 
The  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  ii.  24  :    "  Through  envy 
of  the  devil  came  death  into  the  world." — The  Spirit's 
voice  in  the  night-visions  a  witness  from  the  Lord : 
1.  At  the  birth  of  Christ ;  2.  at  his  death.— The  sig- 
nificance of  the  courtesies  of  hierarchical  pride  :  1. 
A  sign  that  it  seeks  associates  to  carry  out    its  en- 
mity against  Christ.     2.  A  mask.    It  ajypears  friend- 
hi  to  government,  and  says :  Christ  stirs  up  the  peo- 
ple ;  friendly  to  the  people,  and  says  :  The  govern- 
ment encroaches  on  the  freedom  of  election,  upon 
your  rights  ;  friendly  to  the  world,  and  says :  It  is 
possible  to  live  with  Barabbas,  but  not  with  Christ. 
— Barabbas  ;  or  the  people's  misguided  selection. — 
The  Jlosanna  and  the   Crucify  Him:  1.  The  con- 
trast :  («)  the  contrast  of  the  two  days ;  (6)  the  con- 
trast of  opinions  ;  (c)  the  contrast  of  the  criers.     2. 
The  bond  of  unity :  («)  Palm  Sunday  must  lead  to 
Good  Friday  ;  (6)  enthusiasm  for  the  Lord  must  ex- 
cite hell's  opposition  ;  (c)  not  the  same  persons,  but 
the  same  people ;  and  wc  may  suppose  some  indi- 
viduals had  taken  part  iu  both. — Fickleness  in  the 
opinions  of  a  people. — Revolution  as  an  instrument 
used  by  cunning  tyrants,  and  the  powers  of  darkness. 
— The  instigators  of  the  people  iu  hypocritical  attire. — 
Pilate,  frightened  by  the  threat  of  an  insurrection,  be- 
comes the  murderer  of  Christ :  a  lesson  to  the  world 
for  all  time. — Pilate  washing  his  hands:  1.  A  testi- 
mony to  the  Lord ;  2.  a  testimony  against  himself, 
against  Rome,  and  against  the  old  world. — His  blood 
be  on  us  !  or,  the  impenitent  make  the  blood  of  atone- 
ment their  own  condemnation. — The  marks  of  the 


516 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


Jew  ever  more  and  more  manifrst  in  the  Israelite,  as 
he  is  putting  his  Christ  to  death. — The  old  curse  and 
the  eternal  ator.cnieut. — The  policy  which  would  pro- 
tect the  Lord  by  evil  means,  only  prepares  for  Him 
torinent  and  shame  without  redress. — What  means 
should  Jesus,  the  world's  Saviour,  employ,  according 
to  the  world's  wisdom,  to  presei"ve  His  life?  1.  An 
evil  custom  (the  release  of  a  criminal  at  the  Pass- 
over) ;  2.  a  false  title  (as  one  whom  the  people  had 
begged  off  and  released) ;  3.  an  improper  joke  and 
comparison  (being  put  side  by  side  with  Barabbas)  ; 
4.  a  futile  ceremony  on  the  part  of  the  judge  (to 
wash  the  hands,  and,  where  needed,  to  lift  them). — 
Pilate,  the  impotent  saviour  and  dehverer  :  1.  In  spite 
of  his  perception  of  what  is  justice,  of  the  legions,  of 
power,  of  policy,  of  haughty  authority ;  2.  and  ex- 
actly because  he  employed  all  these  to  wrest  justice. 
— Then  released  he  Barabbas,  but  Jesus  he  caused 
to  be  scourged  :  an  old,  ))ut  ever  fresh,  picture  of  the 
world. — Jesus  scourged:  1.  Who?  The  glorious 
body,  the  pure  roul,  th.e  divine  spirit.  2.  By  whom? 
By  barbarism  (barbarous,  uamcloss  soldiers);  by 
worldly  culture  and  civil  power ;  by  the  sin  of  the 
world  and  all  sinners. — The  torture  ami  its  midnight 
history  in  the  world  and  the  Church. — The  scourge 
(knout)  is  no  standard  of  justice. — The  twofold  sig- 
nification of  the  Lord's  scourging  :  1.  It  v/as  to  have 
saved  Him ;  2.  it  was  the  introduction  of  Kis  death, 
not  only  in  a  literal,  but  also  spiritual  sense. — Jesus 
given  over  to  the  wantonness  of  the  soldiery. — The  re- 
peated mutilation  of  the  image  of  Christ  in  war,  and  by 
Soldiers. — Tlie  mocking  of  the  Lord  in  His  Messianic 
royal  character.  —  The  brightness  of  heaven  with 
which  Christ  emerges  from  all  this  world's  scorn. — 
The  irony  of  the  Spirit  and  of  Divine  Provide3ice  at 
the  miserable  mockery  of  this  world,  Ps.  ii. — The 
view  of  Christ  clothed  in  shame  ;  the  cure  for  all  the 
vanity  and  pride  of  the  world. — Christ,  the  true  King 
in  the  realm  of  suffering. — So  perfected  as  the  King 
of  glory. — Therefore  hath  God  exalted  Him,  etc. 
At  His  name  every  knee  shall  how,  Phil.  ii.  9,  10. — 
The  patience  of  Christ  triumphantly  sustained:  1. 
Imperturbable,  yet  disturbing  all ;  2.  palmg  all  the 
world's  glory  in  its  own  glory  ;  3.  supremely  edify- 
ing, and  yet  awing. 

Starke  : — When  we  stand  before  godless  judges, 
we  must  nevertheless  answer  them  and  honor  them, 
Rom,  xiii.  1. — He  answered  nothing.  To  atone  for 
our  loquacity,  which  led  to  the  first  sin.— The  Pa- 
tient One  committed  all  to  God,  1  Pet.  ii.  23. — Hed- 
hiffer :  Blind  judges  in  matters  of  faith  are  not  worth 
answering,  Matt.  vii.  6. — Christ,  even  in  His  silence, 
worthy  of  admiration,  Isa.  liii.  1. —  Osiander :  It  is 
an  ill-timed  gi'aco,  when  wicked  persons  are  spared, 
iu  such  a  way  that  honest  and  quiet  people  are 
brought  into  danger. — Lather'' s  margin :  They  would 
sooner  have  asked  the  release  of  the  devil,  than  they 
would  have  allowed  God's  Son  to  have  escaped. 
This  is  the  case  even  now,  and  will  ever  be. — There 
are  degrees  in  sinfulness  as  in  holiness,  John  xix.  11, 
— Canstein  :  Straightforwardness  is  best.  When  we 
seek  to  make  the  truth  bend,  it  usually  breaks. — 
Quesnel :  More  truth  is  at  times  found  among  civil 
magistrates,  than  among  those  persons  from  whom 
we  had  a  right  to  expect  more. — A  pious  heathen  is 
often  more  compassionate  toward  a  poor  sufterer  than 
depraved  Christians  and  priests,  Luke  x.  32,  33. — 
Christ  was  reckoned  with  the  greatest  transgressors, 
and  we  seek  always  to  be  reckoned  among  the  best 
and  most  pious,  Isa.  liii.  12. — Pilate  did  not  act  hke 
a  wise  diplomatist,  who   might  have  easily  known 


how  far  envy  will  lead  a  man. —  Canstein  :  The  most 
implacable  foe  is  envy,  and  especially  among  tlic 
members  of  the  so-called  "  spiritual  "  profession,  Ec- 
cles.  iv.  4. — Quesnel:  Many  console  themselves  with 
the  thought,  that  they  appear  to  the  world  wholly  de- 
voted to  the  service  of  justice  and  truth  ;  but  if  Ave 
watch  them  closely,  we  see  they  are  slaves  of  injus- 
tice and  envy. — Wives  have  nothing  to  do  in  official 
concerns,  but  they  may  and  should  warn  their  hus- 
bands.— God  warns  man  before  he  falls. — -Canstein  : 
In  a  corrupted  Church,  the  ministers  are  ever  the 
most  corrupted;  and  corruption  issues  forth  from 
them,  polluting  others,  Jcr.  xxiii.  15. — Quesnel : 
Faithless  teachers  seduce  the  people  from  Christ, 
and  teach  them  to  prefer  Barabbas. —  Cramer  :  Is 
that  not  the  Antichrist,  whicli  can  willingly  endure 
])rothels  and  usurers,  etc.,  but  which  would  expel 
the  gospel,  and  purge  their  land  from  it  by  fire  and 
sword  ?  —  Hedinger  :  The  world  has  ever  robbed 
Christ ;  it  likes  Him  not. — Murderers,  fornicators, 
adulterers,  drimkards,  can  be  tolerated ;  Christian 
teaching  and  living  never,  John  xv.  19. —  Canstein  : 
Carnal  wisdom  may  lead  a  man,  when  he  despises 
conscience,  departs  from  the  right  path,  and  betakes 
himself  to  by-paths,  into  such  snares  as  he  would 
have  gladly  shunned. — Ungrateful  man  wheels  like  a 
weathercock. — Conscience  often  struggles  long,  ere 
a  man  sins  against  his  better  knowledge ;  but  the 
guilt  is  so  much  the  greater. — The  stubbornness  of 
tlie  wiclicd  is  more  constant  than  an  intention  to  act 
right  (arising  from  worldly  reasons). — Pilate's  testi- 
mony, the  most  glorious  testimony  to  the  innocence 
of  Jesus  :  1.  Not  from  favor ;  2.  a  judge's  testimony ; 
3.  a  testimony  of  Pilate  against  himself.  His  blood 
he  071  us.  They  act  as  if  they  had  a  good  conscience ; 
but  it  was  mere  false,  assumed  ease  (impudence). — 
The  Romans  soon  made  them  realize  this  curse  :  they 
still  feel  it.  Yet  it  will  one  day  cease. — lMther''s 
margin  :  Believers  convert  this  curse  into  a  blessing. 
— Z'eisius  :  Accursed  parents,  who  rashly  precipitate 
their  children  with  themselves  into  ruin  ! — The  just 
for  the  unjust,  1  Pet.  iii.  18. — Gaze  on,  0  sinner, 
ecce  homo  1 — Zeisius  and  others  against  extravagance 
in  dress.* — Christ  has  borne  all  manner  of  shame 
and  contempt,  that  we  may  attain  to  the  highest 
honor. 

Gossner  :  -j- — Yes,  they  probably  said,  Barabbas 
is  a  villain,  but  he  is  no  heretic.  He  destroyed  only 
bodies,  but  Jesus  of  Nazareth  destroys  souls. — The 
devil  may  be  sure  of  this,  that  the  people  will  bUnd 
themselves  by  a  fair  show. — Whoso  sitteth  in  an  of- 
ficial chair  must  not  regulate  his  conduct  by  the  cries 
of  the  multitude. 

Lisco : — Pilate,  a  natural  man  of  the  world  :  1 . 
Not  insensible  to  divine  influences ;  2.  but  sunk  down 
into  the  then  existing  scepticism  of  the  world ;  3. 
bound  by  worldly  considerations  of  all  sorts  ;  4.  mak- 
ing Ms  conscience  a  sacrifice  to  circumstances,  which 
are  his  gods. 

Gerlach  .-—Mocking,  they  made  him  king ;  but 
it  was  really  by  virtue  of  His  humiliation  that  Jesus 
received  His  kingdom. 

Heubner  : — Christ  retained  His  dignity  even  in 
the  deepest  humiUation,  where  His  claims  appeared 
as  madness  or  fanaticism. — The  custom  of  releasing 

*  [In  the  original:  '^ wider  die  Kleiderpraclit,"  vrhich 
the  EUinb.  edition  turns  into:  "upon  the  clothing  of  Jesus." 

t  [Gossner  was  originally  a  Roman  Catholic  pripst,  and 
suffered  much  persecution  for  his  evangelical  opinions.— 


CnAP.  XXVII.  11-31. 


517 


one:  injustice  trying  to  support  itself  by  iBJusticc. — 
A  Christian  wife  sliould  be  the  guardian  angel  of  her 
husband. — Dreams,  too,  often  deserve  attention. — 
How  easily  can  the  people  he'.nisled  !* — The  placing 
of  Jesus  side  by  side  with  Barabbas  is  one  of  the 
mysteries  of  His  humiliation.  So  is  it  often  in  the 
world :  there,  truth  and  falsehood,  innocence  and 
guilt,  houor  and  dishonesty,  worth  and  worthle?sness, 
righteous  leaders  and  seducers,  the  Prince  of  Peace 
and  the  great  rebel,  the  fountain  of  life  and  the  mur- 
derer, are  often  set  side  by  side.  The  future  will  re- 
solve all  this  confusion. — Innocence  is  dumb,  guilt 
cries  out. —  The  consequmre^  of  the  choice:  The  Ba- 
rabbas spirit,  the  devilish,  the  intoxicating  passion  for 
licentious  freedom,  entered  like  an  evil  spirit  into  the 
people,  inflamed  their  hati-cd  still  more  and  more 
against  the  Koniaiis,  swept  them  with  resistless  sway 
beyond  aU  prudence,  and  precipitated  them  at  last 
into  the  pit  of  destruction.  Thir?  spirit  has  entered 
into  their  posterity,  leading  them  still  to  reject  Jesus, 
and  give  heed  to  many  false  messiahs. — Jesus  is  our 
consolation,  whenever  in  this  world  of  imperfection 
the  worthy  and  unworthy  are  classed  together,  yea, 
the  fonner  subordinated  to  the  latter. — Such  a  choice 
as  that  of  Barabbas  is  by  no  means  uncommon  :  1. 
In  respect  of  faith ;  unbelief  instead  of  belief  in  Je- 
sus, etc.  2.  In  regard  to  our  lives  and  acts ;  rather 
an  unbridled,  unfettered  life,  than  a  stern,  moral 
regulation  and  life.  3.  As  regards  civil  government ; 
rather  obey  demagogues  than  the  soft  words  of  Jesus. 
—  What  shall  I  do,  etc.  ?  Many  know  not  what  to  do 
with  Jesus. — Was  the  adage  true  here :  vox  populi, 
vo£  Dei? — In  one  sense  do  the  people  demand  the 
crucifixion:  God  had  decreed  it  in  another. — The 
name  of  Pilate  is  preserved  among  the  Christians, 
but  as  a  name  of  disgrace  :  here,  and  in  the  Apostles' 
Creed,  it  is  the  name  of  a  cowai-d,  who  wished  to  re- 
lease Jesus,  and  yet  surrendered  Him,— who  knew 
Him  in  some  degree,  and  yet  feared  to  confess  Him. 
— His  blood.  Already  we  see  the  fruit  of  their  choice 
of  Barabbas ;  bli;id  presumption,  blasphemy,  mock- 
ery of  God's  justice. — If  the  Jews  were  not  so  blind- 
ed, they  must  see  clearly  that  their  fathers  had  com- 
mitted a  greater  sin  than  had  been  ever  perpetrat- 
ed, when  they  had  been  punished  Ijefore  with  a  cap- 
tivity of  70  years,  and  are  now  enduring  one  of  1 SOO. 
— God  ha.s  preserved  them  as  a  witness  to  the  truth 
of  the  gospel. — As  Christ's  liigh-priestly  (prophetic) 
dignity  had  been  mocked  before  the  ecclesiastical 
tribunal,  so  was  ilis  kingly  before  the  civil. 

Rarnbach. : — Thou  must,  my  Redeemer,  atone  for 
the  shame  of  my  nakedness,  and  regain  for  me  the 
robe  of  innocence  which  I  had  lost. — Consolation  for 
dei ided  saints. — Christ  fled  from  a  v-orldly  crown ; 
He  took  the  thorny  crown,  to  indicate  that  His  king- 
dom was  not  of  this  world. — It  is  no  true  love,  which 

*  [In  German :  "  Wie  ixt  das  Volk  so  verfxih/rbar ! " 
The  Kdinb.  edition  turns  this  again  into  the  opposite  mean- 
ing: •' How  m/*tertrfi«5r  lire  the  masses."  It  probably  con- 
founded v.erfahvhar  with  verfiihreriach.  But  the  connec- 
tion plainly  shows  th.it  th.'  Jewish  hierarchy  are  here  meant 
a-s  the  instigators  and  seducers  who  Jed  the  people  astray. 
The  masses  never  load,  but  are  pe  :iTally  under  the  control 
of  a  few,  .is  the  body  is  ruled  by  the  hesd.  Hence  the  roa; 
(topuU  is  not  always  the  vox  Dei,  but,  when  influenced  by 
political  demagogue*  or  apostate  priests,  it  is  the  vox  DiuJjoU, 
Witness  the  Vi-ueify  Him  of  the  Jews,  the  popular  outcry 
of  the  Athenians  against  Socrates,  the  mad  fury  of  the 
French  during  the  reign  of  terror,  etc.  Then  the  people  i;ro 
turned  into  a  lawless  mob  with  which  it  would  lie  vain  to 
rea-son,  although  it  can  be  intimidated  by  brute  force.  Yet 
even  in  such  cases  the  voice  of  the  people  is  overruled  for 
cood  by  an  all-wi-e  Providence.  So  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus 
became  the  s.ilvation  of  the  world. — P.  S.] 


is  not  willing  to  endure  fliotn.--. — The  thorns  of  love 
are:  hostile  opposition,  ingratitude,  derision,  insult. 
— The  crown  of  tliorns  which  we  have  plaited  for 
I  our.=!elves :  lusts,  earthly  cares,  pangs  of  conscience. 
Christ  has  made  atonement  for  this. — The  rod  with 
which  Christ  will  feed  His  sheep  (the  rod  of  gentle- 
ness, the  rod  of  affliction). — The  court  of  justice,  the 
liberty-hall  of  innocence,  converted  into  a  place  of 
injustice. — This  robing  of  Christ  was  full  of  shame 
and  disgrace. 

Braune : — The  third  hour  was  the  hour  at  which 
the  Roman  judge  took  his  seat  in  the  place  of  judg- 
ment: on  this  occasion  Pilate  is  forced  to  begin 
three  hours  earlier,  in  consequence  of  the  wrath  of 
the  priests,  and  their  feigned  piety. — Barabbas :  that 
is  a  horrilying  deception,  fearful,  surpassing  all 
others. — Pil.ito's  wife :  no  woman  was  found  among 
Jesus'  enemies.  The  maid  v/ho  forced  Peter  on  to 
his  denial  stands  alone  there,  in  her  forward  charac- 
ter.— Peter's  sermon  on  this  text.  Acts  iii.  13-21. 

Gramnilich  : — Daily  is  blessing  or  curse  (Christ 
or  Barabbas)  set  before  thee,  my  soul ! 
j        F.  W.  Krummacher  : — The  crown  of  thorns  calls 
I  for  repentance,  gratitude,  submission. 
!        [BuHKiTT  : — Vers.  11-14.     The  silence  of  Chri.st 
I  is  to  be  imitated  when  our  reputation  is  concerned ; 
;  the  confession  of  Christ,  when  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  interests  of  truth  are  at  stake. — Ife  knew  that /or 
envy  they  had  delivered  Hini  (ver.  18).     As  covctous- 
ness  sold  Christ,  so  envy  delivered  Him.     Envy  is  a 
killing  and  murdering  passion.    Envy  slayeth  the  silly 
one.  Job  v.  2. — Ver.  19.     Several  kinds  of  dreams, 
natural,  moral,  diabolical,  and  divine.     That  of  the 
wife  of  Pilate  was  from  God.     When  aU  Christ's  dis- 
ciples were  fled  from  Hun,  when  none  of  His  friends 
dur.st  speak  a  word  for  Him,  God  raises  up  a  woman, 
a  stranger,  a  pagan,  to  give  evidence  of  His  innocen- 
cy.     At  our   Saviour's   trial,   Pilate   and  his  wife, 
though  Gentiles,  are  the  only  ones  who  plead  for 
Christ  and  pi'onounce  HLm  righteous,  whilst  His  own 
countrymen,  the    Jews,   thirst   after    His   innocent 
blood. — Hypocrites  within  the  visible  Church  may 
be  guilty  of  acts  of  wickedness  which  the  conscience 
I  of  pagiius  and  infidels  protests  against. — Ver.  25. 
!  What  the  Jews  with  a  viicked  mind  put  up  as  a  dire- 
j  ful  imprecation,  we  may  with  a  pious  mind  olFer  up 
to  God  as  an  humble  petition :  Lord,  let  Thy  Son's 
blood,  not  in  the  gudt  and  punishment,  but  in  the 
efficacy  and  merit  of  it,  be  upon  us  and  upon  our 
posterity  after  us,  for  evermore. — Thomas  Scott  : — If 
I  Christ  were  now  to  appear  on  earth  in  dixgnise,  He 
I  would  meet  with  no  better  treatment. — There  are 
j  still  enough  of   hypocritical    Pharisees    and   high- 
I  priests,    ungodly  Pilates,  unstable    multitudes,  and 
'  hardened  sco.Ters,  to  persecute,  mock,  and  crucify 
the  Lord  of  glory. — Barabbas  is  preferred  to  Jesus 
whenever  tlie  offer  of  salvation  is  rejected. — We  are 
all  chargeable  with  the  guilt  of  crucifixion,  as  "  He 
was  woimdcd  for  our  transgressions." — All  who  de- 
light in  anathemas  and  imprecations  will  find  tliat 
they  rebound  upon  themselves. — All  which  has  been 
admired  in  the  suffering  and  death  of  heroes  and  phi- 
I  lojophers  is  no  more  comparable  to  the  conduct  of 
Christ,  than  the  glimmering  taper  is   to  the  clear 
j  light  of  day. — We  are  called  to  do  ffood,  and  to  mf- 
'  fer  evil,  in  this  present  world,  after  the  pattern  of 
Christ. — All  our  sufferings  are  light  and  trivial  com- 
pared with  His. — Pn.  Doddridhe  : — How  wisely  was 
it  ordamed  by  divine  Providence  that  Pilate  should  be 
obliged  thus  to  aojult  Christ,  even  while  he  condcmn- 
i  ed  Him ;  and  to  pronounce  Him  a  righteous  person 


518  THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


in  the  same  breath  with  which  he  doomed  Him  to 
the  death  of  a  malefactor!  And  how  lamentably 
does  the  power  of  worldly  interest  over  conscience 
appear,  when,  after  all  the  convictions  of  his  own 
mind,  as  well  as  the  admonitions  of  his  wife,  he  yet 


gave  Him  up  to  popular  fury  !  0  Pilate,  how  inglo- 
riously  hast  thou  fallen  in  the  defence  of  the  Son  of 
God  !  and  how  justly  did  God  afterward  leave  thee 
to  perish  by  the  resentment  of  that  i)eople  whom  thou 
wast  now  so  studious  to  oblige ! — P.  S.] 


TENTH    SECTION. 

GOLGOTHA:    THE   CRUCIFIXION.     (GOOD   FRIDAY.) 

Ohaptee  XXVII.  32-56. 

(Mark  xv,  21-41 ;  Luke  xxiii.  26-56  ;  John  xix.  1*7-30 ;  Isa.  liii. — Pericopes :   Matt,  xxvii.  83-38 ;  39-44  ; 

45-56.) 

.32         And  as  they  came  out,  they  found  a  man  of  Cyrene,  Simon  byname:  him  they 

33  compelled  [impressed,  rjyydpevaavY  to  bear  his  cross.     And  when  they  were  come  unto 

34  a  place  called  Golgotha,^  that  is  to  say,  a  [the]  place  of  a  skull,^  They  gave  him  vine- 
gar [wine  ?]  *  to  drink  mingled  with  gall :  and  when  he  had  tasted  thereof,  he  would  not 

35  drink.  And  they  crucified  him,  and  parted  [divided,  Ste/^-epto-aj/ro]  his  garments,  cast- 
ing lots:  [that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet  (Ps.  xxii.  15), 
They  parted  [divided]  my  garments  among  them,  and  upon  my  vesture  did  they  cast 

36,37  lots.]^  And  sitting  down  they  watched  him  there;  And  [they]  set  up  over  his 
head  his  accusation  written,  THIS  IS  JESUS  THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS. 

38  Then  were  there  [are]  two  thieves  [robbers,  Arjo-rat]  crucified  with  him ;  one  on 

39  the  right  hand,  and  another  on  the  left.     And  they  that  passed  by  reviled  him,  wagging 

40  [shaking]*  their  heads.  And  saying.  Thou  that  destroyest  the  temple,  and  buildest  it  in 

41  three  days,  save  thyself.    If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross.    Like- 

42  wise  also  the  chief  priests  mocking  Mm,  with  the  scribes  and  elders,  said.  He  saved 
others ;  himself  he  cannot  save.     If  he  be  [he  is]  the  King  of  Israel, '  let  him  now  come 

43  down  from  the  cross,  and  we  will  believe  him  [we  believe  on  hira].^  He  trusted  in 
God;  let  him  deliver  him  now,  if  he  will  have  him:  for  he  said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God. 

44  The  thieves  [robbers]  also,  which  [who]  were  crucified  with  him,  cast  the  same  in  his 
teeth  [reproached  him  in  like  manner,  or  with  the  same  thing,  to  avTo  .  .  .  wvet'St- 
t,ov  avTov].^ 

45  Now  from  the  sixth  hour  there  was  darkness  over  all  the  land  unto  the  ninth  hour. 

46  And  about  the  ninth  hour  Jesus  cried  [cried  out,  avefSo-qcrev]  with  a  loud  voice,  saying, 
Eh,  Eh,  lama  sabachthani?  (Ps.  xxii.  1)  that  is  to  say.  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 

47  thou  forsaken  me?^"     Some  of  them  that  stood  there,  when  they  heard  that  [hearing  it], 

48  said,  This  man  calleth  for  Elias  [Elijah].     And  straightway  one  of  them  ran,  and  took 

49  a  sponge,  and  filled  it  with  vinegar,  and  put  it  on  a  reed,  and  gave  him  to  drink.  [But] 
The  rest  said,  Let  be  [Come,  Wait,  a^es],"  let  us  see  whether  Elias  [Elijah]  will  come 
to  save  him.^^ 

50  [AiT^fi]  Jesus,  when  he  had  cried  again  with  a  loud  voice,  yielded  up  the  ghost  [his 

51  spirit]. ^^  And,  behold,  the  vail  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the  bot- 
tom :  and  the  earth  did  quake  [quaked],  and  the  rocks  rent  [were  rent,  icrx^o-Orja-av] ; 

52  And  the  graves  were  opened ;  and  many  bodies  of  the  saints  which  [who]  slept  arose, 

53  And  came  out  of  the  graves  after  his  resurrection,  and  went  into  the  holy  city,  and  ap- 
peared unto  many. 

54  Now  when  the  centurion,  and  they  that  were  with  him,  watching  Jesus,  saw  the 
earthquake,  and  those  things  that  were  done,  they  feared  greatly,  saying,  Truly  this 

55  was  the  [a]  Son  of  God  [&eov  rids].     And  many  women  were  there  beholding  afar  off, 

56  which  [who]  folloAved  Jesus  from  Galilee,  ministering  unto  him  :  Among  which  [whom] 
was  Mary  Magdalene,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses,  and  the  mother  of 
Zebedee's  children  [the  sons  of  Zebedee]. 


CHAP.  XXVII.  82-56. 


519 


Ver.  o2.— [This  is  the  proper  translation  of  the  Greek  verb  ayyapevnv,  wliich,  like  the  noun   ^770^05, 

"    '  n  origin,  and  is  a  technical  term  for  pressing  horses  or  men  into  public  service  by  authority. 

.  lis.    The  escort  was  under  the  couimaiul  of  a  iioniau  olVicer  who  had  olMcial  autliority 
law.    The  Authorized  Version  makes  the  act  falsely  appear  as  an  arbitrary  assumption  of 


(Jomp.  Crit.  Kote  on  ch.  v. 
for  this  act  according  to  lii 
power.— P.  S.] 

^  Ver.  83. — F o\yo  da  is  the  prevailing  reading.  [Other  readings  are  yoWyodd,  yoKyaQda,  yoKyoOw,  yoXyaQuv. 
In  Luke  sxiii.  83  tho  English  Version,  following  the  Vulgate,  translated  the  Greek  Kpaviov,  cratmim-,  a  hare  ukuU,  into 
the  Latin  calvary  (c.alparia).  The  popular  expression  "  Afount  Oalvary  "  is  not  warranted  by  any  statement  of  the  Evan- 
gefcts  concerning  tho  place  of  crucifixion,  ^^  hich  was  probably  a  small  round  and  barren  elevation  of  the  shape  of  a  skull. 

5  Ver.  83.— Lachmann:  0  ecmv  Kpaviov  TcJjros  Key n nevos .  Tho  reading  0  is  better  supported  than 
OS,  and  few  MS3.  omit  Ae7(i,uei'os.  Great  variety  in  tho  readings.  [In  English  Kpariuv  tottos  should  be  rendered 
cither  with  the  definite  article:  the  place  of  a  sktill,  as  the  Authorized  Version  does  in  the  parallel  passages,  Mark  xv.  22 
and  John  xix.  17,  or  without  any  article:  Place  of  a  shull. — P.  S.] 

<  Ver.  31. — Lachmann  reads  otvov,  following  15.,  B.,  K.,  L.,  etc. :  this  is  opposed  by  A.  and  others,  reading  o|oj. 
Meyer  holds  the  first  reading  to  have  been  introduced  from  Mark  xv.  23.  [Coil.  Siuait.  reads  likewise  oh'ov,  wine,  us  in 
Mark  xv.  23.  But  the  five  unci  d  (Siiiait.,  B.,  I).,  K.,  L.)  and  the  ten  cursive  MSS.,  which  support  this  reading,  are 
nearly  all  Alexandrine.  On  their  side  are  the  Egyptian  and  the  old  Latin  Versions  (the  Vulgate:  viniiin,  and  hence  the 
Roman  Catholic  Versions:  wine}.  It  is  possible  that  oji'ov  was  a  wilful  alteration  to  harmonize  Matthew  with  Mark. 
Tischendorf  and  Alford  adhere  to  the  received  reading:  o|os,  vinegar.  The  difference,  of  course,  is  only  apparent.  It 
was  probably  sour  wine  with  myrrh,  given  to  criminals  to  stupefy  them. — P.  8.] 

»  Ver.  35.— All  the  uncial  Codd.  [including  Cod.  Sinait.]  omit  the  reiuling  of  the  Ii'i'cepta,  from  "that  it  might"  to  the 
end  of  the  verse,  A  alone  excepted.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  interpolated  li-om  John  xix.  20.  [Mill  and  Wetstein,  and 
all  the  modern  critical  editors  omit  the  words  in  question  from  'lua  to  kATj^ov.  Dr. I^ange  puts  them  in  brackets.  Comp. 
his  JSiceff.  JS^vtes.—V.  S.]  ^ 

*  Ver.  39.— [So  Cheko,  Campbell,  and  Scrivener  render  »f  ifo  i"  c- e  ?.  Lange:  schuttelten.  Norton:  nodding. 
Conant,  however,  defends  wagging  as  better  expressing  the  contemptuous,  scornful  motion  intended  by  the  Evangelist.— 
P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  42. — BaaiAei'?  'Iixpa/fA  iariv.  Fritzsche  and  Tischendorf  adopt  this  reading,  omitting  the  preceding  €<', 
according  to  B.,  D.,  L.,  etc.    The  irony  is  thus  stronger.      Ei  is  probably  an  exegetical  addition  from  ver.  40. 

"*  Ver.  42. — The  reading:  Triarevofiff  avr^,  according  to  Lachmann  and  his  authorities,  is  stronger  [than  the  text.  rec. : 
TTKTTfoff-o^e;' ai'Tiy].  The  reading:  ctt'  auroS,  also,  is  well  supported  ai;d  significant.  [Cod.  Sinait.  reads :  ett*  avT6v. 
—P.  S.l 

'  Ver.  44. — [Or:  u/)brai<led  or  were  upl  raiding,  "Wiclif,  Cheke,  Doddridge,  Campbell,  Scrivener;  ovreproached,  Ehem- 
ish  Ver.vion,  Cunant,  and  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  B.  U. ;  or  reviled  Mm,  Norton.  The  rendering:  cant  in,  his  teeth,  dates  from 
TyndaU".  and  was  retained  in  the  foOowing  revisions,  but  would  h.ardly  be  defended  now.— P.  S.] 

'»  ViT.  46.— The  difference  in  the  mode  of  writing  the  Hebrew  words  is  unimportant.  See  Lachmann  and  Tisphen- 
dorf.     [The  best  authorities  are  in  fiivor  of  lema  instead  of  lama.—V.  S.] 

11  Ver.  4!).— [This  is,  in  modern  English,  the  corresponding  woid  for  at^fs,  whicli  must  be  connected  with  the  follow- 
ing "iBuii-Lfv  without  comma.  It  is  the  hortatory  come  or  wait  now,  and  not,  as  is  usually  supposed,  a  rebuke:  let  him 
alone,  as  if  they  intended  to  stop  the  man  who  offered  the  vinegar.  Comp.  M.irk  xv.  36,  where  that  person  himself  utters 
tho  words  &(^*s  ISwuti',  in  common  with  the  rest.  Lange ;  Lass  nur,  wir  wollen  sehen;  Luther:  ILtll,  lass  sehen;  van 
Ess:  Wart !  lass  sehen  ;  Ew.ald  omits  it  altogether  and  translates  simply :  lass  uns  sehen.  Conant  and  the  Revised  N.  T. 
of  the  Am.  Bible  Union:  Let  alone,  which  invites  the  same  popular  misunderstanding  as  if  it  meant:  Let  him  alone. — 
P.  S.] 

'2  Ver.  49.— The  addition:  o\Aoy  Se  \a^!jiv  ASyxV,  k.t.K.,  though  supported  by  B.,  C,  L.,  is  here  quite  out  of 
place,  and  is  an  interpolation  from  John  xix.  34.  [The  same  addition,  from  dWos  to  al/xa,  is  found  in  Cod.  Sinait.,  which 
usually  agrees  with  the  Vatican  MS. — P.  8.] 

'3  Ver.  50.— [So  Middleton,  Campbell,  Scrivener,  Crosby,  Conant.  Better  than  etrpired,  as  Norton  translates.  The 
article  in  rh  irvev  ixa.  is  employed  as  a  possessive  pronoun.     To  gice  up  the  ghosi,  is  now  used  in  a  low  sense.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Survey. — The  same  brevity  and  sublimity  with 
which  Matthew  described  Christ's  suiferings  during 
His  trial,  characterize  his  account  of  the  crucifixion. 
Even  Mark,  in  several  parts,  is  more  minute.  Mat- 
thew, however,  gives  the  fullest  account  of  the  blas- 
phemy against  Christ's  Messianic  dignity ;  and  he 
alone  relates  the  effect  produced  upon  the  realm  of 
the  dead  by  the  death  of  Jesus.  The  chief  points 
are,  Simon  of  Cyrene ;  Golgotha ;  the  bitter  wine ; 
the  parting  of  the  garments ;  the  watch  (this  last  is 
recorded  by  our  Evangehst  alone) ;  the  two  robbers 
crucified  with  Jesus;  the  blasphemies  of  the  foes; 
the  mocking  by  the  robbers ;  the  darkening  of  the 
sua ;  Jesus'  exclamation,  My  God,  and  the  varying 
interpretations  and  the  real  meaning  of  the  same ; 
the  giving  up  of  His  spirit ;  the  rending  of  the  tcm- 
plc-vail ;  the  excitement  in  the  world  of  the  dead ; 
the  centurion's  testimony ;  the  women  beholding. 
The  fulfilment  of  the  Old  Testament  symbols  of  the 
ilessiah's  sufferings  is  the  point  of  view  from  which 
all  is  a^scribed. 

V^f.  82.   As  they  came  out. — The  executions 


took  place  outside  of  the  camp,  and,  accordingly, 
also  outside  of  the  holy  city :  Num.  xv.  35  ;  1  Kings 
xxi.  13  ;  Acts  vii.  56  ;  see  Lightfoot,  p.  499.  In- 
stead of  being  led  forth  by  lictors,  the  command  of 
whom  Pilate,  as  sub-governor,  did  not  enjoy,  Jesus 
is  conducted  to  the  cross  by  the  soldiery.  A  centu- 
rion on  horseback,  called  by  Tacitus  exactor  mortis, 
by  Seneca,  crntur/o  mtppVido  propositus,  headed  the 
company.  A  'herald,  .ii;oiiig  in  front  of  the  condemn- 
ed, proclaimed  liis  sentence.  Braune  states :  "There 
is  a  Jewish  tradition  to  the  effect  that  a  lierald  went 
through  the  city,  crying  for  forty  days,  Jesus  was  to 
be  stoned :  if  any  one  could  witness  against  Him,  let 
him  appear;  but  no  one  came  forward."  We  know 
from  Matt,  xxviii.  11,  that  tlie  Jews  began  very  early 
to  throw  discredit  upon  the  statements  of  the  Evan- 
gelists. These  falsifications  were,  at  a  later  date,  at- 
tempted especially  in  relation  to  tlie  history  of  Jesus' 
birth  and  death,  and  rcg:irding  the  Messianic  predic- 
tions of  the  Old  Testament.  The  statement,  more- 
over, of  the  Talmud,  that  there  were  two  vails  before 
the  Most  Holy,  is  evidently  a  concoction  to  remove 
the  significance  of  the  fact  attested  by  the  Evangel- 
ists. 

They  found  a  man  of  Cyrene. — Simon  was 


520 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


from  Cyrene,  in  African  Libya,  where  many  Jews 
were  living.  Ptolemseus  Lagi,  wlicn  he  obtained  su- 
preme power  in  Palestine,  transported  100,000  He- 
brews to  Pentapolis,  in  that  district.  They  had  a 
synagogue  of  their  own  in  Jerusalem.  It  is  note- 
worthy, that  we  find  in  Acts  xiii.  1,  a  Simon  Niger 
associated  with  Ijucius  of  Cyrene.  Mark  (xv.  21) 
designates  Sunon  "  the  father  of  Alexander  and  Ru- 
fus"  two  men  who  must  have  been  well  known  to 
the  Christian  churches  of  that  day,  probably  as 
brethren  in  the  faith.  Perhaps  Simon  was  present 
as  a  pilgrim  at  the  Passover  (Acts  ii.  10) ;  at  all 
events,  he  was  but  lately  come  to  Jerusalem,  as  his 
appellation,  Kvp-qumo^.,  indicates.  It  is  not  likely 
that  he  was  at  that  time  more  intimately  related  to 
Jesus.  lie  had  been  out  in  the  field,  while  Jesus 
was  undergoing  His  trials  l^efore  the  various  tribu- 
nals. Grotius  and  others,  however,  assume  that  he 
was  a  follower  of  Jesus.  Rambach :  "  He  manifest- 
ed, it  would  appear,  some  sympathy  with  Jesus,  and 
was  therefore  compelled  to  carry  His  cross."  Per- 
haps, during  his  bearing  the  cross,  he  became  more 
intimately  acquainted  with  Jesus  ;  at  all  events,  this 
fact  has  preserved  his  name  in  everlasting  remem- 
brance.* Simon  Peter  was  not  now,  as  he  had  prom- 
ised, in  his  place :  another  Simon  from  a  distant  land 
must  serve  in  his  place.  The  very  circumstance  of 
Simon's  arriving,  a  stranger  and  alone,  at  this  time, 
drew  the  attention  of  the  company ;  and  they  forced 
him,  that  is,  they  required  of  him,  according  to  mili- 
tary custom,  this  service.  For  the  verb  ayya- 
piveiv,  .lee  above.  Matt.  v.  41.  L^pon  such  requi- 
sitions, see  Tholuck,  Credibility  of  the  Gospel  His- 
tory (German),  p.  365.  Simon  may  have  been  thus 
violently  impressed  by  excited  soldiers  without  being 
a  Christian  (Grotius),  or  a  slave  (Meyer's  supposi- 
tion). Tradition  reports  that  Christ  had  sunk  to  the 
gi'ound  beneath  tlie  load.  It  is  possible  that  the 
cnptain  of  the  band,  who  at  a  later  period  declared 
his  conversion  to  the  faith,  was  even  now  touched 
l)y  a  feeling  of  pity.  The  remainder  of  the  way,  it 
would  appear,  vras  s'nort ;  and  this  is  Ukely  the  rea- 
son why  John  omits  the  circumstance.  According 
to  custom,  criminals  were  obliged  to  carry  their  own 
cross  to  the  place  of  execution.  [Comp.  Plutarch, 
De  sera  numinis  vindicta,  c.  9:  'iiiaaros  rwv  KaKovp- 
yuv  fKfpepet  tou  avrov  aravpi'iv.  That  our  Saviour 
bore  His  own  cross  (probably  the  greater  part  of  the 
way),  is  expressly  stated  by  John  six.  17. — P.  S.] 

Yer.  33.  Golgotha.  — Chald.  NP^J^a ,  Heb. 
rbabs  .  that  is,  Skull.  Hieronymus  and  others  say 
this  place  of  execution  was  so  termed  from  the  skulls 
of  criminals,  f     On  the  contrary,  it  is  maintained  by 


*  [Meyer:  "Tbnt  Simon  hecame  a  Christian  in  codsh- 
qiience  of  his  carrying  the  cross  and  his  presence  at  the  cru- 
cifixion, may  be  inferred  from  Mark  sv.  21."    So  also  Alford 


OrOD    EST 

'  'iilrnria 
>ji'  Uaticm 

"I'Ut.  .  .  . 

pojndi,  nee 


and  others.— P.  S.] 

t  [Hieron.  in  Mstf.  y^-.  i;    S: 
Calvaei^  Looire.    .!-'./ 
toewm  in  quo  s&pt'H'' 
esse,  quia  ibi  antiqiil  „..„./,,, 
Fuvorabilis  inter prHidio  rt  m 

tamen  vera.  Extra  urhem  enim  etforas  poriatn  locnsunt 
in  qmhus  truncantur  capita  damnatorum,  ei  Calvaries, 
i.  e.,  decoUntorum  swmsere  nomen." — The  ancient  Jewish- 
Christian  tradition  that  Adam  was  buried  where  the  second 
Adam  died  a'd  rose  aaain,  is  also  mentioned  by  Origen, 
Tertiillian,  Athanasius,  and  Augustine,  and  turned  to  practi- 
cal account.  Augustine:  ''■  Quia  if>i  erectus  sit  ■medicus, 
uH  jacehat  agrotus.'"  Dr.  Wordsworth  allegorizes  on  Gol- 
gotha (from  ?by  ,  volvit,  hence  a  rolling,  and  a  skiM  from 
its  roundness),  and  brings  it  in  connection  with  the  hill  Git- 
gal,  Josh.  V.  y,  where  Joshua  had  his  camp  and  rolled  away 


Cyril,  Calovius,  de  "Wette,  and  others,  that  the  name 
arose  from  the  conical  shape  of  the  hill.*  Certainly, 
for  the  second  supposition,  two  reasons  present  them- 
selves,— 1.  That  Golgotha  means  skull,  and  that  the 
place  is  not  called  Kpaviap  rowo?,  place  of  skulls, 
but  Kpaviov,  skull, — Luke  uses  Kpaviov ;  2.  that  the 
skulls  were  not  allowed  to  lie  upon  the  place  of  exe- 
cution unburied,  but  were  covered  up.  The  tradition 
of  the  Fathers,  that  Adam  was  buried  there,  gives  us 
no  assistance  in  explaining  the  name.  Against  the 
second  supposition,  the  late  origin  of  the  name,  which 
is  not  found  in  the  Old  Testament,  comes  in.  If  now 
we  think  of  the  Jewish  mode  of  execution,  stoning, 
in  which  the  head  was  the  first  part  injured,  we  gain 
something  to  support  the  first  explanation,  f  It 
would  appear  that  Golgotha  had  not  been  selected  as 
a  place  of  execution  till  a  late  date ;  and  that  then 
the  valley  of  Gehinnom  ceased  to  be  employed  in 
that  way.  It  is  not  unlikely  that,  up  tiU  this  time, 
tlie  place  liad  been  nameless,  and  now  received  this 
designation,  and,  it  is  possible,  by  way  of  reference  to 
its  shape. 

The  Christian  tradition  has  made  the  position  of 
Golgotha,  which  was  certainly  no  hill,  but  merely  an 
elevated  place,  to  be  that  of  "  Mount "  Calvary,  the 
site  of  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  This 
church  lies  within  the  walls  of  the  present  city,  and 
in  the  north-western  quarter.  In  opposition  to  this 
view,  it  is  alleged  that,  without  making  any  mention 
of  the  line  of  the  city  walls,  which  may  belong  to  a 
later  date,  the  city  would  have  been  in  this  part 
exceedingly  small,  if  we  suppose  the  present  dis- 
trict of  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  to  have 
lain  outside  the  walls.  But,  in  reply,  it  is  asserted, 
that  a  city  may  easily  be  smaU  in  some  quarters,  and 
extend  in  others.  The  fact  is,  Jerusalem  then  ran 
out  more  toward  the  south  side.  Against  this  iden- 
tity the  following  have  spoken  decidedly: — Robin- 
son {Biblical  Researches,  Bost.  ed.  1856,  vol.  i.  p. 
407-418  ;  vol.  iii.  254-263  ;  and  Neue  Untersuchun- 
gen,  Halle,  1847);  Titcs  Toblkr:  Golgotha,  St. 
Gallen,  1851,   p.  224  fF.:j:     For  the   identity  are— 

("Tliiy)  the  reproach  of  Egypt.  So  by  our  Jesus  at  Golgo- 
tha the  shame  and  guilt  of  sin  was  rolled  away  from  the 
Israel  of  God;  and  there  was  His  cam/>,  for  He  conquered 
by  the  cross.     Kather  far  fetched.— P.  S.] 

*  [So  also  Keland,  Palest,  p.  860,  Beugel,  Winer,  Ewald, 
Meyer,  A.  Alexander.  The  objection  of  Alford  and  Words- 
worth, that  no  such  hill  or  rock  is  known  to  have  existed 
(comp.  Stanley,  I'alentine,  p.  454),  is  hardly  valid  in  view 
of  the  hilly  and  rocky  (Aaracter  of  Jerusalem  and  its  vicini- 
ty. Ewald  identifies  it  with  "the  hill  Gareb,"  Jer.  xxxi. 
39 ;  Krafft  and  Lange  with  Goath,  which  was  without  the 
city.  Williams  (ffohj  City,  ii.  240)  supposes  that  the  rock 
of  Calvary  was  part  of  a  little  swell  of  the  ground  forming  a 
somewhat  abrupt  brow  on  the  west  and  south  sides,  which 
would  allbrd  a  convenient  spot  for  public  execution,  as  it 
v.as  sufliciently  elevated  to  raise  the  suff'erers  .above  the 
gazing  crowd — P.  S.] 

t  [This  is  hardly  of  suflScient  account.  The  explanation 
of  Jerome  appears  to  me  very  doubtful  for  three  reasons: 
1.  The  name  would  then  be  not  the  place  of  a  skull  (tSttos 
KOs.i'iou),  still  less  a  skull  simply,  as  in  the  Hebrew  and  in 
the  Greek  of  St.  Luke  {KpaAov),  but  the  place  of  sJcidls 
(tottos  Kpaviosv);  2.  there  is  no  record  that  the  Jews  had  a 
speci.al  place  for  public  execution  ;  3.  it  i.s  extremely  unlike- 
ly that  a  rich  man,  like  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  should  havo 
liept  a  garden  in  such  a  place  (for  the  sepulchre  of  Christ 
w:is  near  the  place  of  crucifixion,  John  xix.  41). — P.  S.] 

X  [.\l80  John  Wilson,  Barclay,  Bonae,  Stewaet,  Ar- 
nold, Meter,  Ewald,  Sam.  J.  Andrews:  Tlie  Life  of  our 
Lord  upon  the  Earth,  New  York,  1863,  p.  560  sqq.,  and  Ar- 
nold, art.  in  Herzog's  Eacyklopddie,  vol.  v.  .SOI  tf.,  where 
the  reader  will  find  a  summary  of  the  principal  arguments 
on  I'otli  Mdes  of  the  question  with  special  reference  to  Robin- 
son and  Williams,  as  the  chief  champions  of  the  opposite 


CHAP.  XXVII.  82-6 


521 


Karl  von  Raumer  :  Falcistina,  p.  355 ;  Scholz  :  de 
Golgathce  dtu,  compare  Friedheb  :  1.  c.  p.  137  ; 
Schubert  [Jidse  in  das  Morgenland,  vol.  ii.  p.  503 
ff.] ;  ScHOLTz:  Jerusalem,  p.  96;  Krafft:  die  Topo- 
graphic Jerusalems,  Bonn,  1$46,  p.  230.*  Wolff: 
Reise  in  das  gdobte  Lccrul.,  Stuttgart,  1849,  p.  83,  pro- 
nounces in  favor  of  the  probability  of  the  identity 
(more  undecidedly  in  his  work  "  JermaJein,''^  Leipzig, 
1857.)  Berggren  is  decided  for  the  identity,  in  the 
tract.  Flavins  Josephus,  dor  Fdhrer  und  Irrfuhrer 
der  Pilger  im  Allen  und  Keucn  Jerttsalerii,  Leipzig, 
1854 : — "  It  may  be  quite  indifferent  to  a  Christian 
where  the  place  of  execution,  Golgotha,  and  Christ's 
grave,  were,  inasnnieh  as  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  his- 
tory is  not  dependent  upon  the  traditions  regarding 
the  external  and  local  circumstances  in  the  life  and 
death  of  Jesus.  But,  overlooking  the  fact  that  tra- 
dition is  often  worthy  of  attention,  there  are  all  pos- 
sible positive  reasons  to  bring  forward,  why  we 
should  seek  Golgotha  at  once,  and  only  there,  where 
the  tradition  represents.  Neither  the  old  world  nor 
the  new  has  any  ground  for  doubting  the  common 
opinion  regarding  the  Holy  Sepulchre." 

The  following  remark  appears  important : — Jere- 


views.  Korte,  a  German  bookseller,  who  visited  Jernsalem, 
A.  D.  1738,  at  the  same  time  with  the  learned  Pococke,  was 
the  first  who  took  a  stand  against  the  supposed  identity  of 
the  spot  of  thti  Holy  Hepalclire  with  the  place  of  the  cruci- 
fixion and  sepulchre  of  our  Lord.  The  late  Dr.  Eobinson,  of 
Union  Thecl.  Seminary,  New  York,  strongly  opposes  the 
old  tradition,  and  lays  down  the  general  principle  "that  all 
ecclesiastical  tradition  respecting  the  ancient  places  in  and 
around  Jerusalem  and  throughout  Palestine  is  of  no  value  ; 
except  as  fer  as  it  is  supported  by  circumstances  known 
from  the  Scriptures  or  f lom  other  cotemporary  testimony" 
{Bibl.  Researches  in  Palestine,  etc.,  vol.  i.  p.  253  and  iii.  p. 
2G3  of  the  last  Boston  edition.  Comp.  also  James  Fergu- 
son, arc.  Jerusalem,  in  W.  Smith's  Dictionary  of  the  Bible, 
vol.  i.  p.  102S  sqq.  Ritter,  Winer,  Babtlett,  Stanley, 
and  Ellicott,  leave  the  matter  doubtful.— P.  S.] 

*  [Comp.  also  on  t!;e  same  side  Chateaubriand,  who 
led  the  way  in  this  century  in  a  plausible  defence  of  the  old 
tradition,  reasoning  mainly  a  priori  that  the  Christians 
must  have  known  from  the  beginnins  and  could  never  for- 
get the  places  of  Christ's  death  and  burial  (Itiniraire  de 
Paris  d  Jerii^salem,  Paris,  1811) ;  Tischendoep  {Reise  in 
den  Ortg/i^,  Leipzisr,  1846,  vol.  ii,  17  ff.);  Geo.  Finley  {On 
the  Site  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  London,  1847);  Olin; 
Prime:  Lewin  {Jerusalem,  London,  ISOl);  G.  Williams 
(The  Holy  City,  London,  1845;  2d  ed.  1849,  2  vols.).  Dr. 
Alford  on  Matt,  sxvii.  33  does  not  enter  into  the  merits  of 
the  question,  but  gives  it  as  his  opinion  that  Williams  "h.is 
made  a  very  strong  case  for  the  commonly  received  site  of 
Calvary  and  the  Sepulchre."  The  question  is  of  little  prac- 
tical importance.  The  main  argument  in  favor  of  the 
identity  is  derived  from  the  unbroken  Christian  tradition. 
But  while  we  .are  reluctant  to  break  with  a  tr.adition  of 
such  extent,  it  is  repugnant  to  sound  Christian  feeling  to  be- 
lieve that  a  spot  so  often  profaned  and  disgraced  by  the 
most  unworthy  superstitions,  impostures,  and  quarrels  of 
Christian  sects,  should  be  actually  the  sacred  spot  where 
the  Saviour  died  for  the  sins  of  the  race.  At  all  events  the 
testimony  of  tradition  in  such  a  case  is  not  .so  important  as 
maintained  by  Williams  when  he  aflirms  that  "the  credit 
of  the  whole  Church  for  fifteen  huniired  years  is  in  some 
measure  Involved  in  its  veracity."  The  Christian  Church 
never  claimed  geographical  and  topographical  infallibility, 
and  leaves  the  question  of  the  holy  places  open  to  fair  criti- 
cism. The  Apostles  and  Evangelists  barely  allude  to  the 
places  of  Chri.sfs  birth,  death,  .and  resurrection.  They  fixed 
their  eyes  upon  the  great  facts  themselves  and  worshipped 
the  exalted  Saviour  in  heaven,  where  He  lives  for  ever.  It 
was  only  since  the  age  of  Constantiue,  in  the  fourth  century, 
that  those  localities  were  abused  in  the  service  of  an  almost 
idolatrous  superstition,  yet  not  without  continued  protest 
from  many  of  the  wisest  and  best  men  of  the  Church.  From 
the  Gospels  so  much  only  appears  with  certainty  as  to  the 
place  of  the  crucifixion,  that  it  was  out  of  the  city,  Matt. 
.Yxviii.  11  ;  John  xix.  17;  comp.  Heb.  xiii.  12;  yet  near  the 
city,  John  xix.  20;  apparently  near  a  thoroughfare,  as  may 
be  inferred  from  Mark  x v.  29;  and  that  the  sepulchre  was 
near  the  place  of  the  crucifixion,  John  xix.  41,  in  a  garden 
and  hewn  in  a  rock.  Matt,  xxvii.  60  and  the  parallel  pas- 
Kiges.-P.  S.] 


miah  predicts  (xxxi.  38-40)  that  the  city  should  in 
future  times  extend  beyond  the  north  wall  (the  sec- 
ond wall),  and  enclose  Gibeat  Gareb,  or  the  leper's 
hill,  and  (iibeat  (ioath,*  or  the  hill  of  death  (of  roar- 
ing, groaning).  The  position  of  Gareb  can  corre- 
spond only  with  Under  Bezetha,  and  the  position  of 
(Joath  only  Upper  Bezetha,  where  Golgotha  rose. 
Both  of  these  elevations  were  enclosed  by  Agrippa, 
as  parts  of  the  new  city,  and  lay  inside  the  third  wall. 
From  the  context  we  learn  that  Gareb  and  Goath 
were  unclean  places,  but,  bemg  measured  in  with  the 
holy  city,  became  sanctified.  That  the  Goath-hill  of 
Jeremiah  is  identical  with  the  Golgotha  of  the  Evan- 
gelists, is  more  than  probable.  The  wall  of  Agrippa 
was  built  around  Bezetha  by  Herod  Agrippa,  the 
grandson  of  Herod  the  Great. 

In  conducting  this  controversy,  the  foUowmg 
points  should  be  kept  in  mind:  1.  That  those  who 
oppose  the  identity  have  never  pointed  out  any  other 
site  for  Golgotha.  2.  The  history  of  the  city  of  Je- 
rusalem. It  has  been  proved  that  the  city,  at  a  later 
period,  extended  considerably  from  south  northward 
and  north-westward,  and  that  the  third  wall,  or  wall 
of  Agrippa,  enclosed  on  this  side  a  piece  of  ground 
which  had  hitherto  lain  outside  the  city.  3.  The 
history  of  the  holy  places  themselves.  It  has  never 
been  disproved,  that,  according  to  the  testimonies  of 
Eusebius  and  Hieronymus,  a  marble  statue  of  Venus 
desecrated  Golgotha  from  the  days  of  Hadrian  to 
those  of  Constantino,  to  prevent  Christians  from  re- 
sorting to  the  holy  place ;  and  that  this  and  similar 
desecratory  monuments  form  the  connecting  link  be- 
tween the  apostolic  tradition  and  the  time  of  Con- 
stantino (Krafft,  p.  172).  4.  A  distinction  must  be 
drawn  between  the  statements  of  tradition  regarding 
the  holy  places  in  general,  and  the  description  of 
special  points;  and  it  is  an  erroneous  conclusion, 
when  we  entertain  doubts  regarding  the  former,  be- 
cause doubts  attach  themselves  to  the  latter  (Krafft, 
p.  234).  Schultz  represents  Golgotha  as  a  rocky 
height,  which  rose  straight  up  over  against  the  city, 
having  a  precipitous  face  toward  north  and  east,  and 
was  in  this  way  a  kind  of  stage,  exposed  to  the  eyes 
of  all  the  city's  inhabitants. 

As  regards  the  Via  dolorosa,  or  Via  crucis,  or  the 
Lord's  road  from  the  prastorium  to  Golgotha,  men- 
tion was  first  made  of  it  in  the  fourteenth  century 
(Krafft,  p.  168).  The  real  way  trod  by  our  Lord 
must  have  lain  somewhat  more  to  the  south.f 
Braune's  statement,  that  the  way  was  about  an 
hour's  walking,  is  incorrect :  it  was  very  much 
shorter. 

On  the  discovery  of  the  holy  cross  by  Saint 
Helena,  the  Basilika  erected  on  Golgotha  by  her, 
and  the  present  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  con- 
sult the  Church  Histories,  and  works  of  travel  to  the 
holy  land.  The  central-point  in  the  history  of  the 
Holy  Sepulchre  is  the  Crusades ;  but  the  fact,  that 
the  Mohammedans  still  possess  the  spot,  is  less  sad- ' 
dcning  than  that  Christian  sects  contend  and  fight 
over  the  holy  places,  that  this  contention  gave  occa- 

*  [Or  accurately  Goah,  nj'S  ^  the  th  being  added  to  con- 
nect the  Hebrew  particle  of  motion,— 6roa£Aa/i.  Gesenius 
derives  it  from  HI'S  ,  to  low,  or  moo,  as  a  cow.  Hence 
.also  the  translation  of  the  Targum  the  heifer's  pool.  The 
Syriac,  on  the  other  hai\d,  has  leromto,  to  the  eminence, 
perh.aps  re.ading  nXJ. — P.  S.] 

+  ["  If  the  trial  of  the  Lord  was  at  the  palace  of  Herod  on 
Mount  Sion,  He  couUl  not  have  passed  along  the  Via  dolo- 
rosa."    Andre w.s,  1.  c.  p.  634.— P.  S.] 


522 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


sion  lately  to  a  bloody  war,  and  that  the  supersti- 
tious deception  of  the  holy  Easter-fire  forms  the  chief 
attraction  of  the  feast  of  (iolf^otha  ! 

Ver.  34.  Gave  Him  to  drink. — It  became  a 
custom  in  later  times,  among  the  Jews,  to  give  to 
those  who  were  led  away  to  execution  a  stupefying 
draught  (Synedr.  C ;  Wetstein  on  Mark  xv.  23 ; 
Friedlieb,  141).  Tlie  Rabbins  considered  this  a  cus- 
tom of  holy  mildness,  and  would  ground  it  upon 
Prov.  xxxi.  6  [^^  I'rodeunii  ad  sujjplicium  capitis  po- 
turn  dederunt,  {/runmnque  i]j,uris  in  poculo  vini,  ut 
turbaretur  ijitellectus  ejus,  sicut  diciiur :  dale  siceram, 
etc."].  In  the  days  of  the  Christian  martyrs,  it 
sometimes  happened  that  similar  drinks  were  admin- 
istered to  the  condemned  on  their  way  to  execution 
by  friends  and  brethren  in  the  faith  who  accompa- 
nied them  (Neander,  Leben  Jesu,  p. '757).  It  can- 
not be  shown  to  have  been  a  Roman  custom.  Nev- 
ertheless the  Roman  soldier  ca*Tied  with  him  a  wine, 
which,  though  weak  in  itsi^f,  was  strengthened  by 
being  mixed  with  various  roots.  This  common  wine 
was  called  vinegar-wine  (Mark),  also  vinegar  (Mat- 
thew). Mark  says  myrrh  was  mixed  with  the  wine.* 
The  Jewish  Sanliedrin  appointed  for  this  purpose  a 
grain  of  intense  to  be  mixed  with  a  cup  of  wine. 
The  physician  Dioskorides  says  myrrh  was  also  used ; 
Matthew,  however,  adds,  "  mingled  with  gall."  By 
X  o  Arj  the  LXX.  translate  nj^.b  ,  viormwood,  quassia. 
The  EvangeUst  may  have  chosen  the  expression  with 
reference  to  Ps.  Ixix.  22 ;  but  he  has  not  marked  the 
fulfilment  specially.  There  is  no  trace  of  a  later 
mythical  tradition.  The  most  common  drink  was 
vinegar-wine;  the  strongest  and  most  stupefactive 
mixture,  wormwood.  Jesus  refused  this  intoxicat- 
ing draught  decidedly,  and  that,  too,  knowing  its 
nature :  "  when  He  had  tasted,  He  would  not 
drink."  The  Romans  named  such  a  drink,  signifi- 
cantly, sopor.  Jesus  did  not  thus  afterward  refuse 
the  unmixed  vinegar-wine  when  He  thirsted,  and  had 
finished  His  work. 

Ver.  35.   And  having  crucified  Him,  cttuv- 

fiuc  afT  e  s    Se   avTov,    k.t.A. 

1.  The  Cross,  ffravpo^ :  primarily  a  pale  or  beam, 
crux,  two  beams  fastened  together  in  the  shape  of  a 
T ;  of  these,  the  longer,  called  staticulum,  projected 
often  upward  the  shorter,  or  cross-beam,  called  an- 
tcima.\  In  the  middle  of  the  larger  beam  there  was 
a  peg  or  a  piece  of  wood,  on  which  the  sufferer  rest- 

*  [There  is  no  necessary  contradiction,  as  asserted  by 
Meyer  and  Alford,  between  the  "vinegar  mingled  with 
gall  "(if  Matthew  and  the  "wine  mingled  with  myrrh"  of 
Mark,  since  the  common  wine  of  the  soldiers  was  little  bet- 
ter than  vinegar,  and  since  X"^Vi  gtiU-,  is  used  in  thfi  Sep- 
tuagint  for  various  kinds  of  bitter  substances.  See  Winer, 
sub  Essig,  vol.  i.  p.  349  t—V.  8.] 

+  [There  were  three  forms  of  the  cross:  1.  Crux  immissa 
or  capitata,  a  transverse  beam  crossing  a  perpendicular  one 

at  some  distance  from  the  top,  =  ~'\~.  -i\ccording  to  tradi- 
tion this  was  the  form  of  tiie  Saviours  cross,  vvhii-h  is  thus 
commonly  re|iresented  on  ancient  coins  and  in  modern  pic- 
tures of  the  crucifixion.  Tliere  is  no  proof  of  thi.s,  but  it  .ap- 
pears probable  from  the  fact  that  the  "title"  was  |)laced 
over  tht>,  heacl.  The  so-called  Greek  cross  is  a  foi-m  of  the 
cnixo  immiisa,  where  the  two  beams  cross  each  other  in  the 
middle,  and  the  four  arms  are  of  equal  length.  2.  Crux 
commissd,  a  transverse  beam  placed  on  the  toji  of  a  perpen- 
dicular one,  resembling  the  letter  "p.  'i-  Crux  decussata, 
or  St.  Andrew's  cross,  like  the  letter  X-  The  cross  which 
appeared  to  Constantine.  was  of  this  form,  with  the  Greek 
letter  It  in  it,  so  as  to  represent  the  first  two  letters  of  the 

word  Christos  =^J^  See  pictures  of  coins  of  Constantine  in 
Baronius'  Annates  ad  atm.  p.  312;  in  Miinter's  SinnUlder 


ed ;  and  this  fonmed  one  of  the  most  excruciating 
agonies  of  the  cross.*  The  height  of  the  cross  was 
not  great,  and  the  feet  of  the  criminal  were  not  more 
than  two  feet  from  tha-ground. 

2.  The  Crucifixim.  The  most  extreme  capital 
punishment  among  several  arftcient  nations ;  it  was 
practised  even  by  the  Persians,  Ezra  vi.  11;  Esther 
vii.  9 ;  still,  the  Persiauinstrument  of  execution  was 
something  between  theKbman  cross  and  the  Germanic 
gallows.  The  cross  of  the  Romans  was  the  severest 
punishmeftt  for  the  worst  criminals,  and  so  disgrace- 
ful, that  it  dare  not  be  inflicted  on  Roman  citizens 
{crudelissiniuni  icierrirnumque  supplicium,  Cicero, 
I'^err.  5,  64) ;  only  slaves,  highway  robbers,  rebels, 
and  outlawed  prisoners  of  war,  were  made  to  suffer  it 
(Joseph.  Bell.  v.  Jud.  11,  1,  etc.).f  Those  condemned 
to  the  cross  must  first  be  scourged  ;  then  bear  their 
own  cross,  also  a  tablet  upon  the  breast  stating 
their  crime,  as  far  as  the  place  of  execution,  which 
lay  outside  the  city,  upon  a  thronged  highway,  or 
upon  some  exposed  spot,  that  tlie  crucified  criminals 
might  be  mocked  and  at  the  same  time  in.^pire  ter- 
ror. When  they  had  reached  tins  place  of  execution, 
they  were  stripped,  and,  after  the  stupefying  draught 
was  administered,  they  were  raised  up  and  nailed  to 
the  cross,  which  had  been  previously  erected,  and 
above  which  was  placed  an  mscription.  There  was, 
no  doubt,  another  mode,  according  to  wldch  the 
criminals  were  fastened  to  the  cross  while  it  yet  lay 
on  the  ground.  But  it  would  appear  that  the  former 
was  the  more  usual  method  (FriedUeb,  p.  1.  c.  142). 
The  arms  were  first  extended  and  fastened  to  the 
cross-beam.  The  body  rested  upon  a  peg  in  the  cen- 
tre in  a  riding  manner,  whieli  inevcnted  tlie  hands 
from  being  torn  through,  and  ullywiim'  the  person  to 
fall.  The  feet,  too,  were  fastened.  'I'hen  began  the 
nailing.  Tlie  old  traditional  view  of  the  Church,  that 
the  feet  of  the  Lord  were  nailed  as  well  as  His  hands, 
was  contradicted  since  1792  by  Dr.  Paulus,  who 
maintained  that  the  feet  of  Jesus  were  only  bound. 
But  this  assertion  has  been  disproved  by  Uengsten- 
berg.  Hug,  and  Bahr  (consult  Tholuck,  Jjie  Glaub- 
wiirdigkeit  der  evangelkchen  Geschichie ;  Hug,  Gut- 
achten,  ii.  174;  Friedlieb,  1.  c.  p.  144).  The  first 
proof  that  feet  and  hands  were  both  fastened  by 
nails,  is  supplied  by  Luke  xxiv.  39,  where  Jesus, 
after  His  resurrection,  shows  the  disciples  His  hands 
and  feet  (with  the  marks  in  them).  Again,  we  have 
the  testimonies  of  the  oldest  Church  Fathers,  who 
wrote  at  a  time  when  this  punishment  was  still  prac- 
tised, upon  this  subject,  namely,  Justin  Martyr,  Dial, 
c.  Try  ph.  97;  Tertullian,  Advers.  Marc.m.  19.  Fur- 
ther, heathen  writers  testify  that  the  feet  as  weU  as 
ttie  hands  were  nailed :  Plautus,  MoWllaria,  Act  ii. 


der  alien  Christeii,  p.  36  sqq.,  and  the  second  volume  of  my 
Church  HUtory,  p.  11  sq.— F.  S.] 

*  [This  needs  explanation.  The  projection  on  the  mid- 
dle of  the  larger  beam,  on  which  the  suflerer  sat,  a  wooden 
pin  called  sediU  {i(j)'  &  iiruxoifrai  ol  ffravpovfxivoi, 
.Justin  Mart.  Dial.  c.  Tryph.  p.  81S).  was  rather  a  relief,  and 
prevented  the  weight  of  the  whole  body  from  falling  upon 
the  arms,  which  otherwise  would  soon  have  been  torn  from 
the  nails.  But  in  protracting  the  sufferings,  it  may  be  said 
to  have  been  a  chief  source  of  pain. — V.  S.] 

t  [Crucifi.xion  was  abolished  as  a  punishment  by  Con- 
stantine, the  first  Christian  emperor,  no  doubt  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  humane  spirit  of  Christianity,  which  in  this 
and  many  other  features  improved  the  Itoman  legislation, 
firc^t  indirectly  and  then  directly,  from  the  time  of  Trajan 
and  Marcus  Aurelius  (although  these  emperors  were  heathen 
and  persecutors)  to  Justinian.  Comj).  the  writer's  Church 
History,  vol.  ii.  (now  in  course  of  publication)  §  18,  p.  lOT  fS. 
—P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVIl.  32-56. 


523 


Scene  1.*  There  is  no  reference  made  here  by  the 
Evangelist  to  Fs.  xxii.  1G.|  Tliis  is  a  matter  not  to 
be  overlooked.  Moreover,  the  explanation  of  the 
words  "'"INS  [which  the  English  Version  renders: 
they  pierced^  is  acknowledged  to  be  very  difficult  and 
doubtful  (comi)are  Ilengstenberg,  Ewald,  Hitzig  [also 
Hupfeld,  Delitzscli,  and  J.  A.  Alexander]  on  the  pas- 
sage). The  tiiplcal  Messianic  reference  of  Ps.  xxii.  to 
the  sufferings  of  Christ  does  not,  however,  depend  on 
verse  16th,  although  the  similarity  is  very  striking. 
See  Meyer  also  on  this  passage.  The  spirit  of  tor- 
ture of  the  old  world  must  naturally  manifest  its  in- 
ventive powers  in  the  augmentation  of  the  pains  of 
this  puuislimeut.  So  arose  the  habit  of  crucifying 
with  the  head  downward  (Peter's  death),  and  such 
like  (see  Friedlieb,  1.  c.  p.  146).  Hence,  too,  arose 
the  crux  decusmta,  in  an  oblique  form,  in  the  shape 
of  the  letter  X  >  upon  which  Andrew  is  said  to  have 
bled  to  death.  The  lloman  punishment  of  crucifixion 
was  introduced  into  Palestine  after  that  country  had 
become  a  province  of  the  Roman  empire.  Meeting 
with  a  similar  punishment,  of  a  Jewish  character,  a 
modification  ensued.  Among  the  Jews,  those  who 
had  been  stoned  to  death  were  hanged  upon  a  tree 
to  excite  terror,  on  the  condition  that  the  corpse  was 
not  to  remain  on  the  tree,  but  should  be  buried  the 
same  day ;  for  one  who  is  hanged  is  cursed  of  God 
(Gal.  iii.  13),  and  the  land  was  not  to  be  polluted  by 
such  an  one  (Deut.  xxi.  22,  23).  Hence  the  Jews 
employ,  of  crucifixion,  the  more  usual  n^n ,  io  hang, 
and  Christ  is  designated  in  Jewish  polemical  works, 
the  hanged.  According  to  the  Roman  custom,  the 
crucified  were  not  taken  down :  they  were  allowed  to 
die  slowly ;  and  in  the  case  of  young  and  strong  men, 
this  continued  sometimes  three  days.  Their  flesh 
was  given  to  the  birds,  or  other  wild  animals.  At 
times  their  sufferings  v,-ere  shortened,  by  kindling  a 
fire  beneath,  or  allowing  lions  and  bears  to  tear  them 
to  pieces.  But  the  Jewish  custom  did  not  permit 
that,  partly  from  a  sense  of  humanity,  partly  from 
regard  to  symbolic  purity.  The  bodies  must,  ac- 
cording to  the  law  just  quoted,  be  taken  down  and 
buried.  Hence  arose  the  Roman  Crucifragium ,  the 
breaking  of  the  legs  (otherwise  a  punishment  in  it- 
self); and  with  this  a  "mercy-stroke"  was  at  times 
associated,  which  ended  the  pain  of  the  sufferer. 
Were  they  already  dead,  the  Cnicifragium  was  su- 
perfluous; but  to  make  sure  of  death,  the  easier 
mercy-stroke  was  given,  that  is,  the  body  was  pierced 


*  [The  passage  of  Plautiis  alluded  to  above,  reads  thus: 
"  Ego  daho  ei  talentuni.  primun  qui  in  crucem  excucur- 
rerit,  sed  ea  lege,  ut  offigantub  bis  pedes,  bis  beachia." 
Here  the  only  thing  extraordinary  is  the  repetition  (ft's), 
while  tlie  nailing  of  the  feet  itself  is" supposed  to  be  tlie  usual 
method.  Each  foot  was  probably  nailed  to  the  cross  sepa- 
rately, and  not  both  by  one  nail.  In  e.arlier  pictures  of  the 
crucitixion,  Christ  was  attached  to  the  cro>8  by  three  or  four 
nails  indifferently.  Early  tradition  speaks  of  four  nails. 
After  the  thirteenth  century  the  practice  prevailed  of  repre- 
sentins  the  feet  as  lying  one  over  the  other  and  both  pene- 
tratedby  only  one  nail.  It  is  pos>ible  that  the  crown  of 
thorns  remained  upon  His  head  as  represented  by  painters, 
since  Matthew  and  Mark  mention  the  removal  of  the  purple 
robe  by  the  soldiers,  but  not  of  the  crown.  See  Friedlieb, 
Arclueol.  p.  14.5,  and  Andrews,  Life  of  Christ,  p.  5.SS.— P.  S.] 

+  [Not :  ver.  17.  as  in  the  Edinb.  edition,  which  follows 
the  German  quotations  of  Psalms  here  and  e'sewhere,  not 
knowinj:  that  tlie  German,  like  the  Hebrew  Bible,  treats  the 
inscriptions  of  the  P^alms  as  part  of  the  text  and  numbers 
them  as  ver.  1,  while  the  Authorized  English  Version  sep- 
arates them  from  the  text  in  smaller  type.  Hence  all  the 
German  references  lo  Psalms,  which  have  an  inscription, 
must  be  changed  to  suit  the  English  Bible.  The  important 
•words  referred  to  above  are :  they  pierced  my  hands  and 
my  feet. — P.  S.] 


by  a  lance.  We  see  in  the  Jewish  custom  two  things, 
wltich  were  combined  into  one  in  tlie  Roman :  1.  The 
torturing  execution ;  2.  the  public  exposure  to  insult 
and  mockery ;  3.  the  kindling  of  a  tire  beneath  la 
the  third  point,  and  indicates  an  annihilating  burial. 
Nero,  probably,  in  his  persecutions  of  the  Christians, 
carried  the  thing  further ;  later  it  became  common ; 
and  the  Inquisition,  in  the  Middle  Ages,  employed 
this  legacy  of  the  Romans,  and  cherished  it  lovingly. 

3.  The  Agonies  of  the  Cross.  Crucifixion  was  the 
most  extreme  punishment,  shame,  and  torture,  which 
could  be  devised  by  the  old  world,  as  represented  by 
the  severe  Roman  court  of  criminal  justice.  Only 
the  Inquisition,  with  its  fiendish  inventions,  has  been 
able  to  surpass  this  torturing  death.  There  are  two 
sides,  agony  and  disgrace.  Each  side  presents  three 
acts.  The  agony  includes  scourging,  bearing  the 
cross,  suffering  on  the  cross.  The  torture  of  the 
cross  begins  with  the  pain  of  the  unnatural  method 
of  sitting  on  a  peg,  the  impossibility  of  holding  up 
the  weary  head,  the  burning  of  the  nail-pierced  hands 
and  feet.  Besides  this,  there  is  the  swelling  of  arms 
and  legs,  feverish  thirst  and  anguish,  the  gradual  ex- 
tinction of  life  through  gangrened  wounds  or  exhaus- 
tion. The  disgrace  and  mental  suffering  also  presents 
a  ehmax :  The  Scourged  One  appears  as  the  detested ; 
the  expelled  Cross-bearer,  as  the  rejected  of  God  and 
men ;  the  Cross-suspended,  as  an  object  of  horror, 
and  of  cursing  (1  Cor.  iv.  13 ;  John  iii.  14). — The 
unique  character  of  Christ's  sufferings  lies,  however, 
first,  in  the  contrast  between  His  heavenly  healthi- 
ness and  sensibility,  and  this  helhsh  torture ;  second- 
ly, in  the  contrast  between  His  hoUness,  innocence, 
philanthropy,  and  divine  dignity,  and  this  experienc- 
ing of  human  contempt,  rejection,  and  of  apparent 
abandonment  by  God  ;  above  all,  thirdly,  in  His 
sympathy  with  humanity,  which  changes  this  judg- 
ment, to  which  the  world  was  surrendered,  into  His 
own,  and  so  transforms  it  into  a  vicarious  suffering. 
Upon  the  bodily  sufferings  of  Christ,  during  the  cru- 
cifixion, the  physician  Chr.  (iottl.  Riehter  has  written 
four  treatises  (iVYo).* 

They  divided  His  garments. — "  Perfectly  na- 

*  [Dr.  Christian  Friedeich  G.  Eichtek,  born  16T6,  died 
1711,  was  a  pious  physician  of  the  Orphan  House  in  Halle, 
and  the  author  of  thirty-three  excellent  German  hjonns  full 
of  unction,  several  of  which  have  passed  into  common  use 
in  public  worship  (e.  g.,  Frenet  euch,  erloste  BrUder;  O 
TAebe,  die  den  Ilimmel  hat  eerrissen;  Es  kostet  viel,  ein 
Christ  sM  sein;  Es  ist  nicht  schicer,  ein  CJirist  bu  sein; 
Mein  Salomo,  deinfreundliches  Regieren;  Es  gldmet  der 
Christen  inwendiges  Leben  ;  0  icie  selUj  sind  die  Seelen). 
He  thus  describes  the  physical  sufferings  of  the  cruciflxion: 
1.  On  account  of  the  unnatural  and  immovable  position  of 
the  body  and  the  violent  extens'on  of  the  arms,  the  least 
motion  produced  the  most  painful  sensation  .ill  over  the 
body,  but  especially  on  the  lacerated  back  and  the  pierced 
meiiibers.  2.  The  nails  caused  constantly  increasing  f)aln  on 
the  most  sensitive  purts  of  tlie  hands  and  feel.  3.  Inflamma- 
tion set  in  at  the  ]>iir(;i  d  nu'Tiibfrs  and  wherever  the  circu- 
liition  of  the  blood  v,as  (itistructeil  by  the  violent  tension  of 
the  body,  and  inrr-ascd  tlie  agony  and  an  intolerable  thirst. 
4.  The  blood  rushed  to  the  head  and  produced  the  most  vio- 
lent hi'adache.  5.  The  blood  in  tiie  lungs  accumulated, 
premising  the  heart,  swelling  all  the  veins,  And  cau.sed  name- 
less anguish.  Lo.ss  of  blooil  through  the  open  wounds  would 
have  shortened  the  pain,  but  the  bUxxl  clotted  and  ceased 
flowing.  Death  gcner.ally  set  in  slowly,  the  muscles,  veins, 
and  nerves  gradually  growing  stilt",  and  the  vital  powera 
sinking  from  exhaustion. — IJut'all  the  ordinary  sufferings  of 
cruciflxion  give  us  but  a  faint  idea  of  the  sufferings  of  the 
sinless  Oodman  and  Kedeemer  of  the  world,  which  stand 
out  solitary  and  alone, — the  unexhausted  and  inexhaustible 
theme  for  meditation,  gratitude,  and  worship  to  all  ages  and 
generations  of  the  redeemed.  .S'e<?  the  excellent  remarks  of 
Dr.  Lange  in  the  text.  Even  the  infldel  Kous.seiiu  exclaim- 
ed :  If  Socrates  lived  and  died  like  a  sage,  Jesus  of  Nazare'.U 
lived  and  died  like  a  God.— P.  S.] 


524 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


kcd  did  the  a-icciarii  hang  upon  the  cross  (Artcmid. 
2,  68  ;  Lips.  Be  cruce  2,  V),  and  the  executioners  re- 
ceived their  clothes  (Wetsteiu  upon  tliis  passage). 
There  is  no  ancient  testimony  to  show  that  there  was 
a  cloth  even  round  the  loins.  See  Thilo,  Ad.  Ev. 
Nicod.  10,  p.  582."  Meyer.  There  is,  however,  also 
a  "  retrospective  "  prophetic  view ;  and  the  Jewish 
custom  is  to  be  remembered,  the  sympathy  of  the 
heathen  captain,  Christ's  mother  beneath  the  cross, 
etc.  The  garments  became  the  property  of  the  sol- 
diers, after  Roman  usage.  The  outer  garment  was 
divided  probably  into  four,  by  ripping  up  the  seams. 
Four  soldiers  were  counted  ofi'  as  a  guard,  by  the 
Roman  code.  The  under  garment  could  not  be  ili- 
vided,  being  woven ;  and  this  led  the  soldiers  to  the 
dice-throwing.  Matthew  presents  the  different  points 
as  a  whole. 

Casting  lots. — For  the  more  explicit  account, 
see  John  xix.  23.— That  it  might  be  fulfilled.— 
According  to  the  textual  criticism  {see  above),  we  are 
led  to  think  these  words  introduced  from  John,  "  al- 
though it  is  worthy  of  attention,  that  'p-(\Q'kv  kiro 
Tov  -rrpocj).  belongs  only  to  Matthew."  De  Wette. 
One  is  induced,  certainly,  to  side  with  the  minority 
of  witnesses  iu  this  case.  The  addition  is  supported 
not  merely  by  the  mode  of  speech  used  by  Matthew, 
but  also  especially  hj  the  fact,  that  he  has  put  the 
crucifixion  into  the  Aorist  participle,  as  though  he 
would  emphasize  particularly  the  fact  brought  for- 
ward by  the  finite  verb.  And  this  caimot  be  the 
division  of  the  garments  in  itself,  but  its  import. 
Accordingly  the  case  stands  thus  :  either  the  major- 
ity of  the  scribes  have  taken  objection  to  the  expres- 
sion, uTTo  TOV  TTpo<pi]Tov,  ov  tlic  othcrs  have  expanded 
the  words,  "  they  divided  His  garments,  casting  lots," 
according  to  Matthew's  meaning.  The  construction 
shows,  however,  that  this  explanation  was  intended. 
The  prophecy  in  the  psahn  is  of  a  typical  nature. 
Upon  the  misconception  of  the  passage,  Ps.  xxii.  19, 
which  Strauss  charges  home  upon  the  Evangelist, 
see  the  author's  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  3,  p.  1602  (German 
edition). 

Ver.  36.  And  sitting  down,  they  watched 
Him  there. — The  watch  was  set  to  prevent  those 
who  had  been  crucified  from  being  taken  down.  In 
this  case,  they  had  a  peaceful  bivouac  which  assumed 
a  significant  meaning.  ""^ 

Ver.  3*7. — And  they  set  up  over  His  head, 
etc. — The  circumstance  that  the  crvciarius,  accord- 
ing to  Dio  Cass.  54,  8,  was  compelled  to  carry  a 
"title"  stating  his  guilt,  suspended  from  his  neck 
and  resting  upon  his  breast,  while  being  led  to  the 
place  of  execution,  justifies  the  conclusion  that  it 
w;is  the  custom  to  set  up  this  title  also  above  the 
criminal's  head,  when  fastened  to  the  cross.  We 
learn  the  same  from  the  transactions  regarding  this 
title  recorded  by  John,  who  lays  peculiar  stress  upon 
the  double  meaning  and  significance  of  the  super- 
scription, chap.  xix.  20.  This  title,  according  to 
Matthew,  was  attached  after  the  division  of  the 
clothes.  The  very  soldiers  seem  to  feel  that  the 
statement  of  the  crime  was  not  in  this  case  the  chief 
matter.  The  small,  white  tablet,  upon  which  the 
accusation  or  sentence  of  death  stood  inscribed,  was 
called  ikuhis,  a  avis,  or  also  \etncco/j.a,  air  ia. 
— This  is  Jesus,  The  King  of  the  Jews. — No 
other  crmae  but  this.  The  Jews  have  crucified  their 
Messiah.  He  has  His  title  of  honor ;  they  have  their 
shame. 

Ver.  38.  Then  are  two  robbers  crucified 
with  Him,  (XTavpovvTat . — At  this  moment,  and 


not  till  then,  are  (present).  "  By  another  band  of 
soldiers  ; "  for  those  who  crucified  the  Lord  have 
seated  themselves  beneath  the  c.iss.  This  arrange- 
ment was  a  combination  devised  by  Pilate.  First, 
the  crucified  Jesus  is  decked  with  the  title.  King  of 
the  Jews ;  then  two  robbers,  as  the  symbol  of  His 
Jewish  kingdom,  are  crucified.  This  was  the  gov- 
cinor's  revenge,  that  the  Jews  had  overcome  him, 
and  humbled  Him  in  his  own  ec'hnation. — Two 
robbers,  x-parai . — The  usual  puni  ^hmen;  .  r  such 
an  offence  was  crucifixion.  They  were  in  ali  likeli- 
hood no  common  robbers,  but  fanatical  insurrection- 
ists, chiliastic  enthusiasts,  such  as  are  frequently  met 
with  in  later  Jewish  history.     Comp.  Mark  xv.  Y. 

Ver.  39.  But  they  that  passed  by. — Not  la- 
borers going  to  their  work  (Fritzsche,  de  Wette),  but 
the  people  who,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  feast-day, 
were  walking  about  outside  the  gate,  and  gomg  to- 
ward this  populous  quarter,  where  a  new  town  was 
rising.  As  we  previously  remarked,  Golgotha  was  a 
rocky  height,  turned  toward  the  city,  forming  thus  a 
natural  stage  for  the  public  exposure  of  the  crucified. 
And  there  the  citizens  of  Jerusalem  came  forth  this 
day  purposely,  to  walk  about  with  pleasure. — Shak- 
ing their  heads. — "  Not  as  a  sign  of  disapprobation, 
but,  as  we  may  see  from  Ps.  xxii.  8 — as  a  gesture  of 
passionate  and  malignant  joy :  compare  Job  xyi.  4 ; 
Ps.  cix.  25 ;  Isa.  xxxvii.  22  ;  Buxtorf,  Xexic.  Talm. 
p.  2039."  Meyer.  Query,  was  not  disapprobation 
hidden  under  this  malignant  joy? 

Ver.  40.  Thou  that  destroyest  the  temple. 
Following  the  participial  form,  more  accurately,  the 
destroyer  of  the  tempjle  {o  Kara?,fiMv  rhu  vaAv).  The 
popular  accusation  brought  against  Him  by  the  citi- 
zens of  Jerusalem,  proud  of  their  temple,  though  the 
false  witnesses  upon  the  trial  had  contradicted  one 
another.  Still,  they  understood  that  there  lay  iu 
the  rebuilding  within  three  dai/s  an  amiouncement  of 
a  delivering  power,  and  also  a  claim  laid  to  Messianic 
dignity :  hence  the  summons.  Save  Thyself,  and  the 
parallel  sentence,  explanatory  of  the  first :  If  Thou 
be  the  Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross. 
— The  witty  mockers  do  not  dream  that  He  will 
really  within  three  days  rebuild  the  temple  which 
they  had  destroyed.  The  parallelism,  putting  the 
words  into  poetic  form,  makes  of  the  utterances  a 
song  of  derision,  which  they  improvise  in  their  Sa- 
tanic enthusiasm,  as  is  still  often  observed  in  the 
East  upon  similar  occasions. 

Vers.  41-43.  The  chief  priests  .  .  .  with  the 
scribes. — The  burghers  blaspheme,  for  they  were  at 
first  stung  with  feelings  of  disapprobation ;  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Sanhedrin  mock,  for  they  think  they  have 
achieved  a  perfect  victory.  But  their  mockery  is  no 
less  blasphemy :  and  here,  too,  appears  that  poetic 
parallelism  which  makes  a  derisive  song  out  of  their 
mocking.  But  the  mockery  rises  in  this  case  to 
fvenzy: — He  saved  others  (forced  recognition), 
Himself  He  cannot  save  (blasphemous  conclu- 
sion). Then,  He  is  King  of  Israel :  ironical  no 
doubt,  and  again  a  wicked  conclusion.  Finally,  He 
trusted  in  God  (with  blasphemous  reference  to  Ps. 
xxii.  9) ;  and  the  godless  conclusion,  in  which  blas- 
phemy against  Christ  passes  unconsciously  over  into 
blasphemy  against  God,  for  whose  honor  they  pre- 
tend to  be  zealous.  Besides  this,  they  unconsciously 
adopt  the  language  of  the  enemies  of  God's  servant, 
Ps.  xxii.  Thus  are  the  statements,  and  even  the 
prayers,  of  finished  fanaticism  usually  filled  with 
blasphemies.  If  He  will  have  him,  ei  eixei 
aurov : — if  He  has  pleasure  in  him,  after  the  Hebrew 


CHAP.  XXVn.  32-56. 


525 


■ia  I'Sn  .  It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  the  mockmg 
speech  of  the  Sanlicdriu  consists  of  three  members, 
while  that  of  the  other  mockers  presents  but  two. 

Vcr.  41.  The  robbers  also,  etc. — Apparent 
contradiction  of  Luke  xxiii.  30.  1.  Meyer  fmd  oth- 
ors:  It  is  an  actual  contradiction.  2.  Ebrard  and 
others :  It  is  only  a  general  expression,  indefinitely 
put.  3.  The  older  harmonists,  Chrysostom,  and 
others :  At  first,  both  mocked ;  afterward,  only  one. 
4.  At  first,  both  mocked,  wvfiSi^oi^,  in  so  far  as 
they  demanded  that  He  as  Messias  should  descend 
from  the  cross.  But  this  the  one  did,  as  a  nobler 
chiliast  (millennarian),  and  with  a  heart  filled  by  en- 
thusiastic hopes ;  the  other,  in  a  despairing  spirit. 
Afterward,  the  former  resigned  all  earthly  hopes,  and 
in  his  death  turned  to  the  dying  Christ ;  the  other  in 
his  despair  blaspliemed  the  dying  Lamb  {4PKaa(f>ri/jiei, 
Luke).     See  the  author's  Leben  Jemi,  ii.  3,  p.  1505. 

Ver.  43.  Now,  from  the  sixth  hour  there 
was  a  darkness,  etc. — Since  the  third  hour,  or  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  Jesus  had  been  hanging  on 
the  cross ;  from  the  sixth  hour, — accordingly  at  mid- 
day, when  the  sun  stood  highest  and  the  day  was 
brightest,  which  also  was  the  middle-point  in  His 
crucifixion-torments,  —  the  darkness  began.  This 
statement  regarding  tlie  time,  appears  to  be  opposed 
to  thftt  in  John  xix.  14,  where  we  read  that  it  was 
the  six'Ji,  hour  {&pa  i\v  ais  e/cTjj),  when  Pilate  pro- 
nounced sentence.  If  we  adopt  Tholuck's  view,  that 
John  follows  the  reckoning  of  time  usual  in  the  Ro- 
man forum,  we  obtain  too  early  an  hour.  The  peri- 
ods of  the  day  being  reckoned  especially  according  to 
the  hours  of  prayer,  3,  6,  9,  we  may  understand  the 
passage  thus :  the  third  hour  (nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning)  was  already  past,  and  it  was  going,  was 
hastening  on,  to  the  sixth  hour.  The  sixth  hour  was 
held  peculiarly  sacred  by  the  Jews,  especiaDy  upon 
the  Sabbaths  and  the  festivals.  Mark's  statement 
is  analogous,  ch.  xv.  25  :  it  was  the  third  hour  when 
they  crucified  Jesus.  Mark,  like  Matthew,  contem- 
plates the  scourging  as  a  part  of  the  crucifixion ; 
and  that  occurred  between  the  third  and  sixtli  hour. 
This  cannot  have  been  an  ordinary  eclipse  of  the  sun, 
because  the  Passover  was  celebrated  at  the  time  of 
full  moon.  Moreover,  Luke  mentions  the  darkening 
of  the  sun  after  the  darkening  of  the  earth ;  and 
hence  it  is  manifest,  that  he  ascribes  the  darkness 
which  spread  over  the  earth  to  no  mere  ecUpse ;  but 
he  ascribes,  on  the  contrary,  the  darkness  of  the  sun 
to  a  mysterious  thickening  of  the  atmosphere.  The 
Christian  Fathers  of  the  first  century  appeal  to  a 
statement  which  is  found  in  the  works  of  Phlegon,  a 
chronicler  under  the  Emperor  Hadrian  (Neander,  p. 
756).  Eusebius  quotes  the  very  words,  under  the 
date  of  the  4th  year  of  the  202d  Olympiad  :  "  There 
occurred  the  greatest  darkening  of  the  sun  which  had 
ever  been  known;  it  became  night  at  mid-day,  so 
that  the  stars  shone  in  the  heavens.  A  great  earth- 
quake in  Bithynia,  which  destroyed  a  part  of  Nica2a."* 


*  [I  add  the  original  of  the  rcmarlcablo  p.ossage  of  Phle- 
ooN,  who  was  a  freedman  of  the  heathen  emperor  Hadrian, 
and  wrote  a  Sylloge  Olympionicanmi  et  Chronicorum  : 
T(p  A  erei  tiis  2  B  oXu/XTTtdSos  eyeVero  fK\fi\pL^  17A.10U 
fxeyiffTT)  Tuv  i-yvuia txivwv  Trpurepou,  Kal  vi'<|  Sipa  fKTT] 
T^y  Tj/.ifpas  iytiiTO,  uian  koX  aaripas  iy  oiipavw 
(pavrivai.  2,fiffix6s  re  fxiya^  Kara  BtOui'iav  yevofiivoi 
TO.  TToXKa  fitKaias  KaTiaTpixpaTo.  The  same  pass.iire  is 
quoted  by  Julius  Africanus,  a.  d.  222,  in  Synccllus'  Chron. 
257,  Yen.  322,  Par.:  ^\iy(uv  ta-ropii  tVi  Tt&epiov  Kai- 
(Tapos  eV  TtavaiK-qvo^  (in  the  middle  of  the  month)  e/cAei- 


Hug  and  Wiescler  {Chronol.  Synopsc,  p.  388)  reject 
this  reference,  inasmuch  as  Phlegon  speaks  of  an  act- 
ual eclipse.  But  when  we  see  that  Phlegon  unites 
that  eclipse  with  an  eartluiuake,  we  may  reasonably 
conclude  he  refers  to  some  extraordinary  natural 
phenomenon.  Still,  as  it  is  alleged  that  the  reckon- 
ings do  not  agree  accurately  with  the  year  of  Christ's 
death  (either  two  or  one  year  earlier,  see  Wiescler, 
p.  388;  Brinkmeyer,  Chronolorjie,  p.  208),  we  let 
this  reference  rest  upon  its  own  merits.  Paulus  and 
others  make  the  darkness  to  be  such  as  precedes  an 
ordinary  earthquake.  Meyer,  on  the  contrary,  asserts 
that  it  was  an  extraordinary,  miractdous  darkness. 
Without  doubt,  the  phenomenon  was  associated  with 
the  death  of  Jesus  in  the  most  intimate  and  mysteri- 
ous manner.  But  the  life  of  the  eartii  has  somethmg 
more  than  its  mere  ordinary  round ;  it  has  a  geologi- 
cal development  which  shall  go  on  till  the  end  of  the 
world.  This  development  is  conditioned  by  the  de- 
velopment of  God's  kingdom,  forms  a  parallel  to  the 
same,  and  agrees  in  all  the  principal  points  with  the 
decisive  epochs  in  the  kingdom  of  God  (see  the  au- 
thor's Leben  Jcsu.,  ii.  1,  p.  312  ;  and  rosiiive  Doffmon 
(ik,  p.  1227).  Accordingly,  the  death  of  Jesus  is 
accompanied  by  an  extraordinary  occurrence  in  the 
physical  world.  But  that  these  occurrences,  as  natu- 
ral phenomena,  were  produced  by  natural  causes, 
cannot  be  denied.  For,  improper  as  it  is  to  represent 
the  wonder  in  nature  as  a  simple,  accidental  occur- 
rence in  nature,  it  is  equally  improper  to  set  nature 
outside  of  nature  herself,  or  to  deny  the  natural  side 
of  the  wonder  in  nature.  This  darkening  of  the  sun 
is  then  to  be  connected  with  a  miraculous  earth- 
quake, which  again  stood  connected  with  the  occur- 
rence in  the  life  of  the  divine  Redeemer,  which  we 
are  how  considering.  The  moment  when  Christ,  the 
creative  Prince,  the  principle  of  life  to  humanity  and 
the  Vi^orld,  expires,  convulses  the  whole  physical 
world.  In  a  similar  moment  of  death,  is  nature  to 
go  to  meet  her  glorification.  When  Christ  was  born, 
night  became  bright  by  the' shining  of  the  miraculous 
star,  as  though  it  would  pass  into  a  heavenly  day ; 
when  He  died,  the  day  darkened  at  the  hour  when 

\piv  i)\iov  yeyovivai  TfXdav  airh  aipas  skttjs  /ue'xpis 
eVyaTrjs.  Anuther  heathen  historian,  Thallcs.  as  quoted 
by  Julius  Africauus,  mentions  the  same  eclipse  of  the  sun: 
TOVTO  ro  (TKOTus  'iK\iL^LV  Tov  TjKiov  QdWos  dTIOKaXil 
iv  -rp'nr)  toij/  laropioiv.  Eusebius  mentions  a  third  au- 
thority without  naming  it.  To  these  testimonies  must  be 
added  those  of  Tertullian,  Origen,  Paifinus,  who  boldly  ap- 
peal to  the  Roman  archives  for  the  proof  of  the  eclipse  of 
the  sun  at  the  time  of  the  Saviour's  death.  See  on  this 
whole  subject  the  learned  astronomical  investigation  of  Dr. 
Setffarth,  Chronologia  Sacra,  Leipzig,  lS-16,  p.  130  ff.  and 
p.  281  ff.  Seyfliirth,  who  dcf-rids  the  crra  Dionysiaca  as 
correct,  both  as  to  the  year  and  day  of  Christ's  birth,  puts 
this  eclipse  on  the  19th  of  March,  a.  d.  S3,  and  regards  it 
both  as  a  natural  and  as  a  supernatural  phenomenoD.  He 
infers  this  even  from  Phlegou's  testimony,  who  says  that 
this  eclipse  surpassed  all  others  ever  seen  {neyicrrtj  rai/ 
iyfoxTfiifcDU  TTpdrepoy),  and  yet  there  can  be  no  greater 
natural  eclipse  of  the  sun  than  a  tot.al  eclipse,  such  as  is 
not  unfrequently  witnessed  in  every  generation.  But  the 
majority  of  orthodox  commentators  regard  it  as  a  purely 
supernatural  event  on  account  of  the  time  of  the  pas.sovcr  in 
the  full  moon,  when  the  sun  cannot  be  obscured  by  the 
moon.    So  also  Meyer,  Stier,  Alford,  Wordsworth,  who  calls 

i  it  a  (TicoTus  6(OTroir]Tov,  Andrews,  and  Kast.    At  all  events, 

I  the  unanimous  testimony  of  nil  the  syn0ptic.1l  Gospels  roust 
silence  all  qiiestion  as  to  the  universal  belief  of  this  d-irkness 

I  as  a  fact.  The  omission  of  it  in  John's  Gospel  is  of  no  more 
weight  than  the  numerous  other  in.stances  of  such  omission. 
The  darkness  was  desigm-d  to  exhibit  the  anuazement  of 
nature  and  of  the  God  of  nature  at  the  wickedness  of  the 

1  crucifixion  of  Uim  who  Is  the  light  of  the  world  and  the  sun 
of  righteousness.— P.  S.] 


526 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


the  sun  shone  in  fullest  glory,  as  though  it  would 
sink  into  the  awful  night  of  Shcol.  Heubner,  refer- 
ring to  the  eclipse  mentioned  by  Phlegou,  says, 
Suidas  relates  that  Dionysius  the  Areopagite  (then  a 
heathen),  saw  the  eclipse  in  Egypt,  and  exclaimed : 
"  Either  God  is  suffering,  and  the  world  sympathizes 
with  Hun,  or  else  the  world  is  hurrying  to  destruc- 
tion." Sec  also,  p.  457,  the  well-known  statement 
of  Plutarch  {De  oraeidorum  defeetu).  Ships  which 
were  sailing  toward  Italy,  passed  by  the  island  Paxe. 
The  Egyptian  helmsman,  Thamus,  heard  a  voice  bid- 
ding him  say  to  the  paludes,  when  he  arrived,  that 
the  great  Pan  was  dead.  The  announcement  of  this 
deatii  called  forth  many  outcries  and  a  sound  of  bit- 
ter lamentation.  Many  interpretations  of  this  mys- 
terious legend. 

Over  all  the  land. — Theophylact :  KorrfxiKhv  Se 
ijv  rh  aKOTos,  oh  f^€piK6v.  Meyer  agrees  with  this  in- 
terpretation and  thinks  that,  in  accordance  with  the 
miraculous  character  of  the  whole  event,  M  -waffav 
TTjv  yriu  must  mean  here  over  the  v<hole  earth ,  and  not 
over  the  whole  land  (as  Erasmus,  Maldonatus,  Kuinoel, 
Olshausen,  Ebrard,  and  others  take  it) ;  yet  he  ad- 
mits that  the  term  must  not  be  measured  by  the  laws 
of  physical  geography,  and  exjiresses  simply  the  faith 
of  popular  observation.*  But  the  legitimacy  of  "  the 
popular  hyperbole"  lies  in  this,  that  the  Israelites 
used  the  "  whole  land  "  for  the  whole  earth.  There 
is  a  reference  certainly  to  the  whole  world,  though 
the  natural  phenomena  may  have  been  fully  seen 
only  in  the  holy  land,  Syria,  and  Asia  Minor. — To 
the  ninth  hour. — Highly  significant  continuance  of 
the  darkness.  Mere  shadows  of  this  gloom  were  the 
darknesses  which  accompanied  the  decease  of  Romu- 
lus and  that  of  Caesar.     Virg.  Georg.  i.  164. 

Ver.  46.  About  the  ninth  hour  Jesus  cried 
out,  etc. — This  is  the  only  one  of  the  "  seven  words  " 
which  is  reported  by  Matthew  and  Mark  :  it  is  given 
accordingly  in  a  pointed  manner,  and  presented  in 
its  striking  signification.  Most  exactly  given  by  Mark 
in  the  vernacular  Syro-Chaldaic  dialect",^  Elci,  Eloi, 
etc.f  With  this  single  exception  the  above-named 
Evangelists  mention  merely  the  loud  cry  of  the  Sa- 
viour without  giving  its  contents.  He  cried  out, 
aue^orjaef ;  Or,  He  shrieked  with  a  loud  and  strong 
voice.  The  exclamation  itself  is  given  in  its  original 
form,  as  the  "Talitha  Cumi"  and  the  "Abba"  in 
Mark  (ch.  v.  41,  xiv.  36).  laPaxOavi,  Chald. 
•'rnpn^  =  Heb.  ■'inn:?^ .  "  The  citation  of  this 
exclamation  in  the  original  tongue  is  fully  and  natu- 
rally explained  by  the  mockery  of  ver.  47,  which 
rests  upon  the  similarity  of  sound.  The  Greek  trans- 
lator of  Matthew's  Gospel  was  accordingly  forced  to 
retain  the  Hebrew  words,  though  he  adds  the  trans- 
lation." Meyer. — JEzphnation  of  this  cvy :  1.  Vica- 
rious experience  of  the  divine  wrath  (Melanchthon  and 
the  older  orthodox  school).  2.  Testimony  that  His 
political  plans  had  failed  (Wolfenbiittel  Fragments). 
3.  Mythical,  founded  on  Ps.  xxii.,  the  programme 
of  His  sufferings  (Strauss).  4.  Lamentation,  ex- 
pressed in  a  scriptural  statement,  showing  He  had 
the  whole  psalm,  with  its  sublime  conclusion,  before 

*  [This  p.ossage  is  entirely  mistranslated  in  the  Efllnb. 
edition,  so  as  to  give  the  very  opposite  sense.  I  compared 
^feyer's  fourth  edition,  and  save  his  view  more  ful'y  tliaii 
Dr.  Lanue  who  quotes  from  the  third  edition.  Alford  con- 
tines  the  expression  to  that  part  of  tlie  glote  over  which  it 
was  day,  but  sees  no  strong  objection  to  any  limitation,  pro- 
vided the  fact  itself,  as  happening  at  Jerusalem,  is  distinctly 
recoenized. — P.  S.] 

t  [Wor<;sworth  infers  from  this  an  argument  for  the  use 
of  ternacular  Scriptures.— P.  S.] 


His  mind  (Paulus,  Schleiermacher).  5.  Objective  or 
actual  momentary  abandonment  by  God  (Olshausen). 
G.  Subjective  momentary  abandonment  or  feeling  of 
being  forsaken  by  God.  De  Wette,  Meyer.  The  lat- 
ter says  that  Christ  was  "for  a  moment  overpower- 
ed (! )  by  the  deepest  pain  ; "  that  "  the  agony  of 
soul  arising  from  His  rejection  by  men,  united  with 
the  torture  of  the  body,  which  now  surpassed  en- 
durance ; "  that  "  His  consciotisness  of  union  with 
God  was  for  the  moment  Overcome  by  the  agony." 
7.  Amid  the  faintness,  or  the  confusion  of  mind  at 
the  presentiment  of  approaching  death.  He  felt  His 
abandonment  by  God;  and  yet  His  spirii  rested 
firmly  on,  and  His  will  was  fuUy  subject  to,  God, 
while  He  was  thus  tasting  death  for  every  man 
through  God's  grace  (Lange's  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  3,  p. 
1573).  Or  the  voice  of  conflict  with  death,  a  voice 
at  the  same  time  of  victory  over  this  temporal  death 
to  which  humanity  is  subject.  [We  have  in  this  ex- 
clamation an  intensified  renewal  of  the  agony  of 
Gethsemane,  the  culmination  of  His  vicarious  suffer- 
ings where  they  turned  into  victory.  It  was  a  divine- 
human  experience  of  sin  and  death  in  their  inner 
connection  and  universal  significance  for  the  race  by 
one  who  was  peifectly  pure  and  holy,  a  mysterious 
and  indescribable  anguish  of  the  bodj/  and  the  soul'm 
immediate  prospect  of,  and  in  actual  wrestling  with, 
death  as  the  wages  of  sin  and  the  culmination  of  all 
misery  of  man,  of  which  the  Saviour  was  free,  but 
which  He  voluntarily  assumed  from  infinite  love  in 
behalf  of  the  race.  -But  His  spirit  serenely  sailed 
above  the  clouds  and  still  held  fast  to  God  as  Bi^ 
God,  and  His  will  was  as  obedient  to  Him  as  in  the 
garden  when  He  said:  Mot  My  will  but  Thine  be 
done.  While  God  apparently  forsook  Him,  the  suf- 
fering,Head  of  humanity,  in  tasting  death  as  the  ap- 
pointed curse  of  sin  and  separation  from  His  commu- 
nion, Christ  did  not  forsake  God,  and  thus  restored 
for  man  the  bond  of  union  with  God  which  man  had 
broken.  The  exclamation :  My  God^  My  God,  etc., 
implies  therefore  a  stiuggle  with  death  which  was  at 
the  same  time  a  defeat  of  the  king  of  terror,  and 
transformed  death  into  life  by  taking  away  its  sting, 
and  completing  the  atonement.  Hence  the  trium- 
phant conclusion  of  the  agony  in  the  words :  '■'■  It  is 
fnished ! '''  Com.p.  the  Bocirinal  llioughts  below. 
There  is  great  consolation  in  this  dying  word.  Even 
if  God  hides  His  face  from  us,  we  need  not  despair ; 
the  sun  of  grace  is  still  behind  the  clouds  of  judg- 
ment, and  Avill  shine  through  the  veU  with  double 
effect— P.  S.] 

Ver.  47.  This  (man)  calleth  for  Elijah.— Ex- 
planation: 1.  Misunderstanding  on  the  part,  a.  of 
the  Roman  soldiers  (Euthym.  Zigabenus),  b.  of  the 
common  Jews  (Theophylact),  c.  of  the  Hellenists 
(Grotius).  2.  lleyer,  following  de  Wette :  "  A  blas- 
phemous Jewish  joke,  by  an  awkward  and  godless 
pun  upon  EU."  *  If  we  conceive  to  ourselves  the 
state  of  matters,  we  may  easily  assume  that  joking 
and  mockery  were  now  past  (see  Luke  xxiii.  48).  It 
may  be  supposed  that  this  loud  cry,  Ell,  Eli,  waken- 
ed up  the  consciences  of  the  cn-looking  Jews,  and 
filled  them  with  the  thought.  Perhaps  the  turning- 
point  may  now  actually  have  come,  and  Elijah  may 
appear  to  biing  in  the  day  of  judgment  and  ven- 
geance (Olshausen) ;  and,  occupied  thus,  they  may 
not  have  heard  the  remaining  words.     It  is  by  no 


*  [So  Alford  :  •'  intended  mockery,  as  o  6  t  o  s  clearly  in- 
dicates." Also  Alexander,  Ellicott,  Andrews,  Owen,  Cros- 
by, Stier.  Nast,  etc.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVn.  82-56. 


527 


means  far-fetched  to  imagine  that  the  Jewish  super- 
stition, after  the  long-continued  daikness,  took  the 
form  of  an  expectation  of  a  Messianic  appearance. 
At  least,  we  may  say  that  they  sought  to  hide  their 
terror  under  an  ambiguous  pun  upon  the  words. 

Vers.  48,  49.  One  of  them  ran  and  took  a 
sponge. — The  word  of  Jesus:  I  thirst,  had  immedi- 
ately preceded  this  act,  as  we  learn  from  John ;  and, 
Bucceedhig  tlie  cry :  Uli,  marks  that  Christ  was  now 
conscious  of  having  triumphed.  Under  the  impulse 
of  sjnnpathj",  one  ran  and  dipped  a  sponge  in  a  ves- 
sel of  wine  which  stood  there  (the  ordinary  miUtary 
wine,  poKca) ;  and  then  fastening  the  sponge  upon  a 
hyssop-reed,  which  when  fully  gi-own  is  firm  as  wood, 
gave  it  to  the  Lord  to  drink.  {Sec  Winer,  art.  Hys- 
sop.) According  to  John,  several  were  engaged  in 
this  act.  According  to  Matthew,  the  rest  cry  out  to 
the  man  who  was  offering  the  drink,  Wait  (come), 
let  us  see  whether  Elijah  will  come  to  save 
Him.  According  to  Mark,  the  man  himself  cries. 
Wait,  etc. — an  accurate  picture  of  the  excitement 
caused  by  the  loud  cry  of  Jesus.  The  one  party  seem 
to  sec  in  this  act  a  disturbajice  of  tlie  expectation ;  the 
others  see  in  it  the  fulfilment  of  the  request,  and  a 
refreshment  to  support  life  till  the  expectation  should 
be  fulfilled.  De  Wette  thiuks  the  offer  was  ironical ; 
but  he  confounds  the  second  with  the  first  draught. 
His  view,  too,  is  opposed  by  Christ's  reception  of  the 
second  drink.  Christ  drank  this  draught,  1.  because 
the  wine  was  unmixed ;  2.  because  now  the  moment 
of  rest  had  come. 

Ver.  50.  Jesus  cried  again,  Kpafay. — The 
last  words, — not  those  recorded  in  John  xix.  30, 
but  those  in  Luke  xxiii.  46 :  "  Father,  into  Thy 
hands,"  etc.  Meyer  is  disposed,  without  ground, 
however,  to  find  in  these  words  a  later  tradition,  aris- 
ing from  Ps.  xxxi.  5.*  Paulus'  assumption  of  a 
merely  apparent  death  needs  no  refutation. 

[As  to  the  order  of  the  seven  words  from  the 
cross,  the  harmonists  are  not  entirely  agreed.  The 
most  probable  order  is  that  adopted  by  Stier,  Gres- 
well,  Andrews,  and  others  :  Before  the  darkness :  1. 
The  prayer  of  Christ  for  His  enemies.  2.  The  pro- 
mise to  the  penitent  robber.  3.  The  charge  to  Jlary 
and  John.  During  the  darkness :  4.  The  cry  of  dis- 
tress to  His  God.  After  the  darkness :  5.  The  ex- 
clamation: "I  thirst."  6.  " It  is  finished."  V.  The 
final  commendation  of  His  spirit  to  God.  Ebrard 
puts  (3)  before  (2),  Krafft  (4)  before  (3).— P.  S.] 

Ver.  51.  And,  behold,  the  veil  of  the  temple 
was  rent  in  twain. — Full  development  of  an  earth- 
quake, which  was  mysteriously  related  to  the  death  of 
Jesus,  and  yet  was  quite  natural  in  its  progress.  The 
rending  asunder  of  the  veil  was  a  result  of  the  convul- 
sion, although  the  earthquake  is  mentioned  afterward. 
Such  is  ever  the  case  in  an  earthquake :  its  approach 

*  [Not:  ver.  6,  as  the  Edinb.  edition  has  it,  slavishly  fol- 
lowing the  German  here  and  in  similar  quotations,  without 
referring  to  the  pass.ige,  and  ignorant  of  the  ditferenco  of 
the  German  and  English  Bibles  in  numbering  the  verses  of 
Psalms,  wliich  arises  from  a  different  view  of  the  inscrip- 
tion in  its  relation  to  the  Psalm.  The  passage  here  meant 
Is:  '■'■Into  thy  hand  I  commit  my  spirit:  thou  liaxt  re- 
deemed me,  b  Lord  God  of  truth.'"  These  were  the  dying 
words  of  Luther  and  of  other  great  men.  The  t  er  f\ia- 
r  ai  ot  John  was  said  before  the  words  recorded  by  Luke; 
Farther,  into  Thy  Stands  J  commend  My  spirit,  and  the 
latter  are  implied  in  the  irapeS  o}  Keu  rb  Trj/eC/ua 
with  which  John  relates  the  death  of  the  Saviour  imme- 
diately after  the  exclamation:  It  is  Jinished  !  The  connec- 
tion mast  be  plain  to  every  one,  and  there  is  no  excuse  for 
Meyer's  arbitrarj' assumption  of  the  unhistorical  character 
(if  the  dying  e.rcllimation  in  Luke.— P.  H.] 


is  marked  by  such  fixed  signs  as  the  shaking  of 
houses,  etc.  Meyer  holds  that  neitlier  the  earthquake 
nor  the  darkness  were  natural.  But  nature  and  spi- 
rit do  not  in  the  Scriptures  pursue  different  roads ; 
here  nature  is  conditioned  by  spirit.  An  eartluiuake, 
which  is  not  natural,  is  a  contradiction.  Moreover, 
the  veil  which  was  rent  was  that  l)efore  the  Holy  of 
Holies  (rDTDn  ,  Ex.  xxvi.  31  sq. ;  Lev.  xvi.  2,  12), 
and  not  before  the  Holy  Place.  See  Heubner,  p.  459, 
for  the  refutation  of  this  assumption  of  Michaelis.* 
Tills  rending  was  a  result  of  the  convulsion,  and  at 
the  same  time  a  sign  of  the  removal  of  the  typical 
atonement  through  the  completion  of  the  real  atone- 
ment, which  ensures  us  a  free  access  to  God,  Heb. 
vi.  19;  i.x.  6;  x.  19.  For  the  mythical  embelUsh- 
ment  of  this  fact,  in  the  Evan-g.  sec.  Hebr.,  see  Meyer. 
[It  is  simply  the  exaggerating  statement  quoted  by 
St.  Jerome  in  he. :  "  Li  Eoangelio,  c^ijus  saepe  faci- 
vius  mentionem  (he  means  the  Gospel  of  the  Hebrews), 
SCJPERLIMINARE  Templi  infinitae  magnitudmis  frac- 
turn  esse  atque  divisum  legitaus.''''  This  exaggeration, 
which  substitutes  a  thick  beam  of  the  temple  for  the 
veil,  presupposes  the  simple  truth  as  recorded  by 
Matthew.  Meyer  fully  admits  tliis  event  as  histori- 
cal (against  Schleiermacher,  de  Wette,  and  Strauss), 
and  assigns  to  it  the  same  symbolical  significance  as 
Lange  and  all  the  orthodox  commentators.  Comp. 
Heb.  ix.  11,  12;  x.  19-23.  There  is  neither  a  pro- 
phecy of  the  Old  Testament,  nor  a  Jewish  popular 
belief,  which  could  explain  a  myth  in  this  case.  The 
objection  of  Schleiermacher,  that  the  event  could  not 
be  known  except  to  hostile  priests,  has  no  force, 
since  the  rumor  of  such  an  event,  especially  as  it  oc- 
curred toward  the  time  of  the  evening  sacrifice, 
would  irresistibly  spread,  and  since  "  a  great  com- 
pany of  the  priests  "  were  converted  afterward.  Acts 
vi.  v.— P.  S.] 

Vers.  51,  52.  And  the  rocks  were  rent. — 
Progress  of  the  miraculous  earthquake  :  the  firm 
foundation  of  the  holy  city  begins  to  split. 

The  graves  were  opened. — Awful,  significant 
phenomenon,  introducing  the  following  ghostly  phe- 
nomenon. The  wliole  forms  a  type  and  symbol  of 
the  general  resurrection  and  the  world's  end,  which 
is  seen  in  its  principle  in  Jesus'  death,  and  hence  is 
manifested  by  natural  signs.  The  opening  of  certam 
particular  graves  in  the  neighborhood  of  Jerusalem 
was  a  special  representation  of  the  coming  resurrec- 
tion, particularly  of  the  faithful.  But  it  Avas  typical 
as  well  as  symbolic,  as  is  evident  from  the  spiritual 
apparitions  which  succeeded.  [Travellers  still  point 
us  to  extraordinary  rents  and  fissures  in  the  rocks 
near  the  supposed  or  real  spot  of  the  crucifixion,  as 
the  effects  of  this  earthquake.  The  Jewish  sepul- 
chres, unlike  our  own,  were  natural  or  artificial  exca- 
vations in  rocks,  the  entrance  being  closed  by  a  door 
or  a  large  stone.  Hence  it  may  be  supposed  that, 
besides  the  rending  of  rocks,  the  stone  doors  of  the 
graves  were  removed  by  the  force  of  the  earthc(uakc. 
—P.  S.] 

Ter.  52.  And  many  bodies  of  the  saints  who 
slept,  arose. — There  is  no  ground  for  the  opinion 
held  by  Stroth  (in  Eichhorn's  liepert.  ix.  1,  p.  123) 
and  by  the  elder  Bauer  {Bibl.  Tkeol.  des  Neuen 
Test.  \.  366),  that  both  verses  are  interpolated. 
De  Wette :  "  This  surprising  statement  does  not 
seem  to  belong  to  the  common  evangelical  tradition. 


*  [Origen  likewise  referred  it  to  the  outer  veil,  and 
thought  that  the  inner  veil  would  not  bo  taken  away  till 
that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  1  Cor.  xiii.  10.— P.  S.] 


528 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDmG  TO   MATTHEW, 


As  even  a  legendary  (mythical)  representation,  it 
does  not  harmonize  well  with  the  Messianic  belief 
of  that  time  (it  may,  to  some  degree,  with  the  expec- 
tation of  tlie  first  resurrection,  Eev.  xx.  4);  and 
again,  we  cannot  satisfactorily  deduce  the  thing 
from  the  fact  that  a  few  graves  v.'ere  opened.  {See 
Hase,  §  148.)  The  legend  is  more  fully  developed  in 
Evang.  Nicodemi,  cap.  17,  18."  Meyer's  view  is, 
that  the  symbolical  fact  of  the  graves  having  opened, 
was  transformed  into  the  traditional  history  that  cer- 
tain persons  actually  arose ;  and  hence  he  holds  the 
passage  to  be  an  ''  apocryphal  and  mythical  supple- 
ment." With  the  one  fact,  that  the  graves  opened, 
agrees  the  other,  that  after  Jesus'  resurrection  many 
believers  saw  persons  who  had  risen  from  the  grave, 
who  had  been  delivered  from  Hades.  These  two 
facts  became  one  living  unity  in  the  Apostle's  belief 
regarding  the  efficacy  of  Christ's  resurrection.  Our 
text  is  thus  tlie  first  germ  of  the  teaching  of  the 
Church  upon  the  Descensus  Christi  ad  inferos,  the 
development  of  which  we  have  even  in  1  Pet.  iii.  19 
and  iv.  6.  The  appearance  of  the  bodies  may  hence 
be  regarded  as  symbolical ;  they  were  the  i-epresenta- 
tious  of  redeemed  souls.  The  death  of  Christ  is 
accordingly  proved  at  once  to  be  the  life*  of  the 
world;  as  an  atoning  death  and  a  triumphant  en- 
trance into  Hades,  it  acted  upon  the  spirit-world, 
quickening  especially  Old  Testament  saints  ;  and 
these  quickened  saints  reacted  by  manifold  annunci- 
ations upon  the  spiritual  condition  of  hving  saints. 
Accordingly,  it  is  not  miracles  of  a  final  resurrection 
which  are  here  spoken  of ;  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
neither  is  it  a  miraculous  raising  from  death,  as  was 
that  of  Lazarus,  to  live  a  second  life  in  the  present 
world.  In  this  respect,  the  order  laid  down  m  1  Cor. 
XV.  20  continues,  according  to  which  Christ  is  the 
krcapxh-  "  According  to  Epiphanius,  Ambrose,  Calo- 
vius,  etc.,  these  dead  arose  with  a  glorified  body,  and 
ascended  with  Christ.f  In  Aciis  Pilati  (Thilo,  p. 
810)  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  the  twelve  patriarchs, 
Xoah,  are  especially  named.  A  different  account  is 
found  in  Evaug.  Nic."  Meyer.  A  distinction  is  made 
in  our  text  between  the  eifect  of  the  death  of  Jesus 
and  His  resurrection.  By  His  death,  the  saints  are 
freed  from  the  bonds  of  Sheol  ("  their  bodies  arose  ") ; 
by  His  resurrection,  their  action  on  this  world  is  re- 
stored ("went  into  the  holy  city,"  etc.). 

[There  are  six  resurrections  mentioned  in  the 
Scriptures  as  preceding  that  of  Christ,  but  all  of 
them  are  only  restorations  to  the  present  earthly 
life,  viz. :    (1)  The   son  of  the  -widow  of  Sareptaj 

1  Kings  xvii.  (2)  The  Shunamite's  son,  2  Kings  iv. 
(3)  The  resurrection  caused  by  the  bones  of  Efisha, 

2  Kings  xiii.  (4)  The  daughter  of  Jairus,  Matt.  ix. 
(5)  The  son  of  the  widow  at  Nam,  Luke  vii.  (6)  Laz- 
arus, John  xi.  The  translations  of  Enoch  and  Elijah 
from  earth  to  heaven,  not  being  preceded  by  death, 
do  not  belong  here.  The  resurrection  mentioned  in 
our  passage,  if  real,  was  a  rehearsal,  a  sign  and  seal 
of  the  final  resurrection  to  life  everlasting,  but  did 
not  take  place  tiU  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
H-erk  r)}v  ijipffiv  avrov,  which  must  be  refeiTcd  to 
the  preceding  T)yepQr}a-av  as  well  as  i^e\e6vTes.  The 
rising  was  the  result,  not  the  immediate  accompani- 


*  [The  Edinb.  edition  has  just  the  reverse:  "the  death 
of  the  world."— P.  S.] 

t  [The  fathers,  however,  correctly  assumed  that  the 
dead  did  not  actually  ari.«ie  till  after  the  resurrection  of 
Christ.  Jekome  in,  loc:  '■^ ITon  antea  ristin-exerunt, 
quam  Dominus  resurgeret,  ut  esset  prirnoi/tnitus  resur- 
rectionis  ex  moHuis." — P.  S.] 


ment  of  the  opening  of  the  graves,  and  is  mentioned 
here  by  Matthew  in  anticipation,  but  with  the  quali- 
fying insertion:  after  Ills  resurrection,  to  prevent 
misunderstanding.  Christ's  death  opened  their  tombs. 
His  resurrection  raised  them  to  life  again,  that  He 
might  be  the  first-horn  from  the  dead  (ttpojtotokoj 
Tuv  veKpwv,  Col.  i.  18),  and  the  first-fruits  of  them 
that  slept  {aTrapxv  toii/  KeKOifJ.r]/u.€va>i/,  1  Cor.  XV.  20, 
23).  Augustine,  Tlieophylact,  and  others,  supposed 
that  these  saints  died  again,  while  Origen,  Jerome, 
Alford,  Owen,  Nast,  and  others,  assume  that  they 
ascended  with  Christ  to  glory.  There  is  also  a  differ- 
ence of  opinion  among  commentators,  as  to  the  ques- 
tion v-^hether  they  were  patriarchs  and  other  saints  of 
the  olden  times  to  whom  Jerusalem  was  indeed  a  Jioly 
city,  or  saints  who  lately  died  and  were  personally 
known  to  some  of  the  living.  Owen  favors  the  latter 
opinion  with  a  doubtful  "  doubtless,''^  and  specifies 
Simeon,  Hannah,  and  Zachariah.  Dr.  Nast  adds 
John  the  Baptist  and  Joseph.  But  in  the  absence 
of  all  Scripture  information,  it  is  perfectly  useless  to 
speculate  on  the  age  and  number  of  these  mysterious 
visitors  from  the  spirit  world.  So  much  only  appears 
certain  to  us,  that  it  was  a  supernatural  and  symbolic 
event  which  proclaimed  the  truth  that  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  Christ  was  a  victory  over  death  and 
Hades,  and  opened  the  door  to  everlasting  life. — P.  S.] 

Ver.  54.  No-w  when  the  centurion. — The  cen- 
turion who  had  presided  over  the  execution.  See 
above. — And  they  that  were  with  him. — The 
soldiers  on  guard,  who  at  the  beginning  had  been 
thoughtlessly  gambling.  Mark  mentions,  as  the  sin- 
gle witness  of  Christ's  majesty  in  dying,  this  captain, 
who,  along  with  the  captain  in  Capernaum  (Matt, 
viii.),  and  the  captain  Cornelius  at  CtBsarea  (Acts  x.), 
forms  a  triumvirate  of  believing  Gentile  soldiers,  in 
the  evangehc  and  apostolic  histories.  But  Matthew 
associates  with  the  centurion,  his  band ;  and  Luke 
informs  us,  the  consternation  was  general,  ver.  48. 
The  special  testimony  belongs,  nevertheless,  to  the 
centurion. — Saw  the  earthquake,  and  what  was 
done. — Not  only  the  destructive  effects  of  the  earth- 
quake upon  the  rocky  region  of  (folgotha,  but  also 
the  way  in  which  Christ  gave  up  His  spirit  (Mark 
and  Luke). — Truly  this  was  God's  Son  [0  e  o  D 
V  16  s  ]. — Luke  says,  a  just  man.  The  word  of  a 
heathen  must  not  always  be  taken  in  a  heathen  mean- 
ing (so  Meyer,  Jleros,  demi-god) ;  least  of  all,  here. 
Heathen  became  Christians,  and  their  conversion  was 
announced  by  their  Christian  confession.  Yea,  the 
centurion  may  easily  have  been  acquainted  with  Jew- 
ish opinions ;  and  so  the  accusation,  Jesus  had  made 
Himself  Messiah  and  God's  Son,  was  understood 
by  the  captain  rather  in  a  Christian  sense,  of  a  di- 
vine-human holy  being,  than  in  a  heathen  sense  of  a 
demi-god.  The  heathen  coloring  is  exceedingly  nat- 
ural ;  but  the  germ  is  evidently  not  a  superstitious 
conceit,  but  a  confession  of  faith.  [Alford  likewise 
maintains  agamst  Meyer  that  the  centurion  used  the 
words  in  the  Jewish  sense,  and  with  some  idea  of 
what  they  implied.  But  the  absence  of  the  article 
before  vl6s  and  the  parallel  passage  in  Luke  should 
not  be  overlooked. — P.  S.] 

Vers.  55,  56.  And  many  women  were  there. 
— Luke  gives  us  an  accurate  account  of  these  female 
disciples,  ch.  viii.  2.  They  followed  the  Lord  upon 
His  last  departure  from  Galilee,  served  Him,  and  sup- 
ported Him  out  of  their  property.  Matthew  names, 
1.  Mary  Magdalene.  She  was,  judging  from  her 
name,  a  native  of  MagJala,  on  the  Sea  of  Gennesa- 
reth ;  and  hence  she  is  supposed  to  have  been  the 


CHAP.  XXVII.  32-56. 


529 


sinner  who  turned  unto  the  Lord  hi  that  district,  and 
anointed  Ilis  feet,  Luke  vii.  37.  Out  of  the  Magda- 
lene, according  to  Marli,  seven  devils  had  been  driven 
by  Jesus ;  that  is,  He  had  wrought  a  miraculous  de- 
liverance of  an  ethical,  not  of  a  physical  character 
(see  the  author's  Lehcri  Jesu^  ii.  2,  730  fif.) ;  and  this 
exactly  agrees  with  the  pardon  of  the  great  sinner. 
She  is  of  course  to  be  clearly  distinguished  from 
Mary  of  Bethany  (John  xii.  1).  .  Meyer  says : 
"  S3iblj"a  is  mentioucd  by  the  Rabbins  (Eisenmen- 
ger,  Eiitchcktcs  Judenthum,  i.  p.  277) ;  but  this  must 
Dot  be  confounded  with  xbn.1'2 ,  a  female  hair- 
dresser, with  whom  the  Talmud  identifies  the  motlicr 
of  Jesus  (Lightfoot,  p.  498)."  2.  Mary  the 
mother  of  Jamas  and  Joses,  that  is,  the  wife  of 
Alpheus  (John  xix.  25),  sister-in-law  of  Joseph,  and 
of  the  mother  of  Jesus.  [?]  3.  The  mother  of 
Zebedee's  children,  i.  c,  Salome  :  sec  ch.  xx.  20. 
She  it  is,  undoubtedly,  who  is  meant  by  the  sister  of 
Chrkfs  mother,  John  xix.  25.  The  Evangelist 
chooses  to  name  just  these  without  excluding  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  and  the  other  ministering  women. 
"  Hence  we  must  reject  the  unnatural  assumption  of 
Chrysostom  and  Theophylact,  which  Fritzsche  re- 
peated, although  Euthym.  Zigabenus  refuted  it,  that 
the  mother  of  Jesus  is  the  same  with  Mary  the  mother 
of  James  and  Joses,  ch.  xiii.  55."     Meyer. 

[Matthew  and  Mark  (xv.  40)  omit  Mary  the 
mother  of  the  Lord,  while  John  (xix.  25)  expressly 
mentions  her  first  among  the  women  who  stood  by 
the  cross,  but  omits  Salome,  his  own  mother,  unless 
we  assume  with  Wieseler  and  Lange  that  she  is  in- 
tended by  "  His  mother's  (Mary's)  sister,"  so  that 
John  and  James  the  Elder  would  be  cousins  of  Jesus. 
Luke  mentions  no  names,  but  speaks  generally  (xxiii. 
49) :  "  And  all  His  acquaintance,  and  the  viomea  that 
followed  Him  from  Galilee,  stood  afar  off,  beholding 
these  things."  To  account  for  the  omission  of  Mary 
by  Matthew  and  Mark,  we  must  suppose  either  that 
she  had  at  that  time  left  the  cross  with  John  who 
took  her  to  his  home  in  obedience  to  the  dying  re- 
quest of  the  Saviour  (John  xix.  26),  or  that  there 
were  different  groups,  the  one  nientioued  by  Matthew 
and  Mark  consisting  only  of  those  who  ministered  to 
the  wants  of  our  Lord  of  their  substance  (piaicovovaa: 
auTw,  ver.  55).  There  must  have  been  another  group 
of  disciples,  including  John  and  others,  to  whom  He 
afterward  showed  the  print  of  the  nails  as  a  proof 
of  His  identity.  Comp.  Luke's  all  His  acquaintance. 
The  previous  flight  of  the  disciples,  mentioned  Matt, 
xxvi.  56,  does  not  exclude  their  return  to  witness  the 
mighty  scenes  "  afar  off."  John  certainly  was  there, 
according  to  his  own  statement.  These  pious  wo- 
men, who,  with  the  courage  of  heroes,  witnessed  the 
dying  moments  of  their  Lord  and  Master,  and  sat 
over  against  the  lonely  sepulchre  (Matt.  xxvi.  61), 
are  the  shining  examples  of  female  constancy  and  de- 
votion to  Christ  which  we  now  can  witness  every  day 
in  all  the  churches,  and  which  will  never  cease.  Wo- 
man's love  truly  is  faithful  unto  death.  Women  and 
chOdren  form  the  majority  of  the  Church  militant  on 
earth,  and,  we  may  infer,  also  of  the  Church  trium- 
phant in  heaven. — P.  S.] 


DOCTBINAL  AND   ETUICAL. 

1.  See  the  preceding  remarks. 

2.  The  prevailing  point  of  view  from  which  the 

34 


Evangelist  represents  the  crucifixion  and  its  agonies, 
is  the  falfi.bncnt  of  the  Old  Testament  types.  Hence 
it  is  that  he  twice  nuikes  the  chief  fad  merely  intro- 
ductory, wliicli  is  marked  by  the  "use  of  the  particip- 
ial form,  and  brings  out  into  prominence  some  spe- 
cial circumstance  as  the  chief  thought  by  the  use  of 
the  finite  verb.  1.  Kal  iKOovns  els  TdTTOf  To\y., 
eduiKav  avTw  Trifiu,  k.t.A.,  vers.  33,  34.  2.  ^Tavp<i- 
cravTfs  5e  aiirhy,  Stf/uepia-ai'To,  k.t.K,  ver.  35. 

3.  The  four  chief  points  in  the  history  of  the 
passion,  before  us,  are :  (1)  Jesus  in  the  power  of  the 
Gentiles  :  (a)  they  press  a  Jew  into  the  service  of 
the  cross ;  (6)  they  offer  their  stupefying  drink  to 
the  Lord  while  dying  ;  (c)  they  divide  among  them- 
selves, and  gamble  for.  His  clothes,  and  guard  His 
corpse ;  (d)  they  make  the  King  of  the  Jews  a  rob- 
ber-chief. (2)  Jesus  in  the  power  of  the  Jews  :  (a) 
the  derisive  song  of  the  people ;  [it)  Christ  blas- 
phemed by  the  chief  of  the  Jews  and  the  teachers ; 
(c)  insulted  even  by  their  own  dying  criminals — He  can 
give  us  no  help.  (3)  Jesus  sinks  into  apparent  hope- 
lessness, and  with  Him  the  Jewish  and  Gentile  world, 
though  then  it  is  that  He  is  really  victorious  :  (a)  the 
funeral  pall  of  the  world,  or  the  darkening  of  the 
noon-day  sun;  (6)  Jesus'  exclamation,  or  the  judg- 
ment of  death  ;  {c}  the  last  disappointed  chiliastic  ex- 
pectation of  help  from  Elijah  here  ;  (d)  the  last  cry 
of  Jesus,  or  the  dark  mystery  of  redemption.  (4) 
77ie  destruction  of  the  world's  old  form,  and  the  signs 
of  redemption  arul  of  the  new  world :  (a)  the  temple 
service,  or  the  slaveiy  of  conscience  in  this  world, 
removed, — the  access  to  the  throne  of  grace  in  the 
Holy  of  HoHes  free ;  (6)  the  prison  of  Sheol,  or  the 
slavery  of  the  spirits  in  the  other  world,  removed, — the 
way  of  resurrection  open  ;  (c)  the  power  of  the  Gen- 
tile tyrannical  rule  removed, — the  Gentile  centurion 
compelled,  in  his  terror  of  soul,  to  make  a  confession 
of  faith ;  {d)  the  slavery  of  women  (and  of  the  op- 
pressed classes)  removed, — the  believing  women,  in 
their  heroic  spirit  of  faith,  free. 

4.  Simon  of  Gyrene,  an  illustration  of  the  fate 
which  befel  the  Jews  after  Christ's  crucifixion  under 
Gentile  masters.  An  omen  of  the  maltreatment  and 
shame  which  were  awaiting  the  Jews  at  the  hands  of 
the  Gentile  world,  but  hkewise  of  their  end;  the 
Jews  are  to  be  excited  and  conipelled  by  the  Gentile 
world  to  take  up  the  cross  of  Christ  (Rom.  xi.).  Re- 
markable issue !  Even  up  to  that  moment,  the  Jews 
still  were  imagining  that  tliey  had  subjected  the  Gen- 
tiles to  themselves  in  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  while 
the  subjection  of  the  Jew  to  the  Gentile  was  now  re- 
ally becoming  visible. 

5.  Golgotha,  the  old  world's  accursed  place  of 
execution,  transformed  by  Christ  into  the  place  of 
pilgrimage  for  the  new  world,  and  into  the  new  city 
of  Jerusalem. 

6.  The  intoxicating  drink,  the  old  world's  remedy 
in  sufieriog,  anguish,  and  torture,  proved  by  Christ, 
and  rejected  by  Ilim  with  full  and  clear  conscious- 
ness. The  sympatliy  of  the  world  v,  ilh  the  sufiering 
Christ,  the  complaint  of  Christ  regarding  the  world's 
consolations  ;  and  lie,  conscious  of  a  truer  comfort, 
does  away  with  all  tlieso  unavailing  consolations  of 
the  old  world. 

7.  The  gamblers  beneath  Christ's  cross  changed 
into  confessors  of  His  glory.  The  heirs  of  His  coat 
are  at  the  end  witnesses  of  His  spuit.  The  military 
guard  changed  beneath  His  cross  into  a  camp  of 
peace. 

8.  Christ,  the  King  of  the  Jews,  between  the 
thieves,  distinguished  as  a  robber-chief,  become  the 


530 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


royal  Saviour  and  Judge  of  the  world.  The  same 
title  wliich  honored  the  Lord,  was  the  shame  of  the 
Jews. 

9.  The  feast  celebration  of  the  unbelievers  :  (1) 
The  people  walk  up  and  down  before  the  cross,  and 
blaspheme  ;  (2)  the  hierarchical  powers  m.ock ;  (3)  the 
transgressors  and  despairing  are  angry,  and  revile. 
God,  however,  coudenms  :  (1)  The  first  in  their  ignor- 
ance, speaking  as  they  do  merely  from  lying  hearsay ; 
(2)  the  second  in  their  raving  wit,  in  that  they  con- 
demned themselves  by  openly  blaspheming  against 
God,  while  they  imagine  that  they  mock  Christ  (the 
bulls  of  the  Romish  Church,  consigning  Christians  to 
perdition) ;  (3)  the  third  in  their  thoughtlessness,  who 
dream  not  that  redemption  is  so  near ;  (4)  generally, 
the  millennarian  expectations,  according  to  which  the 
old  world  is  to  be  glorified,  destitute  of  salvation 
though  it  be.  But  God,  condemning  this  old  world, 
founds  a  new  world  of  redemption  and  salvation. 

10.  The  darkness  over  the  earth. — The  indication 
of  that  development  which  this  terrestrial  cosmos  is  to 
pass  through,  according  to  the  teaching  of  Scripture. 
The  sign  that  the  earth,  and  not  the  sinner  only,  suf- 
fers from  the  curse  (Gen.  iii. ;  Deut.  xxviii.) ;  that 
the  earth  sympathizes  with  Christ  (Zech.  si.);  the 
presage  of  the  earth's  final  (eschatological)  death  and 
victory  (Matt.  xxiv.). 

11.  Eli,  Eli. — The  darkness  which  spread  over 
the  heavens  was  a  visible  representation  of  the  state 
of  Christ's  soul  during  this  period  of  silent  suffering 
upon  the  cross.  The  bodily  effects  of  the  crucifixion 
began  at  this  time  to  cease.  The  inflammation  aris- 
ing from  the  wounds  in  His  hands  and  feet,  the  lace- 
rated brow  and  back  stretched  on  the  cross,  and  the 
inner  fire  of  the  fever,  consumed  His  strength.  The 
great  interruption  in  the  flow  of  blood,  which  former- 
ly circulated  so  peacefully,  weighed  down  His  head, 
oppressed  His  heart,  and  took  from  Him  the  joyous 
feeling  of  life  ;  and,  sufiering  these  agonies,  the  Lord 
hung  during  the  long  weary  hours  beneath  the  hea- 
ven's mourning  blackness.  At  last  the  dizziness  ex- 
perienced before  fainting  must  begin  to  make  itself 
felt, — that  condition  in  which  consciousness  com- 
mences to  dream,  to  reel,  to  be  lost,  and  then  return- 
ing, to  behold  the  awful  apparitions  presented  by  the 
imagination.  This  is  a  state  in  which  we  see  how 
near  deatli  is  related  to  madness.  Jesus  was  experi- 
encing the  approach  of  death.  He  was  ."  tasting  " 
death, — tasting  death  as  only  that  holy  and  pure  Life 
could  taste  death.  But  in  this  His  death,  He  felt  the 
death  of  mankind ;  and  in  this  death  of  mankind, 
their  condemnation  to  death.  This  experience  He 
adopted  as  His  own,  i-eceiving  it  into  His  own  con- 
sciousness, and  then  sanctified  it  by  His  loud  cry  to 
God :  "  My  God,  My  God,  ivhy  hast  Thou  forsaken 
Me  ?  "  In  that  cry.  His  deep,  full  feeling  of  that 
great,  full  death,  was  changed  into  a  prayer  to  God  ; 
and  so  His  contest  with  and  victory  over  death,  be- 
came the  glorification  of  death  by  the  destruction  of 
its  sting  :  the  completion  of  the  atonement.  His  ex- 
perience of  being  forsaken  by  God  is  expressed  in 
the  words :  forsaken  Me  ;  His  soul's  firm  hold  on 
f.od,  in  the  words:  My  God,  My  God !  The  ques- 
tion :  Why,  is  not  the  murmuring  objection  of  one  in 
despair,  but  the  question  of  God's  child  and  servant ; 
and  almost  immediately  afterward,  in  the  hour  that 
He  became  conscious  of  victrry,  aud  cried  aloud  :  It 
is  finished,  He  received  the  answer  through  the  eter- 
nal Spirit.  From  the  beginning  of  His  Hfe  He  knew 
this,  but  in  this  moment  it  became  a  fact  of  experi- 
ence, that  He  gave  His  life  for  the  life  of  the  world  ; 


and  this  enabled  Him  to  declare  soon  afterward  that 
all  was  now  completed.  We  should  not,  according- 
ly, look  upon  this  exclamation  of  Jesus  as  an  excep- 
tional singularity  in  Christ's  sufferings,  but  as  the  real 
cUmax,  with  which  judgment  changed  into  victory, 
and  death,  the  result  of  the  curse,  becomes  the  glo- 
rious redemption.  This  cry  of  Jesus,  which  is  in  one 
sense  the  darkest  enigma  of  His  hfe,  becomes,  when 
thus  considered,  the  most  distinct  and  most  transpa- 
rent declaration  of  the  atonement.  The  doctrine  of 
the  personal  union  of  the  divine  and  human  natures 
is  as  little  disturbed  by  this  passage  as  by  the  soul- 
sufferings  of  Jesus  in  Gethsemane  ;  for  the  Evange- 
list refers  to  no  unholy  fear  and  trembling  of  His  hu- 
man nature,  but  to  a  holy  one.  But  if  divinity  was 
really  and  fully  united  m  Him  with  humanity,  then 
His  divine  nature,  even  in  the  deepest  depths  of  His 
human  suffering,  must  be  united  with  His  hiunan. 
And  this  was  manifested  here.  No  alteration  was 
produced  in  God,  however  ;  but  the  deepest  human 
pain,  in  other  cases  called  despair,  th»  full  feeling  of 
death  becomes  glorified  as  the  fullest  atoning  submis- 
sion. 

12.  77*6  22d  Psalm. — The  numerous  points  of 
agreement  between  this  psalm  and  the  history  of 
Christ's  passion,  led  Tertullian  to  say  that  the  psalm 
contained  totam  Christi  passionem.  We  may  regard 
all  the  psalms  as  Messianic  in  the  widest  sense,  and 
arrange  them  into:  (1)  Such  as  contain  isolated 
Messianic  references ;  (2)  such  as  are  typical  of  the 
life,  sufferings,  and  victory  of  Christ ;  (3)  such  as 
are  acknowledged  prophecies  of  the  ideal  Messiah, 
and  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  The  22d  psaJm  be- 
longs to  the  second  class.  For  manifestly  in  it  a  ser- 
vant of  God  under  the  old  economy  describes  his  own 
unbounded  theocratic  Messianic  sufferings.  The  rep- 
resentation becomes,  without  the  writer's  knowledge, 
but  truly  with  the  Spirit's  knowledge,  typical  of  the 
bitter  agonies  of  Christ  (comp.  the  author's  Positive 
Bogmatik,  p.  673). 

13.  The  curtain  in  the  temple,  before  the  Holy 
of  Holies  {see  the  descriptions  of  the  temple  in  Winer, 
etc.). — This  curtain  was  not  merely  torn  in  one  spot: 
it  was  rent  into  two  pieces,  from  top  to  bottom.  This 
circumstance  signifies  that  the  real  atonement  was 
perfected ;  accordingly,  that  typical  offerings  and 
priestly  mediation  were  done  away  ;  that  the  access 
to  the  throne  for  every  believing  soul,  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  is  now 
quite  free.  This  view  we  might  support  from  many 
a  Scripture  passage  (Rom.  iii.  25 ;  v.  2  ;  the  entire 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews).  And  hence,  the  excitement 
which  takes  place  in  the  realm  of  death,  which  hith- 
erto was  under  bondage,  is  the  result,  not  of  Jesus' 
mere  entrance  into  the  realm  of  death,  but  of  His  en- 
trance into  the  same  in  the  might  of  His  atoning 
death.  Thus,  too,  is  the  idea  of  spiritual  apparitions 
here  realized ;  but  these  apparitions  are  to  be  entire- 
ly distinguished  from  the  appearance  of  ghosts.  See 
the  article  Gespenst  {Spectre  or  Ghost)  m  Herzog's 
Real-Encyklopddie. 

14.  the  effects  of  the  atoning  death  of  Jesus :  (1) 
Upon  the  realm  of  the  dead  (beginning  of  the  resur- 
rection) ;  (2)  upon  the  Gentile  world  (beghming  of 
confessions) ;  (3)  upon  the  world  of  the  oppressed 
classes,  namely,  of  women :  free  communion  with 
Christ,  in  spirit,  suffering,  and  victory. 

15.  At  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  by  Titus,  the  Jews 
salhed  forth  from  the  city  in  bands  to  free  themselves, 
and  were  nailed  by  the  Romans  by  hundreds  to  the 
cross.     The  cross  of  redemption  cast  upon  the  Jews 


CHAP.  XXVII.  32-66. 


531 


numberless  shadows  of  itself,  as  crosses  of  condem- 
nation. 

16.  The  cross,  which  to  the  old  world  was  the 
symbol  of  deepest  abhorrence,  sliame,  infamy,  and 
perdition,  has  now  become  for  the  new  world  the 
symbol  of  honor,  bles.^ing,  and  redemption.  Even 
the  superstition  and  ''anity  of  the  world  have  adopt- 
ed this  sign.  It  has  risen  to  be  the  object  of  venera- 
tion. It  is  the  original  form  of  most  of  our  orders 
of  honor.  But  the  glorification  of  the  cross  is  the 
symbol  and  type  of  the  transformation  of  death  from 
a  curse  into  salvation. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PKACTICAL. 

On  the  Whole  Section.  —  See  the  preceding 
christological  reflections. — Christ  treated  as  the  slave 
of  mankind:  1.  By  the  Jews,  estimated  at  a  slave's 
price ;  2.  by  the  Gentiles,  executed  like  a  slave. — 
A  contemplation  of  Christ's  cross :  1.  The  sufferings 
of  the  cross, — {a)  on  the  side  of  the  Gentiles,  vers. 
32-38  ;  (6)  on  the  side  of  the  Jews,  vers.  89-14.  2. 
The  contest  on  the  cross,  vers.  45-50  :  («)  its  reflec- 
tion in  the  natural  contest  between  light  and  dark- 
ness ;  (b)  its  culmination, — the  contest  between  hfe 
and  death  in  the  heart  of  Christ  {Ml  f) ;  (c)  the  false 
explanttion  (Elijah):  (f/)  the  decision  (the  drink  of 
refreshment,  the  cry  of  triumph  *).  3.  The  fruits 
of  the  cross,  vers.  51-56  :  (a)  symbol  of  the  "atone- 
ment ;  (6)  of  the  resurrection  ;  (c)  of  tlie  conversion 
of  the  Gentiles ;  [d)  of  the  companionship  with  Christ 
in  suffering  and  victory. — The  cross  as  the  truest  ex- 
emplification of,  and  testimony  to:  1.  Christ's  pa- 
tience ;  2.  man's  guilt :  3.  God's  grace.f — Christ  on 
Golgotha. — The  Lord's  silence  and  utterances  in  His 
death-hour  :  1.  His  unbroken  silence  as  regards  the 
impotent  hostility  of  tiie  world.  2.  His  holy  utter- 
ances :  (a)  His  cry  of  su0"ering  and  of  victory  ad- 
dressed to  God ;  (6)  His  cry  of  awakening  and  of 
victory,  addressed  to  men. — The  mysteriousness  of 
the  atonement :  1.  The  deep  darkness  in  which  its 
central  point  is  hidden :  (a)  the  conceit  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, who  imagined  that  they  crucified  a  transgres- 
sor ;  (6)  the  mockery  and  blasphemies  of  the  Jews  ; 
(c)  the  darkemng  of  the  sun  ;  (d)  the  silence  of  God ; 
(e)  the  mysterious  utterance  of  Christ  Himself;  (/) 
the  misinterpretation  of  His  words  on  the  part  of 
men,  and  the  disappointed  expectation.  2.  The  dear 
light :  {a)  the  clear  and  kingly  consciousness,  which 
would  not  submit  to  be  stupefied,  and  which  would 
suffer  sensibly,  free  from  opiates  ;  (6)  tlie  distinct 
testimony  to  truth,  which  shines  forth  in  spite  of  all 
the  perversions  of  enemies  (the  King  of  the  Jews, 
God's  Son,  who  saved  others,  who  trusted  in  God, 
from  whom  the  dying,  no  more  than  the  living,  can 
free  themselves)  ;  (o)  the  instinct  of  nature,  which 
testifies  by  its  mourning  to  Jesus'  glory  ;  (d)  the  free- 
dom and  obedience  witli  which  Jesus  adopts  death  as 
His  0WT3,  and  thus  conquers ;  (c)  the  glorious  results 
of  the  death  of  Jesus. — The  Lord's  death:  1.  The 
result  of  the  world's  most  deadly  hate  ;  an  unparal- 
leled murder  and  death.  2.  The  result  of  Christ's 
unconquerable  love ;  the  all-comprehensive  death,  in 
that  all  died    in  the  One.     3.  The  result  of  God's 


*  [The  Edinb.  translation  substitutes  fi)r  eulmination, 
the  doubtful  issue,  for  decision  {Entscheidung),  dissolu- 
tion, and  for  cry  of  triumph  (der  Sieyesschrei,  viz. :  It  is 
^finished  /),  the  death-cry  .'—P.  S.] 

t  [In  German  an  untranslatable  rhyme  :  Oiristi  Geduld, 
der  Munschen  Schukl,  Gottes  Ilald.—'P.  S.] 


grace ;  it  was  the  world's  redemption  (its  atonement, 
dehverance,  illumination,  sanctification). — The  sub- 
limity of  the  atoning  death  of  Jesus,  as  it  appears  : 
1.  Towering  above  the  most  fearful  and  terrific  guilt 
(blasphemy) ;  2.  overconung  the  most  terrible  temp- 
tation (the  struggle  against  abandonment  by  God) ; 
3.  bursting  through  the  most  formidable  barriers  (the 
fechng  of  death) ;  4.  displaying  boundless  and  eter- 
nal efficacy  (extending  as  far  as  the  highest  height 
of  heaven,  the  depths  of  Sheol,  the  depths  of  the  Gen- 
tile world,  the  depths  of  tlie  human  heart). 

The  Particular  Portions. — Christ  led  to  the 
cross  :  1.  The  way  to  the  cross,  the  falling  cross- 
bearer;  the  greatest  burden  and  oppression.  2.  The 
place  of  the  cross,  or  Golgotha,  the  place  of  a  skull, 
the  heaviest  ban  and  curse.  3.  The  endurance  of 
the  cross  the  severest  agony  and  shame.  4.  Christ's 
companions  in  crucifixion,  the  bitterest  mockery  and 
derision. — Simon  of  Cyrene ;  or,  the  man,  coming 
from  the  country,  who  unconsciously  became  involv- 
ed in  the  history  of  the  cross. — Let  us  go  forth  with 
Ilim  without  the  camp,  bearing  His  reproach,  Heb. 
xiii.  13. — Golgotha,  the  place  of  blackest  curse, 
changed  into  the  place  of  greatest  blessing. — Golgo- 
tha and  its  counterparts  :  I.  The  counterparts  of 
its  curse :  (a)  the  wilderness  ;  {b)  the  grave ;  (c)  the 
battle-field ;  {d)  Sheol ;  (e)  Gehenna.  2.  The  coun- 
terparts of  its  blessing :  (a)  Paradise  and  Golgotha 
— Paradise  lost  and  regained,  Golgotha  present  and 
disappeared ;  (6)  Sinai  and  Golgotha — the  law  and 
the  gospel ;  (c)  Moriah  *  and  Golgotha — the  shadow 
and  the  substance-;  {d)  Gethsemane  and  Golgotha — 
the  sufferings  of  the  soul,  and  the  sufferings  of  the 
cross ;  (e)  Olivet  and  Golgotha — triumph,  and  suffer- 
ing changed  into  the  most  glorious  triumph, — The 
honors  which  the  blinded  people  of  Israel  prepared 
for  their  King:  1.  The  procession  of  honor  (beneath 
the  weight  of  the  cross  ) ;  2.  the  wine  of  honor  (vin- 
egar mingled  with  gall);  3.  the  guard  of  honor  (gam- 
bling over  the  booty.  His  clothes) ;  4.  the  seat  of 
honor  (the  cross) ;  5.  the  title  of  honor  (King  of  rob- 
bers).— The  intoxicating  bowl  and  its  false  salvation 
rejected  for  the  true  salvation,  which  Christ  with  full 
consciousness  has  obtained  for  us.— The  despairing 
world,  and  its  means  of  strength. — Christ  assures 
Himself  of  the  clearness  of  His  consciousness,  and  so 
of  victory. — Soberness  the  necessary  condition  of  all 
deliverance,  2  Tim.  ii.  26. — Moral  and  physical  intox- 
ication, the  beginning  of  destruction ;  moral  (spiritual) 
and  physical  soberness  the  beginning  of  salvation. 
— Christ  must  taste  our  death,  Heb.  ii.  9 ;  He  pre- 
served a  pure  taste  for  that  duty. — The  visible  inher- 
itance left  by  Jesus,  and  the  inheritance  left  to  His 
spiritual  heirs ;  1.  The  visible  inheritance :  a  booty 
of  Gentile  soldiers,  an  inheritance  for  which  they 
gamble,  cast  lots,  and  squander  their  time.  2.  The 
spiritual  itdieritance :  His  righteousness.  His  peace, 
His  word  and  sacrament. — And  sitting  down,  they 
watched  Him.  See  how  the  duty  of  the  miUtary 
guard  changes  beneath  the  cross  into  a  camp  of  rest, 
through  the  spirit  of  peace,  which  proceeds  from 
Christ. — The  fulfilment  of  the  Old  Testament  in 
Christ's  sufferings ;  or,  Christ  presented  with  gall  to 
drink,  robbed,  the  King  of  the  Jews. — Christ  between 
the  robbers;  or,  the  beginning  of  His  kingdom:  1. 
In  His  power  to  save  ;  2.  in  Uis  power  to  condemn. 


*  [The  Kdinb.  edition  has  here:  Mary,  mistaking  tho 
Oerman  Moria  for  .Maria,  and  this  in  spito  of  the  conn'-c- 
tion,  which  makes  it  sutllc.ii  ntly  plain  tliut  Mount  Moriah  U 
intended,  a-s  Uie  seat  of  the  temple,  which  represents  tha 
types  and  shadows  of  the  Jewish  worship.— P.  b.J 


632 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


— The  blasphemy  agamst,  and  the  mockery  of,  tlie 
Crucified  One ;  or,  the  sins  of  unbelief  and  obduracy. 
— Even  the  mocking  and  blaspheming  foes  of  Christ 
must,  against  their  will,  praise  Him. — The  enthusi- 
asm of  derision  and  its  result,  the  song  of  scorn :  the 
most  matured  fruit  of  death. — The  reviUng  robbers  ; 
or,  dissatisfaction  of  the  crucified  transgressors  with 
the  crucified  Saviour  may  issue  in  two  different  re- 
sults :  1.  It  may  lead  to  an  unconditional  surrender  ; 
2.  or  to  despair. 

The  darkening  of  the  earth  and  the  sun,  the  hea- 
vens' testimony  to  the  dying  Jesus.  A  testimony : 
1.  That  creation  is  dependent  upon  Christ's  conscious- 
ness ;  2.  that  nature  is  entirely  dependent  upon 
spirit ;  3.  that  the  fate  of  the  earth  is  entirely  de- 
pendent upon  the  fiite  of  the  kingdom  of  God. — The 
last  hiding  of  the  holy  God  from  the  Crucified  One, 
becomes,  through  the  enduring  trust  of  Christ,  a  pre- 
sage of  His  full  revelation. — Eli,  Eli ;  or,  the  last 
struggle,  and  victory  in  one  battle-cry. — Christ's  sus- 
pense upon  Golgotha,  the  return  and  the  culmination 
of  His  suspense  in  Gethsemane  ;  1.  The  full  reaUza- 
tion  of  abandonment ;  2.  the  perfect  harmony  be- 
tween His  will  and  that  of  God. — Christ  has  altered 
condemnation  to  mean  deliverance,  and  has  thus 
given  it  its  true  meaning:  1.  He  changed  the  death, 
which  sprang  from  the  curse,  into  salvation ;  2.  He 
changed  tlic  mourning,  wliich  nature  in  her  anger  as- 
sumed because  of  Him,  into  compassion. — The  cruci- 
fied Jesus  our  trust  and  peace  in  the  severest  trial. 
— "  He  calls  for  Ehas  ;"  or,  Christ  crucified  even  in 
His  utterances. — The  last  destruction  of  worldly  ex- 
pectations of  deliverance,  the  beginning  of  the  true 
deliverance. — Christ's  thirst  slaked  by  His  foes :  a 
sign  of  His  repose  after  the  fight.  1.  In  the  wilder- 
ness. He  hungered  after  He  had  fought  and  fully 
vanquished,  and  angels  ministered  unto  Him  ;  2.  here 
he  thirsted  after  the  victorious  struggle,  and  His  en- 
emies are  compelled  to  minister  unto  Him. — Jesus 
receives  His  last  refresliing  draught  out  of  the  hands 
of  His  enemies  in  token  of  peace, — in  token  that  His 
love  has  vanquished  the  world's  hate. — Christ's  last 
cry,  though  wordless,  was  doubtless  a  cry  of  triumph. 
— Death  was  overcome  in  Christ's  death,  and  the  sun 
returned. — And  lo,  the  veil  rent. — The  glorious  and 
saving  efiicacies  of  the  death  of  Jesus :  1.  Atone- 
ment ;  2.  the  dead  redeemed,  and  the  right  of  resur- 
rection given  to  them ;  3.  the  world's  conversion ; 
4.  the  perfection  of  the  heart. — The  new  order  of 
things  instituted  by  the  death  of  Jesus :  1.  Believing 
supphants  have  become  priests  (the  rent  veil) ;  2.  the 
dead  arise ;  3.  Gentile  soldiers  fear  God  and  confess 
Christ;  4.  women  stand  beneath  the  cross,  and  be- 
side the  grave,  God's  heroines. — The  spiritual  ap- 
paritions at  Jerusalem,  a  spring  flower  of  the  resur- 
rection.— The  earthquake  at  Christ's  death  a  sign 
of  the  world's  fate  under  the  working  of  Christ ;  a 
sign :  1.  Of  the  end  of  the  old  world ;  2.  of  the  be- 
ginning of  the  new,  Hag.  ii.  6. 


Selectiojis  from  Other  Homiletical  Commentators, 

Starke : — Simon  of  Cyrene,  the  picture  of  all  be- 
lievers ;  for  they  must  bear  the  cross  after  Christ,  1 
Pet.  iv.  13  ;  Luke  ix.  23  ;  Gal.  v.  24.— If  we  lovmgly 
help  others  to  bear  their  cross,  we  do  a  good  work. 
— Luther's  margin:  Golgotha,  the  gallows,  and  the 
block. — He  would  not  receive  the  draught,  because 
He  would  suffer  with  full  understanding,  and  had  still 
various  utteraao"  i  to  pronounce. — JS'ova  Bihl.  Tub.  : 


See  how  the  Life-fountain  pants  with  thirst,  to  atone 
for  golden  wine-goblets,  excess,  and  drunkenness. — 
We  should  carefully  guard  our  senses  and  our  reason. 
— Luther's  margin :  The  garments  of  righteousness 
do  not  require  to  be  divided,  every  one  employs  them 
whole  and  altogetlier. — Hedinger  :  Christ's  poverty 
our  wealth.  His  nakedness  our  covering. — Christ  in 
the  midst  of  the  thieves  :  this  figure  gives  us  to  see 
Jesus  surrounded  by  the  two  bands  of  soldiers. — He 
was  reckoned  with  the  transgressors. — Suffering  is 
with  some  a  suffering  of  martyrdom ;  with  others, 
penance ;  with  others,  a  self-inflicted  punishment,  1 
Pet.  iv.  15,  16. — Zeisiux  :  Christ's  cruel  mocking,  the 
best  remedy  against  the  world's  envenomed^ocking 
and  derision.  —  Thou  who  destroyest  the  temple  ! 
Tlie  world  has  learned  in  a  masterly  way  to  pervert 
the  words  of  the  pious. — What  worfdlings  do  not  un- 
derstand of  the  mysteries  of  Christ,  is  to  them  only 
matter  of  contempt,  scorn,  and  ridicule. — The  da^-k- 
ness  signifies  :  1.  The  pov/er  of  darkness,  of  sin,  and 
of  death  over  Him,  who  is  the  Sun  of  Eighteousness ; 
2.  the  horror  of  this  murden-,  from  which  the  sun  im- 
mediately hid  his  face  ;  3.  that  the  Sun  of  Eighteous- 
ness was  darkened  to  the  Jews,  and  the  light  of  grace 
v/ithdrawn,  John  xii.  46. —  Quesnel :  Whosoever  will 
not  follow  Christ,  the  light  of  the  world,  shall  remain 
in  darkness,  and  shall  end  by  being  precipitated  into 
eternal  darkness. — That  Christ  does  not  here  Kiy:^/^/ 
Father,  but  My  God,  must  have  its  special  reason. 
— All  is  dark  before  His  eyes ;  he  cannot  know  when 
the  end  and  deliverance  should  come  (?). — We  had 
forsaken  God ;  hence  must  Christ,  again,  be  forsaken 
for  our  sake. — Learn  from  this  example,  that  both 
may  be  true, — united  with  God,  forsaken  of  God, — 
when  the  heart  has  had  no  experience  of  the  pow- 
er of  the  Spirit,  of  the  divine  life,  of  the  sweetness  of 
God's  love,  of  the  hope  of  eternal  glory. — The  last 
cry  :  He  roars  when  He  snatches,  as  the  Lion  of  the 
ti'ibe  of  Judah,  the  prey  from  hell. — Luther'' s* mar- 
gin :  The  veil  rends :  here  is  the  crisis,  and  an  entire- 
ly new  existence  begins,  as  when  the  prophet  says  : 
"  His  rest  shall  be  glory,"  Isa.  xi.  10. — Such  a  rent 
reveals :  1.  That  every  shadow  would  be  now,  through 
Christ,  distinctly  illuminated ;  2.  that  He,  by  His 
Spirit,  would  remove  every  covering  and  darkness 
from  the  law ;  3.  that  the  atonement  was  complete, 
so  that  it  was  not  annually  to  be  repeated  ;  4.  that 
all  had  now  a  ready  access  to  the  Father  ;  5.  that 
all  ceremonies  had  ceased. — Bibl.  Wurt.  :  Heaven, 
which  had  been  closed,  is  now  once  more  opened, 
Heb.  ix.  11,  12. — The  most  firm  and  hard  bodies  in 
natui-e  spring  asunder :  how  is  it  then  that  man's 
heart  is  so  hard  ? — Christ  has  deprived  death  of  hia 
power,  2  Tkn.  i.  10. — The  centurion :  those  who  ac- 
knowledge God's  mighty  works,  and  fear  in  conse- 
quence, are  near  conversion. — The  women :  the  grate- 
ful forsake  not  their  benefactors  in  tune  of  need. — 
Friends  and  relations  should  remain  united  even  in 
suffering. 

Gerlach  : — In  their  blindness,  the  members  of 
the  Sanhedrin  mocked  Ilim,  employing,  without  will 
ing  it,  the  words  of  the  enemies  of  the  Messiah,  from 
Ps.  xxii.  9,  which  passed  dimly  before  their  mind ; 
and  in  this  manner,  the  prophecies  of  this  Psalm  re- 
ceive a  literal  fulfilment.  A  circumstance  which  has 
been  often  repeated.  When  Farel  stood  before  the 
ecclesiastical  court  in  Geneva,  and  denounced  the 
mass,  the  president  asked  the  bench :  "  He  has  blas- 
phemed God,  what  further  need  have  we  of  witness? 
What  thinlc  ye  ?  '"  They  all  repUed :  "  He  is  guilty 
of  death." — Jesus  upon  the  cross  Hved  the  22d  Psalm 


CHAP.  XXVII.  32-56. 


533 


through,  in  His  body  and  in  His  soul.  His  word  : 
It  h  finished!  points  to  its  conchision,  vcr.  24. — The 
veil,  the  type  of  earthly,  sinful,  mortal  human  nature, 
rent, — earth,  the  theatre  of  sin,  was  shattered, — the 
heathen  soldiers  (chiefly  of  the  (German  race,  for  the 
Romans  had  at  that  time  a  German  legion  in  Pales- 
tine), were  deeply  impressed  by  the  majesty  of 
Jesus. 

Lmo  : — Every  man  mocks  in  his  own  way,  and 
in  the  terms  that  come  most  readily ;  and  so  here  the 
scribes  revile  in  the  language  of  Scripture. 

Heubiier  : — He  was  obedient  to  the  death  of  the 
cross. — If  Jesus  had  not  trod  this  path,  we  had  been 
led  to  the  execution-place  of  hell. — He  was  cast  out 
of  the  city  of  God,  that  we  might  obtain  an  entrance 
into  the  heavenly  Jerusalem. — He  had  carried  His 
cross  from  youth  onwards  upon  His  heart,  now  He 
beareth  on  His  shoulders  the  tree  of  shame. — If 
we  would  have  consolation  from  the  cross  of  Christ, 
we  must  determine  to  enter  into  the  companionship 
of  the  cross,  by  crucifying  lusts  within,  and  hearing 
the  cross  of  shame  cast  upon  us  from  without. — The 
highest  honor  is  to  bear  Christ's  cross. — Golgotha  : 
here  the  Prince  of  Life  overcame  death  upon  his  own 
territory. — This  place  was  part  of  the  Moriah  chain, 
upon  which  Isaac  was  to  have  been  offered  up. — The 
drink :  the  Christian  never  betakes  himself,  when 
suffering  and  oppressed  with  care,  to  worldly  pleas- 
ures, sensual  enjoyments,  intoxication,  1  Tim.  v.  23 
(the  Stoics  intoxicated  themselves,  to  deaden  their 
pains). — The  world  always  gives  gall  to  God's  chil- 
dren ;  Christ  has  tasted  all  this  bitterness  for  us. — 
Why  was  this  mode  of  death  chosen  by  Christ?  1. 
It  was  the  most  painful  and  shameful  death ;  (a)  the 
most  pauiful :  the  body  was  stretched  out,  Ps.  xxii. 
18,  gaping  wounds,  thirst,  exposure  to  the  wind  and 
changing  weather  ;  (6)  the  most  shameful :  quite 
naked,  the  Roman  mode  of  punishing  slaves,  accursed 
of  the  Jews,  Deut.  xxi.  23.  2.  The  most  appropriate 
for  revealing  Christ's  glory  to  coutemporai-ies  and  to 
posterity,  a  Ungering  and  visible  dying.  3.  He  hangs, 
lifted  up  on  the  cross.  He  draws  to  Himself  the 
looks  of  all  the  world.  4.  He  hangs  there  as  the 
atoning  Mediator,  typified  by  the  paschal  lamb  and 
the  brazen  serpent :  (a)  upon  a  tree.  The  serpent 
was  to  be  overcome  upon  a  tree,  having  overcome 
the  first  man  upon  a  tree,  (b)  Suspended  between 
heaven  and  earth  as  Mediator,  (c)  Set  in  the  pil- 
lory in  the  place  of  men.  He  took  all  up  with  Him- 
self.— Lavater  :  Jesus  Christ  upon  the  cross,  Satan's 
greatest  triumph,  Satan's  greatest  defeat :  1.  The 
cross,  expressive  symbol  of  self-denial,  of  self-sacri- 
ficing love  ;  2.  the  greatest  of  God's  wonders,  the 
mystery  of  all  mysteries,  the  holy  symbol  (the  cross 
in  the  heavens  of  the  Southern  Hemisphere). — Naked 
and  poor  did  Jesus  hang  upon  the  cross,  indicating 
that  He  renounced  all  possessions  of  earth,  all  honor, 
all  rule,  stripped  Himself  entirely,  and  hung  there  an 
offering  consecrated  to  God,  which  had  all  its  value 
in  itself  alone. — The  superscription  of  the  cross  is  : 
1.  In  the  meaning  of  Pilate,  an  apparent  justification 
of  the  Jews ;  2.  according  to  God's  intention,  a  pun- 
ishment of  their  vain  and  selfish  Messianic  expecta- 
tions ;  3.  to  all  time,  a  declaration  of  the  true,  hea- 
venly, kingly  dignity  of  Jesus. — The  blasphemy :  a 
High  Priest  who  wishes  to  destroy  God's  temple,  a 
Saviour  who  does  not  save  Himself,  a  Son  of  God 
who  appeared  to  be  forsaken  by  God  on  the  cross, 
seems  to  us  self-contradictory ;  but  a  High-Priest 
who  removes  the  shadow  to  bring  in  the  religion  of 
the  Spirit,  a  Saviour  who  offers  Himself  up,  a  Son  of 


God  who  is  obedient  to  His  Father  even  unto  death, 

is  to  the  spiritual  eye  an  object  worthy  of  adoration. 
— They  did  not  know  what  to  reproach  Him  with,  ex- 
cept His  piety.  His  benevolence.  His  trust  in  God. — 
The  one  incomparable  dcatli.  His  death-hour  was 
the  worid's  most  sacred  hour. — The  Roman  guard  : 
at  last  the  hour  of  redemption  strikes  for  many  a 
hardened  heart,  when  it  acknowledges  the  Crucified 
One. — The  soldier,  despite  his  rough  exterior,  has  an 
open,  blunt  manner,  which  keeps  him,  when  moved, 
from  concealing  the  truth  or  hardening  his  heart. 

Braune  : — The  darkness  ceased  not  till  Jesus 
died.— Jesus,  the  light  of  the  worid,  which  shined  in 
darkness,  came  to  keep  souls  from  darkness  :  He  has 
finished  His  work  ;  and  the  token  of  this  completion  / 
we  have  in  the  expressive  sign  of  the  departing  dark-  U 
ness,  just  as  the  bow  of  peace  stretched  a  sign  of 
peace 'over  the  falling  waters  of  the  deluge. — The 
dead  and  crucified  Redeemer  makes  light. — We  must 
renounce  ^\ith  Him  the  darkness  of  sin  and  error. — 
The  following  is  found  in  Ariqelus  Silesim :  Though 
Christ  were  born  a  thousand  times  in  Bethlehem,  and 
not  in  thee,  thou  remainest,  nevertheless,  eternally 
lost. — If  the  cross  of  Golgotha  is  not  erected  in  thy 
heart,  it  cannot  deliver  thee  from  the  Evil  One. —  - 
Mark,  that  it  is  to  thee  of  no  avail  that  Christ  has 
risen,  if  thou  continuest  lying  in  sin  and  the  bonds 
of  death. 

Good  Friday. — See  Fr.  Strauss  :  Bati  ev.  Kir- 
cherijahr,  p.  211  ;  Bobertag  :  Das  ev.  Kirchenjahr, 
p.  150;  Brandt  :  Homilet,  Hulfsbuch,  3  Bd.,  298; 
Archmological.  The  Quadragesima,  or  the  forty  days 
of  the  passion-week,  and  of  Lent,  concludes  with  the 
Great  Week,  e/85o^os  fjny  aXi^ ,  hebdomas  mag- 
na, Septimana  major.  During  this  season,  there  was 
divine  worship  daily,  morning  and  evening,  much  se- 
cret meditation,  a  strict  fast  was  observed,  and  acts 
of  beneficence  performed.  It  began  upon  Palm  Sun- 
day {kv  p  I  uKTi  s.TiiJ.epa  T  iiv  ^a'tocv),  dominica 
palmarum.  Among  the  holy  days  of  this  week,  the 
fifth  was  specially  celebrated,  r/^e^dATj  -n  iij.tr  ■ 
r  rijferia  quinta paschce,  as  the  commemoration  of 
the  last  Passover,  and  the  institution  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  {dies  cainm  Doruiui).  All  took  part  in  the 
holy  communion,  which  in  some  places  was  held  at 
night,  though  this  was  an  unusual  time.  And  then, 
too,  occurred  the  rite  of  Washing  the  Feet,  introduced 
by  the  lesson  from  John  xiii.  1-15.  The  origin  of 
the  later  designation  of  Green  Thursday  [Maundy 
TJmrsday'],  dies  vlridiam,  is  very  obscure.  Some 
deduce  it  from  the  custom  of  eating  on  that  day  fresh 
spring  vegetables  (probably  with  reference  to  the 
bitter  herbs  of  the  Israelitish  Passover) ;  others  from 
the  passage,  Ps.  xxiii.  2,  the  green  pasture,*  probably 
a  symbol  of  the  Holy  Supper.  The  sixth  day  suc^ 
ceeded,  va  p  aa ice  vii,  i] ixf  pa  toO  (t  t a  V p 0  ii,  dies 
dominiccB  passionis,  as  a  day  of  humiliation  and  fast- 
ing. The  meaning  of  the  German  names,  Chancoclie, 
Charfreitag  {Good  Week,  Good  Friday),  iii  ulso  un- 
certain ;  from  carnx,  or  x°P">  or  tlie  old  (Jerman 
form  of  kfireu,  to  efioose,  or  karo,  garo,  to  prepare, 
to  equip  ;  hence  =  preparation-week,  rrapaoKtvl). 
"The  Constit.  Apostolica;,v.  188,  forbid  any  festivals 
ovx  eoprrii,  aK\a.  -nivdovi,  and  enjoin  the  strictest 
fast,  because  this  was  the  day  of  the  Lord's  .suffering 
and  death."    The  texts  were  in  the  rule  taken  from 

*  [The  Edinb.  edition  has  instead  :  the  green  ear  I  How 
the  German:  grune  Aitf,  could  be  thus  mistaken,  especially 
in  connection  with  the  quotation  of  !'«.  xxiii.  2,  I  am  unable 
to  explain.  Is  it  postiblu  that  the  traaslator  uiietook  .4it« 
fovAehrer-V.S.] 


534 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTBEW, 


the  last  section  of  the  Passion-lesson  (from  the  four 
Gospels),  often  from  John  xviii.  and  xix. ;  sometimes 
Isa.  lii.  13-liii.  Many  preachers  had  no  particular 
text. 

Selections  from  Sermons. 

Prochcs  : — ^As  the  whole  state  mourns  when  the 
king  dies,  so  to-day  the  whole  creation  puts  aside  its 
joyous  brightness. — 0  mystery !  Christ  to  the  Jews 
a  stumbling-block,  to  the  Greeks  folly,  but  to  us  the 
power  of  God,  etc. — Sclmeizer : — Simon  of  Cyrene  : 
Am  I  still  a  servant  through  custom,  and  through 
compulsion,  or  am  I  filled  with  the  freedom  and  joy 
of  God's  children? — A  hi f eld : — Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
the  King  of  the  Jews :  1.  A  king  upon  the  cross ;  2. 
upon  the  cross  a  king. — Schultz  : — The  redemption 
which  Jesus  by  His  death  hath  purchased  for  us. — 
Gentzken : — ^What  is  the  cross  ?  LA  mirror :  there 
thou  beholdest  thy  guilt.  2.  A  seal  of  God's  grace 
ajid  mercy.  3.  A  temple  of  virtue. — Theremin: — It 
is  finished  :  1.  God's  counsel ;  2.  the  work  of  Jesus' 
loTe ;  3.  the  good  works  of  His  people,  finished  in 
Him.  —  Hosshach :  —  With  what  consciousness  the 
dying  Saviour  looked  back  upon  His  finished  life. — 
Mazeroll:  —  Christ's  death,  the  completion  of  His 
work. — Schuderoff: — Jesus'  exyjtation  in  His  deep- 
est humiliation. — Hagenhach : — llow  Jesus  manifest- 
ed Himself  even  in  His  sufferings  as  the  Son  of  God. 
— 27ie  same  : — To  this  very  hour  does  the  quiet  con- 
gregation of  the  Lord  gather  together  around  His 
cross,  amid  all  the  timiult  and  bustle  of  this  world 
(the  same  feelings,  duties,  consolation). — Harms  : — 
The  death  of  Christ,  the  chief  lesson  of  faith,  and  the 
chief  command  to  duty. — Mtzsch  : — Christ's  crucifix- 
ion viewed  in  connection  with  other  acts  of  the  world, 
and  of  worldly  wisdom.  —  Palmer : — Jesus  in  the 


midst  of  robbers:  in  this  we  have  shown:  1.  The 
Lord's  gentleness  and  love ;  2.  the  Lord's  glory  and 
judicial  authority. — Nilzsch : — The  contemplation  of 
the  dymg  Lord  makes  us  of  a  difi'erent  mind.  It 
changes  :  1.  Our  secure  self-righteousness  into  re- 
pentance; 2.  our  wicked  and  despairing  thoughts 
into  confidence  ;  3.  our  repining  into  a  willing  endur- 
ance of  trial,  rich  in  hope. — Drascke : — Christ's  strug- 
gles, and  our  struggles. — Bole : — Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God! — Floreij : — Christ  upon  the  cross:  1.  His 
shtime  is  thy  honor ;  2.  His  weakness  thy  strength  ; 
3.  His  lamentations  thy  peace  ;  4.  His  death  thy  life, 
1  John  i.  6,  9;  1  Cor.  i.  30;  2  Tim.  ii.  11.—^. 
Knapp  : — The  great  sermon  for  the  world  which  has 
gone  forth  from  the  cross  of  ChrLst:  L  What  God 
preached ;  2.  what  the  heavens  ;  3.  the  earth  ;  4.  the 
pious ;  5.  sinners ;  G.  the  dying  Jesus. — Hof acker : 
— The  world-atoning  death  of  Christ  in  its  power  and 
effects. —  Gaiipp: — What  testimony  the  cross  gives 
imto  Jesus. — Kapff: — Consider  how  our  atonement 
is  completed  through  the  death  of  Jesus. 

The  Seven  Last  Words. — The  consideration  of 
these  words  comes  in  more  appropriately  in  the  com- 
mentary on  Luke  and  John.  See  Rajibach  :  Be- 
trachtungen  iiber  die  sicben  letzen  Worte  Jesu^  1726  ; 
Arndt  :  Die  siehen  Worte  Christi  am  Kreuz,  1840; 
BiiATJNE  :  Das  Evaugelium  von  Jesus  Chrisius,  p.  425 ; 
Brandt  :  Homilei.  Hulfsbuch,  vol.  iii.  p.  326  ;  Fr. 
Krcmmacher  :  The  Suffering  Saviour,  1857  ;  Lange  : 
Auswahl  von  Gast-  mul  Gelegenhcitspreidigten,  2 
Ausg.  Die  sieben  letz«n  Worte,  p.  208  sqq. 

[This  section  is  so  rich  and  exhaustive  that  it 
would  be  mere  repetition  to  add  the  practical  reflec- 
tions of  the  Fathers  and  the  English  commentators, 
whom  we  are  in  the  habit  of  consulting  and  making 
contributors  to  the  American  edition  of  this  work. — 
P.  S.] 


ELEVENTH    SECTION. 

THE  BURIAL.  THE  SEPULCHRE  SEALED. 


Chapter  XXVII.  5T-66. 
(Mark  xv.  42-47 ;  Luke  xxiii.  50-56.) 

57  When  the  even  [evening]  was  come,  there  came  a  rich  man  of  Arimathea,  named 
Joseph,  who  also  himself  was  Jesus'  disciple  [who  had  become  a  disciple  of  Jesus]:' 

58  He  went  to  Pilate,  and  begged  [asked  for]  the  body  of  Jesus.     Then  Pilate  command- 

59  ed  the  body'^  to  be  delivered.     And  when  Joseph  had  taken  the  body,  he^  wrapped  it 

60  in  a  clean  hnen  cloth,  And  laid  it  in  his  own  new  tomb,  which  he  had  hewn  out  in  the 
rock :  and  he  rolled  a  great  stone  to  the  door  of  the  sepulchre  [tomb],^  and  departed. 

61  And  there  was  Mary  Magdalene,*  and  the*  other  Mary,  sitting  over  against  the  sepul- 
chre. 

62  Now  the  next  day  [But  on  the  morrow,  tt^  8e  eTrarptov],  that  followed  the  day  of 
the  preparation  [-Trapao-Keur;,  Friday],''  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  came  together  unto 

63  Pilate,  Saying,  Sir,  we  remember  that  that  deceiver  said,  while  he  was  yet  alive,  After 

64  three  days  I  will  rise  again.  Command  therefore  that  the  sepulchre  be  made  sure  until 
the  third  day,  lest  his  disciples  come  by  night,^  and  steal  him  away,  and  say  unto  the 
people,  He  is  risen  from  tlie  dead :  so  the  last  error  [deceit]  shall  [will]  be  worse  than 

65  the  first.     Pilate  said  ^  unto  them,  Ye  have   [Ye  shall  have]  a  watch :  go  your  way, 


CHAP.  XXVII.  57- 


535 


66  make  it  as  sure  [secure]  as  yo  can  [know  how,  ws  orSare].'"  So  they  went,  and  made 
the  sepulchre  sure  [secure],  sealing  the  stone,  and  setting  a  watch  [together  with  tlie 
watch,  /u,eTa  r^s  KouorajStas].^' 


>  Ver.  57.— [Dr.  Lniige  reads  with  Lac'imann  t!ie  passive  form  e  naOrjr  evOr],  which  is  sustained  by  Coild.  C,  T)., 
and  Cod.  Sinait.,  instead  of  the  led.  rec. :  fuaevrevffe  {to  be  one's  disciple),  which  has  the  majority  of  uncial  MS3., 
including  the  Alexandrian  and  the  Valic;;n,  in  its  favor.  Lange  regards  the  former  a.s  more  si^rnificant  and  emphatic:  Jo- 
seph was  overpowered.  Tischendorf  and  Alford  adhere  to  the  received  text.  As  to  the  nsi>,  Tischendorf  remarks  in  his 
large  edition:  Cirimque  vatis  exemjiht  in  promptu  sunt,  nisi  quod  prim  (the  active  form)  npud  antiquos  nt  Plutar- 
chmninveuitiir,  posterius  (the  piissive)  apiid  reocntiores  iantum.  See  Stephan.  Thesiwr.  Meyer  and  Alford  regard 
ifjLtx67)T(vdTi  as  a  correction  after  ua^iireufleiy,  ch.  xiii.  52. — P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  5S.— Codd.  B.,  L.,  and  Fritzsche  omit  rh  acu/.La.  [So  also  Cod.  Pinait.,  but  the  sreat  body  of  authorities  are 
in  favor  of  it.  Do  "SVette  and  Alford  explain  tho  omi.ssion  from  regard  to  elegance,  since  to  a  Hi  jxa  occurs  thrice  in  ver.s. 
5S.  and  59.  Conant  renders:  tliat  the  hody  should  be  given  up.  Lange  inserts  in  parenthesis  ihin,to  Mm:  dass  der 
Leichnam  (ihm)  ausgeliefert  wUrde. — P.  S.] 

2  Ver.  59.— [Or  in  the  precise  order  of  the  Greek :  And  taking  the  hody,  Jooeph  wrapped  it,  etc.,  ical  Aa/Sdij'  rh 
(Twixa.  6  'Iw.r.    eVeruAflev,  /c.T.A..— P.  S.] 

■•Ver.  60— [Tho  same  word  should  be  used  in  this  verse,  cither  sepulchre  or  tomb,  for  tho  Greek  ixvr]  fxilov , 
especially  as  the  second  with  the  article  refers  to  the  first.— P.  8.] 

*  Ver.  61.— [Better  with  Conant  and  others:  Arid  Mai'y  M.  was  there,  to  bring  out  more  plainly  the  demonjjtralive 
eKf  7.— P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  61.— The  article  V  is  omitted  in  Codd.  A.  and  D.,  but  sustained  by  most  witnesses. 

'  Ver.  G2. — [napacricevv,  in  the  Jewish  sense,  is  the  day  of  making  ready  for  the  sabbath,  or  sabbath  evf,  i.  e.,  Friday, 
Matt.  X.;  M.ark  xv.  42;  Luke  xxiii.  54;  John  xis.  14,  31,  42;  Joseph.  Antiq.  xvi.  6,  2  (cV  ird^fiaaw  ij  rrj  -rrph  TavTijs 
TtapadKeuy),  also  called  Trpoad^ffaToi',  Mark  xv.  42.  Compare  the  German  Sonnatend  for  Saturday.  The  day  of  the 
Snglish  Version  should  bo  put  in  italics,  as  in  John  xix.  42,  or  omitted  altogether.  Here  Tyndale  and  Cheke  render  the 
word:  Good  Friday,  which  is  true  enough,  but  goes  beyond  the  term  which  is  general.  The  Genev.an  Version  adds: 
Preparation  of  the  sabbath.  The  Khemish  N.  T.  retains  the  Greek  afror  the  Vulgate:  Parasceve,  which  is  unintelligible 
to  the  English  reader.     The  best  is  to  put  Friday  on  the  margin. — P.  S.] 

"  Ver.  64.— The  addition  vvktos  is  poorly  sustiined.  [It  is  cancelled  by  the  critical  editors,  and  may  have  been 
inserted  from  xxviii.  1.3,  where  it  is  genuine.    Lange  puts  it  in  small  type  in  parenthesis.— P.  S.] 

'  Ver.  65.— Codd.  A.,  C,  D.  read  5t'  after  i(p-q;  it  is  probably  an  addition,  and  weakens  the  significant  decision  of 
Pilate. 

■»  Ver.  65.— [So  Syriac,  Vulgate,  Beza,  Castalio,  Scrivener,  Con.ant,  etc.  Alford  :  "As  ye  know  how,  in  the  best  man- 
neryecan."  Oi:5aT6  is  not  quite  equivalent  to  ^vvacrD  i .,  as  ye  can,or  are  able.  The  English  Version  in  ch.  vii.  U 
literally  renders  oXhan,  know  how.    Lange  renders:  ^cie  ihr's  versteht.    See  his  Eveg.  N'ote  in-  loc.—P.  S.] 

■'  Ver.  66.— [The  watch  procured  from  Pilate  .aided  them  in  securing  the  tomb  and  setting  the  stone.  So  Wetstein, 
Meyer,  Scrivener,  Conant,  Lange.  The  preposition  p.iTd.  signiflos  tho  means  whereby  thcv  secured  the  tomb,  as  in 
Luke  xvii.  15;  Acts  v.  26;  xiii.  17,  and  in  Thucydides  viii.  73.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CEITICAL. 

Synopsis. — John  introduces  this  account  by  a 
statement  of  the  motives  that  led  to  it.  The  Jew3 
coine,  in  the  first  place,  to  Pilate,  requesting  him  to 
have  the  bodies  removed,  and  thereupon  Joseph  of 
ArLmathea  entreats  the  governor  to  allow  him  to  take 
the  body  of  Jesus.  Nicodemus  is,  according  to  John, 
associated  with  Joseph,  and  provides  the  spices  for 
embalming.  Mark  and  Luke  characterize  Joseph 
of  Arimathea  more  exactly  than  Matthew.  Special 
prominence  is  given  by  our  EvaugeUst  to  the  two 
Maries, — Mary  Magdelcnc,  and  "  the  other"  (the  mo- 
ther of  Joses,  according  to  Mark) :  they  are  repre- 
sented here  as  seated  opposite  to  the  grave.  The 
sealing  of  the  sepulchre  (vers.  62-66)  is  related  by 
Matthew  only. 

Ver.  57.  When  the  evening  was  come. — The 
first  or  early  evening,  the  day'.s  decline ;  because  the 
bodies  must  have  been  removed  before  the  evening  ar- 
rived, Deut.  xxi.  23 ;  Josephus,  Do  Bell.  Jud.  iv.  5,  2. 

There  came  a  rich  man.— 1.  De  Wette:  He 
came  into  the  pnetorium.  2.  Meyer :  He  came  first 
to  the  place  of  execution  to  go  thence  to  th.e  pncto- 
rium.  3.  He  came  to  the  httle  company  of  female 
disciples  upon  Golgotha,  and  advanced"  into  their 
midst,  proclaiming  hunself  as  a  disciple.  "  A  disci- 
ple, but  secretly  for  fear  of  the  Jews,"  says  John. 
Luke  :  "A  counsellor,  a  good  man  and  a  just.  The 
pame  had  not  consented  to  the  counsel  and  deed  of 
them ;  .  .  .  who  also  waited  for  the  kingdom  of  God." 


Mark :  "  An  honorable  counsellor,  who  also  waited 
for  the  kingdom  of  (jod."  Matthew  gives  the  prom- 
inence to  his  wealth :  "  A  rich  man,"  referring  un- 
doubtedly to  I'^a.  liii.  9,  according  to  the  Septuagint 
translation,  Kai  Sa.ro)  ruhs  T.i.vripovs  ai/Ti  T^|<s  Tacprji 
auTov,  Kai  Tot's  Tr\ov<yiovs  acrl  too  Baudrov  aii- 
Tov.  The  following  translation  is  indeed  free,  but  is 
agreeable  to  the  context :  They  hsid  appointed  Him 
a  grave  with  the  despised  ;  and  among  the  honored 
("i"''.l">',  did  He  obtain  it)  in  His  death.— The  first 
occasion  of  this  step  of  Joseph  was  probably  his  fear 
that  the  Jews  might  remove  the  body  in  some  dis- 
graceful manner;  for  the  circumstances  related  John 
xix.  31-37  had  preceded.  Faith,  however,  shot  a  ray 
of  hope,  in  all  probability,  through  Joseph's  mind, 
and  operated  along  with  this  feeling  of  veneration, 
and  his  desire  openly  to  confess  the  name  of  Christ. 

Of  Arimathea. — "  CommcDtulors  are  divided 
between  Rama  in  Benjamin  (Josh,  xviii.  25)  and 
R.ama  (Ramathaiin)  in  Ephrami  (1  Sam.  i.  19,  Sam- 
uel's birthplace).  For  the  latter,  indeed,  the  form 
speaks  decisively;  but  the  addition  of  Luke,  Ti-dAtwj 
Twy  'louSaiwi',  according  to  1  Mace.  xi.  34,  does  not 
harmonize."  De  Wette.  See  '' Jiamah"  in  Wmer 
[and  other  Bibl.  Encyclop.]. 

Named  Joseph. — One  Joseph  is  appointed  to 
take  care  of  Jesus  in  His  infancy,  another  to  provide 
for  His  burial.  Quite  analogous,  there  was  an  Old 
Testament  Joseph,  who  had  the  task  of  providing  for 
tlie  Jewish  people  in  its  infancy  in  Egypt ;  and  to 
him  corresponds  the  Josephus  who  has  prepared  the 
historic  resting-place  for  the  expired  IsraeUtLsh  nation 


536 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


in  his  books  {Aniiq.,  Be  Bello  Jvd.,  etc.).  The  name 
Joseph  (CiCi"')  means,  according  to  Gen.  xxx.  24: 
"he  adds"  (Increaser);  for  another  explanation,  see 
Gesenius.  He  was  fiovktvri]^,  a  member  of  the  San- 
liedrin,  Luke  xxiii.  50 ;  not  (as  Michaelis  supposed) 
a  councillor  of  the  little  country-town  Ramathaim, 
nor  (according  to  Grotius)  a  town  councillor  of  Jeru- 
salem. Lightfoot  makes  him  to  have  been  a  priestly 
temple-councillor  ;  but  that  is  probably  the  same  as 
a  Sanhedrist.  According  to  the  ecclesiastical  tradi- 
tion, he  is  represented  to  have  belonged  to  the 
seventy  disciples,  and  to  have  been  the  first  who 
preached  the  Gospel  in  England  (the  rich  man,  the 
guardian-saint  of  a  rich  people ;  just  as  the  Magda- 
lene, the  repentant  sinner,  is  the  patron-saint  of 
France).  For  other  traditions,  see  Evangelium  Nico- 
dcmi,  p.  12,  and  Acta  Sanct.  Mart.  ii.  507.  He  was 
evidently,  hke  Nicodemus,  one  of  the  secret  disciples 
of  Jesus,  who  came  forth  and  pubUcly  confessed  their 
faith  after  the  death  of  the  Lord,  yiadyjnve iv 
Tivt,  to  be  the  disciple  of  some  one.  He  was  a  fol- 
lower of  Jesus,  and  hence  he  had  not  consented  to 
the  murderous  counsel  of  the  Sanhedrin ;  and  this 
holds  good,  of  course,  regarding  Nicodemus. 

Ver.  58.  He  went  to  Pilate. — He  ran  the  risk, 
says  Mark.*  He  was  exposed  to  more  danger  from 
the  Jews  than  from  Pilate,  because  this  act  was  a 
confession  of  his  faith.  "  It  was  the  Roman  custom 
to  allow  the  bodies  to  hang  upon  the  cross  till  they 
wasted  away,  or  were  consumed  by  the  birds  of  prev. 
Plaut.  3fil.  fflor.  ii.  4,  9;  Herat.  JSpist.  i.  16,  IS^f 
But  should  friends  request  the  bodies  to  be  taken  for 
interment,  the  request  could  not  be  refused,  Ulpian 
48,  24,  1  ;  Hug,  De  cadav.  punit.  in  the  Freiburc/er 
Zeitschrift  5,  p.  174."  Meyer.— That  the  body  be 
delivered  (to  him).  Meyer  is  in  favor  of  retaining 
the  second  rh  aiifxa,  the  repetition  having  a  certain 
solemnity. 

Ver.  59.  He  wrapped  it  in  a  clean  linen 
cloth. — Bengel :  Jam  initia  honoris.  Not  a  shroud, 
nor  a  garment  (Kuinoel) ;  but  winding  sheets,  linen 
clothes,  John  xix.  40,  in  wliich  the  body  was  wrap- 
ped (Meyer).  It  was  probably  an  entire  piece  at  first, 
and  was  afterward  divided  for  the  purpose  of  rolling. 
This  idea  occurs  to  us  from  the  object  to  be  attained : 
the  pieces  of  linen  must  be  wrapped  around  the  limbs 
in  such  a  way  as  to  enclose  the  spices,  which  had 
been  powdei'ed  to  be  employed  for  embalming.  The 
first,  temporary  anointing,  and  the  intention  of  a  sec- 
ond and  more  formal  embalming,  are  both  uimoticed 
by  Matthew.  But  that  the  body  was  anointed,  is 
self-evident ;  and  the  second  formal  anointing,  which 
Mark  and  Luke  declare  to  have  been  proposed  by 
the  women  after  the  Sabbath,  is  not  excluded  by  the 
merely  temporary  act.  By  the  first  anointing,  they 
sought  simply  to  preserve  the  body  ;  by  the  second, 
they  wished  to  fulfil  the  ceremonial  requirements, 
for  which  no  time  remained  upon  Friday  evening. 
Therefore,  upon  the  first  occasion,  they  made  a  pro- 
fuse, but  simple  use  of  costly  substances  (myrrh  and 

*  [Not:  Luke,  as  the  Edinb.  edition  falsely  reads.  The 
English  Version  renders  Mark  xv.  43:  "Joseph  of  Arima- 
tbeawent  in  boliUi/  unto  Tilate"  (Vulgate:  audacter in- 
troivH);  but  the  Greek  is  more  expressive:  roAfJ-ricras 
elarjAde,  Luther  and  Lange:  er  wagte  es,  etc. — P.  S.] 

t  ["  J^on  pasces  in  cruoe  corvos."  The  Jewish  custom, 
on  the  contrary,  was  to  take  down  the  bodies  of  the  crucified 
before  sunset  and  to  bury  them,  avaaravpaipLtvovs  -Kpo 
Suj/Toj  7]\iov  KaQ(\{lv  KoX  Qanreiv^  Joseph.  De  Bello 
Jiul.  iv.  5,  2.  This  shows  the  superior  humanity  of  the 
Jewish  compared  with  the  boasted  Graico-Eoman  civiliza- 
tion.-P.  S.] 


aloes);  and  the  women  would  find  no  difficulty  in 
buying  before  and  after  the  Sabbath,  upon  the  Friday 
evening  before,  and  the  Saturday  evening  after,  from 
six  o'clock,  such  quantities  of  these  spices  as  appear- 
ed necessary  to  their  womanly  desires  for  the  great 
burial :  sec  Luke  and  Mark. 

Ver.  60.  In  his  own  new  tomb.—"  It  was  a 
great  disgrace  among  the  Jews  if  any  one  had  not  a 
burying-place  of  his  own ;  and  so  it  came  to  be  con- 
sidered an  act  of  charity  to  bury  neglected  dead  bod- 
ies. Josephus  mentions  as  among  the  abominable 
deeds  of  the  Zclots  and  Idumeans,  that  they  left  their 
dead  unburied."  Bee  Friedheb,  p.  169.  The  state- 
ment of  John,  that  the  tomb  was  in  a  garden  near  the 
place  of  the  crucifixion,  and  was  chosen  on  account 
of  the  necessary  haste,  is  not  contradictory  of  the 
statement  that  the  grave  was  the  property  of  Jo- 
seph.* It  must  have  been  exactly  the  location  of  his 
newly-formed  family-tomb  that  led  him  to  propose 
his  grave,  and  yield  it  up  as  an  offering. 

In  the  rock. — With  the  article.  In  that  par- 
ticular rocky  district  of  Golgotha.  The  Jews  placed 
their  graves  outside  their  towns.  It  was  only 
kings  and  prophets  (and  priests,  indeed,  no  less)  who 
might  be  interred  inside  the  walls.  Commonly,  these 
graves  were  excavations,  or  grottoes  in  gardens,  o^ 
in  spots  planted  with  trees ;  somethnes  natural  caves ; 
often,  as  in  this  case,  expressly  hewn  out  (a  costly 
method),  and  sometimes  built  up.  These  tombs  were 
sometimes  very  roomy,  and  provided  with  passages. 
The  sepulchres  were  either  made  with  steps  down- 
ward, or  placed  horizontally;  while  the  particular 
graves  inside  were  hollowed  out,  either  lengthwise 
or  crosswise,  in  the  walls  of  the  tomb.  For  more 
particular  accounts,  consult  Winer  (art.  Grdber — 
Graves),  and  Schultz,  Jerusalem,  p.  97. f.  The  new 
rock-tomb  of  Joseph,  and  the  hundred  pounds  of 
myrrh  and  aloes  (myrrh,  a  resin  from  the  myrrh-tree 
of  Arabia  and  Ethiopia ;  aloes,  a  precious,  fragrant 
wood ;  the  pound,  the  Attic  litra,  five  and  a  half 
ounces  less  than  our  pound),  which  Nicodemus  pre- 
sented, are  expressions  of  that  sacrificing  renuncia- 
tion with  which  now  these  two  disciples  advanced 
into  view,  after  that  the  death  of  Jesus  had  awaken- 
ed them  to  life.     Holy  rivalry  ! 

He  rolled  a  great  stone. — A  natural  method 
of  closino;  the  mouth  of  the  tomb.     "  In  the  Talmud, 


*  [It  is  not  likely  that  the  body  of  a  crucified  person 
could  be  laid  in  a  new  tomb,  eV  ^  ovSfTro)  ovSfh  (Tedrj, 
without  the  previous  consent  of  the  owner.  Matthew  alone 
relates  that  it  was  Joseph's  property,  but  all  the  Evangelists 
mention  that  it  was  a  new  tomb.  Jerome  in  loc.  says  that 
the  tomb  was  new  to  prevent  the  enemies  from  saying  that 
some  other  person  had  arisen :  "  In  novo  ponitur  monumen- 
to,  ne  post  resurrectionem,  cateris  corporibue  remanerM- 
bus,  re&urrexisse  alius  fingeretur.'''  But  not  satisfied  with 
this,  he  adds :  "  Potest  autem  et  notum  sepulchrum,  Marim 
■cirginalem,  uterum  demonstrare."  Other  fathers  likewise 
draw  a  parallel  between  the  new  tomb  from  which  Christ 
arose  to  everlasting  life,  and  the  Virgin's  womb  from  which 
lie  was  born  to  earthly  life.  Similarily  Wordsworth,  fol- 
lowing the  doubtful  patristic  and  scholastic  notions  of  the 
miraculous  birth  through  the  closed  womb :  "  Christ  rose 
from  the  new  tomb,  without  moving  away  the  stone.  He, 
who,  as  a  man  entered  life  through  the  closed  gate  of  tho 
Virgin's  womb,  rose  to  immortality  from  the  sealed  sepul- 
chre."—P.  B.] 

t  [From  the  Gospel  narratives  concerning  the  sepnlchra 
of  Christ,  we  may  infer  with  Alford  a-  d  others:  (It  that  it 
was  entirely  new;  (2)  that  it  was  near  the  spot  of  the  cruci- 
fixion; (3)  that  it  was  not  a  natural  cave,  but  an  artificial 
excavation  in  the  rock;  (4)  that  it  was  not  cut  downward, 
after  the  manner  of  our  graves,  but  horizontally,  or  nearly 
so,  into  the  face  of  the  rock.    The  last  sei-'ma   lo  he  implied, 

I  though  not  necessarily,  in  -KpociivXiaas  Mdov  /xfyay  rij 

:  b  up  a  Tou  /j.fr]p.iiov,—P.  B.] 


CHAP.  XXVII.  57-66. 


537 


such  a  piece  of  rock,  employed  to  shut  up  a  sepul- 
chre, is  called  bbiil ,  roller." 

Ver.  61.  The  other  Mary. — She  was  mention- 
ed in  ver.  56,  and  is  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses, 
the  wife  of  Alphicus ;  and  Mark  (xv.  47)  accordingly 
says,  Mai'v  [(he  niotherJi  of  Joses,  as  the  best  and 
most  codd.  read.  Codex  A.  reads  there  r]  'Iwo-rjt^. 
Wieseler  infers  from  this  reading,  without  sufhcient 
warrant,  that  she  was  the  wife  or  daughter  of  Joseph 
of  Arimathea. — Were  there  sitting. — It  is  only 
Matthew  who  states  this  glorious  fact ;  according  to 
Mark,  "  they  beheld  where  He  was  laid." 

Yer.  62.  That  followed  the  preparation. — 
The  TT apaffKivT]  is  the  day  of  preparation  for 
the  Sabbath,  Friday,  on  this  occasion  the  first  day 
of  the  feast ;  and  hence  the  day  which  followed  was 
the  Sabbath,  or  Saturday,  the  second  day  of  the  Pass- 
over. Wieseler  holds  the  expression  was  chosen,  be- 
cause the  first  day  might  have  been  called  also  ad.^- 
^aTov.  Meyer  says:  "The  name  is  explained  by 
the  fact,  that  TtajiaiTKevf)  was  the  solemn  designation 
in  use  among  the  Christians  to  distinguish  the  Friday 
of  the  crucifixion."  It  is  extremely  noteworthy,  that 
the  Jews  hold  a  council  and  hurry  to  Pilate  upon  the 
Sabbath  morning,  and  that  too  the  great  Sabbath 
of  the  feast.  Kuinoel:  "ira  momica  interdixerat 
operam  manuariam,  v(  et  judicii  exercitiuni,  non  vero 
ire  ad  niagistratum,  ab  eoque  petere  aliquid,  "procser- 
tim  cum  periculum  in  mora  esset." 

Ver.  63.  After  three  days.— De  Wette  :  "  Je- 
sus had  never  declared  that  openly  and  before  stran- 
gers." Still  He  had  told  it  to  the  disciples,  and  not 
as  secret  teaching,  but  to  be  published.  [John  ii. 
19  ;  Matt.  xii.  40.]  Probably  Judas  had  given  them 
the  more  exact  statements. 

Ver.  65.  Ye  have  a  watch!— That  is:  Ye 
shall  have  a  watch  !  Your  petition  is  granted.  Offi- 
cial, and  perhaps  discontented  laconism.  But  it  can- 
not mean,  Ye  have  youi-selves  a  watch  (Grotius),  of 
whom  ye  may  make  use,  the  temple-guards ;  for  that 
view  is  opposed  to  ch.  xxviii.  14. 

As  ye  understand. — Xot,  "  as  sure  as  you  can ;" 
or,  "  as  appears  to  you  best ;"  or,  "  if  that  is  possi- 
ble ;"  but,  "  as  ye  understand  that,"  according  to 
your  meaning  of  securing.  He  places  the  guard  at 
their  disposal ;  the  employment  of  the  men,  the 
guarrlianship  or  guarantee  for  Christ's  continuance  in 
death,  which  they  wished  him  also  to  undertake, 
that  he  will  leave  to  themselves ;  and  they  are  to 
employ  this  force  to  attain  the  end  they  had  in  view, 
especially  the  insuring  of  the  tomb  as  long  as  it  may 
be  necessary.  In  this  instance,  again,  Pilate  kept 
not  his  conscience  pure,  and  preserved  not  his  civil 
power  unimpaired, — giving  a  guard  because  of  a  re- 
ligious question. 

Ver.  66.  Sealing  the  stone. — A  string  was 
stretched  across  the  stone,  and  sealed  to  the  rock  at 
both  ends  with  wax  [upon  which  was  stamped  the 
oflQcial  seal  of  Pilate]. 

The  assertion  of  Meyer,  that  this  sealing  of  the 
grave,  which  Matthew  records,  belongs  to  the  unhis- 
torical  traditions,  does  not  need  here  a  lengthened 
refutation.*  But  the  following  points  furnish  mate- 
rials for  an  answer : — 1.  Jesus  had  certainly  declared 
previously,  that  He  would  rise  upon  the  third  day. 

*  [I  regret  to  see  that  Meyer  adheres  to  this  view  in  the 
fifth  edition  of  his  Commentary  on  Matthew  which  has  just 
appeared  and  reached  me  (Aug.  29,  1864).  Otherwise  the 
vaUuibie  commeutaries  of  this  accurate,  honest,  .ind  con- 
scientious scholar,  which  occupy  now  the  first  rank  among 
philological  or  strictly  grammatico-bistorical  commentaries, 


2.  The  grave  might  be  sealed,  without  the  women 
coming  to  know  it  upon  the  Sabbath.  S.  The  San- 
hedrists  could  not  have  taken  the  body  of  Jesus  into 
custody,  because  Joseph  had  previously  obtained  it. 
Besides,  it  was  their  interest  to  afifect  carelessness  re- 
garding it.  4.  The  seduction  of  the  guard  to  gire  a 
ialse  testimony,  and  the  silencing  of  the  procurator, 
correspond  in  every  point  to  the  character  of  the 
world ;  besides,  it  is  not  said  that  the  soldiers  brought 
their  ftilse  report  to  Pilate,  rather  the  opposite. 
5.  It  is  quite  natural  that  Matthew,  according  to  the 
character  of  his  Gospel,  should  be  the  writer  to  report 
this  historic  transaction,  as  he  did  the  corresponding 
history  of  the  resurrection,  ch.  xxviii.  11-15.*  It  is 
still  less  worth  while  to  deal  with  the  assumption  of 
Stroth,  that  this  is  an  mtcrpolation.  This  statement 
simply  proves,  that  the  critic  could  not  grasp  the 
meaning  of  the  passage.  For  the  remainder,  see  ch. 
xxviii.  11. 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  Regarding  the  early  occurrence  of  death  in 
our  Lord's  case,  consult  the  author's  Leben  Jesu,  ii. 
3,  p.  1619.  One  of  the  reasons  why  death  appeared 
at  so  early  a  date,  was  that  the  dying  body  hurried 
forward  to  its  transformation.  To  this,  tjie  phenom- 
enon, John  xix.  34,  had  already  pointed ;  for  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  was  at  once  resurrection  and 
glorification.  In  the  death  of  Jesus,  the  great  mys- 
tery of  death  is  glorified. 

[Different  opinions  on  the  death  of  Christ:  1.  It 
was  His  own  voluntary  act,  by  which  He  separated 
in  the  full  vigor  of  hfe  His  spirit  from  His  body, 
and  placed  it,  as  a  deposit,  in  His  Father's  keeping. 
2.  It  was  the  act  of  God  the  Father,  in  answer  to 
the  prayer  of  the  Saviour.  3.  It  was  the  natural 
consequence  of  His  physical  sufferings,  and  occurred 
so  early  (after  six  hours,  instead  of  the  usual  twelve 
or  more  of  sufferings  on  the  cross),  either  on  account 
of  the  extraordinary  intensity  of  His  agony  of  body 
and  mind  durmg  the  trial  m  Gethsemane  and  on  Cal- 
vary, or  by  a  sudden  rupture  of  the  heart.  These 
views  may  be  combined,  by  supposing  that  the  Sa- 
viour hasteyied  His  death  by  a  voluntary  self-surren- 
der which  the  Father  accepted.  The  passage,  John 
X.  17,  18  should  be  carefully  considered  in  this  con- 
nection. The  resurrection,  too,  is  represented  on 
ihe  one  hand,  as  Christ's  own  act,  to  whom  the 
Father  has  given  to  have  hfe  in  Himself  (John  ii.  19 ; 
V.  26  ;  X.  17,  18  ;  Acts  i.  3  ;  Rom.  i.  4),  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  as  the  act  of  His  Father  (Acts  ii.  24,  32 ; 
Rom.  iv.  24 ;  vi.  4,  etc.).  Consult  on  this  subject, 
W.  Stroud  :  The  Physical  Cause  of  Chrisfs  Death, 
Loud.  1847  ;  Samuel  J.  Andretts  :  2'he  Life  of  our 
Lord  upon  the  Earth,  New  York,  1863,  p'.  550  ff. ; 


present  a  steady  progress  of  improvement  in  every  succes- 
sive edition  since  they  were  first  begun  thirty  years  ago. 
The  first  volume,  which  appeared  in  IS-'SJ,  contained  the  first 
three  Gospels  in  one  moderate  volume  and  was  considered 
almost  rationalistic,  the  fifth  edition  of  .Matthew  alone,  pub- 
lished in  1S64,  forms  a  respectable  volume  of  62.3  pages,  and 
is  not  only  much  more  thorough  in  a  scientific  point  of  view, 
but  also  "far  more  decidedly  Christian  in  tone  and  spirit 
(compare  the  touching  preface),  and  much  nearer  the  stand- 
point of  evangelical  orthodoxy. — V.  A.} 

*  "  Againsl  the  ojiponents  of  this  history,  see  particularly 
the  work  of  the  late,  little-known  Counsellor  Braves  In 
Karlsruhe:  '■  I'auleiiiolon  Vhroneicon,  oder  Gedanken  ei- 
ne»  SUdidndem  uher  europdinche  Religiomchriften,  Auf- 
HdrungiiKuhriften,  etc.,  Christlaustadt  (i.  «.,  Frankfurt  am 
Main,  17'J7);"'IIoubner. 


538 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


the  various  Commentators  on  the  Gospels,  and  Lunge's, 
profound  sugcjestions  in  the  Doctrinal  and  Ethical 
Thoughts  to  Chap,  xxviii.  1-10,  nos.  7  and  8. — P.  S.] 

2.  Along  with  the  death  of  Jesus,  the  courage  of 
the  New  Testament  confessors  begins  to  manifest  it- 
self. To  this  confessing  band  belong  the  sorrowing 
women  who  (according  to  Luke)  follow  the  cross- 
laden  Lord,  the  centurion  beneath  the  cross,  also  the 
two  hitherto-secret  disciples,  Joseph  of  Arimathea 
and  Nicodemus.  Under  this  head,  also,  must  we 
notice  the  fact,  that  the  two  Maries  continue  sitting 
alone  over  against  the  Lord's  tomb,  in  that  awing 
and  affrighting  spot. 

3.  One  of  the  striking  ironies  of  God's  judgment 
may  be  observed  in  the  circumstance,  that  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Sanhedrin  are  forced  to  go  upon  the  morn- 
ing of  the  paschal  Sabbath  to  the  sepulchre  of  Jesus, 
for  the  purpose  of  sealing  the  stone,  because  the  dead 
Christ  allowed  them  no  rest.  In  that  anxiety  we  may 
see  the  effect  of  the  words  of  Judas,  and  of  tlae  Lord's 
prediction  of  His  resurrection.  Upon  this  morning 
of  the  feast,  it  was  no  formal  meeting  of  council  they 
held :  the  most  decided  enemies  of  Jesus  consulted 
among  themselves,  and  then  dropped  in  singly,  as  if 
by  accident,  to  make  their  request  to  Pilate:  and 
thus  there  came  to  be  a  kind  of  priestly  council  in 
the  governor's  palace,  to  which  the  Evangelist  here 
alludes.  It  was  alleged  by  these  priests,  that  the  dis- 
ciples mighf  come  and  steal  away  the  corpse ;  and 
this  lying  assertion  reveals  to  us,  how  well  prepared 
they  were  for  any  emergency,  even  the  worst.  But, 
beneath  all  this  disguise,  they  were  the  prey  of  fear, 
and  the  real  motive  was  terror.  Influenced  by  a 
monstrous,  superstitious  belief  in  the  power  of  the 
seal  of  Jewish  authority,  and  of  a  Roman  guard,  they 
imagined  themselves  able  to  shut  up  in  the  grave  the 
possibihty  of  a  resurrection  by  Jesus,  the  divine  retri- 
bution, a  result  of  that  resurrection,  and,  above  all, 
their  owa.  wicked  fears.  And  so  they  desecrate  the 
great  Passover  Sabbath  by  their  restless  occupation, 
seeking  to  secui'e  the  grave  of  Him  whom  they  had 
accused  and  condemned  for  His  miracles  of  love 
wrought  on  ordinary  Sabbaths.  The  disembodied 
spirit  of  the  Jewish  law  must  wander  around  the 
grave  of  Jesus  upon  the  most  sacred  Sabbath  of  the 
year.  In  that  act  we  have  the  last  expression  of  their 
abandonment  to  the  Gentiles  of  salvation  through  a 
Messiah ;  and  also  the  strongest  expression  of  the 
folly  they  manifested  in  their  unbelief  By  means 
of  a  priestly  seal,  and  a  borrowed  military  guard, 
they  desire  to  secure  in  a  permanent  tomb  the  spirit 
and  life  of  Christ,  the  spirit  of  His  past,  present,  and 
future,  as  if  all  were  a  mere  deception. 

4.  But  in  the  meantime*  the  spirit  of  Christ's 
life  is  laboring  in  the  depths  of  the  grave  and  the 
under  world  or  Hades.  The  germ  of  humanity  and 
salvation  was  bursting  into  new  life  in  the  earth,  and 
also  in  the  heart  of  the  disciples ;  in  the  former,  saved 
from  death,  in  the  latter,  from  apparent  despair. 


HOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL 

The  quiet  Sabbath ;  or,  the  death-rest  of  Jesus  in 
its  twofold  efficacy:  1.  It  institutes  the  sabbath  of 
redemption  in  the  disciples'  hearts  ;  2.  it  institutes 
the  godless  labor  of  wicked  fear  in  the  enemies' 
camp. — How  friends  and  foes  are  busied  about  the 

*  [Not;  in  spite  of  all,  as  the  Eilinb.  edition  mistrans- 
lates unt&rd6ssen.—¥.  S.] 


dead  Christ:  1.  The  friends;  2.  the  foes.— The  re- 
vival of  the  disciples,  a  presage  of  His  resurrection. 
— How  through  Christ's  death  His  secret  disciples 
obtain  the  power  to  confess  Him  openly:  1.  Now 
they  feel  their  full  guilt ;  2.  now  they  see  the  world's 
full  condcnmation ;  8.  the  perfect  vanity  and  wretch- 
edness of  the  fear  of  man ;  4.  tlie  perfect  glory  of  the 
sacrificial  death  of  Christ. — Joseph  of  Arimathea; 
or,  the  wonder  how,  in  spite  of  all,  the  rich  enter  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. — The  sacrifice  of  Joseph. — The 
offerings  of  the  male  and  female  disciples. — The 
Church  at  the  holy  sepulchre. — How  Christ's  love 
changed  the  women  into  heroines,  beside  the  grave. 
— How  tlie  younger  disciples  meet  the  older  always 
at  Christ's  grave. — The  Lord's  convulsing  death,  by 
which  lambs  become  lions  like  Himself,  the  Lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah. — The  import  which  that  evening- 
seat  over  against  Jesus'  grave  has  for  us. — The  quiet 
Sabbath,  and  the  quiet  grave. — The  burial  of  be- 
lievers a  sermon. — The  grave  of  Christ  amidst  all  the 
world's  graves :  a  ti'ansfiguration  of  the  same. — The 
Jewish  method  of  burial  in  its  difference  from  the 
heathen  sepulchre,  a  prophecy  which  has  been  fulfil- 
led in  the  grave  of  Jesus. — The  interment  of  man- 
kind, a  picture  of  their  religion, — 1.  Among  the 
heathen ;  2.  the  Jews ;  8.  the  Christians. — Christ's 
grave  has  changed  the  impure  Jewish  grave  into  a 
consecrated  Christian  grave. — The  isolated  graves  of 
Judaism,  and  the  Christian  churchyard  ;  or,  the 
sleeping  are  gathered  together  Ijy  Christ. — Gethse- 
mane,  and  the  holy  sepulchre  ;  or,  the  garden  of 
struggle  converted  into  the  garden  of  rest. — Paradise 
and  the  accursed  earth,  Golgotha  and  the  garden  of 
the  grave  and  the  resurrection ;  or,  the  old  and  the 
new  world. — Priests  and  Pharisees  in  their  ever- 
abiding  dread  of  Christ,  whom  they  imagined  they 
have  killed. — The  means  by  which  the  slaves  of  the 
letter  thuili;  to  imprison  in  the  grave  the  spirit  and 
life  of  Christ :  1.  Cunning  pretences;  2.  antiquated 
seals  of  authority ;  3.  borrowed  guards. — The  illusion 
which  the  foes  of  Jesus  make  of  the  truth  of  His  Ufe 
and  efiicacy :  1.  The  illusion :  {a)  they  make  Christ  a 
lie ;  [h)  a  destructive  he ;  (c)  a  double  deception. 
2.  The  result  of  this  illusion :  {a)  they  become  decep- 
tive opponents  of  His  life ;  (6)  of  His  redemption ; 
(c)  of  His  resurrection. — How  the  old  Sabbath  fanat- 
ics desecrate  the  second,  the  great  Sabbath  of  God. 
— They  went  and  secured  the  grave  with  guards,  and 
sealed  the  stone. — The  old  yet  ever-new  history: 
legahsm  becomes  the  servant  of  the  kingdom  of 
darkness. — The  self-annihilation  of  the  authority  of 
the  old  world,  making  itself  the  minister  of  the  Wick- 
ed One:  1.  The  self-annihilation  of  the  power  of  the 
church-seal  (the  bull) ;  2.  the  self-annihilation  of  the 
power  of  the  soldiery  (in  conflict  with  the  Spirit  of 
Christ). — The  sacred  corn-field  upon  Golgotha,  be- 
tween Good  Friday  and  Easter. — Christ  is  dead  to 
live  for  ever, — 1.  In  the  heart  of  God;  2.  in  the 
depths  of  His  life;  8.  in  the  bosom  of  humanity; 
4.  in  the  centre  of  our  hearts. 

Starke: — As  God  watched  over  His  Son,  and  re- 
vealed His  care  visibly,  so  will  He  guard  and  take  care 
ofChrist's  members  (in  death). —  C'ansfem  .•  Riches  and 
a  high  position  are  undoubtedly  accompanied  with  dan- 
gers ;  1  Cor.  i.  26 ;  yet  God  has  his  own  among  the 
noble  and  wealthy,  1  Kings  xviii.  12,  13. — He  who 
employs  his  wealth  to  God's  glory  (upon  Christ's 
body.  His  Church,  servants,  members),  has  made  a 
good  investment. — Bibl.  Wirt.:  In  the  most  bitter 
persecutions,  and  greatest  apostasy,  there  are  many 
steadfast  disciples  who  confess  Christ  and  serve  Him. 


CHAP.  XXVII.  67-66. 


539 


— Xova  Bibl.  Tub. :  Faitb  grows  in  trial ;  and  he 
who  acknowledged  Christ  but  secretly  during  His 
Uf'e,  dared  to  solicit  Him  boldly  after  His  death. — 
Osiander:  Those  often  become  cowardly  and  de- 
spairing, who  were  at  first  bold  and  fearless ;  and 
vice  versa. —  Cramer:  Cod's  Spirit  is  mighty  and  won- 
derful, and  can  quickly  make  a  heart  where  there  is 
none. — God  often  draws  out  the  hearts  of  the  high 
to  glorify  Himself,  and  rejoice  his  people. — Osian- 
der :  We  should  bury  our  dead  honorably,  and  tes- 
tify in  this  way  openly,  that  we  believe  in  the  resur- 
rection of  the  deacf. — Zeisius :  The  burial  of  Christ, 
the  rest  of  our  bodies. — The  guard,  and  the  sealing 
of  the  grave,  must  become  testimonies  to  the  resur- 
rection.— Wilt  thou  do  good  to  Christ,  do  it  to  His 
people. — We  may  still  show  love  to  Christ  in  the 
persons  of  His  poor  members. — True  love  loves  still, 
after  death. — True  faith  never  lets  Christ  escape ;  if 
faith  sees  Him  not  with  the  eyes,  still  she  keeps  him, 
His  cross  and  death,  in  her  heart. —  Quesnel  :  Death 
cannot  extinguish  a  friendship  which  God's  Spirit  has 
instituted,  and  Christ's  blood  has  cemented. — The 
mil's  extreme  wickedness  has  united  to  itself  extreme 
blindness  of  perception  (in  so  far  as  they  sought  by 
a  foolish  proposal  to  remove  the  truth  of  the  resur- 
rection, -while  they  only  served  to  confirm  it). — The 
wicked  are  hke  the  restless  sea,  their  evil  conscience 
gives  them  no  rest,  Isa.  Ivii.  20,  21. — Zeisius:  No 
human  power,  prudence,  or  cumiing,  can  hinder 
God's  work,  Ps.  xxv.  3. — The  issue  was  a  condemna- 
tion of  themselves,  and  a  glorification  of  Clirist. 

Heubner : — By  Joseph's  example  we  are  taught  to 
honor  the  dead,  especially  when  we  had  known  them. 
— Tlie  body,  too,  is  to  bo  honored :  it  is  the  garment 
of  tlie  soul. — Many  hands  were  employed  in  burying 
Christ,  and  with  what  tenderness  and  love ! — Christ's 
rest  in  the  grave,  the  type  of  the  soul's  spiritual  sab- 
bath.— Tarry  lovingly  by  the  graves  of  your  loved 
ones. — Whosoever  loves  Jesus,  is  lost  in  the  contem- 
plation of  His  death. — Teach  thyself  to  bury  thy  life 
in  Jesus. — They  wish  to  prevent  His  resurrection, 
and  they  must  estabhsh  unwillingly  its  certainty ;  at 
the  outset  they  proclaim  the  secret  of  the  resurrec- 


tion, and,  permitting  their  knowledge  of  tho  true 
meaning  of  tlie  "destruction  of  tlio  temple"  to  ap- 
pear, they  punish  tlieniselvcs  tlms  for  a  false  accusa- 
tion.— As  often  as  a  man  strives  against  God,  against 
tlie  truth,  he  strives  against  himself,  and  prepares 
shame  and  difficulties  for  himself.— The  more  men 
seek  to  bury  the  memory  of  the  truth,  the  more  it 
appears. — In  their  slanders,  men  give  the  key  to 
their  discovery  and  detection. 

Braunc:—\Nho  had  believed  that  anyone  would 
have  come  now  to  the  cross  ?  But,  behold,  two  rich 
men  come,  members  of  that  Sanhedrin  which  had  re- 
jected Christ ! — Their  hearts  forced  them ;  they  act- 
ed uuder  the  impulse  of  a  new  spirit.— The  fear  of 
man  is  overcome. — The  new  grave,  in  which  no  man 
had  been  laid ;  as  He  rode  into  Jerusalem  upon  an 
unused  colt.  And  shall  His  Spirit  make  His  abode 
in  an  old  heart?— The  friends  who  acknowledged 
the  Lord  when  covered' with  shame,  are  the  Christian 
types  of  those  who  believe  in  virtue  when  all  the 
world  ridicules  it. — The  guards  have  one  object  in 
common  with  the  friends  of  Jesus,  that  the  bodies 
be  not  changed,  and  that  so  the  resurrection  be  all 
the  more  certain.— The  disciples  forget  the  words  of 
Jesus  regarding  the  resurrection.  His  enemies  re- 
member them  (Reason :  the  sorrow  of  the  one,  the 
fear  of  the  others). — They  would  prevent  a  decep- 
tion, and  they  themselves  practise  a  deception. — 
These  hars  and  murderers  fear  the  disciples  are  liars. 
— What  is  done  in  God's  strength  and  spoken  in  His 
Spirit,  appears  to  view  and  stands  fast. 

Gerok : — The  sacred  evening — stillness  upon  Gol- 
gotha:  1.  The  quiet  rest  of  the  perfected  Endurer. 

2.  The  quiet   repentance  of  the  convulsed  world. 

3.  The  quiet  labor  of  the  loving  friends.  4.  The 
quiet  peace  of  the  holy  grave. — Kunize : — The  burial 
of  Jesus  mamfests  to  us, — 1.  The  believer's  courage; 
2.  love's  power;  3.  truth's  seal;  4.  the  mourner's 
consolation. —  Wolf: — Looks  of  comfort  toward  the 
grave  of  Christ. — Brandt : — The  burial  of  Jesus 
Christ, — a  work  of,  1.  Grateful  acknowledgment; 
2.  holy  love ;  3.  praiseworthy  courage ;  4.  a  work 
causing  the  deepest  shame  to  many. 


540  THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


PART     SEVENTH. 

Christ  in  the  Perfection  of  His  Kingly  Glory. 
Chapter  XXVIII. 


UPON    MATTHEW'S    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    RESURRECTION. 

The  relation  of  this  Gospel  of  the  Resurrection  to  the  whole  evangelical  tradition  is  to  be  see7i  only  after  a 
brief  sketch  of  the  latter, 

I.  The  Appearances  in  Jdd^a,  in  Jerusalem,  at  Emmaus,  belong  to  the  Period  of  the  Israelitish 

Passover. 

1.  The  first  Easter*  morning. — Mary  Magdalene,  Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and  Salome,  proceed  to  the 
grave,  Mark  xvi.  1.  They  are  to  be  followed  {see  Luke)  by  the  other  women,  who  are  bringing  the 
spices  and  ointments.  The  three  who  thus  went  in  advance,  behold  the  stone  rolled  away,  and  are 
affected  in  quite  different  ways  by  this  sight.     The  narrative  now  divides  into  two  portions. 

Excitement  and  ecstasy  seize  upon  Mary  Magdalene. — She  hurries  into  the  city  {and  toward  the  male 
disciples),  reports  the  facts  to  Peter  and  John ;  hurries  back  again,  sees  two  angels  in  the  grave,  and 
afterward  the  Lord.  She  brings  then  the  message  to  the  disciples.  Meanwhile  Peter  and  John  have 
arrived  at  the  grave,  and  found  it  empty. 

Ifary,  the  mother  of  James,  and  Salome,  at  the  sight  of  the  removed  stone,  collect  themselves,  ad- 
vance more  closely,  and  see  one  angel  sitting  upon  the  stone.  The  Easter  message  of  the  angel.  They 
hurry  back  in  great  fear  and  joy  {and  toward  the  female  disciples),  long  undecided  whether  they  will  an- 
nounce what  they  had  seen  or  not.  And,  in  this  state,  they  meet  the  other  women,  who  are  bringing 
the  ointments.  All  together  now  visit  the  empty  tomb  of  Jesus,  where  they  now  {see  Luke)  behold  two 
angels,  as  the  Magdalene  had  done  before  {see  the  author's  Comnuntary  on  Mark).  After  they  had 
started  back  to  the  city,  they  were  met  by  the  Lord. 

Besides,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  Peter  also  had  a  manifestation.  Hence  three  messages  from  the 
risen  Saviour — three  messages  from  the  empty  grave. 

2.  Tlie  first  Easter  evening. — Christ  appears  to  the  two  disciples  going  to  Emmaus  (Luke),  walks  with  them, 
goes  into  the  house,  and  then  disappears.  Next  He  appears  in  Jerusalem  in  their  evening  meeting,  on 
which  occasion  Thomas  is  absent. 

3.  The  second  Sunday  {eight  days  after  the  first  Easter  morning). — Appearance  in  the  evening  among  the 
disciples.  Revelation  of  the  Lord  specially  for  Thomas  {see  John).  The  feast  of  the  Passover  contin- 
ued till  the  preceding  Friday.  The  disciples  would  not,  of  course,  set  out  upon  Saturday,  or  Sabbath. 
They  remained  also  the  second  Sunday,  f  which  shows  that  it  had  become  to  them  already  a  second  (a 
Christian)  sabbath,  and  that  they  waited  on  that  holy  day  for  the  full  assurance  of  the  fact  of  the  resur- 
rection to  the  doubting  disciple  (Thomas).     Probably  Monday  following  was  the  day  of  their  departure. 

II.  The  Appearances  in  Galilee,  during  the  Return  of  the  Galileans,  between  Easter  and  Pentecost. 

1.  The  appearance  at  the  Sea  of  Galilee  unto  the  seven  disciples  (John  xxi.).  Peter's  restoration.  The 
declaration  of  the  future  fate  of  Peter  and  John  in  their  import  for  the  Church. 

*  [In  German :  Ostermorgen,  and  below,  sub  2.,  Osteradend.  The  Edinb.  edition  substitutes  for  these  terms  morn- 
ing after  the  Sahhath,  and  evening  after  the  Sabbath,  and  studiously  avoids  throughout  the  whole  section  the  mention  of 
Easter  (the  Christian  resurrection-feast)  altogether  or  substitutes  for  it  the  Jewish  passovei;  which  had  now  lost  its  mean- 
ing for  the  Christians;  the  shadow  having  disappeared  in  the  substance.— P.  S.] 

t  [Not:  Sabbath,  as  the  Edinb.  translation  here  and  elsewhere  translates  Sonntag,  even  where  Lange  uses  Sabbath  in 
the  Jewish  sense  as  in  the  sentence  immediately  preceding.  By  substituting  Sabbath  in  this  pjissage  the  Edinb.  edition 
simply  repeats  the  preceding  sentence,  and  by  omitting  the  sentences  which  follow  altogether,  it  withholds  from  the 
reader  an  argument  for  the  apostolic  origin  of  the  observance  of  Sunday  as  the  Christian  Sabbath.— P.  8.] 


CHAP.  XXYIII. 


541 


2.  The  great  revelation  of  Jesus  in  the  circle  of  His  disciples  upon  the  mountain  in  Galilee  (Matt,  xxviii. 

16  ff. ;  Mark  xvi.  15-18  ;  Luke  xxiv.  45-i9 ;  1  Cor.  xt.  6). 

3.  The  special  appearance  to  James.    Probably  it  was  not  (as  the  tradition  says)  to  James  the  Less,  but  to 

the  Elder :  and  the  object,  probably,  was  to  direct  the  disciples  tlirough  James  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem 
earlier  than  usual. 

ni.  The  Appearances  in  Jerusalem  and  on  Mount  Olitet,  about  the  Time  of  Pentecost. 

The  history  of  the  Ascension  (Mark,  Luke,  the  Acts).  We  reckon,  accordingly,  five  manifestations  upon 
the  first  day  of  Easter,*  the  sixth  upon  the  following  Sunday.  The  two  great  and  decisive  appearances 
in  GaUlee,  forming  the  centre,  are  the  seventh  and  eighth.  Then  the  appearance  to  James,  also  with- 
out doubt  in  GaUlee.     And  fmally  the  tenth,  which  closed  with  the  Ascension. 

We  must  notice  this  distinction,  that  in  the  first  five  instances  Jesus  appeared  unexpectedly  and 
suddenly,  and  as  quickly  vanished.  But,  for  the  second  grand  revelation  upon  the  mountain  in  Galilee, 
He  issued  a  formal  invitation,  and  in  all  probability  tarried  some  time  in  their  midst ;  and  this  holds 
true,  apparently,  of  the  last  interview,  when  He  walked  along  so  confidingly  among  His  Apostles,  from 
Jerusalem  to  Bethany,  that  they  might  have  thought  He  would  now  remam  with  them  always. 

[The  order  of  the  events  after  the  resurrection  given  by  Dr.  Lange  is  very  mgenious  and  plausible. 
For  other  arrangements  of  Lightfoot,  Lardner,  West,  Townson,  Newcome,  Da  Costa,  Greswell,  Ebrard, 
Robinson,  see  the  convenient  tables  in  Andrews  :  Life  of  Christ,  pp.  587-592.  Also  Nast  :  Commen- 
tary  on  Matthew  and  Mark,  pp.  629-632.  If  anywhere  in  the  history  of  our  Saviour,  we  must  look  for 
differences  of  statement  in  this  most  wonderful  and  mysterious  period  of  the  forty  days,  which  deals 
with  facts  that  transcend  all  ordinary  Christian  experience.  Our  inability  to  harmonize  the  narratives 
satisfactorily  in  every  particular,  arises  naturally  from  our  want  of  knowledge  of  all  the  details  and  cir- 
cumstances in  the  precise  order  of  their  occurrence,  and  proves  nothing  agamst  the  facts  themselves. 
On  the  contrary,  minor  diiferences  with  substantial  agreement,  tend  strongly  to  confirm  those  facts,  far 
more  than  a  literal  agreement,  which  might  suggest  the  suspicion  of  a  previous  understanding  and  mu- 
tual dependence  of  the  witnesses. — P.  S.] 

*  [Here  again  the  Edinb.  edition  translates  am  ersten  Ostertage :  the  first  day  after  the  Sahlath,  wliich  must  mean 
the  Jewish  sabbatb,  and  yet  in  the  same  sentence  immediately  afterward  it  uses  Salbaih  (for  Sonntag)  in  the  Christian 
sense,  without  a  word  of  explanation  to  prevent  the  inevitable  confusion.— P.  S.] 


Of  the  rich  treasury  of  these  evangelical  tradi- 
tions, Matthew  has  given  us  merely  the  first  angelic 
appearance,  seen  at  the  grave  by  the  women,  Christ's 
revelation  to  these  females,  and  the  appearance  of 
the  Lord  among  His  disciples  upon  the  mountain  in 
Galilee.  But  he  has,  besides  this,  introduced  into 
his  narrative  the  account  of  the  bribery  of  the  se- 
pulchral guards  (vers.  11-15).  This  last  record,  and. 
also  Christ's  majestic  revelation,  are  peculiar  to  him. 
— ^It  is  manifestly  his  chief  design  to  depict  Christ's 
royal  majesty,  as  revealed  by  a  few  decisive  transac- 
tions. In  addition  to  this,  it  is  his  chief  mterest  to 
make  the  contrast  between  the  Lord's  kingly  glory 
and  the  Messianic  expectations  on  the  part  of  the 
Jews,  appear  now  most  distinctly  (as  this  wish  may 
have  been  his  reason  for  continually  designating  the 
New  Testament  kingdom  of  God,  the  kingdom  of 
heaven).  Hence  he  places  the  scene  of  the  most  un- 
portant  events  in  the  resurrection-history  in  Galilee. 
Galilee  was  the  place  to  which  the  disciples  were 
pointed  by  the  angels  (ver.  7).  In  GaUlee  the  Lord 
Himself  bade  His  brethren  assemble.  Accordingly, 
it  is  in  GaUlee  that  the  chief  revelation  occurs,  dur- 
ing which  Christ  proclamis  His  share  in  the  world's 
government,  institutes  holy  baptism,  and  promises 
His  ever-abiding  presence  in  the  Church  till  the  end 
of  the  world. 

AU  these  points  are  no  doubt  to  be  found  in  the 
general  evangeUcal  history ;  but  it  is  Matthew  who 
brings  them  out  most  strongly,  and  contrasts  them 


with  the  ehiliastic  views  of  the  Jews,  who  refused  to 
dissever  the  glory  of  the  Messiah  from  the  external 
Zion  and  the  external  temple.  For  the  same  reason, 
Matthew  directs  attention  to  the  contrast  between 
the  deep  misery  of  unbeUeving  Judaism,  as  presented 
in  the  narrative  of  the  bribed  guards,  and  the  glorious 
certainty  of  beUeving  Judaism,  in  beholding  the  rev- 
elation of  the  Lord  upon  the  mountain,  when  He  pre- 
sented Himself  in  the  brightness  of  His  omnipotence, 
and  of  the  holy  Trinity,  and  instituted  as  victor  His 
victorious  Church.  The  first  section  is  an  expressive 
ijpc.  of  the  Talmud  and  its  supporters,  of  Judaism 
sunken  in  deceit,  employed  m  futile  endeavors,  and 
making  common  cause  with  heathendom ;  while  the 
second  is  a  type  of  the  Gospel  and  the  world-con- 
quering Church. 

From  the  brevity  and  elevated  conception  that 
characterize  the  account  given  by  Matthew,  we  must 
expect,  however,  several  inaccuracies.  Hence  it  is 
that  the  two  i-ei)orts  brought  by  the  women  are  woven 
into  one ;  and  the  second  vision  of  angels,  seen  by 
Mary  Magdalene,  is  united  with  the  first,  which  the 
other  women  had  beheld.  The  same  is  the  case  re- 
garding the  two  distinct  appearances  of  Christ  to  the 
women.  Matthew  agrees  with  John  in  not  stating 
that  the  design  of  the  women  was  to  anoint  the  Lord. 
This  omission  was  probably  intentional.  Undoubt- 
edly, the  ostensible  object  of  the  women  was  to  anoint 
Christ's  body ;  but,  at  the  same  tune,  a  higher  mo- 
tive, of  which  they  were  themselves  but  darkly  con- 


542 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


Bcious,  drove  them  to  the  grave, — the  germ  of  hope, 
that  Jesus  will  arise,  which  His  promises  necessarily 
produced.  This  supposition  gains  some  ground  from 
the  free,  general  account,  found  in  Matthew  and  John, 
omitting  as  they  do  all  mention  of  the  anointing. 
When  dealing  with  the  self-manifestation  of  Jesus 
upon  the  mountain,  where  there  were  more  than  five 
hundred  believers  witnessing  His  glory,  Matthew 
mentions  only  the  Eleven,  because  it  was  his  inten- 
tion to  conclude  his  Gospel  with  the  apostolic  com- 
mission which  the  heavenly  King  issued  to  the  world, 
putting  it  first  into  the  hands  of  His  Apostles,  and 
sealing  it  unto  them  with  His  promise. 

The  imaginary  and  real  differences  between  the 
various  accounts  of  the  circumstances  of  Christ's 
resurrection  found  in  the  four  Gospels,  have  been 
pointed  out  by  the  Wolfenbiittel  Fraginentist  [Rei- 
marus],  and  exaggerated  beyond  all  the  limits  of 
historical  justice  by  Strauss,  as  if  they  were  as  many 
irreconcilable  contradictions.  As  opposed  to  his 
views,  consult,  in  addition  to  the  older  harmonists, 
Tholuck  upon  John;  Hug,  Gntachten,  ii.  p.  210; 
W.  Hoffmann,  p.  408  ff. ;  Neandek,  Life  of  Christ, 
p.  V'Zl  ;  Ebrard,  Criticism  of  the  Gospel  History,  p. 
712  fF.  A  short  resume  of  the  most  strikmg  differ- 
ences will  be  found  in  de  Wette's  Commentary  on 
Matthew,  p.  244  £f. 

One  of  the  most  important  differences  Strauss 
finds  in  this,  that  Jesus  commands  the  disciples,  ac- 
cordmg  to  Matthew  and  Mark,  to  go  into  Galilee  to 
see  Him ;  wliile  Luke  represents  Hun  as  issuing  the 
command  not  to  depart  from  Jerusalem  till  they 
should  be  gifted  with  power  from  on  high.  But  this 
is  merely  an  apparent  contradiction.  Strauss  has 
overlooked  the  real  state  of  matters,  and  has  quite 
forgotten  the  relations  in  which  Galilean  visitors 
stood  to  the  Jewish  feasts  of  the  Passover  and  of 
Pentecost.  When  Jesus  had  risen,  the  Passover 
was  almost  at  an  end.  Jesus  revealed  Himself,  it  is 
true,  at  that  time  and  place  to  the  Eleven ;  but  He 
delayed  His  appearance  to  the  Church  until  He  ar- 
rived in  Galilee,  partly  because  He  wished  not  to  ex- 
pose them  to  the  persecution  of  the  hierarchy'  m 
Jerusalem  in  their  young  faith  in  the  resurrectioi!,* 
partly  because  He  wished  to  remove  from  the  disci- 
ples every  idea  of  His  manifestation  being  necessari- 
ly connected  with  the  old  temple.  But  it  may  be 
easily  conceived  that  the  disciples  would  not  lightly 
leave  the  scene  where  Jesus  had  first  revealed  Him- 
self, namely,  Jerusalem ;  and  that  this  supposition  is 
true,  is  proved  by  the  fact,  that  they  tarried  .still 
two  days  after  the  close  of  the  Passover  (which  last- 
ed a  whole  week)  for  the  sake  of  Thomas,  who  still 
doubted,  and  many  others  of  the  larger  circle  of  dis- 
ciples, who  probably  doubted  with  him  [comp.  ch. 
xxviii.  17].  On  this  account,  the  command  of  the 
Lord  comes,  enjoining  them  to  prepare  for  their  de- 
parture. Besides,  some  of  the  disciples  required 
some  time  to  prepare  themselves  for  the  joy  of  see- 
ing Him, — especially  the  mother  of  Jesus.  Accord- 
ingly, after  that  they  became  convinced  of  the  cer- 
tainty of  His  resurrection,  they  returned  homeward, 
according  to  their  old  festive  habits.     At  the  time  of 

*  [Literally  :  Easter-fiiith,  Osterglaule,  wbich  the 
Edinb.  edition,  in  its  unreasonable  opposition  to  the  term 
Easier, renders:  Passuver-Jaiih,  -ivbicli  is  bad  Englisb  and 
conveys  a  false  nreaninfr  by  obliterating  tbe  distinction  be- 
tween the  typii'i;!  f-hadow  of  tbe  Jewish  passover  and  tbe 
bubstanc.'  of  tl].-  (.hri.stian  resurrection-festable.  So  further 
below  tbe  ).;iinb.  iiliii.,n  bas  Pasiover-oceurren^es,  I'as.i- 
ocer-traiisiic/ioti.'i,  J'a.,.yi:n-er-7iistory,  and  similar  heavy 
compounds  to  avoid  Easter.— 1^.  S.] 


the  Ascension,  however,  or  toward  the  end  of  the 
forty  days,  the  period  for  gomg  up  to  the  feast  of 
Pentecost  was  at  hand ;  and  on  this  occasion  they 
were  induced,  it  would  appear,  to  depart  at  an  un- 
usually early  date.  There  is  probably  a  connection 
between  this  earlier  departure  and  Christ's  appear- 
ance to  James.  (See  the  author's  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  3, 
1761.) 

The  differences,  however,  between  the  accounts 
of  the  first  announcement  of  the  resurrection,  found 
in  the  four  Gospels,  are  an  important  testimony, 
when  exactly  weighed,  to  the  truth  of  the  history  of 
the  resurrection.  It  is  no  doubt  remarkable,  that 
literal,  or  external,  protocol-like  certainty,  should  be 
wanting,  exactly  in  the  place  where  the  Christian 
faith  seeks  and  does  actually  find  the  beginning  of 
the  confirmation  of  all  its  certainties.  Faith,  even 
here,  is  not  to  be  supported  upon  the  letter,  but  upon 
the  substance, — upon  the  real  essence  of  the  facts. 
Tliis  essence,  this  spirit,  comes  out  here  most  dis- 
tinctly, and  is  manifested  exactly  through  the  differ- 
ences themselves,  because  these  are  tlie  indications 
of  the  extraordinary  effect  produced  by  the  resurrec- 
tion upon  the  band  of  the  disciples.  The  evangelical 
records  give  no  narration  of  facts,  simply  for  the  sake 
of  the  facts,-  and  apart  from  their  efi'ects ;  but  they 
present  us  with  a  history,  which  has  individuahzed 
itself  to  the  view  of  the  Evangehst.  And  hence  the 
Easter  occurrences  are  retained  and  rehearsed  as 
reminiscences  never  to  be  forgotten ;  and  differ  ac- 
cordingly, as  tlie  stand-points  of  the  disciples  vary, 
and  yet  preserve  a  great  degree  of  haimony.  In  tiiis 
way  it  is  that  we  are  to  explain  the  remarkable  in- 
dividualities and  variations  to  be  found  in  the  ac- 
counts of  the  resurrection  and  manifestations  of  the 
risen  Saviour;  and  in  these  accounts  is  contained 
for  all  tune  the  joyous  fright  of  the  Church,  caused 
by  the  great  tidings  of  the  resurrection.  Just  as,  in 
a  festive  motetlo,  the  voices  are  apparently  singing  in 
confusion,  seemingly  separate,  and  contradict  ano- 
ther, while  in  reaUty  they  are  bringing  out  one  theme 
in  a  higher  and  holier  harmony ;  so  is  it  here.  The 
one  Easter  history,  with  its  grand  unity,  meets,  when 
all  the  different  accounts  are  combined,  the  eye  in  all 
its  clearness  and  distinctness.  The  answer  to  each 
of  the  seeming  contradictions  is  to  be  found  in  the 
organic  construction  which  has  been  attempted 
above. 

Literature. — See  Winer  :  Handhuch  der  theolog. 
lAteratur,  i.  p.  291 ;  Danz:  Universal- Worierbuch, 
p.  91 ;  Supplemente,  p.  11 ;  Goschel  :  Von  den  JBe- 
weisen  fiir  die  l/nsterblichkeit  der  menschlichen  Seele 
im  Lichte  der  spcculaiiven  Philosophie,  1835  (see  the 
Preface) ;  Doedes  :  Dc  Jesu  in  vitam  reditu.  Utr. 
1841;  Reich:  Die  Aifcrstehung  Jesu  Christi  als 
Heilsthatsache,  1846;  Hasse:  JDas  Leben  des  ver- 
Marten  Erlosers  im  Himmelnachdeneignen  Aussprii- 
chen  des  Herrn,  ein  Bcitrag  zur  biblischen  Theologie, 
Leipzig,  1854;  W.  F.  Besser:  Die  Leidens-  und 
Herrlichkeitsgeschichte  nach  den  4  LJvangelisten  in 
Bibelstiinden  fiir  die  Gemcinde  ausgelegt.  Second 
Part :  Die  Herrlichkei^rgescMchte,  4th  ed.,  Halle, 
1857;  Schkader:  Der  Verkehr  des  Auferstandenen 
mit  den  Semen,  funf  Bctrachtungeru,  Kiel,  1857. 
The  article,  Auferstehung,  by  Klikg,  in  Herzog's 
lical-Encyklopddie  [vol.  i.  p.  592  ff.  Among  Eng- 
lish works  we  refer  to  Roeinson:  Harmony,  and 
Andrews:  Life  of  our  Lord,  p.  570  ff.— P.  S.j. 

Easter  (German,  Ostern). — The  name.  "  The 
month  of  April  is  called,  up  to  this  day,  Easter- 
month  {Ostermonaf) ;  and  as  early  as  Eginhart  we 


CHAP,  XXVm.  1-10. 


543 


find  Odermanoth.  The  holy  festablo  of  the  Chris- 
tians, which  is  celebrated  generally  in  April,  or  to- 
ward the  close  of  March,  bears,  in  the  oldest  remains 
of  the  old  High  German  dialect,  the  name  ustanl ; 
generally  the  plural  form  is  found,  because  two 
Easter-days  were  observed.  This  ostard  must,  like 
the  Anglo-Saxon  EiUtre,  iiave  been  the  name  for 
some  superior  being  among  the  heathen,  whose  wor- 
ship had  struck  its  roots  so  deep,  that  the  name  was 
retained  and  applied  to  one  of  the  chief  festivals  of 
the  Christian  year.  All  our  neighboring  nations 
have  retained  the  name  Pascha ;  even  Ulfilas  has 
paska,  not  ausiro,  although  he  must  have  been  fa- 
miliar with  the  term,  exactly  as  the  northern  languages 
introduce  pdskis  (Swedish),  pasl;  and  the  Danish 
paaske.  The  old  High  German  adverb  ustar  indi- 
cates the  east ;  so  the  old  Norse  austr^  probably  the 
Anglo-Saxon  edsfor,  Gothic  auslr.  In  the  Latin 
tongue,  the  quite  identical  aicstcr  indicates  the  south. 
In  the  Ed  la,  a  male  being,  a  spirit  of  light,  bears 
the  name  Austri ;  while  the  High  German  and 
Saxon  stem  have  formed  but  one  Ostara. —  Ostara, 
Eastre,  may  accordingly  have  been  the  god  of  the 
beaming  morning,  of  the  rising  light,  a  joj'ful,  bless- 
ing-bringing appearance,  whose  conception  could 
easily  be  employed  to  designate  the  resurrection-fes- 
tival of  the  Christian's  God.  Joyous  bonfires  were 
kindled  at  Easter ;  and,  according  to  the  myth  long 
believed  by  the  people,  the  sun  made,  early  upon  the 
morning  of  the  first  Easter-day,  three  springs  for 
joy, — a  festive  dance  of  gladness."  Jacob  Grimm, 
Deutsche  Mythologie,  p.  247.  So  also  Beda  Yen., 
De  temporum  ratione:  "^  dea  illorum  [veteriim  An- 
glorum)  quce  Eostre  vocabaiur.^^  The  other  explana- 
tion, held  to  by  many,  that  the  name  comes  from  the 
Germanic  urstan,  —  to  rise,  must  yield  to  this  histo- 
rical etymology.  The  similarity  of  auster  goes  no 
further  than  the  mere  sound;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  Greek  name  for  the  morning-red,  and  for 
the  east,  rjciS?,  Doric  auis,  ^olic  auwr,  is  to  be 
connected.  The  transference  of  the  heathen  name 
is  explained  by  the  fact,  that  a  popular  festival  was 
united  with  the  day  of  the  god  of  light  among  the 
heathen,  as  with  the  celebration  of  the  resurrection 
among  the  Christians.  The  people's  festival,  not  that  j 
of  the  god,  was  transferred.  It  became  a  christian-  \ 
ized  national  festival,  retaining  the  old  name ;  and  ; 
this  occurred  all  the  more  easily,  because  the  name 
signified  rather  a  religious  personification  than  a 


chief  divinity  of  heathenism,  and  the  celebration  of 
the  name  symbolized  fully  the  Christian  holy  day. 
Just  as  the  festival  of  the  returning  (unconquered) 
sun,  as  a  festival  of  joy,  became  united  in  symbolic 
import  with  the  Christian  festival  o(  Christmas,  so 
the  festival  of  the  spring  sun,  and  of  the  life-fraught 
morning  glow,  coming  forth  in  spring  out  from  the 
winter  storms,  became  a  symbolic  celebration  of  the 
spiritual  Easter  Sun,  which  rose  out  of  the  night  of 
the  grave. 

The  day  of  preparation  for  the  Easter  festival 
in  the  ancient  Church  was  the  great  or  sacred  Sab- 
bath (Sabbafum  magnum),  and  was  observed  as  a 
general  fast.  The  afternoon  of  that  day  was  a  period 
for  a  general  administration  of  baptism.  In  the 
evening  there  was  an  illumination  in  the  towns ;  and 
the  congregation  assembled  for  the  Easter  vigils 
(it  o  r  y  u  X '  5  6  ?),  and  these  lasted  till  Easter  morning. 
Upon  Easter  Sunday  (t^  iraaxa,  KvptaKT]  futyi- 
K  7)),  the  Christians  greeted  one  another  with  mutual 
blessings ;  and  the  day  was  signalized  by  works  of 
benevolence  and  charity.  Easter  Monday  was  the 
second  celebration,  as  the  festival  of  their  unhesitat- 
ing belief  in  the  resurrection ;  but  the  Easter  holy- 
days,  in  the  wider  sense,  did  not  conclude  till  the 
next  Sunday  {^Dominica  in  albis),  which  derived  its 
name  from  the  custom  of  leading  those  who  had 
been  baptized  into  the  church  in  their  white  bap- 
tismal garments.  A  new  part  of  the  entire  quinqua- 
gesimal  festival  began  with  Ascension  Sunday,  and 
closed  with  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  which  resembled 
the  Easter  festival. — Upon  the  Easter  festival  ( Osier- 
fest),  compare  Fr.  Strauss  :  *  Das  evang.  KircJien- 
ja/w,  p.  218;  Bobertag:  Das  evang.  Kirchenjahr, 
ii.  p.  155.  Strauss:  "The  Easter  festival  is  the 
chief  Christian  festival.  It  is  not  simply  chief  feast, 
but  the  feast,  coming  round  in  its  full  glory  but  once 
in  the  year,  but  yet  appearing  in  some  form  in  all 
the  other  holy  days,  and  constituting  their  sacred- 
ness.  Every  holyday,  yea,  even  every  Sunday,  was 
called  for  this  reason  dies  paschalis.  Easter  is  the 
original  festival  in  the  most  comprehensive  sense. 
Xo  one  can  tell  when  the  festival  arose;  it  arose 
with  the  Church,  and  the  Church  with  it." 

*  [Court  preacher  and  professor  of  practical  tlieolo^  in 
the  university  of  Berlin,  died  1S62,  a  man  of  altogether  ditfer- 
ent  spirit  from  his  namesake  of  Lebeii  Jesti  notoriety. — 
P.  S.] 


FIRST    SECTION. 

THE  ANGEL  FROM   HEAVEN  AND   THE  FAITHFUL  WOMEN".     THE  RISEN  SAVIOUR  AND 
THE  FAITHFUL   WOMEN.    THE   WATCHWORD:    "INTO  GALILEE!" 


Chaptee  XXVIII.  1-10. 
(Mark  xvi.  1-11 ;  Luke  xxiv.  1-22;  John  xx.  1-18.) 

1  In  the  end  of  the  [Jewish]  sabbath  [Now  after  the  sabbath,  6\\jl  tCiv  o-a/J/Jarwi/],*  as 
it  began  to  dawn  toward  the  first  day  of  the  [festal]  week  [ets  fiiav  o-afSj^dTwv,  i.  e.,  the 
Christian  Sunday],^  came  Mary  Magdalene  and  the  other  Mary  to  see  the   sepulchre. 

2  And,  behold,  there  was  a  great  earthquake:  for  the  [an]  angel  of  the  Lord'  descended 


544 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


3  from  heaven,  and  came  and  rolled  back  the  stone  from  the  door,'*  and  sat  upon  it.     His 

4  countenance  was  Hke  lightning,  and  his  raiment  white  as  snow:  And  for  fear  of  him 

5  the  keepers  did  shake,  and  became  as  dead  men.     And  the  angel  answered  and  said 
unto  the  women,  Fear  not  ye :  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus,  which  [who]  was  crucified. 

6  He  is  not  here :  for  he  is  risen,  as  he  said.     Come,  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay. 

7  And  go  quickly,  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  is  risen  from  the  dead ;  and,  behold,  he 

8  goeth  before  you  into  Galilee;  there  shall  ye  see  him:  lo,  I  have  told  you.     And  they 
departed^  quickly  from  the  sepulchre  with  fear  and  great  joy;  and  did  run  [and  ran]  to 

9  bring  his  disciples  word.'     And  as  they  went  to  tell  his  disciples,''  behold,  Jesus  met 
them,  saying.  All  hail.     And  they  came  and  held  him  by  the  feet,  and  worshipped 

10  him.     Then  said  Jesus  unto  them,  Be  not  afraid :  go  tell  my  brethren  that  they  go 
into  Gahlee,  and  there  shall  they  see  me. 

1  Ver.  1. — [The  usual  translation  of  6i|/€  {aero)  (xaPPaTocv  is:  toward  the  end  of  the  satibaih,  or  late  in  the  sablatA, 
meaning  the  closing  period  near  the  end,  but  still  during  the  sabbath;  comp.  o\f/e  t^s  7jfj.epa?,  late  in  the  day,  o^J/e  t^s 
^Ai/ci'os,  late  in  life.  Vulgate:  vespere  salbati;  Beza:  extremo  sabbato;  Tyndale:  the  sabbath  day  at  even;  Cover- 
dale  :  upon  the  evening  of  the  sabbath  holy  day ;  Cranmer,  Genevan,  and  Bishops'  Versions:  In  the  latter  end  of  the 
sabbath  day ;  Lange :  win  die  Endezcit  des  Subbathx;  Meyer,  Alford,  Coiiant,  etc.  But  in  this  case  we  must  assume 
with  Meyer,  Lange,  and  Alford,  tliat  Matthew  here  follows  the  natural  division  of  the  day  from  sunrise  to  sunrise,  which 
seems  to  be  favored  by  the  following  definition  of  time,  but  which  is  contrary  to  the  Jewish  habit  and  the  Jewish-Chris- 
tian character  and  destination  of  the  first  Gospel.  '0\pe,  with  the  genitive,  may  also  mean  after  or  long  after,  like  6\j/i 
Twv  ^acrtXeciis  xpoVoii'  (Plutarch.  Num.  1),  or  oi|/e  ixvoTopii^v,  when  the  mysteries  were  over  (Philostrat.  Vit.  Apoll. 
iv.  18).  Hence  01shau.sen,  de  Wette,  Ewald,  Bleek,  Campbell,  Norton,  Eobinson  (sub  oi|/e,  No.  2),  Crosby  translate :  nach 
Verfiuss  des  Sabbaths,  Sabbath  being  over,  or  being  ended,  after  the  sabbath  (also  the  French  Version :  apres  le  sab- 
bat).  Euthym.  Zigabenus,  Grotius,  Stier,  and  Wieseler  translate :  at  the  end  of  the  wee/c ;  also  Greswell,  who  translates : 
A^ow  late  in  the  week,  at  the  hour  of  dawn,  against  the  first  day  of  the  week;  for  the  plural  ad^^ara,  like  the  Hebrew 
ninaia  ,  means  a  week  as  well  as  a  sabbathor  sabbaths,  comp.  Mark  xvi.  2;  Luke  x.xiv.  1;  John  xx.  1, 19,  and  Matt, 
xxviii.  1.  It  is  certain  and  agreed  on  all  hands  that  Matthew  means  the  time  after  the  close  of  the  Jewish  sabbath,  the 
time  before  day-break  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  or  the  Christian  Sunday.  This  is  plain  from  the  following  rfj  iirKpu- 
ffKovari  ih  jJLiav  aa^li6.T0}v,  and  confirmed  by  the  parallel  passages;  comp.  Siaytvofi^vou  rod  aa^^drov,  Mark  xvi.  1; 
Tij  jiiS.  Twv  (Ta^fidrccu  opOpov  ^adsos,  Luke  xxiv.  1 ;  and  rj?  fMiS  tSjv  aa^pdrcap  Trpiu'i,  (TKOTias  tri  ovarjs, 
John  x's.  1.— P.  S.] 

'■^  Ver.  1.— [Lit. :  at  the  dawning,  or  as  it  was  dawning  into  the  first  day  of  the  week  (Conant),  or :  in  the  dawn  of 
the  first  day  (Norton),  i.  e.,  toward  sunrise  of  Sunday.  In  connection  with  rj?  iirKpaxTKovcrij  siipply  we'p?-  or  topa. 
The  term  fiia  aa^^draiv  agrees  with  the  Rabbinical  signification  of  the  days  of  the  week:  riDTUa  nUKi  Sunday;  13^ 
nSiiJS)  Monday;  tl^^J^  '^DI^'O,  Tuesday,  etc.  See  Lightfoot,  y.  500.  As  adB^ara  in  the  second  clause  certainly 
means  week  and  not  the  sabbath  day,  it  seems  natural  to  understand  it  the  same  way  in  the  first  clause,  as  Grotius,  Wiese- 
ler, and  Stier,  who  renders :  Als  aber  die  Woche  um  war  und  der  erste  Wbchentag  anbrechen  wollte. — P.  S.] 

s  Ver.  2. — [The  definite  article  before  angel  is  not  justified  by  the  Greek:  cLyy^Kos  Kvpiov,  and  suggests  a  false  inter- 
pretation as  if  a  particular  angel,  the  angel  of  the  covenant,  was  meant.  In  ch.  ii.  19  all  English  Versions  correctly  render: 
«?i  angel,  but  in  ch.  i.  20,  24;  ii.  13,  and  here,  they  follow  Tyndale  in  prefixing  the  article.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  2. — The  words:  airh  rfj?  Ovpas,  are  wanting  in  B.,  D.,  and  rejected  by  other  authorities;  probably,  an  ex- 
cgetical  addition.  [They  are  also  omitted  in  Cod.  Sinait,  ancient  versions,  and  fathers,  and  thrown  out  by  Lachmann, 
Tischendorf,  Meyer,  and  Alford.— P.  S.] 

=  Ver.  8.— B.,  C.,L.,  etc.,  and.  Tischendorf,  read,  instead  of  €|eA0oC<rai,  aireXOovaai;  and,  judging  from  internal 
grounds,  this  is  the  more  probable  reading.  [Cod.  Sinait.  sustains  air e\6ovffai,  which  is  also  adopted  by  Alford,  while 
Lachmann  retains  i^eXdovaai.  The  latter:  they  went  out,  would  imply  that  the  women  had  entered  into  the  sepul- 
chre, to  "the  place  where  the  Lord  lay."— P.  S.] 

«  Ver.  8.— [In  Greek:  a'7ra77€rAai.  This  verb  is  translated  in  three  different  ways  in  the  English  Version  in 
this  section :  to  bring  iKord,  ver.  8 ;  to  tell,  vers.  9,  10 ;  and  to  shew,  in  ver.  11.  Such  frequent  change  is  hardly  justifiable, 
certainly  unnecessary,  since  tell  would  answer  as  well  in  all  these  cases. — P.  S.] 

^  Ver.  9. — The  words :  as  they  went  to  tell  his  disciples,  are  omitted  in  B.,  D.,  and  many  other  MSS.  and  versions. 
Griesbach  and  Scholz  would  insert,  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf  omit.  Meyer  considers  the  words  an  explanatory  gloss. 
[Cod.  Sinait.,  Origen,  Chrysostom,  etc.,  and  of  critical  editors,  Mill,  Bengel,  Alford,  and  Tregelles,  likewise  favor  the  omis- 
sion. Scrivener  is  wrong  when  he  asserts  that  "Lachmann  alone  dares  to  expunge  them."  Meyer  and  Alford  correctly 
observe  that  01  s  i-TropevovTO  is  foreign  to  the  usage  of  Matthew.  It  is  certain  that  the  words  can  be  easily  spared;  yet 
on  the  other  hand,  they  are  solemn,  and  their  omission  can  be  re£.dily  explained  from  homoeotel.,  the  recurrence  of  avrov. 
-P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND   CRITICAL. 

Ver.  1.  But  about  the  end. — 'Oi|/e  Si  aa^- 
Pdrwu .  The  peculiar  expression  is  explained  by 
the  context.  It  was  the  time  of  tlie  dawn,  or  of 
breaking  day  {ri/j.epa  to  be  supplied  in  connection  with 
iTncpaiaKuuffri),  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  Sunday. 
Similar  are  the  statements  of  Luke  and  John  ;  while 
Mark  says :  about  sunrise.  But  there  are  various 
explanations  attached  to  this  expression  of  Matthew.* 


[Comp.  the  translator's  Critical  Note  No 


iibove.-P. 


1.  De  Wette  and  others  explain:  After  the  Sabbath 
had  elided  ;  2.  Grotius  and  others  :  After  the  week 
had  dosed  ;  3.  Meyer :  Late  upon  the  Sabbath.  So 
that  it  is  not  the  accurate  Jewish  division  of  time, 
according  to  which  the  Sabbath  ended  at  six  on  Sat- 
urday evening,  but  the  ordinary  reckoning  of  the 
day,  which  extends  from  sunrise  to  sunrise,  and 
adds  the  night  to  the  preceding  day.  Meyer's  asser- 
tion, that  01^6,  with  the  genitive  of  the  time,  always 
points  to  a  still  continuing  period  as  a  late  season, 
would  support  this  view,  if  it  were  true,  but  it  is 
doubtful.*     Pape  translates  the    u^i   tuv  Tpai'iKcov 

*  [Meyer,  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  editions  of  his  Commen- 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  1-10. 


545 


Ibuud  iu  Philostr. :  "  long  after  the  Trojan  war, 
But  the  tact,  that  Matthew  makes  the  first  day  of  the 
week  begin  here  with  sunrise,  is  decisive  in  Meyer's 
favor. — M'la  (Ta^^druiv  =  T\Z'd'2  inx,  Snn- 
day.  According  to  Matthew's  method  of  expression, 
which  is  always  so  full  of  meaning,  we  find  a  doctrin- 
al emphasis  in  the  words,  late  hi  the  evening  of  the 
(old)  Sabbath  season,  as  it  beffan  to  dawn  toioard  the 
carhi  moniinff  of  the  (new)  Simdat/  season. 

Came  Mary  Magdalene,  and  the  other 
Mary. — John  names  only  Mary  Magdalene;  Mark 
adds  Salome ;  Luke  (xxiv.  10),  several  others,  name- 
ly, Johanna,  the  wife  of  Ghusa,  as  we  learn  from  Luke 
viii.  3.  These  differences  of  the  narrations  arise  IVohi 
the  intention  of  emphasizing  diiferent  circumstancjs. 
We  must  begin  with  Mark.  Three  women  go  tiist 
to  the  grave — Magdalene,  the  other  Mary,  and  Sa- 
lome. Matthew  omits  Salome,  because  he  intends  to 
continue  his  account  of  the  two  women,  Magdalene 
and  Mary  (xxvii.  01).  John  keeps  only  Magdalene 
before  his  eye,  because  she  is  seized  with  excitement 
on  finding  the  stone  rolled  away,  and,  hurrying  away 
alone  to  the  city,  calls  the  two  disciples ;  and  because 
he  wishes  to  relate  this  circumstance  and  Magdalene's 
succeeding  history.  Luke's  attention  was  occupied 
chiefly  with  the  women  who  were  bringing  the  spices 
and  ointments,  aud  accordingly  writes  of  the  second 
body  of  females,  who  followed  the  first  three.  Meyer 
mauatains  that  it  is  impossible  to  harmonize  the  dif- 
ferent accounts.  A  judicious  critic  will,  however, 
only  opi^ose  a  forced  harmony. 

To  see  the  sepulchre. — Luke  and  Mark  :  to 
anoint  the  corpse.  We  have  already  seen  that  the 
women  v.'eat  in  two  parties  to  the  grave  ;  and  those 
who  brought  the  ointments  came  second ;  the  first 
came  for  information.  This  hurrying  on  before  the 
others  is  explained  by  fear,  unconscious  hopes  of  a 
resurrection,  longing  aud  impatient  desire. 

A^er.  2.  And,  behold,  there  v/^as  (eyeVero)  a 
great  earthquake. — Meyer :  "  It  is  quite  arbitrary 
to  take  the  aorist  in  tlie  sense  of  the  pluperfect  (Cas- 
talio,  Kuinoel,  Kern,  Ebrard,  etc.),  or  to  make  ijKOi 
signify  an  unfinished  action  (de  Wette)."  Eut  arbi- 
trary, also,  is  the  hyj^othcsis,  that  the  women  must 
have  seen  all.  The  earthquake  was  felt  by  them  as 
well  as  by  all  the  disciples  ;  the  angel  was  beheld  by 
Maiy  and  Salome,  sitting  upon  the  stone  rolled  away, 
and  perhaps  also  by  the  affrighted  guard  ;  but  that 
which  occurred  between,  the  rolling  away  of  the 
stone,  etc.,  could  have  been  suppUed  by  the  Apostle's 
prophetic  intuition.  The  resurrection  of  the  Lord  it- 
self was  not  a  matter  of  actual  bodily  vision.  "  The 
old  and  general  view  {see  especially  the  Fathers,  as 
quoted  by  Calovius)  is,  that  Jesus  rose  while  the  grave 
was  still  closed,  and  that  the  tomb  was  opened  mere- 
ly to  prove  the  resurrection."  *     Meyer.     But  this  is 


tary,  admits  that  o^i,  sei'o,  wit'n  genitive  (which  occurs  no- 
where else  in  the  N.  T.),  means  aUo:  lange  nach,  long  af- 
ter, and  quotes  Plut.  Num.  1;  but  the  length  of  time  is  not 
necessarily  implied,  comp.  bihe  ixv(TTt)piuii/,  after  the  mys- 
teries, in  Philostratus,  Vita  Apoll.  iv.  18.— P.  S.] 

*  [So  Ambrose,  Chrysostom,  Jerome,  and  .\u5ustine. 
The  lathers  compare  the  resurrection  from  the  closed  tomb 
to  the  birth  of  Christ  from  the  closed  womb  of  the  Virgin, 
ut  ex  clause  Virginis  utero  natus,  sic  ex  clauHO  sepulchro 
renurrexit  in  quo  nemo  conditua  fuerat,  et  poatquatn  re- 
eurreanaset  se  per  clauma  fores  in  compectwn  apontolorum 
induxit  (Greg.  M.).  See  the  quotation  from  Jerome  in  the 
translator's  note  on  ch.  xxvii.  Ct»,  p.  5yt).  The  orthodo.^  Prot- 
estant commentators  likewise  assume  (generally  that  the 
resurrection  took  place  before  the  stone  was  rolled  away. — 
P.  S.l 


35 


rather  an  arbitrary  and  supernatural  separation  of  the 
occurrences.* 

Ver.  5.  Fear  not  ye,  um« '? -—Opposed  to 
the  terror  of  the  guard,  whose  fe.ar  might  have 
caused  them  to  be  filled  with  wonder.  Meyer  gives 
these  words  their  correct  explanation,  pointing  out 
the  fiilse  interpretation  which   had   been  made  of 

Vfi.€~lS.\ 

[Ver.  6.— Hilary  :  "  Through  woman  death  was 
first  introduced  into  the  world ;  to  woman  the  first  an- 
nouncement was  made  of  the  resurrection.  Chrysos- 
tom :  Observe  how  our  Lord  elevates  the  weaker  sex, 
which  had  fallen  into  dishonor  through  the  transgres- 
sion of  Eve;  and  how  lie  inspires  it  with  hope,  and 
iieals  its  sorrows,  and  makes  women  the  messengers 
of  glad  tidings  to  His  disciples.] 

For  I  know. — The  reason  why  they  need  not 
fear. 

Ver.  7.  Tell  His  disciples The  Galilean  be- 
lievers, who  formed  the  great  body  of  the  disciples, 
are  intended  by  this  term.  Though  the  Lord  re- 
vealed Himself  to  a  few  women,  to  the  disciples  of 
Emmaus,  and  to  the  twelve  in  Judea,  His  grand  self- 
manifestation  took  place  in  GaUlce  (ver.  16).  Ben- 
gel  :  Verba  discipuUs  dicenda  se  porvicjunt  usque  ad: 
videbetis. — Lo,  I  have  told  you,  Eino  v,  which 
marks  the  formal  and  important  announcement. 
Corroborative :  dixi. — Unnecessary  subtilties  in  the 
explanation  of  these  words  are  referred  to  by  Meyer. 

Ver.  8.  With  fear  and  great  joy. — Mingled  feel- 
ings. The  transition  from  the  dread  felt  by  the  women 
to  the  blessedness  of  belief  in  the  resurrection,  which 
they  now  began  to  experience,  is  expressed  by  this 
statement ;  also  the  final  passage  from  the  Old  to 
the  New  Testament,  from  the  horror  of  Shcol  to 
the  vie  ft'  of  the  openmg  heavens.  ''Corresponding 
cases  of  the  union  of  fear  and  joy  are  mentioned  by 
Wetstein  (Virg.  ^neid,  1,  544;  11,  807,  etc.)." 
Meyer. 

Ver.  9.  Held  Him  by  the  feet.— This  is  not 
merely  an  expression  of  consternation,  although  the 
words  UT)  Cf)o  ^el  a  d  i,  ver.  10,  point  to  such  a  feel- 
mg  of  dread,  but  it  describes  rather  the  highest  joy 
and  their  adoration.  It  is  tiie  climax  of  the  feeling 
alluded  to  in  ver.  8.  Bengal  :  '*  Jesuin  ante  passio- 
nem  alii  potius  alienores  adoraruut,  qnam  discipidi." 
Tlie  special  experience  of  Mary  Magdalene  is  incor- 
porated with  the  vision  of  the  two  other  women. 


*  [The  Edin'o.  edition  translates  »upernaiuralixti^che  by 
■unnatural,  liut  every  tyro  in  divinity  ought  to  know  the 
essential  difference  between  .iiipeniatural  or  nuperraiion- 
al,  i.  e.,  what  is  above  nature  .md  above  reason  (as  is  every 
miracle  and  spcciflc  doctrine  of  (Christianity),  and  unnatural 
or  irrational,  i.  e ,  what  is  contrary  to  nature  and  to  rea- 
son. Lange  docs  not  mean  to  characterize  the  view  of  the 
fathers  as  unnatural,  but  as  unnecessarily  adding  another 
miracle — the  passing  through  a  stone — to  the  resurrection  it- 
self. Jiurkitt  and  .M.  Henry  assume,  that  while  Christ  could 
have  rolled  back  the  stone  by  His  own  power,  >le  chose  to 
have  it  done  by  an  angel,  to  signify  that  Jle  dlil  not  break 
prison,  but  had  a  fair  and  Icaal  discharge  trom  heaven.  In 
the  case  of  Lazarus  the  stone  was  remove<l  from  the  grave 
before  ho  wiis  raised  by  Chrst  to  a  new  natiiial  life.  But  the 
stone  could  hardly  be  a  hindrance  to  Him  who  raised  Him- 
self by  His  own  po'ver  to  an  eternal  heavenly  life  and  who 
.afterward  appeared  to  the  discip  es  through  closed  doorn 
(John  xx.  19,  2G).  The  stone  may  have  been  rolled  away 
merely  for  the  sake  of  t'le  woin.:n  and  the  disciples,  that 
they  might  go  into  the  em[>ty  totnb  aud  see  the  evidence  of 
the  resurreciiou.  This  at  all  events  is  the  more  usual  ortho- 
dox interpretation. — P.  S.] 

t  [Similarly  Wordsworth  :  "  r,ue7s]  emphatic  :  Lot  the 
Roman  soldiers  fear  (ver.  4j — not  ye,— weak  women  though 
ye  be."  Meyer  (in  the  fll'ih  editi  .n)  maintains  against  de 
Wetto  and  others  that  the  peisotial  pronoun  Is  alxca'js  em- 
phatic iu  the  N.  T.,  even  -Mark  .\iii.  0;  Acta  viii,  24— P.  3.! 


546 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


This  account  reminds  us  of  the  state  of  raind  evi- 
denced by  Thomas,  John  xx. 

Ver.  10.  Be  not  afraid;  go  tell. — Asi/ndeton 
of  lively  conversation.  A  sign  that  the  Lord  shares 
in  their  joy. — My  brethren. — A  new  designation 
of  the  disciples,  whicli  declares  to  them  His  consoling 
sympathy ;  makes  known  to  them  that  lie,  as  the 
Risen  One,  had  not  been  alienated  from  them  by  their 
flight  and  treachery,  but  that  rather  they  are  sum- 
moned by  Him  to  become  partners  in  His  resun-ec- 
tion.  The  command  was,  ia  the  first  instance,  issued 
to  raise  the  women  from  the  ground,  whom  His  di- 
vine majesty  had  prostrated. — Tell  my  brethren  that 
they  go. — This  proclamation  of  the  resurrection  by 
the  women  is  to  lead  the  disciples,  whom  the  fact 
of  the  Lord's  being  buried  in  Jerusalem  detained  in 
that  city,  to  make  their  preparations  for  an  instant 
departure  to  their  homes. 

And  there  they  shall  see  Me. — As  before,  in 
ver.  V,  the  disciples  as  a  body  are  meant,  who,  ac- 
cording to  Matthew,  had  followed  Him  from  Galilee. 
And  therefore,  when  the  eleven  disciples  are  (ver. 
]  6)  specially  mentioned,  it  can  only  be  as  the  leaders, 
as  the  guides  of  the  entire  company.  Meyer  repre- 
sents that  a  threefold  tradition  regarding  the  resur- 
rection grew  up  among  the  disciples:  1.  The  purely 
Galilcean,  which  is  found  in  Matthew's  account ;  2. 
the  purely  Judoean,  which  is  given  by  Luke  and  John, 
excluding  the  appendix,  ch.  xsi.  ;  o.  the  mixed,  which 
narrated  both  the  Gahlean  and  Juda;an  manifestations, 
and  is  found  in  John,  when  the  appendix  is  added. 
Meyer  is  now  willing  to  admit  the  historical  sequence, 
that  the  appearances  in  Judaea  preceded  those  in  Gal- 
lilee ;  but  he  holds  still,  that  the  account  given  by 
Matthew  manifests  an  ignorance  of  what  occurred  in 
Galilee.*  From  this  he  deduces  the  conclusion,  that 
this  portion  of  our  Gospel  must  be  the  addition  of  a 
non-apostoUc  hand,  because  such  ignorance  on  the 
part  of  Matthew  is  inconceivable.  But  against  this 
critic's  assumption  we  may  educe  the  following: — 
1.  If  this  assumption  be  correct,  we  should  expect 
even  from  Mark  in  his  Gospel,f  which  was  written 
earlier,  and  fixed  the  middle  point  of  the  evangelical 
tradition,  only  GaUlasan  appearances,  whereas  he  re- 
lates only  manifestations  in  Judaea.  2.  Matthew 
himself  relates  the  Lord's  appearance  in  Judaea  to 
the  women,  vers.  9,  10.  3.  A  post^apostolic  writer 
would  most  certainly  have  resorted  to  the  general  tra- 
dition, and  have  related  both  the  appearances  which 
took  place  in  Judasa  and  those  which  occurred  ia  Gal- 

*  [So  also  in  the  fifth  edition,  p.  613,  although  he  express- 
ly .idmits  the  historical  character  of  the  appearances  of 
Uhrist  both  in  Judsea  and  in  Galilee.  "  Dass  Jeans  sowoiiL 
in  Jerusalem  iLs  auch  in  Galilda  den  Jungern  emchie- 
tien  set,  ist  schon  aus  dam  JBestehen  der  JtiddiscJien  und 
der  GiiUldischeii  Ueherlieferung  neben  einander  als  ge- 
schichtliches  Ergehniss  zu  achlieisen,  wird  aler  zweifel- 
Los  durch  Johannes,  wenn,  loie  unzuneJmien,  Kap.  21  das 
Werk  des  Apostels  ist.  So  kommt  man  allerdings  zu  deni 
(xESCHiCHTSBESTANDE,  doss  die  JtwUlischen  Eracheinwngen 
den  tfalildischenroi-angegangensind;  aber dabeiist 7iicht 
sit  uberseken,  dass  der  Bericht  des  Matt/uitis  nichts  von 
den  Juddischen  ErseJi^inungen  weiss,  well  im  Zusammen- 
hang  seiner  Erzdhlung  nirgends  ein  Platz  fur  sie  ist." 
Meyer  regards  this  supposeil. ignorance  of  the  first  Gospel  as 
one  of  the  arguments  for  his  hypothesis  that  in  its  present 
Greek  form  it  is  not  the  work  of  the  Apostle  Matthew.  This 
conclusion  is  too  rash.  It  is  sufficient  in  the  case  to  aav, 
with  the  late  L)r.  lileek,  one  of  the  most  careful  and  con- 
scientious critics,  that  Matthew's  nccoiint  is  a  brief  conden- 
sation. But  see  Dr.  Lange's  forciuie  remarks  above,  which 
Meyer  ought  to  have  noticed  in  the  fifth  edition.— P.  6.] 

+  [The  Edinb.  edition  omits  the  nan..'  of  jiark,  and  refers 
this  sentence  to  the  earlij  writUn  OopH  of  MnUkew,to 
which  it  does  not  apply  at  all,  since  Matthew  rulates  the 
manifestation  of  the  risen  Saviour  in  Gahk" P.  g.] 


ilee.  4.  The  assumption  of  Meyer  rests  altogether 
upo.i  the  antiquated  hypothesise,  that  every  Evangelist 
intended  to  narrate  all  the  facts  he  knew.  On  the 
contrary,  we  must  repeat  tliat  the  Evangelists  are 
not  to  be  regarded  as  poor  mechanical  chroniclers, 
but  as  narrators  of  the  facts  of  evangelical  history,  as 
they  assumed  in  their  own  minds  the  form  of  an  or- 
ganic whole,  as  one  continuous  gospel  sermon.  And 
here  we  have  an  indication  that  Matthew  keeps  up 
throughout  the  plan  of  his  gospel  narrative  as  distinct 
from  that  of  Luke.  While  Luke,  the  Evangelist  of! 
the  Gentiles,  brings  out  fully  the  true  prerogatives  of  \ 
Judaism,  and  describes,  therefore,  the  whole  of 
Christ's  life  of  activity  as  a  grand  procession  to  Jeru- 
salem, Matthew,  the  Evangelist  of  the  Jews,  endea- 
vors in  every  instance  to  disprove  the/a?se  preroga- 
tives of  Judaism,  and  tarries  accordingly  mostly  in 
Galilee,  describing  the  Lord's  activity  in  that  district. 
Hence  it  is  that  Luke  gives,  in  the  introduction  to  his 
Gospel,  the  adoration  rendered  to  the  new-born  Sa- 
viour by  Jewish  Christians,  and  closes  his  history 
with  an  account  of  the  Lord's  appearance  in  Judaea ; 
while  Matthew  contrasts,  in  his  opening  chapters,  the 
adoration  on  the  part  of  the  G-eutiles  with  the  perse- 
cution of  the  Jews,  and  concludes  by  laying  the  scene 
of  the  grandest  manifestation  of  the  Lord  in  Galilee, 
in  opposition  to  the  city  Jerusalem.  From  this  to 
conclude  that  Matthew  knew  nothing  more  of  the  res- 
urrection, is  a  conceit  which  falls  far  below*  a  lively 
appreciation  of  the  free  Christian  spirit  of  the  Gos- 
pels. Meyer  himself  acknowledges  that  it  is  evident, 
from  1  Cor.  xv.  5  ff.,  that  even  if  all  the  accounts  in 
the  Gospels  be  combined,  we  have  not  a  full  record 
of  all  Christ's  appearances  after  His  resurrection. 
Meyer,  however,  is  right  in  opposing  the  mythical 
view  which  Strauss  takes  of  the  history  of  the  resur- 
rection, as  well  as  the  conversion  of  the  facts  connect- 
ed with  resurrection,  by  Weisse,  into  magical  effects 
of  the  departed  spirit  of  Jesus.  The  actual  existence 
of  the  Church,  as  well  as  the  assurance  of  faith  and 
joy  at  death's  approach  evidenced  by  the  Apostles, 
cannot  be  the  effect  of  a  myth  or  a  mere  ghostly  ap- 
parition.    (See  below.) 

[The  denial  of  the  historical  character  of  the  res- 
urrection and  the  subsequent  manifestations  of  Christ 
to  the  disciples,  has  assumed  different  forms  :  1.  The 
Wolfenbiittel  Fragmentist  (Reimarus),  hke  the  lying 
Jewish  Sanhedrin  (ch.  xxviii.  13),  resolved  them  into 
downright  impostures  of  the  Apostles :  this  is  a  moral 
impossibihty  and  monstrosity  unworthy  of  consider- 
ation. 2.  Paulus,  of  Heidelberg,  the  exegetical  repre- 
sentative of  the  older  common-sense  rationalism, 
sees  in  the  resurrection  merely  a  reviving  from  an 
apparent  death  or  trance.  This  is  a  phyxlcal  impos- 
sibility in  view  of  the  preceding  crucifixion  and  loss 
of  blood.  3.  Strauss :  Subjective  visions,  or  more 
fully  ia  his  own  words  {see  his  new  work  on  the  Life 
of  Jesus,  pubhshed  1864,  p.  304) :  "  Purely  internal 
occurrences,  which  may  have  pres'jnted  themselves 
to  the  disciples  as  external  visible  phenomena,  but 
which  we  can  only  understand  as  facts  of  an  ecstatic 
condition  of  mind,  or  visions."  Skailarly  the  late  Dr. 
Baur  of  Tiibingen  (the  teacher  of  Strauss,  and  found- 
er of  the  Tiibingen  school  of  destructive  criticism). 
This  visionary  hypothesis  is  a  psychological  impossi- 
bility, in  view  of  the  many  appearances,  and  the  large 
number  of  persons  who  saw  Christ ;  as  the  eleven  dis- 

*  [Not:  unioorthy  of  one  icho,  etc.,  as  the  Edinb.  ed.  mis- 
translates Lange,  who  opposes  opinions  only,  and  never  in- 
dulges in  personalities  which  would  mar  the  dignity  of  a 
commentary.— P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  1-10. 


547 


ciples,  and  even  five  hundred  brethren  at  once  (1 
Cor.  XV.  15).  4.  Weisse :  Effects  of  the  ever-Hvinfj; 
spirit  of  Christ  upon  tlie  disciples.  5.  Ewald :  Spirit- 
ual visions  in  the  ecstasies  of  desire  and  prayer  (yd- 
utige  Schauungen  in  dcr  Enhi'ickung  dvr  SchnsucJd  imd 
des  Gebetn).  These  two  views  are  only  modifications 
of  the  above  theory  of  Strauss,  and  equally  untenable. 
Ewald,  however,  is  not  clear,  and  makes  an  approach 
to  the  orthodox  view  when  he  remarks :  "  Christ  was 
seen  again  by  His  disciples :  nothing  is  more  Jiistori- 
cal."  {Die  drei  ersten  Mvangelien,  ubersetzt  und  crk- 
lo,rt ;  p.  362  :  "  Christus  ward  wiedergeschen  von  den 
Seinigen  :  nichts  ist  gescJiichtUcher  ah  dies")  Renan, 
iu  his  Life  of  Jesus,  passes  over  this  stumbling-block 
with  characteristic  French  levity,  promising  to  ex- 
amine "  the  legends  of  the  resurrection"  hereafter  in 
the  histoi'y  of  the  Apostles.  All  he  says  upon  it  at 
the  close  of  ch.  xxvi.  amounts  to  a  confession  of  de- 
spair at  a  satisfactory  solution.  It  is  this  :  "  The  life 
of  Jesus,  to  the  historian,  ends  with  his  last  sigh. 
But  so  deep  was  the  trace  which  he  had  left  in  the 
hearts  of  his  disciples  and  of  a  few  devoted  women, 
that,  lor  weeks  to  come,  he  was  to  them  living  and 
condoling.  Had  his  body  been  taken  away,  or  did 
enthusiasm,  always  credulous,  afterward  generate  the 
mass  of  accounts  by  which  faith  in  the  resurrection 
was  sought  to  be  established  V  T/ds,  for  want  of 
peremptori/  evidence,  we  shall  never  know.  We  may 
say,  however,  that  the  strong  imagination  of  Mary 
Magdalene  here  enacted  the  principal  part ! "  All 
these  fal-^e  views  resolve  the  history  of  Christianity 
into  an  inexplicable  riddle,  and  make  it  a  stream 
without  a  fountain,  an  effect  without  a  cause.  Dr. 
Baur  (Christenthum  der  drei  ersten  Jahrhunderte,  p. 
•10),  indeed,  thinks  that  the/aM  in  the  resurrection 
more  than  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  was  the  mo- 
tive power  of  the  Apostles  in  their  future  activity. 
(So  also  Strauss,  I.  c.  p.  289.)  But  it  was  the  fact 
which  gave  to  their  faith  a  power  that  conquered  the 
world  and  the  devil.  Faith  in  mere  visions  or  phan- 
toms may  produce  phantoms,  but  not  such  a  phe- 
nomenon as  the  Christian  Church,  the  greatest  fact 
and  the  mightiest  institution  in  the  history  of  the 
world.  Compare  also  on  this  subject  the  remarks  of 
Meyer,  Com.  on  Matiheiv,  5th  ed.,  1860,  p.  614  (who 
is  quite  orthodox  as  regards  the  general  fact  of  the 
resurrection) ;  Guder  :  Die  Thatsachlichke^i  der  Auf 
erstehung  Christ!,  1862;  an  art.  of  Prof.  Beyschlag 
(against  Baur)  in  the  Studien  und  Kritiken,  1864,  p. 
197  sqq.,  and  several  able  articles  of  Prof.  Fisher, 
of  Yale  College,  against  Strauss  and  Baur,  in  the 
New  Englander  for  1864.— P.  S.] 


DOCTlilNAL   AND  ETHICAL. 

1.  In  the  end  of  the  (Jewish)  Sabbath.  —The 
Evangelist,  without  doubt,  intended  by  the  selection 
of  this  peculiar  and  significant  expression  to  bring 
forward  the  fact,  that  the  Christian  Sunday  had  now 
caused  the  Jewish  Sabbath  to  cease  (and  Christianity 
had  now  taken  the  place  of  Judaism).  Sunday  is 
the  fulfilment  of  the  Sabbath  ;  but  it  is  not  tlicreby 
made  to  be  the  negation,  the  destruction  of  the  Sab- 
bath, but  its  realization  in  the  form  of  spirit,  life,  and 
freedom.  Sunday  is  a  new  creation,  the  institution 
of  the  Church's  holy  day ;  marked  out  as  such  not 
only  by  the  resurrection,  but  also  by  the  Lord's  ap- 
pearances upon  that  day.  But  if  the  extemal  law 
of  the  Jewish  Sabbath  is  abrogated  for  the  Church, 
the  Christian  State  is  bound,  by  its  duty  to  Christ,  to 


see  that  the  law  of  the  day  of  holy  rest  is  observed, 
as  indeed  all  the  laws  of  the  decalogue,  in  the  spirit 
of  New  Testament  order  and  freedom.  We  soe  from 
Acts  XX.  7  :  1  Cor.  xvi.  1,  2  ;  Kev.  i.  10,  that  Sunday 
was  observed  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles. 

2.  Who  shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from  the  door 
of  the  sepulchre  ? — Tliis  utterance  of  the"  three  anxious 
women  has  become  the  great  symbol  of  all  the  sighs 
of  humanity,  in  its  longing  for  the  revelation  of  the 
resurrection. 

3.  The  earthquake. — A  presage  of  the  resurrec- 
tion according  to  that  parallel  course  of  development 
through  which  the  earth  is  passing  along  with  the 
kingdom  of  God.     See  ch.  xxiv. 

4.  The  visions  of  angels. — As  the  earth,  on  the 
one  hand,  in  its  grand  moment  of  development,  is 
shaken,  and  seems  rushing  to  ruin  ;  so,  on  the  other, 
the  heavens  unfold.  Therefore  angels  are  ever  pres- 
ent as  ministering  spirits  at  the  critical  periods  in 
God's  kingdom.  But  although  these  angelic  appear- 
ances are  objective,  real,  and  visil)le,  the  jjerception 
by  the  on-looking  mortals  of  these  heavenly  spirits 
depends  upon  a  state  of  soul  resembling  the  angelic 
spirituality ;  and  this  disposition  of  soul  depends, 
again,  upon  the  position  occupied  in  relation  to  hea- 
ven and  earth.  The  more  the  earth  is  concealed  and 
buried,  like  a  midnight  grave,  to  the  beholders,  so 
much  the  more  clearly  do  they  view  the  opening  hea- 
vens. And  hence  it  is  that  the  female  disciples  were 
tlie  first  to  see  the  angels  ;  and  they  beheld  first  one, 
then  two. 

5.  Fear  and  great  joy. — Transition  from  the 
old  into  the  new  world,  from  the  old  to  the  new  cov- 
enant. 

6.  Into  Galilee. — See  the  Critical  Notes. 

7.  The  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ  consid- 
ered in  and  for  itself  (ontologically). — In  the  Lord's 
death  and  resurrection  a  separation  took  place  be- 
tween the  first  aeon  of  the  natural  human  world,  and 
the  second  oson  of  the  eternal  spirit- world  of  human- 
ity (1  Cor.  XV.  45).  Christ's  death  is  the  fulfilment  and 
the  completion  of  death,  and  therefore  also  its  end, 
as  was  already  determined  in  regard  to  Adam's  death. 
Where  death  began,  there  should  it  cease,  i.  e.,  there 
should  be  no  death.  Physical  death  is  restricted  to 
one  zone.  This  district  of  death  lies  between  the 
world  of  inorganic  bodies  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
spirit-world  on  the  other.  The  mineral,  on  the  one 
side,  is  non-vital ;  the  spirit  is  non-mortal.  Death 
appears  now  to  extend,  between  these  limits,  only 
over  the  vegetaljle,  anunal,  and  liuman  worlds.  But 
the  death  of  the  plant  is  well-nigh  but  allegorical,  an 
appearance  of  dying :  it  lives  still  in  the  root,  the 
branch,  the  seed.  The  dying  of  the  animal,  again,  is 
no  complete  death :  there  is  no  full,  individual  life  to 
resign ;  it  Uvcs  only  in  the  general  life  of  nature,  and 
hence  it  cannot  die  fully  and  with  consciousness. 
Actual  death  begins  with  conscious  man,  in  order 
likewise  to  cease  with  him,  and  to  be  transfoi-med 
into  a  new  conscious  life.  Adam  was  formed,  not  to 
die,  that  is,  was  not  to  sec  corruption ;  he  was  to 
pass  only  through  a  death-like  process  of  transforma- 
tion, and  to  undergo  a  metamorphosis  from  the  nat- 
ural state  of  man  into  the  spiritual  (the  tree  of  life  : 
Enoch;  Elijah;  2  Cor.  v.  4  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  51).  But 
this  transformation  became  subject  to  the  effects  and 
the  punishment  of  moral  death,  of  sin,  as  Cod's  con- 
demnation; and  thus  this  tran.<iforinalion  passed  over 
into  corruption.  The  "  being  clothed  upon  "  (sjTnbol- 
ized  by  the  metamorphosis  of  the  buttcrfiy-chrysalis) 
became  "the  unclothing"  (symbolized  by  the  wheat- 


548 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW, 


grain  in  the  earth).  Since  then  was  death  in  the 
world  ;  tlie  consciousness  and  the  experience  of  de- 
served sickness,  dissolution,  corruption,  and  impris- 
onment in  the  waste  death-realm,  Sheol.  The  entire 
weight  of  death  pressed  upon  mankind,  to  their  pain 
and  anguish  ;  and  yet  they  were  not  fully  conscious 
of  it  (Heb.  ii.  14,  15).  Christ  became  our  partner  in 
tliis  common  subjection  to  death.  He  tasted  this 
death  (Heb.  ii.  9) ;  received  it  with  full  conscious- 
ness into  His  life.  Hence  death  y,- as  fulfilled  m  His 
life,  it  was  ended,  and  must  again  be  transformed  into 
the  transformation,  unto  v.'hich  men  were  originally 
destined.  Cluist's  dying  was  a  death  which  passed 
over  at  once  into  metamorphosis.  Christ's  condition 
in  deatii  was  a  collision  with  corruption,  in  which  cor- 
ruption was  overcome  ;  v/as  an  entrance  into  the  realm 
of  the  dead,  wliich  unbound  the  fetters  of  that  realm. 
His  resurrection  was  at  once  resurrection  and  com- 
];lete  transformation.  When  the  question  is  asked, 
SV'as  Christ  glorified  between  His  death  and  resurrec- 
tion, or  during  the  iovij  days,  or  during  the  ascen- 
sion ?  the  conceptions  of  transformation  and  glorifi- 
cation are  confused.  The  transformation,  as  the 
passage  from  the  first  into  the  second  life,  was  decid- 
ed at  the  resurrection.  Glorification,  as  His  entrance 
into  the  heavenly  world,  could  appear  in  Him  even 
before  His  deatii,  in  tlie  transfiguration  upon  the 
mountain,  and  be  viewed  by  others  ;  and  yet  after 
tile  resurrection,  in  His  first  presentation  to  Mary 
Magdalene,  she  mistook  Him  for  the  gardener.  His 
actual  glorification,  decided  at  His  resurrection,  be- 
came a  complete  fact  upon  His  ascension;  and  hence 
Christ,  as  the  Risen  One,  is  life-principle  as  well  for 
the  resurrection  as  for  the  transfonnation(l  Cor.  xv. 
21 ;  1  Thess.  iv.  11). 

If  we  would  obtain  a  closer  view  and  more  accu- 
rate conception  of  the  resurrection,  the  death  of 
Christ  must  bo  contemplated  as  the  ideal,  dynamic, 
and  essential  end  of  the  old  world  and  humanity. 
The  world  continues  to  move  chronologically  accord- 
ing to  its  old  existence,  and  is  still  expanding  in  its 
memlaers  (its  periphery) ;  but  in  its  centre,  the  end 
Sias  been  reached  in  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Christ.  And  this  being  the  case,  there  is  of  neces- 
sity connected  with  this  end  the  ideal,  dynamic,  and 
essential  beginning  of  the  new  spiritual  world,  as  the 
resurrection  followed  the  death  of  Christ.  And  this 
event  is,  in  accordance  with  its  nature,  at  once  an 
t'Doluiion  of  life  (Christ  rose),  and  at  the  same  time 
an  act  of  God's  righteousness  (the  Father  raised  Him). 
Christ  rose  from  the  grave,  because  He  was  holy, 
possessing  the  Spirit  of  glory,  susceptible  of  resurrec- 
tion, and  must  accordingly  cause  this  very  death  to 
become  subservient  unto  life,  must  overcome  this 
death  and  transform  it.  God  raised  Him,  because 
He,  in  and  for  Himself,  had  endured  this  death  con- 
trary to  right ;  and  yet,  likewise,  agreeably  to  right, 
inasmuch  as  He  had  surrendered  Himself  on  behalf 
of  man.  Thereby  this  death  of  Christ  has  been  made 
by  God  the  world's  atonement.  But  when  these  two 
points  are  united,  the  death  of  Christ  and  His  resur- 
rection stand  forth  to  our  view  as  the  grandest  act 
of  the  omnipotence  of  God,  and  the  greatest  fact  in 
the  glorious  revelation  of  the  Trinity  (Eph.  i.  19). 

8.  The  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ  consid- 
ered soieriolofficalh/. — The  soteriological  effect  is  here, 
as  always,  threefold ;  He  accomplished  :  (a)  recon- 
eihation  as  Prophet ;  (b)  expiation  as  High-Priest ; 
(c)  deliverance,  rcdeiuption,  as  King  {see  the  author's 
Dogmaiik,  p.  793).    Christ,  as  Prop'net,  in  His  recon- 


ciliatory  working,  has  overcome  the  world's  hate  by 
His  love,  and  sealed  the  grace  of  God  by  the  blood 
of  His  martyr-death;  as  High-Priest,  in  His  expia- 
tory working.  He  has  taken  upon  Him  the  world's 
judgment,  and  changed  it  into  deliverance;  as  King, 
in  His  redemptive  working.  He  has  made  death  itsetf 
tlie  emblem  of  victory  over  death,  or  of  deliverance 
from  the  power  of  darkness,  which  sinners  were  sub- 
ject unto  through  death. 

In  tliis  threefold  cliaracter  and  working.  He  en- 
tered Sheol.  As  Prophet,  He  has  lighted  up  Sheol, 
and  made  it  appear  as  the  translation-state  from  the 
first  to  the  second  and  higher  life.  As  High-Priest, 
He  has  likewise  changed  the  punishment  of  the  realm 
of  death  by  taking  the  penalty  of  sins  freely  upon 
Himself.  As  King,  He  has  led  captivity  captive,  and 
opened  the  prison-house  of  Sheol  (Eph.  iv.  8). 

God  has  made  all  this  sure  by  setting  His  seal  to 
it  in  His  resurrection.  God  Himself  recognizes  that 
courageous  love  and  greeting  of  peace  by  which  He 
carries  His  gospel  back  into  that  world  which  had 
crucified  Him.  God  Himself  sends  Him  back  out  of 
the  Most  Holy  as  a  living  sign  of,  and  witness  to, 
the  perfect  atonement.  As  the  Redeemer,  He  comes 
forth  in  the  glory  of  that  triumph,  which  He  shares 
with  own  :  "  0  Death,  where  is  thy  sting !  0  Grave, 
where  is  thy  victory  !  " 

The  unity  of  these  results  lies  in  this,  that  in 
Christ  mankind  have  been  virtually  consecrated  to 
their  God,  have  died,  been  buried,  descended  into 
Sheol,  risen  again,  ascended  to  heaven,  and  set  down 
at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

Hence  it  is  that  the  man  who  resists  with  demo- 
niac unbelief  this  working  of  Christ,  is  cut  oflf  from 
humanity,  and  is  handed  over  to  the  devil  and  his 
angels  (Matt.  xxv.). 

But  to  receive  the  redeeming  efficacy  of  Christ, 
is  to  enter  into  the  coiDmunion  of  His  life  by  the 
communion  of  His  Spirit.  This  entrance  is  a  pro- 
phetic faith,  in  that  we  recognize  what  Christ  has  be- 
come to  us  ;  a  priestly  faith,  in  that  we  yield  us  up 
to  His  atoning  righteousness ;  a  kingly  faith,  in  that 
we  make,  in  sanctification.  His  life  our  own.  The 
unity  of  all  this  lies  in  the  fact,  that  we  die,  are  bur- 
ied, rise,  and  ascend  in  Christ.  As  regards  his  spirit, 
the  Cliristian  belongs  to  Clirist,  and  in  so  far  all  is 
finished  and  completed  in  his  salvation ;  but  as  re- 
gards his  nature,  he  belongs  to  the  world,  and  in  so 
far  he  awaits  the  general  end  of  that  world,  and  a 
general  resurrection  wilh  that  world. 

9.  "  The  intercourse  and  companionship  of  the 
Lord,  after  His  resurrection,  witlr  His  disciples,  dur- 
ing the  forty  days  of  joy,  bore  manifestly  a  different 
character  from  what  they  did  before  His  death. 
Tlirough  His  death  and  resurrection,  the  glorification 
of  His  body  had  begun  (the  transformation  of  His 
body  was  completed) ; — for,  although  His  resurrec- 
tion-body bore  the  marks  of  the  wounds,  showing  it 
to  be  the  same  body,  it  was  no  more  subject  to  the 
bounds  and  laws  of  the  bodily  existence,  as  before." 
Lisco.  For  the  historic  certainty  of  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus,  see  1  Cor.  zv. ;  Ullmann  :  What  does  the 
institution  of  the  Christian  Church  through  one  who 
had  been  crucified  presupjwse  ?  {Studien  and  Kriti- 
ken,  1832) ;  Lange's  Leben  Jesu,  ii.  3,  p.  1738.  Ac- 
cording to  one  explanation  of  the  negative  criticism 
of  modern  unbchef,  Jesus  was  only  a2:)parently  dead 
(Paulus);  according  to  the  other,  the  resurrection 
was  an  illusion  (Strauss).  When  the  two  are  com- 
bined, they  are  self-destructive. 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  1-10. 


549 


HOMILKTICAL  AND  TRACTICAL. 

Upon  the  entire  Ciiaptkr. — The  risen  Saviour 
as  the  eternal  King,  thefinidanicntal  thought  of  this 
whole  Easter  history.  We  see  from  it :  1.  llow  the 
storms  of  earth  and  the  angels  of  heaven  serve  Him ; 
2.  liow  neither  Jewish  seals  nor  Roman  arms  are  any 
liindranee  in  His  way;  3.  how  He  annihilates  the 
spite*  of  His  foes,  and  the  anguish  of  His  friends, 
by  His  resurrcetion  ;  4.  how  He  moves  along,  elevat- 
ed above  the  slanderous  reports  of  foes,  and  the  de- 
sponding apprehension  of  the  disciples  ;  5.  how  un- 
bounded is  His  power  in  heaven  and  earth ;  6.  how 
He  is  able  to  despatch,  in  the  glory  of  the  Trinity, 
His  servants  into  all  the  v/orld,  with  the  message  of 
salvation  ;  7.  how  sure,  even  at  the  beginning,  He  is 
of  the  homage  of  all  the  world  ;  8.  how  He  is  able, 
notwithstanding  His  approaching  departure,  to  assure 
His  own  of  His  protecting,  ever-abiding  presence,  as 
their  consolation  and  their  peace. 

Upon  this  fauticulap.  Section. — The  morning 
of  the  resurrection-day.  1.  The  morning-dawn  ;  or, 
the  victory  of  light  over  darkness :  the  earthquake 
and  the  angels  ;  the  petrified  guards  and  the  open 
grave;  the  search  for  the  Crucified — the  message 
concerning  the  risen  Lord ;  the  fear  and  the  great 
joy.  2.  The  sunrise :  Christ's  manifestation ;  the 
greeting ;  the  adoration ;  the  commission. — The  judg- 
ment of  God,  as  revealed  by  the  grave  of  Christ,  com- 
pared with  the  world's  judgment :  1.  The  Sabl^ath  of 
the  law  is  passed  ;  the  Sunday  of  spiritual  freedom 
breaks.  2.  The  earth  shudders ;  heaven,  with  its 
angels,  is  manifested.  3.  The  stone,  with  the  seal 
of  authority  broken,  is  rolled  away ;  the  herald  of  the 
risen  Saviour  sits  triumphant  upon  the  stone.  4.  The 
armed  guards  he  powerless ;  women  become  heroines, 
and  the  messengers  of  the  risen  Redeemer.  5.  Ju- 
dtea  is  deposed  of  its  dignity  ;  Christ  selects  Galilee 
as  the  scene  where  He  will  unfold  His  glory.  6.  The 
compact  of  darkness  is  destroyed  ;  Christ,  the  Risen, 
salutes  His  o^vn. — The  gradual  unfolding,  to  be  per- 
ceived in  the  message  of  tlie  resurrection,  is  a  type 
of  its  glory. — The  ghost-like  stillness  in  which  Christ's 
resurrection  is  revealed,  is  prophetic  and  characteris- 
tic of  the  Christian  life,  and  the  Christian  world. — 
The  greatest  miracle  of  omuipotencCj  in  its  gentle, 
heavenly  manifestation.  —  The  resurrection-morning 
the  end  of  the  old  Sabbath  :  1.  The  creation  becomes 
spiritual,  a  spiritual  world ;  2.  the  rest  l:)eeomes  a 
festival ;  3.  the  law  becomes  life. — Easter,  the  great 
Sunday,  ever  returning  in  the  Ciiristian  Sabbath,  the 
eternal  Easter. — The  way  to  the  grave  of  Jesus  :  1. 
The  road  thither :  the  visible  grief  (to  anoint  the 
Lord) ;  the  secret  hope  (to  see  the  grave) ;  the  great 
experience — the  stone,  the  angel,  etc.  2.  The  return  : 
fear  and  great  joy ;  the  salutation  of  Jesus ;  the 
commission. — The  llary  of  Christmas,  and  the  two 
Marys  of  Easter ;  or,  woman's  share  in  the  great 
works  of  God. — First  to  Mary  Magdalene  ;  or,  Christ 
risen  for  the  pardoned  sinner. — The  grave  of  Clirist 
transforms  our  graves. — The  fact  of  the  resurrection, 
an  invisible  mystery,  rendered  glorious  by  visible 
signs  :  1.  The  invisible  working  V)f  omnipotence,  and 
its  visible  action ;  2.  the  invisible  entrance  into  ex- 
istence of  the  new  Hfe  of  Christ,  and  the  visible  earth- 
quake (the  birth-pangs  of  eartli) ;  3.  the  invisible 
entrance  of  the  heavenly  King  into  His  spiritual  kmg- 


*[Not:   consolation,  as  the  Edinb.  edition  re.ad.«, 
itly  mistaking  the  Germau  Trolz  for  Troet. — P.  S.] 


dently  mistaking 


dom,  and  the  unseen  spirit-messenger  ;  4.  the  invisi- 
ble overthrow  of  the  kinguum  of  darkness,  and  the 
'  visible  guards  (the  servants  of  that  kingdom)  as  dead 
men ;  5.  the  invisible,  new,  victorious  kingdom  of 
Jesus,  and  the  beginning  of  its  revelation. — The  angel 
from  heaven ;  or,  from  lieaven  the  decision  comes  : 
1.  Help  in  need;  2.  the  unsolving  of  the  difficulty ; 
3.  the  turning-point  of  history ;  4.  the  change  of  the 
old  ;  5.  the  glorious  issue  of  a  remarkable  guidance. 
— The  angel  sitting  upon  the  stone,  a  representation 
of  Christ's  victory :  1.  In  its  full  extent, — over  the 
(i  entile  world  and  the  Jewish  world  (soldiers  and  the 
official  seal) ;— over  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  2.  In 
its  fullest  completion, — seated  in  the  shining  gar- 
ments of  triumph. — The  angel's  raiment,  the  Sunday 
ornament  and  attire  m  whieli  the  Easter  festival  is 
celebrated. — Tlie  twofold  efi'cct  of  Christ's  resurrec- 
tion :  1.  The  old  heroes  tremble  and  are  impotent, 
the  desponding  become  heroic ;  2.  the  living  become 
as  dead,  and  those  wlio  had  been  as  dead  become 
alive. — Fear  not  ye!  And  why  not?  1.  Because 
they  seek  Jesus  ;  2.  because  He  is  not  in  the  grave, 
but  is  risen  ;  3.  because  the  view  of  Himself  awaits 
you. — Jesus  the  crucified,  is  the  risen  Saviour's  title 
of  honor  in  heaven  and  on  earth. — He  is  risen,  as  He 
said;  or.  Love  is  stronger  than  death  ;  or.  This  great 
fulfilment  is  a  pledge  for  all  Christ's  promises. — And 
ye,  too,  shall  rise,  as  He  has  said. —  Come,  see  the 
place.  The  disciples'  view  of  the  empty  grave  of 
Jesus:  1.  The  beginning  of  the  certainty  of  the  res- 
urrection ;  2.  the  beginning  of  the  Christian's  bless- 
edness ;  8.  the  beginning  of  the  world's  end. — The 
empty  grave,  and  the  empty  graves. —  Go  quickly; . 
or,  whosoever  has  discovered  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  must  go  and  make  it  known. — All  Christians 
are  evangelists. — The  union  of  fear  and  great  joy : 
1.  That  fear,  which  must  burst  into  joy ;  2.  that  joy, 
which  must  be  rooted  in  fear. —  They  ran.  Tlie  res- 
urrection ends  the  old  race,  and  begins  a  new  race. — 
The  appearance  of  the  risen  Lord  :  \.  Wliat  it  presup- 
poses :  And  as  they  went.  2.  How  it  proceeds  :*  a  meet- 
ing, a  greeting :  AH  hail !  3.  What  it  effects  :  And  they 
came,  etc.  (ver.  9).  4.  What  it  enjoins :  Go,  tell,  etc. 
(ver.  10). — The  relation  of  the  Risen  One  to  His  peo- 
ple :  1.  The  old:  they  search  and  find  one  another, 
in  faith  and  love.  2.  A  new :  they  worship  Him ; 
He  calls  them  His  brethren. — Joseph's  history  is  in 
this  case  fulfilled  :  he  was  sold  by  the  sons  of  Israel, 
and  yet  revealed  himself  in  his  princely  majesty  to 
his  brethren. — The  repeated  command  to  depart  to 
Galilee, — its  import  (see  above). — The  resurrection  of 
Jesus  is  tlie  mo.st  cert  phi  fact  of  history :  1.  It  proves 
itself;  2.  hence  it  is  proven  by  the  strongest  proofs ; 
3.  hence  the  proof  is  for  our  faith  (our  love  and  hope). 
— The  resurrection,  the  fulfilling  of  the  life  of  Jesus : 
1.  The  wonder  of  wonders  ;  2.  the  salvation  of  salva- 
tion ;  3.  the  life  of  life ;  4.  the  heaven  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

^  Htarke  : — From  Zeisius :  An  earthquake  occurs 
when  Christ  dies  upon  the  cross,  an  earthquake  oc- 
curs when  He  rises  again,  to  testify  unto  the  majestic 
power  both  of  His  victoirious  death  and  resurrection. 
— Christ's  glorified  body,  tlie  great  stone  could  not 
restrain. — Oh,  cunning  Reason !  how  silly  art  thou 
in  spiritual  and  divine  things  ! — Canstein  :  If  we  find 
no  help  on  earth  to  overcome  hindrances  in  the  path 
of  duty,  help  will  bc^sent  us  from  heaven. — We  shall 
live  with  Him.     Where  the  Head  is,  there  are  the 


*  [In  German  :    HVe  sU  tor  nich  gehi,  which  the  Edinb. 
edition  renders:  Ihnc  it  anticipates  it^e'f! — P.  8.] 


550 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


members.— 2  Thess.  i.  10 ;  1  Thess.  it.  1  S.—JVova  Blbl. 
Tvh. :  Behold,  how  glorious,  etc.  So  glorious  shall 
be  our  resurrection. — As  glorious  and  consoling  as 
Christ's  resurrection  is  to  the  godly,  so  fearful  is  it  to 
the  godless. — Quesnel:  God  knows  how  at  once  to 
console  Ilis  own,  and  to  terrify  the  wicked,  Ex.  xiv. 
24. — Luther's  margin :  Fear  not  ye,  fear  not  ye  :  be 
joyful  and  consoled. — Zeisius :  Fearful  as  the  holy 
angels  are  unto  the  unholy,  just  so  comforting  are 
they  unto  the  godly,  as  companions,  in  the  approach- 
ing glory.  —  Canstein :  The  servants  of  the  word 
should  exercise  the  office  of  comforting  angels,  or 
God's  messengers  of  consolation,  imto  the  anguished. 
— Bihl.  Wirt. :  As  the  woman  was  the  first  to  sin, 
so  have  women  been  the  first  to  realize  Christ's  pur- 
chased righteousness. — I^ova  Bill.  Tub. :  The  joyful 
message  of  the  resurrection,  and  its  fruits,  are  not 
for  coarse,  worldly  hearts,  but  for  longing  disciples. 
— Those  who  have  really  experienced  the  joy  pro- 
duced by  the  resurrection,  are  anxious  to  impart  that 
joy  to  others. — Jesus  comes  to  meet  us  when  we  seek 
Him. — My  brethren.  A  designation  dating  from  the 
resurrection,  Heb.  ii.  12.  For  the  disciples,  it  indi- 
cates something  great  and  most  consolatory. — Joseph 
a  type  of  this.  Gen.  xlv.  4. — The  world  boasts  always 
of  its  high  titles  ;  but  we,  who  are  Christ's,  have  the 
highest,  we  arc  called  His  brethren. — We  are  heart- 
ily to  forgive  those  who  have  not  deserved  well  of 
us. 

Gossner  : — It  gleams  and  flashes  once  more.  Be- 
fore, all  was  dark  and  sad ;  but  now  again  the  rays 
of  crucified  truth  appear,  and  they  illuminate  ever 
more  and  more  gloriously. 

Lisco  : — The  women  hear  first  that  Jesus  is  risen. 
Then  they  see  the  empty  grave,  ver.  6.  Finally,  they 
see,  feel,  and  speak  to  Jesus,  ver.  9. — The  certainty 
of  Christ's  resurrection,  1  Cor.  xv.  1-8.  Its  impor- 
tance, 1  Cor.  XV.  12  :  1.  Proof  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ ;  2.  that  His  death  is  an  offermg  for  us ;  3. 
the  ground  for  our  hope  of  a  resurrection.  By  His 
death,  all  the  preceding  testimonies  borne  unto  Him 
seem  to  be  proved  false ;  by  His  resurrection,  it  is 
proved  that  nothing  has  been  disproved.  His  resur- 
rection is  the  seal  of  our  redemption,  the  beginning 
of  His  glorification  and  exaltation. — The  Easter  fes- 
tival is  a  call  to  a  spiritual  resurrection. 

Gerlach : — The  Lord's  body  now  a  difi'erent  body, 
and  yet  the  same:  1.  Free  from  all  the  bonds  of 
weakness,  of  Offering,  of  mortafity.  2.  The  stigma- 
ta;  *  He  ate  and  drank  (though  He  needed  not  food). 
— The  Lord's  appearanc&s,  and  all  the  accompanying 
circumstances,  are  in  the  highest  degree  full  of  mean- 
ing and  importance.  The  women  see  the  angels  ;  the 
disciples  do  not.  Jesus  appears  to  the  Magdalene,  to 
Peter,  to  disciples  on  their  way  to  Enimaus,  to  the  Elev- 
en ;  in  each  case,  with  the  most  tender  and  exact 
regard  for  the  state  of  each. — All  the  external  a  rev- 
elation of  the  internal.  So  shaU  it  one  day  be  in  our 
resurrection. 

Heubner : — The  awe  of  the  resurrection-morning. 
— Christ's  resurrection  the  type  of  our  own. — Every 


*  [In  German :  die  WundenmaaU,  the  technical  term 
for  the  marks  or  traces  of  the  five  wounds  of  the  Saviour, 
the  prints  of  the  nails  in  the  hands,  etc.,  which  Thomas 
wished  to  handle,  before  submitting  to  the  belief  in  the  fact 
of  the  resurrection  (John  xx.  25, 27).  They  are  here  referred 
to  as  a  proof  of  the  identity  of  the  body  of  our  Lord.  The 
Edinb.  edition  makes  here  another  ridiculous  and  incredible 
blunder  by  translating  this  familiar  German  expression 
(composed  of  Wuiic/eh,  i.  e ,  wounds,  and  Maale,  i.  «., 
moles):  jneuls  of  icunOer,  as  if  the  text  spoke  of  Wwider- 
mahUeiten  '. — P.  S.l 


morning  should  remind  us  of  the  coming  resurrection. 
—  Came  Mary:  The  last  witnesses  by  the  grave  are 
the  first.  We  should  seek  God  early. — \_Rieger  .•] — 
They  considered  themselves  bound  to  anoint  Christ ; 
but  Clirist  must  and  will  anoint  them  with  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  with  power. — The  earthcjuake  a  type  of 
the  awful  convulsion  of  the  earth  at  the  last  day 
and  the  general  resun-ection. — The  angel  a  type  of 
the  appearance  of  the  angels  at  the  la.?t  day. — The 
form  of  the  angel's  appearance.  Servants  as  they 
are  of  the  kingdom  of  light,  their  office  is  to  intro- 
duce men  into  this  kingdom. — The  experiences  of  the 
guards,  presages  of  what  the  unbelieving  and  sinners 
will  experience  at  the  last  day. — Fear  not  ye  !  The 
higher  spirit-world  is  the  Christian's  home. — To  seek 
Jesus  is  the  way  to  life. — Nothing  to  be  feared  on 
that  way. — The  Lord  is  risen.  The  angel-world  cries 
to  the  world  of  men,  and  all  believers  should  cry  to 
one  another  :  "  The  Lord  is  risen." — "  Death,  where 
is  thy  sting?  Ht/ll,  where  thy  victory?"  (1  Cor. 
XV.). —  Come  and  see:  a  summons  to  self -persuasion. 
— We  should  impart,  spread  abroad,  the  belief  in  the 
resurrection. — Our  beUef  in  the  future  life  should 
thoroughly  permeate  our  earthly  life,  and  glorify  it. 
— Christ's  resurrection  reunites  the  scattered  disci- 
ples.— Love  plans  for  eternity. — In  the  case  of  the 
women,  faith  went  first,  then  came  sight. — The  per- 
fect brotherhood  of  Christ,  a  fruit  of  God's  adoption. 
— Three  classes  of  topics  for  Easter:  1.  Such  in 
which  the  fact  itself  is  considered  ;  truth,  certainty, 
power  of  the  resurrection.  2.  Such  in  which  Christ's 
resurrection  is  made  to  introduce  a  discourse  upon 
our  own ;  e.  g.,  the  resurrection,  the  festival  of  our 
immortality.  3.  Such  in  which  faith  on  Christ  in 
general  is  handled  ;  e.  g.,  faith  upon  a  livmg  Christ. 
— Braune :  The  essence*  of  Christianity  is  bound  up 
with  the  cross,  but  its  form  and  manifestation  with 
the  resurrection. — The  Church  has  been  founded  by 
the  preaching  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ. — The 
Apostles  designate  themselves,  with  peculiar  pleasure, 
the  witnesses  of  the  resurrection. — As  the  beginning 
of  every  life  is  hidden,  so  is  the  begiiming  of  the  life 
of  the  risen  Lord  hidden  in  mysterious  darkness. 
Acts  ii.  21. — Jesus  has  not  simply  taught  the  resur- 
rection; He  is  the  resurrection. — What  caused  the 
guards  dismay,  freed  the  women  of  anxiety. — With 
every  advancing  step,  the  path  of  eternal  truth  bright- 
ens.— The  fear  of  the  women  quite  different  from 
that  of  the  guards. —  To  My  brethren :  first  He  named 
them  disciples^  then  friends,  then  little  children  ;  now, 
brethren. 

From  Sermons. 

Reinhard: — The  Christian  feast  of  Easter  is  a 
festival  of  perfect  tranquillization :  1.  Because  it  dis- 
sipates all  the  uneasmess  and  sorrow  which  disturb 
our  peace  ;  2.  because  it  wakens  in  us  all  those  hopes 
which  must  confirm  our  peace. — Christ's  resurrection 
was  the  impartation  of  fife  unto  God's  holy  Church 
on  earth,  which  owes  to  His  resurrection:  1.  Its  ex- 
istence ;  2.  its  moral  fife ;  3.  its  unceasing  continu- 
ance.— Thiess: — The  cross  illuminated  by  the  Easter 
sun. — Ranke:  —  A  clear  light  is  poured  over  the 
whole  fife  of  Christ  by  His  resurrection. —  Gaupji  :— 
I  The  Easter  history  is  also  the  history  of  the  believing 

*  {Das  Wesen,  which  the  Edinb.  edition  mistranslates: 
i  the  ej:istence  (das  iSein,  Dasein,  die  Enistenz).    The  exist- 
ence of  Christianity  and  the  founding  of  the  Church  de- 
I  pends  rather  on  the  resurrection,  as  is  expressly  stated  in 
;  the  sentence  immediately  following      "  ^'  "■ 


IS  expr 
-P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  11-15. 


551 


soul. — Ahlfdd:  —  Jesus  lives,  ami  I  with  Ilim. — 
Oiho :  Easter  comfort  and  Easter  pleasure:  1.  The 
sanctity  of  our  graves  ;  2.  the  glory  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  o.  all  our  sins  forgotten. — Petri :  Christ's  life, 
our  life.  Let  that  be  to-day:  1.  Our  Easter  ))clief; 
2.  our  Easter  rejoicing. — Stcinhofcr  :  Life  from  the 
dead:  1.  In  the  Saviour;  2.  in  His  pL;)ple. — Ilauten- 
berg :  The  Christian  by  his  Redeemer's  open  grave : 

1.  lie  lays  his  care  in  tliat  grave  ;  2.  he  becomes  at 
that  spot  sure  of  his  salvation ;  3.  his  heart  is  filled 
with  rapture. — Bramlt :  Jesus  Christ  the  victorious 
prince.  We  may  consider  :  1.  The  foes  He  has 
subdued  ;  2.  the  obstacles  He  has  overcome  ;  3.  the 
means  used  to  secure  this  victory  ;  4.  its  results. — 
Jesus,  the  risen  Saviour,  an  object  for  holy  contem- 
plation :  1.  See  the  counsel  of  hell  brought  to  nought 
by  Him ;  2.  see  the  method  of  the  divine  govermuent 
glorified  by  Him  ;  3.  the  tears  of  true  love  dried ;  4. 
the  misery  of  this  earthly  life  transformed ;  5.  the 
work  of  salvation  finished ;  6.  the  human  heart  filled 
with  the  powers  of  God. —  Geibel :  The  Lord's  resur- 
rection, considered  :  1.  Historically ;  2.  in  its  neces- 
sity ;  o.  import ;  -1.  and  immediate  results. — Ficken- 
scher  :  What  should  the  grave  be  to  us  Christians, 
now  that  Jesus  is  risen  ?  1.  A  place  of  rest ;  2.  of 
peace  ;  3.  of  hope  ;  4.  of  transfiguration. — Ramhach : 
The  glorious  victory  of  the  risen  Saviour:  1.  Glori- 
ous considered  in  itself: — (a)  the  most  miraculous ; 
{b)  the  most  honoring ;  (c)  the  most  glorious  victory. 

2.  Glorious  in  its  effects  : — (a)  a  victory  of  light  over 
darkn;»ss  ;  (6)  of  grace  over  sin ;  (c)  of  life  over 
death. — Drdseke:  How  Easter  followed  Good  Friday : 
1.  As  God's  Amen  ;  2.  as  men's  Hallelujah. — Sachse : 
— The  stone  rolled  away.  It  seems  to  us :  1.  The 
boundary-stone  of  blasphemy  against  God ;  2.  as  the 
monumental  stone  of  the  most  glorious  victory ;  3.  as 
the  foundation-stone  of  the  building  of  Christ's 
Church. — Fr.  Strauss :  A  long,  sacred  history  is  to- 
day presented  to  us,  the  history  of  the  Easter  festi- 


val: 1.  The  long-continued  preparation;  2.  the  glo- 
rious manifestation:  3.  the  continual  development; 
4.  the  future  consummation  in  heaven.— ^l/<  .•  The 
new  fife  to  which  Easter  summons. — Liebim- :  How 
we  should  cuter  the  companionship,  and  follow  the 
example,  of  the  early  witnesses  unto  the  resurrection. 
— Shullz  :  Tlie  verities  of  our  faith,  unto  which  the 
resurrection  of  our  Lord  bears  a  certain  and  irresist- 
ible tendency :  1.  That  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  the  living 
God  ;  2.  that  a  perfect  atonement  has  been  presented 
to  God  for  us,  in  tlie  Lord's  death  ;  3.  that  our  soul 
is  immortal ;  4.  that  our  bodies  also  will  rise. — All 
the  difliculties  in  Christ's  life  are  resolved  by  His  res- 
urrection. —  Heidenrckh  :  What  a  friendly  dawn 
broke  upon  redeemed  and  blessed  humanity  on  the 
morning  of  the  resurrection  ! — Schlekrmacher  :  How 
the  consciousness  of  the  imperishable  overcomes  the 

pain  caused  by  the  loss  of  the  perishable The.  life 

of  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord  a  glorious  type  of  our 
new  hfe. — Canstein  :  The  joy  of  the  Easter  morning 
in  the  future  world :  1.  What  shall  it  be?  2.  who 
shall  enjoy  it  ?— i^.  A.  Wolf:  The  true  Christian, 
upon  the  festival  of  the  resurrection,  looks  back  as 
gratefully  unto  the  past,  as  he  gazes  joyfully  into  the 
future. — Three  stages  in  the  spiritual  life  are  to  be 
observed  in  the  history  of  those  to  whom  the  risen 
Redeemer  became  the  closest  friend :  1.  A  sadness, 
which  seeks  Jesus ;  2.  a  hope,  which  springs  up  at 
the  first  intimation  of  His  presence;  3.  the  joyful 
certainty,  to  have  found  and  recognized  the  Redeem- 
er.— Tzschirner  :  The  sufferings  of  time  in  the  light 
of  eternal  glory. — Death,  the  new  birth  into  a  new 
life. — Genzken  :  The  path  of  faith  in  the  risen  Sa- 
viour.— Markeineke  :  The  resurrection  of  Jesus  is  the 
main  pillar  of  our  salvation. — Theremin:  Christ's 
resurrection  should  awaken  us  to  repentance. — Nie- 
mann :  The  belief  in  the  new  world  of  immortal- 
ity which  opened  unto  us  in  the  Lord's  resurrec- 
tion. 


SECOND     SECTION. 

JUDAISM,   AND   ITS  TALE;    OR,   THE   IMPOTENT  END   OF  THE   OLD   WORLD. 

Chapter  XXVIII.  11-15. 


1 1         Now  when  [as]  they 


the  women]  were  going,  behold,  some  of  the  watch  came  into 


12  the  city,  and  shewed  unto  [told]'  the  chief  priests  all  the  things  that  were  done.  And 
when  they  [the  high-priests    were  assembled  witli  the  elders,  and  had  taken  counsel,* 

13  they  gave  large  [niuch]^  money  unto  the  soldiers,  Saying.  Say  ye,  His  disciples  came 

14  by  night,  and  stole  him  away  while  we  slept.  And  if  this  come  to  the  governor's  ears,^ 
we  will  persuade  him,  and  secure  you  [make  you  secure,  free  of  care  or  danger,  v/xa? 

15  d/x£ptyu,i/ous  TToiTyo-o/xev].^  So  they  took  the  money,  and  did  as  they  were  taught :  and 
this  saying  is  commonly  reported  among  the  Jews  until  this  day  \i.  e.,  the  time  of  the  com- 
position of  this  Gospel].® 

J  Ver.  11.— [Comp.  Critical  Note  No.  6  on  ch.  xxviii.  a    Others  prefer  reported  to.— P.  9.] 

^2  Ver.  12.— [Or  more  literally:  having  fisnembted  .  .  .  and  taken  counsel,  a-vvax^  (vt  e  s  Kal  Ka^Svns. 
So  Conant  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union.— P.  S.] 

3  Ver.  12.— [Wiclif,  Scrivener,  Conant.  etc.,  render  apyvpta  Uava,  much  moneij,  instead  of  large  money,  which  dates 
from  Tyndale,  Coverdale,  Craniner,  etc.  The  Kheniish  N.  T.  has:  a  large  sum  of  money.  De  Wctie,  Lange,  and  Kwald: 
reichlich  Geld;  Luther:  Geld's  genug ;  van  Ess  and  other  German  Versions:  viel  Geld.—V.  S.] 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


*  Ver.  14.— [Or  :  he  borne  witness  of  before  the  governor;  an  official  orjudicial  hearing  is  intended;  comp.  for  a  similar 
use  of  eVt  Acts  sxiv.  19,  20;  xxv.-9, 12,  26;  xxvi.  2;  1  Cor.  vi.  1;  1  Tim.  v.  19;  vi.  18.  But  compare  the  remarks  of  Dr. 
Lange  in  the  Exeg.  Notes.  Lachmann  and  Tregelles  read :  Vav  aicovady  tovto  virh  (m.stead  of  6  7ri)  rov  7iye,u6t'os, 
if  this  shall  he  heard  by  the  governor,  following  the  Vatican  Codex  (B.),  Codex  Beza  (D.),  and  the  oldest  Versions  {Itala 
and  Vulgata:  si  hoc  audftum  fuerit  a  jyrceside).  But  Meyer  and  Lange  regard  this  as  a  mistaken  explanation  of  iirl, 
which  is  sustained  by  the  majority  of  authorities.  Conant,  in  his  Version,  adopts  the  reading  vtto  ,  hut  the  N.  T.  of  the 
Am.  Bible  Union,  which  otherwise  follows  his  Version  closely,  has  here:  ^'before  the  governor."  Scrivener  takes  no  no- 
tice of  this  verse.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  14.— [Lange:  sorgenfrei,  free  of  care;  Meyer:  sorgenfrei  Im  objectiven  Sinne,  i.  e.,  fr&i  von  Oefahr  vmd, 
Plackereien ;  Tyndale  1.:  make  you  safe;  Coverdale:  ye  shall  he  safe;  Tyndale  2.,  Cranmer,  Genevan  Bible,  Scrive- 
ner :  save  you  harmless;  Bishops'  B.,  very  improperly :  make  you  careless;  Conant  and  others  :  make  you  secure. — P.  B.] 

^  Ver.  15. — Lachmann  and  Tischendorf  [not  in  his  edition  of  1859]  add  r]fj,fpas  (day)  after  tijs  ari^iipov 
which  is  supported  by  Codd.  B.,  D.,  L.,  al.  [Tischendorf,  in  the  edition  of  1859,  says  :  "t]  fj.4  pa  ubi  a  paucis  tantiiin 
IcMbus  prcebetur,  potius  illaium  guam.  verum  esse  statuendum  at"  but  the  fact  that  Matthew  in  two  other  passages 
(xi.  23;  xxvii.  8)  uses  (TT^ixepov  without  T]/J.4pa.  makes  the  insertion  iu  this  case  less  probable  than  the  omission.  Meyer 
and  Alford  likewise  defend  it  here.— P.  S.] 


EXEGETICAL  AND    CPvITlCAL. 

Ver.  11.  As  they  were  going. — The  Evangel- 
ist does  not  seek  to  show  that  the  soldiers  arrived  in 
the  city  before  the  women,  but  only  that,  contempo- 
raneously, a  second  account  reached  the  city, — that 
one  message  was  borne  to  the  friends,  and  another  to 
the  enemies. 

Ver.  12.  And  had  taken  counsel. — This  is  the 
last  session  of  the  Sanhedrin,  so  exacting  of  rever- 
ence, which  is  recorded  by  Matthew,  and  its  last  de- 
cision. It  is  a  very  significant  transaction,  which 
gives  us  a  perfect  revelation,  prospectively,  of  the 
post-Christian,  unbelieving  Judaism.  Some  have 
considered  this  very  disgraceful  decision  of  the  coun- 
cil to  be  unprobable.  Hut,  standing  as  they  did  upon 
the  brink  of  moral  destruction  and  condemnation, 
this  improbabihty  becomes  the  most  awful  reality. 
Still,  we  are  not  compelled  by  our  text  to  believe  that 
they  held  the  meeting  for  the  express  purpose  of 
bribing  the  guards :  that  was  merely  a  result  of  their 
council,  and  of  their  deliberations.  Probably  the 
matter  was  handed  over  to  a  commission,  to  be  ex- 
amined into  and  disposed  of;  that  is,  the  council  left 
the  matter  in  the  hands  of  the  high-priests,  agreeing 
secretly  with  their  designs. 

Much  money. — Increased  bribes,  as  compared 
with  the  former  bribery,  that  of  Judas :  1.  The  bribe- 
ry in  this  case  was  in  consequence  of  a  resolution  of 
the  Sanhedrin.  2.  The  bribery  by  means  of  large 
sums  of  money,  contrasts  strongly  with  the  thirty 
pieces  which  Judas  received.  3.  The  bribery  of  poor 
GentOes,  and  these  Roman  soldiers,  who  were  seduced 
into  a  breach  of  discipline  and  into  lies,  which  might 
have  cost  their  lives ;  and  with  this  were  connected 
self-humiliation  and  self-abandonment  on  the  part  of 
the  Sanhedrin  before  these  very  Gentiles.  4.  The 
formal  resolution,  which  was  aimed,  though  indirect- 
ly, at  the  corruption  of  the  soldiers,  was  the  cul- 
mination of  that  guilt  to  which  they  had  subjected 
themselves  in  accepting  the  willing  and  volunteered 
treachery  of  Judas.  The  whole  account  expresses 
distinctly  the  extreme  and  painful  embarrassment  of 
the  chief  council.  They  imagined  that  by  means  of 
thirty  pieces  of  silver  they  had  freed  themselves  of 
Judas ;  but  now  they  begin  first  to  experience  the 
far  greater  danger  to  which  the  crucified  and  buried 
Saviour  exposed  them. 

Ver.  13.  Stole  Him  away  while  we  slept. — 
In  addition  to  all  the  judgments  of  impotency,  embar- 
rassment, and  rejection,  they  are  now  subjected  to 
the  judgment  of  stupidity.  The  soldiers  are  to  have 
been  asleep,  and  yet  to  have  seen  thieves,  and  known 
that  they  were  disciples  !     Grotius :  rh  avTOKaraKpi- 


rov.  [This  Satanic  lie  carries  its  condemnation  on 
the  face.  If  the  soldiers  were  asleep,  they  could 
not  discover  the  thieves,  nor  would  they  have  pro- 
claimed their  mihtary  crime ;  if  they,  or  even  a  few 
of  them,  were  awake,  they  ought  to  have  prevented 
the  theft ;  it  is  very  improbable  that  all  the  soldiers 
should  have  been  asleep  at  once ;  it  is  equally  im- 
probable that  a  few  timid  disciples  should  attempt  to 
steal  their  Master's  body  from  a  grave  closed  by  a 
stone,  oflicially  sealed  and  guarded  by  soldiers,  nor 
could  they  do  it  without  awakening  the  guard,  if 
asleep.  But  all  these  improbabilities  are  by  no  means 
an  argument  against  the  truthfulness  of  the  narrative : 
for,  if  men  obstinately  refuse  to  believe  the  truth, 
"  God  sends  them  strong  delusion  that  they  should 
believe  a  he,"  2  Thess.  ii.  11.  With  this  agrees  the 
old  heathen  adage :  "  V>^hom  the  gods  wish  to  destroy 
they  first  make  mad," — which  is  constantly  exempli- 
fied in  history.  Infatuation  is  a  divine  judgment, 
and  the  consequence  of  desertion  by  God.  Among 
the  Jews  this  lie  finds  credence  to  this  day,  as  it  did 
at  the  time  of  the  composition  of  the  Gospel  of  Mat- 
thew, and  in  the  second  and  third  centuries,  accord- 
ing to  the  testimonies  of  Justin  Martyr  and  Tertul- 
Man.— P.  S.] 

Ver.  14.  And  if  this  come  to  the  governor's 
ears. —  Coram  procuratore.  Meyer,  following  Eras- 
mus, interprets  this  in  a  judicial  sense :  When  an  ex- 
amination shall  be  held  before  Pilate.*  But  in  that 
case,  the  mediation  would  come  too  late,  because 
Pilate,  according  to  military  disciphne,  must  have  in- 
flicted the  penalty,  if  such  a  criminal  violation  of  duty 
had  been  openly  acknowledged.  Accordingly,  most 
commentators  interpret.  When  this  rumor  shall  reach 
the  governor,  be  repeated  unto  him.  Then  the 
danger  became  imminent ;  but,  according  to  this  as- 
surance, it  would  have  been  already  removed. — This 
was  undoubtedly  an  excuse  highly  dangerous  for  the 
soldiers  {see  Acts  xii.  19),  and  the  high-priests  could 
by  no  means  be  sure  of  the  result,  although  they 
might  be  ready  to  give  to  the  avaricious  and  corrupt 
Pilate  a  large  bribe.  The  hierarchical  spirit,  which 
here  reaches  its  climax,  uses  the  Roman  soldiers 
merely  as  tools  to  efi'ect  its  own  ends,  as  it  had  pre- 
viously employed  Judas ;  and  was  again  fully  pre- 
pared to  let  the  despised  instruments  perish,  when 
the  work  was  finished. — We  will  persuade  him, 
TreicTo/jLev.  An  iromcal  euphemism,  indicating  the 
means  of  persuasion.  This  was  the  manner  in  which 
they  will  keep  the  soldiers  free  of  care  and  dan- 
ffer. 

Ver.  15.  This  saying,  (5  A  070$  0 St os. — This 


•■  [Erasmus :  Si  res  apud  ilium  yudicem  agatur.    So 
also  Alford.    Comp.  my  Critical  Note  No.  4  above.— P.  8.] 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  11-15. 


553 


does  not  refer  to  the  entire  account  (Grotius,  Paulus), 
but  to  the  lying  statement  (vcr.  lo),  voluntarily  adopt- 
ed by  these  soldiers,  that  the  body  of  Jc^us^  had  been 
stolen  by  His  disciples  (de  Wetie,  Meyer).  Upon 
the  doubts  regarding  the  narrative  itself,  which  Stroth 
maintained  to  be  an  interpolation,  consult  de  Wette 
and  Meyer.  Among  tlie  opponents  of  th.e  truth  of 
the  passage,  are  Paulus,  Strauss,  Weisse,  Sleyer ; 
among  the  supporters.  Hug,  Kuinoel,  Hofliiiann, 
Krabbe,  Ebrard,  etc.  Olshausen  adopts  a  modified 
view,  that  the  Sanhedrin  did  not  act  in  a  formal  man- 
ner, but  that  Caiaphas  arranged  tlie  matter  privately. 
The  most  plausible  arguments  which  de  Wette  brings 
forward  against  the  credibiUty  of  the  narrative,  were 
already  disposed  of  in  the  Exegetkal  Notes  on  eh. 
xsvii.  G6  (p.  537).  The  objection  that  the  Sanhedrin, 
in  which  ''  sat  men  Hke  Gamaliel,"  could  not  have  so 
lost  its  sense  of  duty  and  dignity  as  to  adopt  so  un- 
worthy a  resolution,  rests  entirely  upon  a  subjective 
view  of  the  worthiness  of  the  council.*  We  have  al- 
ready learned  from  the  history  of  the  crucifixion,  that 
it  was  a  Jewish  custom  to  employ  bad  means  to  effect 
the  ends  of  the  hierarchy,  and  to  deal  with  the  de- 
spised Gentiles  as  mere  tools,  who  were  to  be  used 
and  then  treated  with  contempt.  The  existence  of 
this  saying  among  the  Jews  is  acknowledged.  See 
the  quotations  which  Grotius  gives  out  of  Justin, 
from  which  we  learn  that  the  Pharisees  spread  the 
report  among  the  people  by  appointed  messengers  ; 
and  also  out  of  Tertullian.  The  Talmudic  tract, 
Toledoth  Jeschu.^  That  the  Evangelist  has  here 
communicated  to  us  the  prototype  of  the  Talmud, 
and  the  Christ-hating  Judaism,  is  a  proof  of  his  deep 
insight  into  the  significance  of  the  facts,  and  a  testi- 
mony unto  the  consistent  character  of  his  Gospel. 


DOCTEINAL  AND   ETHICAL. 

1.  Some  of  tlie  watch. — The  other  guards  appear 
to  have  been  so  overcome,  so  prostrated  by  the  phe- 
nomena of  the  resurrection,  as  to  have  recognized  the 
matter  as  settled,  the  attempt  of  the  chief  council  as 
futile,  and,  without  further  delay,  to  have  returned  to 
their  military  station.  Only  a  part  so  far  overcomes 
the  influence  as  to  go  and  give  a  report,  probably  in 
hopes  of  having  a  reward  promised  to  them,  and 
ready  to  be  bribed.  Those  mercenary  soldiers  are  a 
type  of  all  "  trencher-soldiers,"  who  must  supply  the 
hierarchy  with  power  to  compensate  for  their  want 
of  spiritual  might.  The  nobler  soldier,  like  the  in- 
dependent state,  will  not  allow  it  even  to  be  supposed 
that  he  will  yield  himself  up  as  a  tool  to  the  hierarchy. 

2.  The  intensified  heathenism  of  the  disbelieving 
Judaism  begms  with  disbeUef  regarding  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus,  and  adopts  at  once  a  characteristic 
trait  of  heathenism,  by  forming  a  dark  tradition. 
But  the  myth  of  the  chief  council  is  worse  than  the 
myths  of  heathenism.  The  latter,  according  to  their 
bright  side,  point  to  Christ ;  but  the  lie  of  the  San- 
hedrin fonns  the  dark  contrast  to  the  facts  of  light 
recorded  in  the  Gospels.     The  myths  of  the  heathen 

*  [Comp.  the  sharp  reply  of  Ebrard  to  this  objection  of 
Strauss:  "What  pious  and  conscientious  men  the  Sanhe- 
drists  all  at  once  become  under  the  magic  hands  of  Mr.  Dr. 
Strauss!  All  the  scattered  Christians,  these  humble  and 
qniet  men.  must,  without  any  cause  whatever,  have  devised 
and  believed  a  palpable  lie ;  but  the  murderers  of  Jesns 
were  altogether  too  good  to  devise  for  the  Itoman  soldiers  a 
falsehood  that  ha«l  become  for  them  a  necessity !  "—P.  S.] 

+  [This  book  gives  an  expansion  of  this  lie  of  the  Jews  — 
P.  S.t 


world  are  the  seed  of  its  culture ;  *  the  lying  myth  of 
unbelieving  Judaism  is  the  fruit  of  its  obduracy. 

3.  Matthew,  with  prophetic  spirit,  has  preserved 
this  fact,  tlie  unmistakable  germ  from  wliich  sprang 
tlie  Talmud,  along  with  which  Judaism,  that  held  iu 
tlie  Old  Testament  fust  by  the  path  of  faith  and  re- 
pelled all  the  myths  of  the  heathen  world,  now  mani- 
fests itself  in  its  unbelief  as  the  most  intensified 
heathenism;  resoitmg  to  the  most  debased  of  all 
myths,  and  endeavoring  to  destroy  the  evangelical 
history  by  a  false  exegesis  of  the  Old  Testament,  by 
false  traditions  concerning  facts  of  Gospel  history, 
and  by  a  perversion  of  the  Old  Testament  into  a  sys- 
tem of  absolute  legahsm  and  formalism.  Hence  it  is, 
that  in  the  following  section  this  type  of  the  Taknud 
is  succeeded  by  the  type  of  the  New  Testament. 

4.  It  is  indubitable  that  our  narrative  is  the  his- 
tory of  the  most  extreme  self-abasement  of  the  chief 
council,  but  is  not  the  less  worthy  of  belief  This  is 
the  perfection  of  the  judgment  of  self-abandonment, 
under  which  the  coimcil  had  flung  itself  Upon  the 
special  points  of  this  self-rejection,  see  the  Exkgeti- 
CAL  Notes. 

5.  The  hierarchical  falsification  of  the  history  of 
the  resurrection  is  the  beginning  of  the  hierarchical 
and  antievangelical  falsifications  of  history.  The 
Ebionitic  Apocrypha,  the  donatio  Constayitini,  the 
pseudo-Isidorian  Decretals,  etc. 

6.  Christ's  resurrection,  according  to  God's  coun- 
sel, qfflcially  announced  to  the  civil  authorities,  and 
to  the  hierarchy ;  and  hence  the  evangelical  faith,  as 
belief  in  the  resurrection,  is  independent  and  free. 


nOMILETICAL  AND  PRACTICAL. 

Heathen  guards,  the  messengers  whom  God  had 
ordamed  to  announce  the  resurrection  unto  the  chief 
council. — Despairing  sinners  (Judas,  the  guards),  the 
usual  preachers  of  repentance,  sent  uato  the  hypo- 
critical, hierarchical  powers.-^The  unbelief  of  the 
chief  council  is  bold  enough  to  impart  its  own  obdu- 
racy to  affrighted  Gentile  hearts. — Money  and  bribe- 
ry, the  A  and  Ci.  (the  beginning  and  the  end)  of  the 
salvation  which  remained  with  the  council. — Bribery 
of  every  kind  is  the  principal  lever  of  all  antichristian 
systems :  1.  Bribery  by  money,  2.  by  honors. — The 
utter  incertitude  of  the  Sanhedrin  is  clearly  manifest- 
ed by  their  last  decision. — The  perfect  overthrow 
which  moral  self-destruction  caused  to  follow  the 
supposed  triumph  of  their  faith. — The  imagination 
of  blinded  spirits,  as  though  they  could  debase  the 
grandest  facts  of  lieaven  into  the  meanest  stories 
[scandala)  of  earth. — The  fruitless  lies,  which  are 
unagined  capable  of  converting  the  most  glorious 
facts  into  a  deceptive  myth. — The  criticism  passed  iu 
the  dark  Jewish  lane,  upon  the  facts  of  Gospel  his- 
tory which  took  place  upon  the  broad,  open  highway 
of  the  world. — This  is  the  course  which  all  the  ene- 
mies of  Christian  truth  must  pursue,  because  of  the 
concealed  self-contradictions:  1.  They  imagine  the 
most  absurd  fables,  to  destroy  the  most  glorious 
miracle ;  2.  they  imagine  the  most  senseless  absurd- 
ity, to  destroy  what  is  full  of  raeanmg  and  clear  to 
the  soul ;  3.  they  imagine  wluit  is  mean,  wicked,  dia- 
bolical, to  destroy  what  is  sacred. — The  latest  ciiti- 
cism  in  the  Jewish  Talmud,  and  the  Talmud  in  the 

*  [In  Gonnan :  Der  Same  Hirer  Kultur,  which  tbo 
Edinb.  edition  turns  into  "«Ae  germ  of  its  viorskip,"' aa  it 
Lango  had  written :  iUres  Kultxts.—?.  S.] 


554 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


latest  works  of  criticism. — How  the  hierarchy  has 
corrupted  even  the  soldier's  honor. — Slander  sneaks 
along  in  its  impotent  path,  in  pursuit  of  the  Gospel 
rushing  along  its  winged  course :  1.  Slander  of  Christ ; 
2.  of  the  disciples  ;  3.  of  early  Christendom ;  4.  of  the 
Reformation,  and  so  forth. — How  Judaism  and  heath- 
enism unite  to  opj)Ose  Christianity. — How  the  hierar- 
chy leagues  with  the  dissolute  to  battle  against  the 
faith. — The  inhabitants  of  hell  try  to  make  themselves 
beUeve  that  heaven  has  been  built  up  by  the  devices 
of  hell. — God  allowed  the  work  of  shame  to  run  its 
wretched  course,  because  the  message  of  the  resur- 
rection was  not  intended  to  be  extended  in  the  form 
of  worldly,  but  of  heavenly  certainty,  by  heavenly 
agencies. — Powerless  as  are  such  attempts,  as  con- 
cerns the  Lord,  they  succeed  in  destroying  many 
souls. — Thus  has  the  Talmud,  the  production  of  the 
legahstic  spirit  of  Judaism,  placed  itself  between  the 
poor  Jew  and  his  Christ,  as  a  ruinous  phantom.  So 
too  does  the  spirit  of  legalism  endeavor  to  build  up  a 
wall  of  separation  between  the  poor  Christian  and  his 
Christ. — It  is  only  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  which 
can  overcome  the  eimiity  to  the  Gospel. — The  more 
boldly  the  opposition  advances,  let  the  word  ring  out 
the  clearer. 

The  Present  Section  considered  in  connection 

with  the  following  evangelical  narrative. 

The  twofold  development  of  the  Old  Testament: 
I.  The  false  continuation  of  the  Talmud.  2.  The 
true  continuation  in  the  New  Testament. — The  great 
revolution  in  the  life  of  Christ :  1.  The  apparent  tri- 
umph of  His  foes  becomes  their  most  disgraceful  de- 
feat. 2.  The  apparent  defeat  of  the  Lord  becomes 
His  most  glorious  triumph. — The  gTand  development 
of  Christianity  and  its  dark  counter-picture :  1.  The 
fleeing  soldiers,  the  heroic  women.  2.  The  great 
council,  and  its  decision ;  Christ  upon  the  mountain, 
and  His  sermon.  3.  The  empty  expectations  of 
Judaism,  and  the  actual  testimony  aflbrded  by  the 
Church  of  Christ. — The  perfect  impotence  of  the  op- 
ponents, and  the  omnipotence  of  Christ  in  heaven  and 
upon  earth. 

Starke: — Nova  Bihl.  Tub.  :  As  divine  wisdom 
has  decreed,  unto  even  the  bitterest  foes  and  perse- 
cutors of  Jesus  must  the  truth  be  told  by  their  own 
beloved  confidantes. — The  world  takes  money,  and 


acts  as  she  is  taught,  against  her  better  knowledge 
and  her  conscience,  1  Tim.  vi.  10;  2  Pet.  ii.  13,  15. 
— No  compacts  prevail  against  the  Lord. — The  devil 
seeks,  where  not  by  force  and  with  boldness,  still 
with  lies  and  blasphemy,  to  oppose  the  kingdom  and 
the  life  of  Christ. — Money  has  great  power,  but  thou 
and  thy  money  shall  perish  together,  Acts  viii.  20. — 
Manifest  lies  require  no  refutation ;  they  refute  them- 
selves.—  Quc.viel:  What  a  misfortune,  that  a  man 
will  turn  to  lies  to  cover  his  sin,  rather  than  unto  re- 
pentance for  forgiveness ! — Zeisius :  The  lie,  no  mat- 
ter how  absurd,  is  beUeved  rather  than  the  truth, 
especially  by  the  low  and  godless  masses. — Murder 
and  lies,  the  devil's  weapons,  John  viii.  44. 

Lisco : — Hate  and  wickedness  incite  Christ's  ene- 
mies to  bribe  the  soldiers ;  low  avarice  makes  them 
ready  to  free  themselves  from  the  crime  of  a  neglect 
of  duty  by  availing  themselves  of  a  convenient  lie. 

Ileubncr : — Contrast  between  this  account  and 
the  preceding :  1.  There  truth  ;  here  lies.  2.  There 
the  glorified  Hero  in  His  perfect  purity ;  here  the 
terrified  priesthood,  aifrighted  because  of  its  crime. 
3.  There,  among  the  disciples,  overmastering  joy ; 
here  anguishing  terror.  4.  There  willing,  unpaid 
servants  of  truth ;  here  bribed  servants  of  falsehood. 
— Injustice  brings  a  man  to  humihation,  shame,  be- 
fore the  instruments  of  his  sin :  he  resigns  himself  to 
them,  must  fear  them,  and  they  laugh  him  to  scorn. — 
Such  people  have  never  a  clean  mouth.  The  state 
of  things  might  have  been  learned  by  the  Apostles 
from  secret  friends  and  adherents  among  the  priests, 
from  several  persons,  perchance  from  converted  sol- 
diers. 

Braune : — As  the  friends  heard  from  their  own, 
so  the  foes  from  their  own,  the  news  of  the  resurrec- 
tion.— What  revelation  will  be  made  on  the  day  of 
judgment*  of  what  money  can  effect ! — Lies  find  ad- 
mission, but  they  flee  before  the  truth.  Let  no  one, 
accordingly,  be  aSrighted  for  what  men  can  do ;  the 
Lord's  counsel  stands  fast. — But  let  no  one  imagine 
that  he  must  take  in  hand  to  destroy  the  attempts 
of  another ;  leave  that  to  the  Lord. 


*  [The  Edinb.  edition  mistranslates  "  every  day  we  see," 
etc.;  mistaking  the  German:  ^Vjifr  Tag  (remember:  Dies 
ira,  dies  ilia)  for  jed&r  7'ag.—P.^.] 


THIRD    SECTION. 
i'HE   OMNIPOTENT   RULE,  AND   THE  KINGDOM   OF   CHRIST,  IN  HEAVEN  AND  IN  EARTH. 


Chapter  XXVIII.  16-20. 
(Mark  xvi.  15-18;  Luke  xxiv.  44-49.) 

16  Then  the  eleven  disciples  went  away  into  Galilee,  into  a  [the,  to]  mountain  where 

17  Jesus  had  appointed  them.     And  when  they  saw  him,  they  worshipped  him:^  but 

18  some  doubted.*     And  Jesus  came  [drew  near,  TrpocreX^wv]  and  spake  unto  them,  saying, 

19  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  [iv]  heaven  and  in  [on,  cTrt]  earth.  Go  ye  therefore,* 
and  teach  [make  disciples  of,  or  disciple,  christianize,  fxaOrjTivaaTeY  all  [the,  ra]  nations, 
baptizing^  them  in  the  name  [into  the  name,  cts  to  ovo/^a]®  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 

20  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  Teaching  [S(,8acrKovT€s]  them  to  observe  all  things  whatso- 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  16-20. 


555 


ever  I  have  comni 
Ameil.^ 


iUKlcd  you :  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  ahvay  [all  the  days, 
,  even  unto  the  end    [ews  i-i}?  crurTeAetu?]   of  the  world  [7 


every  day. 


»  Ver.  IT.— Codd.  B.,  D.,  [also  Cod.  Sinait.],  Vulgate,  Clirysostom,  and  Augustine  omit  a  u  t  y ,  and  so  Lnohmann  and 
Tischendorf  [not  in  the  large  edition  of  1859,  where  he  retains  It  with  a  majority  of  uncial  MSS.].  Some  cursive  MSS.  read 
avrov. 

2  Ver.  17.— [Grotius,  Doddridge,  Newcome,  Fritzsche,  Scrivener  translate  iSl(rr  affav :  had  drnthted,  taking  the 
Greek  aorist  as  a  Latin  pluperfect.  So  also  the  French  translations  of  Martin  and  Osterwald:  c{vaieTU  douti.  'But  this  is 
unnecessary,  and  grammatic.illy  impossible  after  iToo(TiKvpi)cTav.  Matthew  docs  not  say  iravrts  TrponiKivtiiTav, 
and  the  doubt  may  be  referred  (with  <ie  Wette  and  Lanfre)  to  the  act  of  worship,  and  not  to  tl'.o  fact  of  the  resurrection 
>. .  h'xeg.  yotes.  But  even  if  all  disciples  fell  down  before  the  risen  Lord,  some  (not  of  the  cleveii,  after  tlio  two  appear- 
:ini'es  in  Jerusalem,  John  sx.,  but  of  the  severity  or  of  the  Ave  thousand  to  whom  Christ  appeared,  1  Cor.  xv.  6)  may  have 
done  so  with  the  honest  scepticism  of  Thomiis,  being  very  anxious,  but  hardly  able  as  yet  to  realize  such  a  stupendous 
miracle.    Hence  there  is  no  necessity,  as  there  is  no  critical  authority,  for  Boza's  conjecture,  substituting  0  u  5  e  for  o  1  5  e. 

3  Ver.  19.— The  particle  ovv  (i/i«re/ore)  is  wanting  in  all  uncial  MSS.  [This  is  not  quite  correct.  The  Vatican  Codex 
(B.).  botli  in  the  edition  of  Angelo  Mai  and  of  Buttmann,  has  it,  as  well  as  some  ancient  patristic  quotations,  and  hence 
Lachmann  retains  it,  although  in  brackets.  Some  quote  Jilso  Cod.  Ephr.iemi  Syri  (C.)  in  its  favor,  but  this  Coiiox  as  pub- 
lished by  Tischendorf  breaks  off  in  this  chapter  witli  ver.  14  But  eleven  uncial  MSS.  (Codd.  Sinait.,  A.,  E.,  F.,  II.,  K.,  M., 
S.)  and  numerous  cursive  copies  omit  it,  and  so  do  the  editions  of  Griesbach,  Scholz, Tischendorf,  and  Alford.  But  although 
it  is  difficult  to  defend  it  critically,  it  certainly  accords  with  the  sense.  For  the  glorification  of  tho  Son  by  the  Father  and 
His  elevation  to  the  right  hand  of  Almighty  power  is  the  foundation  of  tho  Church  and  of  the  authority  of  the  apostolic 
ministry.— P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  19. — [Tho  verb  ixaOn)T  evi  iv  (properly  an  intransitive  verb :  to  be  a  pupil  to  one,  rivi,  ch.  xxvii.  57  and 
among  the  classics,  but  in  the  N.  T.  used  also  transitively :  to  make  a  disciple  of,  riyd,  so  here.  Matt.  xiii.  52 ;  Acts  xiv. 
21,  =  fj.advTas  irotf'ii',  John  iv.  1).  is  more  comprehensive  than  SiBdffKeip,  ver.  20,  and  should  therefore  be  dififerent- 
ly  rendered  in  this  connection.  It  signifies  the  end,  the  p.irticiples  the  means.  The  nations  are  to  be  made  disciples  of 
Christ  or  converted  to  Him  by  two  means  chiefly,  viz.,  by  haptism  (fiairTi^ovTfs)  and  by  religious  instruction  (5 ( - 
ScfTKoi'Tss).  The  margin  of  the  Authorized  Version  proposes:  make  disciples,  or  Christians  of  all  nations;  Dod- 
dridge: _p/'o«e/yfe  (which  is  objectionable  on  account  of  the  double  meaning) ;  Campbell:  convert;  Norton:  make  disci- 
ples from  all  nations  (Jrotn  implies  a  false  restriction);  Scrivener:  vnake  disciples  of;  Conant  and  the  N.  T.  of  the  Am. 
Bible  Union:  disciple  (in  the  sense:  to  convert,  to  cause  to  become  a  follower).  This  is  certainly  shorter  than  the  cir- 
cumlocution: to  make  disciples  of,  hnt  perhaps  not  sufficiently  pojjular.  Lange  has:  Machet  zu  Jiiiigern,  aoi  adds  in 
small  type:  bekehret ;  de  Wette 'and  Ewald:  hekehret.  The  teach  at  the  Authorized  and  all  the  older  English  Versions 
(as  well  as  the  lekrel  of  Luther)  comes  from  the  inaccurate  rendering  of  the  Vulgata:  docete  .  .  .  bapiizantes  .  .  .  do- 
cente-s.—V.  S.] 

*  Ver.  19.— The  reading :  ^anr  ier  avr  e  ^  (havinr/  hajjtized)  of  CodtL  B.,  D.,  instead  of  j8  a  ir  t  i  ^o  i*  t  €  y ,  is  wor- 
thy of  notice.    [Comp.  the  translators  foot-note  on  p.  557. — P.  S.] 

*  Ver.  19.— [The  preposition  sij  with  the  accusative,  as  distinct  from  iv  dv6fj.a.Ti,  strictly  conveys  the  idea:  into 
the  covenant — union  and  fellowship  of  the  triime  God,  with  a\l  tho  privileges  and  duties  involved  in  it.  The  common 
version  in  the  English  and  German  Bibles  and  baptismal  offices  arises  from  the  inaccurate  rendering  of  Cyprian  (Epist.  Ixxiii. 
5)  and  of  the  Vulgata:  w  nomine  Patris,  etc.,  instead  of  mi  nome7i,  as  Tertullian  has  it  (De  Bapt  c.  13).  It  may  be  gram- 
matically defended,  however,  by  ch.  xviii.  20:  gathered  together  in  my  name,  €  i  s  ti)  ovo/xa,  and  x.  41:  in  the  name  of 
a  prophet,  eis  oi'Ofj.a  TrpofriTov,  SiKaiov,  fj.adriTov,— the  meaning  ot  eh  being  here:  in  reference  to.  Lange  inge- 
niously combines  the  two  meanings :  in  the  OMthority  of,  and  into  the  communion  with,  the  holy  Trinity.  See  his  Exeg. 
U'ote.s  and  my  additions ;  also  Lange 's  Doctrinal  Thoughts,  No.  6.-1*.  S.] 

'  Ver.  20.— [Lit.  :  till  the  consimnnation  of  the  (present)  mon  (as  di.^tinct  from  the  future  ason  after  the  Advent  or  tho 
never-ending  world  to  come);  Lange:  bisandes  Weltlauf's  Vollendung.  But  the  common  rendering  of  cruyTeAefa  rot; 
alwuos  by  end  of  the  world,  is  upon  the  whole  the  best,  certainly  the  most  popular,  and  hence  we  left  it  undistui-bed  in 
the  text.  It  dates  from  Wiclif,  and  was  retained  by  all  the  older  versions  (except  that  of  Rheims,  which  has:  to  the  con- 
summation of  the  icorld,  after  the  Vulgata:  ad  conswnmati&nem  sceculi),  and  among  recent  revisers  also  by  Conant  and 
the  N.  T.  of  the  Am.  Bible  Union  (with  the  omission  of  the  interpolated  &ven,  which  dates  fi-om  Tyndale).  Coverdale  and 
J.ames'  Revisers  have:  unto,  but  the  Versions  of  Tyndale,  Cranmer,  Geneva,  and  the  Bishops  have:  until.  The  old  ver- 
sion is  greatly  preferable  to  that  of  Campbell:  to  the  conclusion  of  this  state,  and  to  that  of  Norton:  to  the  end  of  present 
things.— v.  S.] 

"  Ver.  20.— [The  word  afxii  i>  of  the  text.  reo.  and  younger  MSS.  is  omitted  in  Codd.  Sinait.,  B.,  D.,  etc.,  Vulgata,  etc. 
It  is  cancelled  by  Griesbach,  Lachmann,  Tischendoi-f,  Tregelles,  Alford;  it  is  also  wanting  in  the  first  edition  of  Erasmus, 
1516,  and  hence  in  Luther's  German  Version,  and  in  all  the  English  Versions  previous  to  that  of  King  James'  Revisers. 
The  word  was  probably  added  by  the  scribes  who  prepared  the  copies  for  liturgical  use.— P.  S.] 

lem.  We  agree  with  Ebrard  and  others,  that  Christ's 
meeting  with  the  seven  (John  xxi.)  jji-eceded  and  in- 
troduced this  manifestation.  That  there  is  a  refer- 
ence to  an  actual  mountain  in  Galilee,  may  be  seen 
from  the  connection  between  this  ))assage  and  the 
injunctions  to  proceed  into  (ialilee,  vers.  7,  10;  also 
from  tlie  consideration,  that  in  Galilee  only  could  a 
place  be  found  for  so  hirge  an  assemblage  of  disci- 
])les  as  is  mentioned  in  1  C!or.  xv.  6.  An  apocryphal 
tradition,  dating  .*'rom  the  tliirteenth  century,  named 
the  northern  peak  of  the  Mount  of  Olives  as  the 
scene,  and  gave  it  the  name  of  Galilita.  This  theory 
has  undoubtedly  originated  early,  in  an  improper  and 
interested  attempt  at  harmonizing,  the  first  traces  of 
which  we  find  in  the  apocryphal  Act'is  rilat'i.  It  is 
upon  this  statement  that  Rudolf  Ilofmann  supports 
his  views  in  his  work,  Ucber  den  Bery  Galiliia,  Ein 
Beitray  zur  Harmonie  der  evangelischen  Berichic. 


EXEGETICAL  AND  CRITICAL. 

Ver.  16.  Then  the  eleven  disciples. — They 
come  forward  here  as  the  representatives  of  the  en- 
tire band  of  disciples,  and  not  as  the  select  apostolic 
college  of  the  Twelve,  which  makes  its  first  reappear- 
ance a,fter  the  selection  of  Matthias.  This  distinction 
is  to  be  found  in  the  remark  that  some  doubled,  which 
cannot  apply  to  tlic  Eleven :  reference  is  made  to 
many  witnesses  in  1  Cor.  xv.  6. 

Upon  the  mountsiin. — The  Eviingelist  himself 
informs  us  that  Jesus  had  appomted  the  jjlace  of 
meeting,  but  does  not  tell  us  when  and  where.  Ina.s- 
much  as  the  disciples  were  bidden  at  first  merely  to 
go  into  Gahlee,  the  more  special  direction  must  have 
been  given  at  a  later  date.  Grotius  thinks  that  the 
command  was  issued  while  they  were  stiU  in  Jerusa- 


55G 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDIXG   TO   MATTHEW. 


Leipzig,  1856.*  We  saw  above  that  Mount  Tabor 
could  not  have  been  the  scene  of  the  transfiguration. 
But  should  we  conclude  from  this,  that  that  tradition 
is  wholly  untenable  ?  How  easily  could  that  which 
hafl  been  said  of  the  second  transfiguration  of  Jesus 
before  the  eyes  of  His  Church,  be  confounded  with 
the  account  of  the  former  transfiguration  !  How  well 
adapted,  besides,  was  Mount  Tabor  for  the  acconnno- 
dation  of  the  disciples,  who  assembled  for  the  pur- 
pose of  celebrating  the  first  great  Easter  festival  ! 
That  the  mount  was  then  peopled,  goes  against  the 
theory  which  makes  it  the  scene  of  such  an  event  as 
the  first  transfiguration,  but  not  against  the  view 
which  selects  it  as  the  centre  to  which  the  GaUlean 
Christians  were  gathered.  For  the  dwellers  upon 
this  mountain  (if  the  mountain  were  not  then,  to  some 
degree,  waste  and  occupied  only  by  ruins ;  see  Schulz, 
Reisebeschrdbung)  could  be  but  few  in  number,  and 
would  be,  besides,  friendly  disposed  to  the  Galilean 
believers,  so  that  the  assemblage  upon  this  high  peak 
of  Galilee  would  not  be  in  the  least  disturbed  {see 
the  author's  Lcben  Jesu,  ii.  3,  1730).  Grotius,  too, 
writing  upon  this  passage,  is  in  favor  of  Tabor. 
"  Southward  from  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes,  six  miles 
distant  from  Nazareth,  in  an  easterly  direction  (south- 
east), the  Mount  of  Tabor  rises,  "linPl,  i.  e.  peak,  na- 
vel, Greek  'iTc^vpiov  (Hos.  v.  1 ;  Sept.),  called  by  the 
natives  Tschebel  Tor.  It  is  a  great,  well-nigh  isolated 
ball  of  chalkstone,  flattened  on  the  top.  Jerome  says 
of  it :  Mira  roiwitdiiate  sublbnis.  In  omni  jmrte  fiid- 
tuT  iequaliter.  Upon  the  southern  side,  it  extends  far 
down  into  the  plain  of  Jezreel :  f  northward  it  over- 
looks all  the  confronting  mountains  of  the  highlands 
of  Galilee.  The  sides  of  Tabor  are  covered  with  a 
forest  of  oaks  and  wild  pistachio-trees,  which  shelter 
wild  swine.  The  whole  mountain  is  rich  in  flowers, 
and  abounds  with  trees.  The  flat  top  is  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  in  circumference ;  upon  it  are  the  remains 
of  a  large  fortress,  and  two  churches  may  still  be  rec- 
ognized." (K.  von  Eaumer,  Paldstina,  p.  62.)  See 
Jer.  xlvi.  18;  Ps.  Ixxxix.  12,  ["Tabor  and  Hei-mon 
shall  rejoice  in  thy  name"].  Upon  the  prospect 
from  Tabor,  consult  works  of  travel,  Schubert,  Rob- 
inson; also  Schulz  (Miihlheim  an  der  Ruhr,  1852,  p. 
260).  Gerlach  supposes  the  mountain  to  have  lain 
in  a  lonely  neighborhood,  in  Lebanon,  in  the  north 
of  Gafilee,  but  states  no  reasons. 

Ver.  17.  And  ■when  they  savr  Him. — In  the 
case  of  the  Eleven,  this  was  "  neither  the  first  occa- 
sion upon  which  they  saw  Him  since  the  resurrection, 
nor  yet  the  first  impression."  Judging  from  the  im- 
port of  what  follows,  we  beUeve  that  Matthew  groups 
the  eleven  Apostles  together  v/ith  the  assembled  pil- 
grim throng  of  Galilean  believers.  To  this  congre- 
gated body  does  the  prostration  refer,  and  also  the 
doubting  of  some.  We  consider,  however,  that  the 
statement:  some  doubted,  is  not  appUed  to  the 
reaUty  of  the  Risen  One,  but  is  used  in  regard  to  the 

*  [Hofmann  endeavors  to  harmonize  the  differences  in 
the  history  of  the  forty  days  by  means  of  this  apocryphal 
tradition;  but  y  FaXtAaia  means  nowhere  in  the  N.  T.  a 
mountain,  but  always  the  well-known  province,  nor  do  the 
fathers  use  it  In  any  other  sense.  Comp.  Meyer  in  the  ftith 
edition,  p.  613,  note.— P.  S.] 

t  [The  Edinb.  edition  reads:  it  sinAs  deep  into  the  Val- 
ley of  Israel.  I  do  not  know  what  the  "  Valley  of  Israel" 
is;  but  Dr.  Lange  undoubtedly  means  the  great  plateau  or 
elevated  plain  of  Jezreel,  bxSTTi  p?:S  ,  which  extends 
from  Carmel  to  the  Jordan  where  it  leaves  the  Lake  Gene- 
zareth,  and  was  celebrated  for  its  beauty  and  fertility, 
Josh.  xvii.  16;  Judg.  vi.  33;  vii.  1;  1  Sam.  xxix.  1,  etc.— P. 


immediately  preceding  irpuae  Kvi'-rjo-ai'.  These 
"some"  were  not  in  doubt  whether  the  person  be- 
fore them  was  really  Jesus  who  had  risen.  That 
would  have  been  a  total  inversion  of  the  order  of 
things,  if  they  had  come  to  the  mountain  believing, 
and  had  been  plunged  back  into  doubt  upon  the  sight 
of  the  Lord.  Why,  it  was  the  very  vision  of  the 
Lord  which  made  the  women  and  the  Eleven  believ- 
ing. So  that  they  doubted  whether  it  was  ivoper  to 
oft'er  unto  the  Lord  such  an  unbotr.ded  v.orship  as 
was  expressed  in  the  supplications  and  prostration 
of  the  disciples.  This  view  is  held  also  by  de  Wette. 
The  following  declaration  of  Jesus  refers  to  this  hesi- 
tation. Hence  we  find  in  this  a  prophetic  allusion 
by  the  Evangelist  to  that  germ  of  Ebionism  which 
developed  itself  at  a  later  period  among  the  Jewish 
Christians,  just 'as  he  had  before  pointed  out  the 
germ  of  the  antichristian  Judaism.  These  "  some  " 
— o  I  S  e  without  a  preceding  oi  ^iv — constitute  a  par- 
ticular section  of  that  assembled  mass,  formerly  men- 
tioned as  a  body,  to  which  special  attention  would  be 
directed.*  The  words,  ol  5  f  e  5  i  cr  t  a  c  a  j/ ,  have 
received  various  explanations.  1.  The  reading  itself, 
ou5e :  Bomemanu  [Beza].  2.  The  meaning,  Some 
prostrated  themselves,  the  others  separated  in  dis- 
may: Schleussner.  3.  The  occasion:  («)  They 
doubted,  because  Jesus'  body  was  already  glorified : 
Olshausen  and  others;  {b)  dread  of  a  phantom: 
Hase ;  (c)  on  account  of  a  change  in  the  body  of  Je- 
sus, which  was  now  in  the  intermediate  state,  between 
its  former  condition,  and  glorification,  which  was 
completed  at  the  ascension  :  Meyer,  f  4.  The  sub- 
ject :  (a)  The  Eleven  were  they  who  doubted :  Meyer ; 
{b)  certain  of  the  .Seventy :  Kuinoel ;  (c)  certain  of 
the  five  hundred  brethren,  1  Cor.  xv.  6 :  Calovius 
and  others  [also  Olshausen,  Ebrard,  Stier,  who  sup- 
pose, from  the  previous  announcement  of  this  meet- 
ing, and  the  repetition  of  that  announcement  by  the 
angel,  and  by  Christ,  that  it  included,  probably,  all 
the  disciples  who  could  be  brought  together; — in 
which  case  we  must  take  the  eVSewo  in  ver.  16  in  an 
emphatic,  not  in  an  exclusive  sense,  the  Eleven  being 
the  natural  leaders  of  the  rest. — P.  S.]  This  last  ex- 
planation is  undoubtedly  the  correct  one.    {See  above.) 

Ver.  18.  And  Jesus  drawing  near,  spake 
unto  them. — Tliis  drawing  near  was  manifestly  a 
special  approach  unto  those  who  were  doubting; 
and  unto  them  likewise  were  the  following  words  in 
the  first  instance  addressed,  though  not  exclusively. 

All  power  is  given  unto  Me. — Expression  of 
His  glorification  and  victory.  "  It  is  an  unwarrant- 
ed rationalizing  explanation,  when  this  expression  is 
made  to  mean  simply,  either  poiestas  animvi  honii- 
num  per  doctrinani  imperandi  (Kuinoel),  or  full 
power  to  make  all  the  preparations  necessary  for  the 
Messianic  theocracy  (Paulus).  It  is  the  munus  re- 
gium  Christi,  without  Umilation."  Meyer.  Accord- 
ing to  the  doubts  of  the  later  Ebionites,  Christ  must 
share  the  power  given  Him  by  God,  in  heaven  with 
the  angels,  on  earth  with  Moses.  [With  the  resur- 
rection and  ascension  Christ  took  full  possession,  as 

*  [The  omission  of  oi  fxiv  implies  that  those  who  doubt- 
ed were  a  small  minority,  a  mere  exception.  If  Matthew 
had  written:  oi  fJ-ef  TipoaiKvvr\(Tav,  oi  Se  i^i(naao.ii, 
he  would  have  divided  the  disciples  into  two  co-ordinate  and 
almost  equal  parts.     Comp.  Meyer  iu-  loc.—P.  S.] 

t  [Lansce  means  the  late  Jobann  Friedrich  von  Meyer, 
the  reviser  of  Luther's  German  Bible,  not  to  be  confounded 
with  Heinrich  August  Wilhelm  Meyer,  the  commentator 
still  living.  As  the  latter  is  mentioned  immediately  after- 
ward, their  Christian  names  should  have  been  given  here. — 
P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  16-20. 


557 


the  Godtnan,  of  that  5o'|a  Mhich,  as  \6yoi  icrapicos, 
or  according  to  His  eternal  Divine  nature,  He  had 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  John  xvii.  5  ; 
Luke  xxiv.   20;    Phil.  ii.  9-11;    Eph.  i.  20-23.— 

\er.  19.  Go  ye  (therefore). — Oiv  is  a  gloss, 
but  a  correct  one ;  for  the  majesty  of  Christ  is  the 
ground  both  for  His  sending,  and  for  their  allowing 
themselves  to  be  sent.  [Alford,  a  dignitary  of  the 
Church  of  England,  says  of  these  words  of  the  great 
commission,  that  they  were  "  not  spoken  to  the  apos- 
tles o«(y,  but  to  all  the  brethren."  He  also  remarks 
on  the  connection  between  e'louo-iaand  /naSrjTeiWare : 
"  All  power  is  given  Me — go  therefore  and — subdue  ? 
Not  so :  the  purpose  of  the  Lord  is  to  bring  men  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth — to  work  on  and  in  their 
hearts,  and  lift  them  up  to  be  partakers  of  the  Divine 
nature  I  And  therefore  it  is  not  '  subdue^'  but  '  make 
disciples  of.'' " — P.  S.] 

Make  disciples  of,  nad-r)T e  urr  ar  e.  —  Lu- 
ther's translation:  Ichret,  is  incorrect.*  So  also  is 
the  Baptist  exegesis :  In  every  case,  first  complete 
religious  instruction,  then  baptism.  To  make  disci- 
ples of,  involves  in  general,  it  is  true,  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel ;  but  it  maiks  pre-eminently  the  mo- 
ment when  the  non-Christian  is  brought  to  a  full 
wilUngniess  to  become  a  Christian,  that  is,  has  be- 
come, through  repentance  and  faith,  a  catechumen. 
This  willingness,  in  the  case  of  the  children  of  Chris- 
tian parents,  is  presupposed  and  implied  in  the  wil- 
lingness of  the  parents ;  for  it  is  unnatural  and  uu- 
spiritual  to  treat  children  as  if  they  were  adults, 
and  Christianity  as  if  it  were  a  mere  school  question, 
when  the  parents  do  not  decide  unhesitatingly  in 
favor  of  Christianity  as  the  religion  of  their  chihiren, 
and  do  not  determine  to  educate  them  accordingly. 
Hence  the  children  of  Christian  parents  are  born 
catechumens,  or  subjects  of  Christian  instruction. 
The  Holy  Scriptures  everywhere  place  the  spiritual 
unity  of  the  household  in  the  believing  father  or  be- 
lieving mother,  representing  this  as  the  normal  rela- 
tion. 

All  nations. — Removal  of  the  limitations  laid 
down  in  ch.  x.  5,  according  to  the  statements  con- 
tained in  ch.  XXV.  32  ;  xxiv.  14.  By  this,  the  univer- 
sality of  the  apostolic  commission  is  estabUshed. 
The  question,  how  the  Gentiles  are  to  be  received 
into  the  Church,  is  not  yet  answered,  though  the  un- 
conditioned reception  of  behevers  is  found  in  the  ap- 
pointment, that  nations,  as  nations,  are  to  be  chris- 
tianized, without  being  first  made  Jews ;  that  they 
are  to  be  marked  out  as  Christians  by  baptism,  with- 
out any  reference  to  circumcision.  The  development 
of  this  germ  is  left  by  the  Lord  to  the  work  of  the 
Spirit.  The  revelation  recorded  Acts  x.,  is  the  Spir- 
it's exegesis  of  the  already  perfect  commission,  and 
not  a  continuation  or  expansion  of  that  commission, 
which  was  completed  with  the  work  of  Christ.  We 
cannot,  therefore,  assume  that  the  Apostles,  up  to  that 
time,  held  circumcision  to  be  a  necessary  condition 
of  baptism,  or  reception  into  the  Church  ;  they  were 
merely  in  the  dark  regarding  this  question,  until  the 
Holy  Spirit  explained  the  word  of  Christ  unto 
them. 

Baptizing  them. — Or,  more  correctly  accord- 
ing to  the  reading  ^aTrriaavres  :  having  baptized 
them.\     But  t^aO-nrevetv  is  not  completed  in  baptism. 

*  [So  is  the  ieacJi,  of  the  English  Version,  and  the  docete 
of  the  Latin  Vulgate.  Cotnp.  the  Critical  Note  No.  4,  p.  555. 
-P.  S.] 

+  [The  re.iiling  ySaiTTi  (Toi't  e  s   has   the   authority  of 


Rather  are  there  two  acts,  a  missionary  and  an  eccle- 
siastical,— the  antecedent  baptism,  the  subsequent 
instruction.  [Meyer:  " /SaTrn'^'oi'Tfy,  etc.,  by  which 
the  i.i.aOr]Tiv(iv  is  to  be  brought  about,  not  what  is  to 
take  place  after  the  no.Q-i)T(v(ra.7e,  which  would  re- 
quire ;uu67;T6iVai/Tev-;8a7rTi'(,'eTf."  Alford:  "The  ixaQi\- 
reveif  consists  of  two  parts — the  initinio7y,  admissory 
rite,  and  the  subsequent  teaching.  It  is  much  to  be 
regretted  that  the  rendering  of  /xad.,  ^  teach,''  has  in 
our  Bibles  clouded  the  meaning  of  these  important 
words.  It  will  be  observed  that  in  our  Lord's  words, 
as  in  the  Church,  the  process  of  ordinary  discipleship 
is  from  baptism  to  instruction — /.  e.,  is  admission  in 
infancy  to  the  covenant,  and  growing  up  into  rrjpetv 
navTct,  K.  T.  A."  But  this  applies  only  to  Christian 
churches  already  established.  As  the  Jewish  relidon 
commenced  with  the  promise  of  God,  and  the  faith 
and  circumcision  of  adult  Abraham,  who  received 
circumcision  as  a  sign  and  seal  of  the  covenant  al- 
ready established  (Rom.  iv.  11)  for  himself  and  for 
his  seed,  so  the  Christian  Church  was  founded  in  tl* 
beginning,  and  is  now  propagated  in  all  heathen 
countries  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to,  and  by 
the  baptism  of,  adults.  Infant  baptism  always  pre- 
supposes the  existence  of  a  responsible  parent  church 
and  the  guaranty  of  Christian  nurture  which  must 
develop  and  make  available  the  blessings  of  the  bap- 
tismal covenant.  Hence  the  preponderance  of  adult 
over  infant  baptism  in  the  first  centuries  of  Chrii'tian- 
ity,  and  in  all  missionary  stations  to  thif?  day.  But 
even  in  the  case  of  adult  converts,  a  full  instruction 
in  the  Christian  religion  and  develoi)ment  of  Christian 
life,  does  not,  as  a  rule,  precede,  but  succeed  baptism, 
which  is  an  initiatory,  not  a  consummatory  rite,  the 
sacramental  sign  and  seal  of  regeneration,  i.  e.,  of  the 
beginning  of  the  new  life,  not  of  sanctification  or 
growth  and  perfection  in  holiness. — P.  S.] 

In  [or  rather  witk  reference  to,  or  into]  the 
name  of.* — That  is,  in  the  might  of,  and  for,  the 
name,  as  the  badge  and  the  sjonbol  of  the  new  Church. 
El's  t6.  "Xote,"  says  Meyer,  "that  the  liturgical 
formida,  In  7iomine,  In  the  name,  rests  entirely  upon 
the  incorrect  translation  of  the  Vulgate."  Yet,  not 
so  entirely,  because  the  expression  iv  t2  ovonan  is 
found  in  Acts  x.  48  (compare  Matt.  iii.  11).  De  Wette 
and  Meyer  explain  els  to,  viith  reference  to  the 
name.  But  eis  to,  in  other  passages,  means  either 
the  element  into  which  one  is  baptized  (Mark  i.  9, 
€1?  rhv  'lopScti'Tji' ;  Rom.  vi.  3,  tls  rou  Oavarov);  or 
the  object,  iU  ixiravoiav.  Matt.  iii.  11 ;  Acts  ii.  38, 
Ei's  &ipeaiv ;  or  the  authority  of  the  community,  under 
which  and  for  which  one  is  baptized  (eis  rhv  MaiUo-fj;', 
1  Cor.  X.  2).  The  last  meaning  is  probably  the 
j)rominent  one  in  this  passage :  a  baptism  under  the 
authority  of,  and  unto  the  authority  of  the  triune 
God,  as  opposed  to  the  baptism  in  and  for  the  author- 
ity of  Moses.  But,  as  the  context  shows,  we  have 
expressed  likewise  the  idea  of  being  plunged  into 
tlie  name  of  the  Three-one  God,  as  the  element,  and 

only  two,  thoufch  very  important  uncial  MSS.,  the  Vatican 
(B.)  and  the  Ciinibridge  Codex  (.Code.x  liezre  or  D.),  and  looks 
Very  much  like  an  ecclesiasticul  correction.  The  Pinaitic 
Code.v,  which  otherwise  so  often  agrees  with  Cod.  B.,  sus- 
tains here  the  text,  rec,  and  all  the  modem  critical  editions, 
Lachmann,  Tischendorf,  Alford,  etc.,  rt-ad  the  present  parti- 
ciple /SaTTTi  fo  j'Tf  s.  Meyer,  otherwise  so  careful  in 
grammatical  and  critical  matters,  does  not  even  notice  the 
difference  of  reading  in  this  case.— P.  8.] 

*  [Lange,  as  also  do  Wette,  Stier,  and  Ew.tld,  translate 
ejs  Th  ovona:  uuf  den.  Nainen,  while  Luther,  follow- 
ing the  Latin  Vulgate,  translates  in  dent  Namen,  like  oui 
English  Version.  Hee  tlie  Criticol  Note  No.  6,  p.  555.— 
P.  S.] 


558 


THE   GOSPEL   ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


the  dedication  of  the  baptized  unto  this  name.*  The 
expression,  eVl  tij;  6i>6iJ.art,  Acts  ii.  38,  brings  out 
most  fully  the  idea  of  the  authority,  in  virtue  of 
which,  or  the  foundation  upon  which,  baptism  is  ad- 
ministered. In  so  far,  now,  as  baptism  has  the  Triune 
name  as  (/round,  means,  and  object,  the  combined  sig- 
nification of  ets  may  be  partially  explained  by  loith 
reference  to  ;  more  distinctly,  however,  in  the  name 
of:  that  is,  upon  the  ground  of  this  name,  in  the 
might  of  this  name,  as  dedicated  unto  this  name,  or 
for  this  name.  Meyer:  "The  name  of  the  Father, 
etc.,  is  to  be  the  object  of  faith,  and  the  subject  of 
confession."  This  expresses  only  the  third  concep- 
tion, and  that  but  half.  Upon  the  import  of  the 
name,  see  Commentary  on  Matt.  vi.  9  [p.  125]. f  The 
name  refers  to  each  of  the  Persons  of  the  Godhead. 
The  plural  form,  -ra.  dvofxara,  would  have  pointed  to 
Tritheism ;  while  the  singular,  in  its  distributive  ap- 
pUcation  to  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  brings  out  in  the 
one  name  the  equahty  as  well  as  the  personahty,  of  the 
three  Divine  Names  in  one  name.:]^  In  an  emphatic 
sense,  may  it  also  be  said,  that  -rh  irvevfxa  ayiov  is 
a  "distinctively  Chinstian  charactcristieum  of  the 
Spirit"  (John  vii.  39). 

*  [So  ."ilso  two  distingnisheil  modern  English  commenta- 
tors. Alfobd /?(. /oc.  /  "It  is  unfortunate  again  here  that 
our  Endish  Bibles  ;lo  not  give  us  the  forr-e  of  this  etr. 
It  should  have  been  into  (as  in  Gal.  iii.  27)  both  here  and  in 
1  Cor.  X.  2,  and  wherever  the  expression  is  used.  It  imports 
not  only  a  subjective  recognition  hereafter  by  the  child  of 
the  truth  Implied  in  to  ui/o/xa,  k.t.X.,  but  an  objective  ad- 
viissioninto  the  covenant  of  redemption— a  putting  on  of 
Ohrint.  Baptism  is  the  contract  of  espousal  (Eph.  v.  2(i) 
between  Christ  and  Ilis  Church,  bur  word  ';»'  being  re- 
tained both  here  and  In  our  formula  of  Baptism,  it  should  al- 
ways be  remembered  that  the  sacramental  declaration  is 
contained  in  this  word;  that  it  answers  (as  Stier  has  well 
observed,  Reden  Jesu,  vi.  902)  to  the  toCto  earriv  in  the 
other  sacrament."  Similarly  AVordsworth,  who  otherwise 
adheres  very  closely  to  ancient  usage:  "Not  «'«.,  but  into; 
and  not  names  (plural),  but  into  the  One  name;  i.  «.,  admit 
them  by  the  sacrament  of  Baptism  into  the  privileges  and 
duties  of  faith  in,  and  obedience  to,  the  name  of  the  one  God, 
in  three  persons  .  .  .  .and  into  participation  of,  and  commun- 
ion with,  the  divine  nature."  Conant,  on  the  other  hand, 
retains  and  defends  the  Authorized  Version  in  the  name 
(though  not  in  the  sense :  by  the  authority  of,  but  in  refe- 
rence to),  and  denies  th.at  into  the  name  gives  the  sense,  an.l 
is  admi.ssible  in  English.  But  the  Authorized  Version  ren- 
ders lirToi  i^aiTr[aQr]!Xiv  eh  XptaTov  'It^ffooy,  Rom.  vi. 
3:  "so  m.any  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,"  the 
^aTTTiCfj-a  ils  66.1'arov,  ver.  4:  "baptism  into  death,"  and 
eir  Xpunhv  i^aTrriadriTe,  Gal.  iii.^27:  "baptized  into 
Christ."  Why  not  say  then  with  ('qual  propriety:  to  bap- 
tize into  the  name  of  Christ,  i.  <?.,  into  communion  and  fel- 
lowship with  Him  and  the  holy  Trinity  as  revealed  in  the 
work  of  creation,  redemption,  and  regeneration?— P.  a] 

t  [The  name  signifies  the  meaning  and  essence  of  the 
subject  as  revealed,  the  copy  or  expression  of  the  being.  In 
this  case  the  name  implies  all  that  belongs  to  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  triune  God  in  the  gospel.  His  titles,  attributes  and 
works  of  creation,  redemption,  and  sanctification.  It  is  prob- 
able that  Christ  had  reference  also  to  llis  own  baptism  in 
Jordan,  where  all  three  persons  of  the  Godhead  revealed 
them.5elves.— P.  S.] 

t  [Meyer  (p.  CI 9,  5th  ed.  of  1SC4)  thinks  that,  doctrinally, 
the  singul.ir  to  ovona  can  be  used  neither  in  favor  of  the 
orthodox  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  (as  is  done  bj  Basil,  Jerome, 
Theophylact,  and  others),  nor  in  favor  of  the  Sabhellian 
view  of  a  mere  nominal  Trinity,  since  the  singular  signifies 
the  definite  name  of  each  one  of  tlie  three,  so  that  fls  rh 
uvop.a  must  be  supplied  before  rov  v'lou  and  before  too 
ayi'jv  TTvi-ufxaTos,  cornp.  Apoc.  xiv.  1 :  rh  ovofxa  avrnv 
KM  rh  itvoo-a.  to!)  TTaTphs  avrov.  But  be  admits  that  the 
New  Testament  doctrine  of  the  holy  Trinity  as  the  suiri  and 
substance  of  the  whole  Christian  faiih  and  confession  is  pre- 
supposed and  implied  in  the  passage.— The  old  practice  of  a 
threefold  immersion,  which  is  first  mentioned  by  Tertullian, 
is  a  venerable  usage,  but  cannot  be  traced  to  the  apostolic 
.aire,  nor  is  it  at  all  required  by  the  trinitarian  formula. — 
P.  S.] 


We  must  dissent  from  Meyer,  when  he  maintains 
that  the  passage  is  "  improperly  termed  the  baptis- 
mal formula,"  assigning  as  reason  that  "Jesus  does 
not,  assuredly,  dictate  the  words  whicli  are  to  be  em- 
ployed in  the  administration  of  baptism.  (No  trace 
is  to  be  found  of  the  employment  of  these  words  by 
the  Apostohc  Church  :  compare  rather  the  simple 
form  (h  XpiaT6v,  Rom.  vi.  3 ;  Gal.  iii.  2*7 ;  ^aiTTiQiiv 
eh  rh  uvoixa.  X.,  Acts  viii.  IG  ;  and  eVl  rtS  ovo.uaTi  X., 
Acts  ii.  38.)  It  is  the  telic  import  [or  intention]  of 
the  baptismal  act  that  is  given  in  this  expression. 
Consult  Reiche,  De  BafAism.  oric/.,  etc.,  (iottingen, 
1816,  p.  141.  It  was  only  at  a  later  period  that  the 
baptismal  formula  was  drawn  up  according  to  these 
words  {sec  Justin.  Apol.  i.  61),  just  as  was  the  bap- 
tismal confession  of  the  three  articles."  But  it  is 
exactly  this  gradual  development  of  the  apostolical 
confession  of  faith  which  conducts  us  back  to  the 
germ,  v/hicli  we  find  here  depo.sitcd  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. A  bai)tism  in  the  name  of  Christ  is  con- 
ceivable only  when  that  confession  was  accompanied 
by  the  acknowledgment  of  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Spirit;,  and  this  so-called  "telic  import"  points  us 
back  to  the  homogeneous  foundation  upon  which 
that  import  rests.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  the  apos- 
tolic age  was  not  bound  to  formulas,  as  stiif  and  dead 
formulas.  Otherwise,  Meyer  is  right  in  defending, 
against  the  objections  of  de  Wette,  Strauss,  and 
others,  the  historical  truth  of  this  direction  of  Christ. 
This  is  not  the  only  instance  in  which  we  have  pre- 
sented a  more  specially  defined  statement  of  the  fun- 
damental doctrines  of  Christianity,  and  of  the  essen- 
tial points  of  the  Christian  confession  (see  2  Cor.  xiii. 
13  ;  1  Tim.  iii.  IG  ;  Tit.  ii.  11,  13,  etc.).  [Comp.  the 
Doctrinal  Tlioughts,  below,  sub  No.  6.] 

Ver.  20.  Teaching  them. — These  words  mark, 
on  the  one 'hand,  the  continuation  of  the  apostolic 
activity,  after  that  ^a^TjTeueii/  and  fiami(^eiv  had  pre- 
ceded ;  upon  the  other,  the  course  of  the  Christian, 
which  should  run  on  parallel  to  this  activity.  The 
statement  concerning  the  new  eVroATJ,  John  xiii.  34, 
which  refers  undoubtedly  to  the  institution  of  the 
Holy  Supper,  shows  us,  that  all  things  commanded 
by  Christ  concentrate  in  the  truth,  and  the  spiritual 
observance  of  that  Supper  as  necessarily  following 
baptism  and  the  estabhshment  of  the  visible  church. 
See  the  autlior's  Lebcn  Jcsu,  iL  3,  p.  1330. 

[We  shoidd  not  overlook  that  there  is  no  k  a  i  be- 
fore SiSdcTicoyTfi,  so  that  baptizing  and  teaching 
are  not  strictly  coordinate,  as  two  successive  acts 
and  means  of  Christianizing  the  nations ;  but  the 
teachitig  is  a  continuous  process,  which  partly  pre- 
cedes baptism,  as  a  general  exhibition  of  the  gospel 
with  the  view  to  bring  the  adults  to  the  critical  turn- 
ing point  of  decision  for  Christ,  and  submission  to 
His  authority,  and  partly  follows  baptism,  both  in  the 
case  of  adults  and  infants,  as  a  thorough  indoctrina- 
tion in  the  Cliristian  truth,  and  the  building  up  of  the 
whole  man  unto  the  full  manhood  of  Christ,  the  au- 
thor and  finisher  of  our  fiuth.  Since  the  eleven  apos- 
tles and  other  personal  disciples  of  our  Lord  could 
neither  baptize  nor  teach  all  nations,  it  is  evident 
that  He  instituted  here  the  office  of  a  continuous  and 
unbroken  preacherhood  (not  piriesthood  in  the  Jewish 
or  Romish  sense)  and  teacherhood,  with  all  its  duties 
and  functions,  its  privileges  and  responsibilities ;  and 
to  this  office  He  pledged  His  perpetual  presence  to 
the  end  of  time,  without  the  intermission  of  a  single 
day  or  hour. — P.  S.] 

[All  things,  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you. — The  doctrines  and  precepts  of  Christ,  nothing 


CHAP.  XXVIII.  16-20. 


559 


less  and  nothing  more,  are  the  proper  subjects  of 
Ckristiau  faith  and  practice,  and  constitute  the  gemir- 
ine  Christian  tradition  to  be  handed  down  from  age 
to  age,  as  distinct  from  those  pseudo-Christian  tradi- 
tions of  men  which  were  added  to  the  gospel,  as  the 
pseudo-Jewisli  traditions  of  the  Pliarisees  and  ciders 
were  added  to  the  Old  Testament,  and  "  made  the 
word  of  (iod  of  none  effect,"  Matt.  xv.  6. — P.  S.] 

And,  lo. — Excitation  and  encouragement  to  ful- 
fil the  apostolic  commission,  and  the  duties  of  the 
Christian  Hie,  which  are  here  enjoined.* 

I  am  -with  you.  —  Not  merely  through  the 
agency  of  the  power  which  has  been  given  Me,  but 
still  more  in  the  other  person  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  or 
the  Paracletes  (John  xiv.  16,  20,  etc.),  and  in  My 
own  personal  agency,  through  My  word  (John  xiv. 
23)  and  sacrament  (Matt.  xxvi.  28).  There  is  refer- 
ence also  to  their  vital  union  to,  and  communion 
with,  Him,  in  the  might  of  His  Spirit  (John  xiv.  20 ; 
xvi.  22),  and  of  His  life  (John  xv.  6).  [Alford :  '"  /,' 
in  the  fullest  sense :  not  the  Divine  Presence  as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  Humanity  of  Christ.  His  Hu- 
manity is  with  us  Ukewise.  The  vine  Uves  in  the 
branches.  .  .  .  The  presence  of  Christ  is  part  of  the 
i^oQt)  above — the  effect  of  the  well-pleasing  of  the 

'^.  Father.    So  that  the  mystery  of  His  name,  eV/iwouTJA, 

^  is  fulfilled— Go*/  with  «s."— P.  S.] 

[With  you. — Wordsworth,  like  the  Romish  in- 
terpreters, erroneously  confims  fxed'  v/xoJv  to  the 
apostles  and  their  successors  in  ofliice.  Let  us 
quote  Alford,  also  a  dignitary  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  against  him:  "To  understand  ^ e 0'  vixuv 
only  of  the  apostles  and  their  ( ? )  successors,  is  to 
destroy  tlie  whole  force  of  these  most  weighty  words. 
Descending  even  into  Hteral  exactness,  we  may  see 
that  SiSaaKovTiS  avTuvs  TTjpilv  TrdvTa  orra  eVereiAauTji' 
v^l'if,  makes  avrovi  into  vix(7s,  as  soon  as  they  are 
fj.fuadr]Tevtxivoi.  The  command  is  to  the  Universal 
Church — to  be  performed,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
by  her  ministers  and  teachers,  the  maimer  of  appoint- 
ing which  is  not  here  prescribed,  but  to  be  learnt  in 
the  imfoldings  of  Providence  recorded  in  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles,  who  by  His  special  ordinance  were 
the  founders  and  first  builders  of  that  Church — but 
whose  office,  on  that  very  account,  precluded  the  idea 
of  succession  or  renewal.^^  In  a  general  sense,  how- 
ever, the  apostolic  office — the  only  one  which  Christ 
founded,  but  which  was  the  fruitful  genu  of  all  other 
ministerial  offices  (the  presbyterate  and  dcaconate) 
— is  truly  and  really  continued,  with  all  its  necessary 
functions  for  the  preservation  and  propagation  of  the 
church,  in  the  ministerial  or  pastoral  office.  In  this 
passage  the  apostles  and  other  disciples  (there  were, 
probably,  more  than  five  hundred  in  all,  comp.  1  Cor. 
XV.  6)  appear  as  the  representatives  of  the  whole 
ministry  of  the  gospel,  and  in  a  wider  sense  of  the 
whole  church  over  against  the  unchristian  world, 
which  is  to  be  christianized  by  them.  As  the  Saviour 
prayed  not  for  the  apostles  alone,  "  but  for  them  also 
that  shall  beUeve  on  Him  through  their  word,  that 
they  all  may  be  one"  (John  xvii.  20,  21),  so  the 
promise  of  His  abiding  presence  is  to  all  ministers 
of  the  gospel  and  to  the  whole  Church  they  repre- 
sent. Christ  has  abundantly  proved,  and  daily 
proves,  His  blessed  presence  in  non-episcopal,  as 
well  as  episcopal  churches,  even  where  only  two  or 


*  [So  also  Meyer.  Alford  gives  the  words;  Ka]  Idov, 
a  different  ineanin":  which  is  rather  far  fetched,  by  referring 
them  to  the  ancetision,  the  uiauner  of  which  is  not  related 
by  Matthew.— P.  8.] 


three  humble  disciples  are  assembled  in  His  name 
(Matt,  xviii.  20),  and  it  is  our  duty  and  privilege,  in 
the  spirit  of  true  evangelical  catholicity,  to  acknowl- 
edge and  revere  the  footprints  of  our  Saviour  in  all 
ages  and  sections  of  Christendom,  whether  Greek,  or 
Latin,  or  Anghcan,  or  Protestant. — P.  S.] 

Alway.* — The  words:  Trarrof  to?  i)  at  pas,  every 
day,  mark  not  only  every  year  wliich  will  elapse  till 
the  world's  end,  as  years  of  redemption,  but  also 
every  day,  even  the  darkest,  as  days  of  redemption. 
[Alkokd  :  "  All  the  appointed  days — for  they  are 
numbered  by  the  Father,  though  by  none  but  Him." 
Wordsworth  :  "I  shall  never  be  absent  from  you  a 
single  day;  I  shall  never  be  abseiu  in  any  of  the 
days  of  the  greatest  trial  and  affliction  of  tlie  Church ; 
but  I  shall  remain  with  her  till  the  Inst  day,  when  you 
will  see  Me  again  in  l)0'lily  piesence." — F.  S.] 

Unto  the  end  of  the  world. — Tliat  is,  until 
the  completion  or  consummation  of  tlic  secular  son, 
or  the  period  of  time  which  comes  to  an  end  with  the 
parousia,  and  involves  the  end  of  the  present  world 
itself.  Hence  this  fact  Ls  also  included,  that  Christ  ac- 
companies His  own,  when  they  go  to  the  most  remote 
boundaries  of  the  world  to  preach  the  Gospel.  [The 
word  unto  (eois)  does  not  set  a  term  to  Christ's  pres- 
ence, but  to  His  iiivisible  and  temporal  presence, 
which  will  be  exchanged  for  His  visible  and  eternal 
presence  at  Ilis  last  coming.  Now  Christ  is  with  us, 
then  when  He  shall  appear  in  glory,  we  shall  be  with 
Jlira  where  He  is  (John  xvii.  24),  and  shall  see  Him 
as  He  is  (1  John  iii.  2).  Comp.  Beugel,  who  remaiks  to 
eoir:   "  Turn  enim  nos  erimus  cum  Domino.'''' — P.  S.] 

On  account  of  this  all-encompassing,  this  heaven- 
and-earth-includmg  presence  of  Christ,  the  fact  of 
tiie  personal  ascension  is  omitted  hy  our  Evangelist, 
which  is  done  also  by  John,  as  a  point  which  is  self- 
evidently  comprehended  in  this  omnipresence.  [The 
fact  itself  of  the  ascension  is  clearly  implied,  not 
only  in  this  verse,  but  also  in  other  passages  of  this 
Gospel,  as  ch.  xxii.  44 ;  xxiv.  30 ;  xxv.  14,  31 ;  xxvi. 
64.— P.  S.] 


DOCTRINAL  AND  ETUIOAL. 

1.  The  mountain  in  Galilee. — The  aj)pearance  of 
the  risen  Lord  upon  this  mountain  recalls  in  its  every 
part  the  transfiguration  upon  the  mountain  in  Pera;a, 
and  also  Peter's  confession,  which  preceded  that 
transfiguration.  Hetice  it  is,  it  seems  to  us,  that  tra- 
dition has  connected  the  second  event  with  the  first, 
in  regard  to  the  locality,  and  has  named  Mount  Ta- 
bor as  the  scene  of  the  transfiguration.  Upon  this 
occasion  we  have  a  repetition  of  both  the  solemn 
confession  and  the  transfiguration.  The  two  scenes 
a.gree  in  kind,  but  this  present  one  surpasses  in  de- 
gree. There,  Peter  confessed :  "  Thou  art  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  hving  God ; "  here,  a  disciple-band  of 
more  than  five  hundred  believers  fall  in  adoration  at 
the  feet  of  the  risen  Lord.  There,  Christ  confirmed 
Peter's  confession,  as  a  revelation  from  the  Fatlicr ; 
here.  He  declares  :  "  All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in 
heaven  and  on  earth."  There,  He  proclaimed  the 
institution  of  His  Church  {iKKXrinia)  upon  the  foun- 
dation of  this  confession ;  here,  He  appoints  His  dis- 
ciples apostles  unto  all  nations,  while  these  nations 
were  to  take  the  place  of  the  disciples  {iiaO-rirtwaTf), 
He  mstitutes   holy  baptism,  and  recalls  the  more 

*  [Lnnae:  (die  T(ige,all  the  rf«y.i,  whicli  is  the  literal 
translation.— P.  S.] 


560 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO   MATTHEW. 


special  institution  of  the  ministerial  {teaching)  office 
(John  XX.  21),  and  of  the  Holy  Supper  [see  above, 
JUxeg.  iVoif.s).— And  as  He  made  manifest,  upon  the 
Mount  of  Transfiguration,  His  connection  with  the 
heavenly  world  of  spirits,  and  with  the  entire  past 
of  God's  kingdom  (Moses  aud  Elijah),  so  lie  certifies 
here  His  connection  with  the  entire  future  of  God's 
kingdom.  His  eternal  presence  in  the  Church  in  this 
world,  by  means  of  these  words :  "  Lo,  I  am  with 
you  every  day  till  the  completion  of  the  aeon,  of  the 
world's  course  and  time." 

2.  When  Matthew  mentions  in  this  passage  only 
the  Eleven,  he  will  merely  mark  them  out  as  the 
leaders  of  the  Gahlean  disciple-procession,  but  in  no 
sense  as  those  to  whom  the  institutions  of  the  glorified 
Lord  were  exclusively  entrusted.  Gerlach  is  of  the 
opinion,  that  the  principal,  the  predominating  thouglit 
witli  Matthew,  was  the  office  of  public  teacher ;  "  and 
hence  it  is  thai  all  the  appearances  of  our  Lord, 
which  were  enjoyed  by  different  parties,  are  omitted." 
But  Matthew  reports  even  an  appearance  of  Jesus 
unto  the  women.  If  Matthew  here  records  (as  Ger- 
lach himself  admits)  the  same  meeting  of  Jesus  with 
the  disciples  which  is  mentioned  by  Paul,  1  Cor.  xv. 
6,  it  follows  that  the  Lord  himself  here  committed  His 
formal  institutions  and  commissions  to  the  whole  as- 
sembled Church,  with  the  A])ostIe3  at  her  head,  just 
as  He  at  a  later  date  poured  out  His  Spirit  upon  the 
whole  assembled  Church.  And  from  this,  then,  we 
argue,  that,  according  to  the  law  of  Christ,  the  apos- 
tolic office  and  the  Church  are  not  two  divided  sec- 
tions. In  the  commission  to  teach  and  to  baptize, 
the  apostolical  community  is  one,  a  united  apostolate, 
involving  the  Church,  or,  a  united  Church,  including 
the  Apostles.  In  this  unity  we  may  unquestionably 
mark  the  distinction  between  the  leader  and  the  led, 
w^hich  comes  out  in  a  more  positive  way  in  the  en- 
trustment  to  the  Apostles  of  the  official  keys  (Matt. 
xvi.  19;  xviii.  18;  John  xx.  21).  But  that  is  an 
organic  contrast,  arising  from,  and  conditioned  by, 
the  unity  of  the  apostolic  communion  (1  Cor.  v.  4). 

3.  The  declaration  of  Christ :  "  AU  power,"  etc., 
and  His  command  to  baptize  into  the  name  of  tlie 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  etc.,  as  also  the  fact  that  He 
received  the  adoring  homage  of  His  disciples,  show 
clearly  that  He  presented  Himself,  not;  only  in  the 
majesty  of  His  exalted  humanity,  but  also  in  the 
brightness  of  His  divinity.  In  the  words :  "  is  given 
unto  Me,"  there  is,  undoubtedly,  emphasis  laid  upon 
His  mediatorial  relationship,  which  is  frequently  illus- 
trated by  the  Apostle  (1  Cor.  xv.  28 ;  Eph.  i.  20  ; 
Phil.  ii.  9  ff.) ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  with  equal  dis- 
tinctness is  the  homoousia  (or  co-equality)  of  Christ 
with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit  expressed  in  the 
second  name  of  the  baptismal  formula.  Under  the 
old  economy,  the  predominant  reference  in  all  the 
divine  government  was  to  the  glorification  of  the 
Father ;  under  the  new  economy,  to  that  of  the  Son ; 
while,  in  the  final  completion,  the  Father  shall  be 
glorified  with  the  Son  m  the  glorification  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

4.  It  is  manifest  that  the  kingdom  which  Christ 
here  describes  is  not  only  a  rcgnum  gratice,  but  also 
a  kingdom  of  power,  and  a  kingdom  of  glory ;  but  it 
does  not  manifest  itself  as  three  distinct  kingdoms, 
but  the  power  v/hich  He  manifests  is  subservient  to 
the  interests  of  the  kingdom  of  grace,  and  the  king- 
dom of  grace  finds  its  end  and  completion  in  the 
kingdom  of  glory  (see  the  author's  Podtive  Dogma- 
iik). 

5.  That  the  Anabaptists  appeal  for  their  views 


without  sufficient  reason  to  ver.  19,  has  been  often 
enough  pointed  out  {see  the  JExcg.  Notes).  But,  upon 
the  other  hand,  it  is  clearly  presupposed  in  /j-aO-nreiJ- 
(rare,  that  persons  are  to  be  induced  to  be  baptized 
by  the  use  of  gospel  means,  not  by  forcible  conver- 
sion,— are  not  to  be  made  catechumens  by  compul- 
sion ;  and  also,  that  baptism  can  be  administered  to 
children  really  only  upon  the  ground  of  a  truly  Chris- 
tian family,  or  at  least  of  a  god-parentship  (sponsor- 
ship) which  represents  spiritually  such  a  family.  On 
the  baptism  of  children,  consult  W.  Hoffmann : 
Gesprdchc  uher  Taufe  und  Wiedertaufe  ;  Culmann : 
Welche  Bewandtniss  hat  e.s  mit  der  Taufe?  Strass- 
burg,  184*7;  the  writings  of  Martensen,  Rudelbach, 
etc.  [Comp.  also,  on  the  j5cec7o-Baptist  side  of  the 
question:  P.  Schaff:  History  of  the  Apostolic  Church, 
New  York  ed.,  1853,  §  142,  143,  pp.  5G9-581  ; 
P.  ScHAFF :  History  of  the  Christian  Church  of  the 
First  Three  Centuries,  New  York,  1859,  p.  122  £P. ; 
W.  Wall  (Episcopalian):  The  IFistory  of  Infant 
Baptism,  2d  ed.,  Oxford,  1844,  4  vols.  ;  Samuel 
Miller  (Presbyterian):  Infant  Baptism  Scriptural 
and  Reasonable,  etc.,  Philad.,  1840 ;  W.  Nast  (Meth- 
odist) :  A  Dissertation  on  Christian  Baptism,  Cincin- 
nati, 18G4  (at  the  close  of  his  Com.  on  Matthew, 
p.  641-652).  On  the  Baptist  side  of  the  question, 
both  in  regard  to  infant  baptism  and  immersion, 
compare  the  learned  and  able  works  of  Alexander 
Caksox  :  Baptism  in  its  Mode  and  Subjects,  5th  Am. 
ed.,  1850,  and,  as  regards  the  mode  of  baptism, 
Dr.  T.  J.  CoNANT :  The  Meaning  and  Use  of  Bap- 
tizein  Philologically  and  Historically  Investigated, 
being  an  Appendix  to  his  revised  Version  of  the 
Gospel  of  Mi^tthew,  New  York,  1860,  and  also 
separately  printed  by  the  Am.  Bible  Union,  New 
York,  1861.— P.  S.] 

6.  In  {into)  the  name. — As  we  saw  before,  the 
name  is  not  the  essence  itself,  but  the  expression,  the 
manifestation  of  the  essence,  among  those  of  God's 
intelligent  creatures  who  name  the  name.  So  then. 
In  (into)  the  name  (e-'s  to  ii/o/xa)  of  the  Triune,  signi- 
fies: 1.  IhQ  groxind ;  (a)  objectively:  according  to 
His  revelation,  under  His  authority,  by  reason  of  His 
command,  and  agreeably  to  His  institution ;  (6)  sub- 
jectively :  upon  the  confession  of  this  name.  2.  The 
means ;  {a)  objectively :  into  the  revelation  of  His 
name  as  the  spiritual  element;  (&)  subjectively:  for 
the  revelation  of  His  name  in  the  actual  confession. 
3.  The  object ;  (a)  objectively :  for  the  glorification 
of  the  Triune  name  in  the  subject  baptized ;  {b)  sub- 
jectively: for  the  happiness*  of  the  baptized  in  the 
Triune  name.  All  the  significations  are  combined  in, 
and  expressed  by  els  tc)  uvo/ia.  Gerlach  says :  "  To 
do  something  in  the  name  of  God,  means,  not  only : 
itpon  His  commission,  but  to  do  it  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  power  and  being  of  God  Himself  shall  ap- 
pear as  working  in  the  transaction.  Thus :  to  bless 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  (2  Sam.  vi.  18  ;  Ps.  exxix. 
8) ;  to  adjure  one  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  (1  Kings 
xxii.  16);  to  curse  one  (2  Kings  ii.  24);  above  all, 
to  pray  in  Jesus'  name  (John  xvi.  23)."  The  person 
baptized  is,  accordingly,  "  fully  committed  uuto  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit — consecrated, 

*  [In  German:  zxir  Beselioimg,  which  the Edinb. edition 
misrenders:  to  seal,  as  if  Mtse/uymirj  v.ore  the  same  with 
Verf:iegelnnrf  !  The  ohjeotive  cii.l  of  bniitism  (and  of  man) 
is  the  glory  of  God,  the  subj-ctive  end  the  happiness  and 
salvation  oif  the  persons  bajiti/ed  by  iiitioducing:  theui  into 
the  communion  with  God.  The  Westminster  Catechism 
combines  the  two  in  the  first  question:  "What  is  the  chief 
end  of  man  ?  To  dorify  God  and  to  enjoy  Him  forever."— 
P.  S.] 


CHAP.  XXVm.  16-20. 


501 


made  over  to  experience  the  blessing,  tlic  redeeming 
and  sanctifying  influences,  of  eacli  of  the  three  Per- 
sons ;  hence,  also,  he  is  even  named  by  tlic  name  of 
the  Lord  (Isa.  xliii.  1 ;  Ixiii.  19  ;  Jcr.  xv.  IG)." 

Baptism  is,  after  the  analogy  of  the  circumcision, 
a  covenant  transaction,  more  particularly  the  dedica- 
tory covenant  transaction,  the  sacrament  of  regene- 
ration, to  which  the  Lord's  Supper  corresponds,  as 
the  completed  covenant  act,  as  the  sacrament  of  sanc- 
tification.  Baptism  represents  tlie  birth,  the  Supper 
the  festive  manifestation  of  Christianity.  Considered 
in  this  light,  however,  we  must  bring  out  prominent- 
ly these  three  points:  (1)  God  in  this  covenant  is  its 
author,  who  invites,  reconciles,  lays  down  conditions, 
and  tliat  all  the  vows  and  performances  of  men  are  to 
rest  upon  God's  promises.  (2)  The  promises  of  God 
arc  promises  and  assurances  of  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  which  the  personal  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  specializing  and  individual- 
izing the  Gospel,  makes  Hunself  over,  with  all  His 
own  peculiar  gifts,  to  each  individual  subject  of  bap- 
tism ;  the  Father,  with  tlie  blessing  of  creation  and 
regeneration ;  the  Son,  with  the  blessing  of  history, 
i.  e.,  of  salvation ;  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  the  blessing 
of  His  Ufe  and  of  the  (entire)  Church.  Tliis  promise 
contains  the  assurance  of  the  paternal  guardianship 
and  blessing  of  God,  of  the  grace  and  merit  of  Christ, 
of  the  consolation,  illumination,  and  direction  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  But  all  this  under  the  condition  of  the 
subject's  own  personal  appropriation  and  application. 
(3)  And  in  accordance  with  this,  vv'e  must  direct  at- 
tention to  the  vows  presented  to  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Spirit.  In  the  case  of  children,  these  vows 
are  made  by  parents  or  god-parents  (sponsors) ;  and 
where  these  guarantees  are  entirely  wanting,  there  is 
the  limit  of  Christian  infant  baptism. 

1.  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Spirit. — "  This  passage  is  the  chief  proof 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  (1)  These  three  must 
be  subjects  distinct  from  one  another,  and  true  per- 
sons, especially  because  rh  ovufxa  is  never  in  the  en- 
tire Bible  used  of  absiractis,  of  qualities,  but  only  of 
true  persons.  (2)  They  must  be  equal,  consequently 
divine  persons,  because  they  are  placed  upon  an 
equality,  and  because  hke  reverence  is  claimed  for 
each.  Even  Julian  the  Apostate  acknowledged  the 
force  of  this  passage,  and  accused  the  Christians  of 
being  polytheists."  So  Heubner.  This  taunt  is  to 
be  avoided  by  our  showing  no  favor  to  the  vulgar 
conception  of  three  distinct  Divine  beings  and  indi- 
viduals, and  by  holding  fast  to  three  personal  dis- 
tinctions in  the  one  divine  being.  For  more  exact 
details,  see  the  works  upon  systematic  theology.  We 
would  only  add,  that  tlie  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  to 
be  regarded  as  the  fundamental,  theological  doctrine 
of  Christianity,  to  which  the  soteriological  doctrines 
of  election,  of  the  atonement,  and  the  Church  corre- 
spond. 

[It  should  be  added,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Trin- 
ity does  not  rest,  by  any  means,  merely  on  the  few 
dicta  probantia  which  teach  it  directly  and  expressly, 
as  the  baptismal  formula,  the  apostolic  benediction, 
2  Cor.  xiii.  13,  and  the  doubtful  passage  on  the  three 
witnesses  in  heaven,  1  John  v.  7  (comp.  besides  Matt, 
iii.  16,  17  ;  1  Pet.  i.  2 ;  Rev.  i.  4,  5),  but  still  more 
on  facts,  on  the  whole  Scripture  revelation  of  God  as 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  in  the  three  great  works 
of  creation,  redemption,  and  sanctificalion.  Froni 
this  Trinity  of  revelation  (ceconomical  Trinity)  we 
justly  infer  the  Trinity  of  essence  (ontological  Trin- 
ity), smce  God  reveals  Himself  as  He  actually  is,  and 


since  there  can  be  no  contradiction  between  His  char- 
acter and  His  works.  Moreover,  every  one  of  the 
many  passages  wliich  separately  teach  either  the  divin- 
ity of  our  Saviour,  or  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
viewed  in  connection  with  the  fundamental  Scripture 
doctrine  of  the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  proves,  indi- 
rectly, also  the  doctrine  of  the  holy  Trinity.  Hence 
you  cannot  deny  this  fundamental  doctrine  without 
either  runnmg  into  Tritheism,  or  into  Deism,  M'ithout 
destroying  either  the  divine  unity,  or  the  divinity  of 
Christ  and  the  Holy  Sjurit,  and  thereby  undennin- 
ing  the  whole  work  of  redemption  and  sanctifica- 
tion.— P.  S.] 

8.  Institution  of  the  Church. — With  this  apos- 
tolic commission,  and  with  the  institution  of  bap- 
tism, which  had  been  precedcil  by  that  of  the  Sup- 
per and  of  the  ministerial  ofhce,  and  by  the  presen- 
tation of  the  "  keys,"  the  institution  of  the  Church 
is  finished,  as  regards  her  elements.  This  can  be 
doubted  only,  when  we  ignore  that  the  essence  of 
the  Christian  Church  consists  m  the  communion  of 
the  word  and  the  sacraments  of  Christ,  that  the  word 
calls  the  Church  into  being,  that  baptism  is  the 
foundation,  and  the  communion  in  a  more  special 
sense  is  the  manifestation,  of  the  Church.  The  doubt 
whether  Christ  Himself  fomided  the  Church,  originatr 
ed  with  those  who  sought  the  nature  of  the  Church 
in  her  policy,  or  external  social  organization  and 
constitution ;  as,  e.  g.,  J.  H.  Bohmer,  G.  J.  Plank 
(Geschichte  der  christlichen  Gesellschaftsverfassung, 
i.  p.  17.  We  may  notice  in  passing,  that  the  germs 
of  Baur's  " Ubinioten  Ifypothese"  are  to  be  found 
p.  9.  in  this  book).  The  evangelical  history  teaches 
us  that  the  institution  of  the  Church  arose  first  grad- 
ually, that  the  institution  was  announced  and  pre- 
pared for  in  the  word  eKKArjo-ia,  Matt.  xvi.  18  ;  was 
decided  by  the  foct  of  Christ's  death  and  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  completed,  when  the  Spirit  was  poured 
out  at  Pentecost.  Then  it  was  that  the  organism  of 
the  Church,  which  the  Lord  had  gradually  formed, 
received  the  quickening  Spirit. 

9.  The  resurrection  as  the  Lord's  exaltation. — 
Because  Matthew  and  John  do  not  record  the  ascen- 
sion, some  have  drawn  conclusions  from  this  silence 
adverse  to  the  reality  of  the  ascension.  These  de- 
ductions rest  upon  two  essential  errors.  The  first 
error  concerns  the  character  of  the  evangelical  writ- 
ings :  the  Evangelists  are  held  to  have  been  chron- 
iclers, who  relate  all  they  know  of  Jesus.  But  we 
have  already  shown  how  far  they  surpassed  these  de- 
mands ;  that  each  Evangelist  viewed  his  materials, 
and  arranged  them,  influenced  by  a  conception  of  the 
Lord's  glory  pecuUar  to  himself,  and  according  to 
one  plastic,  fundamental  thought.  But  far  below  a 
proper  appreciation  of  the  (Jospels  as  this  eiTor  hes, 
equally  far  below  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  in  its  full,  eternal  significance,  does 
the  second  error  lie.  Some,  in  accordance  with  the 
low  belief  of  the  Middle  Age8,have  conceived  the  resur- 
rection to  have  been  a  Icind  of  awaking,  on  the  Lord's 
part,  unto  a  Ufe  in  this  world  similar  lo  that  of  Laza- 
rus, so  that  possibly  He  might  have  died  again,  'i'hcn 
the  ascension  came  in,  as  tiic  second,  entirely  new, 
and  in  fact  much  greater  miracle,  and  decided  the 
matter  then,  and  only  then.  This  may  be  the  view 
of  monks  of  the  Middle  Ages,  but  it  is  not  tlie  view 
of  tlie  Apostolic  Church.  Accordmg  to  the  true  con- 
ception, the  ascension  is  e.-'sentially  implied  in  the 
resurrection.  Both  events  are  comltiued  in  the  one 
fact  of  Christ's  exaltation.  The  resurrection  is  the 
root  and  the  beginning  of  the  ascension  ;  the  ascen- 


5G2 


THE  GOSPEL   ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW, 


sion  ia  the  blossom  and  crovra  of  the  resurrection. 
Hence  the  Apostolic  writings  take  the  ascension  al- 
ways for  granted  (Acts  ii.  31,  33  ;  v.  31 ;  vii.  55  ; 
Eph.  i.  20 ;  ii.  6  ;  iv.  8 ;  Phil.  ii.  6-10 ;  1  Tim.  iii. 
16;  1  Pet.  iii.  32).  The  ascension  is  as  really  pre- 
supposed by  John  (vi.  62  ;  *  xx.  lY)  and  by  Matthew 
(xxri.  64)  as  it  is  distinctly  related  by  Mark  and 
Luke.  The  Lord  did  not  return  again  after  His  res- 
urrection into  this  present  life ;  and  yet  quite  as  lit- 
tle did  He,  as  a  simple,  spiritual  existence,  enter  into 
the  unseen  world.  He  has  become  through  the  res- 
urrection, which  was  at  the  same  time  transforma- 
tion, the  first-fruits  of  the  new  spiritual  human  life 
of  glorified  humanity ;  hence  is  He  the  Prince  of  the 
visible  and  the  invisible  worlds,  which  find  here  the 
point  of  union  (Eph.  i.  21).  But  this  life,  as  regards 
its  essence,  is  the  heavenly  life  ;  and,  as  regards  its 
character,  the  entrance  into  that  estate  was  accord- 
ingly the  beginning  of  the  ascension.  We  cannot 
indeed  say  (with  Kinkel),  that  the  early  Church  iden- 
tified the  resurrection  and  the  ascension ;  or,  that  the 
latter  occurred  upon  the  first  day  of  the  resurrection ; 
or,  that  there  was  a  succession  of  ascensions.  The 
resurrection  marks  the  entrance  into  the  lieavenly 
stale ;  the  ascension,  into  the  heavenly  sphere.  With 
the  first,  the  manner  of  His  former  intercourse  with 
the  disciples  ceased,  and  was  replaced  by  His  mirac- 
ulous appearances ;  with  the  last.  His  visible  inter- 
course with  the  disciples  generally  ceased,  to  give 
place  to  the  sending  of  the  Paraclete,  the  Holy  Spirit. 
This  is  the  reason  why  the  ascension  presents  a  sad 
side  as  well  as  a  joyful,  being  the  departure  of  Jesus 
from  the  earth.  It  is  both  Good  Friday  and  Easter. 
By  it  the  Church  of  Christ  is  marked  out  as  both  a 
Church  of  the  cross  and  a  Church  of  the  crown,  and 
enters  upon  a  course  of  conflict  which  lasts  from 
Pentecost  to  the  second  Advent.  Christ's  ascension 
is  accordingly  His  proper  glorification,  as  the  resur- 
rection His  transformation.  Nevertheless,  the  unity 
of  the  exaltation  of  Christ  predominates  to  such  a 
degree  hi  the  apostolic  view,  that  the  final  ascension 
is  taken  for  gi-anted  by  the  Apostles.  John  sees  the 
image  of  the  ascension  in  tliis,  that  Christ  will  con- 
tinue to  live  in  the  Petrine  and  Johannean  type  of 
the  Church ;  Matthew  in  this,  that  He  will  be  with 
His  OAvn  till  the  completion  of  the  world,  hence  omni- 
present with  His  people  in  His  majesty,  as  regards 
both  time  and  space.  Such  a  spiritual  dynamic  om- 
nipresence of  Christ  is  conceivable  only  upon  the  pre- 
condition of  the  ascension.  That  "the  feast  of  the 
Ascension  did  not  make  its  appearance  until  a  late 
period  "  (Gerlach),  is  to  be  explained  by  the  fact, 
that  originally  the  forty  days  of  the  glorification  of 
Christ  made  up  one  continuous  festival.  Then  the 
ascension  I'ose  just  in  proportion  as  the  festival  of 
the  Forty  Days  sank.  Upon  the  corporeality  of  the 
risen  Saviour,  see  Lange's  Lehen  Jesu,  ii.  3,  p.  1Y50. 
In  that  work,  we  have  considered  connectedly  the 
conceptions  of  transformation  and  glorification,  as  is 
usually  done  ;  and  this  is  so  far  justifiable,  a^  trans- 
formation is  the  basis  of  glorification.  But  the  lat- 
ter, which  is  the  fully  developed  bloom  of  trans- 
formation, does  not  fully  manifest  itself  till  Christ's 
appearance  upon  the  mountain  in  Galilee,  and  tiU  the 
ascension. 

10.  Matthew's  three  sacred  mountams :  (1)  The 
Mount  of  the  Seven  BeatituJes ;  (2)  the  Mount  of 


*  [Ver.  22  is  a  printing  error  of  the  original  faitl.l'uHy  re- 
produced in  tlie  Edinlj.  edition,  whicli  adds  other  errors,  as 
Matt.  sxvi.  24,  instead  of  64,  etc.— P.  S.] 


Transfiguration ;  (3)  the  Mount  of  the  great  Resur- 
rection-festival. (De  Wette :  The  self-inauguration 
of  Jesus, — Transfiguration, — Farewell.) 


IIOMILETICAL  AND  PEACTICAL. 

The  revelation  of  our  risen  Lord  in  the  great  con- 
gregation of  the  disciples  upontlie  mountain:  1.  The 
festival  which  succeeded  the  Palm-entry,  after  they 
had  been  scattered.  2.  The  festival  which  preceded 
the  feast  of  Pentecost,  when  they  became  perfectly 
united.  3.  The  festival  of  Easter  in  its  complete 
form. — How  great  the  gain  when  we  believiugly  re- 
pair to  the  place  where  the  Lord  has  commanded  us 
to  go :  1.  In  the  Lord's  house  ;  2.  at  the  Lord's  table ; 
3.  before  the  Lord's  throne. — The  believing  Church 
is  constituted  by  its  appearance  before  the  Lord  :  1. 
It  is  only  the  appearance  before  the  Lord  which 
makes  a  true  Church ;  the  appearance  before  men 
can  form  only  a  picture  of  a  Church,  or  a  party.  2. 
The  appearance  before  the  Lord  truly  unites  the 
everlasting  Church. — The  Easter  Church,  kneeling 
before  her  Lord,  receives  His  Easter  blessing:  1. 
The  kneeling  Church.  2.  The  Easter  blessing :  (a) 
the  most  blessed  assurance  that  His  royal  glory  is 
her  shield  and  salvation ;  (6)  the  most  extensive  com- 
mission unto  all  the  world  with  His  salvation ;  (c) 
the  solemn  assurance  of  His  presence  and  His  con- 
duct to  the  end  of  the  world. — How  Christ  replies  to 
doubters  in  His  Church:  1.  By  a  reference  to  His 
unbounded  power ;  2.  by  the  institution  of  His  un- 
bounded Churcji ;  3.  by  the  assurance  of  His  ever- 
abiding  presence. — The  believing  Church  participates 
in  the  glory  of  her  glorified  Lord  :  1.  She  shares  His 
might,  in  the  guardianship  and  blessing  which  she 
experiences ;  2.  she  shares  His  fulness  of  grace,  in 
the  office  she  discharges  ;  3.  she  shares  His  victory, 
in  the  assurance  received  by  her. — The  risen  Saviour 
in  His  majesty:  1.  In  His  royal  glory;  2.  in  His  di- 
vine glory ;  3.  in  the  glory  of  His  victory. — All  pow- 
er in  heaven  and  upon  earth  united  in  the  Lord  for 
His  people. — Jesus'  omnipotence,  an  omnipotence  of 
grace,  and  an  omnipotence  of  judgment.  —  The 
Church's  mstitution  and  commission  is  one  :  1.  The 
institution,  a  commission ;  2.  the  commission,  an  in- 
stitution.— Holy  baptism,  as  the  foundation  of  Christ's 
Church  :  1.  The  pre-condition,  catechumens  who 
have  been  won  by  the  gospel ;  2.  its  meaning,  the 
covenant  grace  of  the  Triune  God  ;  3.  its  object,  the 
holy  communion  and  its  blessing. — Baptism  in  the 
name  of  the  Triune  God,  the  celebration  of  a  personal 
covenant :  1.  The  promises  of  God,  Father,  Son,  and 
Spirit,  unto  the  baptized ;  2.  the  vows  of  the  bap- 
tized, in  which  he  yields  and  binds  himself  unto  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit. — Baptism,  the  gospel  in  its 
special  application  to  the  subject  of  baptism. — The 
right  of  psedo-baptism :  1.  The  Lord's  title  to  the 
children  of  Christians ;  2.  the  Christian  children's  title 
to  the  Lord. — The  sanctification  of  pasdo-baptism. — 
The  doctrine  of  the  holy  Trinity  in  its  practical  sig- 
nificance :  1.  A  threefold  gospel ;  2.  a  threefold  Chris- 
tian calling ;  3.  a  threefold  creation  and  summons 
unto  a  spiritual  life. — The  religion  of  the  Trinity  and 
the  religion  of  the  Spirit  are  one. — Christ's  servants 
should  teach  others  what  Christ  has  commanded, 
not  command  others  what  Christ  has  taught. — The 
blessing  of  the  risen  Lord  unto  His  people:  1.  Near 
all  and  with  all ;  2.  every  day,  upon  every  way ;  3. 
till  the  world's  end ;  4.  and  till  the  world  is  per- 
fected. 


CHAP.  XXVIII. 


-20. 


563 


Starke: — Man  must  contribute  his  part;  then 
will  God  meet  hhn  with  His  promises. — But  some 
doubted.  Because  they  were  so  tardy  in  believintr, 
we  may  receive  their  testimony  as  so  much  more 
trustworthy. — Is  fflven  Me :  This  is  a  divine,  eternal 
power, — tlie  foundation  of  the  gospel,  the  ministerial 
office, — the  ground  of  our  respousibiUty  to  obey  His 
commandiueutt^,  of  the  baptismal  covenant,  and  of 
His  gracious  presence  in  the  Cluirch. — This  is  the 
greatest  loss,  both  at  the  appearance  and  the  liegin- 
ning  of  piety,  in  very  many  souls,  that  they  will  "not 
deny  their  own  strength,  and  cast  themselves  down  at 
Christ's  feet. — The  boundless  power  and  exaltation 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  ground  of  faith  and  all  consola- 
tion, from  which  we  must  obtain  the  victory  over 
sin,  death,  the  devil,  hell,  and  the  world. — Hitherto 
ye  have  been  my  disciples  and  scholars  ;  but  now  ye 
are  to  become  masters  and  teachers,  and  are  to  make 
disciples  of  others. — The  preaching  of  the  gospel, 
along  with  these  attestations,  is  a  precious  and  in- 
comparable fruit  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Christ. — To  preach  and  administer  the  sacraments, 
are  the  chief  duties  of  the  New  Testament  minister. 
Acts  iv.  6. — Teaching  them  to  observe,  Heb.  vi.  1,  2  ; 
2  Tim.  iii.  15,  16. — to  these  duties  belongs  also  the 
observance  of  the  Lord's  Supper. — Zeisius :  It  is  not 
enough  to  l)e  baptized,  but  there  is  likewise  demand- 
ed a  holy  zeal,  to  live  after  the  baptismal  covenant, 
and  to  walk  blameless,  1  Pet.  iii.  21. —  Quesnel:  A 
preacher's  true  fidelity  consists  in  this,  that  he 
preaches  nothing  but  what  he  has  learned  from  Je- 
sus Christ. — BeUevest  thou  His  promise,  then  canst 
thou  in  Him  and  through  Him  easily  overcome  all 
tilings. — [Quesnel  adds  this  concluding  prayer  to  his 
practical  Com.  on  Matthew  :  Be  Thou  therefore  with 
us  always,  0  Lord,  to  be  our  Ught,  our  strength,  and 
our  consolation.  Be  with  Thy  Church,  to  be  her 
steadfastness,  her  protection,  and  her  holiness.  Amen. 
—P.  S.] 

lAsco : — Christ  even  in  His  human  natui'e  is  the 
administrator  of  the  divine  laws  over  men,  yea,  over 
iill  creatures. — I  have  been  baptized  ;  the  pledge  of 
God's  grace  unto  me. — Baptism  is  an  incorporation 
into  the  body  of  Christ,  which  is  governed  by  His 
Spirit. 

Gerlach  : — 77«ey  worshipped  Him.  That  belief 
in  the  divinity  of  Christ,  which  was  partly  slumber- 
ing during  His  state  of  humiliation,  is  awakened  in 
all,  as  with  one  blow,  through  this  miraculously  im- 
posing view  of  the  risen  Saviour. — Acknowledgment 
of  repentance  and  of  faith,  even  when  it  was  not  yet 
associated  with  a  clear  knowledge  concerning  the 
Lord's  person  and  teaching,  was  deemed  sufScient  by 
the  Apostles  to  justify  baptism.  Acts  ii.  41 ;  viii.  12, 
37;  ix.  19;  x.  47,  48;  xvi.  33;  xix.  b.—  Unto  the 
end  of  the  world;  i.  e.,  till  the  new  world  appears, 
in  which  God's  kingdom  is  manifested  in  its  glory. 
Their  administration  of  baptism  and  their  teaching 
were  accordingly  to  be  accompanied  and  blessed 
l>y  His  omnipresent,  everywhere  mighty,  efficient 
power. 

Hcubner : — The  authority  of  the  Father  contin- 
ues, but  He  performs  everything  through  t!ie  Son 
(and  for  the  Son). — Thereupon  rests  also  the  obliga- 
tion to  worship  Christ. — The  Lord  sends  to  His  sub- 
jects.— Christ  declares  here  distinctly  the  imiversal- 
ity  of  His  Church.*    It  was  Ilis  own  clear  will  to  be 

*  [The  universality  or  catbolicity  of  the  Church,  wliich 
nnfolds  itself  srarlually  in  the  rnissionarv  work,  is  implied  in 
the  words:  ''Make  disciples  of  all  nations."'  The  IMiiih. 
edition  renders  Allgemeinheit  Miner  Kirche  by  "  eqaalUy 


a  uiiiversal  Saviour. — By  the  ordinance  of  Christ, 
baptism  has  the  divine  sanction  for  all  times  and 
peoples. — Teach  tliem  all  things.  Nothing  is  to  be 
made  obsolete.  Nothing  is  contained  in  Christ's  law 
which  was  merely  a  toleration  of  an  error  of  the 
times. — I <im  with  you:  The  most  glorious  word  of 
consolation  at  parting.  The  most  sublime  conclusion 
of  the  gospel:  1.  For  all  Christians  unto  all  time. 
2.  The  import  of  this  promise.  With  His  Spirit,  and 
His  actual  manifestation  of  power. — Christ  shall  be 
preached  to  all  in  their  own  time,  even  in  the  other 
world. — The  revelation  of  the  glory  of  Jesus  on 
parting  from  His  Apostles  and  His  Church. 

Branne: — Previously,  Christ  had  appeared  sud- 
denly, unexpectedly ;  now  He  makes  a  special  ap- 
pointment with  them. — In  Galilee,  the  despised  prov- 
ince, He  had  the  most  friends. — Christ  is  the  Lord 
of  the  visible  and  invisible  Church,  of  the  Church 
mihtant  and  triumphant. — [Ricger  ;]  Some  doubted : 
wonder  not  that  in  thy  case,  too,  faith  is  a  constant 
subjugation  of  unbelief. — In  flaming  hearts,  the  light 
of  conviction  must  kindle. — Is  given  Me.  With  joy- 
ous assurance  He  awaited  His  departure.  He  had 
won  so  few,  and  His  task  embraced  all  peoples,  all 
times,  Eph.  i.  20,  23. — If  He  is  busy  and  efficient  at 
creation,  much  more  is  He  at  regeneration. — The 
first  disciples.  Christians,  became  missionaries,  mes- 
sengers of  salvation,  as  soon  as  the  Church  was  found- 
ed at  Pentecost.  Upon  that  first  feast  of  Pentecost, 
there  were  three  thousand  Christians  ;  at  the  end  of 
the  first  century,  five  hundred  thousand ;  under  the 
first  Christian  ruler,  Constantine  the  Great,  about 
ten  millions  ;  in  the  eiglith  century,  some  thirty  mil- 
lions ;  at  the  era  of  the  Reformation,  nearly  one  lum- 
dred  millions ;  and  now,  well  nigh  two  hundred  mil- 
lions.* —  Missionaries  from  England  and  Ireland 
brought  the  gospel  to  Germany,  f — The  missionary 
work  is  the  duty  for  the  Church.  There  are  still 
eight  hundred  millions  who  have  not  the  gospel ;  one 
hundred  and  sixty  millions  Jlohammedans,  ten  mil- 
lions Jews,  six  hundred  and  thirty  millions  heathen.  J 
— Missions  are  now  beginning  to  receive  from  the 
Church  that  attention  they  demand.  Oh,  if  it  were 
only  held  fast:  Go  ye,  preach  the  gospel!  Many 
act  as  if  the  Redeemer  said,  the  Confession. — [72te- 
ger  ;]  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  an  address 
made  in  Christ's  name  unto  the  whole  world  :  it  has 
not  to  do  with  an  emendation  of  the  Jewish  religion, 
nor  with  an  elevation  of  heathen  morality,  nor  with 
the  establi.shraent  of  civil  rights ;  but  it  is  a  gospel 
of  the  kingdom,  a  proclamation  that  Jesus  is  the 


of  Ilis  Church,"  which  gives  no  sense  .it  all  in  this  connec- 

tiOD.-P.  S.] 

*  Accordins  to  the  calculation  of  Dr.  Dieterici  in  Ber- 
lin, made  in  1:?.V.),  the  number  of  Christians  amounts  to 
335,000.000.— P.  S.] 

+  [Germanj/  U  snbstltnted  for  the  original  to  ««  (f.  e., 
Germanx),  which  the  Edinb.  edition  thoughtlessly  retained. 
Germany  cave  to  Kngland,  in  the  fifth  century,  ito  Anslo- 
Saxiin  population,  which  was  subsequently  chri'-tianized  by 
missionaries  from  Kome  (Augustine  and  his  thirty  compan- 
ions sent  out  bv  Gregory  I.,  a.  d.  596);  KngUind  sent  a  few 
centuries  later  the  gospel  to  the  Continent,  mainly  throngh 
Winfried  or  Boniface,  "the  apostle  of  Oennany;'"  and  Ger- 
many discharged  the  debt  by  giving  to  Knglmd,  indirectly  at 
least,  the  Protestant  Ileformalion,  in  the  si.xtoenth  century. 
In  America  both  nationalities  meet  ii!  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury to  coalesce  into  one  on  the  ground  of  their  cominon 
Protestant  Christianity.— P.  S.] 

X  [According  to  Uieterlci's  calculation  the  religious  sta- 
tistics of  the  world  in  1S59  stood  as  follows : 

Heathens 800.000,000 

Mohammedans 100,000.000 

Jews 5.000.UOO 

Christians 8:», 000.000— P.  S.] 


564 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING   TO  MATTHEW. 


Lord  ;  a  gospel  of  glory,  tliat  the  Son  of  God  bath 
appeared  and  taken  away  the  power  from  death,  and 
from  the  subjection  unto  vanity,  beneath  which  the 
whole  creation  groaneth,  etc. — Baptism.  Immersion^ 
which  signifies  the  death  and  burial  of  sinful  human- 
ity, became  an  aspersion  to  signify  the  outpouring 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the  soul's  renewal,  or  a  sprink- 
ling to  indicate  purification  and  dedication,  sanctifi- 
cation  of  heart  and  life;  the  external  mode  may 
change  (but  still  the  idea  must  obtain  the  same  depth, 
Rom.  vi.  4,  viz.,  to  be  baptized  into  the  death  of 
Christ  to  a  new  life).  —  Baptism  is  the  sacrament 
through  which  one  becomes  a  Christian. — io,  /  am 
with  you:  He  is  not  coming.  He  is  here:  1.  He  is 
with  weak  and  strong ;  2.  in  battle  as  in  victory ;  3. 
in  life  and  in  death ;  4.  in  time  and  eternity. — Here 
Jesus  is  with  us  in  His  word,  there  we  shall  be  with 
Him  in  His  glory. —  Uhle  :  What  the  exalted  Son  of 
man  in  His  exaltation  is  unto  men:  1.  What  do  His 
friends  possess  in  Him  ?  He  is,  (a)  their  royal  Bro- 
ther ;  (b)  their  eternal  High-Priest  ;  (c)  their  almighty 
Protector ;  {d)  the  unfailing  Accomplisher  of  their 
perfection.  2.  What  do  His  enemies  possess  in  Him  ? 
He  is,  (a)  their  almighty  King;  (6)  an  omniscient 
Witness;  (c)  a  patient  Forbearer;  (d)  a  righteous 
Judge. — Ahlfeld :  The  last  will  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :  1.  Believe  on  the  Risen  One  ;  2.  extend  the 
Church ;  3.  coasole  thyself  with  the  Lord's  gracious 
assistance. — Heubner  :  The  everlasting  endurance  of 
the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ. 

[Matthew  Henry  : — Alway,  i.  e.,  all  days,  every 
day.  I  wiU  be  with  you,  on  Sabbath  days,  on  week 
days,  fair  days  and  foul  days,  winter  days  and  sum- 
mer days.  There  is  no  day,  no  hour  of  the  day,  in 
which  our  Lord  Jesus  is  not  present  with  His 
churches  and  His  ministers  ;  if  there  were,  that  day, 
that  hour,  they  were  undone.  The  God  of  Israel,  the 
Saviour,  is  sometimes  a  God  that  hideth  Himself  (laa. 


xl.  15),  but  never  a  God  that  absenteth  Himself  ; 
sometimes  in  the  dark,  but  never  at  a  distance. —  With 
you  :  1.  With  you  and  your  writings  :  the  divine 
power  of  the  Scriptures  continues  to  the  end  of  time ; 
2.  with  you  and  your  successors :  all  the  ministers  of 
the  Apostles,  all  to  whom  the  commission  extends  to 
baptize  and  to  teach  ;  [3.  with  you  and  all  true  dis- 
ciples, comp.  Matt,  xviii.  20]. — Chrtsostom  : — Lo,  I 
am  with  you  alway,  etc.  As  much  as  to  say :  Tell 
Me  not  of  the  difiiculty  of  all  these  things,  seeing  I 
am  with  you,  who  can  make  all  things  easy.  A  like 
promise  He  often  made  to  the  prophets  of  the  0.  T., 
to  Jeremiah,  who  pleaded  his  youth ;  to  Moses  and 
to  Ezekiel,  when  they  would  have  shunned  the  ofiice 
imposed  upon  them.  The  promise  is  not  to  the  Apos- 
tles only,  who  were  not  to  continue  till  the  end  of  the 
v.'orld,  but  with  them  to  all  who  shall  beUeve  after 
them.  He  says  this  to  the  faithful  as  one  body. — P. 
ScHAFF : — The  unbroken  succession  of  Christ's  life 
through  all  ages  of  Christendom  (or,  the  true  doctrine 
of  the  apostolic  succession):  1.  A  glorious  fact;  2. 
an  irresistible  evidence  of  Christianity ;  3.  an  unfailing 
source  of  strengtji  and  encouragement  to  the  believer. 
— Christ's  presence  with  His  people  :  1.  In  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  reveals  Christ  to  us  and  unites  us  to  Him ; 
2.  in  the  Church  which  is  His  body,  the  fulness  of 
Him  that  filleth  all  in  all ;  3.  in  His  word ;  4.  in  His 
sacraments,  especially  the  Lord's  Supper,  where  He 
offers  Himself  to  the  beUever  as  his  spiritual  food ; 
5.  in  the  hearts  of  believers,  who  live  in  Him  as  He 
in  them,  the  hope  of  glory. — Christ's  omnipresence 
in  the  Church  :  1 .  Its  nature :  (a)  spiritual  real ;  (b) 
divine-human ;  (c)  mediatorial  and  saving ;  2.  its 
warning  ;  3.  its  comfort  in  life  and  in  death. — 
Christ's  presence  with  His  members  on  earth  till  His 
coming ;  their  presence  with  Him  in  heaven,  where 
they  shall  see  Him  as  He  is,  to  glorify  and  enjoy  Hun 
forever. — ^P.  S.] 


ADDENDA. 

BY    THE    AMERICAN    EDITOR, 


The  Sinaitic  Manuscript  of  the  Bible,  which  Professor  Tischendorf  rescued  from  the  obscurity  of  the 
Conyent  of  St.  Catharine  on  Mount  Sinai,  and  carefully  edited  in  two  editions  m  1862  and  1863,*  two  years 
after  the  issue  of  the  third  edition  of  Dr.  Lange's  Commentary  on  Matthew,  has  been  carefully  com- 
pared in  preparing  the  American  edition  of  this  work  from  Chapter  VIII.  to  the  close  of  the  Gospel  of 
Matthew.  I  thought  I  was  the  first  to  do  so,  but  just  before  I  finished  the  last  pages  of  this  volume, 
I  found  that  Baumlcin,  in  his  Commentary  on  the  Gospel  of  St.  John,f  and  Meyer,  in  the  fifth  edition 
of  his  Commentary  on  Matthew,  both  of  which  appeared  in  1864,  had  preceded  me,  at  least  in  print. 
No  critical  scholar  can  ignore  this  manuscript  hereafter.  For  it  is  the  only  complete,  and  perhaps  the  oldest 
of  all  the  imcial  codices  of  the  Bible,  or  at  least  of  the  same  age  and  authority  as  the  celebrated  Vatican 
Codex  (which  is  traced  by  some  to  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century),  and  far  better  edited  by  the  German 
Protestant  Professor,  Tischendorf,  than  the  latter  was  by  the  Itahan  Cardinal,  Angelo  Mai.  In  the  absence 
of  a  simpler  mark  agreed  upon  by  critics  (the  proposed  designation  by  the  Hebrew  j^  has  not  yet  been 
adopted,  and  is  justly  objected  to  by  Tregelles  and  others  on  the  ground  of  typographical  inconvenience),  I 
introduce  it  always  as  Cod.  Sin.,  and  I  find  that  Dr.  Meyer  in  the  fifth  edition  does  the  same.  As  I  could 
not  procure  a  copy  of  the  printed  edition  of  this  Codex  till  I  had  finished  the  first  seven  chapters,  I  now 
complete  the  critical  part  of  the  work  by  adding  its  more  important  readings  in  the  first  seven  chapters 
where  they  differ  from  the  texius  receptus,  on  which  the  authorized  Enghsh,  as  well  as  all  the  older  Protestant 
Versions  of  the  Greek  Testament  are  substantially  based. 

*  Novum  TESTAMEXTUii  Sinaiticum,  sive  Novum  Testamentam  cum  Epistola  Barnabfe  et  Fragmentis  Pastoris 
(Hermae).  Es  Codice  Sinaitico  auspiclis  Alexandri  II.,  omnium  Eussiarum  imperatoris,  ex  tcnebris  protracto  orbique 
litterarum  tradito  accurate  dcscripsit  ^notheus  Feideeicus  Constantinus  Tisciienboef,  thcol.  ct  phil.  Dr.,  etc.  etc. 
Lipsiif,  1SG:3.  The  text  is  anauged  in  four  columns  and  covers  14S  folios;  the  \e&rue(i  Prolegmnena  of  the  editor  Ixxxl 
folios.  There  is  besides  a  magnificent  photo-lithographed  fac-simile  edition  of  the  whole  Sinaitic  Bible,  published  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  in  4  volumes  (3  for  the  Old  and  1  for  the  New  Testament,  the  latter  in  143  folios),  under 
the  title:  Biblioeum  Codex  Slnaiticijs  Peteopolitanus.  Auspiclis  augustissimis  imperatoris  Alexandri  II.  ed.  Const. 
Tischendorf.  Petrojioli,  18G'2.  A  copy  of  this  rare  edition  I  have  also  consulted  occasiDiially,  in  the  Aster  Library  of  New 
York.  For  fuller  inform.ition  on  this  important  Codex  (in  the  words  of  Tischendorf:  "  omnium  codicmn  uncialium  solus 
integer  omniumque  antiquinKimus'''),  vre  must  refer  the  re:>der  to  the  ample  Prolegomena  of  TiscnENDonp,  also  to  an 
article  of  IIilgenfeld  in  his  Zeitsehrift/ilr  wissensdiafUiche  TJieologie,  vol.  vii.  (1S64),  p.  74  ff.  (who  is  disposed  to  assign 
it  to  a  somewhat  later  age),  and  to  Sceiveser's  treatise,  which  I  have  not  seen. 

t  Hengstenberg,  in  his  Commentary  on  John,  concluded  in  1860,  pays  no  attention  whatever  to  this  Codes,  aud  is  very 
defective  in  a  critical  point  of  view. 


'>66 


THE   GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


Cu.  I.  6. — Cod.  Sin.  omits  the  second  6  jSacn- 
A  €  u  s ,  the  king,  after  David.  See 
Commentary,  Crit.  Nole  1  on  p.  48. 

V.  18. — Cod.  Sin.  sustains  yeVfcrir,  h'lrtli, 
natlvUy  (B.,  C,  P.,  S.,  Z.,  etc.,  Lach- 
mann,  Tischendorf,  Alford)  for  the  led. 
rec.  yewTjcT IS,  which  may  easily 
have  arisen  from  iyevvntre  and  fjeu- 
vhQ-q,  and  as  appearing  to  suit  the  con- 
nection better  {partus  modus),  comp. 
Meyer,  in  the  fifth  ed.,  p.  43.  But 
Christ's  origin  was  not  properly  a  he- 
getting,  engendering,  yewTjcris  (from 
yevudoo)  ;  and  hence  yeveff  i  s  is  pref- 
erable both  for  internal  and  external 
reasons.  Comp.  Luke  i.  14 :  eVl  tJ 
yeueaei  avTov,  which  is  better  sup- 
ported there  than  yiwhaei. 

V,  19. — Cod.  Sin.:  ^^  ly  fxar  iff  ai  for  the 
lect.  rec.  tr  ap  aSeiy/j-aTtaat;  the  Trapa 
in  Cod.  Sin.  being  '■'■punctis  notatum 
rursus  delciis,''^  as  Tischendorf  remarks, 
Proleg.  p.  xlii,  which  I  found  to  be 
correct  on  inspection  of  the  mc-simile 
edition  in  the  Astor  Library.  The 
sense,  however,  is  not  altered,  since 
both  Zii.yiJ.a.ri^ca  (only  once.  Col.  ii. 
15)  and  ■KapaSeiyixaTi^u  (twice.  Matt, 
i.  19  and  Heb.  vi.  6)  mean  to  make  a 
show  or  cxampile  of  one,  to  put  to  shame. 
Lachmann,  Tischendorf  (ed.  septima 
critica  major,  1859),  Alford  (4th  ed. 
of  1859),  and  Meyer  (5th  ed.,  but  omit- 
ting to  notice  the  original  reading  of 
Cod.  Sin.)  read  SeiyfiaTia  at  on  the 
authority  of  B.,  Z.,  and  scholia  of 
Origen  and  Eusebius. 

V.  25. — Cod.  Sin.  reads  simply :  ereKev  viov, 
instead  of  the  leei.  rec. :  ereKe  rhv 
vlhv  aurri  s  rhy  tv  p  air  or  o  kov  , 
and  here  sustains  the  testunony  of 
Codd.  B.,  Z.,  etc.,  and  the  modem  crit- 
ical editions.  The  omission  of  T?pur6- 
TOKov  is  much  easier  accounted  for,  on 
doctrinal  grounds,  than  its  insertion, 
and  cannot  affect  the  controversy  con- 
cerning the  question  of  the  brothers 
of  Christ,  since  irpanoTOKos  is  genuine 
in  Luke  ii.  1,  where  there  is  no  varia- 
tion of  reading.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  term  does  not  necessarily  prove  that 
Mary  had  children  after  Jesus.  Comp. 
Crit.  Note  2,  on  p.  52,  and  the  remark 
of  Jerome,  quoted  in  Tischendorf 's  crit. 
apparatus  (ed.  7.  p.  4). 
Cn.  II  11,— Cod.   Sin.   reads:    jSov  {^Uov),  they 


saiv  (as  in  the  Eng.  Ver.),  for  fZpov, 
they  found  (Vulg. :  invencruni). 
v.  18. — Cod.  Sin.  omits  Qprjvos  Kai,  lamen- 
tation and,  before  /cAaufljurfs,  weep- 
ing. So  all  the  critical  editors.  The 
text.  rec.  seems  to  be  enlarged  from  the 
Septuagint. 
Ch.  III.  3. — 5  1  a  Tiaatov,  through  Isaiah,  instead  of 
virh  'Hffa'iov,  by  Isaiah.  The  reading 
8ia  is  sustamed  also  by  Codd.  B.,  C. , 
D.,  Syr.,  Sahid.,  iEth.,  Vulg.,  Griesb., 
Lachm.,  Tischend.,  Alf.,  and  is  more 
correct ;  for  the  word  was  spoken  by 
the  Lord  through  Isaiah  {a  Domino 
per,  as  Irenscus  has  it).  Hence  insert 
in  text  on  p.  GT  after  by:    [through, 

V.  6. — Cod.  Sin. :  i  o  pS  a  v  rj  -k  or  aixu  (also 
in  Codd.  B.,  C,  M.,  A.,  etc.)  for 
'lopSoi/T?  utt'  avTOv.  But  ir  0 - 
raixo),  river,  may  have  been  inserted 
from  Mark  i.  5. 
Cii.  IV.  5. — Cod.  Sin.  :  iarvffiv,  text.  rec. : 
t  0-  T  Tj  <r  I  J/  (E.  V. :  setteth).  Lachmann 
and  Alford  adopt  iar-qaiv  with  B.,  C, 
D.,  Z.,  while  Tischendorf  (7  ed.,  1859) 
and  Meyer  retain  Vo-TTjffir.  The  aorist 
interrupts  the  flow  of  the  prcesens 
historicHm  in  this  verse  {irapaXaii^dvn 
.  .  .  Ae'yci),  comp.  vers.  8  and  10,  and 
may  have  been  a  correction  from 
Luke  iv.  9. 
V.  10. — o-Kiaoi  fxov,  behind  me,  is  wanting 
in  Cod.  Sin.,  as  in  other  important 
witnesses,  and  in  Elzevir's  ed.  {see  the 
apparatus  in  the  crit.  editions),  and  is 
probably  an  old  insertion  from  Matt. 
xvi.  23,  where  Peter  is  addressed. 
Comp.  Lange's  Exeg.  Note  on  ch.  iv. 
10,  p.  85. 
Cu.  V.  11. — Cod.  Sin.  sustains  the  lect.  rec.  ^ev- 
56iJ.€vui  (E.  V.  falsely),  which  was 
suspected  by  Griesbach,  and  thro-wTi 
out  of  the  text  by  Fritzsche,  Lachinann, 
Tischendorf,  and  Meyer,  who  says 
(fifth  ed.  p.  1 35)  rather  too  dogmatic- 
ally :  "  Das  entbehrliche  %md  den  Nerv 
der  Rede  nur  schimchende  Ii  or<  ist  ein 
frommer,  ungefvgiger,  v.nd  dnher  aueh 
verschieden  gestellter  Zusatz.  Ccmp. 
Crit.  Note  2  on  p.  98. 
V.  30. — Cod.  Sin.  sustains  the  Vatican  Codex, 
Vulgata  {eat),  etc.,  Lachmann,  Tischen- 
dorf, TregcUes,  and  Alford,  in  reading 
il  s  y  e  e  V  V  ap  aTreASjj,  should  de- 
part into  hell,  instead  of  the  lect.  rec. : 


ADDENDA. 


567 


^XnOri    e'J    y^fvaf,    should    be 
cast  into  hell,  which  seems  to  be  a 
'  correction  to  suit  the  preceding  verse. 

y_  44._Cod.   Sin.  reads  simply:    aya-irare 
rovs  eX^P""^   vixuv   icat  Trpocr. 
euX««^^*     uirep     ruv     Biwkov- 
ruu,  love  your  enemies  and  pray  for 
those   who  persecute    you,  and   omits 
after  vfj.uv  the  words  from  eliXoyure 
to  ixiffodcriv  vfXM  {bless  them  that  curse 
you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you), 
and  after  inrep  twj' the  words:  ewTj- 
piaCSvruv     6/xas    Kal    {who  de- 
spitefully  use  you  and).    It  agrees  in 
this    omission    with   Cod.  B.,   Copt., 
Iren.,  Orig.,  Euseb.,  and  other  fathers. 
Lach'matm,  Tischendorf,  TregeUes,  and 
Alford,  expunge  the  words  referred  to, 
as  an  interpolation  from  Luke  vi.  28  ; 
but  de  Wette  and  Meyer  object,  since 
the  order  of  the  clauses  in  Luke  is 
different,  and  since  the  homoeoteleuta 
could  easily  cause    omissions.      The 
words   iiTVP^'^CovTcov  vfias  Kai, 
however,  are  very  suspicious,  and  in 
aU  probability  mserted  from  Luke  vi. 
28.     Hence  Meyer,  also,  gives   them 
up. 
y^  4Y._Cod.  Sin.  sustains  iOviKoi,  heathen, 
with   B.,  D.,   Z.,  verss.   and  fathers 
against  reXSivai,  publicans,  which 
seems  to  have  been  inserted  from  ver. 
46,  as  already  remarked  on  p.   112, 
Crit.  Note  6. 
Q^    YX.    i._Cod.  Sin.  agrees  here  again  with  the 
Vatican  MS.  (also   D.,  Syr.,  Hieros., 
Itala,  Vulgata,  several  fathers,  Lachm., 
Tischend.,  Treg.,  Alf),  in  reading  5i- 
Kaioavv-qv,    righteousness,    instead 
of   iAfVf^offifV  {text,  rec.  Mat- 
thai,   Scholz),  which  is  "a  mistaken 
gloss,  the  general  nature  of  this  open- 
Tng  caution  not  being  perceived." 
V.  12.— C^d.  Sin.  (alsoB.,  Z.):  k<pi)Kafu^v 
{have  forgiven)  against  the  lect.  rec. : 
TS77!"rt'',"a'nd  the  reading  of  D.,  E., 
L.,  etc. :  a  4)  I  o  M  «  " ,  which  may  have 
been  taken  from  Luke  xi.  4.     Lachm., 
Tischend.,  Alford,  and  Meyer,   favor 

13.— Cod.  Sin.  omits  the  doxology  and  the 
amen  in  the  Lord's  Prayer,  with  other 
ancient  witnesses  and  all  the  modem 
critical  editors,  German  and  English, 
except  Matthaei,  whose  exclusive  ad- 
herence to  his  own  Moscow   manu- 


/^ffr. 


scripts  gives  his  edition  the  character 
of  partiality.    It  is  generally  regarded 
as  an  insertion  from  the  ecclesiastical 
liturgies  in  the  fourth  century.     On 
the  other  hand,  it  is  strongly  defended 
as  genuine,  not  only  by  Stier,  as  men- 
tioned on  p.  122,  but  also  by  Scrivener 
{A  Supplement  to  tJie  authorized  Jin- 
glish   Version  of  the  N.    T.,  vol.    i. 
1845,  p.  155  ff.).     Alford's  testimony 
against  it,  as  quoted  on  p.  122,  is  cer- 
tainly too  strong.     The  importance  of 
the  case  will  justify  us  in  adding  here 
the  principal  arguments  on  both  sides 
of  the  question.     It  must  be  admitted 
that  the  loeight  (though  by  no  means 
tlve  number)  of  critical  testimony  is 
rather  against  the  doxology.    Four  of 
the  most  ancient  uncial  MSS.,  Cod.  Sin. 
(4th  cent.),  Vaticanus  (B.,  4th  cent.), 
Cantabrigiensis,  or  Codex  Bezse  (D., 
5th  or  6th  cent.),  Dublinensis  rescrip- 
tus  (Z.,  of  the  6th  cent.,  containing,  of 
the  N.  T.,  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  with 
many  lacuna;),  and  five  cursive  MSS. 
(1,  17,  118,  130,  209,  of  much  later 
date),  moreover  the  ancient  Latin  ver- 
sions, and  most  of  the  early  fathers, 
especially  the  Latin  ones,   including 
Origan,  TertuUian,  and  Cyprian,  who 
wrote  practical  commentaries  on  the 
Lord's    Prayer,   omit    the    doxology. 
The  other  imcial  MSS.  are  here  defect- 
ive,  and    cannot  be    quoted    for  or 
against.     Cod.  Alexandrmus  (A.,  5th 
cent.)  is  mutilated  from  Matt.  i.  to 
XXV.   6  (its  first   leaf   commencmg: 
6  vvix<pios),  and  Cod.   Ephraemi  Syri 
(C,  5th  cent.)  omits  Matt.  v.  16  to 
vii.'  4  (according  to  Tischendorf's  edi- 
tion, which  is,  however,  unfortunately 
not  'in  fac-simile).    Its  omission  from 
the  text  is,  moreover,  much  more  diffi- 
cult to  account  for  than  its  insertion 
from  the  ancient  liturgies.    But  on  the 
other  hand,  the  doxology  is  already 
found  in  the  venerable  Peschito  (of  the 
second  century),  and  the  two  younger 
Syriac    Versions    (Philoxeniaua    and 
Ilierosolymitana),   in  the  Sahidic   or 
Tlicbaic    Egyptian    Version    (which 
ranks  next  to  the  Peschito  on  the 
score    of   antiquity),    the    ^thiopic, 
Armenian,  Gothic  and  Gregorian  Ver- 
sions, in  the  Apostolical  Constitutions, 
Chrysostom,  as  well  as  in  nearly  all 
the  five  hundred  or  more  cursive  man- 


568 


THE    GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  MATTHEW. 


uscripts  in  which  the  sixth  chapter  of 
Matthew  is  preserved.  As  to  internal 
reasons,  it  can  hardly  be  urged  that 
the  doxology  interrupts  the  context  or 
the  logical  connection  between  vers. 
12  and  14  (Scholz,  Meyer,  Alford) ; 
for  this  argument  would  require  us  to 
cancel  the  whole  of  ver.  13  (Scrivener). 
No  one  can  doubt  the  eminent  pro- 
I)riety  of  this  solemn  conclusion  which 
we  are  accustomed  to  regard  from  in- 
fancy as  an  integral  part  of  the  prayer 
of  prayers,  and  which  we  would  now 
never  think  of  saci'ificing  to  critical 
considerations  in  our  popular  Bibles 
and  public  and  private  devotions. 
Probably  it  was  the  prevailing  custom 
of  the  Christians  in  the  East  from  the 
beginning  to  pray  the  Lord's  Prayer 
with  the  doxology,  comp.  2  Tim.  iv. 
18.  Chrysostom  comments  on  it  with- 
out the  least  consciousness  that  its 
authenticity  is  doubtful. 

In  the  seventh  chapter  Cod.  Sin.  offers  no  im- 
portant deviations  from  the  received  text. 
Cn.  VII.    2. — Cod.  Sin.  sustains  with  the  best  an- 
cient   authorities    /xer pTidrja-erat, 


shall  be  measured,  which  is  now  adopt- 
ed by  the  editors  of  the  Greek  text 
(even  Stier  and  Theile,  and  Words- 
worth, who  adhere  closely  to  the  El- 
zevir text),  against  the  lect.  rcc.  avr  t- 
/xeTprid-n<TeTat,  shall  he  measured  again, 
or  in  turn  (from  Luke  vi.  38). 

COD.  SIN.  TEXT.  REO. 

V.     4. — Kijis   (Keyeis) e'pety. 

v.  13. — etireAOaTe eUeAdere. 

V.    14. OTl  ffTfVI}* 

"     — TrAaria  TrAaTeTa  57  TruAr;  (so  B.). 

V.  21. — TO  6e\7ifxara rh  ^eATj/xa  (so  also  B.). 

V.  24. — ofxoiuQrjaiTai bixoidiaoo  ahrdv. 

V.  27. — rikQav fiKdov. 

V.  28. — freXecTiv (TweTeXeaev 

V.  29. — ypafj-fiaTe IS  avroiv ypaixixarels. 

*  But  it  is  not  certain  whether  on  or  ri  was  the  original 
reading.  Tischendorf  remarks,  Proleg.  xliii.  ad  membra- 
nam  iv.  exteriorem :  "  on  :  0  litterae  punctum  impositum : 
nescio  an  ante  C».  jam  B  imposuerit;  obelam  vero  solus  Ca- 
addidit."  "On  ar  evi),  for  strait,  is  the  reading  of  the 
text.  rec.  and  retained  by  Tischendorf  and  Alford,  but  it 
may  easily  have  arisen  from  on  TrKaTela,  ver.  13.  Lach- 
mann,  Meyer,  and  Scrivener  prefer  ri  cm  ff] ,  Jiow  ati^ait 
(Vulgata:  quam  ccnffusta),  which  has  the  balance  of  exter- 
nal evidence  in  its  favor. 


DATE  DUE 


Detnco,  Inc.  38-293 


